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When you buy shampoo, you should automatically look at the ingredients, and you will find plenty of them that you cannot pronounce. That does not mean, however, that these ingredients are toxic to use. You do want to avoid using shampoo with parabens, and it is best not to use any with sulfates, and they come in different names. If they sound like sulfates and parabens, they are what they are, just in other terms. However, there is one ingredient that you do want to pay attention to, and that is glycol distearate. Glycol distearate may sound like a toxic ingredient, but it is not. However, other issues are surrounding this ingredient that every consumer should know. Let’s talk about that now.
What Is Glycol Distearate?
You will see glycol distearate in shampoo and other cosmetic products. The color of this compound is white or cream, and it has a waxy feel. Glycol distearate increases the thickness of various beauty products. It is a popular ingredient because it provides these washes and shampoos with a pearlized appearance. Therefore, it is enticing to many.
Glycol Distearate is a chemical compound that combines stearic acid, a common fatty acid, and ethylene glycol, a colorless chemical. It has a very high foaming capacity, and even though it is mostly safe, there are natural alternatives in shampoos, soaps, and body lotions that are nourishing. That is because glycol distearate is not nourishing at all. It does not help your skin or hair.
What Is The Source Of Glycol Distearate?
Glycol distearate comes from a wide range of sources. The chemical can come from animals, in particular hogs or cows. It may also come from vegetable fats such as canola or soybean oil. Therefore, that is why glycol distearte is natural and generally safe. Vegan beauty and cosmetic products will only have this chemical coming from vegetable sources for the apparent reason. You can also synthetically produce this chemical by processing stearic acid, which is a common source of this chemical. Unless you are getting vegan products, you will not necessarily know the source of the glycol distearate in your cosmetic or beauty products.
What Are The Concerns About Glycol Distearate?
There are no concerns about glycol distearate per se other than it being an allergen to some people. Therefore, if you are allergic to this chemical, the best thing to do is stay away. Even though this chemical is safe, some people are concerned about using it in beauty products even though it is not nourishing. That is because one component of glycol distearate is ethylene glycol. Manufacturers of wood staining products, synthetic waxes, hydraulic brake fluids, antifreeze, and resins use ethylene glycol.
Additionally, you will also find ethylene glycol in de-icing solutions for planes and cars. Therefore, the idea that this chemical is in cosmetic and beauty products can be unsettling to some. But, at the same time, it is popular for others because they like how it pearlized shampoos, body lotions, and beauty products. However, it would help to remember that the amount of ethylene glycol used in the glycol distearate is minuscule. Therefore, it won’t harm you unless you have an allergy to the chemical, but it isn’t that beneficial.
You can compare it to junk food. Glycol distearate may make the products look good, but it is not at all nourishing. That is the same way that junk food not only looks good and tastes good, but it also does not nourish you. The only difference is that glycol distearate won’t necessarily harm you the same way that junk food will if you eat it all of the time. The bottom line is nourishing healthier ways to satisfy a sweet tooth, such as eating sweet fruits. That is the same way that better alternatives in shampoos and beauty products will nourish your skin and make the products look good or smell very good. Let’s now talk about much better options than glycol distearate.
What Are Better Alternatives To Glycol Distearate?
Here is a question for you. Do you need your cream or shampoo or body wash to have a thick and pearlescent appearance? It may look good, but looks can be deceiving, which is the case with glycol distearate. Even though it is not toxic, it is not helpful either. That is why you are much better off using alternatives that will nourish your hair and face, and you can also find these nourishing ingredients in natural shampoos, body lotions, and washes.
One excellent alternative is shea butter, as it scores low on the comedogenic scale and has so many nourishing and moisturizing properties that will give your hair and skin a beautiful glow. Aloe Vera is another ingredient that you are much better off using in your shampoos, body washes, and lotions. Not only does Aloe Vera provide you with so many nourishing benefits, but it also can be great for healing. If you have a scar, for example, Aloe Vera can help heal it. Natural products containing Aloe Vera will help bring a gorgeous and healthy glow to your hair and skin. Another great alternative to glycol distearate is jojoba oil, as it is highly nourishing.
You can also use rosemary oil as it has many cleaning properties, and you can also use olive oil for moisturizing if you want to create a lotion or shampoo for yourself. The point is that there is no reason at all to stick to products that contain glycol distearate.
Conclusion
It is not a secret that many shampoos and cosmetic‘ and beauty products contain harmful ingredients such as parabens and sulfates. The tricky thing about that is that these ingredient names have other names. The rule of thumb is that if you see any ingredient that resembles those names, you will want to steer clear of them. That is because they are sulfates and parabens in disguise. However, one ingredient you also want to watch out for in shampoos and beauty products is glycol distearate. Even though glycol distearate is not harmful, it is not helpful to your skin either. That is why you want to stick to natural alternatives that will nourish your skin. You deserve better!