At Briogeo, we not only care about creating the highest quality and most effective natural hair care, we also care about educating our customers about the ingredients we use in our products. Whether it's an ingredient as well known as shea butter or something with a funky name like Elettaria Cardamomum (Cardamom) Oil, we want you to understand how our ingredients work and why we use them in our products.
We recently introduced an ingredient reference section to our website that describes the natural ingredients we use in our products and how each one contributes to healthy, beautiful hair. In addition to addressing the natural hair ingredients we use in our products, we also want to take time to educate our customers about the non-natural (yet safe and non-toxic!) ingredients we use in our products. We are fully confident in the efficacy and safety of every ingredient we include in our products and we want you to feel the same way. So without further ado, let's get to educating!
Today we are going to discuss the two ingredients from the glycol family which are found in our new Be Gentle, Be Kind Co-Wash and Curl Charisma Leave-In Conditioner products. The two ingredients are Butylene Glycol and Propylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate.
Ingredient Name: Butylene Glycol
What does it do?
A conditioning agent that attracts water to the hair to balance moisture content.
Why does Briogeo use it?
Briogeo uses butylene glycol in our Be Gentle, Be Kind Co-Wash to provide moisture to the scalp and hair strands. We have no doubt that butylene glycol is safe for your hair, but don't just listen to us! The Journal of the American College of Toxicology, released a report that stated butylene glycol is "safe as presently used in cosmetics." The report goes on to say that repeated patch tests on butylene glycol produced no evidence of skin sensitization. Furthermore, The Cosmetic Ingredient Review board has evaluated several toxicology tests and other research concerning butylene glycol and determined it is safe as used in cosmetics products. Lastly, the EWG* gave butylene glycol a score of 0-1, a score designated for the lowest hazard ingredients.
Where else have I seen/used this product?
Butylene Glycol is also used in facial moisturizers, foundations, sunscreens, eye creams and mascaras.
Anything else I should know?
The Butylene Glycol we use in our products is vegetable derived. It's a blend of Behentrimonium Methosulfate (a rapeseed derived ingredient that is used for smoothing the hair) and Cetearyl Alcohol (a vegetable derived fatty alcohol that does not behave like other drying alcohols — cetearyl alcohol is used to condition and soften the hair) . People sometimes confuse butylene glycol with other glycols like ethylene glycol, a highly toxic ingredient used in car anti-freeze. However, The CIR Expert Panel reported that butylene glycol is the most gentle of all the glycols.
It's a conditioning agent that utilizes its fatty acid components to maintain and improve lubrication and skin cell resilience. Don’t let that definition intimidate you! Basically, propylene glycol dicaprylate/dicaprate works with the protein in your hair to help your tresses maintain moisture and manageability.
Why does Briogeo use it?
Briogeo uses propylene glycol dicaprylate/dicaprateit in our Curl Charisma Leave-In Conditioner because it is highly effective in softening and making the hair more manageable for styling. Countless studies have shown its effectiveness and safety including the CIR Expert Panel which concluded that Propylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate caused minimal to no irritation and does not contain common pore-clogging ingredients. Propylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate has an EWG score of 1, a score designated for the lowest hazard ingredients.
Where else have I seen/used this product?
Propylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate is used in facial cleansers, fragrances, lipsticks, and concealers.
Anything else I should know?
We realize there is a handful of negative information surrounding the use of Propylene Glycol in personal care products floating around the internet. However, the Propylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate we use in our products is different from Propylene Glycol. Propylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate is derived from propylene glycol esters and vegetable derived fatty acids. Propylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate is a FDA approved food additive, meaning the agency considers it safe to add to food items.
*EWG Scores are produced by the Environment Working Group, a respected American environmental organization that specializes in research and advocacy in the areas of toxic chemicals, agricultural subsidies, public lands, and corporate accountability. The EWG uses information from the published scientific literature, to supplement incomplete data available from companies and the government when assigning scores.
Stay tuned for more posts about the products we use in our products!
