Every time we wash our hair, most of us focus on the result: clean, soft, manageable hair. But what we rarely think about is what’s going down the drain—and where it ends up.
The truth is, many of the most common ingredients in shampoos and conditioners don’t just wash off your scalp. They enter our wastewater systems and eventually reach rivers, lakes, and oceans. And once there, they can do real damage.
This Earth Day, we want to talk about three ingredients in particular—sulfates, silicones, and microplastics—and why they’re not just bad for your hair, but for the planet.
1. Sulfates: They Clean Too Much—Everywhere
Sulfates like Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) and Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES) are strong detergents. They’re added to shampoos for one reason: foam. That satisfying lather you get when you shampoo your hair? That’s the sulfates at work.
But sulfates don’t discriminate. They strip your scalp of natural oils, which can lead to dryness, irritation, and even increased oil production as your skin tries to compensate. And when they’re washed into waterways, they do something similar: they strip away the natural balance of aquatic ecosystems.
Research has shown that sulfates can:
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Damage the protective membranes of fish
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Interfere with reproduction in aquatic species
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Disrupt the pH balance of freshwater ecosystems
In short, sulfates are effective cleaners—but they’re also harmful pollutants. The same aggressive cleansing action that dries out your scalp can also kill fragile marine life.
2. Silicones: Smooth Hair, Lasting Pollution
Silicones are added to hair products to create the feeling of softness and shine. Ingredients like dimethicone, cyclopentasiloxane, and other similar compounds form a coating over the hair, making it feel silkier—temporarily.
But the reality is, silicones don’t nourish or heal damaged hair—they just cover it up. Worse, they don’t rinse away cleanly. Many are non-biodegradable, and once they enter waterways, they accumulate in soil and sediment.
These compounds don’t break down easily. Over time, they build up in the environment, where they can:
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Smother aquatic plant life
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Block oxygen exchange in water systems
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Disrupt microbial communities in marine sediment
In essence, silicones trade long-term environmental damage for short-term cosmetic effect.
3. Microplastics: The Invisible Threat
Microplastics are one of the most pressing environmental issues of our time. In personal care, they’re often added as thickeners, stabilizers, or even exfoliants in scrubs and “clarifying” shampoos.
The problem? These plastic particles are too small to be filtered out by most wastewater treatment plants. They pass through, end up in rivers and oceans, and enter the food chain almost immediately.
What happens next is alarming:
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Small marine creatures ingest microplastics
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Those plastics accumulate up the food chain
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Toxins absorbed by plastics (like pesticides or heavy metals) are released in the body
This means the ingredients we wash down the drain can come back to us—on our plates, in our drinking water, and in our environment.
So What Can We Do?
The problem isn’t you. It’s the system.
Most mainstream beauty products are designed for performance and shelf life, not sustainability. They’re full of ingredients that feel good in the short term, but harm your scalp and the planet in the long run.
At Originature, we made a different choice:
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We never use sulfates, silicones, and minimize use of plastics
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Our products are made with cold-pressed, organic oils and plant-based ingredients that are toxin-free and no harm to marine life
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Every shampoo and conditioner bar is biodegradable, water-safe, and plastic-free
Because we believe you shouldn’t have to choose between healthy hair and a healthy ocean.
Earth Day Is a Reminder—But This Is a Daily Choice
Protecting marine life starts in small, simple ways. Like checking your labels. Choosing better ingredients. And asking brands the hard questions.
This Earth Day, let your hair care reflect your values:
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Choose ocean-safe, biodegradable ingredients
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Avoid greenwashing—read beyond “natural” claims
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Support brands that put the planet first, not just packaging claims
Our oceans are not a dumping ground. What you rinse off matters.
Let’s protect what sustains us—from scalp to sea.