PRODUCT PHILOSOPHY

Parabens are the most common preservative used in food and cosmetics. They have been extensively studied and determined to be safe for usage in personal care products by expert scientific panels and governmental regulatory agencies. None of the extensive research carried out on parabens has indicated a potential risk of harm to human health and parabens remain amongst the safest of preservatives in today’s cosmetic products. Parabens are also naturally occurring in many foods that we enjoy as part of a healthy lifestyle. These include cucumbers, carrots, onions, blueberries and cherries. Health Canada allows methylparaben as a preservative in foods and cosmetics and references United States and European regulations to support the safe use of methylparaben as a preservative in cosmetics and personal care products. Health Canada is a federal organization responsible for maintaining and improving Canadian’s health by ensuring the safety and efficacy of products including consumer, drug and health products. Other independent groups, the American Cancer Society, the FDA, and Cancer Research Centers, have looked for many different causes for cancer but have never found any evidence of risk from parabens.

There are hundreds of different types of silicones that deliver various benefits for hair. Silicones work by forming a microscopically thin and flexible coating on hair that creates a barrier against frizz and humidity, and locks in moisture when applied to wet or damp hair. Some of our formulas include silicones to smooth frizz, add softness and shine, provide colour protection, detangle, reduce fly-aways, and to seal split ends. The types of silicone used in our formulas are never drying and, when used properly, do not create unwanted heaviness. They are easily removed by shampooing, and do not build up on nor harm hair. This multitasking ingredient moisturizes and smoothes hair and helps protect it from the damage of heat styling, to leave it silkier, more lustrous, and more manageable.

Every fragrance material we use is held to the same stringent standards as all other Kao ingredients to ensure a safe experience for our consumers. We collaborate with some of the top perfume houses in the world to identify and create safe, high-quality scents. Click here to learn more.

In hair care products, we also use so-called “longchain” alcohols, such as cetearyl alcohol. These types of alcohols condition hair and improve the thickness of product formulas to provide stability.

The Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS), an independent scientific committee to the European Commission, published a favorable opinion of phthalates used in cosmetic products. They concluded that although there is no data available to demonstrate an association between phthalates in cosmetics and health risks, they have been measured within urine. Overall, the personal care industry has vastly decreased inclusion of phthalates in cosmetic products and John Frieda® products do not contain phthalates in our formulas or fragrances.