Is a preservative, which prevents the growth of harmful bacteria and mold.

While the term “preservative” has become something of a bad word in the beauty product community, preservatives – when used safely – are absolutely essential in haircare products.

From a health perspective, it is much more important that a product is non-toxic and safe from bacterial and fungal growth than for it to be 100% “natural.”

One particularly disturbing bacterium is methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, also known as MRSA, which can grow in un-preserved haircare products and cause skin infections, abscesses, respiratory infections, pneumonia, meningitis, and many other serious conditions.

*Synthetic - process or made from a raw material, by hand, by machinery or produced in the laboratory.