Consumer advocates:

Hair conditioners contain “unnecessary” chemicals

Hair conditioners often contain "unnecessary and problematic" chemicals. This is the result of a test conducted by the Association for Consumer Information (VKI), which scrutinized 13 conditioners. No product failed the test.

Both the discounter range and the expensive Kerastase product from the hairdressers were tested. A total of three "very good", four "good" and six "average" were awarded. Among the best conditioners was also the cheapest product, which costs 32 cents per 100 milliliters. The key result: although all conditioners care for the hair, six products (from the brands Cien, Garnier Fructis, Hema, Schwarzkopf Gliss Kur and Syoss) were found to contain substances that can interfere with the body's hormone balance.

Even if the probability of the compounds entering the body is low in hair conditioners, the use of these chemicals in conditioners is absolutely unnecessary.

Birgit Schiller vom VKI

"Even if the likelihood of the compounds in hair conditioners entering the body is low, the use of these chemicals in conditioners is absolutely unnecessary," said VKI chemicals expert Birgit Schiller. They can be replaced relatively easily by less problematic substances, which is also good for the environment.

Effects on the environment unclear
The use of silicones, which are supposed to support the care effect, is also unnecessary. "The problem is that these compounds accumulate in the environment - with unclear ecological effects." 

Many manufacturers could also improve their packaging, say the consumer advocates. For example, recycled material is rarely used and up to 18 percent (36 milliliters) of the contents could not be removed from the bottle.