Benzene in Dry Shampoos & 3 Ways to ensure your Dry Shampoo is benzene-free

We get to the bottom of benzene. Why is benzene in your dry shampoo? Why is benzene dangerous, and how do you avoid it?

What is benzene in dry shampoos?

Why is benzene in dry shampoos dangerous?

Can benzene in dry shampoos cause cancer?

Why is benzene in dry shampoos?

How common is benzene in dry shampoos?

How can you make sure you're only using benzene-free dry shampoos?

3 ways to ensure your dry shampoo is benzene-free

Stay Safe: Only let those you really trust into your life - and hair 

Benzene in Dry Shampoos - what's the deal?

It’s no secret that we love hair. Or that we love our products that enable you to style your hair. In all sorts of ways. That you can use a finishing spray when you’ve got the time, or dry shampoo when you don’t - and still look up to the minute. We love a sick look. But not to the extent that it could actually make you sick. As in ill. That’s a whole other sick. A very, very bad sick. 

Sadly, it’s a reality out there. Hear this. Researchers from the independent laboratory Valisure have tested 148 batches from 34 of the most popular brands of spray-on dry shampoo. They found that 70% contained benzene - a toxic chemical that is known to cause blood cancers - leukemia. “What the fuck!?” you say? Yeah, we hear you, but before we dive headfirst into learning more about benzene and how to avoid it we have something a declaration to make:

 We want you to know that The Every’s dry shampoos, and all our products, are 100% benzene-free. Using such bad stuff is just not the way we work. The Every is about killing it, not providing products that potentially could kill you.

What is benzene in dry shampoos?

Benzene is a colorless, flammable liquid with a somewhat sweet odor. It is used in many industrial processes, including the production of plastics, rubber, and synthetic fibers. It can also be found in gasoline and cigarette smoke. Yikes.

Why is benzene in dry shampoos dangerous?

Exposure to benzene can cause serious health problems, including leukemia and other blood cancers. Benzene is a known carcinogen (meaning it causes cancer) and can also cause other health problems, including anemia, immune system damage, and reproductive problems. The risks associated with exposure to benzene are well-documented, and it is important to avoid exposure whenever possible.

Can benzene in dry shampoos cause cancer?

Yes, benzene most certainly can cause cancer, including leukemia. In fact, benzene was classified as carcinogenic to humans way back in the 1970s, so the chemical's nasty cancer-causing tendencies have been known for a long time.

Why is benzene in dry shampoos?

That’s an excellent question. Benzene isn't supposed to be in dry shampoo at all. Period. It doesn’t have any role in absorbing hair oils or masking odors and isn’t a known ingredient in dry shampoos. Instead, the most likely explanation is that the benzene has made its way into the affected products through contamination during the manufacturing process. That’s no excuse but, at least it doesn’t seem intentional.

How common is benzene in dry shampoos?

Unfortunately, this seems to be WAY too common. As we started out mentioning, a recent study conducted in 2022 found that benzene was present in 70% of the most popular dry shampoo brands. If you want the full list, you should head over to pages 13 to 18 of the actual report on benzene in dry shampoos published by Valisure and take note of the brand names for yourself. Otherwise, to be safe, may we suggest getting rid of whatever dry shampoos you have at home and instead picking up some of our benzene-free dry shampoos?

How can you make sure you're only using benzene-free dry shampoos?

Telling whether a dry shampoo or hair spray contains benzene is tricky since the chemical isn’t an actual ingredient but a contamination. Benzene is made from petroleum, just like butane and propane which are some of the most commonly used propellants in sprays - that’s the stuff that makes the spray come out of the can. So if the presence of benzene is to be blamed on contamination, butane, and propane may be the likely culprits. Both propane and butane are supposed to be purified and tested to ensure no traces of benzene reach consumers but it seems that hasn’t been the case here.

3 ways to ensure your dry shampoo is benzene-free

So, back to the question of how to tell if your dry shampoo contains benzene. Here’s our suggestion:

1. Start by checking out the full list of affected brands on the link above and then get rid of the ones on the list if you have any at home.
2. Check the contents of your dry shampoo for “butane”, “isobutane” or “propane”. If any of these are mentioned and the brand is not specifically stating they are sure the product is benzene-free, we would assume it does in fact contain benzene and you should get rid of them.
3. Better safe than sorry. Only use guaranteed benzene-free dry shampoos from brands like The Every who are sure their products are free from benzene. High-quality ingredients are more costly than low-quality ones and following regulations and conducting the necessary tests is also more expensive than cutting corners and simply hoping for the best. We’re not saying all budget brands and products are bad - but make sure you’re not sacrificing your health just to save a few bucks.

Stay Safe: Only let those you really trust into your life - and hair 

If you're feeling upset and frustrated about the occurrence of benzene in dry shampoos and other haircare products - we totally get it. If you’re feeling a bit scared about using dry shampoos again - don’t be! But PLEASE make sure to follow our advice and ensure you're always using benzene-free dry shampoos. By staying up to date and keeping yourself well-informed you can keep looking sick - but staying healthy and hairy.