amber
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
Ostensibly 'gentle' but ACDS Allergen of the Year 2004. Contains DMAPA/amidoamine impurities.
Low Tox Gear · Scanner
OGX Argan Oil Extra Strength Shampoo For Damaged Hair 385mL
Is OGX Argan Oil Extra Strength Shampoo For Damaged Hair 385mL low tox? Our scanner flagged 4 ingredients (4 in the caution tier) on its published label, screened against our 237 source-cited chemical rules.
4 caution
4 ingredients flagged
What we flagged
amber
Laureth4
Manufacturing process can leave 1,4-dioxane (probable carcinogen) and ethylene oxide as contaminants. Look for 'vacuum-stripped' products.
amber
Sodium Benzoate
Implicated in childhood hyperactivity studies and reported MCAS trigger.
amber
CI 19140
Same dye as food Yellow 5; warnings required in EU food but not cosmetic.
Full ingredients (from label)
Ingredients: WaterSodium C1416 Olefin SulfonateCocamidopropyl BetaineGlycolDistearateCitric AcidFragranceLaureth4Polyquaternium22PEG7 AmodimethiconeSodium BenzoateSodium CitrateArgania Spinosa Kernel OilLinoleamidopropylPGDimonium Chloride PhosphateAcrylates/C1030 Alkyl Acrylate CrosspolymerPolyquaternium39PEG150 Pentaerythrityl TetrastearatePPG2 HydroxyethylCocamideSilk Amino AcidsSodium HydroxideCI 19140CI 17200Hexylene Glycol.
How this analysis is generated
Each ingredient on this product's published label is matched against our 237 source-cited chemical rules, each documenting a concern from peer-reviewed research and regulatory sources. Severity tiers:
- Avoid (red) — banned or restricted in the EU, UK or Canada but still legal in the US, IARC-listed, or strong contact-allergen evidence.
- Caution (amber) — regulatory caution, contamination risk, or condition-specific irritant.
- Mild (green) — low concern but commonly avoided in low-tox formulations.
Each flag links to its primary chemical-level source, and each condition pill links to a PubMed-indexed paper that discusses the chemical class in the context of that condition. Every citation is a real peer-reviewed paper — we don't link to Wikipedia or PubMed search pages. Some pairs use a topically-broad paper (e.g. a fragrance-allergen patch-test review) rather than a single-pair study where the literature is thin. The full evidence chain (chemical → mechanism → condition → paper) is one click away.
This is automated analysis of a published label, not medical advice — always verify the label yourself before changing products. Methodology and source list at scan.lowtoxgear.com.