Back When I lived In London And Learned About DMDM Hydantoin

In 2011, I lived in London for 3 months studying film. I always had a weird obsession with Stonehenge after learning about it in 8th grade and always dreamed of visiting the UK for this reason and others. I moved a lot because where I was studying didn’t offer housing. However, this really allowed me to get to know the city. I lived in Southhall, Ealing, Great Portland St, Stamford Hill, and would travel to Brixton when I wanted some Caribbean food. It was tough moving around a lot but beautiful all at the same time. I learned a great deal about myself and wouldn’t change a thing about that experience. I’ll always consider London a second home.

At Stonehenge, finally made it! It was raining but didn’t care. It was actually perfect. Learning about the history and seeing it in person was pretty awesome. Also, got to experience this moment with my parents who came to visit me my last week in London. (This hat became my favorite after picking it up at Portobello Road Market.)

Jubilee Gates - The Regent’s Park. (Photo by me)

Keats House in Hampstead. John Keats was a poet during the second generation of the Romantics period. I love his work. I spent a lot of time here finding solace and inspiration. I joined a poetry group here and finished the 1st draft of my first feature script. (Photo by me)

While living here, I ran out of shampoo and was searching for a new one. During my search, I noticed the one ingredient that made an appearance back home was missing here: DMDM Hydantoin. I noticed because I was trying to match some of the ingredients from my previous shampoo. It wasn’t a great shampoo but it was familiar. There were some ingredients that were similar but DMDM Hydantoin was noticeably missing. I thought this was interesting and wanted to know more about this ingredient.

So what it is?

DMDM Hydantoin is a formaldehyde releaser preservative. It is used to prevent bacteria and mold from growing to create a longer shelf life. This product is found in many hair care and skin care products in low concentrations. However, it can irritate your skin and pregnant women are told to avoid products with this ingredient. It can also cause cancer. When I arrived back in the states I was surprised how abundant it was walking down the aisles. I have not used products that contain this ingredient since 2011.

Recently, it has been trending on Tik Tok (not sure why I’m not on Tik Tok) and has been causing consumers to pay close attention to the ingredients in their products. The current shampoos, conditioners, and lotions I now use state the shelf life. Some products last for 6 months while others last up to a year.

I am still learning about different ingredients in my beauty products but have been familiar with this one for quite some time. I find it easy to avoid as long as I do the research and have noticed a positive difference in my hair and skin. Two main differences are less itchiness and noticeable improvements such as hair growth and smoother skin.

What are some ingredients that you check for when purchasing beauty products?

-Gabrielle-