We talk a lot about what we put into kids' food. We read nutrition labels, we avoid certain additives, we think about what they're ingesting. But how often do we think about what goes onto their skin and hair?
Skin is absorptive. Products that sit on hair and scalp don't just stay on the surface — some of the ingredients are absorbed, especially on children whose skin is more permeable than adults'. That's not meant to scare you. It's just a reason to be a little bit thoughtful about the products you use every day.
When I was developing Magic Mist, I spent a long time thinking about this. Here's what I decided mattered, and why.
Sulphate-free
Sulphates (SLS and SLES) are the foaming agents in many shampoos and some other hair products. They're effective cleansers but they're also known to be irritating, especially to sensitive skin. For daily-use products like a detangler, there's simply no need for them — so we left them out.
Paraben-free
Parabens are preservatives that have been widely used in cosmetics for decades. There's ongoing debate about their safety profile, particularly in products used on children. I took the view that if there's a reasonable alternative, use it. Our formula uses gentler preservation systems.
No synthetic fragrances
Synthetic fragrances are one of the most common causes of skin sensitisation in cosmetics. The coconut and lime scent in Magic Mist comes from a natural fragrance blend. It smells genuinely good — and it's not a chemical cocktail dressed up with a tropical name.
Naturally derived base ingredients
The conditioning and moisturising ingredients in Magic Mist are plant-derived. You can read the full breakdown on our ingredients page. We're not perfect — no product is 100% natural and still performs well enough for daily use — but every ingredient in our formula is there for a reason, and we've chosen the gentlest effective option at every step.
Why this matters for everyday products
A product you use once in a while is different from one you're using every single morning. Cumulative daily exposure is why I care so much about ingredient quality in a detangler specifically. It's not a once-a-week treatment — it's part of your daily routine. That's a reason to get it right.
I'm not here to tell you every product on the supermarket shelf is dangerous. But I do think parents deserve to know what's in the products they're reaching for by default, and to have genuinely good options when they want them. That's what Hello Flossi is here for.