The ingredients from which Coeur À Coeur Fashion Beauty Products, LLC, are made have been selected based upon hundreds of hours of research and testing, applying the utmost care and attention to provide both outstanding performance and safety.  The lead formulation chemist, our CEO and her teenage daughter, all use Belletresse, because we wouldn't sell a product that we don't use and recommend ourselves.

Formulation Objectives:  The highest quality ingredients such as Jojoba Oil and the proper percentage of those ingredients for optimal performance; exclusion of irritating, harsh, drying and allergy-reactive ingredients; not animal derived but vegan and natural ingredients preferred unless product performance is impacted. 

Why "100% Natural" chemicals in hair care led to the invention and use of man-made (synthetic) Surfactants/Cleaning Agents: 

Most "natural soaps and shampoos," if they include a cleansing agent, use a natural olive (castile), palm. coconut, or animal derived (tallow) soap base. It was discovered some time ago, that these soap bases did not perform well in hard water.  Hair felt dry and appeared dull.  That is the reason synthetic, man-made detergents were Invented.  Surface Active Agents, surfactants, were invented by taking vegetables and extracting chemicals from them that would effectively cleanse hair and skin even in hard water leaving hair less dry and dull in appearance, thus, the Belletresse formulation balancing test consists of balancing ingredient formulations with considerations of: the most natural, finest quality, non-irritating, non-drying, not harsh, safest, pleasant to use, and results --product performance.

SLES/Sulfate-Free ingredient issues: Please read the American Cancer society's assurance of safety and why the SLES/SLS "scares" are urban myths and scams. It is important to distinguish SULFATES  from SULFITES.  Sulfates are mineral salts containing sulfur.  Sulfites are DIFFERENT SULFUR containing chemicals used as food preservatives.  Some people, especially asmatics, are severely allergic to SULFITES.  Our chemists experimented with various formulations using alternative surfactants, (there are four types classified by the type of charge in the head of the  surfactant). Anionic (nearly half, negative charge, best cleansers), Non-Ionic, Cationic and Amphoteric (Zwitterionic).   There are over 2,000 detergents (Surfactants - Surface Active Agents) to choose from in formulating cosmetics.  Many of the choices are not appropriate as a PRIMARY choice, but are co-surfactants, many modifying the primary surfactant to make it more gentle. Alternative surfactants may have ratings of safety and performance that compare less favorably to modified SLES surfactants with co-surfactants or other mild SLES-modifying ingredients selected as superior ingredient choices.  BelletresseTM continues to explore options with the best and safest surfactant system.   

Surfactants (surface active agents - detergents) that are NOT used in Belletresse products, and as main ingredients in a hair care product are likely to be drying to the hair and scalp: soap as a cleansing base - coconut or castile (olive oil), sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS NOT SLES), sodium C14-16 olefin sulfonate, and TEA lauryl sulfonate. 

24/7 Shampoo

Ingredients: Water (Aqua),
Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Disodium
Cocoamphodiacetate, Glycol
Distearate, Cocamide MEA, Jojoba
Oil (Simmondsia Chinensis),
Glycerin, Hydroxyethylcellulose,
Panthenol, Phenyl Trimethicone,
Tetrasodium EDTA, Citric Acid, Sea Salt,
DMDM Hydantoin, Fragrance.

24/7 Conditioner

Ingredients: Water (Aqua),
Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetrimonium Chloride,
Stearic Acid, Jojoba Oil (Simmondsia
Chinensis), Cyclomethicone, Glycerin,
Stearalkonium Chloride, Phenyl
Trimethicone, Panthenol,
Hydroxyethylcellulose, Tetrasodium
EDTA, Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein,
DMDM Hydantoin, Fragrance.

24/7 Styling Creme

Ingredients: Water, (Aqua),  Polymide-1. Sodium Polyacrylate,

Styrene/VP Copolymer, Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein,

Panthenol, DMDM Hydantoin (.3%), Diazolidinyl Urea (.3%)

Fragrance.

Moisturizing Shampoo

Ingredients: Water (Aqua),
Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Disodium
Cocoamphodiacetate, Jojoba Oil
(Simmondsia Chinensis), Glycerin, Glycol
Distearate, Cocamide MEA,
Hydroxyethylcellulose, Panthenol,
Avocado Oil (Persea Gratissima),
Phenyl Trimethicone, Tetrasodium EDTA,
Citric Acid, Sea Salt, DMDM Hydantoin,
Fragrance.

Moisturizing Conditioner

Ingredients: Water (Aqua),
Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetrimonium Chloride,
Isopropyl Palmitate, Cyclomethicone,
Glycerin, Jojoba Oil (Simmondsia
Chinensis),  Avocado Oil (Persea
Gratissima), Stearic Acid, Stearalkonium
Chloride, Phenyl Trimethicone,
Panthenol, Hydroethylcellulose,
Tetrasodium EDTA, Hydrolyzed
Wheat Protein, DMDM Hydantoin, Fragrance

Moisturizing Styling Creme

Ingredients: Water, (Aqua),  Polymide-1,

Sodium Polyacrylate, Styrene /VP Copolymer,

Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Panthenol,

Jojoba Oil. (Simmondsia Chinensis),

Avocado Oil (Persea Gratissima),

Meadowfoam Seed Oil (Limnanthes Alba), 

DMDM Hydantoin (.3%), Diazolidinyl Urea (.3%)

Fragrance.

Color's Best FriendTM Products feature a licensed,

patented combination of ingredients for color-retention:

Color's Best FriendTM Shampoo

Ingredients: Water, (Aqua), Sodium Laureth

Sulfate, Myristamine Oxide, Lauramidopropyl Betaine,

Helianthus(Sunflower) Seed Extract, Hydrolyzed

Wheat Protein, Panthenol, Amodimethicone,

Polyquaterium-10, C11-15 Pareth-7, Laureth-9,

Glycerin, Trideceth,-12, Isoceteth-20,

Butylene Glycol, Tetrasodium EDTA, Citric Acid,

Sea Salt, Diazolidinyl Urea,  DMDM Hydantoin, Fragrance.

Color's Best FriendTM Conditioner

Ingredients: Water, (Aqua), Cetearyl Alcohol,

Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Panthenol, Hydrolyzed

Wheat Protein, Helianthus Annuus  (Sunflower)

Seed Extract, Amodimethicone, Stearalkonium

Chloride, Glycerin, Hydroxyethylcellulose,

Centrimonium Chloride, Trideceth-12, Butylene

Glycol, Tetrasodium EDTA, Diazolidinyl Urea,

DMDM Hydantoin, Fragrance.

Color's Best FriendTM Styling Creme

Ingredients: Water, (Aqua), Copolymer, Hydrolyzed

Wheat Protein, Panthenol, Amodimethicone, Glycerin,

Methyl Gluceth-10, Stearalkonium Chloride, Cetyl Alcohol,

Cetearyl Alcohol, C11-15 Pareth-7, Laureth-9,

Trideceth-12, PVP, Hydroxyethylcellulose,

Guar Hydroxypropytrimonium Chloride,  Tetrasodium EDTA,

Citric Acid, Diazolidinyl Urea, Phenoxyethanol, Fragrance.

Belletresse formulations rely on RESEARCH and TESTING, not RUMOURS!

SLES (Sodium Laureth Sulfate is not-drying unlike Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, and is used with a co-surfactant that is milder, and not an anionic surfactant, or with a mild safer rated Betaine to provide a milder yet effective cleansing system for adult hair.  Alternatives to SLES (SULFATE-FREE),   usually have a less safe EWG (Environmental Working Group) rating, and are not as effective as cleansing agents for the hair or if milder and effective, such as Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, which is an anionic surfactant, it lacks viscosity and slip typically necessary for the best performance in a hair care product, even though it can be a superior ingredient choice for shower, body and face washes or gels.

According to Urban Legends and Scam-Busting websites: "Independent distributors of various multi-level marketing natural care products that are SLS-free own the websites stating the alleged dangers of Sulfates." It is important to research, test and evaluate the safety and performance of pro-offered alternative surfactants, rather than blindly accepting them as safer, or equal in perfomance as a replacement ingredient.

                 READ THE AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY'S COMMENTS ON SLES:

     http://www.cancer.org/docroot/MED/content/MED_6_1x_Shampoo.asp?sitearea=MED

Belletresse formulations DO NOT INCLUDE  any of the following HAIR DAMAGING ingredients:

Methylchloroisothiazolinone (preservative); methylisothiazolinone (preservative); mistletoe; patchouli; pentasodium stearate; pentasodium penetrate (an alkaline); peppermint balm, extract, leaf or oil; pineapple; unidentified “plant extracts”- unidentified; potassium hydroxide; rose; rosemary; sage; silver fur; sodium CM 14-16 olefin sulfonate; soy soap as a soap base; spearmint; thyme; tomato; witch hazel; wintergreen; or wintermint.

Belletresse formulations DO NOT INCLUDE any of these IRRITATING ingredients:

Abetic acid; acacia; acetic acid; acetanilid; acetanilide; acetamide MEA; acetarsol; acetarsone; acetyl benzoyl peroxide; alkyl sodium sulfates; aloin (obtained from aloe); alizarin (Turkey Red) ; allspice; almond; ammonia carbonate; mononium ammammonium sulfide; anisidine; angelica balm mint; anise seed; amica (wolf’s bane); arsenic compounds; balm mint oil; balsam; balsam peru; barberry; barium sulfate/sulfide; bayberry wax; bay oil; bee pollen; beeswax; benzaldehyde; benzalkonium chloride; benzocaine; benzophenones; benzoic acid; benzo-benzone; blood-root; cabbage rose extract; caffeine; cardamon; camphor; cananga extract; capsaicum; capsicum (pepper, paprika family); capsicum oleoresin (fatty resin from capsicum); cardamon (ginger family); cedar ceresin (clay-derived); caryone; catechu; cedarwood; cedrus atlantica; bark extract; ceteareth-20; ceteareth-333; chalmogra oil ;chlorohexidine; citrus auratium extract; citrullus colocynthis (bitter apple); clary oil; clove; coconut soap as a base; coleus barbatis; comfrey; coriander oil; corn mint; cyclamen aldehyde; dandelion extract; daucus carroda (wild carrot); DMSO; gum arabic;quaternium-15; juniper; juniper oil; isopropyl myristrate; ivy; Kathon-KG (preservative); lavandin; lemon oil or water; lime oil; mandarin orange oil; menthol; methanol (bitter orange) extract); methylchloroisothiazolinone (preservative); methylisothiazolinone (preservative); mint; mistletoe; n-acetyl acid amide; n-acetyl ethanolamine; patchouli; pentasodium stearate; pentasodium penetrate; peppermint balm, extract, leaf or oil, pineapple; unidentified “plant extracts”- unidentified; potassium hydroxide; rose; rosemary; sage; silver fur; sodium CM 14-16 olefin sulfonate; soy soap as a soap base; spearmint; sylvic acid; tea-tree; thyme; tomato; witch hazel; wintergreen; or wintermint.

Belletresse formulations do not include any of these DRYING ingredients:

Acetic acid; alcohols (ethyl or grain), as distinguished from fatty alcohols such as cetyl, stearyl, cetearyl or lanolin alcohols) in SHAMPOOS (a fat solvent); alkyl benzene sulfonate (a detergent, and defatting); clay; clary oil; chamomile (astringent),clove; coconut oil as a soap base; denatured alcohol; ethanol; ethyl alcohol; kaolin (clay); Kathon-CG; isopropyl alcohol; methanol; methylchloroisothiazolinone; methylisothiazolinone; sodium bicarbonate (an alkaline); sodium C12-15 sulfate; sodium CM 14-16 olefin sulfonate; stearyl alcohol (in shampoo); TEA dodecylbenesulfonate; and TEA lauryl sulfate.  Become a label reader: For example, Sodium Chloride, (common table salt), is a thickener, and an inexpensive ingredient.  If it appears among the first group of ingredients in a hair care product ingredients list, this may indictate a fairly high concentration,  as most lists are in descending order by percentage, at least in the top percentages, and as a consequence, a drying product.

Belletresse formuations are vegan, (not animal-derived), and not animal-tested and do not include the following animal-derived ingredients such as: adeps bovis, deps suillus, lanolin, lard, mink oil, or tallow.   Also, our formulations exclude: fish, bird and insect-derived ingredients such as red dye color derived from female beetles.   (A number of people are highly allergic to this type of ingredient).

Belletresse formuations are safety-conscious of safe ingredient ratings, percentages of ingredients, without compromising product performance.   Natural ingredients such as sea salt are preferred, unless product performance requires a different ingredient. Belletresse formulations do not include Parabens (potential carcinogens), Cocamide DEA  or Triethanolamine (TEA) as ingredients.  No Dyes are included.  Why would you want to rub dyes into your scalp?

Become a label reader: Our formulas, bottles and filling are all MADE IN USA, subject to state and federal regulation to assure you of health and safety compliance.