Most people use a shampoo to wash their hair on a regular basis; however, many of those people aren't aware that this common hair care product may contain ingredients that could be harming their health. For many, their choice of shampoo comes down to cost, brand, perceived effectiveness or even fragrance; however, a growing number of consumers are now reading the ingredients on shampoo bottles and basing their purchasing decisions on safety.Shampoos are generally made from a mixture of water, some form of foaming agent and a variety of other ingredients that combine to make a product that smells good, looks good and appears to do its intended job of cleaning hair. But some of the ingredients that are commonly used are harsh chemicals that have been shown to be potentially harmful to human health, either individually or in combination with other ingredients, and may pose various health risks ranging from skin conditions to cancer.