Hair and Now
What’s in the Bottle?
More and more people are becoming conscious of a healthy lifestyle and take great care in examining the ingredients of the foods they consume. Walking down the aisles of a supermarket, you’ll often see people carefully reading the labels to see what’s in the food.
I’m often asked if there are any harmful ingredients in hair care products. The questions are invariably driven by the same desire to use products that are "healthy" for the body. Like calories, fats, and salts in the foods we consume, are there any rules of thumb on what’s good for hair and skin? Should you be scanning the ingredients of the shampoos, conditioners, and styling products you buy?
Unfortunately, there’s no simple answer. If you read the ingredients on a shampoo bottle, it’s the who’s who of the inorganic and organic chemistry: propylene glycol, stearamidopropyl dimethylamine, dimethicone, benzoic acid, sodium cetearyl sulfate, and many more unpronounceable chemical names. But I can assure you that there’s no product that can harm your hair long term. A product may be unsuitable, but it won’t harm your hair. Still, it’s worth being aware of what’s in the bottle.
If there’s one group of ingredients you should know, it’s the silicones. They add shine to the hair and can be excellent softeners and protectors, but they aren’t moisturizers. Overuse of silicon-based products without moisturizers can make hair dry and brittle and the scalp flaky. Therefore, it’s a good idea every so often to use a good moisturizer with silicon-based shampoos and conditioners.
If you have curly hair, be cautious of high alcohol content in some of the products. Curly hair naturally lacks moisture, and high alcohol can have a drying effect. I’m not saying you should avoid alcohol-based products; you need only be aware so you can add moisturizing products as needed. Ingredients such as vitamin E and any nutty oils are good.
I find it intriguing that before modern hair care products came along, women in some of the Asian countries had centuries-old methods of adding moisture, shine, and a healthy look to their hair. Jasmine oil rubbed into the scalp before washing not only provided fragrance, but also shine to hair. Modern products invariably have vitamins and nutrients, but in the old days, Asian women relied on yogurts to add the goodness. What’s good for inside the body is also good for outside the body. If you have allergies or sensitive skin, you should be aware of the culprit products. People allergic to wheat may want to check; most hair products contain wheat proteins and starches.
I’m not sure you need to stand in the aisle of the grocery store and read the ingredients on the shampoo bottle. But I think the formula is very simple: use a good shampoo and conditioner; use moisturizer every so often; and occasionally, depending on your color treatments or exposure to extreme environment, you may need revitalizers. TPW
I’m often asked if there are any harmful ingredients in hair care products. The questions are invariably driven by the same desire to use products that are "healthy" for the body. Like calories, fats, and salts in the foods we consume, are there any rules of thumb on what’s good for hair and skin? Should you be scanning the ingredients of the shampoos, conditioners, and styling products you buy?
Unfortunately, there’s no simple answer. If you read the ingredients on a shampoo bottle, it’s the who’s who of the inorganic and organic chemistry: propylene glycol, stearamidopropyl dimethylamine, dimethicone, benzoic acid, sodium cetearyl sulfate, and many more unpronounceable chemical names. But I can assure you that there’s no product that can harm your hair long term. A product may be unsuitable, but it won’t harm your hair. Still, it’s worth being aware of what’s in the bottle.
If there’s one group of ingredients you should know, it’s the silicones. They add shine to the hair and can be excellent softeners and protectors, but they aren’t moisturizers. Overuse of silicon-based products without moisturizers can make hair dry and brittle and the scalp flaky. Therefore, it’s a good idea every so often to use a good moisturizer with silicon-based shampoos and conditioners.
If you have curly hair, be cautious of high alcohol content in some of the products. Curly hair naturally lacks moisture, and high alcohol can have a drying effect. I’m not saying you should avoid alcohol-based products; you need only be aware so you can add moisturizing products as needed. Ingredients such as vitamin E and any nutty oils are good.
I find it intriguing that before modern hair care products came along, women in some of the Asian countries had centuries-old methods of adding moisture, shine, and a healthy look to their hair. Jasmine oil rubbed into the scalp before washing not only provided fragrance, but also shine to hair. Modern products invariably have vitamins and nutrients, but in the old days, Asian women relied on yogurts to add the goodness. What’s good for inside the body is also good for outside the body. If you have allergies or sensitive skin, you should be aware of the culprit products. People allergic to wheat may want to check; most hair products contain wheat proteins and starches.
I’m not sure you need to stand in the aisle of the grocery store and read the ingredients on the shampoo bottle. But I think the formula is very simple: use a good shampoo and conditioner; use moisturizer every so often; and occasionally, depending on your color treatments or exposure to extreme environment, you may need revitalizers. TPW