Protect Your Locks: The Top Harmful Ingredients for Hair to Avoid
When it comes to hair care, a number of haircare products claim to provide maximum care to hair. But in reality, the chemicals present in hair care products such as shampoo and conditioners hurt the hair.
In this blog, we’ll be going through some of the harmful ingredients for hair that are used in most of the hair care products. We’ll explore why you should avoid these harmful ingredients for hair in order to achieve healthy hair for the long term. Let’s begin,
Sulfates
I’m quite sure that the shampoo you might be using has sulfates, as sulfates are one of the cost-effective cleansing agents commonly found in shampoos. The primary purpose of sulfate is to remove dirt, oil, and product buildup from the hair and scalp.
Sulfates are the ones that are responsible for the creation of lather that gives you a sense of clean scalp and hair. However, sulfates might strip away all-natural oils from the scalp while cleaning the scalp by removing dirt, oil, and product buildup.
The excess removal of natural oils can result in scalp dryness and damage, leading to an itchy scalp, making your hair dry, dull, and prone to breakage and split ends.
The most common sulfates used in shampoos include sodium lauryl sulfate, sodium laureth sulfate, and ammonium laureth sulfate.
Parabens
Parabens are preservatives that are commonly found in cosmetic as well as hair care products. Parabens prevent the growth of bacteria, mold, and yeast in hair care products and extend their shelf life.
Although parabens are considered safe for use, there are several concerns regarding the impact of parabens on health. Sulfates are found to cause skin irritations and are not suitable for individuals with sensitive scalp.
In addition, excessive exposure to parabens can interfere with hormones that might affect the estrogen levels in the body, which may result in hormonal disruptions.
The most common parabens used in hair care products are methylparaben, propylparaben, and ethylparaben.
So, don’t you think it’s time to switch and choose sulfate and paraben-free hair care products?
Mineral oils
Mineral oils are less expensive oils commonly used in hair care products. These oils are primarily responsible for restoring shine and smoothness by sealing moisture, reducing tangles, and preventing split ends.
However, mineral oils do not penetrate hair follicles, so they do not play any role in repairing splits or damaged hair. They only coat hair for a glossy look by sealing moisture for a short term.
Mineral oils do not provide any nutrients to the hair and are responsible for product buildups, making the hair feel heavy, greasy, and difficult to clean. Excessive exposure to mineral oils also causes dryness in hair.
The most common mineral oils in hair care products include petrolatum and paraffin.
Phthalates
Also known as everywhere chemicals, Phthalates are found in hair care and cosmetic products. They are responsible for giving hair products a pleasant smell, stabilizing hair product formulations, and promoting flexibility in hair care products.
Despite serving various purposes for hair care products, phthalates have been related to health concerns such as endocrine disruption, hormone disruption, and reproductive dysregulation such as fertility disorders.
Alcohols
Alcohols are the other harmful ingredients for hair that affect your hair and scalp. Some hair care products, including shampoos and conditioners, have alcohol in them for their drying effect.
However, not all alcohols are harmful to hair. Fatty alcohols derived from natural sources like coconut or palm oil help moisturize the hair, making hair soft and conditioned.
On the other hand, it’s drying alcohol, such as denatured alcohols, known for their quick drying properties that can make your scalp dry by stripping natural oils and ultimately leading hair to dry and frizzy.
Some of the denatured alcohols used in hair care products are methanol, alcohol denat, and sd alcohol.
Coal tar
Coal tar, a by-product of coal processing, is commonly used to give artificial colors to all kinds of cosmetics, including hair dyes.
Like any other petroleum by-product, coal tar has a chance that it might contain carcinogens that can contribute to the development of cancer.
Synthetic Fragrances
Have you wondered how shampoos and conditioners sometimes have such solid and natural fragrances? In this case, you need to know that hair care products such as shampoos consist of artificial fragrances made from synthetic additions.
There are no questions that the addition of these artificial synthetic fragrances enhances the overall use experience of hair care products. However, they might also be causing skin reactions leading to redness and itching in scalps.
Silicones
The presence of silicone in hair care products locks moisture in hair, making hair glossy, smooth, and silky. Silicones play an essential role in taming frizz, locking in the moisture and adding shine.
Although silicones are quite effective in providing temporary shine and smoothness to hair, they make your hair weigh down. Also, the protective layer silicones create in hair can block nourishing ingredients from penetrating deep into hair follicles, ultimately making hair dry, weaker, and prone to breakage.
Overview
Several harmful ingredients for hair, such as sulfates, parabens, and mineral oils, negatively impact hair health over the long term. But it’s quite challenging to avoid all of these chemicals as the majority of hair care products have them in their composition.
But when there’s a will, there’s a way; Thick Leave-in Hair Conditioner is among few hair conditioners that is completely free of sulfates, parabens, mineral oil, as well as petrolatum, phthalates, and paraben.
With shea butter as its key ingredient and the presence of macadamia and almond oil, you do not need to worry a bit about any harmful impact on your hair.
So, are you ready to give your hair long-term natural care with Thick Leave-in Hair Conditioner and take a step toward a chemical-free hair care routine?