Simplifying Hair Products II
Simplifying Hair Products II
Author: Jenna White | San Francisco Hairstylist
May 4th, 2020
May 4th, 2020
Last month I did a post on hair products, and mentioned following up with one dedicated to shampoo and conditioner alone. This is that post! Let me start off by reiterating that products fall into one of two categories, those that "expand" and those that "condense". In the case of shampoo and conditioner, shampoo expands and conditioner condenses. The degree to which they do these things is what makes each brand different, and a better or worse fit for your hair type.
Shampoo is removing oil and build up. To clean this away, it raises your hair's cuticle (i.e. outer layer) and then reseals it. Some shampoos cause your cuticle to raise more than others. For example, clarifying shampoos are used for a deep clean, and because of this usually instruct people to limit their use to once per week. With conditioner, you're reapplying moisturizing ingredients after cleansing that can further support shrinking or expanding your hair. For example, a conditioner designed to add volume to your hair (i.e. expand it) will usually contain lower amounts of humectants, while one designed to hydrate and deep condition (i.e. condense it) will contain more.
When checking your own products, the first five ingredients are usually what matter most. They're listed in order of highest to lowest percent of the overall mixture (i.e. based on volume). Once the list reaches components that contribute less than 1%, this rule is no longer enforced (Source: FDA’s Cosmetics Labeling Guide). This doesn't account for concentration. For example, Ginger (zingiber officinale) is popular in shampoos and conditioners because it stimulates the scalp to promote hair growth. It has a strong smell and therapeutic capabilities in very small doses, therefore, it usually falls at the end of the ingredient list. Despite making up less than 1% of the overall formula, the portion that is included is more potent than other ingredients. Read on to learn a little more about what goes into the products we use to clean and soften our hair.
Water
Typically around 80 percent of shampoo is H2O. Without water, the concentrate, or main active ingredients, would not pour.
Common names on the bottle: Water, H2O
Surfactants
This category is the detergent, or cleaning agent. It works by surrounding and lifting residue off of the hair strand so water can rinse it away. With long-term use, some people believe these chemicals can cause cancer. To date, studies haven't been able to conclusively prove this. That's why some shampoo brands claim to be surfactant free. With short-term use, surfactants aren't a problem unless your skin is sensitive to them. Many shampoos sold today contain conditioning ingredients that compensate for the stripping action caused by these chemicals. Therefore, they shouldn't be harmful to healthy hair even when used daily. As a rule of thumb, ingredients like Ammonium lauryl sulfate and Ammonium laureth sulfate tend to be easier on sensitive scalps than Sodium lauryl sulfate. To learn more about surfactants, check out this article published by Teen Vogue titled What is Sulfate? Understanding Sulfates and Sulfate-Free Products.
Common names on the bottle: Ammonnium lauryl sulfate, Ammonium laureth sulfate, Sodium lauryl sulfate
Foaming Agents
In my opinion, lathering agents are an unnecessary additive to shampoos. Manufacturers use them because consumers associate soap suds and foam with clean hair. Some surfactants are able to clean well without any foam and others generate tons of foam but are doing very little to clean your hair (Source: For Hair Shampoo, More Foam = Cleaner Hair? NO !!, Lavée). In general, the foaming agent is having a minimal impact on your hair compared to other ingredients.
Common names on the bottle: Cocamide, Cocamidopropyl
pH Levels
The pH scale runs from 0 to 14, with 0 being highly acidic and 14 being highly alkaline. Your hair rests at a level of 4.5 to 5.0, while shampoos tend to be between 5.0 to 7.0. They need to support a balanced pH level so as not to irritate your hair or skin, which also helps with reducing frizz, preventing breakage, managing scalp irritation, keeping colored hair bright and sealing each strand's cuticle (Source: Why a pH-Balancing Shampoo Is Important for Natural Hair, Byrdie). Curly hair tends to support a more acidic pH level, so the scalp can become irritated by shampoos with a pH of 7 or higher. Details on pH level are not always listed on the bottle, so if you suspect your favorite shampoo is the culprit of an itchy scalp, try testing it with pH paper. On the ingredients list, higher amounts of additives like Sodium citrate and Citric acid create a more acidic potion, while lower amounts make a more alkaline one.
Common names on the bottle: Sodium citrate, Citric acid
Preservatives
Most consumer products contain preservatives because without them any water-based solution will eventually grow mold or bacteria. Parabens are a type of preservative that are commonly used in hair products. Similar to surfactants, many people question the safety of parabens. According to The FDA "scientists continue to review published studies on the safety of parabens. At this time, we do not have information showing that parabens, as they are used in cosmetics, have an effect on human health" (Source: FDA, Parabens in Cosmetics). They're usually easy to spot on the bottle because they end in the word "paraben". Common non-paraben preservatives are shown in the list below. To learn more about parabens, check out this article published by Cosmopolitan: Wait, What Actually Are Parabens and Should You Avoid Them?
Common names on the bottle: Midazolidinyl urea, Iodopropynyl, Isothiazolinone, and Sodium benzoate
Silicones
Silicone is a synthetic ingredient that can be both beneficial and harmful to your hair. There are both non-soluble and soluble formulas, with the latter being water-based. Non-soluble formulas generally have ingredients ending in the letters "-cone", and have similar properties to plastic. They're effective at protecting hair from heat styling, however, also seal out water and air (Source: The Truth About Silicone-Based Hair Products, Coveteur). This makes them harder to wash out, leading to excessive build up, and eventually brittle strands. As a result, they're usually not recommended for use on curly hair. For all hair textures, if you do use a non-soluble silicone formula, leverage a clarifying shampoo to remove the product build up once a week, but keep in mind these shampoos contain surfactants (Source: Silicones In Hair Care – All You Need To Know, The Hair Fuel). Soluble silicone formulas can be washed out with gentler shampoos and conditioners that don't contain surfactants, and are capable of achieving the same results as non-soluble silicones.
Common names on the bottle:
Humectants
This ingredient helps retain moisture from water. It's often used to repair dry or damaged strands, and is particularly important for anyone with curly hair because of the uneven exposure each piece gets to the elements. The inside of a curl is turned away from the elements (so is protected from them), and the outside faces them directly. This causes uneven wear and tear along the hair shaft, which over time can lead to breakage at different points on the same strand. Humectants help restore moisture and strength to prevent this. In an article published by NaturallyCurly.com titled The Ultimate Guide to Humectants and Hair, humectants can help make hair softer, bouncier, more elastic/less brittle, as well as protect against dry weather and wind. However, the same article also lists some downsides, which include "frizzy, sticky hair in high humidity, [dried] out hair in low humidity, and permanent damage to hair in either extreme condition". Therefore, the weather should be a factor when deciding which products to use each day. Gentler humectants are made from Vegetable glycerin and Sorbitol. Ingredients that are more common, but can cause reactions, are Propylene glycol, Butylene glycol, and Ethylene glycol (Source: How to Read Shampoo Labels, I Read Labels for You).
Common names on the bottle: Vegetable glycerin, Sorbitol, Propylene glycol, Butylene glycol, and Ethylene glycol
Fragrances
Fragrance formulas are complex mixtures of many different natural and synthetic chemicals. They're difficult to decode because of commonly being categorized as “trade secrets". Therefore, manufacturers and brands are not required to disclose them because of intellectual property rights. According to the FDA's Fragrances in Cosmetics page, “Even some products labeled 'unscented' may contain fragrance ingredients. This is because the manufacturer may add just enough fragrance to mask the unpleasant smell of other ingredients, without giving the product a noticeable scent". This can be a problem for people who are allergic to fragrances, because it's hard to know which products actually contain them without a painful trial and error process.
Hope this helped you understand more about the products we use to clean and condition our hair! Check out this page on the FDA's website to learn more about how cosmetic ingredients are labeled and named.
Shampoo is removing oil and build up. To clean this away, it raises your hair's cuticle (i.e. outer layer) and then reseals it. Some shampoos cause your cuticle to raise more than others. For example, clarifying shampoos are used for a deep clean, and because of this usually instruct people to limit their use to once per week. With conditioner, you're reapplying moisturizing ingredients after cleansing that can further support shrinking or expanding your hair. For example, a conditioner designed to add volume to your hair (i.e. expand it) will usually contain lower amounts of humectants, while one designed to hydrate and deep condition (i.e. condense it) will contain more.
When checking your own products, the first five ingredients are usually what matter most. They're listed in order of highest to lowest percent of the overall mixture (i.e. based on volume). Once the list reaches components that contribute less than 1%, this rule is no longer enforced (Source: FDA’s Cosmetics Labeling Guide). This doesn't account for concentration. For example, Ginger (zingiber officinale) is popular in shampoos and conditioners because it stimulates the scalp to promote hair growth. It has a strong smell and therapeutic capabilities in very small doses, therefore, it usually falls at the end of the ingredient list. Despite making up less than 1% of the overall formula, the portion that is included is more potent than other ingredients. Read on to learn a little more about what goes into the products we use to clean and soften our hair.
Water
Typically around 80 percent of shampoo is H2O. Without water, the concentrate, or main active ingredients, would not pour.
Common names on the bottle: Water, H2O
Surfactants
This category is the detergent, or cleaning agent. It works by surrounding and lifting residue off of the hair strand so water can rinse it away. With long-term use, some people believe these chemicals can cause cancer. To date, studies haven't been able to conclusively prove this. That's why some shampoo brands claim to be surfactant free. With short-term use, surfactants aren't a problem unless your skin is sensitive to them. Many shampoos sold today contain conditioning ingredients that compensate for the stripping action caused by these chemicals. Therefore, they shouldn't be harmful to healthy hair even when used daily. As a rule of thumb, ingredients like Ammonium lauryl sulfate and Ammonium laureth sulfate tend to be easier on sensitive scalps than Sodium lauryl sulfate. To learn more about surfactants, check out this article published by Teen Vogue titled What is Sulfate? Understanding Sulfates and Sulfate-Free Products.
Common names on the bottle: Ammonnium lauryl sulfate, Ammonium laureth sulfate, Sodium lauryl sulfate
Foaming Agents
In my opinion, lathering agents are an unnecessary additive to shampoos. Manufacturers use them because consumers associate soap suds and foam with clean hair. Some surfactants are able to clean well without any foam and others generate tons of foam but are doing very little to clean your hair (Source: For Hair Shampoo, More Foam = Cleaner Hair? NO !!, Lavée). In general, the foaming agent is having a minimal impact on your hair compared to other ingredients.
Common names on the bottle: Cocamide, Cocamidopropyl
pH Levels
The pH scale runs from 0 to 14, with 0 being highly acidic and 14 being highly alkaline. Your hair rests at a level of 4.5 to 5.0, while shampoos tend to be between 5.0 to 7.0. They need to support a balanced pH level so as not to irritate your hair or skin, which also helps with reducing frizz, preventing breakage, managing scalp irritation, keeping colored hair bright and sealing each strand's cuticle (Source: Why a pH-Balancing Shampoo Is Important for Natural Hair, Byrdie). Curly hair tends to support a more acidic pH level, so the scalp can become irritated by shampoos with a pH of 7 or higher. Details on pH level are not always listed on the bottle, so if you suspect your favorite shampoo is the culprit of an itchy scalp, try testing it with pH paper. On the ingredients list, higher amounts of additives like Sodium citrate and Citric acid create a more acidic potion, while lower amounts make a more alkaline one.
Common names on the bottle: Sodium citrate, Citric acid
Preservatives
Most consumer products contain preservatives because without them any water-based solution will eventually grow mold or bacteria. Parabens are a type of preservative that are commonly used in hair products. Similar to surfactants, many people question the safety of parabens. According to The FDA "scientists continue to review published studies on the safety of parabens. At this time, we do not have information showing that parabens, as they are used in cosmetics, have an effect on human health" (Source: FDA, Parabens in Cosmetics). They're usually easy to spot on the bottle because they end in the word "paraben". Common non-paraben preservatives are shown in the list below. To learn more about parabens, check out this article published by Cosmopolitan: Wait, What Actually Are Parabens and Should You Avoid Them?
Common names on the bottle: Midazolidinyl urea, Iodopropynyl, Isothiazolinone, and Sodium benzoate
Silicones
Silicone is a synthetic ingredient that can be both beneficial and harmful to your hair. There are both non-soluble and soluble formulas, with the latter being water-based. Non-soluble formulas generally have ingredients ending in the letters "-cone", and have similar properties to plastic. They're effective at protecting hair from heat styling, however, also seal out water and air (Source: The Truth About Silicone-Based Hair Products, Coveteur). This makes them harder to wash out, leading to excessive build up, and eventually brittle strands. As a result, they're usually not recommended for use on curly hair. For all hair textures, if you do use a non-soluble silicone formula, leverage a clarifying shampoo to remove the product build up once a week, but keep in mind these shampoos contain surfactants (Source: Silicones In Hair Care – All You Need To Know, The Hair Fuel). Soluble silicone formulas can be washed out with gentler shampoos and conditioners that don't contain surfactants, and are capable of achieving the same results as non-soluble silicones.
Common names on the bottle:
- Non-soluble: Dimethicone, Cyclomethicone, Amodimethicone, Pheryl trimethicone, Ceteraryl methicone, Dimethiconol, Stearyl dimethicone, Amodimethicone (non-soluble when Trideceth-12 and Cetrimonium Chloride are absent)
- Soluble: Cyclomethicone, Dimethicone copolyol, Lauryl methicone copolyol, any silicone with PEG as a prefix
Humectants
This ingredient helps retain moisture from water. It's often used to repair dry or damaged strands, and is particularly important for anyone with curly hair because of the uneven exposure each piece gets to the elements. The inside of a curl is turned away from the elements (so is protected from them), and the outside faces them directly. This causes uneven wear and tear along the hair shaft, which over time can lead to breakage at different points on the same strand. Humectants help restore moisture and strength to prevent this. In an article published by NaturallyCurly.com titled The Ultimate Guide to Humectants and Hair, humectants can help make hair softer, bouncier, more elastic/less brittle, as well as protect against dry weather and wind. However, the same article also lists some downsides, which include "frizzy, sticky hair in high humidity, [dried] out hair in low humidity, and permanent damage to hair in either extreme condition". Therefore, the weather should be a factor when deciding which products to use each day. Gentler humectants are made from Vegetable glycerin and Sorbitol. Ingredients that are more common, but can cause reactions, are Propylene glycol, Butylene glycol, and Ethylene glycol (Source: How to Read Shampoo Labels, I Read Labels for You).
Common names on the bottle: Vegetable glycerin, Sorbitol, Propylene glycol, Butylene glycol, and Ethylene glycol
Fragrances
Fragrance formulas are complex mixtures of many different natural and synthetic chemicals. They're difficult to decode because of commonly being categorized as “trade secrets". Therefore, manufacturers and brands are not required to disclose them because of intellectual property rights. According to the FDA's Fragrances in Cosmetics page, “Even some products labeled 'unscented' may contain fragrance ingredients. This is because the manufacturer may add just enough fragrance to mask the unpleasant smell of other ingredients, without giving the product a noticeable scent". This can be a problem for people who are allergic to fragrances, because it's hard to know which products actually contain them without a painful trial and error process.
Hope this helped you understand more about the products we use to clean and condition our hair! Check out this page on the FDA's website to learn more about how cosmetic ingredients are labeled and named.