Hey! I hope that you guys are having a great week so far!
Okay. So you've decided that you are becoming natural! YES!
You've set realistic goals about your natural hair.....GREAT!!
Now what? (insert thinking emoji)
When I cut off my hair in 2009, I bought hair products, trivializing the importance of the ingredients. So the next thing that you should do if you are a newly natural is to look at the ingredients!
Fun fact: The ratio of ingredients and the ingredients themselves, play a major role in the health of your hair. They also can be instrumental when it comes to styling your hair as well. There are some naturalistas who are huge opponents of using these products in their hair; that is fine. However, I believe that products with these ingredients should be used RARELY (depending on the situation), if not at all. Speaking from experience, you will experience the effects in your hair after a period of time.
This post is to give you a QUICK guide of products that you can use rarely (depending on the hair style), or avoid altogether.
- Mineral Oil (a.k.a. Petroleum)
- Leaves a film on hair that makes it difficult to remove
- Clogs hair follicles
- Containing impurities linked to cancer
- Alcohol (a.k.a. Isopropyl Alcohol)
- Dries out hair, dissolving its oils
- It can hinder hair growth
- Can be found in hair mousses
- Parabens
- Preservatives for hair products
- Have been linked to cancer, and negatively affecting your reproductive system
- Formaldehyde
- Used in Brazilian blowouts
- Used to preserve deceased bodies
- Can irritate your respiratory system
- Irreversible damage to hair
- Banned in Europe due to being a skin irritant and a potential occupational carcinogen
- Silicone (a.k.a. Dimethicone, any name ending in -cone)
- Used in heat protectants and "frizz-free" products
- Use only if you are straightening your hair
- Causes build up over time; Difficult to remove from hair
- Water soluble & Non Water Soluble products available
- Sulfates (a.k.a. Sodium Lauryl/Laureth)
- Can be a skin irritant
- Formerly used as an industrial detergent and engine degreaser
- Dries out hair follicles by stripping the hair of its oils
Again, I try to avoid these products as much as I can unless I am looking to achieve a particular style. Over time, these ingredients will dry your hair out, break off, resulting in stunted hair growth.
These six ingredients seem to have a negative effect on your hair regardless of your hair type. There are more ingredients that are considered to be bad, but they can be contingent on your hair type (in my opinion). Aside from the six ingredients that were discussed, experiment with caution. For example, mineral oil doesn't work on my hair, but polyethylene glycol (which is considered bad) tends to work for my hair type.
There are exceptions to the rule: what doesn't work in my hair, may end up working in yours. Your hair will show you if the product is working by the way it feels, and how it reacts to a product. Use this post as a guide to help you when you're choosing products.
If you guys have any questions, product recommendations, etc., please feel free to leave a comment, tweet me, or message me via Instagram (brieuntitled)!
Talk to you soon!
Brie.
Links used for post:
http://www.curlynikki.com/2013/07/silicones-natural-hair-good-bad-ugly.html
https://www.treehugger.com/organic-beauty/20-toxic-ingredients-avoid-when-buying-body-care-products-and-cosmetics.html
http://www.iflscience.com/health-and-medicine/banned-europe-safe-us/
http://livingprettynaturally.com/ingredients-to-avoid/
http://www.livestrong.com/article/171916-ingredients-to-avoid-in-hair-products/
