It isn’t always possible to think about the ingredients in every haircare product we use. We may make do with knowing that some products that seem the most drying, such as hair sprays and gels, should be used minimally, while other products, like shampoos and conditions, get more of a pass because their jobs are to cleanse and hydrate our hair.
But that isn’t the entire story, according to healthy and beauty experts. The shampoo you rely on to remove dirt and debris and set your hair up for voluminous success could be the same one drying your hair out and making it appear brittle and unhealthy. In fact, on hair educator says there are eight “dangerous” and “drying” shampoo ingredients that are in almost every product:
@kalibbeauty 8 dangerous ingredients that could be in your shampoo!!!! #toxicingredients #toxichaircare #toxicshampoo #haircaretips #haircaretok #hairtok #hairtips
So, how can you avoid these ingredients? Buy more natural shampoos that contain fewer of them — and read labels. Here are the not-great eight ingredients to keep on your radar.
1. Drying Alcohols
Not all alcohols in haircare products are going to cause the same amount of damage, but one to keep your eye on is drying alcohols, which go by the names isopropyl alcohol, ethanol, or propyl alcohol. These weaken hair strands, strip it of moisture, and cause your hair to become frizzy.
2. Formaldehyde
Formaldehyde is a fungicide and germicide sometimes added to hair products — and it’s not one to take lightly. This “known carcinogen” doesn’t just cause damage to your hair, but it’s also a known health risk.
3. Retinyl Palmitate
Retinyl Palmitate is a form of vitamin A that’s added to shampoo to promote hair growth and improve your scalp health, but it has some downsides, as well. It can be irritating to your scalp and lead to dermatitis (drying, peeling, and all the stuff you absolutely don’t want happening to your scalp).
4. Parabens
Parabens are synthetic preservatives that are put into shampoo to increase its shelf life. While this may sound smart, for manufacturers, they can cause scalp irritation and product buildup. There are also potential health concerns about how parabens affect hormone regulation and many beauty lovers are now seeking paraben-free shampoos.
5. Sodium Chloride
Sodium chloride is a thickening agent added to shampoo to made the formula thicker and more satisfying as a cleaner. Just as too much salt can dry out a meal, sodium chloride can strip your hair and scalp of moisture, irritate the scalp, cause your hair to feel and look brittle and frizzy, and weaken strands over time.
6. Sulfates
You know that satisfying foamy lather you experience when you shampoo your hair? You have the surfactant sulfates to thank for that. Sulfates are powerful cleansers that are great at removing dirt and debris from the scalp, but they can also strip it of natural oils, fade color-treated hair, and cause frizz in textured hair types.
7. Neon 15
Neon 15 isn’t as popular as sulfates and parabens in the discussion about shampoo ingredients, but this synthetic dye, which is used to give shampoo color, can cause scalp irritation, especially if your have sensitive skin that is prone to dermatitis, psoriasis, or eczema.
8. Toluene
Thankfully, toluene isn’t found as often in shampoo, but this solvent can sometimes still be added to help its fragrance linger longer. In addition to potentially causing scalp irritation and dry hair, toluene is considered a volatile organic compound (VOC) that could cause health issues like headaches and dizziness. However, these effects usually occur when someone is exposed to the VOC in high dosages — which isn’t likely to happen from the small amount of shampoo you use daily.
If one of your goals is to get your haircare habits in better shape, read shampoo ingredients and begin to pick and choose based on the ones that contain more natural ingredients that nourish your hair without wreaking drying, irritating havoc on your scalp and strands.
