6 Hair Care Products that Might Not Be Good for You

Hair loss, thinning, and breakage are real threats to your luscious locks.

General tips to maintaining your look include shying away from heat-treating and coloring. Also, consider letting your hair out of its ponytail more often or using loose braids instead of pulling everything tight.

Regularly wash and condition your hair, too. In fact, one of the best ways to maintain healthy hair is checking the labels of your go-to hair care products.

Hair care often comes with many hidden things found in a lab, which can actually cause more harm than good to your hair.

The more you educate yourself about what is in the bottle, the better you can address the issues in your hair.

Not sure where to begin? Here are six common ingredients in hair care products you want to avoid.

1. Sulfates

Sulfates are chemical detergents, which means their job is to remove any dirt and oil.

Sounds like a good thing, right? Wrong. These are actually too powerful for cleaning your hair and can strip away its natural oils.

Over time, this causes the hair to lose shine and strength, which leads to other problems like thinning or hair loss.

Sulfates can even carry hidden by-products which harm the overall function of the body. Chemicals like dioxane can attack the kidneys and immune system after long periods of exposure to sulfate-based hair care.

2. Parabens

Parabens are used in hair care products to preserve ingredients. These may be great for shelf life, but unfortunately, they come at a dangerous cost.

The chemical can confuse the body’s natural hormone production because it is such a close comparison to estrogen. Technically, this classifies parabens as xenoestrogens.

When present in the body in large forms, they can alter regular systems and cycles.

The most extreme of these cells can increase the risk of cancer. Scientists have found a possible link between parabens and breast cancer, although they are not entirely sure of the relationship.

Since these serve no real purpose to the hair, it is better to go for products without them included in the ingredients. Parabens cannot make your hair healthier or softer, they just keep your bottle sitting in the shower a little longer.

Sounds like too much of a risk for too little value, if you ask us.

3. Triclosan

Triclosan is very similar to the effects of parabens both in the bottle and on the body. It is an anti-bacterial ingredient with the potential to disrupt regular internal functions.

Most notable is triclosan’s role as an endocrine disruptor. Much like xenoestrogens, they can alter thyroid functions and confuse the regular production of hormones.

For the hair, the main purpose is to serve as protection against hidden agents in dirt or oils. This can easily be done with natural alternatives, at less risk to your body and the environment.

Triclosan is already classified as toxic to aquatic environments. It is just a matter of time before more links are found between the human body and the harm this chemical can do.

4. Propylene Glycerol

Propylene glycerol is more common in conditioners than shampoos.

It is marketed as a softening agent, but actually, it is a small organic alcohol compound.

This may not sound too dangerous, but the risks increase over time.

Just 2% of a propylene glycerol compound in a product is enough to irritate the skin. This can be on the outer surface, eye irritation, or problems with the lungs. It may even spark allergies, which makes the skin much more sensitive to any products carrying this chemical, like lotions or creams.

The state of California recognizes propylene glycerol as a developmental toxin, but everyone should be aware of the damage it can do.

Steer clear of hair care products with this ingredient.

If soft, silky locks are what you are looking for, opt for natural butters or oils to do the trick. This can help your hair look fuller if it is starting to thin or keep the frizz under control in thicker hair.

5. Added Fragrances

One of the biggest red flags to consider when looking at fragrances on bottles is to remember the government does not require a disclosure of ingredients used for fragrance.

This means companies can literally use a mixture of any synthetic ingredients just to create a scent. It is more of a marketing tactic than anything since there is no benefit a scent can have on the overall health of your hair.

You may like the idea of smelling nice for date night or getting a whiff of flowers as you walk down the street, but it is not worth the potential damages.

Fragrances are among some of the most common allergens in the world as well. If you know you have specific sensitivities, try to be as neutral as possible and stick to non-scented hair care products.

Or, you can opt for companies who are transparent about their ingredients and use essential oils. Essential oils are the natural way to include a fragrance in your routine without the concern of chemicals or toxins.

6. Hair Care Products Intended for Other Kinds of Hair

Once you narrow down your hair care search to more natural alternatives, consider what your hair actually needs.

In a nutshell, don’t go for products meant for thick, curly hair if yours is thin and straight.

Being stubborn about what you shop for can actually lead to more damage. Trends like coconut and argan oils can weigh down thin hair. Thick hair suffers from mineral build-ups, which can break up curls.

Focus on the treatment your hair is asking for to get the results you are looking for. The more you make the right choices about the way it should feel, the more your hair will cooperate to get the right look.

Help Your Hair in 60 Days

Now that you know what to avoid in your hair care products, you can focus on adding the good stuff!

If your hair needs some serious TLC, try our fortifying shampoo or tablets today. Just 60 days of use can transform your look from drab to fab in the most natural ways possible.

Enjoy better hair growth, more volume, and stronger strands with Tricovel.