Are your hair products toxic?

The Curl Chronicles

Jun 9, 20203 min read

In the course of my hair journey, I have tried many different hair products without doing any research on the ingredients it contained. My main goal with my hair is to keep it healthy and grow it long. Since many curly hair products have harmful ingredients in them that can cause long term health effects it is important to know what you are putting in your hair. I have found that some of my favorite products have the potential to have negative long-term effects on my hair. I have found a solution to find non-toxic products for your hair and skin on the app Think Dirty. This app allows you to search for products and see if they have harmful ingredients in them. It has helped me immensely by showing me why my hair didn’t react to certain products well. That being said, take into consideration that the rating that this app gives to the products are not final, so if you do not feel like you are ready to part with a specific product you do not have to stop buying it completely or throw it away just do not use it as often. Click the picture below for more information about the Think Dirty app.

Here is a list of some ingredients that can harm your hair:

Sulfates:

Sulfates are primarily used to help products foam up, which is why it is found often in shampoos and conditioners. Sulfates can be harmful because they strip the natural oils and proteins from your hair. This can lead to a dry out your scalp which can irritate your scalp and reduce hair growth.

Silicones:

Silicones create a plastic-like barrier on your hair that gives you the illusion of having soft and shiny hair. This results in your hair being trapped in the coat of silicones. This means that your hair will be unable to get any moisture or nutrients from products since they won’t be able to break through the barrier, which will leave your hair brittle and weak. Your weak hair will then be prone to breakage which will result in split ends. The only silicones that are good to use are Stearoxy Dimethicone and Behenoxy Dimethicone since they are water-soluble and will not create a barrier around your hair. Check out the links at the end of the post for a list of silicones that can be harmful.

Parabens:

Parabens have been said to be linked to cancer and other health conditions. Products that you put on your scalp can be absorbed into your bloodstream and can cause health issues. Parabens can also clog your pores, which can in turn stunt your hair growth.

Mineral oil:

No one should be okay with putting the same oil that you put in your car, in your hair. Mineral oil is used in petroleum that we put into our cars. The original oil is purified into a fluid that can be used in hair products as well as various other cosmetic products. This oil can also clog or irritate your scalp which is the start of how your hair grows.

Fragrance:

When unnatural fragrance is listed as an ingredient it can cover up the real chemicals that are being used. Some of these chemicals can result in allergic reactions or are not safe to use on your hair. If you often sneeze while or after washing your hair like I used to do, it may be caused by the unnatural fragrance that is used in your products.