Products You Should Not Use On Your Natural Hair

July 26, 2021

curly hair, Hair Care, healthy hair, Natural Hair, natural hair products

Zoe is an advocate for healthy natural hair & taking care of her curls. She wants all of her curlfriends to have poppin curls, and a huge part of natural hair health is the products you use. Toxic products can cause more harm to your curls, ultimately making them harder to manage.

No worries! Here is a list of ingredients you should look out for when buying natural hair products.

Sulfates

Sulfates are detergents that attract oil and water, which causes shampoos and soaps to lather. Sulfate shampoo strips your hair of its natural oils, causing the hair to be dry and brittle (which ultimately leads to breakage). Here are some of the commonly known sulfates:

Sodium Laureth Sulfate
Sodium Myreth Sulfate
Sodium Lauryl Sulfate
Alkylbenzene Sulfonate
Ammonium Laureth or Lauryl Sulfate
Dioctyl Sodium Sulfosuccinate
Ethyl PEG-15 Cocamine Sulfate
Sodium Cocoyl Sarcosinate
Sodium Lauryl Sulfoacetate

When shopping for shampoos, sulfate-free will aid your little one’s curls while also cleansing the scalp. Here are four sulfate-free shampoos for kids.

(Source: Natural Hair Kids)

Silicones

Silicones are synthetic emollients or oils commonly used for their slip and lubrication, shine, and moisture retention properties. Despite their excellent qualities, silicones also create a barrier around your hair shaft, preventing moisture from penetrating the hair. Ultimately silicones can create product build-up. Here are commonly known silicones:

Cyclomethicone
Dimethicone
Methicone
Amodimethicone
Dimethiconol
Cyclomethicone/ Cyclopentasiloxane

Parabens

Parabens are synthetic esters of para-hydroxybenzoic acid (PHBA) commonly used as preservatives in cosmetic products. Researchers in England found levels of synthetic parabens in malignant breast tumors. The research did not prove any definite causality, but it did raise speculation for further investigation. Click here to read more about Parabens and their effects on your health. Here are commonly found parabens:

Methylparaben
Ethylparaben
Propylparaben
Butylparaben

It is essential to be cautious of the products you're using on you and your little ones' curls. Here is a list of natural hair companies that have non-toxic ingredients that will make your curls pop.