ingredients

[ErinLeigh]

What ingredients do you look for when purchasing shampoo, conditioner or leave ins? Or which do you avoid?
Do any of you shop by ingredient?

I am trying to learn and familiarize myself with what ingredients do what for hair and it can be a bit overwhelming.
I would live to hear input on why you seek or avoid certain ingredients in products.

I was doing general reading and and it really just got me thinking about ingredients and what they do with hair.
http://jillipoo.blogspot.com/2009/09/silicones-polyquats-and-soap.html
http://community.babycenter.com/post/a650595/good_vs._bad_alcohol_in_hair_products.
http://www.thenaturalhavenbloom.com/2011/01/ingredients-dictionary-cetyl-alcohol.html
http://www.curlynikki.com/2012/02/ingredients-101-hydrolyzed-wheat.html
http://www.naturallycurly.com/curlreading/kinky-hair-type-4a/top-ten-natural-ingredients-for-your-hair#nc-gallery-header

intersting about aloe stimulating hair follicle for growth. wonder if that is true?

[lapushka]

I just pay attention that my (harsh) sulfate shampoo is without silicones, and that my gel is without alcohol. That's it. That's all the attention I pay to anything.

[Firefox7275]

I read ingredients obsessively, surprise surprise. I look to include plenty of fatty alcohols and cationic surfactants in any conditioners, some natural penetrating oils/ hydrolysed protein/ ceramides/ panthenol. All these can protect my hair from further damage, normalise properties (porosity and elasticity), patch repair existing damage as well as providing the usual aesthetic benefits.

Limit or avoid most silicones, waxes including cetyl esters, mineral oil/ petrolatum, butters and wary of polyquats all due to concerns about build up (not suggesting they are actively bad for hair). Also avoid all sulphates, other anionic surfactants and alkaline soaps for the health of my eczematous skin and porous coloured hair - both of which are far more manageable with co-washing. Don't use loads of potent humectants due to porosity and frizz risk.

I learn about ingredients and formulation from a few trusted authors who are scientists ('curl chemist' Tonya McKay, Wendy at Sciencey Hairblog, JC at Natural Haven), reading the published studies or abstracts themselves, the odd extract from a textbook such as 'Chemical & Physical Behaviour of Human Hair'. Have found Beauty Brains patchy/ error prone and other hair blogs just Chinese Whispering 'facts' that they haven't bothered double checking.

Aloe vera ... The standardised inner leaf gel has been extensively studied in dermatology. It certainly is anti inflammatory, healing, collagen inducing so potentially anti ageing. Haven't sen any studies demonstrating hair growth tho TBF I haven't expressly searched. I have used aloe gel daily on my face for months on end and I didn't grow a beard. Since its a major ingredient of many skincare products I suspect nobody else sees that side effect either.

[sourgrl]

I avoid humectants to the point I carry a list of them with me to check ingredient lists. For me they cause major POOF. Avoiding them has allowed me to kick the curling iron. I also avoid drying alcohols. My routine is pretty basic: shampoo, condition, oil/serum to seal. Because formulations change for various reasons, I carry a pic of the ingredient lists for my shampoo and conditioner in my phone to compare to new bottles as I buy them.

[meteor]

In normal or high humidity, I like humectants: pro-vitamin B-5 (panthenol), various hydrolized proteins, aloe vera, glycerin, honey, artificial peptides, amino acids, etc. I like these on scalp and skin, too.

In winter-time, when it's really dry, I avoid all humectants, use lots of occlusives like oils and I even add some waxes/butters/cetyl esters to weigh down my hair and avoid static and frizz. These can build up, but I don't mind that in winter.

At all times, I like fatty acids and other emollient, sealing, anti-humectant ingredients: natural oils, 18-MEA, ceramides, silicones, etc. I also like some floral/herbal extracts, like green tea, calendula or chamomile, and caffeine, primarily on scalp/roots though.

I avoid drying alcohols at all times.

[In2wishin]

The only thing that is a definite "no" for me is products that use the formaldehyde releasing preservatives (Methylchloroisothiazolinone, Methylisothiazolinone, DMDM Hydantoin, Diazolidinyl urea, Imidazolidinyl Urea). I prefer no silicones and SLS free. Other than that, I am not really picky.

[ErinLeigh]

I read ingredients obsessively, surprise surprise. I look to include plenty of fatty alcohols and cationic surfactants in any conditioners, some natural penetrating oils/ hydrolysed protein/ ceramides/ panthenol. All these can protect my hair from further damage, normalise properties (porosity and elasticity), patch repair existing damage as well as providing the usual aesthetic benefits.

Limit or avoid most silicones, waxes including cetyl esters, mineral oil/ petrolatum, butters and wary of polyquats all due to concerns about build up (not suggesting they are actively bad for hair). Also avoid all sulphates, other anionic surfactants and alkaline soaps for the health of my eczematous skin and porous coloured hair - both of which are far more manageable with co-washing. Don't use loads of potent humectants due to porosity and frizz risk.

I learn about ingredients and formulation from a few trusted authors who are scientists ('curl chemist' Tonya McKay, Wendy at Sciencey Hairblog, JC at Natural Haven), reading the published studies or abstracts themselves, the odd extract from a textbook such as 'Chemical & Physical Behaviour of Human Hair'. Have found Beauty Brains patchy/ error prone and other hair blogs just Chinese Whispering 'facts' that they haven't bothered double checking.

Aloe vera ... The standardised inner leaf gel has been extensively studied in dermatology. It certainly is anti inflammatory, healing, collagen inducing so potentially anti ageing. Haven't sen any studies demonstrating hair growth tho TBF I haven't expressly searched. I have used aloe gel daily on my face for months on end and I didn't grow a beard. Since its a major ingredient of many skincare products I suspect nobody else sees that side effect either.

I started using aloe on my face a while back and I adore the results.
I forgot to mention why I started this thread. I have a shampoo that has polyquat 10 high on ingredient list and mentally I hate using anything that has the "buildup scare" surrounding it.
I also have a shampoo with she's butter that I am finding far too heavy for my hair type. It's ok in degrees in conditioners but shampoo makes it feel awkward.
I have so many products yet still haven't found any that I cannot live without and its a bummer. Everyone seems to have their favorites meanwhile I have been rotating multiple products for decades never using the same twice. There always seems to be one thing about each that just doesn't work for me. This is why I rotate. Each have things I want, but never together. Also I rarely use the matching shampoo and conditioner sets. I wonder if that is an issue?

Forefox I am GLAD you obsessively read labels as I like to pick your brain for ideas :) I am naturally curious so to me its fun to learn what each ingredient can offer hair. Its a mini hobby using trial and error. I work do much I do not have time for anything other than that! :)

[ErinLeigh]

In normal or high humidity, I like humectants: pro-vitamin B-5 (panthenol), various hydrolized proteins, aloe vera, glycerin, honey, artificial peptides, amino acids, etc. I like these on scalp and skin, too.

In winter-time, when it's really dry, I avoid all humectants, use lots of occlusives like oils and I even add some waxes/butters/cetyl esters to weigh down my hair and avoid static and frizz. These can build up, but I don't mind that in winter.

At all times, I like fatty acids and other emollient, sealing, anti-humectant ingredients: natural oils, 18-MEA, ceramides, silicones, etc. I also like some floral/herbal extracts, like green tea, calendula or chamomile, and caffeine, primarily on scalp/roots though.

I avoid drying alcohols at all times.

That's interesting you like humectant in high humidity. I love them but I worried living in Florida it would be too much in summer. I'm eager to see how they work when things get stickier!
Drying alcohols...is that isopropyl alcohol?
I have a loreal cleansing conditioner with that ingredient I was just about to google. Wasn't sure why it would be in there

[ErinLeigh]

Where can I get a conditioner with 18-MEA that is cone free. I cannot find one anywhere. Ceramides would be nice too.
Those are the 2 things missing in my products. I use hemp seed oil for the ceramides so I am not as deeply searching but 18-MEA I just cannot stumble across for some reason.

[meteor]

Where can I get a conditioner with 18-MEA that is cone free. I cannot find one anywhere. Ceramides would be nice too.
Those are the 2 things missing in my products. I use hemp seed oil for the ceramides so I am not as deeply searching but 18-MEA I just cannot stumble across for some reason.

18-MEA is difficult to come by, probably because it doesn't have too much hype around it yet. Your best bet is online shopping. Our hair already contains it, but damaged hair could benefit from a product rich in 18-MEA.

Ceramide content in natural oils is really low, but a lot of commercial products have ceramides (L'Oreal Total Repair 5, some Kerastase and Redken products, Biolage Cera Repair, etc). Again, undamaged hair already contains ceramides, they help with elasticity and protecting hair cuticle from damage.

[meteor]

That's interesting you like humectant in high humidity. I love them but I worried living in Florida it would be too much in summer. I'm eager to see how they work when things get stickier!
Drying alcohols...is that isopropyl alcohol?
I have a loreal cleansing conditioner with that ingredient I was just about to google. Wasn't sure why it would be in there
Well, if I lived in Florida, I'd avoid humectants in high humidity, too, and I'd definitely still use them in winter. But I live in the north and it's really dry in winter (so that's when humectants dry out skin and hair), but never really super-humid.

Yes, Isopropyl is one of the alcohols that I avoid. Also, SD Alcohol 40, Ethanol, SD Alcohol, Propyl, Porpanol.
As for the product you mentioned, isopropyl alcohol is number 7 on the list, right after the fragrance, so it could be below 1% so not critical. I really don't understand why they added it in the formulation, as isopropyl alcohol helps product dry faster - which is something you see in leave-ins and styling products. Regardless, if you like it, keep using it! :) It can't hurt in small amounts.

[meteor]

I forgot to mention why I started this thread. I have a shampoo that has polyquat 10 high on ingredient list and mentally I hate using anything that has the "buildup scare" surrounding it.
I also have a shampoo with she's butter that I am finding far too heavy for my hair type. It's ok in degrees in conditioners but shampoo makes it feel awkward.
Yes, polyquats and butters are not for everyone. My hair likes them, but I am wavier and coarser, so no wonder. I also do use anionic surfactants (sulphates) once or twice a month, so the build-up is removed.

I have so many products yet still haven't found any that I cannot live without and its a bummer. Everyone seems to have their favorites meanwhile I have been rotating multiple products for decades never using the same twice. There always seems to be one thing about each that just doesn't work for me. This is why I rotate. Each have things I want, but never together. Also I rarely use the matching shampoo and conditioner sets. I wonder if that is an issue?
I rotate too. And I often don't use matching products, because I often don't like how they work together. I don't see it as a problem at all. All hair is different, and you need to find what works for you, not for some abstract hair that the manufacturer had in mind. It's also good to have some variety for changing hair needs, changing seasons or general boredom with old products.

[kdaniels8811]

I look for all natural products, I have found this works best for me - herbs or shampoo bars. My hair gleams!

[Sevenof91]

For me I stay away from all parabens and carcinogenics like Cocomide MEA/BEA/DEA (most often found in coconut related products).And silicones, my curls and overall silkiness has improved since I ditched the sulfates and silicones.