Help

[washurei]

I was wondering I someone(s) here could make me a list of every thing BAD in shampoos and conditioners

[christine1989]

There are SO MANY potentially harmful things in shampoos and conditioners that it would be impossible to list them all. It is important to keep in mind that everyone's hair is unique and what might be "bad" for one person is great for another. That being said, the main "bad" ingredients are:

1. SLS (sodium Laurel Sulfate) this is a harsh detergent used in many shampoos. It cleans well but can dry out your hair and increase shedding. If you have naturally very dry hair SLS is something to stay away from.
2. Ammonium Laurel Sulfate; basically it is bad for the same reasons as SLS- harsh and strips oils.
3. Cones (derivatives of silicone); this means any ingredient that ends in "cone". They are usually found in conditioners and are used to disguise damage, make combing eaiser and smooth frizz. Although they are not seriously harmful, (many people love them!) they can cause buildup if you are not careful.
4. Parabens and wax products; like the silicones, these can cause major buildup and clog hair follicles as well as preventing your hair's natural oils from getting to the hair.
5. Alchohal; can be drying to already dry hair

Those are the biggies to keep an eye out for but it's all about what works for YOUR hair. I've seen LHC members who use hair products with all of these "bad" ingredients and have beautiful, healthy hair. :)

[elbow chic]

No, because then you'd have to define "BAD" in terms of hair products and LHC would immediately crash in the ensuing argumentation.

[HintOfMint]

I'm afraid I'm going to have to dispute most of the things on the above list.

For many people, including myself, SLS and ALS are not bad at all, yes they can be stripping, but my scalp actually shed more and was drier and had awful dandruff when I cut them out of my routine.

Cones can disguise damage, yes, but they also function the way oils do, providing a barrier over hair to smooth the cuticle which provides enough slip for detangling and sometimes preventing tangles. For a lot of us, tangles and detangling is the main cause of damage and cones help a lot with that. Some have found that they lock moisture out of hair, and some find that cones buildup without sulfates and don't want to use sulfates.

Parabens I believe are preservatives. The main problem is that they are a suspected carcinogen.

Waxes are often to aid the mixing of ingredients.

Some alcohols (fatty alcohols such as cetyl alcohol) are actually conditioning. SD alcohol is a kind of drying alcohol to be avoided.

With darn near every ingredient the rule is your mileage may vary. Experiment and find what's good for you. Be open minded but don't be bullied into sticking with a "gentle" "natural" routine that isn't working for you.

Good luck and welcome!

[jojo]

I think the best thing to remember is that the companies who make the product, would not put anything in a product that may cause potential harm. I use sulphates and cones and my hair is doing ok. Theres way too much emphasis on what is bad and what is good. Experiment and see what your hair likes!

Unless you have sensitivities to certain ingredients you will do fine, hair is dead at the end of the day. No shampoo or conditioner is going to make it better in structure, only in appearance. My rule of thumb is save your pennies for a good conditioner and buy the cheapest shampoo; I dilute mine, once its done its job its washed down the plug hole anyway!

[krissykins]

I think this one requires a little bit of personal research. The only things that would be "bad" in hair is anything you're allergic/sensitive to. Once you figure out if you have any sensitivities, then you'd have to figure out what products don't have those ingredients.

For example, my hair HATES humectants. So I avoid anything with honey/glycerin in it, as those are humectants (though I do try it every now and again to see if my hair stops being so angsty).

[Alvrodul]

You have poked a hornet's nest here, washurei! "Bad" is such an individual definition - basically, you can translate it as "does not work for me", which means you are likely to get as many answers as members of the LHC! :p
A fairly large number is likely to proclaim that ALS and SLS are the devil's work, right up there with cones and parabens. Other people's hair loves SLS and cones.
For myself, I am currently on a regimen of SLS free poo bars, and I also avoid cones - but I have found that I regularly need to clarify with a shampoo containing SLS.
You have to find out what works best for your hair - which requires experimentation, and at least a few "learning experiences", AKA disasters. Ans while your friends here at LHC may recommend and suggest, it is your hair that is the final judge of what it wants!

[christine1989]

I'm afraid I'm going to have to dispute most of the things on the above list.

For many people, including myself, SLS and ALS are not bad at all, yes they can be stripping, but my scalp actually shed more and was drier and had awful dandruff when I cut them out of my routine.

Cones can disguise damage, yes, but they also function the way oils do, providing a barrier over hair to smooth the cuticle which provides enough slip for detangling and sometimes preventing tangles. For a lot of us, tangles and detangling is the main cause of damage and cones help a lot with that. Some have found that they lock moisture out of hair, and some find that cones buildup without sulfates and don't want to use sulfates.

Parabens I believe are preservatives. The main problem is that they are a suspected carcinogen.

Waxes are often to aid the mixing of ingredients.

Some alcohols (fatty alcohols such as cetyl alcohol) are actually conditioning. SD alcohol is a kind of drying alcohol to be avoided.

With darn near every ingredient the rule is your mileage may vary. Experiment and find what's good for you. Be open minded but don't be bullied into sticking with a "gentle" "natural" routine that isn't working for you.

Good luck and welcome!

Very true- my list was just a VERY general one based on a mixture of generalizatons regarding the ingredients, common complaints and personal experience (as a person with dry hair). Most all of these ingredients can be wonderful based on the individual's needs and the context in which they are being used. Personally, I don't like regular cone use but love it on those windy days when I want to reduce friction. SLS is another one I avoid like the plauge except when I'm removing coconut oil- it is the only thing that removes large amounts of oil from my hair. I guess pegging an ingredient as "bad" is not only individual but situational as well.

[washurei]

thank you all for you wonderful inputs.