On my Instagram page, I've been talking about how important is it to create a habit of reading the ingredient labels on your hair products. As a fun challenge, I encouraged my followers to research the top 5-10 ingredients in their favourite hair products to master the benefits of each ingredient for their hair.

This is crucial in any hair journey! Knowing how a product performs, and how your hair may react to it, is necessary in order to keep and repeat what's successful and/or omit what doesn't work.

Early on in my hair journey, I became obsessed with learning the benefits in the ingredients of my favourite hair products. This curiosity led me to understand my hair better and successfully pick products that agree with my hair. 

Recently, I've noticed an incline in messages from ladies who are using products incorrectly i.e. using a protein based conditioner when they thought it was moisture based or using a clarifying shampoo weekly when they should have been using a sulfate free shampoo. Unfortunately, this confusion and misuse of product usage led to unwanted dryness, breakage and shedding all because they were unaware of what their products contained.

I get it, reading a product label can be intimidating and confusing. Trying to pronounce these long everlasting words can be overwhelming...whew!

But at the same time, it's crucial to learn the job of each ingredient. Some strengthen the hair, while others provide moisture and slip. Today, I'm breaking this down for you.

Below, I'm going to share ingredients most associated within each hair care category so that you can easily spot them when browsing ingredients in your products at home or when you go shopping. I will be breaking ingredients down by category: Cleansers/Clarifying, Detangling, Protein/Strength, Moisture/Hydration, Shine/Penetrating Oils.

Let's get started!

For cleansers, we have clarifying shampoos and sulfate free shampoos. We keep these in rotation within our hair regimens. However, it's important to know and understand the difference between the two. 

Clarifying shampoos strip the hair of product build up, dirt, oils etc. It is formulated to deep clean the hair an scalp. It's highly recommended to use a sulfate-free shampoo after using a clarifying shampoo to restore the softness and moisture back into the hair. Clarifying shampoos should be used once a month to reset the hair and enhance the absorption of products. These shampoos have the following ingredients:

• Ammonium Lauryl Sulfate
• Ammonium Laureth Sulfate
• Sodium Lauryl Sulfate
• Sodium Stearate
• Alpha-olefin Sulfonate

Question:

"I am curious about the lanolin oil in the hollywood beauty castor oil. I've been reading that lanolin is a bad ingredient to have in any of your hair care products, so what about the hollywood beauty castor oil with mink oil? Is that ok to use ?"

Advice:

Lanolin is a very greasy material produced by the sebaceous glands of sheep. Lanolin is a mixture of fatty acids, wax esters, and a complex mixture of other organic compounds. In its natural state, lanolin contains about 25-30% water by weight. When applied to skin or hair, it is very effective at penetrating the surface and enhancing moisture retention. Lanolin is also beneficial because it continues to absorb moisture from the air, and can thus act as a humectant for the skin or hair.

Lanolin is sometimes considered to be too thick and greasy to be used liberally on curly hair, as it can really weigh down the curls and create frizz, but this is really dependent upon the degree of curl. A person with extremely curly hair would find it very beneficial to their hair. Its unique and complex chemical composition should make it very easily removed from the hair with a gentle shampoo or conditioner wash.

In summary, lanolin is an excellent conditioning agent for hair, but consideration of hair type should be used when selecting products for hair. People with extremely curly hair (such as those with 3C, and the 4’s) can most likely use lanolin-containing products in their regimen and enjoy soft, smooth hair without losing curl or gaining frizz. Those with wavy or slightly curly hair (such as 2A, 2B, 3A, and 3B type) may find products containing lanolin to be too heavy.

Source

What are Silk Amino Acids?


♥ Sunshyne

What is Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein?

Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein is a moisturizing and conditioning protein derived from whole wheat.

What does it do for the hair?

It increases the hair's ability to retain moisture and impart shine and gloss to damaged and dull hair. Due to its low molecular weight, it easily penetrates the hair shaft. Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein attracts and retains moisture, builds body, reduces porosity, improves hair manageability, improves luster and smoothness.

Which products contain this Ingredient?

1. Kenra Moisturizing Conditioner
2. Wave Nouveau Moisturizing Finishing Lotion
3. Herbal Essences Replenishing Conditioner
4. Abba Color Protect Conditioner
5. Miss Keys 10 en 1

What is Tocopherol Acetate?

Vitamin E.

What does it do for the hair?

It heals, rejuvenates, softens, soothes and protects the hair and scalp. It also helps to treat hair loss by stimulating the hair follicles.

Which products contain this Ingredient?

1. Herbal Essences Replenishing Conditioner
2. Elasta QP DPR-11 Remoisturizer
3. Soft and Silky Vanilla Silk Shampoo and Conditioner
4. Most Suave Conditioners
5. Nexxus Humectress
6. Tresemme Vitamin E Moisture Rich Conditioner

What is Cyclopentasiloxane ?

Cyclopentasiloxane is a silicone fluid commonly used in hair conditioners.

What does it do for the hair?

It is known to make the hair easier to brush. This ingredient lubricates and provides the hair with a wet slippery feel preventing breakage. Cyclopentasiloxane is also an emollient, meaning it helps to soften the hair. It is water-thin and can easily evaporate.

Which products contain this Ingredient?

1. Herbal Essences Replenishing Conditioner
2. Biotera Mositurizing Reconstructor
3. Neutrogena Triple Moisture Silk Touch Leave-in Creme


♥ Sunshyne

What is Citric Acid ?

Citric Acid is an organic acid. Commonly used as a pH adjuster and a natural preservative in hair care products.

What does it do for the hair?

Citric Acid is known to adjust the pH level in most shampoo's and conditioner's down to a pH level of 4.5-5.5. By having a slightly acidic shampoo and/or conditioner with a pH level of 4.5-5.5, you will notice that your hair cuticles will lay flat making the hair look/feel smooth, shiny and sleek.

Which products contain this Ingredient?

1. Elasta QP H-Two Leave-in
2. Elasta QP Creme Conditioning Shampoo
3. KeraCare Humecto Conditioner
4. Herbal Essences Long Term Relationship Conditioner
5. Nexxus Humectress Conditioner


♥ Sunshyne

What is Benzophenone 4 ?

To put it simple, it's Sunscreen for hair.

What does it do for the hair?

Benzophenone is water-soluble. It is a ultraviolet light absorber to help maintain the color of the products itself and also protect hair colors, whether natural or synthetic. It helps to prevent the sun’s harmful rays from damaging the hair i.e. dryness and hair color from fading. It forms a protective layer over the hair.

Which products contain this Ingredient?
1. Kenra Moisturizing Conditioner
2. AG Spray Fixx
3. Elasta QP H-Two Leave-in
4. Frederic Fekkai Smooth Hair Hydrating Hair Cream
5. Biotera Moisturizing Reconstructor
6. L'Oreal Vive Pro Color Shampoo.

♥ Sunshyne

What is Polyquaternium 37?

Polyquaternium 37 is a charged (polycationic) polymer normally used in the personal care industry i.e. Hair care.


What does it do for the hair?

Since they are positively charged, they neutralize the negative charges of most shampoos, relaxers, hair proteins etc. helping the hair to lay flat. Their positive charge, ionically bond to the hair. It is particularly useful to use cationic polymers on hair exposed to high alkalinity relaxers to decrease damage to hair. They attach to the hair and provide conditioning benefits such as ease of combing, hair alignment, elasticity and shine. Polyquaternium 37 also helps to reduce flyaways & static.


Check out some of the Hair products that have Polyquaternium 37 in it !!

1. Silk Elements Mega Cholesterol
2. Organic Root Stimulator Replenishing Conditioner (Pak)
3. Neutrogena Triple Moisture Silk Touch Leave-in Cream
4. Profectiv Breakfree leave-in Cream
5. Cantu Shea Butter leave-in
6. Africa's best Kids Organics Shea Butter Detangling Moisturizing Hair Lotion

P.S. Polyquaternium 32 is very similar, if not the same as Polyquaternium 37, so look out for it as well.

♥ Sunshyne

Do you have any products with this ingredient? If so, what is it?

Happy December Folks!! This is the last month of the year and I feel like I've learned so much about my hair & hair in general than I ever expected. It is so important to understand your hair, what it's telling you at any given moment and how to attend to it's needs.

With that being said, this month I'm going to focus primarily on "Knowing Your Ingredients". I feel like there is power in knowing what is in your shampoo's, conditioners, moisturizers etc. Normally, products targeted towards Women of Color (in the ethnic isles at various stores) tend to have ingredients that aren't beneficial for our hair. With the right knowledge and research, a head full of damaged hair can transform into a head full of gorgeous tresses!! Let's Begin :-)

What is the importance of a Humectant?

A humectant is used in hair care products to promote mositure retension. Humectants attract water from the atmosphere (hygroscopic) and binds itself to the hair shaft. Humectants are great for thick, coarse, kinky, curly dry damaged hair simply because it has a strong moisture binding capacity. Here are a list of some Humectants:

1. Glycerin
2. Honey
3. Propylene Glycol
4. Butylene Glycol
5. Sorbitol
6. Sugar Cane
7. Panthenol
8. Maltitol
9. Acetamide MEA
10. Hydrolyzed Wheat Startch
11. Sodium PCA

All of these ingredients help the hair absorb and retain moisture preventing dry (dry = breakage), frizzy, and poofy hair. Humectants help to rejuvenate, hydrate and make the hair more pilable. Look out for these ingredients in your products (esp. in conditioners & moisturizers) or when you get your next product junkie fix.

*12.9.08 Update* Quick list of some products containing humectants:

1. Silk Elements MegaSilk Moisturizing Treament
2. Neutrogena Triple Moisture Silk Touch Leave-in Cream
3. Wave Nouveau Moisturizing Finishing Lotion
4. S-Curl Activator Spray
5. Care Free Curl Gold Instant Activator
6. Cantu Shea butter Leave-in
7. Africa's Best Kids Organic Shea Butter Detangling Moisturizing Hair Lotion (be careful there are proteins in this)

P.S. Oh yeah, this is my 100th POST!! finally...I'm so happy :-)

♥ Sunshyne