Choosing the right shampoos or hair cleansers for regular hair care, is often confusing due to the plethora of products available and a variety of claims ranging from arresting hair fall, controlling dandruff, and making hair strong, silky, etc. Most shampoos contain similar ingredients, and one must be aware about which are the ingredients to watch out for from the point of view of both concern and benefit, while selecting your shampoo.
Shampoo is a cleansing agent. It contains detergents that help remove oil, sweat, dirt, and dead cells from the hair. Conditioners are agents that soften hair, prevent hair dryness, and make the hair more easily to handle for combing and styling. Conditioners usually contain natural oils, proteins, and herbs. Some products are only shampoos or conditioners, while others may have both cleansing and conditioning action. Hair serum is a leave-on liquid-based treatment that provides a protective smooth layer over the hair, and give it a shine.
COMMON AND REQUIRED SHAMPOO INGREDIENTS
These are ingredients needed to formulate most shampoos so there is really little possibility of avoiding them. Many of them are also beneficial to hair health, quality, and hygiene, and enhancing convenience of use. Fragrances are added to most shampoos.
Detergents
Shampoos contain detergents (surfactants) for foaming and cleansing to remove scalp dirt, dead skin, excess oil and odor. Sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS), and sodium laureth sulfate (SLES) are the most commonly used, and sometimes betaine salts are added. Sulfates are good lathering/foaming agents, so most shampoos have them.
However, sulfates do cause drying of the hair and irritation of the scalp. So if one wants to avoid sulfates, one will have to look specifically for such a shampoo that will also thereby be non-lathering or non-foaming. Some sulfate free cleansing agents include sodium lauryl sulfoacetate (SLSA), sodium cocoyl glycinate or glutamate, sodium lauroyl taurate or methyl isethionate, and decyl/lauryl glucoside.
Sequestrants
Use of hard water can prevent effective lathering, so sometimes sequestering agents like polyphosphates and EDTA are added that combine with (chelate/bind) calcium and magnesium salts in hard water.
pH stabilizers
The ideal pH of a shampoo should be slightly acidic (between 3.5-5.5), therefore shampoos may contain mild acids like citric acid, glycolic acid, etc.
Preservatives
These are added to prevent bacterial growth or contamination of shampoos. Common ones are sodium benzoate, DMDM, EDTA, hydantoin, methylisothiazolinone, sorbates, dehydroacetic acid and benzyl alcohol.
Polymers
These deposit onto the surface of the hair, and help give it a shine and bounce. They make hair easy to manage/style, and also reduce split ends. Polymers can be natural substances like starch and cellulose derivatives or gums, and hydrolyzed proteins. Polymers may be synthetic like silicones (dimethicone and dimethicolone), PVP, PVA, polyacrylates/methacrylates, and polyurethanes. Silicones are commonly added in conditioners and hair serum.
Thickening agents
These agents increase viscosity and give consistency to the shampoo, that make for convenient usability, without compromising effectiveness or quality. Common shampoo thickeners include cetyl or stearyl alcohol, carbomer, wax, gums, gelatin, and stearates.
Oils and Moisturizers
Since detergents and some of the other shampoo ingredients mentioned above can dry up the scalp, but are often unavoidable, it is good if shampoos have added oils and moisturizers to balance this and nourish the hair. Alternately such ingredients may be present in conditioners that can be used separately after shampooing.
Oils include amla (Indian gooseberry), bhringraj (false daisy), olive, avocado, almond, coconut, tea tree, argan, jojoba, green tea, neem (margrosa), brahmi (Indian pennywort), aloe vera, chamomile, lavender, peppermint, oatmeal, and many other herbs and their oils.
Some shampoo-conditioners may have fatty acids like shea butter. Ceramides are useful ingredients as they are the waxy fats of the hair cuticle that protects the hair and prevents moisture from escaping.
Glycols, glycerine and honey are moisture-retaining humectants.
Nutrients
Added nutrients are always a plus point in shampoos. Shampoos may contain proteins (amino acids required for keratin and collagen synthesis – like cysteine and essential amino acids), and sometimes keratin itself. Vitamins especially all B group vitamins namely niacin (B3) panthenol (B5), Biotin, and folate, along with Vitamin E and C, and minerals like zinc and selenium are useful ingredients in shampoos.
Medications
These may contain special ingredients for specific medical conditions causing hair loss or problems in scalp skin. These include hair growth stimulants, antifungals or selenium sulfide.
SHAMPOO INGREDIENTS THAT SHOULD BE AVOIDED
Some ingredients in shampoos are known to cause both short-term and long-term damage to hair by causing irritation of eyes and skin, inflammation, and dryness, and even have potential to affect hormonal balance, fertility, cause internal organ damage, and be carcinogenic (increasing cancer risk). These are added in some shampoos as binding agents, or as preservatives and antiseptics to increase shelf life. Shampoos with such ingredients should be avoided for regular use.
These include:
- Formaldehyde
- Parabens
- Hexachlorophene
- Phthalates
- Triclosan
- Diethanolamine (DEA) and Triethanolamine (TEA)
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