ingredients... help!

[Daughter]

Ok so now I'm officially a week into paying more attention to my hair. When checking out hair products, I've read to avoid petrolatum, mineral oil and balsam. What other ingredients are to be avoided?

Are all forms of alcohol bad for the hair? I ask because I notice many of the products I have contain cetearyl (sp?) alcohol. And what's the story with sodium laureth sulfate? Or more alarmingly, ammonium lauryl sulfate?

T.I.A!

 

[sassygirl125]

Here's some good info on shampoo ingredients. I cut and pasted this from the old board. I forgot who posted it orginally...

Ammonium Lauryl Sulfate - very harsh
Ammonium Laureth Sulfate- harsh
Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) - still rather harsh
Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES) - milder, ok choice
Sodium myreth sulfate, TEA Lauryl Sulfate & TEA Laureth Sulfate- good choices
Coconut Soap or Cocamidopropyl Betaine - BEST CHOICE!

 

[Allandra]

Thanks for posting this. I can now add it to my favorites.

 

[Guest]

Say, what's wrong with Balsam? What is balsam? I've seen it in my Creme of Nature "Balsam Canada" but I thought it was an herb or something.

 

[Crysdon]

Sassygirl, you're so informative. Do you have more?

 

[Daughter]

thanks for the info!

sadly my aveda shampoo contains one of the ammonium ingredients

but it made my hair feel soft...

 

[Daughter]

</font><blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr />
Mindymouse said:
Say, what's wrong with Balsam? What is balsam? I've seen it in my Creme of Nature "Balsam Canada" but I thought it was an herb or something.

[/ QUOTE ]

I remember reading somewhere that it can be quite drying. You know what? I'm not sure what balsam is!

 

[Daughter]

to anyone who can shed light on this: what's the deal with alcohol in hair products (pomades, conditioners, etc)?I've noticed different types, are they equally bad and can they be (and should they be) avoided?

 

[kingstonkaramel]

Balsam is a resin that's used in hair conditioners, soaps, creams and lotions for their "mild freshening properties" and pleasant fragrance... it comes for a type of fir tree. Nappturality.com also says that it stiffens hair to add volume and so that's why its in alot of popular conditioners. But just like any other ingredients, they say to test out whether or not it works for you...

About the alcohol ingredients, I try to stay away from them especially in conditioners and moisturizers... Since alcohol is obviously drying, I never could understand why they are always so high on the list of ingredients in MOISTURIZERS... Common sense tells me that it doesn't add up and that alcohol couldn't be good for fragile hair

 

[Daughter]

thanks for that...

I knew that alcohol would cause hair gel to flake back in da day but I was so surprised to see different forms of alcohol in the majority of my hair products! This could be one of the reasons I'm experienceing hair breakage... Even in some organic roots stuff I seee cetearyl alcohol listed.

Looks like I'll need to shop around for stuff soon.

 

[kingstonkaramel]

Well, bad products can definitely complicate problems and perpetuate breakage. I've seen cetearyl alcohol in a lot of products that I use to own (before I threw them out!). I think (I could be wrong) that an alcohol ingredient was what made me wary of buying the ORS Hair Mayo... but my memory might be getting a little rusty

But it's apparently worked for a lot of people on this board so I may try it out

 

[Daughter]

I finished my jar last week so I can't tell ya if the Hair Mayo has alcohol either! I'm looking seriously at a number of items on my dresser and my eyebrows are sky high and my eyes opened wiiide looking at the labels! Don't get me started about my shampoos and conditioners! Luckily for me there are quite a few places I can get stuff from locally so I'll be alright, I just need to scour this board and the net to see some recommendations and get my list together...

Thanks again for the info, sis!

 

[kingstonkaramel]

Your WELCOME!

 

[ms_kenesha]

</font><blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr />
Daughter said:
thanks for that...

I knew that alcohol would cause hair gel to flake back in da day but I was so surprised to see different forms of alcohol in the majority of my hair products! This could be one of the reasons I'm experienceing hair breakage... Even in some organic roots stuff I seee cetearyl alcohol listed.

Looks like I'll need to shop around for stuff soon.

[/ QUOTE ]
Cetearyl alcohol is not a bad or drying alcohol it is an emulsifier.

 

[sassygirl125]

</font><blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr />
Sassygirl, you're so informative. Do you have more?

[/ QUOTE ]

I was able to save a few things from the board we were on right after longhairlovers became a pay site. Anything else I'll try and find. I'm such a 'net nerd!

Now I cut and paste everything of particular interest to me. I know Nikos and Beverly are on top of it, but you never know...

 

[Daughter]

an emulsifier? Didn't know that, thanks.

See, I have a LOT to learn!

 

[Cleopatra_Jones]

I would suggest that you go to Sally's or any other beauty supply store that caters to cosmetology students and buy a dictionary. The one I have is 'A Dictionary of Cosmetology and Related Sciences' by Keystone Publications or find one by Milady's Standard. Then go to a natural foods co-operative or supermarket and get an herbal book, one that lists herbs, their properties and usages. One title to look for is 'The Herb Book' by John Lust. That way you should be able to identify ingredients in your products and become more knowledgeable. And trust me, it will save you money. I know I look crazy in the stores going through the dictionary in my mind, trying to identify every product, but sometimes the herbs listed in a product has absolutely nothing to do with the claims stated on the products.

 

[mirrormirror]

Cetearyl alcohol is a good alcohol, better referred to as a "fatty" alcohol as well as stearyl, cetyl and oleyl alchol. SD alcohol, myristil and isoproply alchol you need to stay away from.

As for balsam it is very drying.....Thats why I discontinued Creme of Nature shampoo, it began drying out my hair and I know its because of the balsam. I hate balsam in anything.

 

[Daughter]

</font><blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr />
Cleopatra_Jones said:
I would suggest that you go to Sally's or any other beauty supply store that caters to cosmetology students and buy a dictionary. The one I have is 'A Dictionary of Cosmetology and Related Sciences' by Keystone Publications or find one by Milady's Standard. Then go to a natural foods co-operative or supermarket and get an herbal book, one that lists herbs, their properties and usages. One title to look for is 'The Herb Book' by John Lust. That way you should be able to identify ingredients in your products and become more knowledgeable. And trust me, it will save you money. I know I look crazy in the stores going through the dictionary in my mind, trying to identify every product, but sometimes the herbs listed in a product has absolutely nothing to do with the claims stated on the products.


[/ QUOTE ]

Thanks for the tip! I can believe some herbs are thrown in to miniscule amounts to make the product sound good

 

[Daughter]

</font><blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr />
mirrormirror said:
Cetearyl alcohol is a good alcohol, better referred to as a "fatty" alcohol as well as stearyl, cetyl and oleyl alchol. SD alcohol, myristil and isoproply alchol you need to stay away from.

As for balsam it is very drying.....Thats why I discontinued Creme of Nature shampoo, it began drying out my hair and I know its because of the balsam. I hate balsam in anything.

[/ QUOTE ]

Thanks for your help! I haven't seen SD alcolhol or the others you listed in my products, but my shampoos seem a lil' harsh.

 

[mirrormirror]

</font><blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr />
Daughter said:


[/ QUOTE ]

Thanks for your help! I haven't seen SD alcolhol or the others you listed in my products, but my shampoos seem a lil' harsh.

[/ QUOTE ]

Well it's most likely the surfectant used in your shampoo. Ammonium laureth sulfate, ammonium lauryl salfate and sodium laurel sulfate is harsh. sodium laureth sulfate is mild.

 

[Honey Vibe]

</font><blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr />
sassygirl125 said:
Here's some good info on shampoo ingredients. I cut and pasted this from the old board. I forgot who posted it orginally...

Ammonium Lauryl Sulfate - very harsh
Ammonium Laureth Sulfate- harsh
Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) - still rather harsh
Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES) - milder, ok choice
Sodium myreth sulfate, TEA Lauryl Sulfate &amp; TEA Laureth Sulfate- good choices
Coconut Soap or Cocamidopropyl Betaine - BEST CHOICE!


[/ QUOTE ]
Jesus Christ. I just bought one with ammonium laureth in it for $12 from Bath and Body Works. I only mean to use it once a month, but I didn't know it would strip paint...

 

[lexi_24]

Oh no...I just checked the ingredients of my Keracare shampoo and it has Ammonium Lauryl Sulfate (ALS). I guess I will start reading labels as well.

I have a question...I have noticed in some threads that people prefer shampoos without Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS)....but the earlier posts says that ALS is very harsh and the SLS is harsh. So when people are trying to avoid SLS are they also including ALS in the exclusion?

 

[BabyCurls]

I would steer clear away from products that contain beeswax. Most oil moisturizers has beeswax in them, the same kind is used for keeping dreds in place. They can build up on your hair. As well as mineral oil (liquid parafin) which is in some oils and other products. It can cause serious skin problems in some people, and it is not beneficial for the hair as is the case here.

 

[Daughter]

Yeah Aveda Brilliant shampoo which I recently bought has ammonium lauryl sulfate

It felt so nice when I was washing my hair but it was dry later on.

 

[Daughter]

Thanks, I had heard that as well, I used to use a few products with beeswax in them, they took forever to wash out!

 

[mirrormirror]

I have a question...I have noticed in some threads that people prefer shampoos without Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS)....but the earlier posts says that ALS is very harsh and the SLS is harsh. So when people are trying to avoid SLS are they also including ALS in the exclusion?

[/ QUOTE ]


Yes..........ALS is included. I think of ammonia.

 

[lexi_24]

Mirrormirror, thanks for letting me know about the ALS. I guess I will try and look for shampoos with the good stuff.