The Hair Diaries

Shampoo

Usually shampoos contain a surfactant that helps produce foam and emulsify the dirt and grime in your hair. The surfactant is sodium lauryl sulfate or sodium laureth sulfate in most hair products, both of which have received a poor reputation in the past decade due to discomfort concerns.

Those who wish to stop sulphates will search for the lauryl glucoside detergent. Removing dirt from your hair, being gentle but still successful at removing grime.

Shampoo-and-Conditioner Combinations

Polyquaternium-7 or polyquaternium-10 is the best nourishing element in shampoo-conditioner combos. These conditioning polymers are charged positively which balances the detergent’s negative charges and harsh effects in the formula. In particular, Polyquaternium-7 helps with detangling, and softens the hair.

Conditioner

The gold standard for the conditioners is coconut oil. It satisfies lovers of natural ingredients, as well as those looking for effective ingredients. Coconut oil has been shown to help with hair flexibility by penetrating the hair and improving hair strength.

Palm oil, jojoba oil, and olive oil are other oils that nurture the hair and give it shine and moisture. Although each works well individually, they produce much better results together. Each of these natural oils has sebum constituents, the oil which our bodies create. So these oils are hair friendly, so they are enhancing something that’s already there.

A protein found in hair and skin, hydrolyzed keratin nourishes hair by protecting the hair shaft and preventing breakage. It is useful to treat hair that is damaged by persistent heat and hair bleach, and also smooths out chipped cuticles.

At-Home Hair Color

Although mango, shea butter and coconut oil are often used in conditioners and some styling products, they are especially beneficial for at-home colour treatments, which can strip strands of moisture.

These hair butters provide a protective shield to lessen the effect of harsh treatments on hair shaft. Coconut oil can actually get into the hair strand to provide extra conditioning. Shea butter, like mango butter, locks the hair cuticle down, seals moisture in.

Heat-Styling Products

Silicones help boost shine and buffer hair from the damaging effects of heat. Silicones create a stable barrier that will prevent anything from going through your hair. They have a higher heat tolerance than natural oils, which when used as a thermal protective will dry out the hair. The most used silicone is dimethicone, which sits on the hair and seals the cuticles really well to lock in moisture.