Is your hair feeling more like a crunchy autumn leaf than a smooth waterfall? The answer might lie in the very product designed to keep it clean—your shampoo. Despite all its promises of clean healthy hair and scalp, it might be hiding some nasty ingredients that are doing your hair more harm than good.
But before we sentence your shampoo to exile, let's take a look at other potential villains behind dry and damaged hair.
|
In This Article: Common Causes Of Dry And Damaged Hair |
Common Causes Of Dry And Damaged Hair
Dry hair can have a number of sneaky triggers, but some of the most common ones include:
- Frequent use of heat-styling tools
- Chemical treatment including straightening, perming, bleaching
- Environmental factors hot climate, sun exposure, contact with chlorinated water
- Washing your hair too often
- Using hot water on your hair
- Using the wrong shampoo or one that’s too harsh
The Role Of Shampoo In Hair Care
Shampooing is arguably the most important step of your hair care routine. The purpose of a shampoo is to clean your scalp and hair by eliminating the excess oil, dust and pollutants, and product buildup. It essentially sets the base for your hair care routine, giving you a clean canvas. A good shampoo cleanses your scalp gently while keeping its natural oils intact–in other words, without leaving your hair dry like straw.
A harsh shampoo, on the other hand, uses harsh detergents that can disrupt the scalp’s natural balance, leading to dry, brittle, and damaged hair.
Continued use of such shampoos can damage the hair shaft, leaving it more susceptible to breakage, split ends, and frizz.
Signs Your Shampoo May Be To Blame
1. Unmanageable Hair
When your hair becomes unruly and hard to style, your shampoo might be stripping away essential oils, leaving it frizzy and difficult to control.
2. Scalp Irritation
Experiencing itching, redness, or discomfort after shampooing? Harsh ingredients could be causing irritation, especially if your scalp is sensitive.
3. Excessive Dryness and Frizz
If your hair feels dry, rough, and frizzy after washing, the shampoo may be stripping it of moisture, leaving it brittle and lifeless.
4. Increased Hair Breakage
More breakage and shedding? A harsh shampoo can weaken the hair shaft, causing it to snap and split, leading to thinning and damaged strands.
5. Oily Scalp, Dry Ends
Greasy roots and dry ends? This imbalance could be due to your shampoo stripping the scalp while leaving the rest of your hair dehydrated.
If these signs sound familiar, you might need to switch to a shampoo designed specially for dry and damaged hair treatment.
Harmful Ingredients And Why To Avoid Them When Picking A Shampoo
1. Sulfates
What they do: Potent surfactants responsible for the rich lather that gives you the impression that your shampoo is effective.
Why to avoid: They strip away the scalp’s natural oils, paving the way for dryness, irritation, and even allergic reactions.
2. Parabens
What they do: Popular choice of preservatives used to prolong the shelf life of hair care and skin care products.
Why to avoid: Parabens have been known to trigger skin conditions like dermatitis, and can potentially lead to a disturbance in hormone function.
3. Phthalates
What they do: Phthalates are used in shampoos as gelling agents and to impart a long-lasting, pleasing fragrance
Why to avoid: These chemicals are notorious for hurting scalp health and have also been associated with hormonal imbalance.
4. Silicones
What they do: Silicones are used to lend shine and smoothness to the hair, and particularly to tame frizz.
Why to avoid: While they do have temporary benefits, silicones come with some strings attached. Over time, they form a barrier around the hair, leaving a residue that’s difficult to wash off, i.e., hello scalp troubles! This also hinders the absorption of other nutrients into the hair follicle.
5. Formaldehyde
What they do: Formaldehyde belongs to a class of preservatives that inhibit microbial growth in water-based products.
Why to avoid: It is a known allergen and can trigger skin conditions like contact dermatitis. Prolonged exposure may also be linked to serious health issues.
6. Short-Chain Alcohols
What they do: 'Bad' alcohols, or short-chain alcohols, are known for their quick-drying properties and their ability to clear away grease and sweat from the skin
Why to avoid: Though efficient at cleansing excess oil, sweat, and dirt, these alcohols can excessively dry out the scalp, causing dryness, itchiness, irritation, and ultimately, damaged hair.
Common harmful alcohols to watch out for: Ethanol, propanol, propyl alcohol. isopropyl alcohol and SD alcohols
7. Synthetic colors
What they do: The role of synthetic colors in shampoos is entirely aesthetic, to make the product visually appealing.
Why to avoid: Although these colors may seem attractive, many are made from petroleum or coal tar and pose potential carcinogenic threats. No color is worth jeopardizing your scalp health and hair strength.
These ingredients belong in the chemistry lab, not in your hair care products!
Identifying Hair-Friendly Shampoo Ingredients
The best shampoos for damaged hair are ones that have:
-
Olive Oil
Loaded with vital nutrients like proteins, lipids, and vitamins A, C, and E, olive oil offers exceptional damaged hair treatment by strengthening and nourishing each strand.
-
Peptide Complex
Touted as a miracle ingredient in damaged hair treatment, peptide complex is rich in 22 amino acids that help rebuild damaged bonds, resulting in stronger and healthier hair. Our Olive Oil & Peptide Shampoo is a go-to choice for damage hair treatment–and it’s no wonder why. It not only starts reversing damage in just one wash* but also shows noticeable improvements in a week*!
Takeaway
Damaged hair doesn’t have to spell doom. Now you know what your hair craves (and what it absolutely doesn't). Give those tresses the VIP treatment they deserve and watch the magic happen!
Frequently Asked Questions
Q:1 Can Dry Shampoo Damage Your Hair?
A. Relying on dry shampoo for the long-run is like living on fast food—convenient but not advisable in the long run. Use it only when you absolutely need to.
Q:2 Can Shampoo Really Repair Damaged Hair?
A. While shampoo can definitely help strengthen and protect, and even prevent further damage, damage repair often requires more specialized care like bond repair treatments. For the best damage repair results, complement your hair care products with gentle towel-drying, routine trims, and sun protection for effective damage repair.
Q:3 Why Is My Hair So Dry And Damaged?
A. Frequent use of heat tools, chemical treatments, and exposure to harsh weather can all contribute to dryness and damage. Consider giving your hair a break and some extra care.
Q:4 What Shampoo Causes Dry Hair?
A. Shampoos with baddies like parabens, sulfates, and bad alcohol are silent saboteurs, and can damage your hair. Opt for gentler formulas, with hair-friendly ingredients like olive oil, peptides, and other nature-powered ingredients.
