There's certain ingredients that are simply no-go, no bueno, not recommended and shouldn't be in your curls. We've created this cheat sheet (the short version) that will help you identify the nasties in products.
The no-go list of:
Sulfates
- Alkylbenzene Sulfonate
- Ammonium Laureth Sulfate
- Ammonium Laurill Sulfate
- Ammnonium Lauryl Sulfate
- Ammnoium Xylenesulfonate
- C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate
- Dioctyl Sodium Sulfoccinate
- Ethyl Peg-15 Cocamine Sulfate
- Potassium Lauryl Sulfate
- Sodium Alkylbenzene Sulfonate
- Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate
- Sodium Carboxylate
- Sodium Coco Sulfate
- Sodium Cocoyl Sarcosinate
- Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate
- Sodium Dodecylbenzene Sulfonate
- Sodium Laureth Sulfate
- Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate
- Sodium Lauryl Sulfate
- Sodium Lauryl Sulfocacetate
- Sodium Lauryl Glucose Carboxylate
- Sodium Myreth Sulfate
- Sodium Stearate
- Sodium Xylenesulfonate
- Tea Lauryl Sulfate
- Tea-Dodecylbenzene Sulfonateqw
Silicones
The short version is that any ingredient with the word "SILICONE" or ending with "CONE", "XANE" or "CONOL" is a silicone and shouldn't be in your hair. The ones to look out for:- Anything with the name Silicone (no brainer)
- Ending in CONE
- Ending in XANE
- Ending in CONOL
- Dimethicone
- Dimethiconol
- Aminopropyl Triethoxysilane
- Di-Isostearoyl Trimethylolpropane
- Siloxy Silicate
- Phenylpropyldimethylsiloxysilicate
- Polysilicone-18 Cetyl Phosphate
- Silicone Quaternium-16/18/22
- Silicone Resin Spheres
- Trimethylsiloxysilicate
- Anything with the world SILOXANE
There are some evaporative silicones that hair science have said are okay or water-soluble so can be okay for curly hair. Don't worry about these too much, get your curly journey happening and we'll delve deeper in to those later.
Drying Alcohols
- Denaturated Alcohol
- Ethanol
- Isopropanol
- Isopropyl Alcohol
- Propanol
- Propyl Alcohol
- Sd Alcohol
- Sd Alcohol 40
- Witch Hazel
Oils
- Mineral Oil
- Paraffinum Liquidum
- Paraffin
- Petroleum/Petrolatum
- Beeswax
- Any wax