Curly Hair NoNo's

Once you decide to embrace your curls, there are a few things you need to know about before you will start to see desirable results.

You will want to avoid sulfates, waxes, alcohols and silicones. These ingredients are found in shampoo as well as some conditioners, and can even be found in some styling products. Be sure to check the labels on everything you will be using on your hair.

Sulfates are cleaning agents. While we have become a society that believes squeaky clean is the only clean, our skin and hair do not need to be squeaky clean. Our hair and skin require a delicate balance of natural oils, proteins, and peptides. Using sulfates strips the hair of necessary nutrients it needs to be healthy. Sulfates lift the cuticle of the hair which causes frizziness and split ends. It is possible to have clean hair without using sulfates. Below is a list of sulfates you will want to avoid.

alkylbenzen sulfonate

ammonium laureth sulfate

ammonium lauryl sulfate

ammonium xylensulfonate

sodium C14-16 olefin sulfonate

sodium lauryl sulfate

sodium lauryl sulfoacetate

sodium myreth sulfate

sodium xylenesulfonate

TEA-dedecylbenzenesulfonate

cocamine sulfate

Short-chain alcohols have a drying effect on the hair. Curly hair tends to be drier that straight hair, so it can't afford to loose any extra moisture from it's locks. While a benefit of using these oils is faster drying time, the frizz it causes in curly hair makes them less desirable ingredients. Check the list below to know which alcohols to avoid.

denatured alcohol

SD alcohol 40

SD alcohol

witch hazel

isopropanol

ethanol

propanol

propyl alcohol

isopropyl alcohol

Most silicones are not water-soluble and can build-up and weigh your curls down. There are some silcones that are water-soluble and are acceptable to use on curly hair. Below is a list of silicones that are not water-soluble and you will want to steer clear. Silicones can be identified by ending in _cone, _conol, or _xane. PEG silicones are modified to be water-soluble and are acceptable to use.

dimethicone

bisaminopropyl dimethicone

cetearyl methicone

cyclopentasiloxane

stearoxy dimethicone

stearyl dimethicone

thimethylsilylamo dimethicone

amodimethicone

phenyl trimethicone

You will also want to stay away from using non-natural oils and waxes on your hair. These waxes will build up on your hair and aren't easy to wash away during normal cleansing efforts. The buildup will weigh down your curls and cause them to look dull and lifeless.While emulsifying wax is safe, below is a list of waxes to avoid.

mineral oil (paraffinum liquidum)

petrolatumypetroleum

beeswax

candelilla wax

lanolin

When you are shopping for your hair care products, you will want to have this list with you to compare the ingredient list. Trust me when I say you will want to copy and paste so you can print it. It's a job writing all of them down. There are products developed especially for curly hair. Some of them are approved and some are not. Sometimes you will find products marketed for curly hair, when in fact they use the ingredients from the no-no list. Your stylist can help you find the best regimen for your hair.

Congratulations on taking your first step to life as a curly girl. Stick with it long enough to see the benefits and enjoy your curls.