There is certainly no shortage of hair products on the market that are hydrating and can repair even the most damaged hair. You can enter any Sephora (or drug store) and throw a rock to hit an amazing product that will help prevent split ends, repair brittle hair, and encourage hair growth. But there are also plenty of products that aren’t just going to be unhelpful or a waste of money — they can dry your hair’s shaft and cause damage, including hair shedding.
Doing your hair product homework always involves taking a closer look at a product’s ingredients list. Let’s face it: we don’t always have time to do this and so many brands are exceptional at making us believe they can deliver the sun, moon, and stars in a product. Here’s the truth, plain and simple: if you’re using these two super drying hair products, you could be making your hair more vulnerable to dryness and fallout.
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Silicone-Based Hair Masks
The occasional hair mask can feel like a luxurious treat. And the right hair masks really can impart moisture and shine to even the dullest, driest strands. But some hair masks fake that shine with non-water soluble silicones that stick to the hair, coating it so that it feels smoother. The problem with this ingredient is that it can’t be removed with water, which can wind up damaging your hair in the long run, especially if you aren’t using a clarifying shampoo now and again to remove product buildup.
Hair masks aren’t the only products that often contain these silicones. And it’s important to know some of the other names they go by on product bottles. Be on the lookout for ingredients that end in “-cone,” including Dimethicone, Cyclomethicone, Amodimethicone, Pheryl Trimethicone, and Stearyl Dimethicone.
Some signs that your hair could be damaged from these silicones include hair breakage, which often happens when your strands become overly dry (your scalp may be dry but could also have an oily buildup). Flakiness, scalp itchiness and irritation, and hair loss can all also be the result of using products that contain non water-soluble silicones. Hair shedding can be the result of these silicones actually clogging your hair follicles — and unless you’re removing the debris and buildup, that follicle remains clogged and can cause hair to fall.
Be Careful of Clarifying Shampoos
Here comes the second piece of bad news. Even if you are using products that contain silicones because, you argue, you are also regularly using a clarifying shampoo to remove buildup, that clarifying shampoo isn’t the best thing for your hair, either. Many clarifying shampoos contain sulfates, an ingredient we associate with soaps that gives them their rich lather. These more potent shampoos may do a better job at stripping hair of oils, product buildup, and even excess color if you dye your hair a little too dark, but in return, they are drying out your strands and could be contributing to more hair shedding.
For healthier hair and less fallout, always check your product ingredients list and avoid silicones and sulfates (for starters). Products that are nourishing, hydrating, and not extreme or harsh are your best picks to keep your strands and scalp as healthy as possible.
