Choosing the right hair product- What to avoid?

So I definitley get asked this ALOT from friends and family all the way to my subscribers! How do you know what products to choose?! Where do you start? Who can you trust? Is organic really organic? 
There are so many products out there which claim to smooth, tame add volume or shine to your hair...when you turn over the bottle and read the list of ingredients they seem to indicate otherwise...Here's a guide on a few things to avoid.

SLS- Sodium Laureth Sulfate

For those that have been following my hair journey I have been warning people of the most common ingredient that seems to pop up everywhere! Sodium laurel / laureth sulfate (SLS), also known as sodium lauryl sulfate, Sodium laureth sulfate, Ammonium laurel sulfate etc.
Now from when this very same ingredient is found in your detergents, the following question you could ask yourself is why would I use a facewash/ Shampoo with the same chemicals as my bathroom cleaners..

First of all I need you to understand, the reason SLS is found in facewash and our shampoo's/detergents is because the media has convinced us to associate the enormous lathering foam of the product with the cleaning of your hair.
So they include SLS in our product as it is a cheap chemical that creates foam (lather) so we think the product is working.
 
We should know by now that organic products do NOT lather, and is a common issue for many new transitioners who are used to the cheap fake lather we think is cleaning our hair. Organic products do not contain any SLS so you will not have that lathering affect until the second repeat wash, please note however, this does not mean the organic products cannot clean your hair!
The after affects of using SLS products is very drying on your hair, and caused me to have too much hair loss when washing or brushing my hair!!

Parabens

Used to prolong shelf life of an average hair care product, these chemicals are known for their toxic nature. Can be found in shampoos, toothpaste, moisturisers, deodorants,sunscreen etc.. I’m sure that if you go to the bathroom right now, you'll be shocked how many products contain parabens. They are also used as food additives in processed meats such as sausages.
The confusing thing about Parabens is I am not entirely sure of what their side affect is, however they have been linked to breast cancer and I would rather take the safe route and avoid the ingredient all together.

Proplyene Glycol

Proplyene glycol (PG) now...this one has alot to answer for..it doesn’t provide any long lasting benefits and instead causes serious harm.
Commonly found in conditioners, shampoos, hair dyes, styling gels and lotions. It breaks down healthy hair proteins yet claims to promote shiny, smooth hair. what it does in actual fact is strips the hair off essential oils it needs to stay healthy, breaks down protein and halts healthy hair growth. The after affects of using this is weak brittle  and dry hair it has also been linked to contributing to scalp irratation.


Now when it come to choosing a moisturiser/oil for your hair, you want to avoid any synthetic oils.

Mineral oil

I go on and on and onnnn about Mineral oil.

I will spend hours scanning my items when shopping making sure this ingredient doesn't sneak into my hair under some other name of some sort.

Commonly found in Oils, Moisturisers, Vaseline..

The main reason this ingredient infuriates me is because it's found in every product you associate with moisturing your skin yet IT DOES THE COMPLETE OPPOSITE.
Mineral oil forms a film on the surface of your skin that cannot be absorbed, thereby blocking the pores and the skin's natural respiration causing the skin to sweat under the layer, which results in further drying the skin and causes a breakdown in its normal function which in hindsight creates a dependency because the natural oils in the skin fail to function correctly.

Paraffinum Liquidium

A highly refined mineral oil, extremely cheap & common. Practically the same as above except it's under another name. It traps dirt and bacteria and blocks the absorption of vitamins/minerals/botanicals that may be in a product in the first place? (Do you see why this infuriates me)

I do however still use a product on my body which contains this ingredient, as that particular product (coca butter from Grenada) does not dry out my skin in any way. But I will not use any product containing these in my hair.

Dimethicone

A man made silicon oil, used as an ANTI-foaming agent, commonly found in conditioner, cream, lotion, foundation, or makeup primer.
It's a cheap ingredient that makes the product easily spreadable, so you get that feeling of the lotion or cream gliding over your skin. Dimethicone also helps form a protective barrier on the skin, and can fill in the fine lines and wrinkles on the face, which is why it’s often used in makeup primers.

However, as this is an artificial coating on the skin, It traps everything under it e.g bacteria, sebum, and impurities, which could lead to increased breakouts and blackheads. The coating action actually prevents the skin from performing its normal activity like sweating, temperature regulating, shedding off dead skin cells, etc. (Very similar to Mineral oil).


This is just a list of the most common chemicals I find in my products, you can do an intense and thorough research for other ingredients you may find listed in your product.
It's safer to purchase an organic product but still take the time to read what is in the product don't just trust the bottle marked organic, you'll be surprised what you can still find hiding in the ingredient list!

Be careful and look after yourselves, alot of these products are closely linked and associated with Cancer.

God bless
Jee x