What Are Some Common Ingredients In Shampoo?

Walk the aisles of your favorite store and you'll see dozens of different shampoos. Though formulations and effects vary by product, many shampoo products share several common ingredients. Knowing what certain ingredients do for your hair can help you narrow down your choices when trying to select a new shampoo.

Keratin

The protein keratin constitutes up to 90 percent of your hair's structure, reports haircare expert Paula Begoun. She says keratin helps give your hair its natural flexibility, shape and strength. Many shampoo manufacturers add keratin to shampoo to help nourish and improve the general health of your strands.

Silicone

Silicone acts as a conditioning agent in shampoos. It's typically noted on a shampoo's ingredient list as cyclomethicone or dimethicone. The silicone fills in the cuticles of your hair shaft—the cuticles often become raised due to damage or excessive dryness—to improve your hair's smoothness, softness and shine. "Women's Health" magazine says it's especially helpful for damaged or coarse hair.

Magnesium

The mineral magnesium tightens your hair's natural bonds and enhances its curles or waves, reports Oprah Winfrey's "O" magazine. The magazine says it's often paired with humectants which infuse the hair with moisture, improving the volume of your curls even further.

Sunscreen

Some shampoos contain sunscreen ingredients, according to Begoun. This includes ingredients like titanium dioxide or avobenzone. She says sunscreens can help coat your hair shaft to shield out the ultraviolet rays from the sun. It's an especially common and important ingredient in shampoos formulated for color-treated hair, as the UV rays have the potential to fade hair dye pigments.

Sodium Lauryl Sulfate

The sulfate, often simply known as SLS, is extremely common in shampoos. The International Aromatherapy and Herb Association of Arizona State University says it's in 90 percent of hair washes. SLS works as an effective detergent, helping to lift and wash away oil and dirt. It also gives shampoo products their characteristic foaming action.