A major part of keeping your hair looking and feeling healthy is the regular use of shampoo and conditioner. These products rely on specific active ingredients that allow shampoo and conditioner to do everything from clean the hair to balancing the overall pH levels. When you look at the back of your shampoo or conditioner bottle, there are several ingredients you are likely to see.
Surfactants
Detergents and surfactants are one of the main active ingredients in shampoos and conditioners. Shampoos most commonly include anionic surfactants, such as sodium laureth sulphate or sodium lauryl sulphate, which help to remove oil and dirt from your hair strands that could not be removed by water alone. Conditioners use cationic surfactants such as polyquarternium-10, states the Trichological Society, which help the ingredients of the conditioner cling to the hair strands and helps to reduce static electricity in your hair.
Moisturizers
Moisturizers are common in both shampoos and conditioners. For example, many shampoos employ humectants, such as panthenol, which attract moisture from the surrounding air and hold it close to the hair strand. Conditioners sometimes use emollient moisturizers, such as isopropyl palmitate, which creates a layer of protection against moisture loss on the surface of the scalp and hair strands.
pH Balancers
Shampoos and conditioners may also have active ingredients that regulate the pH balance of your hair. For example, some products may include citric acid mixed with a buffer, such as sodium citrate. These products cause your hair to become slightly more acidic, allowing the hair cuticle to lie flat on the shaft of the hair, making your hair more manageable.
Thickeners
To assist in application, most shampoos and conditioners use a thickening agent, which allows you to quickly and easily squeeze the right amount of product into your hands, and then apply it evenly to your hair. Common thickeners in shampoos and conditioners include sodium chloride, cocamide DEA, cocamidopropyl betaine or ammonium xylenesulfonate.
Fragrance
To cover up the smell of other active ingredients, as well as aid in the overall appeal of the product, shampoos and conditioners almost always add fragrance. Fragrance can come from many sources, including herb extracts, flower and plant extracts or fruit extracts.
Member Comments