Ingredients to Avoid for Smooth Hair

on November 12, 2009 at 7:00 AM

We talk about what we should do to get our hair to look a certain way, but what about what we shouldn't do? You know, things to avoid so your hair isn't a frazzled and frizz ball mess like mine is right now.

Yeah, I need these tips. (And a haircut!)

Avoid:

Too much silicone. Sounds like a good rule of thumb for plastic surgery, too! Yes, silicone products can smooth down the cuticle, making it appear smoother. However, using too much too often can cause build up, dryness, and brittle hair. Look for silicone replacements instead like bean tree and jojoba oil.

Drying alcohols. There are two kinds of alcohols -- the one that makes you drunk, and....just kidding. Seriously though, there are fatty alcohols such as cetyl alcohol, lauryl alcohol, and stearyl alcohol that are good for the hair because they are natural and derived from coconut. Bad alcohols are the stuff in hairsprays like isopropyl alcohol and denatured alcohol. They basically help the product to dry quickly and also end up drying out hair.

Too much protein. Protein is great for chemically altered hair, especially after a chemical treatment, but too much protein can cause an adverse affect...dry tresses that frizz out of control.

Thanks again to Mahisha Dellinger, curly-haired expert and creator of the CURLS organic hair collection, who knows her stuff.

What do you avoid to help your hair look as smooth and frizz-free as possible?

DIY Beauty Recipe: Fight Frizz with this Hair Smoothie

Fight Frizz with White Vinegar & Honey

DIY Hair Moisturizer - Olive Oil!

About the author Michele Zipp

loves vintage and will defend skinny jeans to the death though she is highly superstitious and "death" is probably a bad word choice. She has a touch of the hoarding disease and enjoys sleuthing, the worst reality shows, and wearing high heels, even at the playground. She's an AP mom of twins, slightly crunchy but with a pedicure.