Post-Coloring Hair Needs TLC

Post-Coloring Hair Needs TLC - Beware These Harsh Shampoo Ingredients

After subjecting your hair to chemical processing like coloring or perming, the last thing you want is a shampoo that makes matters worse. Many mainstream shampoos contain harsh cleansing agents and chemicals that can further damage already compromised locks.

To help your hair recover its health after aggressive treatments, you need to avoid specific ingredients that can cause additional dryness, breakage, and color fading. Read on to learn what to steer clear of when choosing post-chemical shampoos.

Sulfates - Too Harsh for Treated Hair

The most notorious offender in shampoos is sulfates. These detergents like sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) and sodium laureth sulfate (SLES) create the abundant suds we expect in shampoo. But they also strip the hair and scalp of natural oils causing significant dryness.

For hair freshly chemically processed, harsh sulfates can leave it parched, brittle and prone to breakage. They also cause colored hair to fade more quickly. Definitely not what vulnerable post-chemical hair needs.

Seek out sulfate-free shampoos that cleanse gently using milder detergents.

Salt and Silicones - Weight Down Hair

Shampoos containing salt or silicones can leave a heavy, dulling residue on hair over time. These ingredients may temporarily make hair feel smooth and soft, but they build up quickly.

Salts like sodium chloride coat the cuticle weighing it down. Cationic salts with long names containing "-ium" like cetearyldimonium chloride can be especially troublesome for finer or oilier hair.

Silicones like dimethicone and amodimethicone impart slip and shine because their molecules are so large they essentially create a temporary liquid plastic coating on the hair.

But for hair recovering from chemical trauma, added weight can drag it down and hide the true extent of damage. Clarifying shampoos are needed regularly to remove the accumulation.

Choose lighter formulas without salts, silicones and polymers so hair recovers its natural body and movement.

Alcohols - Can Dry Out Hair

Some types of alcohol in shampoo, like oleyl alcohol and cetyl alcohol, are conditioning and beneficial for moisture. But other alcohols like denatured alcohol, ethanol, isopropyl alcohol and SD alcohol can seriously dry out the hair and scalp.

These alcohols aggressively cut through oil and product residue. But they extract too much moisture from already parched tresses. This leads to brittle, staticky hair prone to tangled ends and breakage.

Shampoos relying heavily on drying alcohols may tangibly squeak when you rinse due to stripping too much moisture. They disrupt the delicate recovery process so avoid them post-chemical services.

Formaldehyde Releasers - Linked to Hair Loss

A disturbing ingredient to watch out for is formaldehyde in the form of releasers like quaternium-15, DMDM hydantoin, imidazolidinyl urea, and diazolidinyl urea. These help preserve the shampoo but can irritate skin and have been associated with hair loss when used consistently over time.

trace amounts of released formaldehyde accumulate on the scalp and in the body from repeated exposure. Women with kinky or coily textures seem particularly susceptible to hair breakage and shedding when using products containing these releasers.

Definitely avoid formaldehyde-releasing ingredients in recovery shampoos when your hair is most fragile. Seek out gentler natural preservatives like potassium sorbate and sodium benzoate instead.

The Takeaway

When your hair is compromised after chemical treatments, using harsh shampoos can exacerbate damage. Pay close attention to the ingredient list and avoid sulfates, salts, silicones, drying alcohols and formaldehyde releasers. With gentle, non-toxic cleansing, your locks will bounce back healthy, soft and vibrant again.