People often ask me about how I maintain my long hair and also what brand of shampoo & conditioner I'm using.
Well, aren't all conditioners are the same?
Just a small advice here, choose your shampoo and conditioner wisely based on your very own hair condition.
Its important for girls to use conditioner after washing your hair with shampoo to maintain your healthy, smooth, silky, shinny, you name it hair. (can't think of anymore words)
But here is something I do before I buy my brand of shampoo and conditioner, I'll look at the ingredients of the conditioner or shampoo, even though I know nothing about it. LOL.
There are like 3 to 4 brands of shampoo and conditioners in my house.
Well, there are 5 females in my house which is my grandma, aunt, 2 cousin sisters and me.
By the way, my granny does not use conditioner.
Now, I'm doing a mini research about the ingredients in the conditioners.
Here's a few common ingredients that can be found in hair conditioners:
Well, aren't all conditioners are the same?
Just a small advice here, choose your shampoo and conditioner wisely based on your very own hair condition.
Its important for girls to use conditioner after washing your hair with shampoo to maintain your healthy, smooth, silky, shinny, you name it hair. (can't think of anymore words)
But here is something I do before I buy my brand of shampoo and conditioner, I'll look at the ingredients of the conditioner or shampoo, even though I know nothing about it. LOL.
There are like 3 to 4 brands of shampoo and conditioners in my house.
Well, there are 5 females in my house which is my grandma, aunt, 2 cousin sisters and me.
By the way, my granny does not use conditioner.
Now, I'm doing a mini research about the ingredients in the conditioners.
Here's a few common ingredients that can be found in hair conditioners:
- Cetearyl alcohol
- Panthenol/D-panthenol
- Propylene glycol
- Dimethicone
So, what are these chemical subtances?
And what are their uses in the conditioners?
Well some of us may be worried that these chemicals are toxic and harmful to our body or may cause cancer.
Actually, they're not harmful at a low concentration in our conditioners.
So, no worries at all. Chill...
OK, now I'll start with Panthenol.
What is Panthenol?
Panthenol is the alcohol analog of pantothenic acid(vitamin B5), which is essential to all life and is a component of co enzyme A (CoA).
Panthenol comes in 2 enantiomers, which is the D and L.
But only the D-panthenol is biologically active.
Therefore, some conditioners contained D-panthenol and some are just panthenol.
However, in hair, it does not contain living cells, so panthenol or D-panthenol, it will still remain as panthenol only.
So, what is the usage of panthenol in our conditioners?
Based on the common theory by public, panthenol able to binds with hair follicles readily, thus coats the hair and seals its surface, lubricating the hair shaft and making hair strands appear shinny.
But based on the experiments on rats, result shows that a deficiency of pantothenic acid can cause hair turning grey and fall off.
However, there aren't any significant results of any form of panthenol able to prevent or treat grey hair or balding on humans.
Therefore, there isn't any strong scientific evidence that is able to support the common theory of panthenol in hair conditioners.
Cetearyl alcohol or cetostearyl alcohol or cetylstearyl alcohol known as emulsifying wax, also a component of the hydrophilic ointment ingredient.
It is an aliphatic compound alcohol consisting of cetyl and stearyl alcohols.
Cetearyl alcohol is used as a stabilizer, emulsifier and thickener.
Propylene glycol also known as 1,2-propanediol is an aliphatic alcohol too, which is odourless, colourless, vicious, highly hygroscopic liquid.
Hygroscopic substance tends to absorb moisture from the air.
It is a less toxic chemical substance cause it is used as food addictive.
Due to the similar properties of cetearyl alcohol and propylene glycol, both of them act as a humescent in the moisturizer to maintain the moisture of our hair.
And also prevent the escape of moisture or water.
This is the usage of both chemical substances in the hair conditioners.
Lastly, what is dimethicone?
Dimethicone is a common name of polydimethysiloxane (PDMS).
PDMS is a silicon-based organic polymer.
It is particularly known for its unusual rheological (flow) properties.
In the shampoo, dimethicone makes hair shinny and slippery.
It is being used as a moisturizer and lubricant to treat or prevent dry skin, and some minor skin irritations.
For example: Vaseline, mineral oil and paraffins.
Dimethicone is used to treat hair lice.
As you can see, PDSM is generally considered to be non-toxic.
References:
And what are their uses in the conditioners?
Well some of us may be worried that these chemicals are toxic and harmful to our body or may cause cancer.
Actually, they're not harmful at a low concentration in our conditioners.
So, no worries at all. Chill...
OK, now I'll start with Panthenol.
What is Panthenol?
Panthenol is the alcohol analog of pantothenic acid(vitamin B5), which is essential to all life and is a component of co enzyme A (CoA).
Panthenol comes in 2 enantiomers, which is the D and L.
But only the D-panthenol is biologically active.
Therefore, some conditioners contained D-panthenol and some are just panthenol.
However, in hair, it does not contain living cells, so panthenol or D-panthenol, it will still remain as panthenol only.
So, what is the usage of panthenol in our conditioners?
Based on the common theory by public, panthenol able to binds with hair follicles readily, thus coats the hair and seals its surface, lubricating the hair shaft and making hair strands appear shinny.
But based on the experiments on rats, result shows that a deficiency of pantothenic acid can cause hair turning grey and fall off.
However, there aren't any significant results of any form of panthenol able to prevent or treat grey hair or balding on humans.
Therefore, there isn't any strong scientific evidence that is able to support the common theory of panthenol in hair conditioners.
Cetearyl alcohol or cetostearyl alcohol or cetylstearyl alcohol known as emulsifying wax, also a component of the hydrophilic ointment ingredient.
It is an aliphatic compound alcohol consisting of cetyl and stearyl alcohols.
Cetearyl alcohol is used as a stabilizer, emulsifier and thickener.
Propylene glycol also known as 1,2-propanediol is an aliphatic alcohol too, which is odourless, colourless, vicious, highly hygroscopic liquid.
Hygroscopic substance tends to absorb moisture from the air.
It is a less toxic chemical substance cause it is used as food addictive.
Due to the similar properties of cetearyl alcohol and propylene glycol, both of them act as a humescent in the moisturizer to maintain the moisture of our hair.
And also prevent the escape of moisture or water.
This is the usage of both chemical substances in the hair conditioners.
Lastly, what is dimethicone?
Dimethicone is a common name of polydimethysiloxane (PDMS).
PDMS is a silicon-based organic polymer.
It is particularly known for its unusual rheological (flow) properties.
In the shampoo, dimethicone makes hair shinny and slippery.
It is being used as a moisturizer and lubricant to treat or prevent dry skin, and some minor skin irritations.
For example: Vaseline, mineral oil and paraffins.
Dimethicone is used to treat hair lice.
As you can see, PDSM is generally considered to be non-toxic.
References:
- Turner, Judith; Rebecca Frey. "Pantothenic Acid." Gale Encyclopedia of Alternative Medicine. The Gale Group, Inc. 2005. Encyclopedia.com. 7 May. 2009 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.
- DAVID A. BENDER. "pantothenic acid." A Dictionary of Food and Nutrition. 2005. Encyclopedia.com. 7 May. 2009 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.
- "Polydimethylsiloxane." The American Heritage Stedman's Medical Dictionary. Houghton Mifflin Company, 2002. Answers.com 13 May. 2009. http://www.answers.com/topic/dimethyl-polysiloxane
- "1,2-propanediol" <http://chemindustry.ru/1,2-Propanediol.php>
© 2009 Lesleygsy
wah , so pro ah u.
ReplyDeletekeep it up smart girl !!!!
hoho.. a lot of chemistry terms flying in my head now.. @.@
ReplyDeleteanyway, it is quite nicely done..
at least now i could show off to friends that i knew d ingredients in shampoo conditioner now..
@My love, My life
ReplyDeletethanks for the compliment
@Kevin
lol thanks anyway,
dont show off too much XD