Conditioner is an important step in the health and care of your hair.  It is used to help restore your hair’s moisture by providing a protective coating that can help keep your hair from breaking. What is, and isn’t, in your conditioner is an important factor. Plaine Products conditioner’s vegan ingredients restore essential nutrients to enhance your hair’s texture resulting in luminous, silky, smooth hair. Here’s what to look for in your conditioner, and what ingredients to avoid.

What You Want In Your Conditioner

• Aloe. The first sustainable ingredient in Plaine Products’ vegan shampoo, conditioner, body wash and lotion is aloe.  Aloe Vera Extract’s key benefits include antioxidants like beta carotene, Vitamin C and E. Aloe also contains more than 75 nutrients, including 8-essential amino acids as well as vitamins A, B1, B2, B6, B12, C and E and is long noted for its healing properties.
• Glycerin. Glycerin is a humectant that helps retain moisture in your hair by binding to water molecules in the air and drawing them into your hair. Glycerin is a great ingredient for managing frizziness and supporting healthier and shinier hair. It can make your hair feel softer, bouncier, and less brittle.
• Shea Butter. Shea butter is a rich, natural emollient and helps to seal moisture into your hair. It is also anti-inflammatory, due to the high levels of vitamin E present in shea butter. Conditioners with shea butter help with itchy scalp and dryness and while also reducing breakage and improving shine.

• Jojoba Oil. Jojoba oil is great for sealing moisture into your hair. It is similar to the natural oils produced by your scalp and therefore is a great addition for nourishing not only your scalp but also moisturizing and promoting healthy hair.

All of these ingredients are great for conditioning your hair and reducing dryness, frizziness, and breakage.

What You Don’t Want In Your Conditioner

• Silicone. Silicone is a mineral used to make your hair seem silky and smooth but it builds up over time and dulls your hair. It’s basically like rubber or plastic in your hair as it’s used as a sealant against water and air. It’s not natural and it provides bad side effects for your hair. Silicone just gives the illusion of healthy hair by providing a fake shine. It keeps moisture from getting into your hair over time and invites dirt and other unhappy ingredients to lodge in your hair, building up over time. This can lead to brittle hair with a lot of frizz – it’s especially bad for curly hair.
• Parabens. Parabens are chemicals that are used as preservatives primarily for their antibacterial and anti-fungal properties. They can cause dry, dull, brittle hair because they can tear apart the cuticle covering the hair shaft. They have been found in low concentrations in tumors and are believed to disrupt hormone function. Parabens mimic estrogen by binding to estrogen receptors on cells. This effect has been linked to both the development of breast cancer and the early onset of puberty in girls.
• Sulfates. Sulfates, either sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) or sodium laureth sulfate (SLES), are both of these are used to make products lather so they aren’t as common in conditioners, but you always want to check your ingredients. Both are detergents, are tough on your hair, and can irritate eyes and skin. SLS is also hazardous to any aquatic life that it may meet after it washes down your drain. Both have been linked to health concerns, although the case for SLES being dangerous is stronger. It has been linked not only to cancer, but also liver damage.
• Isopropyl alcohol. Isopropyl alcohol is used in conditioner primarily for its drying effect. It’s an alcohol that evaporates quickly and is used in a lot of cosmetics. With direct contact, it’s a highly flammable substance on its own and can cause irritation, damage to the nervous system and heart and respiratory system issues after direct contact. It’s toxic when inhaled directly and in hair care products, it can cause a major drying effect as it takes moisture out of your hair. It’s not a necessary ingredient for any conditioner.
• Triclosan. Triclosan is a synthetic microbial that’s added to hair care products to reduce or prevent bacteria growth. It was designed to kill germs and is a registered pesticide. It can disrupt your endocrine system and your hormones and it’s linked to an increased risk of breast cancer. Triclosan is in just about every hand sanitizer on the market – it was originally made for hospitals and it’s gotten into a ton of products like shampoo, conditioner, soaps, body washes, toothpaste, kitchenware, toys, and even furniture and mattresses. It’s classified as a skin and eye irritant and it is toxic to aquatic life. It’s also one of the main things that have led to the rise of “superbugs” – viruses and bacteria that are now resistant to standard antimicrobials and antibacterials.

There are a number of ingredients most mainstream shampoos, conditioners, washes, and lotions have that you won’t find in Plaine Products. Check your labels! Conditioners many benefits include smoother hair, increased shine and bounce, reduced frizziness, and making your hair much easier to comb through. Be sure to check your labels and choose a conditioner that has all the ingredients you need, and none of what you don’t.