Ditch the alcohol in your hair products to get rid of crunchy curls
Photo by Hana Zebzabi
Are you natural and live by Eco Styler Gel and leave-in conditioner? If so, have you ever realized after a few hours your curls are super hard and crunchy and it takes forever to wash out?
Maya Smith, Creator of The Doux Haircare, sat down with us to give us tips on how to pick the right products for curly hair and how to get rid of crunchy curls for good. And it all comes down to alcohol, which is good for your Friday night but not so good for your hair.
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Styling products high in alcohol give curls a crunchy feel. They suck up every last bit of moisture. Hair spray tends to contain the most alcohol, while gels, mousses and anything that provides hold or lift come in second.
“I recommend water-soluble gels that don’t feel sticky on your skin, and aerated mousses or foams that resemble beaten egg whites, to give hair fullness, control, and non-brittle curls,” Maya says.
Isopropyl alcohol is drying and harsh to natural hair. This type of alcohol is usually found in hair sprays and gel and it dries faster on your hair. Constant use of this ingredient can leave your hair very dry, frizzy, and dull.
But there is hope for us. Some alcohols help with moisture like cetearyl and cetyl alcohol are two of the most common fatty alcohols in hair products. These two alcohols are known to soften your skin and hair.
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“The most common fatty alcohols that you will find in your hair products and which hydrate and which are highly beneficial to your hair are: lauryl alcohol, cetyl alcohol, myristyl alcohol, stearyl alcohol, cetearyl alcohol and behenyl alcohol,” Maya adds. “Alcohol can be absolutely wonderful for your hair, just be certain your grooming products contain the right type.”
So when you’re looking for products to tame your curls, try to avoid Alcohol Denat, Ethanol, SD alcohol 40, Propanol, Isopropyl and Propyl. A few highly rated and personally tested products we recommend you try without alcohol are Carol’s Daughter Hair Milk Styling Gel , Millie Pomegranate & Honey Curling Custard , or MoroccanOil Styling Cream. If you’re worried about what to purchase just search alcohol-free hair products and decide from there.
