0 Being An Educated Consumer- Reading Product Labels

DIY Hair Care Products

When many of us decided to take better hair of our natural hair, we began looking to use products that were more beneficial for our hair and also our bodies. Many natural hair and skin companies know that a lot of women and men are making the switch to healthier lifestyles and are marketing their natural products accordingly.  So, what does this mean for us? It means we have to be careful and watch out for some terms that are used only for "label appeal". 


Lots of companies use terms and ingredients that could be leading you to pay more than you should for some products or purchasing products looking for results that aren't possible to achieve. 


We are going to break down some of these terms and go over "label appeal" to help you all make better decisions when purchasing products.


1. "Hair Growth Serum"- Any product claiming to "grow" your hair that you do not take internally, is lying to you. There is nothing you can put "on" your hair to help it grow faster. There are some supplements that can be taken orally that can help with hair & nail growth but, again these have to be taken internally.


2. "All natural" "Organic"- Many companies big and small alike are using this on their labels to bring in health conscious customers. In reality, what many companies mean is "This product may or not contain a few organic, natural ingredients!". If the product is water based than that alone should let you know, it is not 100% natural because it will (should) have some form of synthetic preservative.  Also, some companies contain artificial fragrance (these are chemical based) but, will not list this in the ingredients, this will also keep a company from being 100% natural.  ( I am all for the use of preservatives and love many synthetic fragrances)


3. Essential Oil Claims- Not all essential oils are created equal. One brand of tea tree oil may be more potent or beneficial than another brand. Also, in some products the amount of essential oil needed to be of benefit would make the product extremely expensive so many companies go for lesser essential oils that may not be as potent. Also, when purchasing products be sure that the company hasn't mixed fragrance oils with essential oils to give a stronger smell. It is known that many essential oils wear off over time, especially in soaps and become very faint. To counteract this some companies will add fragrance oils. 


All in all, be weary of most companies big and small. If it seems to great to be true, like finding argan oil for $1.99 at your local beauty supply store, than more than likely it is. If you purchase a product claiming to be 100% natural and it smells like cupcakes...it probably has fragrance oil in it. 


So just be a conscious consumer and choose your purchases wisely. I am all for natural products (I should be since I use and sell them!) but, some companies are just out to make a buck and don't care anything about being honest or your health. 

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