The Chemist’s Guide to Ingredients: What’s Really Inside Your Products

The Science Behind Just So Curly Hair Products

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A challenge in a lot of industries is transparency. Here at Just So Curly we take that challenge head on.

My name is Del and my title is technically Technology Director. However, I started my career as a chemist. That is what my degree is in, and I had a couple of stints in various lab roles before switching careers. The good news is that the knowledge doesn’t disappear overnight, and it’s allowed Just So Curly to have what some small business startups in the cosmetic industry lack initially: a bonafide understanding of the chemistry of the product.

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Today we are going to discuss all of the wonderful ingredients that make up our current trio of curly hair products made for the family. It’s a small list of ingredients that, with the right understanding of how they work together, make a huge difference to anyone’s hair routine.

Flaxseed Gel: The Backbone of Our Curly Hair Products

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Let’s start with the backbone of our detangler, refresher, and spritzer: flaxseed (gel)!

Flaxseed gel is a powerful, plant-based ingredient that is the basis for each product we make. The beauty of it is that the gel the flaxseed makes does the work of providing definition while also being light. Whereas oily products tend to weigh down fine curly hair, flaxseed helps provide definition without the heavy feeling of many curly hair products.

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Why Preservatives Matter in Natural Hair Care Products

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The unsung hero of our products is the preservative. There are a lot of names that make up our preservative, so we’ll just call it Germall+.

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The reason a hair product exists is because flaxseed gel spoils if not refrigerated, and even with refrigeration, it doesn’t last more than about a week. The preservative allows the gel to not spoil, which is essential for natural hair care products that contain flaxseed gel, but because it is made up primarily of propylene glycol, which carries the molecules that slowly release chemicals that target mold and fungal spores, along with bacteria, it messes up the physical chemistry of the gel.

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Xanthan Gum and Gum Arabic: Creating Hold and Consistency

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Xanthan gum and gum arabic step in as slight thickeners to revive the gel consistency. The xanthan gum is the primary gum that helps thicken the gel while also helping form the light cast around your hair. Gum arabic has a lighter hold than xanthan gum, but is responsible for some of the hold and moisture retention as well.

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Xanthan gum does double duty, though, because of the next ingredient.

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Rosehip Oil for Moisture Without the Greasy Feel

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Rosehip oil can be put in the hair and is not greasy. We add it to help improve moisture retention and shine in curly hair. Because it’s an oil and everything else is water, the xanthan gum actually helps with bringing the oil and water together to make a uniform gel.

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Aloe Vera Benefits for Hair and Scalp Health

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There is a little fragrance we add (the sweet, fruity-flower scent of the jasmine and ylang ylang combo is a crowd favorite), but the last ingredient that we’ll mention is aloe vera.

Aloe vera has several vitamins that are good for the scalp and hair. However, it also helps hydrate the hair while helping remove excess oil as you brush.

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Simple Ingredients, Thoughtful Hair Care

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The way we keep everything simple is by maximizing the properties of each ingredient. And we love telling you all about it too. What else would you like to know about the about your hair products?

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