Why Does My Hair Product Have Alcohol In It?

Are all hair alcohols created equally?

Truthfully, not all alcohols are created equal. There are 2 major groups: the good (long chain or fatty) & the bad (short chain or drying).

Good alcohols (long chain/fatty) have larger molecules that are derived from natural sources like vegetable oils. Because they have a higher carbon content, they don't dry out the hair or skin. They actually provide lubrication and hydration that help absorb & lock in moisture. Hair products containing long-chain alcohols such as lauryl alcohol, cetyl alcohol, myristyl alcohol, stearyl alcohol, cetearyl alcohol, & behenyl alcohol will moisturize, protect, & hydrate the hair while locking the moisture in.

Bad Alcohols ( short chain/drying) suck out the moisture leaving hair dry and frizzy. Short- chain alcohols are lighter and only have 3 carbon atoms. This leaves it unbalanced where long-chains have 22-26 carbon atoms. Short-chain alcohols evaporate quickly which is why they are used in hair & skin products. Unfortunately, this rapid evaporation causes the product to also dry up natural oils & moisture from the hair & skin. Over time the cuticle will become brittle and rough, leaving the hair dry and frizzy. The short-chain alcohols you want to try to avoid are ethanol, SD alcohol, SD alcohol 40, denatured alcohol, propanol, propyl alcohol, & isopropyl alcohol.

So, before you avoid all alcohols in your skin and hair products, check to see which type are in the bottle first

How to get more Volume in your Hair

Hair that has texture, bounce and volume is a much sought-after goal for both men and women. Volume doesn’t mean you have to go to beehive extremes. Even just a touch of volume gives your hair polish and structure. Here are just a few methods for creating volume in your hair.

Change your part – Most of us have a favorite place that we prefer when parting our hair. It’s usually where your hair likes to fall naturally but it’s also where your hair lies the flattest. To increase the volume of your hair, change the part of your hair to the opposite side of where you normally part. Flipping your part to the opposite side creates instant volume at the crown.

Back brush it- You can create soft volume by back brushing the roots. Instead of using a fine-toothed comb, use a large paddle brush.

Blow dry upside down – One of the best shortcuts to creating volume in your hair is to flip your hair upside down. This works because your roots are automatically lifted off your scalp. Blow dry like this until hair is 60-70% dry then flip it back and use a ceramic brush to smooth the ends and add softness to the style.

Boost your roots – Use root boosting products, such as Catwalk by TiGi Root Boost Spray, near the scalp to provide structure and support for any lift you create manually. Use root boosters on damp hair as they won’t work once your hair is dried.

Hot rollers – Everyone forgets about hot rollers. These are easier to use than curling irons or flat irons because you don’t need any special technique. You can throw them in, do your makeup and 20 minutes later you’ll have volume. To make your volume last, mist each section with a heat protectant like TiGi Heat Protection Spray before rolling. Let rollers cool completely before taking them out.

Volume-building shampoo – You’ll be surprised at the difference a good shampoo makes to the volume of your hair. Try Catwalk by TiGi Your Highness volumizing shampoo to enhance the volume and body of your hair.

Sleep in a bun –

Damp Hair - After showering before you go to bed and while your hair is still damp, use a soft elastic hair tie (not a tight plastic one) to pull your hair up in a high loose bun. Your hair will dry lifted off the scalp, so when you wake up and take it down, your hair will have volume plus soft waves.

Dry Hair – Put your dry hair into a bun at bedtime to lift your roots and lock in your curls. When you take it down you will have great body, no parting at your crown and the curl you put in from yesterday. Toss your hair upside down and work your fingers through it from the roots. If you have a few fuzzy pieces, you can use a smoother like Blow Out by Bedhead. Use a tiny amount and run your hands lightly over your ends.

Extensions -

Artificial hair integrations, more commonly known as hair extensions or hair weaves, add length and/or fullness to human hair. Hair extensions are usually clipped, glued, or sewn on natural hair by incorporating additional human or synthetic hair.

There are many types of methods for adding volume and length using extensions:

Fusion (or Bonded) Hair Extensions. Individual keratin-tipped strands are fused to your natural hair using heat.

Tape-in Hair Extensions. Wefts of hair are attached to small sections of your natural hair using double-sided tape.

Weave (or Sew-in) Hair Extensions. Your natural hair is braided in rows from ear to ear and wefts of hair are woven (with thread) onto the braids.

Finding the right extension method will depend on your budget, preference, and your hair type.