Hypoallergenic Hair Product Brands To Try If You Have Sensitive Skin

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If you have sensitive skin, it might feel like your freshly washed hair has the powers of an allergen-based King Midas: Everything it touches turns red and irritated. Unfortunately, the culprit ingredients in your shampoo or conditioner can be very difficult to identify. That's where hypoallergenic products come in.

But what even is a hypoallergenic shampoo or hairstyling product? Unfortunately, the term "hypoallergenic" is not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration, so different companies will create different standards, via the FDA. It's therefore important to read ingredient labels and learn which ingredients may be irritating your skin. That way, you'll know what to avoid.

Some of the most commonly irritating ingredients include fragrances, preservatives, artificial coloring, and sulfates, according to Love to Know. Fragrance is normally listed as "parfum" or "fragrance," but other irritating chemicals may be more difficult to identify. If you want to avoid preservatives, look out for ingredients that contain "methyl," "propyl," "butyl," and "ethyl" in their names.

Artificial coloring is often listed as the color name, followed by a number. For example, "yellow 6" is a common coloring ingredient, per Healthline. Sulfates typically appear in the form of sodium lauryl sulfate, via Hello Jupiter. However, it's important to note that some sulfates are far less irritating, such as sodium laureth sulfate.