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Build-up

How build-up damages your hair without you knowing it

What is build-up, why should you avoid it and how does build-up damage your hair without you knowing it? Build-up, you've probably heard the term before. In this blog, we will tell you what build-up actually is, what the consequences are and how to prevent build-up.

What is build-up?

Build-up is a collection of product residue in your hair. Most of these come from your hair care and styling products. Pollution from the air can also build up in your hair.

You would say that you simply wash these dirt and residues out of your hair. But sometimes the shampoo you use is not enough to wash all product residues out of your hair. Eventually, these product residues will then pile up in your hair and on your scalp. Especially if you have finer hair, you are more likely to suffer from build-up.

Consequences of build-up

Build-up can eventually lead to an disturbed natural balance of your hair and scalp, resulting in lifeless dry hair or sometimes greasy hair. Here are the consequences of build-up in your hair that lead to this:

  1. Weight and lifelessness: Silicone, for example, in particular, can build up on your hair and cause it to feel heavy and lifeless. This can make your hair look flat and lifeless. If you have curls, they may not return to their natural shape.
  2. Poor absorption: build-up forms an impenetrable layer around your hair. As a result, nourishing and moisturising ingredients from skincare products cannot penetrate your hair properly. But natural oils from the scalp cannot reach your hair either, leaving your hair dry and brittle. In addition, build-up can form a barrier preventing moisture from being retained properly, which can also lead to dry hair.
  3. Scalp suffocation: When build-up builds up on the scalp, it can lead to blockage of the hair follicles and reduced oxygen uptake. This can lead to irritation, itching and even hair loss.

Which ingredients cause build-up?

Some ingredients are more difficult to wash out of your hair than others, and are therefore more likely to cause build-up. Ingredients that are not water-soluble are obviously more difficult to wash out of your hair. We discuss the most common ones.

Silicone

Silicones make hair soft, smooth, shinier, less static and easier to comb. That is why silicones are widely used in hair care. They form a synthetic layer around your hair. However, many silicones are non-water-soluble. The non-water-soluble silicones are:

dimethicone,
dimethiconol,
cyclopentasiloxane,
cetearyl methicone,
cetyl dimethicone,
trisiloxane and
trimethylsilylamodimethicone.


It is difficult to wash these out of your hair, which means you quickly get build-up from hair products that use these silicones.

Polyquaternium

Polyquaternium is another common ingredient. It makes your hair soft and is an anti-static agent. Polyquaternium always contains a number after its name. And like silicone, this ingredient puts a layer around your hair. However, this ingredient is poorly biodegradable, even biologically.

Polymers

Do you use gel? Chances are it contains polymers. For example, a common polymer is PVP, which is often combined with similar types. If a gel contains a high concentration of these synthetic polymers and you use it daily, it can result in build-up.

Pollution via air and water

You might have thought that if you use little or no hair care and styling products, you will escape the dance as far as build-up is concerned. Unfortunately, this is not always the case. Air pollution also contains various (harmful) particles and chemicals that easily adhere to surfaces, including your hair. If you live in an area with a lot of air pollution, these particles accumulate in your hair.

But water can also cause build-up in your hair. The lime scale and metals present in water can also build up in your hair if they are present in high concentrations. A water softener can be a solution here, at least for the presence of limescale.

How to prevent build-up?

  1. Use the right amount and good quality hair care products. Excessive use of hair products can lead to build-up in your hair. Use only the amount of product needed for your hair type and length.
  2. Wash your hair regularly with a mild shampoo to remove built-up products and dirt. Make sure you rinse the shampoo thoroughly to remove all residue.
  3. Occasionally use a clarifying shampoo. Clarifying shampoo does remove all the built-up product residue and dirt from your hair. Clarifying shampoo contains slightly more effective cleansers than an average or mild shampoo. They do not contain sulphates, but other variants similar to them do. With this shampoo too, we advise you to limit its use. So use it for example once a week if you often suffer from build-up to once every three weeks.
  4. Use a scalp brush while washing your hair to thoroughly cleanse your scalp.
  5. Avoid silicones and the other hard-to-wash ingredients mentioned above. Use good quality or water-based products. Ingredients like panthenol, glycerin and hydrolysed proteins: These ingredients help to hydrate and strengthen hair without causing build-up. WECOLOUR wax also contains no silicones, polyquaternium and polymers.
  6. Avoid heat and styling products. Excessive use of heat and styling products can lead to build-up in your hair. Try to avoid heat and use as few styling products as possible to prevent build-up.
  7. Use a hair mask. Using a hair mask every now and then can help remove built-up products and moisturise your hair. Choose a hair mask that is suitable for your hair type and needs. Use products like a hair mask and conditioner only in the lengths of your hair or in the ends.

Natural products

Do you suffer from build-up? Maybe you can replace some of the products you buy in the shop with more natural alternatives that don't cause build-up. For example, use natural hair masks and oils: Natural oils and hair masks can help nourish your hair without causing build-up.

Coconut oil

Natural vegetable oils, especially coconut oil, are known for their moisturising and nourishing properties for hair. When coconut oil is used as a natural alternative to commercial hair products, it can help prevent build-up on your hair. This is because coconut oil can help remove product residue and deeply cleanse the hair, preventing product build-up.

In addition, coconut oil can also help hair retain moisture and protect it from damage caused by heat and styling products.

Check your products for silicones and wash regularly with a clarifying shampoo to remove any unexpected build-up. It may also be advisable to look at the combination of silicones and sulphates you use in your hair products. Do you use a lot of non-water-soluble silicones? If so, wash your hair more often with a more aggressive, clarifying shampoo to remove build-up. Does your scalp react negatively to this? Then look for products without silicones, polyquaternium and polymers, because build-up damages your hair without you knowing it.

 

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