How to Buy Hair Products Safely Online for Beginners

If you didn’t know, formaldehyde is 1 of the ingredients used to embalm dead bodies, and it’s also in certain smoothing and straightening hair products. When heated, formaldehyde can cause dangerous side effects such as burning, coughing, wheezing, and possibly even cancer

It’s scary to think that there are companies out there who are willing to sell dangerous hair products that put consumers at risk. From harmful ingredients like formaldehyde to unsafe websites, there are all sorts of things you have to look out for when you buy hair products online.

However, the good news is that as long as you know what to look for, it’s easy to find safe, and effective hair products. If you’re ready to find the right products to help you achieve the hair of your dreams, then this article’s for you!

Did you hear about the FDA’s warning for formaldehyde?

Read on to learn everything you need to know before shopping online for hair products.

Buy Hair Products From Reputable Websites

For starters, you should only buy hair products from safe websites, over a secured internet connection. Instead of using a public wifi connection, your home internet is safer for buying products online.

Next, when you’re on the website, take a quick peek at their URL in the address bar of the webpage. If there’s not an S in the HTTPS, it means you’re on an unsecured site and should leave immediately.

Once you find a secured site, do a little exploring to see everything the site has to offer. You should be able to easily locate a contact us section where customers can reach out with questions about the hair products.

Next, see if the website lists the ingredients they’re using. Any hair products that don’t list their ingredients, or make it hard to find them, are probably not a safe buying choice. Finally, trustworthy websites will be proud to post their online customer reviews.

Read Online Customer Reviews

When you’re reading online customer reviews, take a moment to check the date the review was posted. If the reviews from 5 years ago, it won’t help you in determining a hair product’s safety or effectiveness. Instead, look for fresh reviews that were posted in the last few months.

We also suggest that you read more than 10 reviews to get a really good feel for what it is customers like or dislike about the product. If all of the reviews sound the same, it’s possible that the company’s posting fake reviews to boost their reputation. Real reviews will have variety and personal testimonies from everyday people.

Finally, make sure the reviews are listing the benefits that you’re looking for. If customers are in love with a product’s ability to make their hair thick, but you’re trying to make your hair shine, you’re not going to be happy with the results you get. Instead, hold out for a product that matches up with all of your hair goals.

What’s Your Hair Product Budget and Goals?

As you begin comparing different hair products, you’ll need to set a realistic budget. Keep in mind however that cheaper products aren’t always better. Instead, you should see your hair products as an investment in your health and happiness.

Once you have an idea of what you want your budget to look like, it’s time to start setting your goals. Are you buying hair products to help fight off frizz? Did you want your hair to grow faster, or how about thicker?

The more specific you can get, the easier it’ll be to find products you’ll love. Next, in addition to buying styling products, consider purchasing vitamins for better hair. When you pair the right products with nourishing vitamins, you’ll be able to reach your hair goals faster.

Watch Out for Fake Claims

As you continue your journey to buy hair products online, watch out for false claims that seem too good to be true. For instance, if a product promises to make your hair grow 6 inches overnight, you’ll know they’re lying.

However, not all fake claims are as obvious as that. Instead, some companies will use misleading claims that seem true but aren’t.

Here a few misleading claims you should pay close attention to:

Chemical-free
Will make your hair stronger
Special patented formula
Proven formula
Helps with ____
Hypoallergenic
pH balanced
Green or organic

If a company boasts its unique patented formula, the wording suggests that its formula is better than the competition. However, all formulas are patented and that doesn’t necessarily make one product better than another.

Also, don’t buy a product simply because it claims it’ll help with something. The word help is incredibly vague and doesn’t tell you anything.

Instead, look for products that list what their results are. There’s a big difference between a hair product that will help with frizz and a product that states it has anti-frizz results.

Tips for Reading Labels on Products

On top of checking for fake or misleading claims, you’ll also need to read the ingredient labels on products. The FDA requires all hair care products to accurately label their ingredients.

The ingredients have to be listed in descending order, with the most concentrated ones listed first. That means you should pay close attention to the first 5 ingredients on the hair products label since these are the main ingredients the product’s made of.

You’ll want to look for products that list water as one of the first 5 ingredients. Water helps keep your hair hydrated, and if it’s not the main ingredient the product will probably dry out your hair.

Avoid These Toxic Ingredients

Unfortunately, a lot of hair products contain toxic ingredients that will do more harm than good.

Here are a few ingredients you should avoid:

Formaldehyde
Silicones
Synthetic fragrances
Phthalates
Dimethicone
Triethanolamine
Benzene
Petroleum
Sodium Laureth Sulfate
Toluene

A lot of the ingredients on the list above will strip your hair of its healthy oils, making it look dull and lifeless. Some ingredients on the list above can also cause adverse reactions, such as dry scalp skin, or rashes. Lastly, steer clear of any hair products that contain ethanol.

Can you imagine using gasoline in your hair? Well if your hair products contain ethanol, you basically are.

About 97% of gas in the United States contains ethanol, and so do a lot of hair products. The problem with ethanol is that its harsh alcohol that will dry out your hair, making it frizzy and unmanageable.

Determine Your Hair Type

By determining your hair type, you’ll be able to buy hair products online that will deliver the best results. You can start by figuring out what your hair texture is. Your hair texture is the natural pattern your hair falls into, without you having to style it. For instance, wavy, curly, and straight, are a few of the most common types of hair textures.

Next, take a moment to consider what your hair structure is. Do you have fine thin hair? Or is your hair structure medium, or thick?

If you have fine, straight hair, you’ll want to find hair products online that can deliver volume, without weighing down your hair. For instance, you should seek out a shampoo and conditioner that promotes its ability to make your hair thicker. Do you have thick straight hair?

The good news is that coarse, thick hair can pull off virtually any hairstyle. However, you’ll want to look for online products that make it easier for you to manipulate your hair, such as styling oils and creams.

People with thick straight hair can also benefit from products that boost your shine, to keep your hair from looking dull. For naturally wavy, thick hair, look for anti-frizz products, and conditioners that use natural oils.

Buy Products That Help Your Scalp

To buy the most effective hair products online, you’ll need to know what type of scalp you have. Here are the different types of scalps:

Oily
Dry
Normal
Combination

If your hair is still greasy, even after washing it, you probably have a more oily scalp. For oily scalps, you’ll want to avoid products that promise to moisturize your hair, since these will only make it greasy. Instead, you’ll want to look for clarifying shampoos that contain the least amount of ingredients.

Next, if you have a dry scalp, it’s easy for your hair to become brittle. Luckily, you can start improving hair health for your dry scalp by using deep conditioning products.

Start Enjoying Your Results

Understanding how to buy hair products online the right way means finally being able to have the hair of your dreams! If you’re ready to embark on your perfect hair journey, go ahead and create a budget right now so that you know what you can afford to spend.

Remember, your hair is an investment so don’t try to get the cheapest products on the market. Instead, shop for value by finding safe, effective ingredients from trustworthy companies. To learn more helpful tips like these, explore the rest of this site.