Consumer interest in product labeling and ensuring that everything they use on their skin and body is safe is growing as the clean beauty movement picks up momentum. Naturally, this means that occasionally you'll come across an ingredient that can seem frightening, such as sodium lauryl sulfate, which might irritate and harm your hair follicles, or stearyl methacrylates copolymer, which is a product stabilizer and not at all frightening.
But today, we're going to discuss dipropylene glycol for hair (abbreviated DPG), a substance that may seem complex and concerning but is actually pretty safe. To learn more about dipropylene glycol, continue reading.
Although it doesn't generally offer many advantages for hair, dipropylene glycol aids in product formulation. It is utilized in products including shampoos, conditioners, and styling aids and is non-toxic and odorless.
Can act as a humectant: It aids in the hair's absorption and retention of moisture. It prevents evaporation, reducing the risk of dry, brittle hair.
Acts as a thickening agent: The thickening effect of DPG might aid in strengthening and protecting the hair shaft.
Product stabilizer:It makes skincare items more durable and makes it possible to ship them throughout the country and the world without risking spoilage from freezing and thawing.
Improves product texture: Dipropylene glycol can help thin out a product texture to give it a more silky, sleek feeling.
Can mask scents: If you don't like the smell of scented items, you'll be glad to hear that this component helps to mask the smell of other substances, giving your product an "unscented" smell.
Products manufactured with dipropylene glycol are suitable for all hair types. The expert panel for the Cosmetic Ingredient Review, made up of doctors, toxicologists, and other experts, concluded that DPG is safe after reviewing a large amount of information about its usage in cosmetics at concentrations of up to 50%.The component may occasionally induce adverse responses. It is always advisable to take precautions if one is allergic, even if products with dipropylene glycol have been determined to be safe for sensitive skin types and thinner hair. Many people have allergies to propylene glycol, and some people also have allergies to DPG. They frequently believe they are allergic to scent, but occasionally it is the DPG.
Fortunately, despite the fact that this component is present in many items, this allergy is not very common. The fact that propylene glycol only possesses two alcohol isomer groups, as opposed to dipropylene glycol's four, contributes to its capacity to dry up hair and irritate the scalp.
As previously indicated, a variety of haircare products, including shampoos, conditioners, styling treatments, and even coloring products, contain dipropylene glycol. However, it may not always be a selling factor for haircare products. In other words, you won't lose out on any direct advantages for your strands if they're not in a product.
There isn't a single method to utilize it, and you don't have to be concerned about using it excessively. Dobos emphasizes that all skin and hair types may safely use this substance.
