Just like your face moisturizers and creams, hair creams are equally important. After all, your hair is the crown of your body. It is one of the first things that someone notices about you. In today’s day and age, when one’s hair is exposed to the scorching heat of the sun and free radicals that result from environmental factors, using a good hair cream and knowing what hair cream is made of is extremely important.
What is Hair Cream Made Of?
While knowing why using these hair creams is essential, what’s even more important is realizing what your hair cream is made of. Below is a list of some of the key ingredients that should be present in your hair cream to maintain your hair health while keeping it shiny and bouncy at all times.
The Mighty Biotin
Biotin is essentially a water-soluble vitamin. Over the years, several types of research have proven the efficacy of biotin and how a biotin deficiency can lead to hair damage and ultimately, hair loss. As a result of these studies, the market is now flooded with biotin-enriched hair creams offered by various brands.
Given the significance of biotin, when answering questions like “what is hair cream?” it is important to know whether biotin is one of its active ingredients. This is because regular use of a biotin hair cream will not only thicken your hair but also promote hair growth.
Protein for Muscle Building
We have all heard about how protein is essential for muscle building. But did you know that protein plays an important role in mitigating the damaging effects of external factors and improving your hair health? Protein in the form of collagen, keratin, Panthenol, and wheat protein is an ideal ingredient for a good hair cream.
Essential Oils
Hair creams have been praised time and time again for the many essential oils present in them. These not only nourish one’s hair, making them look smooth and shiny but also moisturize it, thus preventing hair loss or any other damage. Among many essential oils packed within different hair creams, choose one with the following oils for the best results.
Avocado Oil:
This not only acts as a natural emollient for softening one’s hair, but the fatty acids in it also hydrate the hair shaft and prevent any damage caused by heat or hair styling rods and flat irons.
Coconut Oil:
Based on a 2015 study, coconut oil is one of the most effective and sought-after ingredients in hair creams. Being hydrophobic, when applied to hair, it penetrates and protects the hair shaft and cuticle from damages caused by frequent washing.
Argan Oil:
Another oil to look for in hair cream is Argan Oil. Packed with Vitamin E, Linoleic Acid and Oleic Acid, Argan oil easily penetrates your hair shaft, thus removing any traces of dryness. Regular use of Argan oil-based hair creams reduces hair damage and adds shine.
A Little Bit of Aloe Vera Goes a Long Way
Anyone claiming to understand what hair cream is knows that aloe vera is one of the best ingredients a good hair cream can have. Since the aloe vera plant has antibacterial and antifungal properties, it is extremely beneficial for your hair and the scalp. As far as the benefits of aloe vera-based hair cream go, it is great for dry, damaged and brittle hair. It keeps your hair hydrated, protects against breakage, and reduces dandruff.
How are Hair Creams Different from Hair Masks?
Part of knowing what hair cream is involves understanding that hair creams work the same way a moisturizer does on your face. Hair creams are essentially meant to be a leave-in product. They have a lighter consistency and slowly dissolve while moisturizing.
Hair masks, on the other hand, are similar to wash-off face masks. They are usually a concentrated, fast-acting treatment formula designed to be washed out using a good shampoo after a certain period. Thus, they are generally thicker than your typical hair cream. However, both hair creams and hair masks are used for different purposes but are both essential for maintaining your natural hair health.
What is the Proper Way to Use Hair Cream?
Do you remember the oil-based pomades made out of lard, beeswax, and bear fat back in the 1920s? People would use this gunk in their hair to keep it stuck in its place throughout the day. Those days are long gone. Thankfully hair care has come a long way since then.
Knowing what hair cream is is important, but, you must also learn the proper way of using it to dissolve and settle in your hair without leaving any traces. Leading stylists and experts suggest that one should use a proper method while applying hair cream to reap all its benefits.
Once you are done showering or using a shampoo and a conditioner, you must towel-dry your wet hair. Next, take a small amount of hair cream in your palm and rub your hands against each other. Now run your hair cream-laden hands evenly through your slightly wet, clean hair. Use your fingertips to make sure that you cover from scalp to tips.
If you are looking for a straight look, brush your hair immediately after applying hair cream. Alternatively, if you are leaning towards a slightly curled or a rough style, try scrunching your hair with your hands before styling your hair.
What are the Benefits of Using Hair Cream?
Apart from keeping your hair manageable despite whatever season it might be, using hair cream offers many other benefits. Some of these include:
- Nourishes and moisturizes your hair
- Helps in combating hair frizz especially if you have frizzy or coarse hair
- Protects the scalp
- Serves as a great alternative to chemical-laden gels and hair styling sprays
- Helps in controlling or getting rid of dandruff from your hair
- Prevents build up of static in your hair
- Adds shine to your hair while avoiding parched, unruly curls
- Strengthens hair roots and reduces hair breakage
- Protects hair against the growth of split ends
- Protects against UV rays, free radicals, and environmental pollutants
- Helps in promoting hair growth
- Keeps hair feeling soft and silky throughout the day
- Coats the hair shaft while removing any traces of dryness
What about Night Hair Cream?
Gone are the days when night creams and treatments were limited to your face alone. Today, even our hair requires a good overnight treatment in the form of a night hair cream. Perhaps that is why there are tons of night hair creams currently offered by leading brands. One of the primary purposes of a night hair cream is to restore and repair one’s hair.
However, this is not limited to women. Men also require night hair cream to rid their hair from all the pollutants it was exposed to during the day. When choosing a night hair cream, it is important to read the label and ensure it is free from sulfates, silicones, and artificial dyes.
Night hair creams can be applied to both dry and damp hair. To properly apply a night hair cream, simply take a small amount of cream in your palms and apply it to lengths and ends. For best results, try leaving it on overnight and wash it off with a sulfate-free shampoo in the morning.
Can Men Use Hair Cream?
While women may be known for their shiny, beautiful locks, did you know that the market for hair products for men has remained equally popular? Anyone who knows what hair cream is is aware of the transformation that hair cream for men has undergone over the years.
From hard, greasy gunk to modern-day natural-looking light-hold creams, hair creams are just as important for men as women. Moreover, when used properly, these creams not only give hair a boost and a softer finish but also enable you to style them in ways you deem fit.
In Conclusion
Maintaining your hair health is just as important as maintaing your physical and mental health. The widespread knowledge about what hair cream is nowadays is an asset to both men and women. Now, you can be more conscious about your hair health and work towards improving it. Make sure to choose a hair cream that includes avocado, argan, or coconut oil for the most benefits.