The Silver Platter
Catwalk by TIGI- Curls Rock Amplifier
What it is: A curl cream that promises to separate and define your curls.
First Impression: This product has received rave reviews on the curly wire. It appears to be a popular product and when you first look at the very pretty packaging of black and pretty metallic blue it certainly has a ‘buy me’ look. The description is also on point with the promise to give great curls.
I am torn with TIGI products. On the one hand it is great that there are products available that speak to the need of naturals with curly hair. On the other I have concerns with the ingredients in these products. I am not comfortable with using products that have a few good ingredients and the bulk of the ingredients have a ‘caution’ and or ‘avoid’ label on them. Particularly since hair products are used on a regular basis and is will make contact with the skin.
There are many products we use on a regular basis that may not be good for our health. You may still want to use them if they are going to do what you want. Make the choice for yourself. Also, to dissect a product takes a lot of effort. Very few people go to the shop and reference every single ingredient in a product, Its just not practical. To show you the amount of effort I have taken one of the products and done a complete workup for you to look at. Often I would just say its good, its on the fence or I would actually just leave it out altogether. So have a look at the list of ingredients below and see what happens when the information is presented in detail.
I know that most readers don’t want this level of detail. You want the quick view and this is a lot to digest. However, there may be some of you who would like to get the full picture. Either way, share your thoughts.
Love Naturally
SHL
The Ingredients:
Polyquarternium-37
Caution
Used to keep down fly-aways due to static electricity. Also used as a hair fixative, so this means it can build up in your hair with repeated use, making it sticky or crunchy. Fine in gels or styling products, but use caution in shampoos and conditioners. There is also concern that it tends to build up in the environment.
Polyquaternium-11 (aka Quaternium-32)
Caution
This clings to hair to make it feel thicker. It also helps make hair easier to comb [Begoun (Beauty) Pg 303]. Made from cellulose. Used as a film-former (coats the hair) and to keep product from separating. Gives hair shine [Winter pg 435]. This is a resin that produces some build up. used for conditioning, to increase ease of combing, and to give body. It isn't found to be toxic [Hunting (Conditioning) pg 335]. —I'm putting this as a caution because it looks like it may build up in our hair and become sticky over time. That's fine in a styling aid, where you expect hold, but be cautious of it in shampoos and conditioners. Also, this is known to increase body, which is not what those of us with really curly hair needs.—T
See also: Quaternary ammonium compound
Cycloheptasiloxane (aka Cyclomethicone; Polydimethylcyclosiloxane)
Good
A type of Silicone known as a Cyclomethicone. Used as a hair and skin conditioner, and increases slip in products [Schueller pgs 172-173]. See Cyclomethicone.
See also: Cyclomethicone
Source(s): Schueller
Proplylene glycol (aka 1,2-Propanediol)
Okay
Humectant. This is a clear, colorless, thick liquid. Can penetrate the skin better than glycerin, but is less expensive. Second in moisture-carrying abilities only to water. Can also be used to dissolve ingredients (in the way that water can dissolve them). Winter pg 428. Rumors have circulated that it is bad, but there is no research validating this. For more information, check out Propylene Glycol Begoun pg 1326.
Phenoxyethanol
Okay
Preservative believed to be less irritating than others. Can also be used as a fragrance [Winter pg 399].
Phenoxyethanol is mild to the skin but can be hugely irritating to eyes—though it isn't found to be irritating in the tiny amounts normally used in products. Surprisingly, it also has some conditioning and emollient properties.
This is an oily, white to off-white liquid that smells a bit like roses. It doesn't dissolve easily in water, but will in ethanol or alkaline environments. Though Phenoxyethanol kills bacteria, it doesn't kill all types of them, so it's often combined with other anti-bacterial ingredients to kill all bacteria that may form in a product. Because it is conditioning, Phenoxyethanol may be found more often in conditioners or cosmetics, or shampoos meant to be moisturizing. The problem with Phenoxyethanol is that you do have to use higher amounts to do the job, and since it smells like roses, it may be hard to cover up the scent (if you aren't wanting your product to smell rosy) [Hunting (Shampoo) pg 317-318]. This is in one of my favorite, go to conditioners that I've been using for well over ten years. It has not caused any problems as far as conditioning and defining my hair. That's why I'm calling it a
* * * Tried and true ingredient * * *
See also: Preservative
Cetearyl Alcohol
Good
Used as an emollient, emulsifier, conditioner, and thickener. Not the same as SD alcohol or ethanol. This is actually a mixture of Cetyl Alcohol and Stearyl Alcohol [Hunting (Conditioning) pg 142]. This is one of the ingredients I like to see near the top of a conditioner's ingredient list. When left in very curly hair it adds needed weight without being greasy.—T
See also: Fatty alcohol Cetyl alcohol Stearyl alcohol
Source(s): Hunting http://www.cosmeticscop.com/
Polysorbate 60
Okay
Used to keep products mixed together. Tends to be waxy [Winter pg 415]. Used for conditioning. A thick, yellow liquid or gel that's water soluble [Hunting (Conditioning) pg 338].
C12-15 alkyl benzoate
Okay
Used as an emollient, lubricant, humectant and thickener.
Source(s): http://www.cosmeticscop.com/
Trideceth-6 (aka PEG-6 Tridecyl Ether)
Okay
A synthetic ingredient used to keep products from separating. Often found in moisturizing skin and hair care products [Gottschalck 12th ed., pgs 2796]. Similar to Polyethylene glycols. The number indicates the thickness of the particular Trideceth [Winter 7th ed., pg 529].
See also: Polyethylene glycol
Source(s): Gottschalck Winter
Disodium EDTA
Okay
Chelating ingredient that attracts the minerals away from the hair shaft and helps them rinse away. Good to use after swimming [Begoun]. Aso used as a preservative. Considered harmless in cosmetics at low levels. Sold as a water soluble white powder that is slightly acidic [Hunting (Conditioning) pg 185].
See also: Chelating agent EDTA
PVP (aka Polyvinylpyrrolidone; 1-Vinyl-2-Pyrrolidone; PVP K90)
Caution
Used as a fixative, to hold hair together, to keep a product from separating. PVP has the consistency of egg whites [Winter (7th ed) pg 438; Gottschalk pg 2317-8]. Fine in gels, mousses and hairsprays, whose function is to keep your hair in place. May build up and make your hair sticky if used in shampoos or conditioners. —T
See also: PVP
Source(s): Winter Gottschalk
PVP/VA copolymer
Caution
Film-forming/ plasticizing polymer. These are best avoided in shampoo and conditioners because they can build up and get sticky.
PVP copolymer
Caution
Film-forming/ plasticizing polymer. These are best avoided in shampoo and conditioners because they can build up and get sticky.
Panthenol (aka Pantothenic acid, Vitamin B5)
Good
Form of vitamin B. Functions as a hair conditioner only. Works better in a leave-in product because otherwise it’s easily rinsed away. Can moisturize the hair to make it feel softer. Pantotheric acid is able to penatrate deeply into the cortex of the hair, but it is not able to repair hair, nor make hair strand thicker [Begoun Pgs 75, 85].
This is in two of my favorite, go to conditioners that I've been using for well over ten years. It has not caused any problems as far as conditioning and defining my hair. That's why I'm calling it a
* * * Tried and true ingredient * * *
See also: Panthothenic acid
Source(s): Begoun
Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate (aka IPBC)
Caution
Used as a preservative. Begoun pg 1295. Fine in products that aren't going to be used as sprays. In Europe, it can't be used for oral care, lip-care products or lotions. IPBC is a whitish crystalline powder that contains iodine. It works by slowing down bacterial growth. It has been tested safe for humans according to the CIR Expert Panel, but should not be used in aerosol products. Winter pg 301-302. —I put a caution here, because there are some concerns about it being a bit more of an irritant than other preservatives (although all preservatives are potential irritants). Just beware of how this is being applied (you might not want to use it if it's in a hair spray , or for a child). —T
See also: Preservative
Butylene glycol (aka 1,3 Butanediol)
Good
Excellent humectant, and it adds slipperiness. Very similar to Propylene Glycol [Begoun 1259, 1326]. This is known to be nearly nontoxic and nonirritating to regular skin. It's sold as a colorless solid that's water soluble. Butylene Glycol is thicker and less of a humectant than Propylene Glycol. Many times plant extracts are dissolved in Butylene Glycol. It also has some antimicrobial abilities, especially good at killing molds, but only when present in high amounts [Hunting (Conditioning) pg 130].
This is in one of my favorite, go to conditioners that I've been using for well over ten years. It has not caused any problems as far as conditioning and defining my hair. That's why I'm calling it a
* * * Tried and true ingredient * * *
See also: Humectant Propylene glycol
Chitosan
Caution
Made from crab shells (chitin) which can cling to hair and make it feel thicker. Pg 394. —This might not be what tightly curly hair needs, however.—T It's also used as a film former and to hold hair in place. Gottschalck pg 347.
See also: Film former Chitin
Source(s): Begoun Gottschalck
Sodium hydroxide (aka Lye, Soda lye, Caustic soda)
Avoid
Known as “alkaline perms”. Often found in relaxers and texturizers. Highly caustic. Denatures hair and can dissolve it. In smaller concentrations, it's used as a pH adjuster. In higher concentrations, such as in relaxers, it can cause severe burns on skin. Begoun pg 155. Of the same pH found in oven cleaners, drain cleaners and hair removers. If you've ever relaxed your hair without gloves (hopefully not), and noticed your hands felt really slippery but it wouldn't wash off, here's why: "The reason sodium hydroxide feels slimy is because it is chemically reacting with the fatty acid esters and oils naturally found in your skin. Essentially, you’re turning bits of your skin into soap. (The reaction is called saponification). And as you know, soap is slippery.”
See also: Lye
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Okay
Thickener made from plants, often used as an emulsifier. This is known to be very mild, even in high concentrations [Hunting (Conditioning) pgs 239-240].
Source(s): Hunting http://www.cosmeticscop.com/
Butylphenyl methylpropional
Caution
Synthetic fragrance with a floral-fresh scent. Fragrances may cause irritation. It's best not to use them on a baby's skin.
See also: Irritant
Source(s): http://www.CosmeticsInfo.org
Amyl cinnamal (aka Alpha-amyl cinnamic aldehyde)
Caution
Fragrance. Pale yellow liquid with a floral/ jasmine scent. Fragrances may cause irritation. It's best not to use them on a baby's skin.
See also: Irritant
Source(s): www.cosmeticsinfo.org
Citronellol
Caution
Fragrant chemical that occurs naturally in many plant oils, certain fruits annd bevererages. Pale yellow oily liquid that has a scent of "sweet, rose, leather, musty, and floral." Fragrances may cause irritation. It's best not to use them on a baby's skin.
See also: Irritant
Source(s): http://www.epa.gov
Hydroxycitronellal
Caution
Synthetic, clear to yellow, oily liquitd. Used in perfumes. Has a sweet, floral, lily of the valley scent. Fragrances may cause irritation. It's best not to use them on a baby's skin.
See also: Irritant
Source(s): http://chemicalland21.com/specialtychem/perchem/CITRONELLAL%20HYDRATE.htm http://www.dermatology.org.uk/portal/downloads/Fragrance.doc.
Limonene
Caution
Component of many fragrant natural ingredients such as citrus oils (d-limonen), pine trees or mint (l-limonen). May cause scalp sensitivity. Best not to use it on a baby's scalp or skin.
See also: Irritant
Source(s): Begoun
Linalool
Caution
Fragrance with a floral, lily scent. Fragrances may cause irritation. It's best not to use them on a baby's skin.
See also: Irritant
Reference:
Terry La Flesh’s ingredients directory at tightlycurly.com
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