Ingredients & Formulations

This is the ingredient-and-formulation view within Hair — a way to shop by what's actually in the bottle, or deliberately left out, rather than by product type or hair concern. If you already know an ingredient works for your hair, or you're avoiding a specific one, this is the fastest route to relevant products, without needing to check every product description individually to find out what's inside.

What's Included

Coconut Oil, Castor Oil, Tea Tree Oil, Argan Oil, Shea Butter and Olive Oil each have their own group, covering products built around that specific ingredient. Cruelty Free, Sulfate Free, Paraben Free and Alcohol Free are formulation-preference groups rather than ingredient groups — these describe what's excluded from a formula rather than a specific active ingredient included in it, and are often searched for reasons ranging from scalp sensitivity to personal or ethical preference.

How to Choose the Right Ingredient

Different ingredients are generally reached for depending on what you're trying to achieve — though individual results vary by hair type and the rest of a product's formulation:

1. Coconut oil is commonly used for its moisturising properties and is a frequent choice for dry hair types, though it can feel heavy on finer hair used in excess.
2. Castor oil is often reached for by people focused on scalp care and hair thickness, and is typically used in smaller amounts due to its thick consistency.
3. Tea tree oil is generally associated with scalp care, often chosen by people dealing with an itchy or flaky scalp.
4. Argan oil is commonly used for shine and frizz control, generally applied to lengths and ends rather than the scalp.
5. Shea butter is generally reached for on dry or damaged hair for its richness, and pairs well with lighter oils for those who find it heavy alone.
6. Olive oil is a traditional choice for softness and is sometimes used as a pre-wash treatment rather than a leave-in product.

These are general associations rather than guarantees — how any ingredient performs depends on the rest of the formula and your specific hair, so checking the individual product page remains the most reliable way to confirm what a product actually does.

Shopping by Formulation Preference

Cruelty-free, sulfate-free, paraben-free and alcohol-free are all formulation choices some people specifically look for, whether for scalp sensitivity, ingredient philosophy, or personal preference. Sulfate-free formulas, for instance, are often chosen by people with colour-treated or textured hair, since sulfates can be more stripping than gentler surfactants. These groups are navigational — they're a starting point for browsing, not a blanket claim that every product within them has been independently verified against that specific standard by Cosmetize. Where a brand has made a formulation claim with evidence on file, the individual product page states it directly; it's worth checking there to confirm a specific product meets a specific standard before relying on it, particularly if you have a known sensitivity.

Reading an Ingredients List

Ingredients on UK product labels are generally listed in descending order of concentration, so what appears near the top of the list makes up more of the formula than what appears near the bottom. This is useful context when comparing two products that both mention the same ingredient — one may contain meaningfully more of it than the other, even though both technically qualify for the same ingredient group here.

Shop Ingredients and More

Looking for an ingredient tied to a specific hair concern rather than browsing by ingredient alone? Hair Types & Treatments groups products by hair type and concern instead — afro & textured, dry & damaged, scalp care and more — which may get you to a relevant product faster if you know your concern but not which ingredient addresses it.

Common Questions

Can I shop by a specific ingredient like shea butter or argan oil?

Yes — Coconut Oil, Castor Oil, Tea Tree Oil, Argan Oil, Shea Butter and Olive Oil each have their own group.

Does 'sulfate free' or 'cruelty free' here mean every product in that group is verified as such?

These are navigational groupings. Confirm on the individual product page whether that specific item carries a verified formulation claim from the brand.

Which ingredient is best for scalp care?

Tea tree oil is generally associated with scalp care, though individual results depend on the full formulation — check the product page for specifics.

Is castor oil suitable for all hair types?

It's commonly used for scalp care and thickness, but its thick consistency means it's typically used in smaller amounts — worth checking the product's directions for how much to use.

How do I know how much of an ingredient is actually in a product?

UK ingredient labels generally list ingredients in descending order of concentration, so position on the list gives a rough guide to how much of it the formula contains.