What Are The Active Ingredients In Dawn Dish Soap?
Dawn dish soap typically contains active ingredients like sodium lauryl sulfate, known for its grease-fighting abilities, and sodium laureth sulfate, a strong surfactant that helps break down stubborn grime. To ensure its effectiveness, Dawn often includes preservatives, fragrances, and dyes in the mix. These elements work together to not only tackle grease and grime effectively but also leave your dishes smelling fresh. However, these ingredients may be too harsh for your hair and strip away its natural oils, leading to hair damage. So it is recommended that you don't include this soap as a regular hair care product as it may cause more harm than good in the long run.
Even though it has a strong formula, it may be beneficial for your hair in some cases. Read on to find out what these benefits are.
Benefits Of Using Dawn Dish Soap For Hair
Even though frequent use of this product can damage your tresses, there is no denying the immediate benefits that come with using Dawn as
Due to its strong formula, Dawn dish soap can be used to remove dandruff, grease, and oil from your hair that cannot be removed with normal shampoos.
Shampooing with Dawn is a great option for those with protective styles as the soap helps deplete the extreme build-up present around the roots.
Licensed cosmetologist Laura Dale says, "Dawn dish soap has a high pH level so it opens the hair cuticle, allowing color molecules to be washed away and can, therefore, be used to remove or lighten hair color on your hair.
However, these benefits are not clinically proven. There is not enough scientific evidence to prove the safety of using Dawn dish soap as a hair treatment. Anecdotal evidence from certain cosmetologists seems to support the efficacy of the soap in treating hair issues. However, stop using the soap if it dries your hair out or causes damage.
Now that you know the benefits of washing your hair with Dawn, let us discuss the correct way to use this soap.
Is it safe to wash your hair with dish soap?
Technically yes, it is safe to wash your hair with dish soap. The marketing with the cute little duck shows that dish soap is indeed safe, and most of their soaps are also labeled as 'hand washing soaps'. As long as you aren't ingesting it, or letting it get in your eyes, you really should be fine. (But I'm not a doctor or a scientist, so please don't sue me if you react. Also, make sure, as you should with any new products, to do a little patch test).
Does it work for Natural Hair?
To reiterate from above:
Type 4 hair is difficult to keep moisturized because all of its bends make it harder for the sebum to coat it. In other words: it's hard for Natural Hair to get and stay oily.
On the other hand, straight hair offers no obstacles for the traveling sebum, so it tends to get greasy and oily, fast. (So the next time a white person cringes when you tell them you don't wash your hair every day, drop those facts.)
Anyways. Dish soap will strip your hair of oils, naturally occurring and not. That will not benefit your natural hair. It could make your curls prone to breakage. It could set your hair growth journey way back.
That being said, this haircare tip makes sense if your hair is straight and prone to getting greasy.
How to Use Dawn Soap on Hair
The upsides to this deep cleansing method are it's cheap, quick, and requires zero prep. "The process is washing your hair in the sink or shower, taking some Dawn and applying it as if you were applying a shampoo," De La Cruz explains.
Once you're rinsed, you'll want to apply a hydrating treatment and leave it in for 10 to 15 minutes. As soon as you dry off from the shower, you must apply a leave-in conditioner. Then style as normal.
