Curlsmith is a haircare brand targeted especially for textured hair. It was founded in 2017 by a veteran from L’Oreal and Unilever and was taken over by Helen of Troy in April 2022.
Touted as a plant-based recipe, the brand is headquartered in New York, USA. It is available in 44 countries across the world. The brand is rated highly for its efficiency in preserving the natural texture of the hair.
Curlsmith is preferred even among professionals. However, is it safe for use during pregnancy? Let’s examine.
Table of Contents
What’s in Curlsmith?
Curlsmith isn’t just for curls – it is a solution for curls, coils, and waves. The brand’s solutions include shampoos, co-wash, conditioners, temporary colors, stylers, and treatments.
According to the company, its solutions are a combination of kitchen essentials, organic ingredients, and science. The ingredients, especially the rare ones, are sourced from across the world.
In addition, Curlsmith products are free of phthalates, silicones, parabens, sulfates, di-ethanolamine, and mineral oils. The products are also certified by The Vegan Society and PETA.
This is quite an impressive profile! So, what are Curlsmith products actually made of? The composition varies for different lines of products. However, here is a broad view of the ingredients.
- Water
- Natural oils like coconut, sunflower, olive, andiroba, carrot, babassu, rosemary, avocado, hemp seed, flax seed
- Fruit blend like guava, pear, blackcurrant, orange
- Basil
- Shea butter
- Rice protein
- Fructose
- Pre-biotics
- Ginger
- Hibiscus
- Fermented rice
- Glycerin
- Citric acid
- Inulin
- Parfum
- Benzyl alcohol
- Linalool
- Limonene
- Sodium chloride
Ingredients to avoid during pregnancy
The increased levels of estrogen during pregnancy make your hair thicker and glossier. Changing hormones can also alter the texture of your hair – it could become more curly or more straight. However, everything will return to normal postpartum.
While you care for your hair during pregnancy, note that certain ingredients are not safe for you or your baby.
Here is a list of ingredients you must avoid during pregnancy
Parabens
This is used as a preservative in some products. As it gets absorbed by the skin, it can affect the weight of the baby.
Formaldehyde
The ingredient is used to condition and straighten the hair. It is a gaseous substance, the inhalation of which can cause cancer. In pregnant women, it can cause abortions, preterm birth, and birth defects.
Phthalates
These chemicals are used as fragrances. They are very harmful as they can lead to premature birth, glucose level disruptions, high blood pressure, and birth defects.
Paraphenylenediamine
This is used to color the hair. It can cause cancer to the fetus.
Sodium lauryl and laureth sulfate
These are used to clean dirt and oil from the hair. However, they are carcinogenic.
Essential oils
Oils made with aniseed, basil, camphor, and oak moss are suggested to be avoided during pregnancy as they can cause untimely uterine contractions and even miscarriage. The strong fragrances of essential oils could also aggravate nausea and morning sickness.
Glycerin
Studies show that glycerin could disrupt hormones, and must hence be avoided by pregnant women.
Benzyl alcohol
This may cause respiratory problems. However, it is not known to cross the placenta nor is suggested to be avoided by pregnant women. Nevertheless, you should avoid it if you experience any breathing difficulties.
Parfum
Pregnant women are advised to avoid parfum as it can give headaches, irritation, respiratory problems, and toxicity.
Linalool and limonene
These are synthetic fragrances that are known to cause irritation and allergies through inhalation. They could even cause contact dermatitis.
Now that you know what chemicals and ingredients to avoid while you are pregnant, let’s do a check if Curlsmith products contain any of these.
| Ingredients to avoid during Pregnancy | Presence in Curlsmith |
| Parabens | No |
| Formaldehyde | Unknown |
| Phthalates | No |
| Paraphenylenediamine | No |
| Sodium lauryl, Laureth sulfate | No |
| Essential oils | Yes |
| Glycerin | Yes |
| Benzyl alcohol | Yes |
| Parfum | Yes |
| Linalool, Limonene | Yes |
Do we recommend Curlsmith for pregnant women?
Curlsmith haircare products are free of harsh chemicals like parabens, phthalates, sulfates, and silicones. Further, they are largely made from natural and organic ingredients.
The only ingredient of serious concern is the fragrances. However, the fragrances used in Curlsmith products are compliant with the guidelines of the International Fragrance Association and Research Institute for Fragrance Materials. Thus, Curlsmith’s fragrance ingredients are not toxic or allergy-causing.
To be more vigilant, pick the products that do not contain linalool and limonene. Also, choose fragrances that are mild and pleasant for you.
The other ingredient that could worry you is essential oils. This is one of the primary components of Curlsmith products. The reason it is recommended to be avoided during pregnancy is that it could aggravate the already heightened sense of smell and some oils like aniseed, basil, and camphor may cause uterine contractions.
According to studies, essential oils in the diluted form are likely to be safe. Additionally, you can study the ingredients of the Curlsmith product and avoid it if it contains detrimental oils. You could also discuss it with your gynecologist.
All in all, it is safe to use Curlsmith products during pregnancy.
What about breastfeeding mothers?
There are no studies indicating that haircare products affect the milk of breastfeeding mothers. Nevertheless, it is suggested that lactating mothers stay away from harsh chemicals in cosmetic products.
We know that Curlsmith does not contain dangerous chemicals. However, as a breastfeeding mother, you may want to avoid variants that have strong fragrances as they may trigger allergies in your baby who is mostly in close proximity to you.
We can conclude that Curlsmith products can be safely used by nursing mothers with little care.
References:
- https://curlsmith.com/collections/all
- https://www.ewg.org/skindeep/products/970790-Curlsmith_Curl_Conditioning_Oil_in_Cream/
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