How we write these
This library explains what's on a hair-care label. It is part of The Good Coil and is updated as our research grows.
Descriptions, not verdicts
Each ingredient is described by what it is and what it does in a product. We don't score ingredients or call them good or bad for a hair type: the same ingredient can behave differently depending on the formula, the amount, your water, the weather and your hair. The notes for different hair are general patterns, not rules.
Labels we've read
Ingredient positions come from labels we've read by hand from brand websites and packaging. Labels list ingredients from most to least down to about 1%; below that, the order is free. A product appearing here is not a recommendation.
Sources
Ingredient descriptions are The Good Coil's own research unless a page says otherwise. If we use data from Open Beauty Facts, that page names it as the source; Open Beauty Facts data is shared under the Open Database Licence (share-alike).
Affiliate disclosure
Ingredient pages have no shop links. Elsewhere on The Good Coil, some product links are affiliate links: we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Commissions never change what we write about an ingredient.
Not medical advice
This is educational information about cosmetic ingredients. For hair loss, scalp conditions or allergies, talk to a dermatologist or doctor.
Use the data
The whole library is available as ingredients.json, rebuilt every night from our working sheet. Last built November 14, 2026.