Mold in Hair Products – How and Why Does It Happen?

Mold is something we tend to forget about, or maybe we just put it out of our minds on purpose, but it’s out there. The one thing we don’t expect is for mold to show up in our hair products.

I was surprised when I found mold in one of my conditioners. I didn’t know mold could grow in hair products.

This was a hair product I didn’t use anymore, so it contained preservatives I don’t have in my newer products. I thought those preservatives would keep my products mold-free forever, but I guess I was wrong. I was determined to find out what happened because I pay a lot for my hair products. I don’t want to find mold anywhere else.

How Did Mold Grow in my Hair Product?

Okay, the first question to answer is the easiest. Mold can grow anywhere there’s even a small amount of water.

Hair products aren’t made with water, but they’re exposed to water, so some moisture might make its way into your hair product. Mold will grow because it’s natural; everything decomposes at some point, including your hair products.

Water isn’t the only thing to worry about; too much heat or excessive exposure to air or sunlight could also lead to rancidity.

Why Should I Care About Mold in my Hair Products?

Well, it looks unappealing, and it smells. I think those are good reasons to worry.

Sometimes, you don’t know there’s mold in the product. The product may only have a little bit of mold, so you can’t see it just yet.

Plus, most of us don’t open up our containers, so we don’t know what’s going on in there. Mold isn’t only yucky and smelly though; it can also lead to other issues, like rashes and infections if you put moldy products on your scalp.

Keep in mind that the skin is still the body’s largest organ.

The things you put on your skin can find their way into your body through the skin’s pores. While it might be rare, it’s important to ensure that mold doesn’t grow inside your hair products or any of your beauty products for that matter.

Why Would Mold Grow in my Hair Products?

I need to know, and the truth is that there are many reasons why this could happen. The following are some reasons mold could grow in your hair care products:

Could it be Moisture That Led to Mold in my Product?

As I mentioned earlier, mold grows when the conditions are just right. If water or moisture is somehow introduced into the hair care product, then mold can begin to grow.

Water can get into your hair care product because we keep these products in the restroom. We use them while the shower is running. These containers are sealed well when you buy them, but that doesn’t mean errors can’t be made.

Plus, I love taking a hot shower, so some water turns to steam, and that could find its way into hair care products after a while. I’m sure you’re starting to see how water could get into your hair care products.

If you put your hands into the product, that could be the reason there’s moisture as well. Even if your hands are only slightly wet, you’re still introducing moisture into the product, and that could be the reason you’re seeing mold.

Did I Create the Perfect Mold Growing Environment?

You could have created the perfect mold-growing environment without knowing it.

If you keep your products near water, like in the restroom, then you’re off to a bad start, but things can get worse.

I love putting some of my everyday products by the window near the shower. This means that my products aren’t only exposed to water; they’re also exposed to heat and air.

These additional elements create the perfect environment for mold growth. It’s always best to keep your hair care products in a cool, dark, and dry area, so the restroom isn’t a good place for these products.

Here’s the thing though. My conditioner was in a cool, dark, and dry place, so I didn’t think this was the reason I saw mold.

Did my Hair Care Product Just Pass the Expiration Date?

The expiration date on my conditioner had faded. I hadn’t touched that bottle of conditioner in years. I was only using it because I ran out of my natural conditioner, and I didn’t have time to go shopping.

Once the product expired, the preservatives that were preventing mold no longer worked.

When your product expires, it doesn’t mean your product will automatically grow mold; it just means it’s more likely to go rancid. To be on the safe side, I would just throw away a product that’s past its expiration date.

If the date faded, then I’d inspect it or just throw it away anyway, just to be safe.

Remember that you could accidentally buy an expired product. Read those dates before you buy them. Consider getting the products in the back since the people that work in department stores are taught to place the newest products in the back of the shelf.

Is it Possible to Contaminate Your Hair Products?

Every where you turn, there’s a new way to save the planet. One of the most popular amongst hair care enthusiasts involves recycling containers.

I’ve been doing that for a while, and it’s wonderful, but you have to be careful with the containers. You’ve got to clean them well and dry them before you fill them with more liquid. If you aren’t careful, you may contaminate the product.

I haven’t had this problem because I make sure my bottles are clean and dry before I fill them back up. I put my bottles and tubes out in the sun to make sure everything is okay.

If there’s no sun, I just use my hairdryer to ensure the tube and pump are dried. I’m saying all of this because some folks have contaminated their hair care products by not properly drying and sterilizing the containers and attachments.

How to Prevent Mold From Growing in my Hair Care Products?

I couldn’t let you go on your merry way without telling you what you can do to prevent mold from growing in your hair care products. The following are some things you should consider:

• Always pay attention to expiration dates.
• Avoid introducing moisture into your hair care products.
• Clean and thoroughly dry your hair product containers.
• Store containers in a cool, dark, and dry place.

We mostly use these products in our restrooms. You could just bring out all the products you use in the restroom.

It might seem annoying to do this, but it’ll keep your products safe. This is especially important for those who use hair care products that don’t have preservatives. I know a lot of us use natural products, so this is a big deal.

If you don’t want to do that, you could just pour some of your hair care products into smaller containers, preferably see-through, that can be kept in your restroom.

They will have to be filled regularly, but at least you’re keeping your big containers somewhere safe, and you’ll go through the smaller containers before anything can begin to grow in them.

Hopefully, my experience and research helps ensure this doesn’t happen to you. If it already did, then I hope you learn how to prevent it from happening again.