Fact or Fiction: Is Cantu Bad For Your Hair?

If you’re someone with type 3 or 4 curly hair, you’ve probably seen a Cantu product or two as you browsed the natural hair aisle at your local beauty supply — leave-in conditioners, mousses, styling creams, and more. While Cantu is a fan-favorite brand for some, it might not work for certain hair types and textures. So, is Cantu bad for your hair?

We spoke to wavy, curly, and coily hair care experts to get to the bottom of how the ingredients in Cantu hair products might interact with your strands and scalp. Below, you’ll also find a few product alternatives. 

According to Darrius Peace, a salon owner, master barber, and natural haircare expert at Hayah Beauty, some of the most popular Cantu hair care products are leave-in conditioners and creams.

Let’s quickly go over the key ingredients in two popular Cantu products. 

Cantu Shea Butter Leave-In Conditioning Repair Cream

Key ingredients:

• Shea butter. Seals moisture in the hair strands.

• Cetearyl alcohol. A moisturizing alcohol that helps soften and reduce frizz.

• Isopropyl alcohol. A solvent that can cause dryness over time. 

• Fragrance. For scent, but can be an irritant for sensitive skin. 

• Silicones. Can help with softness, but can also cause buildup without clarifying cleansers. 

Coconut Curling Cream

Key ingredients:

• Coconut oil. A nourishing oil that’s heavy in protein, but can potentially cause protein overload. 

• Polyquats: An agent that adds slip, but may potentially cause buildup without clarifying cleansers. 

• Glycerin: A humectant that draws in hydration from humidity.

• Fragrance: For scent, but can be an irritant for sensitive skin. 

Peace choosing Cantu products that work for your hair type and needs. Consider your hair's dryness, porosity, strand thickness, and curl type. Some of the ingredients listed above, for example, might not be ideal for those with sensitive skin. But beyond that, Cantu products don’t contain potentially damaging ingredients, he says.

“Many would argue that the alcohol ingredient could cause dehydration of the hair. However, all of the oil ingredients dominate the alcohol content.”

In other words, there’s a solid balance of ingredients. 

Dr. Hannah Koppelman, DO, at Koppelman Hair Restoration, agrees, but adds a word of caution about heavy ingredients.

“A lot of the line is packed with oils and butters — like shea butter, coconut oil, and castor oil — which can be amazing for moisture retention in curls but not so great if they start building up on the scalp,” says Koppelman.

Experts agree that Cantu products aren’t bad for your hair, but some in the coily community still raise an eyebrow. Here’s why.

Hair Porosity and Buildup

Because Cantu products contain a lot of butters, oils, and film-forming ingredients like polyquats, silicones, and parabens, you might experience buildup when using them. This is especially true if your hair is low porosity and doesn’t absorb products easily, which can leave oily products sitting on top of the hair shaft.

“For people with type 3 or 4 curls, who often wash their hair less frequently, that buildup can become a problem. If you’re layering oils and butters and not cleansing the scalp often enough, you risk clogged follicles, itchiness, or even inflammation. I’ve seen it lead to folliculitis and seborrheic flare-ups in some of my patients,” says Dr. Koppelman.

Alcohols Might Be Causing Dryness

Some Cantu products contain isopropyl alcohol, which helps the product dry more easily after application. But overuse can also cause your hair and scalp to dry out. 

“Anyone who has complained about buildup or dryness from using Cantu products is usually referring to misuse or an inadequate understanding of the product,” says Pearce.

He adds that shampooing hair in between styling can help prevent issues.

Protein Sensitivity

Some Cantu products are high in proteins, which can be great for strengthening damaged hair and split ends. But some anecdotal evidence from the natural hair community suggests that if you already have healthy, protein-rich hair, adding more can cause protein overload and lead to stiff, brittle strands. 

According to Peace, anyone can use Cantu hair care products — even if you don’t have afro-textured hair.

Dr. Koppelman echoes this and points out that no matter what products you use, you need to be mindful of your scalp. 

“Scalp is skin. It needs to breathe. So while moisturizing the hair shaft is important, you don’t want heavy product sitting directly on the scalp for days on end. That’s where problems can start,” she says.

Bottom line: Cantu products can help add curl definition and moisture, but it’s important to be mindful of how often you use them and cleanse your hair and scalp between applications.

If Cantu products haven’t been playing nice with your hair, you’ve got options, including proven hair loss treatments.

SheaMoisture Products

SheaMoisture products can work for people looking for an alternative to Cantu since they also have a high moisture content, says Pearce.

SheaMoisture has a wide range of products, including leave-ins, gels, shampoos, conditioners, and curl definers.

Minoxidil

If you’ve noticed thinning or shedding, especially around your crown, your chosen hair products might not be the problem. Instead, you may be dealing with male pattern baldness or another hair loss condition. A healthcare provider or dermatologist can help determine the root cause of hair loss, and they may recommend minoxidil.

Minoxidil is an FDA-approved hair regrowth solution that works by increasing blood flow to the hair follicles.

While it won’t moisturize your curls or tame frizz, it’s worth considering if you want to increase hair density. 

Hims Thick Fix Thickening Shampoo and Conditioner

Hims Thick Fix Thickening Shampoo is formulated with saw palmetto, an ingredient that may help block dihydrotestosterone (DHT), a hormone linked to hair loss. Our Thick Fix Thickening Conditioner is silicone-free and made with niacinamide and argan oil to help keep your scalp healthy without adding extra weight to your curls.

Cantu products are a popular choice in the natural hair community. High moisture content and nourishing ingredients can help improve the look of curls and coils. 

Let’s recap what we know about Cantu products:

• Cantu products aren’t bad for your hair. But, you should be mindful of how you’re using them. They're not right for every hair type or hair care routine.

• Be sure to use a clarifying shampoo if you’re noticing dryness, buildup, or a lack of moisture retention. The heavy oils and slippery ingredients might be clogging your hair strands.

• Take care of your scalp. While it’s important to keep your curls hydrated and healthy, too much product sitting on your scalp can lead to irritation and other problems.

If you’re noticing hair loss, shedding, or thinning, talk to a provider about trying minoxidil or another hair loss solution. 

Hims can connect you with a provider to walk you through your hair loss treatment options.

Eager to learn more about the best ways to promote hair growth? Check out our guide to hair growth for Black men.