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Solvent / Base

Aqua

also on labels as Water · Aqua (Water) · Eau · Purified Water

Primary hydration medium and universal solvent that dissolves water-soluble actives, swells the hair fiber for moisture uptake, and carries ingredients into the hair shaft.

Good to knowHair typesFound in 29 products
Ingredients · as printedAunt Jackie's Quench Moisture Intensive Leave-In

Aqua (Water), Glycerin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetyl Alcohol, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Althaea Officinalis Root Extract, Ulmus Fulva Bark Extract, Argania Spinosa (Argan) Kernel Oil, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter, Olea Europaea (Olive) Fruit Oil, Panthenol, Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Dehydroacetic Acid, Citric Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Parfum (Fragrance), Benzyl Alcohol, Limonene, Hexyl Cinnamal, Linalool, Amyl Cinnamal, Citronellol, Hydroxycitronellal, Citrus Aurantium Amara (Orange) Peel Oil, Dimethyl Phenyl Acetate and Hexamethylindanopyran, Yellow 5 (CI 19140), Blue 1 (CI 42090).

Aqua is 1st, 1st of 31.Dotted words have their own page.
Good to know

Water itself hydrates temporarily; requires humectants and emollients/sealants in the formula to prevent rapid evaporation.

Hair types

Notes for different hair

All hair types and porosities (essential first ingredient in true moisturizing formulas).

General patterns from our research, not rules. Hair of the same type can respond differently, so your own results count most.
Found in these products

On 29 of the 34 labels we've read, usually near the top

Labels list ingredients from most to least, down to about 1%. Below that, the order is free.

Cleanse 8 · Condition 12 · Leave-in 3 · Style 6 · Seal 0

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These are labels we've read by hand from brand sites and packaging, not a list of recommendations. We add more as we go.

Source: The Good Coil research · Ref ING-059Get this as data (JSON)How we write these