Some hair products can make your hair look dry, flaky, dull and lifeless. The culprit is the drying alcohol in many of these potions.

According to Cosmetics Info, alcohol is added to hair products to thicken them, keep them from foaming and protect products from microbes. It can act as a preservative to keep products fresher longer. That's why a jar of pomade or a can of hairspray can smell as pretty a year later as it did the day you bought it.

When products containing alcohol are applied to your hair, the alcohol evaporates very quickly. The problem is that it takes a bit of your hair's natural moisture with it, leading to dry, lifeless locks that create the need for using more products on them and, of course, even drier hair.

Some products don't contain alcohol. Many companies advertise "alcohol-free" on the front of the product, taking the guesswork out of reading tiny ingredient lists. According to Megsmakeup.com, well-known brands such as Nexxus, Garnier and Jonathan have alcohol-free hair care ranges, as do smaller labels such as Blow Hair Care and AG Hair Cosmetics.

Look for the word "alcohol" on the label or, more likely, "alcohol denat.," "alcohol denatured," "methanol" and "isopropyl." The latter four types of alcohol are used in all inedible consumer goods that contain alcohol. The qualifying words mean that a small amount of bad-tasting chemicals have been added to the alcohol to make it undrinkable, according to the U.S. Department of Energy's Chemistry Archive.

No matter what hair products you choose, give your hair a rest. If you use products on the weekends for social events, give your hair a few days off during the week. If your job requires a stellar coiffure, let your hair recuperate on the weekend.