Why don't people understand that all shampoo is just scented detergent?

[Broken Hoe]

It's all the same stuff...liquid detergent.

The only differences are scents and whatever herbal crap they add to make people think their product is superior. But the fact is, all shampoo is pretty much equal. We buy it by the quart at the Dollar store. Why do people who pay $12.99 for a little 8oz bottle of some premium "salon" stuff think they're buying anything better than the dollar store stuff?

[An Gadaí]

Advertising I would imagine.

[Balthisar]

I don't know that I'd chalk it all up to advertising. For example, I can't even think of the name of my favorite shampoo/conditioner blend, but I'll recognize it on the shelf. It's about $8 or so for some odd quantity of fluid ounces.

Try washing your hair with laundry detergent or just a bar of soap sometime. You feel the difference when you're done?

[Jophiel]

I once washed my hair with dish detergent in college when I found myself out of shampoo. Wow, did I get dandruff something fierce despite rinsing it out well.

[Bearflag70]

I used to date a hair stylist. I asked her about this once, but not in great detail. Essentially, it was her understanding that a brand like Paul Mithcell contained ingredients that actually helped your hair and scalp. A brand like Prell or Suave off the supermarket shelf did not and was basically crap shampoo.

My impression from the discussion was essentially that saying all shampoo is just scented detergent is like saying all pizza is just bread and toppings.

[mswas]

Because it's not.

[Gbro]

Nothing wrong with using a bar of soap for shampoo.

As long as its Kirk's!

I will be using just that for a week in hunting camp.
and I will be washing clothes with Fels-Naptha heavy duty laundry bar soap

[Guinastasia]

For the OP: CITE???

Some shampoos have different ingredients for different types of hair-like if you have curly, course, dry hair, it has more moisterizers. If, on the other hand, you have very baby-fine, straight, oily hair like mine, it has additives to give it more body. Clarifying shampoo (I use it once or twice a month) washes out all the build up of styling products.

All shampoos are not created equal.

Bar soap in one's hair cakes up horribly and can make a big time mess. Yuck.




As for the scents-uh, that makes my hair smell nice. I like my hair to smell nice. Got a problem with that? :p

[Shagnasty]

I used dish detergent for a few months because I was too lazy to buy the real stuff. It cleans your hair all right but it seems to strip everything off of it as well which is not good. I have used Ivory soap as well. It works too but it leaves your hair feeling a little icky. I like either the shampoo/conditioner combos or Johnson's Baby Shampoo for myself these days.

[JSexton]

I used to date a hair stylist. I asked her about this once, but not in great detail. Essentially, it was her understanding that a brand like Paul Mithcell contained ingredients that actually helped your hair and scalp. A brand like Prell or Suave off the supermarket shelf did not and was basically crap shampoo.

My impression from the discussion was essentially that saying all shampoo is just scented detergent is like saying all pizza is just bread and toppings.
I was married to one, and she said the same thing. Of course, she never really knew WHAT the difference was, just that expensive was better. Of course, she got paid commission on selling product, so there's a certain bias there.

I've been using cheap Suave or Pert for years, and I can't stay it "ruined" my hair, as she promised it would. I've no doubt that expensive stuff smells better, but I think the stylist claim that cheap stuff will ruin your hair is dubious.

[Broken Hoe]

For the OP: CITE???

Some shampoos have different ingredients for different types of hair-like if you have curly, course, dry hair, it has more moisterizers. If, on the other hand, you have very baby-fine, straight, oily hair like mine, it has additives to give it more body. Clarifying shampoo (I use it once or twice a month) washes out all the build up of styling products. Wait, so you are paying for all kinds of additives. Then you need another product to wash all the "buildup" of those same additives out? :confused:

[Foxy40]

Wait, so you are paying for all kinds of additives. Then you need another product to wash all the "buildup" of those same additives out? :confused:

Build up of hairspray and gels if you use them. Not the build up of shampoo.

I've used many shampoos in my lifetime and they certainly aren't all the same. The gallon stuff that my mother used to buy when we were kids was like dish detergent and stripped our hair so much we walked around with frizz heads all year.

[DrCube]

There actually is a difference between different kinds of soaps. Presumably some soaps are better for different things, and some people feel they are worth the extra money. I don't know, I'm not an expert.

I've been meaning to ask a similar question for awhile now, but I didn't quite know how to phrase it tactfully. Essentially, how many commercial 'dermatological' products are just bullshit?

There are so many expensive creams, soaps, oils, mud and whatnot for your skin and hair and it seems to me like the differences are minimal. Does my hair really need a separate kind of soap than my body? Do I need a dedicated face wash? Do any acne products work at all? What the hell is a 'moisturizer'? Just another word for lotion?

The OP claims to know the answer, at least when it comes to soap-like products, but others have disagreed. I'd like to see some evidence that these products do what they claim to do, or that they don't. As a lifelong user of (the cheaper kinds of) these products, I have to say my experience is inconclusive.

[Gfactor]

Here's an article all about what's in shampoo and how it works: http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1370/is_v18/ai_3290522

and another one that's less helpful: http://www.virtualsciencefair.org/2005/wali5s0/public_html/faq_page.htm

And a book chapter: http://books.google.com/books?id=OCNo0byYC_wC&pg=PP1&dq=science+of+hair+care&ei=_n_FSOPqEI-2iwGjjPTsDQ&client=firefox-a&sig=ACfU3U1BUu8yHjiwisdf4YeTsEXUUIUqvg#PPA49,M1 (Chapter 2)

[amarinth]

Try washing your hair with laundry detergent or just a bar of soap sometime. You feel the difference when you're done?Yes.

My guess is that you have very short, straight hair with a shaft of medium thickness - perhaps that's why you don't notice the difference.

Expensive is not always better...some expensive is horrible, some cheap is very good. But no, not all detergents are alike, and not all shampoos are alike.

[Guinastasia]

Wait, so you are paying for all kinds of additives. Then you need another product to wash all the "buildup" of those same additives out? :confused:

Not the shampoo, but all the styling products I use-gel, hair spray, etc-just to give my hair some body.

Everyone's skin and/or hair is different. For example, I use Noxema on my face, but my mother needs to use cold cream to take her make-up off. Others use Clearisil.

It all depends on your hair and/or skin type. Again, some people have very thick hair. Some people have curly hair. Some have oily hair. Ditto for skin.

What kind of shampoo do you use, and what type of hair do you have? Are you male or female?

(I use Pantene Pro-V, and twice a month I use Queen Helene's Mint Julip concentrated shampoo. I also use Garnier styling gel to give my hair body.)

[robby]

...Try washing your hair with laundry detergent or just a bar of soap sometime. You feel the difference when you're done?...Bar soap in one's hair cakes up horribly and can make a big time mess. Yuck.
Several posters have mentioned bar soap in this discussion.

Soap and detergent are two completely different things. The OP never mentioned soap.

As far as various brands of shampoos go (which are all detergents), Consumer Reports has reported many times that all shampoos are basically the same.

[garygnu]

There are many shampoos made for people with dandruff, psoriasis, and related conditions that are not simply liquid detergent.

[yabob]

I'm not horribly particular about shampoo, but I will also say that washing my hair with dish soap leaves it feeling "wrong" - kind of all stiff and wiry. Let's not forget the conditioner, either. I want to be able to comb it after showering without it being a knotted up mess. Since I'm not particular, I just buy the cheapest shampoo + conditioner in one bottle.

[Broken Hoe]

For the OP: CITE???

From http://www.gina.antczak.btinternet.co.uk/CU/CUFAQ.HTM

Q: Why are there so many ingredients used in cosmetics and toiletries? Nine times out of ten the list of ingredients is huge.

A: In fact the list is even bigger than it looks. The word, Fragrance in the USA or Parfum in the EU, refers to a mixture of fragrance chemicals, seldom less than fifty in number and commonly more than a hundred, most of which are artificial. If they all had to be listed individually, shampoo would be sold by the gallon in order to fit the list of ingredients on the bottle.

We like to divide the ingredients into five different groups. The first group are the functional ingredients, without which the product would not work. Shampoo would not clean your hair if it did not contain a detergent and a sunscreen would not protect you from harmful ultraviolet rays if it did not contain UV absorbers.

The next group are the presentation ingredients. These give the product the right feel, smell and appearance. For example, a bar of moisturising soap should both feel and smell luxurious.

The third group are the preservation ingredients. These stop the other ingredients from separating or prevent microbes growing from in the product, thus protecting you harmful bacteria and giving the product a long shelf life.

The fourth group are the trivial ingredients which have no function other providing the manufacturer with a marketing gimmick. These are easily identified because the ingredient features strongly in the advertising and the banner label but are usually placed near the end of the list of ingredients because they form a very small part of the formulation. They include a host of natural extracts, proteins and vitamins to name but a few.

The final group are the unnecessary ingredients. These are added for the convenience of the manufacturers and include such things as lubricants to prevent the product from blocking pipes and tubes in the machinery, anti- corrosion agents to prevent the manufacturers' machines from rusting, anti- foaming agents to prevent a build up of foam during manufacture and various solvents and carriers used to add other ingredients to the product.

[corkboard]

Yes, shampoos are all basically the same- they are cleansing agents. That does not mean they are identical. It is the differences (see basically) that lead a person to prefer any one product over any other.

So we do understand it, thank you very much.

Why don't people understand that all vehicles are just modes of transportation? They're all the same, just a way to get you where you're going...

[Q.E.D.]

From http://www.gina.antczak.btinternet.co.uk/CU/CUFAQ.HTM

Sorry, I can't consider that authoritative in any way, shape or form particularly as it doesn't specifically address shampoos, but rather, cosmetics and the like in general.

[Anaamika]

Why don't people understand that all vehicles are just modes of transportation? They're all the same, just a way to get you where you're going...

Very good analogy.

To the OP, I like the way my hair feels/looks/smells when I wash it with Pantene, and I make enough money to afford it, and so I buy it. What skin is it off anybody else's back? No doubt I skimp in places you splurge.

[Patty O'Furniture]

Tea tree oil in my shampoo makes my scalp all cold and tingly, like it just ate a York Peppermint Patty.

[Leaffan]

Very good analogy.

To the OP, I like the way my hair feels/looks/smells when I wash it with Pantene, and I make enough money to afford it, and so I buy it. What skin is it off anybody else's back? No doubt I skimp in places you splurge.

Like paying for a subscription here? ;)

(That's really my way of welcoming you back. Honest!)

[Anaamika]

Like paying for a subscription here? ;)

(That's really my way of welcoming you back. Honest!)

Actually, that's a good analogy, too - though I don't know if the OP has paid or not. Regardless, thank you for the welcome.

[kunilou]

All detergents are just detergents. However, some don't clean well, some irritate my skin, some don't clean well.

YMMV

[dangermom]

Yes, shampoo has to have some sort of detergent in it to get your hair clean. That doesn't mean I should use dish detergent on my hair. I really notice a difference with shampoos.

My mom always used to buy Suave, since it's cheap. I hate Suave. Even with the conditioner, it leaves my hair rough and tangly. I used to use Ivory shampoo, now I use Pantene. It's not even that expensive if you buy the big containers on sale at Target.

I have to make sure to buy a nice shampoo/conditioner for my little girl, too--her hair is thick, wavy, and tangly like mine, only long (and thicker, I think, since she got her dad's hair genes too). I use gobs of conditioner!

[DrDeth]

Wrong. One shampoo (at least )contains Ketoconazole, a powerful anti-fungal agent.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nizoral

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1709848

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11306850?ordinalpos=1&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_DiscoveryPanel.Pubmed_Discovery_RA&linkpos=3&log$=relatedarticles&logdbfrom=pubmed

(For those that think all this stuff is just "snake oil")

Effect of ketoconazole 1% and 2% shampoos on severe dandruff and seborrhoeic dermatitis: clinical, squamometric and mycological assessments.Piérard-Franchimont C, Piérard GE, Arrese JE, De Doncker P.
Department of Dermatopathology, University of Liège, Belgium.

Ketoconazole (KET) is active to control dandruff and seborrhoeic dermatitis. Objective assessments comparing the 1% and 2% shampoo formulations are scant. This open, randomized parallel-group trial was carried out to differentiate the effectiveness of KET 1% and 2% in severe dandruff and seborrhoeic dermatitis. A total of 66 patients with severe dandruff or seborrhoeic dermatitis were randomized to each of the two groups. A 2-week run-in phase was followed by a 4-week treatment phase, in turn followed by a 4-week follow-up. The efficacy of treatments was evaluated by combining squamometry X, Malassezia spp. counts and clinical assessments. After 2 and 4 weeks of treatment, KET 2% was significantly superior over KET 1% (p < 0.001) for decreasing both in flakiness and Malassezia density from baseline. The same trend was observed in the mean change from baseline in the overall dandruff severity score. Only 6 mild adverse events were reported. During follow-up KET 2% showed a trend to fewer relapses than KET 1%. KET 2% had superior efficacy compared to KET 1% in the treatment of severe dandruff and scalp seborrhoeic dermatitis. Biometrological evaluations were correlated with the clinical improvements and therefore useful to incorporate in future dandruff studies. Copyright 2001 S. Karger AG, Basel.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12060502?ordinalpos=1&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_DiscoveryPanel.Pubmed_Discovery_RA&linkpos=2&log$=relatedarticles&logdbfrom=pubmed
"A randomised, single-blind, single-centre clinical trial to evaluate comparative clinical efficacy of shampoos containing ciclopirox olamine (1.5%) and salicylic acid (3%), or ketoconazole (2%, Nizoral) for the treatment of dandruff/seborrhoeic dermatitis.Squire RA, Goode K.
PPD Development, Chelmsford, Essex, UK.

BACKGROUND: The association between seborrhoeic dermatitis and dandruff and the yeast Malassezia furfur is well recognized. Symptoms include scalp itchiness and scaling. Due to its antimycotic activity, ciclopirox olamine is established as an effective treatment for these scalp conditions. Salicylic acid has keratolytic properties and aids in the removal of scales. OBJECTIVE: To compare the therapeutic efficacy of a shampoo containing 1.5% ciclopirox olamine and 3% salicylic acid (CPO/SA) with Nizoral (2.0% ketoconazole shampoo) in a study involving 154 subjects with dandruff - 70 of whom also had seborrhoeic dermatitis of the scalp. Nizoral is currently a registered treatment for dandruff and seborrhoeic dermatitis. METHODS: The shampoos were used three times week for 4 weeks, with 2-week washout and follow-up periods. Clinical and self-assessments were made throughout treatment and after follow-up (day 43). Within and between-treatment assessments of signs and symptoms were analysed. RESULTS: In the two groups, seborrhoeic dermatitis and dandruff improved significantly throughout treatment, with lower clinical and self-assessment scores at both the end of treatment (day 29) and follow-up (day 43). Only the subjects treated with CPO/SA shampoo showed a significant reduction in the itching of seborrhoeic dermatitis at these times. CONCLUSION: The study demonstrated that both CPO/SA and Nizoral were safe and effective in the treatment of dandruff and seborrhoeic dermatitis."


Some shampoos are soaps rather than detergents. Some contain conditioners.

[constanze]

...
There are so many expensive creams, soaps, oils, mud and whatnot for your skin and hair and it seems to me like the differences are minimal.

IANADermatologist, but here's my take on it:
the skin in your face is softer than the skin on your legs and therefore, a different soap (and cream) usually benefits. People have different kinds of skin compositions, too (for example, I have the classical T-zone: forehead and chin always oily, but cheeks are dry; other people have a dry skin or oily skin all over) and therefore benefit from soaps and creams which compositions are specially aimed at the problems.

Does my hair really need a separate kind of soap than my body?

Yes, because it's composition is different.

Do I need a dedicated face wash?

I don't know because I'm too lazy to use one. But people with delicate skin or hygiene reasons benefit from using a special, softer sopa on their face.

That, of course, applies to the other questions, too - if you have a tough skin that can bear "abuse" (That is, not specialized products) and if you don't care too much about dealing with stress wrinkles, then you can use the cheapest soap for everything. If you have any delicate/problem areas, or don't want wrinkles, you have to spend time and money.

Do any acne products work at all?

Yes and no. I had acne, too, and there was an obvious hormonal element (it always got worse during my period) there. My dermatologist then said that acne almost always disappears after age 25 when the hormones have finally settled down (which is a fat load of help to a teenager!, when 2 years already are an eternity). So some acne solutions - if regularly applied - can lessen the impact, but due to the hormonal imbalance, some pimples might still appear.

What the hell is a 'moisturizer'? Just another word for lotion?

Uh. There are different kinds, that much I know. I don't know if the word is even defined, or if each company uses it as they like it. I think a moisturizer is supposed to bring more water into the skin, while a lotion is intended for the general nourishing and caring aspect. (The antroposophic cosmetic company doesn't have a normal lotion, but only pure oil in little bottles. They say that after you've showered, instead of rubbing dry, you take a little bit of oil and massage the water directly into your skin, instead of buying normal water inside your lotion.)

The OP claims to know the answer, at least when it comes to soap-like products, but others have disagreed.

No, the OP doesn't claim to know the answer, the OP simply made a statement without providing any facts or backup to this claim.

I'm certainly not naive about the role advertising plays, or that many products today are manufactured in the same factory and only packaged differently. But that's what consumer reports and tests are for - you can find that out. (At least in Germany). But I would like some evidence before I believe that the different ingredients aimed at different skin and hair conditions don't exist at all because it's all the same base.
Yes, anecdote is not data, but if in trials enough women of group X with Problem Y (dry skin, thin hair, whatever) tried lotion/soap N with a new formula and felt satisfied, then that is a huge bonus for their advertising.
Certainly in the area of anti-age and anti-wrinkles cream, huge promises with little payoff or basis are made. That doesn't mean 100% of what the companies say is made up and without fact.

I'd like to see some evidence that these products do what they claim to do, or that they don't. As a lifelong user of (the cheaper kinds of) these products, I have to say my experience is inconclusive.

If you are unsure or have any problems with your hair/shampoo face/soap combination, I suggest the simple experiment of buying the 5 or 10 most affordable different brands suggested for your problem, and try each for a week or 10 days, and then switch, and see for yourself. That's how come a lot of women who tell you (without being paid) that they tried various brands of soap/shampoo, and none worked, until they hit brand W, which works wonderful.


If you don't want to spend the money on trying out yourself (though that would be best for your own problems), at least read the consumer reports and tests (you do have those in the US, don't you?)

[groman]

Wrong. One shampoo (at least )contains Ketoconazole, a powerful anti-fungal agent.


I wouldn't be so rash as to declare wrong. It is not correct to state that all shampoos are just scented detergents, but it certainly can be argued that most non-medicated shampoos have very few differences in the cleaning effect they have on your hair. Certainly different shampoos feel differently, but they do not accomplish this by altering your hair by cleaning it differently but rather by removing some and leaving a bunch of other chemicals on it.

To answer the OP -- people simply declare that the function of shampoo is cleansing and everything it does must be cleansing while that is clearly not the case. It's not a delusion that different shampoos are different -- they do in fact tend to be different, just not as detergents. Nobody likes that dry, wiry, tangled clean hair feeling, so they get the cosmetics that make their hair feel, look and smell the way they prefer. In reality shampooing tends to be to hair cleansing what shoe shining is to cleaning your shoes.

[mnemosyne]

Different shampoos may have similar ingredients, but that doesn't mean they are the same. Despite the similarity in name, the detergent ammonium lauryl sulfate is not the same as ammonium laureth sulfate, nor are either of those quite the same as sodium lauryl/laureth sulfate, though all of these are used as primary ingredients in shampoo. These chemicals will have different solution pHs, will have different solubility in water/in oils, will react differently to dissolved minerals in the water/on your skin (Ca+, Mg+ etc) etc. Also, even if you read the labels of both bottles and they start with the same ingredients, their concentrations may be different. Ever hear the expression that "the dose makes the poison"? It's kind of the same thing here; a 2% solution of ammonium lauryl sulfate will have different properties than a 2.5% solution (I'm making those numbers up... I don't know what the percentages are in shampoo).

What "works" for you will be a shampoo that cleans your hair to your satisfaction under the conditions you shower in; if you have oily vs dry hair, curly vs straight, in hard water vs in soft water, etc. Each person is essentially a different test environment, so you can't expect each person to have the same experience with a product, and you can't expect each different formulation to yield identical results even on the same person/in the same shower.

Read the label of a bottle of shampoo and a bottle of conditioner of the same brand ("matching" products). All the primary ingredients are often the same, but you can't argue that the shampoo and conditioner feel the same and do the same thing to your hair. The differences between two shampoos with nearly matching primary ingredients will be more subtle, but they will still be there.

Of course, that doesn't mean that the dollar-store brand is worse than the grocery store or salon brand. It just makes it different, and so that's where marketing/scents/customer experience play a role. The fact is, there is a very, very good chance that Dollarama-shampoo is a direct rip-off if Salon-shampoo; chemically it's relatively easy to determine the primary ingredients and concentrations in shampoo, and then all you have to do is toss in scents and preservatives and sell it. The research is done by the big companies, and with a handful of chemists, the profits can begin to be reaped by the generic brands. Hence the marketing by big companies; they want their money back! It's just like the pharmaceutical world. In fact, the parent companies are often the same....

[gigi]

Tea tree oil in my shampoo makes my scalp all cold and tingly, like it just ate a York Peppermint Patty.

Yeah, by the way if you run out of your body wash and use Tea Tree shampoo instead, it makes your sensitive bits feel that way too. :eek: or :) per your preference.

And OP, there is a difference. If I use one one day and another another day and my hair feels different, there a difference.

[Otara]

Im sure theres a difference, but cost of manufacture wise, my bet would be the difference is pretty tiny, and packaging and marketting make up the main difference.

Otara

[Guinastasia]

Let me ask you this, Broken Hoe. Do you use the same detergent that you wash dishes to wash your clothes? To clean your windows? Why not?


I also suspect that washing my hair with Dawn would strip the color right out of it.



And let's see some cites from a less biased source, shall we? The Q&A page (http://www.gina.antczak.btinternet.co.uk/CU/CUFAQ.HTM#question16) states that hair dyes have the potential to cause cancer. Da'hell? That's one I've never heard before. I'd like to see some other cites, please.
:dubious:

[AskNott]

Guin is right. It's true to say that shampoo is detergent, but that doesn't mean any detergent is right, or even safe, for your hair. Some detergents are labeled as hazardous to the skin.

In a library, you can find the Consumer Reports shampoo ratings. They've been testing shampoo since before I was born. In the top 5 ratings, you can find something that's great for you, and maybe even cheap.

One more thing. You are extra special. We all know that. However, if you get the notion that mere sham poo is not good enough for you, don't try the real poo. Trust me on this.

[neutron star]

Back before I realized that I looked horrible with long hair and cut it off, I'd regularly use - I forget the name, but some inexpensive shampoo and conditioner that I often see commercials for - and my hair would always have some tangles in it somewhere, every damn time I used the stuff.

A stylist recommended a more expensive shampoo and conditioner. From the first time I used it until the day I cut off my hair, I never again had to worry about tangles.

So yeah, I'd say there are differences.

[mangeorge]

This reminds me of the myth that all gasolines (and motor oils) are the same.
Peace,
mangeorge

[groman]

And let's see some cites from a less biased source, shall we? The Q&A page (http://www.gina.antczak.btinternet.co.uk/CU/CUFAQ.HTM#question16) states that hair dyes have the potential to cause cancer. Da'hell? That's one I've never heard before. I'd like to see some other cites, please.
:dubious:


The potential for connection has been studied and I am surprised you have never heard of it before, cites:

Hair Dye Use and Risk of Fatal Cancers in U.S. Women (http://jnci.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/86/3/210)

Personal Use of Hair Dye and the Risk of Certain Subtypes of Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma (http://pt.wkhealth.com/pt/re/ajep/abstract.00000429-200806010-00008.htm;jsessionid=LF7FFMW0S1kjHNN0Sr6KHhQp12ySRYPPdHGgz0gBQHq8Sp8vp5LQ!353761397!181195628!8091!-1)

Hair Dye Use and Risk of Adult Acute Leukemia (http://aje.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/160/1/19)

[mangeorge]

The woman who got herself gobbled early in the original Jaws movie had dandruff. We know that because they found her head and shoulders on the beach.
I'm sorry. I know that's terrible.
But I have a point relavent to the OP:
I'm paranoid about dandruff, so I've used Head and Shoulders shampoo since I was young. I experimented a couple times by using a non-dandruff shampoo, and I'd start seeing some flaking within a week or so. So, for me, the shampoo was not the same, and H&S gave me exactly what I wanted - clean, dandruff free hair.
Remember the girl in The Breakfast Club who dusted flakes out of her hair? I could do that when I was a teen.

[Guinastasia]

No, I can honestly say I've never heard of the link. Huh. I'll be damned.

(I should probably ask my doctor about this-I dye my hair all the time.)

[Balthisar]

Several posters have mentioned bar soap in this discussion.

Soap and detergent are two completely different things. The OP never mentioned soap.
Uh, just because not all detergents are soap, all soaps are detergents.

[Fubaya]

Well, thank goodness I'm bald. But with those ads on TV with the women who seem to be having an orgasm while washing their hair, I still buy 10 bottles a week.

[Nava]

Soap and detergent are two completely different things. The OP never mentioned soap.

As far as various brands of shampoos go (which are all detergents), Consumer Reports has reported many times that all shampoos are basically the same.

All soaps are detergent, not all detergents are soap. But saying that "you can't talk about soap when talking about detergent" is akin to saying that "you can't talk about Texans when talking about Americans."

I don't know a thing about dermatology; I do know that a lot of the difference between shampoos/creams/etc is branding (1); I do know that stress causes most of my dandruff; I also know that some shampoos leave my hair clean and manageable and some just don't. To tell you the difference in composition I'd need a well-equipped lab, got one handy?

The flat I'm renting had some cleanliness problems in the bathroom and kitchen. The owner had tried to clean; there's a collection of ever-stronger cleaners. But they were all chemically the same - I got a cleaner based on a different substance and voila, my bathroom and kitchen now gleam. Same with shampoos, being more expensive doesn't make a shampoo better but having different chemicals inside will make a shampoo better - for a certain person. The shampoo that's right for one person will be wrong for another.


(1) I worked for several years in a company which made, among other things, products which would have a name and a price when sold to a "dermatology" company and a different name and price when sold to a "consumer goods" company, both of whom would turn it into shampoo. But we also sold different products to be made into shampoo or house detergents and they did work differently - as tested by using them in our own factory, including the shower area.

[nd_n8]

All shampoo is the same just as all carbonated soft drinks are the same.

Soft drinks: Carbonated water, corn syrup, flavorings, preservitives

Shampoo: Alkaline base, wax emulsifier, perfumes, preservitives

Sometimes there are added vitamins in each, sometimes not. People prefer Pepsi over Coke or Dr. Pepper over Dr. Thunder so it's expected to prefer Nexus over Alberto V05 from time to time. Some people drink anything that's cold, some people wash their hair with anything that lathers up. Meh, it's all personal preference. If you like the specific combination of detergent/wax/perfume/preservitives in Pantene then go for it, if you prefer the different combination of detergent (a different formula but still detergent, still Alkaline and oil)/wax (a different type of wax, probably not petroleum based)/perfume/preservitives in Paul Mitchell then enjoy it.

Oh, and Annamika, welcome back. We don't talk much but I do like reading your posts.

[snailboy]

Back before I realized that I looked horrible with long hair and cut it off, I'd regularly use - I forget the name, but some inexpensive shampoo and conditioner that I often see commercials for - and my hair would always have some tangles in it somewhere, every damn time I used the stuff.

A stylist recommended a more expensive shampoo and conditioner. From the first time I used it until the day I cut off my hair, I never again had to worry about tangles.

So yeah, I'd say there are differences.

Similar story for me. The cheap shampoo (Suave and the like) worked fine for me when I had short hair. When I graduated high school and started going to college, I let my hair grow long. The tangles were so bad with that cheap shampoo that it was difficult and painful to comb my hair with my fingers. I ended up trying Pantene Smooth and Sleek shampoo and conditioner (seperate bottles) and not only were the knots gone but my hair felt so smooth and moisterized. It's probably mainly due to the conditioner though. Even though I cut it short again when it started thinning on top, I still use Pantene. Even if the difference isn't as obvious, it's just a few dollars more for a bottle that lasts several months.

[mangeorge]

All shampoo is the same just as all carbonated soft drinks are the same.

Soft drinks: Carbonated water, corn syrup, flavorings, preservitives

Shampoo: Alkaline base, wax emulsifier, perfumes, preservitives

Sometimes there are added vitamins in each, sometimes not. People prefer Pepsi over Coke or Dr. Pepper over Dr. Thunder so it's expected to prefer Nexus over Alberto V05 from time to time. Some people drink anything that's cold, some people wash their hair with anything that lathers up. Meh, it's all personal preference. If you like the specific combination of detergent/wax/perfume/preservitives in Pantene then go for it, if you prefer the different combination of detergent (a different formula but still detergent, still Alkaline and oil)/wax (a different type of wax, probably not petroleum based)/perfume/preservitives in Paul Mitchell then enjoy it.

Oh, and Annamika, welcome back. We don't talk much but I do like reading your posts.
Not all soft drinks are the same either.
Are all pies the same? Cars? Planets? People, even?
I know it's hard to let go, but "facts is facts".

[WarmNPrickly]

All shampoo is the same just as all carbonated soft drinks are the same.

Soft drinks: Carbonated water, corn syrup, flavorings, preservitives

Shampoo: Alkaline base, wax emulsifier, perfumes, preservitives


Shampoo is not going to be very alkaline or it will eat your hair very quickly. As has been mentioned before in this thread, not all detergents are the same. There are anionic detergents, cationic detergents, neutral detergents and zwitterionic detergents. Shampoos are almost universally anionic detergents, but that doesn't mean that the pH is above 7. Most shampoos will contain an organic sulfate of some kind and the conjugate acids of these are so acidic that they will not be protonated untill the pH is pretty low. (Note sulfuric acid which isn't organic, but is very similar.)

You could use regular old bar soap to wash your hair, but it likely is too basic and will leave your hair coated in soap scum if your water has any hardness at all. That's because the carboxylates that make up many brands of soap will percipitate out with Magnesium or Calcium. If your water is really hard you may want to use a shampoo that has a complexer in it like EDTA. Shampoo that works well for you in one location may not work well in another just because the condition of the water is different. If you have thin hair or sensitive skin, you may want to use a shampoo with sodium laurythsulfate since that is less prone to denaturing protiens.

Most of the things I've mentioned here are really common knowledge and can be found in even your cheap shampoos. I have no doubt that some of these pricier shampoos have incredibly complicated balances of ingredients that do very specific things for specific types of hair. Some of them may even be cationic, I don't know. I'm not a soap expert. I use generic shampoo and conditioner.

[Broken Hoe]

I have no doubt that some of these pricier shampoos have incredibly complicated balances of ingredients that do very specific things for specific types of hair. I have no doubt that manufacturers spend millions of dollars in advertising to make people believe that...

[mangeorge]

I have no doubt that manufacturers spend millions of dollars in advertising to make people believe that...
Of course! why would they spend all that money on R&D and not tell people about it?
I think it was a Consumer's Report article I read that found that the big waste in shampoo use was that most people use way too much of the stuff per washing. Same for toothpaste.

[ouryL]

Kool-Aid is just flavored water.
Wine is spoiled grape juice.
:o

[lissener]

For the OP: Some shampoos have different ingredients for different types of hair-like if you have curly, course, dry hair, it has more moisterizers. If, on the other hand, you have very baby-fine, straight, oily hair like mine, it has additives to give it more body. Clarifying shampoo (I use it once or twice a month) washes out all the build up of styling products.
Uh, do you ever find yourself in need of a bridge? Cuz . . . I could sell you one.

[mangeorge]

Uh, do you ever find yourself in need of a bridge? Cuz . . . I could sell you one.
Hell, I'll take that bridge. You are referring to the Brooklyn Bridge, right?
(I love that bridge.)

[WarmNPrickly]

Uh, do you ever find yourself in need of a bridge? Cuz . . . I could sell you one.

Why is it so difficult to believe that different hair responds differently to different detergents? I have no doubt that standard shampoo will work allright for most people, but just as some people have sensitive skin some have sensitive hair. Sure they could change the color and sell the same formulation for different types, but why would they when a little R&D will actually make a better formula. Do you really think that all of those ingredients in even the generic shampoos are just randomly thrown in there to make it look usefull?

I think you are looking at the basic principles of how all detergents work and your figuring that the principles are all the same so the shampoos are all the same. Real world chemistry is not that simple. Slightly different conditions lead to wildly differrent outcomes.

[groman]

Why is it so difficult to believe that different hair responds differently to different detergents?

I am going to need a cite that shows that detergents in different shampoos are substantially different in any detergent-related way. I think it's reasonable to assume (unless shown otherwise) that shampoo is an applied product like shoe polish, foundation, lotion, hair spray, deodorant or perfume.

[WarmNPrickly]

I am going to need a cite that shows that detergents in different shampoos are substantially different in any detergent-related way.

certainly (http://pubs.acs.org/cen/whatstuff/print/8015sci3.html)

[mangeorge]

I am going to need a cite that shows that detergents in different shampoos are substantially different in any detergent-related way. I think it's reasonable to assume (unless shown otherwise) that shampoo is an applied product like shoe polish, foundation, lotion, hair spray, deodorant or perfume.
Are you saying that the detergents in all shampoos are the same, but there might be differences due to additives? Well yeah, that's probably true. But the detergents could be, and likeky are, in different concentrations.
I know that Head and Shoulders is very different from Suave. What I don't understand is why the old cliches "all (blanks) are the same" have usually been shown to be so wrong.
Like here.

[Broken Hoe]

just as some people have sensitive skin some have sensitive hair. Hair cannot be "sensitive". Hair is simply a mane of dead protein strands, no different that the tip of your fingernail.s.:smack:

[Balthisar]

Hair cannot be "sensitive". Hair is simply a mane of dead protein strands, no different that the tip of your fingernail.s.:smack:
Perhaps chemically, naturally. "Hair" when on your head is a system that interacts with its environment, including the hair's own host body. All kind of things affect hair.

[Broken Hoe]

"Hair" when on your head is a system that interacts with its environment, including the hair's own host body. All kind of things affect hair.

A "system"?? :rolleyes: Please describe this "system". How does "the host body" affect totally dead collagen/keratin, exactly?

[Guinastasia]

Uh, do you ever find yourself in need of a bridge? Cuz . . . I could sell you one.

When I need advice about Showgirls or any other shitty movies, I'll ask you. As far as shampoos and/or hair products, I'm sticking with the advice of my hairdresser, mmmkay?

:rolleyes:


You DO realize that there are different types of hair? Why do some people have their hair frizz up when it's humid out, while some, like me, have it go limp? Why is my hair so hard to hold a curl, while my sister's is thicker, and has more body? Why do I have to deal with so much static in the winter?

Just like some people get more acne than others. Yeesh.

[Zoe]

Guinastasia: As far as shampoos and/or hair products, I'm sticking with the advice of my hairdresser, mmmkay?

Have at. But hairdressers are taught by other hairdressers and as nice as they are, they generally aren't scientists. That's who I turned to for advice on my hair.

It was years ago and I don't even remember the problem I was having. Maybe it was hair loss. I do know that I travelled all the way to Atlanta and back (about 400 miles round trip) to consult with a doctor who was a hair and skin specialist. During the exam, I asked him what the best shampoo to use was. Without hesitating, he said, "White Rain or Suave." That's what I've used ever since. I'm sure that's been a dozen years or so.

He also caught a skin cancer that my other dermotologist had examined but dismissed as "nothing."

I also remember reading a study in which people used several different kinds of shampoos without knowing what brand they were. White Rain was the favorite over the long haul.

But I think everyone should use what they think serves their purposes. Just thought I would share my specialist's opinion.

[Zoe]

Oh. And soaps and detergents are two different things. Look it up in the dick if you don't believe me.

I knew my 1957 home economics class would come in handy eventually.

[nd_n8]

When I need advice about Showgirls or any other shitty movies, I'll ask you. As far as shampoos and/or hair products, I'm sticking with the advice of my hairdresser, mmmkay?

:rolleyes:


You DO realize that there are different types of hair? Why do some people have their hair frizz up when it's humid out, while some, like me, have it go limp? Why is my hair so hard to hold a curl, while my sister's is thicker, and has more body? Why do I have to deal with so much static in the winter?

Just like some people get more acne than others. Yeesh.
Because of the shampoo you use?

In my earlier post I mentioned alkyline and oil, this is the crux of all washing products. A strong enough alkyline will react to an oil to produce the surfacants mentioned in WarmNPrickly's post. Depending on what type of high pH base you use and what type of oil you use is what type of soap you end up with. Ammonia, sodium hydrochlorite or sodium carbonate boiled and concentrated and mixed with petrolium wax, animal fat, vegetable oils or glycerine will produce a wide variety of soaps. Some act slightly differently to human oils and other debris but all basically break down in water and bond to stuff, making it sticky and clumpy and making it rinse out.

In the sense of the mechanism of action, all shampoos, detergents and soaps are the same. In the sense of exactly how this mechanism is performed they are different. A specialized soap that is less likely to bind to hair, or less likely to strip all of the oils out of hair makes shampoo. Dish detergent is designed to latch on to every bit of oil available so it sucks hair dry, shampoos and some bar soap products are a lot milder and leave some of the oil on the hair so it does not dry it out. Some strip away the debris without removing the oils so they build body.

Although all shampoos work the same mechanically, different ingredients (essential and aestetic) combined with different marketing approaches lead to different personal preferences.

So no, people who pay $2 per ounce of salon shampoo are not automatically being ripped off. It is possible that a similar combination of ingredients is found in a cheaper product but that particular combination may also be exclusive to that brand name.

The same with all such products (dish soap, laundry soap, bar soap). Yes, a bar of Ivory may do just fine if a cup of it is grated into the washing machine and Dial Antibacterial Hand Wash may do an acceptable job on greasy pots and pans.

Personally I find the cost of specialized soaps to be similar enough to warrent using the detergent as designed (that and I really like the way Dawn cleans dishes). Where soaps are concerned, they all do the same thing but when it comes to brand names YMMV.

[Broken Hoe]

shampoos and some bar soap products ...strip away the debris without removing the oils so they build body.What exactly is this "debris"?

[Tastes of Chocolate]

Hair cannot be "sensitive". Hair is simply a mane of dead protein strands, no different that the tip of your fingernail.s.:smack:

Go read WarmNPrickly's link from post 56. If all I wanted was something to strip oils and dirt off my hair, then you are correct. I could use any shampoo, dish soap, Lava soap or the stuff I put in a carpet cleaner. But I've seen my hair when I wash it with hand soap. It gets dry and brittle and frizzy. So what I want is something that cleans my hair and then keeps it from turning into finely spun straw. THAT'S where shampoos differ.

[Broken Hoe]

Go read WarmNPrickly's link from post 56. If all I wanted was something to strip oils and dirt off my hair, then you are correct. I could use any shampoo, dish soap, Lava soap or the stuff I put in a carpet cleaner. But I've seen my hair when I wash it with hand soap. It gets dry and brittle and frizzy. So what I want is something that cleans my hair and then keeps it from turning into finely spun straw. THAT'S where shampoos differ.Sigh. Once again, no one is comparing shampoo with carpet cleaner, or dish soap. We are comparing shampoo with shampoo. :smack:

[mangeorge]

What exactly is this "debris"?
It's french.

[Princhester]

Of course! why would they spend all that money on R&D and not tell people about it?
I think it was a Consumer's Report article I read that found that the big waste in shampoo use was that most people use way too much of the stuff per washing. Same for toothpaste.

1/ Consider spending heaps of money on R&D and telling people that they've done so

2/ Decide to leave out first step and go straight to second.

3/ Profit!

[WarmNPrickly]

And once again, not all shampoos are the same and not everybody's hair is the same. Try washing your hair with baby shampoo for a month.

[Guinastasia]

FWIW, I'm not saying you have to use a fancy, expensive shampoo necessarily. Just that the same TYPE of shampoo might not work for everyone, that's all. Besides, there are plenty of cheap brands that have different varieties (for fine hair, for dry hair, for curly, colored, etc.) That's all. But I like my Pantene, and my Mint Julep shampoos-they both smell heavenly.

And I was under the impression that the OP seemed to be reccomending that we all use just regular dish detergent on our hair. *shudders*


(BTW, what did anyone else think of the cite the OP linked to?)

[Broken Hoe]

...I like my Pantene, and my Mint Julep shampoos-they both smell heavenly. Why don't people understand that all shampoo is just scented detergent?:smack:

[Broken Hoe]

And I was under the impression that the OP seemed to be reccomending that we all use just regular dish detergent on our hair. Please point out where I ever used the word "dish" in my OP.

[Princhester]

Sigh. Once again, no one is comparing shampoo with carpet cleaner, or dish soap. We are comparing shampoo with shampoo. :smack:

Why do you keep hitting yourself in the head?

Bear in mind that all it would take for you to be wrong is three things. Firstly that hair can carry different amounts of sebum (oil) or other substances. Secondly that different amounts of oil or other substances in your hair are notable and people have preferences in that respect. Thirdly that by varying the additives and strength of detergent in a shampoo the amount of sebum and other substances on your hair can be varied.

None of these things sound in the slightest bit implausible to me, and there are a number of posters posting to this thread who sound knowledgeable and are telling you that these three things are true.

You might want to think about this before hitting yourself in the head any more.

[Bridget Burke]

Why don't people understand that all shampoo is just scented detergent?:smack:

By "people"--do you mean "women"?

[Guinastasia]

Why don't people understand that all shampoo is just scented detergent?:smack:


Then what is your point? That all shampoo is the same? That the same type of shampoo should work for everyone? Help me out here.

[Broken Hoe]

Then what is your point? That all shampoo is the same? That the same type of shampoo should work for everyone? Help me out here.You admitted that the reason you prefer your shampoo is due to it's scent. "I like my Pantene, and my Mint Julep shampoos-they both smell heavenly." Hence proving my OP.

[WarmNPrickly]

If your point is that all shampoos are just scented detergent it's right, but not particularly observant. If your point is that all shampoos are the same detergent with different scents it is wrong.

[Saint Cad]

On the shampoo makes a difference side:
My hair is EXTREMELY fine. Those slight additives can make the difference between normal hair and poof head. I also know that with some shampoos (usually the cheaper ones) my hair will be oily by 3:00pm. Others it may take over a day.

[Rick]

Why don't people understand that all shampoo is just scented detergent?:smack:
So back in 1972 ish I was working as a auto mechanic. My hair got dirty and oily. There was a product on the market then called Bright Sides Shampoo. The claim was it had "Optical brighteners" whatever those were.
Anyway this stuff made my hair look great! No matter how dirty it got at work, after a quick shampoo my hair looked like a million bucks. Not greasy at all.
Then I noticed that there were clumps of hair in the drain after every shower. Hey it was the early 1970s and I did not want to be a bald 21 year old.
So I switched shampoos to Head and Shoulders. Now my hair only looks like about $250,000, but it does not fall out in clumps any longer.
So if it is all the same to you Broken Hoe I will stick to what works on my head.

[HongKongFooey]

You admitted that the reason you prefer your shampoo is due to it's scent. "I like my Pantene, and my Mint Julep shampoos-they both smell heavenly." Hence proving my OP.Ah yes, your OP:The only differences are scents and whatever herbal crap they add to make people think their product is superior. But the fact is, all shampoo is pretty much equal. We buy it by the quart at the Dollar store. Why do people who pay $12.99 for a little 8oz bottle of some premium "salon" stuff think they're buying anything better than the dollar store stuff?You asked why people pay more and the answer appears to be they prefer the scent. This is quite unrelated to whether they know or care if it's all 'just' liquid detergent or not. Why did you ask the question if you weren't prepared to accept the answers?

[groman]

Are you saying that the detergents in all shampoos are the same, but there might be differences due to additives? Well yeah, that's probably true. But the detergents could be, and likeky are, in different concentrations.

No, I was saying that the primary purpose of shampoo is not being a detergent at all -- it's a cosmetic with surfactants(that could very well act as detergents if used in a hair cleaning product).

However, I think I am changing my mind. I think if you had severely soiled hair, shampoo would definitely be better than just water, so it certainly qualifies as a cleaning agent for hair. I still don't think that detergent properties of shampoo are what people care about -- they want the stuff that stays behind, like smells, silkiness, etc.

[even sven]

Doesn't Consumer Reports regularly rate Dawn Dish soap as a good shampoo?

I think the big argument here is that there is no meaningful way to back up a shampoo's claims. I can go out and buy a bottle that costs a buck, or a bottle that costs 30 bucks, but there is no meaningful way to tell why I'm paying $29 more for the expensive stuff.

Sure, the ads say all kinds of stuff, but there aren't really a lot of rules regarding cosmetic ads. And it's not like I'd even know what they were talking about if they did use real technical speak. And my hairdresser says stuff, but I know for a fact hairdressers are required to sell a certain amount of hair products and they will probably push the priciest ones.

Even personal experience isn't worth much, since it's a documented fact that people tend to rate expensive things higher.

[Guinastasia]

You admitted that the reason you prefer your shampoo is due to it's scent. "I like my Pantene, and my Mint Julep shampoos-they both smell heavenly." Hence proving my OP.


I didn't say that was my ONLY reason. :rolleyes: The main reason is, they make my hair look good. Even if they were completely unscented, I'd STILL use them.

Pantene gives my hair body, which it desparately needs. I then use a hair gel, Garnier XXL Volume. Then a few times a week, I use the Mint Julep because it's a clarifying, and it gets all the build up of gel and hair-spray out. (The styling products are what makes my hair look good).

I don't know what your hair is like, but I don't have wash and wear hair, like some people do.


even sven, my hairdresser reccommended Pantene, and it's pretty middle of the road, price-wise. Not Suave, but not Paul Mitchell, either. The Mint shampoo is what they use at the salon, and it's only three dollars a bottle-and because it's so concentrated, it lasts a loooooonnnnng time. (You can buy it at Sally's, or you can buy it from the salon. I usually just get it at Sally's on my way home from work.)

My grandfather uses bar soap on his hair (well, when he HAD hair), and you could tell. Ick.

[Mister Rik]

The fourth group are the trivial ingredients which have no function other providing the manufacturer with a marketing gimmick. These are easily identified because the ingredient features strongly in the advertising and the banner label but are usually placed near the end of the list of ingredients because they form a very small part of the formulation. They include a host of natural extracts, proteins and vitamins to name but a few.
Are these the things that are usually hyped as "European!"? Cuz I've always wondered what makes "European" such a popular hype word in personal care products.

[Cardinal]

If I don't use selenium sulfide shampoo, my head starts to itch and I could build a small hill out of the head scrapings/flakings. So it's not all the same.

[Mesquite-oh]

It seems kinda obvious to me, but I can tell the difference between shampoos simply by putting a quarter size dab in my hand, rubbing my hands together, then rubbing it into my head. I am not saying that I can tell the brand, or cheap from expensive, but I can tell that the shampoos are not the same.

Thanks to having females in my house, I have sampled what seems to be an endless parade of shampoos. Some shampoos look and feel thin and watery and some look and feel thick and creamy. Some shampoos feel more slippery, especially after applied to the head. Some shampoos feel different when they are getting rinsed out. Some leave the hair feeling "squeaky clean" (you can feel friction as you rub your hands over your head) while others feel like there is some sort of lubricant on your head, even after spending a long time rinsing it out.

Are the people that believe all shampoos are the same deny that shampoos look different when placed in their hands and feel different when applied? It would seem reasonable that if a shampoo looks and feels different, it is different.

On a personal note, some shampoos that are too thick and slippery make my hair get wavy like Peter Brady's. Some thin and watery shampoos make my hair feel dry and look frizzy. I need a middle of the road shampoo that will let my hair curl so that looks "healthy" and appears clean so it looks like I am doing my hygeine appropriately.

[nd_n8]

What exactly is this "debris"?

The following is a partial list of debris:
Cigarette smoke
Dust particles
Dandruff
Exzema
Seborrhea
Gonorrhea
Rhea Perlman
Soot
Boot
Animal dander
Animal hair
Small animals
Paris Hilton
Dead wood
Drift wood
James Woods
Marco
Polo
Marco
Polo
Dried up sticks and leaves
Slugs
Banana peels
A 6" piece of copper tubing
Fiber from clothing
Fiber from the inside of a trunk
Fiber from Special K
Ray Romano
And built up hair products

[Balthisar]

Oh. And soaps and detergents are two different things. Look it up in the dick if you don't believe me.
Actually I had to look up "dick" to see if it was some other usage that I wasn't aware of, when it occurred to me that you were quasi-abbreviation "dictionary"!

Soaps and detergents aren't of necessity two different things, though. All soaps are detergents. Period. No discussion. That's a fact.

[mangeorge]

1/ Consider spending heaps of money on R&D and telling people that they've done so

2/ Decide to leave out first step and go straight to second.

3/ Profit!
Problem with that is that doing /2 tends to get in the way of /3.

[sinical brit]

Why do people who pay $12.99 for a little 8oz bottle of some premium "salon" stuff think they're buying anything better than the dollar store stuff?


Because we're worth it !


Sorry .....

[Broken Hoe]

my hair looked like a million bucks. Not greasy at all.
Then I noticed that there were clumps of hair in the drain after every shower. Hey it was the early 1970s and I did not want to be a bald 21 year old.
So I switched shampoos to Head and Shoulders. Now my hair only looks like about $250,000, but it does not fall out in clumps any longer. How exactly is the "bad" shampoo affecting a chemical change in your scalp's hair follicles causing hair loss?

[Broken Hoe]

I also know that with some shampoos (usually the cheaper ones) my hair will be oily by 3:00pm. Others it may take over a day.How does the shampoo change the amount of oil your scalp's hair follicles produce and release to the hair shafts?

[Gfactor]

This thread has drifted away from the sort of discussion that could result in a meaningful factual answer. I'm going to close it without prejudice to the opening of a thread seeking a more factual answer in General Questions or a thread similar to this one in MPSIMS.

Gfactor
General Questions Moderator