# Why do shampoos have vitamins in them?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-shampoos-have-vitamins-in-them/315721
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [August 5, 2005, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-shampoos-have-vitamins-in-them/315721 "2005-08-05T15:16:09Z")
**Posts on this page:** 7
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Thin\_Lizzy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thin_Lizzy)
#### Post date: [August 5, 2005, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-shampoos-have-vitamins-in-them/315721/1 "2005-08-05T15:16:09Z")
Since hair is dead, what use can the hair make of vitamins in the shampoo?
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### Author:  [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapioca_Dextrin)
#### Post date: [August 5, 2005, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-shampoos-have-vitamins-in-them/315721/2 "2005-08-05T15:20:22Z")
The reason is to add _perceived_ value. Add $0.01 worth of vitamins and you increase the selling price by $0.50.
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### Author:  [@Thin\_Lizzy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thin_Lizzy)
#### Post date: [August 5, 2005, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-shampoos-have-vitamins-in-them/315721/3 "2005-08-05T15:35:56Z")
In other words, its BULLSHIT! 😃
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### Author:  [@Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bippy_the_Beardless)
#### Post date: [August 5, 2005, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-shampoos-have-vitamins-in-them/315721/4 "2005-08-05T16:43:36Z")
> [@Thin Lizzy](#):
>
> In other words, its BULLSHIT! 😃
No, bullshit is real-poo 😉
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### Author:  [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)
#### Post date: [August 5, 2005, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-shampoos-have-vitamins-in-them/315721/5 "2005-08-05T17:53:42Z")
Consumer Reports studied this for an article in their January 2004 issue. It’s not online, but a summary can found [here](http://couponing.about.com/cs/beautyproducts/a/shampingred.htm).
> [@](#):
>
> Vitamins and provitamins
> Offer no advantage to hair care or hair problems.
Some shampoos were better than others, though:
[http://couponing.about.com/cs/beautyproducts/tp/top10shamp.htm](http://couponing.about.com/cs/beautyproducts/tp/top10shamp.htm)
> [@](#):
>
> Shampoo is shampoo is shampoo. Regardless of the brand you choose, one thing is certain, your hair will be cleaner after using it. According to a Consumer Reports study of 1700 ponytails, there are some brands that produced slightly more effective results in select categories. The good news is none of the top picks are expensive salon brands.
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### Author:  [@Excalibre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Excalibre)
#### Post date: [August 5, 2005, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-shampoos-have-vitamins-in-them/315721/6 "2005-08-05T18:52:38Z")
> [@Thin Lizzy](#):
>
> In other words, its BULLSHIT! 😃
Along with plant extracts, essential oils, and all the other nonsense they advertise the hell out of. That stuff won’t do the hair any good - as you said, it’s dead tissue. And large molecules like these can’t penetrate the skin, so they won’t ever even come close to living cells. Further, they’re usually added in such miniscule quantities that they couldn’t possibly help anyway.
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### Author:  [@spingears](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spingears)
#### Post date: [August 5, 2005, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-shampoos-have-vitamins-in-them/315721/7 "2005-08-05T23:15:16Z")
**It’s advertising hype, BS, pure and simple!**