Herbal Essence 'Naked' Cleansing Conditioner

[endlessly]

About two weeks ago, I had made a trip to Target and as usual, decided to peruse the haircare aisle (a semi-guilty pleasure) to check for new products. I found myself drawn to the new Herbal Essence 'Naked' collection boasting about its "nearly naked formula" (hence the moniker) and in particular, the moisture-rich cleansing conditioner. "Renew your senses with the calming scent of herbal mint fusion. Then let this low lather cleanser go to work, combining the conditioning properties of a nourishing oil while gently cleansing the hair, for touchably soft hair. Naturally this sulfate-free formula is gentle enough for smoothing dry and damaged hair. 0% Paraben/Sulfate/Dyes" Almost sounds too good to be true, doesn't it?

I've never been able to find a cleansing conditioner that actually worked for my tailbone-length hair - they always tend to weigh me down and leave massive amounts of residue behind - so, I've pretty much stuck to a "shampoo, condition, deep condition" cycle. I figured for less than five dollars, this might be something worth giving a try and if all else fails, at least I would know the "cleansing conditioner fad" wasn't for me.

Wow.

My hair has never responded so well to something in my entire life (including the extra spendy salon products I purchased for years on end), so trust me, I was definitely pleasantly surprised! My hair feels soft, very manageable, with loads of volume and shine - plus, it actually feels more moisturized. I love the fact that it's a rich, creamy consistency (no lather) that spreads through my hair like a conditioner would, but none of the greasy residue afterwards. The scent (a strong mix of rosemary and mint) is, you guessed it, very strong, and doesn't fade throughout the day like traditional haircare products do on me. While I was able to get used to the smell, it still takes me back a bit!

Everything seems great with it and I'm not often one to rave about new products...however, I'm not too keen on the ingredient list.

For a new line promoting it's "nearly naked" ingredient list, that's definitely one hefty label with some (in my opinion) scary-sounding ingredients:

Water, Stearyl Alcohol, Cetyl Alcohol, Stearamidopropyl Dimethylamine, Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Extract, Mentha Piperita (Peppermint) Oil, Mentha Arvensis Leaf Oil (Field Mint), Menthol, Fragrance/Parfum, Glutamic Acid, Dimethicone, Phenoxyethanol Benzyl Alcohol, Zinc Pyrithione, Citric Acid, Sodium Chloride, Methylchloroisothiazolinone, Methylisothiazolinone.

Stearyl Alcohol - considered a "fatty alcohol" and often used in shampoos/conditioners as a "hair coating".
Cetyl Alcohol - "fatty alcohol" / used in shampoos as an opacifier (added to make it opaque).
Stearamidopropyl Dimethylamine - a "replacement" of silicone in conditioners that gives slip to the hair and smooths cuticles (sometimes added in place of, sometimes along with silicones), lead surfactant (helps to blend the components of the conditioner, also acts to bind the product to your hair).
Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Extract - Rosemary, can stimulate the skin (scalp) and hair follicles / some claim it to be helpful battling hair loss.
Mentha Piperita (Peppermint) Oil - Peppermint, popularly used in shampoos and skincare products / causes a cooling sensation on the skin.
Mentha Arvensis (Field Mint) Leaf Oil - Field Mint, can be used to help soothe aches and pains / often found as a medicinal ingredient.
Menthol - organic complound obtained from various mint oils (including peppermint) / can reduce itching, minor aches and pains, headaches /
Fragrance/Parfum - Read this article, and it will give you a greater idea of the dangers: http://www.drfranklipman.com/ingredient-intelligence/
Glutamic Acid - non-essential amino acid / acts as a buffer to maintain the acidic pH of the epidermis / often acts as a humectant (draws water to the surface of the skinto keep the area moist) / in conditioners and other hair care products, Glutamic Acid is used as a conditioning agent and also is known to reduce static so hair is kept soft and manageable.
Dimethicone - one of the main silicones used in conditioner / does not evaporate and is not water soluble - can only be removed fully with a sulfate shampoo / forms a film onto the hair in order to smoothe the cuticle and create less friction / considered a permeable water barrier (barrier to water, but does not prevent penetration).
Phenoxyethanol Benzyl Alcohol - bactericide/preservative.
Zinc Pyrithione - antifungal and antibacterial agent / best known for its use in treating dandruff.
Citric Acid - pH adjusting agent / cleaning agent
Sodium Chloride - cleansing agent /
Methylchloroisothiazolinone - a preservative
Methylisothiazolinone - a powerful preservative / responsible for controlling microbial growth in water-containing solutions

I don't know about you, but understanding the ingredient list has definitely made me a little more afraid of this product! While I love how it has made my hair feel now, I can't help but think that this 'feeling' is only a temporary one. It's falsifying my perception of my hair's actual health and in the long run, this might do more harm than good!

Has anyone else used this product or considered using this? What are your thoughts and opinions? Do any of these ingredients trouble you like they do me? I'd love to hear your thoughts!

[ErinLeigh]

I would happily use it if I wasn't currently hiding from cones. I have noticed myself going toward the more natural ingredients when I can, but I still am not freaked out yet by ingredients. I keep telling myself that :)
I don't think this is any worse than anything else out there and it least the list isn't a mile like some products. Sometimes certain products just "work" for my hair so when they do I enjoy the ride. I am happy for you you found something you like for under $5. I love finding a new product. I end up running to makeup alley to read if anyone agrees hehe

[Selkie-]

Doesn't look like a terribly bad list of ingredients to me and the dimethicone is listed pretty far down the list. The peppermint oil sounds lovely. :)

[furnival]

Sounds alright to me apart from the inclusion of dimethicone, which in a sulphate-free cleanser will inevitably lead to build-up with repeated use. Why add silicones to a sulphate-free product when this necessitates the use of sulphates? :confused:

[lapushka]

I ran across this range before. The shampoos seem to have sulfates but no silicones (yaaay) and the conditioners do have cones. It's a great match for me. Just wish they sold them in this country (Belgium) already, which they do not.

[ositarosita]

I have been looking for it since December when they announced the new collection. They have the moisture, volume and I believe there's a third line that has the cleansing conditioner as well. I can't wait to get back to Canada to get my hands on it.

[YamaMaya]

You'd think a cleansing conditioner wouldn't have Dimethicone in it, or cones at all. It seems very heavy and prone to build up after awhile, requiring clarifying. So not for me. I don't like to use cones because of the necessity to use sulphates with them which my scalp doesn't like at all. The ingredients themselves don't sound all that bad, but a bit cheeky considering this is supposed to be a "natural" product :roll:. I'd say it's a good deep conditioner (if you're into cones), but not a product you could use alone.

[Firefox7275]

Many ingredients are not 'one trick ponies'.

Fatty alcohols and cationic surfactants are the basis of any true conditioner, they are emollients (softness, slip) but also act as emulsifiers (mix oil and water) so can gently cleanse. You should not get much deposit from these type of ingredients if you are building up a light lather and rinsing super thoroughly with more massage. The silicone will deposit and may build up.

Don't confuse conditioning/ emollience with moisturising (adding or increasing water).

[shutterpillar]

Hmmm... :hmm: I think I'm going to give this stuff a go as soon as my EverCreme shampoo and conditioner runs out (which should be sometime in the next couple weeks.)

[hypersensitive]

I thought this would be a cheap knock off of Wen since cleansing conditioners seem to be all the craze. However, the inclusion of dimethicone disappoints me. You would probably have to clarify if you use this. (Wen uses cones too, but they at least have the water- soluble kind)

[bunnylake]

Like I've said in other threads before, I used silicone conditioners without sulfates for years and never had build up at all. Silicones are in many shampoos that I've seen. Why not? Just clarify as needed, if needed.
If you like the results you're getting from a product it probably means that it's well formulated for your hair type, your needs and desires. So just enjoy it! A simple hair cleanser is not going to do any damage unless it contains unusually harsh ingredients and you're using it frequently.
After doing so much research on ingredients and what's "good" and what's "bad" I just gave up. I use whatever makes my hair look, feel, and smell good and I don't worry about anything else. :)

[Marette]

The ingredient that worries me is phenoxyethanol, which is talked about in an article in safecosmetics.com and others. Still, I doubt it is such a high concentration as to be bothersome.
That said, this made my fine, thin hair feel wonderful! It wasn't heavy or coated, but soft as silk and moisturized.:joy: It would be my Holy Grail product except for one thing - that awful scent! Reminds me of a man's aftershave that has gone off. :justy:And it doesn't dissipate rapidly like the nicer smelling shampoos and conditioners. If it weren't for that smell, I would be totally in love with it. I am definitely going to use up the bottle and see if I can get used to the scent. Anyone else having this problem?