Biolage Conditioning Balm discontinued... Help!

[millyaulait]

The entire line has been reformulated & revamped. :(

My ultimate, wonderful, fantastic, holy grail conditioner (Hydratherapie conditioning balm) is gone & now I have no idea what to do! Time & time again it has saved my hair & never weighed it down or built up. I can't even find the Sally's GVP version over here in the UK. I have never had much luck with conditioners so I'm really bummed about this. I ordered some from Amazon & the new version arrived even when the older was pictured (I returned it).

I'm so sad, please tell me your most favorite cone-free conditioners? I need a new love & my hair needs rescuing.

[Loviatar]

That sucks! I love the old Biolage. I finished a pot of it last year and meant to get more, but I won't if they just send you the new version.

I've found the following are good substitutes, for me:

Gum double cream conditioner. Californian walnut fragrance apparently. From UK store called Savers, also in some pound shops, TK Maxx, or at gumhair.com

Inecto coconut or argan conditioners. Not as thick as gum or Biolage but still good.

Moroccanoil hair mask, the conefree one. Expensive, but a nice treat now and then.

Natures Gate - I use pomegranate sunflower, but I'm planning on trying some others when this is finished. From the UK health store Revital.

And finally Tresemme Naturals nourishing moisture conditioner.

Such a shame about Biolage though.

[ErinLeigh]

Is this the regular cone free conditioning balm?
I need that conditioner in my life! I need to get to Sally's ASAP and check the GVPs.

I am so sorry you can't find this conditioner. I know first hand how excellent it is. I'm worried for both of us. Any news on why its being discontinued and what the difference was with new formula?

my cone free back ups currently are
Garnier Triple Nutrition (old cone free formula, only have 10oz left! This is another great one that got reformulated)
Terax crema
Renpure I love my body and shine ( has protein though)
EO keratin Coconut and Hibiscus (again has protein)
Burt Bees deep conditioner (its thin so I use it regular)
Dove Dry Oil Care
Trader Joes Tea Tree Tingle
Loreal Eversleek
Acure
Juice Organics PomSmooth
Aveda Rosemary and Mint
Giovanni
Redken has some cone free options. I think All Soft. I will check.
I do hear rave reviews on the Inecto as suggested above.

Honestly though nothing compares to the cone free, protein free Biolage when I want lightweight, well moisturized hair. This is depressing. I have to start researching options ASAP. My backups only work well because I do keep the Biolage in my routine.

EDIT. Amazon still has a lot of the old versions still here in USA so worst case I can stock up a little.
OP maybe look on amazon again, and ask the seller to take a pic of ingredient list and email it to you before purchasing. They have done that for me many times when I was unsure which version of a product I was getting. Good luck! I am so sorry to hear this and I hope you find something you love just as much.

[renia22]

Is this the Biolage balm that has the cult following on here? Oh dear..... :(

[Salmonberry]

So what changed? I literally just bought some today. I went looking here to see if there were any reviews and I found this thread. I liked the results of what I used (a lot in fact) and I want to know if what I used was the new version or the old version.

If it's the old version then I guess I'm out of luck. If it's the new version then I don't have to worry.

[Loviatar]

Can you post your ingredients list please Salmonberry? And a photo of the tube/jar if possible? That way we can tell you which version you have :)

[Salmonberry]

Yes,

The ingredients are:

Water, Propylene Glycol, Myristyl alcohol, Cetearyl alcohol, Cetrimonium Chloride, Decyl oleate, Phenoxyethanol, Fragrance, Methylparaben, Aloe barbadensis leaf juice, Ethylparaben, Limonene, Hexylcinnamai, Coumarin, Citric acid, Passiflora edulis fruit juice, Bibasol (F.I.L. D41728/2)

I have the medium sized (16.9 FL. OZ.) jar. It's mostly white, slightly tapered at the top, and has small black lettering with a little purple aloe plant to the left of the lettering.

If this is what's being discontinued, then I'm going back and buying the big tub today. I passed it up when I was shopping because I didn't want to spend 40+ dollars on something I'd never tried before. I hope it's still there.

[Loviatar]

Ah, it has been re formulated since I used it. There is no goldenseal in the ingredients any more. I had the cylindrical straight pot, without any taper. I'll see if I can get photos.

Ingredients for my old version:

Aqua/Water, Propylene Glycol, Myristyl Alcohol, Cetrimonium Chloride, Cetearyl Alcohol, Decyl Oleate, Phenoxyethanol, Methyl Paraben, Parfum (Fragrance), Propylparaben, Hexyl Cinnamal, Rosmarinus Officinalis/Rosemary Leaf Extract, Hydrastis Canadensis/Golden Seal Extract, Fucus Vesiculosus/Bladderwrack, Metyl-2-Octynoate.

Looking at the ingredients to compare, most of them are still present. Rosemary, goldenseal and bladder wrack are gone, replaced by passion fruit juice, citric acid and aloe Vera. Metyl-2-octynoate is gone, limonene has been put in. But I wonder if the actual conditioning agents are the same.

I'll probably try a tube some day soon and see if it's as good as the old style.

Millyaulait, what was the ingredient list like on your pot/tube, for comparison?

[Salmonberry]

Interesting, I guess what I'm concerned about is their website makes no mention of this product at all. They've got some kind of moisture conditioner and a deep treatment masque of some sort, but no "conditioning balm" mentioned anywhere on the website.

[Kaelee]

Interesting, I guess what I'm concerned about is their website makes no mention of this product at all. They've got some kind of moisture conditioner and a deep treatment masque of some sort, but no "conditioning balm" mentioned anywhere on the website.

I was just wondering the same thing, because I went looking today myself. Did they change the name as well?

[ErinLeigh]

I am going to Sallys this weekend for their Buy one Get one sale. I will look and see if the GVP version is still there and update.

[ExpectoPatronum]

Please do update, ErinLeigh!

While I never used the Biolage version, I adore the GVP version! It's the one conditioner I know I can fall back on and have good results with. I hope they don't change their ingredients. I would be very sad indeed :(

[renia22]

I have a small tube of the old version that I take with me when traveling and I do like it. salmonberry is right, though, no mention of it in the website. I'll have to check Ulta to see what's left.

[renia22]

Just went to Ulta. They had some Moroccan oil shampoo in the old packaging for half price, but everything else was in the new packaging. No conditioning balm, or evidence that it even ever existed :/

[Loviatar]

If we could get the GVP in UK Sally's I would be all over it!

[Kaelee]

The GVP Conditioning Balm is available on Sallys' website still.

A quick look at the Matrix website shows that people are NOT happy with the reformulation. One or two products are still well reviewed, but most of them are full of 1 and 2 star reviews saying THIS IS NOT THE SAME PRODUCT. People. Are. Ticked.

[Salmonberry]

Hopefully the company gets the message. If it ain't broke, don't fix it. I'm going to buy the big tub while I still can. :(

It figures, I find a product that actually saves my hair only to find out that it's just been discontinued.

[renia22]

Does the Sally's version smell like the original?

[Salmonberry]

Hopefully the company gets the message. If it ain't broke, don't fix it. I'm going to buy the big tub while I still can. :(

It figures, I find a product that actually saves my hair only to find out that it's just been discontinued.

Though it would be wise for me to not jump to conclusions. Maybe the new one is better. I guess I shouldn't knock it until I try it. Sometimes it's just hard to deal with change when you're not expecting it.

[Carina]

I will stock up for sure.
Why om earth they change our HG is beyond me.

[Freija]

Hi!

I think I get what's going on - Matrix have reformulated the Biolage balm lots of times, sadly. The version with Goldenseal was one that was discontinued a couple of years ago, and the one that Salmonberry posted - with aloe vera and passion fruit - replaced it. I used the aloe and passionfruit version myself, and found it pretty awesome still, if not as good as the one with goldenseal must have been. It was still a good, rich, silicone and protein-free moisturiser.

The problem now is that Matrix have completely changed their Biolage range - this time, they haven't just reformulated the Hydratherapie conditioning balm that everyone loved, as they have done in the past; they've got rid of it entirely and brought out other products (in particular, this (http://www.matrixhaircare.co.uk/our-products/haircare/biolage/hydrasource/hydrasource-conditioner)) instead. And - don't quote me on it; I can't actually find an ingredients list for the new stuff anywhere - I get the impression that the new conditioner isn't 'cone-free. Can anyone confirm this, maybe, please?


Ah, it has been re formulated since I used it. There is no goldenseal in the ingredients any more. I had the cylindrical straight pot, without any taper. I'll see if I can get photos.

Ingredients for my old version:

Aqua/Water, Propylene Glycol, Myristyl Alcohol, Cetrimonium Chloride, Cetearyl Alcohol, Decyl Oleate, Phenoxyethanol, Methyl Paraben, Parfum (Fragrance), Propylparaben, Hexyl Cinnamal, Rosmarinus Officinalis/Rosemary Leaf Extract, Hydrastis Canadensis/Golden Seal Extract, Fucus Vesiculosus/Bladderwrack, Metyl-2-Octynoate.

Looking at the ingredients to compare, most of them are still present. Rosemary, goldenseal and bladder wrack are gone, replaced by passion fruit juice, citric acid and aloe Vera. Metyl-2-octynoate is gone, limonene has been put in. But I wonder if the actual conditioning agents are the same.

I'll probably try a tube some day soon and see if it's as good as the old style.

Millyaulait, what was the ingredient list like on your pot/tube, for comparison?

[Kaelee]

How strange! The site looks completely different than it did even a few days ago, with different products. The conditioner is in a tube now, and there's only one conditioner. And none of the awful reviews.

[Salmonberry]

How strange! The site looks completely different than it did even a few days ago, with different products. The conditioner is in a tube now, and there's only one conditioner. And none of the awful reviews.

I think there are two different websites. One is the UK website and the other isn't.

[Freija]

I think there are two different websites. One is the UK website and the other isn't.

Yep! This is the page for the same product I linked to, but the US website: http://biolage.matrix.com/core/hydrasource/hydrasource-conditioner

[renia22]

The volumizing shampoo reformulation is getting terrible reviews. I used to like that one. People are saying it now makes their hair flat & coated, which would make sense since they now put dimethicone in it. WTH :/

[renia22]

So ulta.com has the ingredient list for the new hydrasource mask, which looks to be the replacement (the word replacement just got autocorrected to "repla enemy" on my phone
....hmmmmm...) for the conditioning balm. This is the ingredient list:

Aqua / Water / Eau, Cetearyl Alcohol, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil / Sunflower Seed Oil, Behentrimonium Chloride, Cetyl Esters, Stearamidopropyl Dimethylamine, Glycerin, Quaternium-87, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Isopropyl Alcohol, Parfum / Fragrance, Candelilla Cera / Candelilla Wax / Cire De Candelilla, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Propylene Glycol, Benzoic Acid, Citric Acid, Aloe Barbadensis / Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Limonene, Hexyl Cinnamal, Coumarin, Linalool, Butylphenyl Methylpropional, Benzyl Alcohol, Hydroxycitronellal, Amyl Cinnamal, Sodium Hydroxide.

So far it's not getting good reviews. I emailed Matrix and asked why they would discontinue the conditioning balm. If they answer me, I'll let you guys know. I'm sorry you guys in the UK can't get the Sally's GVP version.

ErinLeigh, if you are reading, I can't pm you because your mailbox is full, but I did end up going to Sally's and getting the GVP version of the Biolage Hydrating shampoo and conditioning balm, and I do like it as much as I thought I did, it's not just panic over it getting discontined. I'll have to go get a back up and email them as well, to see what their future plans are for these products. :/

[ErinLeigh]

Ah, it has been re formulated since I used it. There is no goldenseal in the ingredients any more. I had the cylindrical straight pot, without any taper. I'll see if I can get photos.

Ingredients for my old version:

Aqua/Water, Propylene Glycol, Myristyl Alcohol, Cetrimonium Chloride, Cetearyl Alcohol, Decyl Oleate, Phenoxyethanol, Methyl Paraben, Parfum (Fragrance), Propylparaben, Hexyl Cinnamal, Rosmarinus Officinalis/Rosemary Leaf Extract, Hydrastis Canadensis/Golden Seal Extract, Fucus Vesiculosus/Bladderwrack, Metyl-2-Octynoate.

Looking at the ingredients to compare, most of them are still present. Rosemary, goldenseal and bladder wrack are gone, replaced by passion fruit juice, citric acid and aloe Vera. Metyl-2-octynoate is gone, limonene has been put in. But I wonder if the actual conditioning agents are the same.

I'll probably try a tube some day soon and see if it's as good as the old style.

Millyaulait, what was the ingredient list like on your pot/tube, for comparison?

My GVP version is the golden seal ingredient mix. It says on bottle Formula as of 2010. Odd

[ErinLeigh]

So ulta.com has the ingredient list for the new hydrasource mask, which looks to be the replacement (the word replacement just got autocorrected to "repla enemy" on my phone
....hmmmmm...) for the conditioning balm. This is the ingredient list:

Aqua / Water / Eau, Cetearyl Alcohol, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil / Sunflower Seed Oil, Behentrimonium Chloride, Cetyl Esters, Stearamidopropyl Dimethylamine, Glycerin, Quaternium-87, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Isopropyl Alcohol, Parfum / Fragrance, Candelilla Cera / Candelilla Wax / Cire De Candelilla, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Propylene Glycol, Benzoic Acid, Citric Acid, Aloe Barbadensis / Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Limonene, Hexyl Cinnamal, Coumarin, Linalool, Butylphenyl Methylpropional, Benzyl Alcohol, Hydroxycitronellal, Amyl Cinnamal, Sodium Hydroxide.

So far it's not getting good reviews. I emailed Matrix and asked why they would discontinue the conditioning balm. If they answer me, I'll let you guys know. I'm sorry you guys in the UK can't get the Sally's GVP version.

ErinLeigh, if you are reading, I can't pm you because your mailbox is full, but I did end up going to Sally's and getting the GVP version of the Biolage Hydrating shampoo and conditioning balm, and I do like it as much as I thought I did, it's not just panic over it getting discontined. I'll have to go get a back up and email them as well, to see what their future plans are for these products. :/

Thank you for update. Was wondering if you got it. I need to check my inbox to see why its full.
Which ingredient list is on you GVP bottle? Does it have the Goldenseal in it?
The new formula you posted looks pk so I would be interested to try it when they unveil it. It kind of reminds me of the Eversleek. I am glad I wont have to choose if Sallys keeps the GVP as is. The one with the Goldenseal is the only one I ever used, I thought that WAS the newer formula. lol I swear my real Biolage had goldenseal too. I buy off Amazon so maybe it was an old tube.

[Freija]

EDIT: Massive post, sorry, but I really think - after comparing lots of ingredients lists - that I've worked it out now. Hopefully this will help explain what has been going on, and which of the new products may or may not work.


The Sally's GVP range don't tend to get updated when the original product (e.g. Biolage) is reformulated. So far there has only ever been one formulation of GVP balm - based on the original, popular, 2010 formulation of Biolage (the one with goldenseal). So as long as Sally's don't actually plan to discontinue their GVP knockoff balm - I'd say you're safe. : )

The sad thing is for people outside of the US, as the GVP range isn't available there (even the UK Sally's shops don't carry it)...


Thank you for update. Was wondering if you got it. I need to check my inbox to see why its full.
Which ingredient list is on you GVP bottle? Does it have the Goldenseal in it?
The new formula you posted looks pretty good so I would be interested to try it when they unveil it.

The new formula which Renia22 posted (thank you!) actually looks to be the replacement for this (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Immersion-Matrix-Biolage-Hydratherapie-Masque/dp/B00GUAJPIC). That one - the one I'm linking you to - was marketed as the deep conditioning mask in the old, original Biolage line. You can see the ingredients list on the page it takes you to; it wasn't a bad product and it didn't have silicone or protein (I used a tub of it a year or so ago), but it did build up - and it just wasn't the same as the normal Biolage conditioning balm that has such a strong following here.

Essentially, there were three main conditioning products in the original Biolage line:

- the 'Aqua Immersion Mask', which I've linked you to above, and which has now been replaced by this (http://www.ulta.com/ulta/browse/productDetail.jsp?productId=xlsImpprod6490124) (the new ingredients are as posted by Renia22);

- the 'Ultra Hydrating Conditioning Balm (http://www.amazon.com/Matrix-Biolage-Ultra-Hydrating-Balm-16-9/dp/B000P1JSS4)' - which used to have amodimethicone and silk protein, and was therefore a no-go for most people. That one has been replaced by this (http://www.ulta.com/ulta/browse/productDetail.jsp?productId=xlsImpprod10141018) now... and actually... in the new formulation of the Ultra conditioner, the protein and silicone is gone, there are some good oils, and it doesn't look like a bad product (minus the isopropyl alcohol):

Aqua / Water / Eau, Cetearyl Alcohol, Elaeis Guineensis Oil / Palm Oil, Behentrimonium Chloride, Glycerin, Parfum / Fragrance, Isopropyl Alcohol, Stearamidopropyl Dimethylamine, Aloe Barbadensis / Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil / Apricot Kernel Oil, Theobroma Grandiflorum / Theobroma Grandiflorum Seed Butter, Limonene, Citric Acid, Chlorhexidine Dihydrochloride, Hexyl Cinnamal, Coumarin, Linalool, Butylphenyl Methylpropional, Benzyl Alcohol, Hydroxycitronellal, Amyl Cinnamal.

- and the ordinary 'Matrix Biolage Hydrating Conditioning Balm'; the 'Biolage balm' that was HG for so many people on the LHC; the one that used to be a fantastic moisturiser with no silicone or protein. This (http://www.ulta.com/ulta/browse/productDetail.jsp?productId=xlsImpprod6490116), the regular ' Matrix Biolage Hydrasource Conditioner', is the product in the new Hydrasource range which has replaced it, and these are the new ingredients:

Aqua / Water / Eau, Propylene Glycol, Myristyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetrimonium Chloride, Decyl Oleate, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum / Fragrance, Methylparaben, Aloe Barbadensis / Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Ethylparaben, Limonene, Hexyl Cinnamal, Coumarin, Linalool, Citric Acid, Passiflora Edulis Fruit Juice, Bisabolol.

... which actually...

...look exactly like the old Biolage conditioning balm ingredients, after it was reformulated and lost the goldenseal, bladderwrack and rosemary, but gained aloe and passiflora (from Salmonberry's post earlier in the thread):

Water, Propylene Glycol, Myristyl alcohol, Cetearyl alcohol, Cetrimonium Chloride, Decyl oleate, Phenoxyethanol, Fragrance, Methylparaben, Aloe barbadensis leaf juice, Ethylparaben, Limonene, Hexylcinnamal, Coumarin, Citric acid, Passiflora edulis fruit juice, Bibasol (F.I.L. D41728/2)


It may well be that the quantities and proportions have changed; I can't comment on that without actually trying some of the new conditioner myself. But if you've been using the 'old' Biolage balm recently, and liked the formulation after the goldenseal etc. was taken out, then I'd say that I was wrong - that there's a really good chance that you could be happy with this one, too. : )

[renia22]

Thank you for update. Was wondering if you got it. I need to check my inbox to see why its full.
Which ingredient list is on you GVP bottle? Does it have the Goldenseal in it?
The new formula you posted looks pk so I would be interested to try it when they unveil it. It kind of reminds me of the Eversleek. I am glad I wont have to choose if Sallys keeps the GVP as is. The one with the Goldenseal is the only one I ever used, I thought that WAS the newer formula. lol I swear my real Biolage had goldenseal too. I buy off Amazon so maybe it was an old tube.

LOL, yes, I couldn't resist :). The GVP balm I bought the other day has the goldenseal:

Water (Aqua), Propylene Glycol, Myristyl Alcohol, Cetrimonium Chloride, Cetearyl Alcohol, Decyl Oleate, Phenoxyethanol, Fragrance (Parfum), Methylparaben, Propylparaben, Hexyl Cinnamal, Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Extract, Hydrastis Canadensis (Golden Seal) Extract, Fucus Vesiculosus (Bladderwack) Extract, Methyl-2-Octynoate

You know, I like it better than the latest updated Biolage balm that I still have. If the GVP is modeled to be like the old (original-old) Biolage balm, then I'm with the folks who say that one was better. Although I've been using Biolage on & off since it first came out in 1990 (I remember falling in love with scent!), but don't know that I ever paid attention to ingredients until recent years, so I have no reference point for older Biolage formulations that I liked. You were right, Erinleigh, about the texture, it does melt in and rinse out nicely, and leaves my fine hair moisturized but not weighed down.

Freija-thank you for posting info on the various formulas, that is very helpful. I looked at the Hydrasource conditioner ingredients last night and thought it didn't look too bad. Next time I get a good Ulta coupon, I just might try it. Ulta does have the newest updated formulas, if anyone is interested in trying those.

[Loviatar]

Sally's UK used to do GVP. That's how I managed to try it. I wish they still did! Their knockoff Biolage is hands down the best conditioner I've ever used.

[Freija]

Oh... I didn't know that! I've never seen it on their website, and I only have a smallish Sally's at home.

...Mass customer campaign to bring it back? : p


Sally's UK used to do GVP. That's how I managed to try it. I wish they still did! Their knockoff Biolage is hands down the best conditioner I've ever used.

[renia22]

Sally's UK used to do GVP. That's how I managed to try it. I wish they still did! Their knockoff Biolage is hands down the best conditioner I've ever used.

Did UK Sally's ever give a reason why? Was it a distributor problem or something? It's a highly rated item, that's strange they stopped carrying it. That stinks :(

I used the newer, recently discontinued Matrix Biolage version today, and I definitely like the Sally's GVP better. It detangles better, leaves my hair shinier, yet with more body. Some ratings say the GVP doesn't smell like Biolage, but I think it's the latest Matrix Biolage balm that changed and doesn't really smell like Biolage. Sally's GVP smells like the original 90s Biolage.

Freija-thank you for clearing up what's what with the different formulas. I almost spent $20 on an 8 ounce tube of the Matrix balm yesterday, but since it's the original=Sally's dupe that I like, I went back and bought a bunch of things at Sally's today, including 2 more 16 ounces balms, 2 shampoos, a shine spray and a lotion for $32.50. More bang for the buck :)