Glycerin problems at high humidity

[florenonite]

I did a search, but most of what I found discussing humidity with humectants like glycerin was cautioning against using them with low humidity. That's, uh, not an issue here in Soggy Scotland. It's rarely hot here, but at this time of year, at least, the dew point seems to be pretty consistently in the high single digits or low teens which, I've read, is the 'sweet spot' for humectants.

And I think it's what's making my hair so gross.

Bit of background: For a while now, I couldn't say how long (few years?), I've had issues with my scalp getting cleaned just fine but my length being really gross and stringy. It's not a question of needing to clarify, or failing to wash properly. I've triedcones, no cones, shampoo bars, shampoo only, cutting my hair, and the only thing that's worked consistently is Head & Shoulders 2-in-1 (yeah, it has to be 2-in-1, for some reason).

For various reasons, I'm not entirely happy with using the H&S 2-in-1. I stuck with it for months because I was glad to have hair that didn't look like it belonged in a chippy, but a few weeks ago I decided to try discrete shampoo and conditioner again. My hair was really soft and shiny for a few days, but since then it's been pretty much disastrous. I read a post here that suggested overdosing on glycerin could cause symptoms like I'd been describing, so I checked my shampoo and conditioner bottles and, sure enough, the only one that doesn't contain glycerin is the Head & Shoulders. Next I tried a shampoo bar I had lying around, not realising that those, too, contain glycerin. It was even more disastrous than the shampoo, so yesterday I jumped in the shower and slathered my hair in H&S. And the angels sang. My hair is clean!

I've done a bit of searching, and so far the only reasonably-priced cone-free and glycerin-free products I've found are the Sainsbury's Basics shampoo (http://www.sainsburys.co.uk/shop/gb/groceries/shampoo-conditioner/sainsburys-shampoo--basics-1l) and conditioner (http://www.sainsburys.co.uk/shop/gb/groceries/shampoo-conditioner/sainsburys-conditioner--basics-1l) (I'm willing to spend a bit more than 87 p/L, but all the slightly more expensive ones had glycerin in them).

tl;dr: Has anyone else experienced this problem and, if so, do you have recommendations for inexpensive cone- and glycerin-free shampoo and conditioner in the UK? TIA

[Wildcat Diva]

Living in a high humidity environment, I'll be watching this thread.

[Charybdis]

What are your hair's feelings on aloe? I'm not sure when this review (http://curly2kinky.com/products/reviews/) was posted, but TRESemme Naturals Nourishing Moisture Conditioner appears to be glycerin-free, unless they have changed their formula. It does, however, have aloe.

My hair loves a good humectant when in a moist climate, so I can't draw on personal experience for recommendations, I'm afraid.

[florenonite]

I'm not sure what my hair's like with aloe. I do remember using Superdrug's aloe shampoo five or six years ago (along with their yummy-smelling jojoba conditioner), though they seem to have totally revamped their line so I can't have a look and see how much aloe was actually in it. I have a tube of AVG in my cabinet, though, so I can try it out and if my hair seems to like it I'll give that conditioner a go :)

[ErinLeigh]

Not sure if the ingredients or availability is same in UK but you can check. Here are a few I noticed in my bathroom.

Renpure I love my body and shine conditioner
Water (Aqua), Cetearyl Alcohol, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Chamomilla Recutita (Matricaria) Flower Extract, Camellia Sinensis (Green Tea) Leaf Extract, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Panthenol, Tocopherol Acetate, Limnanthes Alba (Meadowfoam) Seed Oil, PEG-100 Stearate, Dicetyldimonium Chloride, Cetrimonium Chloride, Glyceryl Stearate, Stearalkonium Chloride, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Citric Acid, Diazolidinyl Urea, Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate, Fragrance (Parfum)

Dove Pure Care Dry Oil Conditioner
WATER (AQUA), CETEARYL ALCOHOL, HYDROGENATED COCONUT OIL, STEARAMIDOPROPYL DIMETHYLAMINE, FRAGRANCE (PARFUM), BEHENTRIMONIUM CHLORIDE, DIPROPYLENE GLYCOL, POTASSIUM CHLORIDE, LACTIC ACID, DISODIUM EDTA, DMDM HYDANTOIN, PRUNUS AMYGDALUS DULCIS (SWEET ALMOND) OIL, MACADAMIA TERNIFOLIA SEED OIL, METHYLCHLOROISOTHIAZOLINONE, METHYLISOTHIAZOLINONE.

Dove Pure Care Dry Oil Shampoo
WATER (AQUA), SODIUM LAURETH SULFATE, COCAMIDOPROPYL BETAINE, SODIUM CHLORIDE, FRAGRANCE (PARFUM), POLYQUATERNIUM-10, COCETH-7, PPG-1-PEG-9 LAURYL GLYCOL ETHER, PROPYLENE GLYCOL, PEG-40 HYDROGENATED CASTOR OIL, CITRIC ACID, DMDM HYDANTOIN, TETRASODIUM EDTA, HYDROGENATED COCONUT OIL, PRUNUS AMYGDALUS DULCIS (SWEET ALMOND) OIL, MACADAMIA TERNIFOLIA SEED OIL, PPG-9, METHYLCHLOROISOTHIAZOLINONE, METHYLISOTHIAZOLINONE, YELLOW 5 (CI 19140), RED 33 (CI 17200), BLUE 1 (CI 42090).

Terax Crema Conditioner
Deionized water, cetearyl alcohol, steartrimonium chloride, triethanolamine, isopropyl alcohol, centrimonium chloride, lauryl alcohol, fragrance, hydrogenated tallow glycerides, ceteareth-3, myristyl alcohol

L`Oreal Paris EverSleek Humidity Defying Leave-In Creme
Aqua (Water) , Stearyl Alcohol , Glyceryl Stearate SE , Glycerin , Cetyl Esters , Inulin , Caprylic , Capric Triglyceride , Dicaprylyl Ether , Parfum , Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil (Sunflower Seed Oil) , Simmondsia Chinensis Oil (Jojoba Seed Oil) , Hydroxypropyl Guar , Sodium Benzoate , Caprylyl Glycol , Xanthan Gum , Olea Europaea Oil (Olive Fruit Oil) , Citric Acid , Ethylhexyl Palmitate , Argania Spinosa Oil (Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil) , Hexyl Cinnamal , Linalool , Tocopherol , Benzyl Alcohol , Citronellol , Coumarin , Geraniol

[ErinLeigh]

I cannot edit...but I forgot my favorite.
Curl Junkie Daily Fix. Cleanses and conditions all in one. Even has chelator in there. I am in love with this one. IT is a cleansing conditioner but with a sulfate free cleanser Cocamidopropyl Betaine, so hair truly gets clean. IT is a little more expensive but a bottle lasts a long time. IT can be diluted without issue, and it works for S & C.

Water, Cetyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Cetrimonium Chloride, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, PEG -7 Olivate, Guar Hydroxypropytrimonium Chloride, Tetrasodium EDTA, Hydrolyzed Oat Flour, Mentha Piperita (Pepperment) Leaf Extract, Matricaria Recuitita (Chamomile) Flower Extract, Yucca Leaf Extract, Urtica Dioica (Nettle) Leaf Extract, Melissa Officinalis (Melissa) Leaf Extract, Polysorbate 60, Equisetum Arvense (Horsetail) Leaf Extract, Tocopheryl Acetate, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Fragrance.

[Jumper]

Not sure if you can get it over there, but I'm pretty sure Yes To Carrots conditioner is glycerin and cone free.

[sourgrl]

My hair hates glycerin in all humidity/dew points and is not fond of humectants in general, especially in conditioners and products. I use Giovanni Smooth as Silk shampoo (newer formula) and Dermorganics Deep Conditioning Masque as a rinse out. Not sure if they are available in your area. As with anything else what works for one does not work for all but trying a humectant free routine is worth a try :-)

[ErinLeigh]

I live in very high humid area. Typical day can be past the sweet spot dew point of 65. I do like humectants in my routine but I think I will have to be more careful as the humidity rises.
Glycerin can leave hair feeling tacky and weighed down when its too high.
I have a bottle of vegetable glycerin and it naturally is a bit sticky OP so I can see how it can be possible it adds to hair woes leaving a sticky texture from certain products.

I guess for me humectants can be bad in very high humidity since my hair is porous. It already takes in enough atmospheric moisture, I really shouldn't encourage more as I hear it will make hair swell too much leading to breakage. My favorite leave in has glycerin but I am hoping the high amount of coconut oil also in it cancels out the effect. So far so good but it is on my mind.
Does anyone know for sure if occlusives such as oils and butters will override the humectant effect? I also add Panacea after using the leave in.

This is my first summer paying attention to these things so I will report on any effects I notice while using it.

[sourgrl]

ErinLeigh, if I recall oils and butters are considered ant-humectants and can cancel out humectants when used together. I can't recall specifics but googling "anti humectants" should help answer your questions :)

[florenonite]

Thanks everyone for the replies ^_^

ErinLeigh: We do get Dove here, but I had a look on a couple of sites and they don't seem to have that particular S&C line (there was a similar one, a "Nourishing Oil", but it was full of glycerin AND cones D; ). I'll keep an eye out in stores, though.

sourgrl: I've also found Giovanni here, though again their products seem different. I'll have a look round at their ingredients, though; their 'Ultra-sleek' line might be similar to Smooth as Silk. ETA: Actually, I found the Smooth as Silk on their website. Kind of pricy, though :/