Bamboo charcoal for hair?

[pailin]

I have been seeing some shampoos, soaps, and face cleansers with this in it. Apparently it's supposed to 'detoxify'. I'm curious - anyone have any experience with this in a shampoo? What type of hair is supposed to benefit from this?

[Arctic]

The term detoxify is really unscientific. Especially when it comes to dead fibres we call hair.

Other than that, I have no idea, I haven't seen such products here. I did buy a blow drying brush (vented) that was made of charcoal, it's supposed to help with static and what have you.

[Anje]

Well, it'll act like any other form of activated carbon.... You know, the stuff you put in fish tanks to help keep them clean, and the stuff they put in people's stomachs before they get their stomachs pumped. It reacts with a lot of stuff.

I question the assumption that the average person on a normal day has toxins in their hair that need to be removed. However, it does seem like it might be a product that's useful for people having problems with smelly hair due to cigarette smoke, work frying foods, onion-based hair treatments..... ;)

[Arctic]

oooh, the dreaded onions! If these products would help with that, we could make many desparate people very happy by sharing that knowledge!

[missrandie]

Oooh.... deodorizer! Lord knows that Subway restaurant workers everywhere could use this to get the bread smell out!

[Anje]

Someone who works in an environment that makes their hair smell, please tell us if this works! I'm just speculating that it might.

[pailin]

I'm actually always a bit leery of 'detoxify' because the word is so overused here. But still, sometimes these things are just gimmicks, and sometimes they turn out to be great. But maybe this is what I needed back when I worked in food service as a college student (cleaning the deep- fryers, anyone?)
Also, I have dark-blond hair, so it's not as easily discoloured as lighter blond, but lots of things make it look dull and grayish, so I don't want to try something black in it unless I know it's going to wash out completely.

[Arctic]

Silly me, I didn't realize the products are black :P That would be a bit off putting. Maybe they stain bathroom surfaces too?

Interesting concept though, I wonder do we actually not have them in Finland, or have I just not seen them (which wouldn't be surprise, I tend to buy few favourite products without much looking around).

If someone tries them, let us know!

[pailin]

Well, I would assume it's an Asia thing- but I've seen it at Boots here too, I think. And I don't know how their product lines compare to Boots in western countries.
I'd be tempted to try it out of curiosity (for the sake of science of course ;) ) if it weren't for the color thing.

[missrandie]

Hahahaha *puts on goggles* for science!

[pailin]

I may have an answer for my own question. And I'm definitely not trying it, even for science!

This evening I stopped by the shop where I usually buy my soap (handmade, no perfume; makes my skin not itch with showering). And I noticed they also carried a bamboo charcoal soap, so it seemed a good time to ask if they might know about bamboo charcoal in shampoo (I forgot to ask about it in the soap actually).

I'm taking this with a big grain of salt, since whether it's correct depends upon a)if she knew what she was talking about and b) if I understood her correctly, given that it was all conducted in a second language.

The answer was: people who can't tolerate chemical dyes, or would rather not use them, use it to help cover gray in their [black] hair.

[ladycaladium]

I see bamboo charcoal soap all the time, but I've never tried it. There are also some shampoos.


Oh, and burgers - yes, the black whopper is a thing at BK and then McDonald's released their own version...

[pailin]

Oh, and burgers - yes, the black whopper is a thing at BK and then McDonald's released their own version...
Oh, I think I've seen pictures of that! Not sure if I've seen it actually offered here though.

[ladycaladium]

I think it's a Japan only thing. Haven't tried it. My friend said it wasn't anything special.

We don't have Boots here. If I try any soap, I'll let you know.

[lapushka]

You have African Black Soap as well, which is a black goo if you wash with it too.