My shampoo and conditioner were Discontinued! What made them so good?

[Sunny]

As a wavy with more or less fine hair, I am prone to frizz. My hair is also tangle- and clump-prone even on the cleanest and driest days. It's definitely more troublesome in humid weather, and results in even more tangles.

Some years ago I stumbled on Tresemmé's Climate Protection line. It sounded promising, so I tried it and was promptly hooked. Even with just the conditioner there was a noticeable difference. It was smoother and stayed more controlled until I washed again. I've used both for years and my hair and scalp have been happy and consistent. When I try something different I can always tell (the frizz is more and the tangles constant) and am not pleased with the result.

Unfortunately Tresemmé discontinued the line a couple years ago. I go through bottles very slowly, using only a small amount once a week. I didn't realize it was discontinued until my store had empty shelves. I searched around and stockpiled only two sets. I'm in my last set and already starting to worry about what to do when they're empty.

I'm not super experienced in reading ingredient lists. I could really use help in understanding what makes these formulations so effective. I'm hoping I can find a substitute that is similar down the road, and that doesn't leave me with a bunch of bottles I'd never be able to use up.

Shampoo:
Water, sodium laureth sulfate, dimethiconol and tea-dodecylbenzenesulfonate, cocamidopropyl betaine, perfume, sodium chloride, carbomer, glycol distearate, guar hydroxypropyltrimonium chloride, mica & titanium dioxide, disodium EDTA, DMDM hydantoin, lysine hydrochloride, panthenol, hydrolyzed keratin, ethylhexyl methoxycinnamate, olive fruit oil, methylcholoroisothiazolinone and methylisothiazolinone, sodium hydroxide.

Conditioner:
Water, Cetearyl Alcohol, Dimethicone and Amodimethicone and PEG-7 PropylHeptyl Ether and Cetrimonium Chloride, Behentrimonium Chloride, Perfume, Stearamidopropyl Dimethylamine, Methyl Paraben, Disodium EDTA, Lactic Acid, Lysine Hydrochloride, Panthenol, Hydrolyzed Keratin, Ethyl Hexyl Methoxy Cinnamate, Olea Europaea (Olive) Fruit Oil, Methylchloroisothiazolinone, Methylisothiazolinone

[Lady Stardust]

As far as I can see, they don’t have glycerin in (unless it’s an ingredient written in a way that I’m not recognising!). That could be why it keeps frizz at bay.

They have panthenol in, and I’ve found that I like products with panthenol, but I have no idea whether that has an effect on frizz.

[Finda]

Aww, it sucks to find a substitute for discontinued haircare. I'd generally look for shampoos and conditioners that have the first ingredients in common. The conditioner seems to be very silicone heavy, so I'd go for something with dimethicone and amodimethicone. And centromonium and behentrimonium chloride are cationic surfectants that help in combination with the ceterayl alcohol to also smooth the surface of the hair.

[Sunny]

As far as I can see, they don’t have glycerin in (unless it’s an ingredient written in a way that I’m not recognising!). That could be why it keeps frizz at bay.

They have panthenol in, and I’ve found that I like products with panthenol, but I have no idea whether that has an effect on frizz.

Interesting, I'd never heard of the effect glycerin has! And I'm not familiar with panthenol, either, but I will look up them both and see if I can find more info.


Aww, it sucks to find a substitute for discontinued haircare. I'd generally look for shampoos and conditioners that have the first ingredients in common. The conditioner seems to be very silicone heavy, so I'd go for something with dimethicone and amodimethicone. And centromonium and behentrimonium chloride are cationic surfectants that help in combination with the ceterayl alcohol to also smooth the surface of the hair.

Right? It's a real bummer! Thank you so much for identifying some of the key ingredients. It completely makes sense that it's silicone heavy; when I went cone-free (briefly and long ago) my hair threw an absolute FIT. It's so much happier with lots of smoothing.

[foreveryours]

Interesting, I'd never heard of the effect glycerin has! And I'm not familiar with panthenol, either, but I will look up them both and see if I can find more info.



Right? It's a real bummer! Thank you so much for identifying some of the key ingredients. It completely makes sense that it's silicone heavy; when I went cone-free (briefly and long ago) my hair threw an absolute FIT. It's so much happier with lots of smoothing.

When reading, anything listed beyond perfume/fragance are very minor constituents probably with no real effect, so focus on the set prior.

[lapushka]

Maybe check what Tresemmé as a brand have this substituted with? Maybe, I mean who knows right, it's even better than this. The Keratin smooth line, maybe? But it's a big gamble every time. Oh well, discarded shampoos make good foot baths or body washes even!

I know far too little about formulations to contribute there.

I would, however, steer clear, of a volume line as usually that's the opposite of frizz. So at least, that's out already.

[lapushka]

Just stumbled upon this one, this may be a good conditioner:
https://www.amazon.com/TRESemm%C3%A9-Conditioner-Smooth-Silky-28/dp/B00TBJSR3I

So that would be at least one part of the issue. If, you haven't tried that one already.

[paulownia]

Both shampoo and conditioner contain lysine, maybe that's the key agent here? Its an amino acid.
My guess is also on lactic acid in the conditioner, it works great for smoothing the cuticles;)
Anyway, good luck in finding the substitutes;)

[SandyBottom]

Both shampoo and conditioner contain lysine, maybe that's the key agent here? Its an amino acid.
My guess is also on lactic acid in the conditioner, it works great for smoothing the cuticles;)
Anyway, good luck in finding the substitutes;)

Huh...that sounds right about the lactic acid. I used to put yogurt in my hair mask and that's what it did for me.

[Sunny]

When reading, anything listed beyond perfume/fragance are very minor constituents probably with no real effect, so focus on the set prior.

That's a great rule of thumb, thanks!


Maybe check what Tresemmé as a brand have this substituted with? Maybe, I mean who knows right, it's even better than this. The Keratin smooth line, maybe? But it's a big gamble every time. Oh well, discarded shampoos make good foot baths or body washes even!

I know far too little about formulations to contribute there.

I would, however, steer clear, of a volume line as usually that's the opposite of frizz. So at least, that's out already.


Just stumbled upon this one, this may be a good conditioner:
https://www.amazon.com/TRESemm%C3%A9-Conditioner-Smooth-Silky-28/dp/B00TBJSR3I

So that would be at least one part of the issue. If, you haven't tried that one already.

I did look quite a bit when it was first discontinued and mostly they had hydration or curl or damage lines. I'm not sure if I've seen that smooth one, though. Certainly worth a shot! I've tried a bunch of different specialties in the past and never noticed much of a difference. Good tip about the volume line!

I actually googled and stumbled on a site that has a bunch of the shampoo for only $6, so I will spring for several bottles. But they didn't have the conditioner, so it wouldn't hurt to try the smooth one. If it doesn't work I can still use it for the first condition.


Both shampoo and conditioner contain lysine, maybe that's the key agent here? Its an amino acid.
My guess is also on lactic acid in the conditioner, it works great for smoothing the cuticles;)
Anyway, good luck in finding the substitutes;)

Ooh that's an interesting theory! I'll have to see if it's a common ingredient in shampoos; if not, it might be one of the keys.


Huh...that sounds right about the lactic acid. I used to put yogurt in my hair mask and that's what it did for me.

That is fascinating, and encouraging!