Help me find my Holy Grail shampoo, please

[sibiryachka]

I could spend all day searching through the masses of information here, but... not today.;)

I'm looking for a shampoo that's sulfate-free, but also is free of protein or at least not loaded with it, and is fairly easy on the wallet. So far I'm seeing lots of good reports about the Trader Joe's house brand, and the Queen Helene Mint Julep concentrate, but it looks like they both contain protein.

I'm also gung-ho about adding coconut oil to my shampoo

http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=57025

so I'd like to find something that will work well for that. So far from everyone's experience, and ktani's work sorting out all the reports, I'm gathering that a clear shampoo with as few ingredients as possible is the best bet.

If you have any experience with either the Trader Joe's brand or the Queen Helene, I'd love to hear about it, especially if protein is problematic for you too.

[Kaijah]

Protein fries my hair out in a heartbeat, even if it's one of those shampoos/conditioners that have it listed as the second to last ingredient. You could say I'm protein sensitive. xD My scalp also tends to immediately go dry and peely with sulfates.

I'd say my favorite shampoo is California Baby Super Sensitive Shampoo/Bodywash. It runs at $9 for a 8.5 ounce bottle at Target (it's located in the baby section, obviously). On the pricey side, but a bottle lasted me a year of daily CWC.

Ingredients from my bottle:
Aqua (Purified Water), *Aloe Barbadensis (Aloe Vera), *Decyl Glucoside and *Lauryl Glucoside (Corn, Coconut and Palm), Quillaja Saponaria (Soap Bark), Herbal Blend of: *Cereus Grandiflorus Extract (Cactus), *Calendula Officinalis (Calendula), *Carrageenan (Irish Moss), *Viola Tricolor Extract (Pansy), *Salix Alba (Willow Bark), and *Yucca Aloifolia Extract (Yucca), Vegetable Glycerin, *Simmondsia Chinensis Oil (Jojoba Oil), Tocopherol (Vitamin E), Panthenol (Vitamin B-5), Citrus Grandis Seed Extract (Grapefruit), Polyaminopropyl Biguanide (Extremely Mild Non-Invasive Preservative). No fragrance, clear formula chemicals or scent masking agents.
*organic, sustainable or renewable.

It looks like a lot of ingredients, but that "herbal blend" is the bulk of it. Pretty much just infused water, with glucoside cleansers and a couple moisturizers.

I don't have a Trader Joes, so I've never been able to try their shampoo. The Queen Helene one looked like too much protein for me, and reviews I read said it tended towards harshness.

[Hana212]

I love using Love Y'Hair aloe vera shampoo and it already has coconut oil in it!! I bought it online, and it wasn't too expensive ($7.64 per bottle, and its a 550ml bottle I think?) and they do ship internationally too. http://www.organicsaustraliaonline.com.au/category6_1.htm - you might like the unscented shampoo?? They also sell the Berts Bees range :)

[ktani]

I would avoid the botanicals and look for a clear shampoo. It does not have to be expensive or fancy. I posted this in the first post of the "Movie Star" thread, http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=47921.

Great blog on ingredients, http://www.truthinskincare.com/2008/01/ingredient-watch-sodium.html

Check out unfamiliar ingredients names and do not be fooled into thinking all natural brands are all natural or necessarily better than cheaper, mainstream products.

Check out White Rain Extra Body shampoo. It is clear, basic and cheap.

[whiteisle]

I've been using Kenra Moisturizing and have been pretty happy with it. It uses sodium myreth sulfate which is supposed to be much kinder than the laureths and lauryls. The molecules are larger and don't penetrate the hair shaft therefore causing less damage/stripping.

In fact, I just tried it today with the coconut oil/shampoo combo and I am most pleased with the results. Soft, soft, soft tangle-free and moisturized hair. But my hair is a moisture monster anyway. :eyebrows:

ETA: The Kenra does contain wheat protein. (Thanks ktani!!) I don't used it on a regular basis so I suppose I haven't given my hair the opportunity to act up with it.

[ktani]

I've been using Kenra Moisturizing and have been pretty happy with it. It uses sodium myreth sulfate which is supposed to be much kinder than the laureths and lauryls. The molecules are larger and don't penetrate the hair shaft therefore causing less damage/stripping.

In fact, I just tried it today with the coconut oil/shampoo combo and I am most pleased with the results. Soft, soft, soft tangle-free and moisturized hair. But my hair is a moisture monster anyway. :eyebrows: Oh! And my hair hates protein with a vengence and there's none to be found in this Kenra.

Hey! I think it might be up for nomination as my Holy Grail poo! lol Especially when adding in the coconut oil. ;)

What ingredients are on your bottle please? I added these to my reply to you and there is protein on the list I found. Online lists can be unreliable. That is why I am asking for yours, http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showpost.php?p=1356698&postcount=580.

ETA: I read your ETA. Thank you!

[Ash]

I don't know if the Giovanni 50/50 Shampoo would work for you as I think it has some protein in it but my hair hates protein and I can use it without any problems.

Ingredients:
Aqua (Purifed) Water, Rosemary (Rosmarinus Officinalis) Leaf Extract, Nettle (Urtica Dioica) Extract, Thyme (Thymus Vulgaris) Extract, Chamomilla Recutita (Matricaria) Flower Extract, Clary (Salvia Sclarea) Leaf Extract, Lavender (Lavandula Angustifolia) Extract, Coltsfoot (Tussilago Fargara) Flower Extract, Yarrow (Achillea Millefolium) Extract, Equisetum Arvense (Horsetail) Extract, Soybean (Glycine Soja) Seed Extract, C14 16 Olefin Sulfonate, Cocamide MEA, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Sodium Chloride, Decyl Glucoside, Cocamidopropyl Hydrosultaine, Citric Acid, Grapefruit Seed (Citrus Derived), Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Fragrance with Essential Oils

[Artsy]

I have tried the coconut oil shampoo method and have some amazing results with Herbal Essensess Drama Clean. It's cheap where I live. I was sensitive to sulfates before coconut oil shampoo. I don't see the sensitivity issues now either because of the oil, or because I took a long break off shampoo in general.
Here are the ingredients:
Ingredients: water, sodium laureth sulfate, sodium lauryl sulfate, cocamidopropyl betaine, sodium chloride, camellia sinensis leaf extract, fragaria ananassa (strawberry) fruit juice, citrus aurantium dulcis (orange) flower extract, fragrance, cocamide mea, sodium benzoate, citric acid, sodium citrate, tetrasodium edta, guar hydroxypropyltrimonium chloride, linoleamidopropyl pg-dimonium chloride phosphate, propylene glycol, methylchloroisothiazolinone, methylisothiazolinone, sodium xylenesulfonate, yellow 10, blue 1.

[luxepiggy]

I don't know if the Giovanni 50/50 Shampoo would work for you as I think it has some protein in it but my hair hates protein and I can use it without any problems.

Ingredients:
Aqua (Purifed) Water, Rosemary (Rosmarinus Officinalis) Leaf Extract, Nettle (Urtica Dioica) Extract, Thyme (Thymus Vulgaris) Extract, Chamomilla Recutita (Matricaria) Flower Extract, Clary (Salvia Sclarea) Leaf Extract, Lavender (Lavandula Angustifolia) Extract, Coltsfoot (Tussilago Fargara) Flower Extract, Yarrow (Achillea Millefolium) Extract, Equisetum Arvense (Horsetail) Extract, Soybean (Glycine Soja) Seed Extract, C14 16 Olefin Sulfonate, Cocamide MEA, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Sodium Chloride, Decyl Glucoside, Cocamidopropyl Hydrosultaine, Citric Acid, Grapefruit Seed (Citrus Derived), Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Fragrance with Essential Oils

How coincidental! I just saw this at the market and I came right to this thread as soon as I got home to post it - lo and behold, someone's beaten me to it! (^(oo)^)

[Dani]

I have tried the coconut oil shampoo method and have some amazing results with Herbal Essensess Drama Clean. It's cheap where I live. I was sensitive to sulfates before coconut oil shampoo. I don't see the sensitivity issues now either because of the oil, or because I took a long break off shampoo in general.
Here are the ingredients:
Ingredients: water, sodium laureth sulfate, sodium lauryl sulfate, cocamidopropyl betaine, sodium chloride, camellia sinensis leaf extract, fragaria ananassa (strawberry) fruit juice, citrus aurantium dulcis (orange) flower extract, fragrance, cocamide mea, sodium benzoate, citric acid, sodium citrate, tetrasodium edta, guar hydroxypropyltrimonium chloride, linoleamidopropyl pg-dimonium chloride phosphate, propylene glycol, methylchloroisothiazolinone, methylisothiazolinone, sodium xylenesulfonate, yellow 10, blue 1.

I almost busted my coffee out of my mouth when I read Drama Clean! Only because I picked it up at the drugstore a month ago and I LOVE it. But I especially love using coconut oil with it. :D It's just so cool that someone else is doing exactly what I'm doing with shampoo, ha. :p I like to melt a bit of coconut oil in a Lush tin and then add some of the shampoo, put the tin lid on and shake it up, and I'm left with a nice opaque light green mixture that works -Perfectly- on my head. :D The shampoo alone works well for me, except that my head itches the next day and it's quite drying, but I feel like I can use it any time with coconut oil mixed with it. I haven't tried coconut oil mixed with any other shampoos yet, and I'm glad that the first one I decided to use it with works so well for me. :) I use the Herbal Essences Drama Clean + coconut oil 2-3 times a week on my scalp, and follow it with Garnier Triple Nutrition or a Vo5 conditioner on the length. Perfect. :D I really love the scent of the Drama Clean shampoo, also. I Never like fragrance smells, and they usually make me sneeze and give me a headache, but this one is very nice, and I'm so happy I was able to find a shampoo I actually love at the drugstore. :)

[ktani]

I went through all of the posts in consistent successful results in the "Movie Star" thread and just added this post to the first post of the thread, a list of shampoos reported to work well consistently, with added coconut oil. Chagrin Shampoo bars were named too but not specific bars.

http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showpost.php?p=1357120&postcount=583

[ktani]

My first post about this "disappeared". 2nd try.

Here is the list of shampoos reported to consistently work well with added coconut oil. Chagrin Shampoo Bars were also reported to work well but no specific bars were listed in the report. The link below is now in both the first post of the "Movie Star" thread and my blog post.

http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showpost.php?p=1357120&postcount=583

[ktani]

I almost busted my coffee out of my mouth when I read Drama Clean! Only because I picked it up at the drugstore a month ago and I LOVE it. But I especially love using coconut oil with it. :D It's just so cool that someone else is doing exactly what I'm doing with shampoo, ha. :p I like to melt a bit of coconut oil in a Lush tin and then add some of the shampoo, put the tin lid on and shake it up, and I'm left with a nice opaque light green mixture that works -Perfectly- on my head. :D The shampoo alone works well for me, except that my head itches the next day and it's quite drying, but I feel like I can use it any time with coconut oil mixed with it. I haven't tried coconut oil mixed with any other shampoos yet, and I'm glad that the first one I decided to use it with works so well for me. :) I use the Herbal Essences Drama Clean + coconut oil 2-3 times a week on my scalp, and follow it with Garnier Triple Nutrition or a Vo5 conditioner on the length. Perfect. :D I really love the scent of the Drama Clean shampoo, also. I Never like fragrance smells, and they usually make me sneeze and give me a headache, but this one is very nice, and I'm so happy I was able to find a shampoo I actually love at the drugstore. :)

Great coincidence! I am so glad that you reported this. I have linked to your post here, in the thread I started and quoted you, http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showpost.php?p=1348503&postcount=435.

[nytquill]

So far I've had good luck with Live Clean "Fresh Water" moisturizing shampoo using the movie star method. Even though it's not clear and it has a long list of botanicals (but I think that's mainly for scent). I'm not sure how available it is in other countries though. It was the first shampoo I bought when I decided to go sulfate-free and I've not really felt the need to shop around. But YMMV, of course.

It SAYS on the bottle certified organic, sulfate free, naturally derived, pure vegan, paraben free. That doesn't necessarily make it a good shampoo (I'm not sure what all of the ingredients are or do, for one thing) but it's been working for me so far. It seems to be protein-free too.

Ingredients on my bottle: aqua (water), camelia sinensis extract (white tea), lavandula angustifolia (lavender) extract, chamomilla recututa (matrucaria) flower extract, rosemarinus officinalis (rosemary) leaf extract, sodium-methyl 2-sulfolaurate/disodium 2-sulfolaurate/sodium lauryl sulfoacetate (coconut and palm derived), coco betaine, glycol distearate, coco glucoside, glyceryl oleate, glyceral stearate, retinyl palmitate (vitamin A palmitate), tocopherol acetate (vitamin E acetate), glycerin, panthenol (provitamin B5), parfum, sodium hydroxymethlyglycinate, polyquaternium-10, sodium benzoate, citric acid.

[Aliped]

I really like TRESemme naturals nourishing moisture shampoo.

No protein, but it has a soluble cone and it's "low sulfate" rather than SLS free. The ingredients include Ammonium Lauryl sulfate and ammonium laureth sulfate. I use it diluted to 50% with water. :)