If a product is AMAZING for your hair, how much do ingredients matter to you?

[shikara]

Every once in a while, we may be lucky enough to find a product that seems to do something that our hair needs, where other products have failed. Sometimes I see on posts (here and elsewhere) that because a product has a certain ingredient in it, they won't use it (hmmm what comes to mind - petrolatum, some smoothing agents). If you found your 'wonder' product, how important are the ingredients to you? Would you quit using it (even if it is solving problems) because of any ingredients?

[Knittycat]

If it wasn't damaging my hair, and it was actually improving it? I'd keep using it. Unless of course the ingredients was orphans tears or something like that. LOL (and even then I'd think twice...)

[Mesmerise]

Honestly, I tried using Pantene a few weeks ago just to see if some good old fashioned cones might be just what my hair wanted! As it was, it didn't make my hair look any better, so I just went back to my current no-cone routine.

However, I think if I found something that made my hair look amazing and wasn't damaging for my hair (cause errm flat ironing makes my hair amazing...and I'm not doing that anymore hehe) I would use it. I do try to use as much natural stuff as possible because I'm trying to prevent any more damage in the hope that in a couple of years my hair will look naturally great! But yeah, if something works then use it by all means!

[christine1989]

It really depends on the ingredient. For example, if my hair liked cones then I would definatly use them however, I would never do that Brazilian straightening treatment with formaldehyde even if it made my hair look amazing. Basically, if it doesn't damage and it makes your hair look good, go for it.

[jojo]

The only thing id draw the line at is mineral oil as although initially my hairs ok with it, over time it dries and breaks my ends but other than that if its not broke dont try and fix it!

[Dragon]

As longs as it works without causing damage, I don't care about ingredients.

[luxepiggy]

I consider myself an equal-opportunity product junkie (^(oo)^)

[Roseate]

The only ingredients I avoid, I avoid because they cause painful, ugly problems for me. Scalp sores? No thanks!

ETA: actually, I did run into this problem with the oil-shampoo method. It worked well for my hair, but best with a SLS shampoo as a base. However, as always, the SLS torched my scalp eventually, so I quit. Nice hair isn't worth nasty scalp!

[Neneka]

I used liquid paraffin (mineral oil that jojo mentioned too) a couple of times but then I heard that it's not good... It felt really good though. It made my hair feel strong and my scalp liked it. Then I heard that it causes build up that is very difficult to remove and it doesn't moisturize hair. So I stopped using it and I wouldn't use it again on my hair.

[Xandergrammy]

I consider myself an equal-opportunity product junkie (^(oo)^)



Me too. :gabigrin:

[sunnydays]

As long as its made ethically not bothered whats in it as long as the results is what i want

[fairystar32]

I wont use things would could potentially harm my body. Regardless of if they make my hair feel amazing.
If I know a certain ingredient has a negative impact or potentially can cause health issues, I will try to avoid it :)

[Milui Elenath]

I have been there with skin products but not hair products and I can say I would unequivocally stop using them if I don't approve of the ingredients.

It doesn't matter how great a product is or seems to be if the contents are objectionable to me, whether that be for allergy, ethical or health concerns.

I certainly wouldn't try it if I read the ingredients and felt they were suspect. There isn't much point in finding something wonderful for your hair you don't want to use! Or feel guilty about using :)

I feel the same about food ingredients.

[Madora]

I'm not adventurous with hair products and stick with what's tried and true. If I knew something was known to contain stuff that was harmful to my hair, I sure wouldn't use it..not matter WHO claimed it was "AMAZING" (which begs the question, how was the product tested in the first place? How many people found the product "amazing"? How long was the product tested?

I am very skeptical when someone says something is amazing..especially hair companies!

[2peasinapod]

Because I have chemical sensitivities, I would have to stop using most conventional ingredients anyway, no matter how good they make my hair look. Fortunately, my hair seems to look and behave better with all natural ingredients! :)

[HairFaerie]

I consider myself an equal-opportunity product junkie (^(oo)^)

Me too! :)

If it works, I use it!

[mustpannkook]

I generally avoid only paraffin. The thought of it on my hair gives me shivers... Otherwise, I really don't care. Cones are fine by me, as I clarify with SLS (diluted, though).

[reneemichelle]

I try to think in terms of the long run - for instance the cones the make my hair smoother now may not be worth the drying sulfates to get them out later.

[Jeni]

Eh, Ill try almost anything once. My scalp and hair aren't real sensitive, I can use sls with no problems, cones don't seem to build up on my hair...Really I have only noticed my hair hating 2 things and that was a particular cone (started with a C, cannot even remember how to spell it) and aloe. Outside of those my hair is happy with just about anything!

I suppose if someone told me something was made from like the tears of tortured apes or contained something dangerous I wouldn't use it. Or if it was just gross...like if dog poo made your hair super thick and fabulous I don't think I could bring myself to use it.

[Misti]

Hmmm. No.

No, I read labels religiously, so I would never actually "discover" that something objectionable made my hair gorgeous. But if I discovered a cancer causing ingredient after I'd fallen in love, I'd quit using it anyway. How much good is that beautiful hair after chemo and radiation therapies?

You know about the Safe Cosetics Campaign?
http://www.safecosmetics.org/article.php?list=type&type=33

[Kristin]

I'd only skip something amazing if the results were short-lived and it actually made my hair worse in the long-run.

[Lianna]

I have a problem with very fast build-up and sometimes sore scalp. If this amazing product doesn't cause these problems for me I would use it. I would stop if another new problem arrived, or if there's something proved as bad for hair or health. "Bad for hair" as in totally ruin it, and this can be a very personal thing (for instance, dyes don't totally ruin everyone's hair).

I'm curious to know if you have any product in mind, or if there's an ingredient you're afraid of.

[BrightEyes7]

I consider myself an equal-opportunity product junkie (^(oo)^)

Same here. If I bought a product and it made my hair glorious, and then I found out it had a 'bad' ingredient... I'd still use it. Unless I was noticing some ill effects I wouldn't stop using a product just because of an ingredient.

That being said, I use cones, sulfates, and just about everything else. I don't have a sensative scalp and I don't have product build up issues. I've gone MONTHS using cones and SLS-free shampoo without clarifying and my hair seemed perfectly fine. :joy:

Unless of course that was some ingredient I was morally opposed to... like puppy tails or some rare endangered plant or something.

ETA: Or if the ingredient is known to cause cancer or something like that, then I'd stop using it too.

[In2wishin]

The only ingredients I avoid are those that produce formaldehyde since I am allergic. Otherwise, I don't care what is in it as long as the results are good and continue to be good.

[Anje]

I'm unlikely to ever try a product with ingredients I don't like, so I probably wouldn't know if it were amazing on my hair or not.

In my past experimentation with silicones, I've learned the hard way that in my hair, Day 1 amazing hair turns into Day 4 straw.

[QueenJoey]

I have this stuff that everyone says to not use because it has mineral oil as its first ingredient. However, every other ingredient is an herb or natural oil. I love the stuff, despite the mineral oil cuz everything else about it seems to be working pretty well.

[Intransigentia]

If I were already using a product with consistently excellent long-term results, and then heard something bad about its ingredients, it would really depend on the quality of the evidence and the degree of bad. If it contained significant quantities of a known carcinogen, for example, I would certainly stop using it. If there was something seriously unethical going on with its production, like more than the beauty industry already is, I'd stop. If there was good evidence that the short-term benefits would result in long-term harm, I'd stop. If there was reason to believe my hair might do even better without a product I thought was working OK for me, I'd do an experiment, and base my decision on the results. But if it was just hearsay that such and such is eeeeevil, no, I'd keep using it.

Two examples:
1. I use shampoo with sulphates (SLS, SLES, ALS, ALES) to clean my hair even though they have a bad reputation in some circles, because they are effective and cheap and my skin is OK with it.

2. I don't use 'cones, because some of the descriptions of long-term 'cone buildup were what my hair was like pre-LHC, so I tried going 'cone free, and my hair got nicer. So I'm sticking with cone free.

[DragonflyCook]

Personally, ingredients matter as much as results. I eat mostly organic food, use organic body care and I have switched to organic hair care. Just as in the case of regular products, it takes time to find the right organic hair care, but I like knowing that I am avoiding chemicals that I don't need (especially MSG that has begun to creep into halth and beauty items).

[Delila]

So long as the ingredients don't irritate my skin, I'm basically okay with it on my hair.

If it bothers my scalp, I move on.

Creme of Nature was one. My hair looked and felt GREAT. My scalp, on the other hand was really irritated. No way I could put up with that just so my hair could look great. (Sigh.)

[In2wishin]

Personally, ingredients matter as much as results. I eat mostly organic food, use organic body care and I have switched to organic hair care. Just as in the case of regular products, it takes time to find the right organic hair care, but I like knowing that I am avoiding chemicals that I don't need (especially MSG that has begun to creep into halth and beauty items).

I have tried going with organic everything but just could not afford it. I try to do my best with locally grown meat and produce but it isn't always possible.

Please forgive the threadjack but you do know that MSG is not a chemical but a naturally occurring enzyme that is usually extracted from either seaweed (in Japan)or beets (in the US)?

[Intransigentia]

Please forgive the threadjack but you do know that MSG is not a chemical but a naturally occurring enzyme that is usually extracted from either seaweed (in Japan)or beets (in the US)?

Oh dear, one of my buttons just got pressed... probably on some level y'all arealdy know this so I know I'm
:horse:
but here I go...

:soapbox:
Every substance made of atoms is a chemical! Pure water is a chemical. The keratin in your hair is a chemical. The constituents of a 100% organically grown from organic seeds carrot - all chemicals! :justy:

We now return to your regularly-scheduled thread.

[In2wishin]

Oh dear, one of my buttons just got pressed... probably on some level y'all arealdy know this so I know I'm
:horse:
but here I go...

:soapbox:
Every substance made of atoms is a chemical! Pure water is a chemical. The keratin in your hair is a chemical. The constituents of a 100% organically grown from organic seeds carrot - all chemicals! :justy:

We now return to your regularly-scheduled thread.

Point taken. MSG is not a man made chemical (better? ;) )

[Intransigentia]

Thanks I feel better. That's just one of those things I seem to go on auto-rant about. :flower:

[virgo75]

I consider myself an equal-opportunity product junkie (^(oo)^)

Me 3(4?). :D

The only time I draw the line are at super gross ingredients :

http://www.amazon.com/Fina-Whale-Sperm-Deep-Treatment/dp/B000XAGMSG

:puke:


or ingredients that are horribly dangerous. And by "horribly" I mean even in the small amounts found in hair products - not the mega doses given to lab animals. Anything can kill you in too large or concentrated amounts including oxygen and water- they're as "natural", "good for you", and vitally necessary as it gets. But they can still kill you if you take in too much.

[Venefica]

That depends on what products where in it that I had a problem with. Some I know I am intolerant off so that it might work fine for a wile but then I would get problems. However if a product works then I would be rather forgiving as to ingredients.

[Chetanlaiho]

If I'm not allergic to it then I probably wouldn't care, but some ingredients (such as cones) may cause problems if you use them on a longer basis (well at least for me who is also SLS free) so that might lead to me only using it very sparingly.

Edit: and of course if there's any major wrongdoing going on for a specific ingredient I'd rather not use it and see if I can find a replacement that doesn't have said ingredient :)

[Ashenputtel]

I think that everytime we pruchase something we vote. We as consumers need to know where our things are coming from.

I'm really trying to avoid these companies (l'oreal, Unilever, Procter and Gamble and Johnson and Johnson) and to buy from independant smaller companies with vegan ingredients (I'm not vegan though I'm trying to limit the damage).

So to answer the thread if the product is already at home I wuld try to finish it or to give it to someone, because I don't like throwing stuff away, but I wouldn't repurchase.

[Anje]

Please forgive the threadjack but you do know that MSG is not a chemical but a naturally occurring enzyme that is usually extracted from either seaweed (in Japan)or beets (in the US)?
Oh dear, one of my buttons just got pressed...
My buttons are getting pressed too, because it most decidedly is not an enzyme!

[NouvelleNymphe2]

Not that I know a ton about product ingredients (in spite of all my googling and wikiing), but sometimes I worry that there are ingredients that could be bad for my hair, skin, and overall health if used long-term. Even though I consider myself a serious product junkie there aren't many products I buy over and over again. My hair responds to a range of organic, sls free, no cone, and coney products. I always have a different array from month to month. Some work better than others, but no one product has ever been that transformational that I had to keep it as a staple.

[gogirlanime]

I am really obsessive about keeping everything in my life as natural as possible, but I make exceptions when natural products just don't work well. Mascara is one for me, all-natural mascaras just don't do the same justice as "chemical" conventional ones. For hair products I go as natural as I can, I am currently using Organix's Brazilian conditioner and coconut shampoo which isn't the most natural stuff in the world, but it is sulfate-free and my hair loves it. It is controlling my frizz and helping keep my damaged ends soft, plus is smells fantastic, my boyfriend has his nose in my hair all the time :D

[In2wishin]

My buttons are getting pressed too, because it most decidedly is not an enzyme!

I stand corrected. It is an amino acid, not an enzyme. (I tend to get those two mixed up :o


Monosodium glutamate is the sodium salt of glutamic acid. Glutamate is a naturally occurring amino acid that is found in nearly all foods, especially high protein foods such as dairy products, meat and fish and in many vegetables. Foods often used for their flavouring properties, such as mushrooms and tomatoes, have high levels of naturally occurring glutamate.
The human body also produces glutamate and it plays an essential role in normal body functioning.

Quote from the website of the European Food Information Council
http://www.eufic.org/article/en/artid/monosodium-glutamate/

[Juneii]

I could care less about the ingredients if they work amazing for my hair, I do not draw a line because if there is an ingredient that is "harmful" to my hair I wouldn't like it would I?

[In2wishin]

I am really obsessive about keeping everything in my life as natural as possible, but I make exceptions when natural products just don't work well. Mascara is one for me, all-natural mascaras just don't do the same justice as "chemical" conventional ones. For hair products I go as natural as I can, I am currently using Organix's Brazilian conditioner and coconut shampoo which isn't the most natural stuff in the world, but it is sulfate-free and my hair loves it. It is controlling my frizz and helping keep my damaged ends soft, plus is smells fantastic, my boyfriend has his nose in my hair all the time :D

You are too young to remember it but that sounds exactly like the commercials for a shampoo from the 70's called "Gee, Your Hair Smells Terrific"

[Buddaphlyy]

I care for my hair based on reality, not an ideology. Life is too short and if I can have great hair while I'm here, whatever product helps me, I will use. That being said, there are certain types of products I just will not use (relaxers, salon or in-store "keratin" treatments) because I know in the long run they will be damaging.

[Amber_Maiden]

Even if the product is amazing, I'd sill rather put something natural on my head, or even on my skin. It all gets into your body one way or another, so I'd rather just be very careful about it. :)

[Milui Elenath]

I care for my hair based on reality, not an ideology. Life is too short snip

Sorry to single you out but your choice of words just struck me as particulary ironic because my ideology is based on not using things that might make my life shorter! ;) ( or considerably more difficult due to bad health)

[AshNight1214]

If it's working, I'd just keep using it. I try not to judge an ingredient based on other people's findings or on how it reacted in a single product. Sometimes it's not the "usual suspect" ingredient, but something else that's making a particular product not work, so I generally go for trial and error. :)

[Buddaphlyy]

Sorry to single you out but your choice of words just struck me as particulary ironic because my ideology is based on not using things that might make my life shorter! ;) ( or considerably more difficult due to bad health)

Key word in your sentence.;)

I still stand by my statement.

[Nera]

Nothing (darn it, why are my answers ALWAYS too short for LHC:D)

[Lianna]

Key word in your sentence.;)

I still stand by my statement.

Yeah...if something isn't proven to be harmful to my health I won't stop using it. And I don't mean "hair health".

[christine1989]

I accidentally got some baby oil on my hair today while styling it and since the damage was already done I just rubbed it in. It made my hair so soft and gave it a great shine! :D I don't know what long term use of it will do but I'll have to remember this if I'm ever in a hair emergency situation.