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Deborah
June 28th, 2008, 01:06 AM
Hi,

Okay, I looked you up, and I know that you are actually Knightslady, but I wanted to get your attention, and to draw attention to your favorite hair care product. :flower:

Some years back (while on this board) I too read Hugh Molloy's interview, and decided to give Sorbolene a try, definitely for skin washing, but maybe as shampoo as well. Being a Yank, I found that Sorbolene is extremely hard to find here. I ended up ordering and using I-don't-even-want-to-know-how-many bottles of Sorbolene from various Aussie drugstores (that would be 'chemists' to you.) Then the shipping increased quite a lot, and I decided it was just too expensive to continue. Eventually I found an American source, but they supply only a bucket of expensive, very concentrated product, that you have to water down to create a lotion. I used a couple of those up, then moved on to other things. Here is a link to them:

<removed>

Mostly I washed everywhere with it, and liked it quite well for that purpose. I tried it a few times for hair washing, but it always left me greasy, so I gave that up.

But now I want to try again. I still have some, so I tried a couple of weeks ago with the same old greasy outcome, so I thought I would ask for your help. What am I doing wrong? I have successfully conditioner-only washed lots of times. Should I treat the Sorbolene just the same? I think that's what I have done before, so I must be missing something.

Do you 'lather' once, as I did, or do you do it twice?

Do you do anything special while rinsing? I rinsed thoroughly, but I wonder if there is some 'trick' to it that I don't know.

Afterwards I did an acid rinse (either vinegar or citric acid), as I do after any kind of hair washing (I have extremely hard water), but that didn't seem to help. I did not use any conditioner as that seemed pointless and overkill.

Do you have any suggestions/tricks/techniques/whatever else you can think of, that I am missing?

Well, I hope you find this and can offer help for me. I know that you love Sorbolene, so probably talking about it won't seem like a nuisance (I hope.)

Anyway, I anxiously await your presence in this thread.

Thanks in advance for any help you can offer!!! :flower:

Deborah

Kirin
June 28th, 2008, 10:46 AM
I am not the person you are looking for of course, just interjecting some info that might help you. In the states, its hard to find Sorbolene, though I have seen it at a few CVS's occassionally.

In the states an alternative you can try is called Cetaphil. It is specifically made soap free for those with sensitivities to soap. I've used it, but never on hair. its very simillar to me to Sorbolene.

dorothea-brooke
June 28th, 2008, 10:54 AM
In the states an alternative you can try is called Cetaphil. It is specifically made soap free for those with sensitivities to soap. I've used it, but never on hair. its very simillar to me to Sorbolene.

Back when I had bangs, I would use Cetaphil to do a bangs/top-of-head wash in between full wash days. I would either do it in the shower or just wash my face in the morning and get my bangs at the same time. It worked great -- very mild, but with a bit of SLS so really cut through the greasies. I don't know about using it on the whole head, but seems like it would work to me.

dorothea

Deborah
June 28th, 2008, 11:36 AM
Thank you both for your responses. :flower: Cetaphil seems a bit similar to Cetaphil, but the ingredients are quite different. Here are the Cetaphil ingredients:

Water, Cetyl Alcohol, Propylene Glycol, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, Stearyl Alcohol, Methylparaben, Propylparaben, Butylparaben.

and here are the Sorbolene ingredients, with slight variations from brand to brand:

Purified water, Paraffin oils, Emulsifying wax (ex-Palm Oil), Vegetable glycerin, Sorbitol, Sodium Hydroxymethyl Glycinate

As you can see, they are quite different, and the Cetaphil does contain sodium lauryl sulfate, a strong detergent. I used to use Cetaphil for face washing. It's rather nice compared to so many other cleansers, but I don't like it nearly as well as Sorbolene.

Again, I do thank you for your input, and appreciate it very much. :flower:

Kirin
June 28th, 2008, 11:59 AM
That'll learn me! Do you know I had no idea until now cetaphil had sulphates?? I haven't used it in many years, I was unaware of that.

Deborah
June 28th, 2008, 12:54 PM
That'll learn me! Do you know I had no idea until now cetaphil had sulphates?? I haven't used it in many years, I was unaware of that.


Yeah, it's all marketing. They probably do say that it contains no soap. That much is true. They just do not go on to say that is has a strong detergent instead! :patrol:

KnightsLady
October 18th, 2008, 02:59 AM
Hello Deborah,

Apologies for not seeing your thread earlier. I took a break from the internet for a few months.

I'm still using sorbolene to wash my hair with. The trick with not getting the greasy look afterwards has to do with how much you use and how long you leave it on for. I'm currently using Newton's Pharmacy's vegetable sorbolene and I've found that I need to "lather" twice, or perhaps three times if I've been a couple of days without washing. When I lather, I put the cream on my scalp, dunk my head under the shower to add water, then lather - really working it through the hair nearest the scalp. Rinse really well, then repeat. I'm not saying leave it on for half an hour or anything (although for best results I used to leave the regular sorbolene on overnight), just "lather" it for longer than you would for shampoo.

The regular sorbolene is a little different to the vegetable stuff I'm using now, as far as how to use it. From memory, I used to put it on then leave it a few minutes (or half an hour) for it to "dry" (if I hadn't applied it the night before), then wash it out in the shower. Dr Molloy suggested applying it the night before then rinsing it out in next morning. My old (old LHC) journal (http://archive.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=68218)had the routine I used for the regular sorbolene.


My sorbolene routine....

Of an evening I brush my hair (more often than not). After brushing I use a Mason Pearson seamless comb to part the hair, dab a mixture of sorbolene and a little water (water 1 part, sorbolene 2 parts - approximate guesstimate) along the part. Then I draw another part just under an inch away from the first and dab more sorbolene along it. I keep applying the sorbolene using the part technique so that I can get a more even distribution on the scalp. (Applying with fingers randomly means more sorbolene on the hair than scalp.) After applying over my entire scalp by parting the hair, my scalp is then massaged, working the sorbolene over it to make sure I've not missed any spots. I might use about 2-3 teaspoons of sorbolene for my entire scalp. (My measuring system is not very accurate. "Yeah, that looks about right" works quite well for me. )

When I finish applying to the scalp, depending on my mood, the ends might get the leftovers by applying sorbolene to the hands and running them down the length. Hair is then plaited for sleeping.

In the morning, the plait is undone, hair is rinsed under the shower, using fingers to massage the scalp (ensure the sorbolene is thoroughly rinsed out). A hairdryer may or may not be used depending on whether I'm running short on time. If it is used, it's on a low setting and held as far away from the head as the arm can reach (without causing undue strain or discomfort to said arm).


Vegetable sorbolene I have found is easier to use than the other. I don't do the night before routine anymore.

Warmly,
KL

Um Enis
February 1st, 2009, 10:48 AM
I just found this thread! Knightslady has such beautiful hair! Is anyone else here using sorbolene?

Gilly
February 1st, 2009, 12:34 PM
I tried it for a while and yes it does work but I just never got round to buying more of it!
I did try natures organics but it started to irritate me as it had parabens in it, I want to try the Newtons one as it is MUCH purer than the others and does not have any nasties in it.
I found that I had to "work" it much more than shampoo to get my hair clean and had to rinse really well, but then I did not need to use conditioner so the time thing worked out about the same.
My hair did like it, I just got lazy!:rolleyes:
I am now thinking about getting some from Newtons!

Heidi_234
February 1st, 2009, 02:29 PM
I'm glad this thread was bumped up. I don't use it personally, but I talked to KnightLady alot about Sorbolene, and it seems very great hair care method to stick to, so I'm glad it came back up for people who haven't heard of it before.
Sorbolene is a very very gentle cleanser. The idea is that it won't dry your new growth out like regular shampoo, therefore won't damage it on the long run. It's not a way to fix, it's a way to avoid in the future.
The only thing is - for reason Sorbolene is very common in Australia and probably hard to get anywhere outside it.

Gilly
February 1st, 2009, 06:52 PM
I just ordered 1kg of vegetable sorbolene from Newton's!!!:cheese:

Sissy
February 1st, 2009, 07:02 PM
Thank you both for your responses. :flower: Cetaphil seems a bit similar to Cetaphil, but the ingredients are quite different. Here are the Cetaphil ingredients:

Water, Cetyl Alcohol, Propylene Glycol, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, Stearyl Alcohol, Methylparaben, Propylparaben, Butylparaben.

and here are the Sorbolene ingredients, with slight variations from brand to brand:

Purified water, Paraffin oils, Emulsifying wax (ex-Palm Oil), Vegetable glycerin, Sorbitol, Sodium Hydroxymethyl Glycinate

As you can see, they are quite different, and the Cetaphil does contain sodium lauryl sulfate, a strong detergent. I used to use Cetaphil for face washing. It's rather nice compared to so many other cleansers, but I don't like it nearly as well as Sorbolene.

Again, I do thank you for your input, and appreciate it very much. :flower:

Cetaphil is what I use on my face :doh:
It seems to be one of the only products that doesn't break or dry my face out.

Deborah
February 1st, 2009, 11:45 PM
Knightslady,

Belated thanks for your response. I actually did not see it until today. Right now I am using CO and experimenting with soapnuts for hair washing, but I will no doubt want to try this again. I only 'lathered' once, so maybe that was the problem. I am too lazy to do all that parting and massaging. I will no doubt just massage it thoroughly into and onto my scalp and hair, much like I do with conditioner for CO washing. I think that CO washing is similar, but I'll need to wash twice with sorbolene. If that's not correct, please let me know.

I'll do some reading on the Newton's veggie sorbolene. I have a hunch that it may be too expensive for me to get here in Colorado (US).

Again, Thanks! :)

Gilly
February 2nd, 2009, 12:43 AM
I am trying to find the ingredients list for the Newton's Sorbolene, it really does not have a lot in it to upset hair or scalp at all!
I know I've got it somewhere! :rolleyes:
I think I am going to buy one of those shampoo brushes to work it into my scalp a bit more, I would be getting a nice head massage too!!!

Gilly
February 2nd, 2009, 12:52 AM
Found it!!

The ingredients for the vegetable sorbolene from Newton's pharmacy are:

Cetylstearyl alcohol
Capric triglyceride
Cocnut oil
Vit E acetate
Glycerin

As I said before, not a lot in it!

What is your method of washing nowadays Knightslady?
How long does it stay in your hair?
You say the vege one is "easier", in what way?

KnightsLady
February 2nd, 2009, 03:40 AM
Whoohooo! Go Gilly! Yaaaaay! :cheese:

Haha! You caught me on my way to wash my hair!

What is your method of washing nowadays Knightslady?

I am still washing with the Newton's vegetable sorbolene. I guess it has been 6 or 7 months now.

I use a large blob in the shower and the routine I currently have is not much different to using normal shampoo/conditioner. (The size of the blob is around about a heaped desertspoon or two, sometimes less sometimes more depending on how much oil I have in my hair - I'm experimenting with using less, but already know the blob works so can recommend that. If in doubt, use more rather than less, as less may leave your hair feeling a bit greasy especially at the beginning.)

First I hop in the shower and wet my hair.

Then I scoop out a blob and rub it a little between my hands (not a lot of rubbing, just to even out the blob a bit) then smooth it onto the "outside" hair nearest the scalp. (Like you might turn your head upside down and just brush around the the "outside" of the hair, just run your hand over the outside of your hair near the scalp. Try and get a reasonably even distribution, but don't worry about it too much because that will fix itself later when you add extra water.)

I make a quick free-hand part exposing the centre of the head and put some more of the blob in there as close to the scalp as I can. (The idea of the "part" is just to make sure the sorbolene gets to the centre of the head. It doesn't have to be perfect.)

Then I quickly duck my head under the shower. Not long enough to wash the sorbolene out, just long enough to get my hair holding some extra water to dilute the sorbolene a little. (It foams a little and spreads easily over the scalp when this is done.)

I then massage the sorbolene over my scalp, perhaps for a minute or so, work the remainder through the length and rinse (preferably in cool water). Repeat if necessary. I mostly do repeat, because I've started lengthening the time between washes. I've found that sorbolene needs more time to work than shampoo. The longer it is left on, the better the clean and I've found I haven't had to use as much. Occassionally I'll leave the sorbolene on while I wash the rest of me if I've (for example) used too much coconut oil and want to get it out.

Actually the massage serves more than one purpose. It gives the sorbolene time to work, it gives my scalp a workout to help the circulation while reminding any overworked muscles that they can relax and it gives me time to enjoy my hair.

I've recently (in the past week or so) started rinsing the damaged portion (avoiding the scalp and much of the new growth) with 5 stars conditioner from Aldi (no cones) before wrapping my hair in a home-made cotton toweling tubie twist. (I don't like the feel of microfibre, but found the turbie style to be light and effective.) Then usually air dry. The conditioner works well to increase combability of the old growth (the previously ripped to bits shampooed hair), is really cheap (AUD2.50 for 1litre) and leaves a nice light perfume which DFB likes. (Thanks Liluri! :D) I occassionally use coconut oil, but am still working out how often to use it. Right now it's whenever I remember, but tonight I was thinking perhaps once or twice a week might be a good thing.

How long does it stay in your hair?

About a minute or so, while I give my scalp a massage. I actually take shorter showers now than when I used regular shampoo and conditioner.

ETA: Work the sorbolene through your hair/scalp after you've diluted it until you're sure it's covered the whole scalp, then massage your scalp generally working into the muscles for about the same time as you took to make sure the sorbolene was all through your hair. I'm just about to jump in the shower now, so I'll time myself and report back shortly.

You say the vege one is "easier", in what way?

The vege sorbolene can be used in a way similar to regular shampooing. It is applied in the shower, rinsed in the shower after a minute or so of working it through my hair/massaging scalp. No extra "leave in" time is necessary. I found the petroleum based sorbolenes needed this extra "leave in" time to get the best result. Almost like it had to dry before being washed out. With the vegetable sorbolene this need is redundant.

The petroleum based one also coated the hair a little and it it began to feel like I was using cones when I wasn't . I hadn't exactly pinned this down to the sorbolene though, as I may have had buildup from prior shampoo/conditioner use. Although it looked good, it didn't feel like my hair had enough moisture in it. The ends got a little crunchy.

I also find that the vegetable sorbolene doesn't feel as heavy as the petroleum based one. My skin (I use it as a body wash and moisturiser too) is also smoother.

KnightsLady
February 2nd, 2009, 04:31 AM
Ok, I'm back.

It took about 30 seconds for me to wet my hair down, 40 seconds to apply the sorbolene and add extra water (I did use an extra scoop out of the container for the middle of my head), 1 minute 20 seconds to work the sorbolene into a lather and give head a massage. I only did one application because I washed my hair yesterday, but I left it on while I washed the rest of me which took a further minute or so. Rinsed ... about 2 minutes, applied conditioner and rinsed which took a further 2 minutes, dried off and moisturised about a minute or so. In total I was out of the bathroom with washed hair (in turbie) and body, moisturised and clothed in 8 minutes 47 seconds according to my timer.

Sorbolene may take longer than regular shampooing, but for me to be out of the bathroom in under 10 minutes is pretty good. :shrug: I'd add at least three minutes for a second application and rinse, plus a bit extra incase you're interrupted and need to tell your partner where to find his socks, so a shower might take about 15 minutes. If you're doing two applications the first doesn't require as thorough a rinse as the final, so you could save a few seconds there if you wanted to. :eyebrows:


ETA: Now I'll go back and read all of the posts that I missed in this thread!

Liluri
February 2nd, 2009, 05:50 AM
The conditioner works well to increase combability of the old growth (the previously ripped to bits shampooed hair), is really cheap (AUD2.50 for 1litre) and leaves a nice light perfume which DFB likes. (Thanks Liluri! :D)

Glad it's working for you :) I've looked at the website, do I need to ring them to order some sorbolene from Newton's Gilly and or KnightsLady please?

KnightsLady
February 2nd, 2009, 06:06 AM
Glad it's working for you :) I've looked at the website, do I need to ring them to order some sorbolene from Newton's Gilly and or KnightsLady please?

I'm not sure how Gilly ordered, so perhaps she would be the best one to answer the question. I actually go to Newtons to purchase.

KnightsLady
February 2nd, 2009, 06:20 AM
Knightslady,

Belated thanks for your response. I actually did not see it until today. Right now I am using CO and experimenting with soapnuts for hair washing, but I will no doubt want to try this again. I only 'lathered' once, so maybe that was the problem. I am too lazy to do all that parting and massaging. I will no doubt just massage it thoroughly into and onto my scalp and hair, much like I do with conditioner for CO washing. I think that CO washing is similar, but I'll need to wash twice with sorbolene. If that's not correct, please let me know.

I'll do some reading on the Newton's veggie sorbolene. I have a hunch that it may be too expensive for me to get here in Colorado (US).

Again, Thanks! :)


Hi Deborah,

That's ok. It took me a while to respond in the first place!

How to use it will really depend on which preparation you use. I found with the petroleum based sorbolene I had to apply before and let it dry a bit before actually rinsing it out. With the vege sorbolene I dilute with water and massage it through the hair more like shampoo - or how you would use the Conditioner when doing CO washing.

KnightsLady
February 2nd, 2009, 06:21 AM
Um Enis,

Thank you for the compliment! :cheese::D

Um Enis
February 2nd, 2009, 10:44 AM
The ingredients look pretty simple, and there's not much info on sorbelene through google. I'm thinking it might be the same as a basic white lotion here. Sorbelene's original or mpst common use is as a moisturizing lotion/ cream, no?

Gilly
February 2nd, 2009, 12:08 PM
Glad it's working for you :) I've looked at the website, do I need to ring them to order some sorbolene from Newton's Gilly and or KnightsLady please?

Hi,
I just rang them on the number at the bottom of the webpage, they were very helpful and efficient :cheese:

Gilly
February 2nd, 2009, 12:11 PM
The ingredients look pretty simple, and there's not much info on sorbelene through google. I'm thinking it might be the same as a basic white lotion here. Sorbelene's original or mpst common use is as a moisturizing lotion/ cream, no?

Maybe you could have a go at making your own!
The ingredients I would imagine you could get from a good supplier, its just the ratios that would need to be worked out!

Gilly
February 3rd, 2009, 02:34 AM
Sorry, 3 posts in a row but, do you think I would be alright adding a drop of tea tree oil to my sorbolene wash to try and get a head start with getting rid of the itchies?
Just throwing it out there ;)

KnightsLady
February 3rd, 2009, 03:19 AM
Sorry, 3 posts in a row but, do you think I would be alright adding a drop of tea tree oil to my sorbolene wash to try and get a head start with getting rid of the itchies?
Just throwing it out there ;)

No, I don't think it will be alright. If you want to find out what is causing the itchiness, start purely with sorbolene. If you want to test other stuff, use the sorbolene for 2-3 weeks, or until you no longer have itchiness. Then start trying stuff like the tea tree. Use the tea tree consistently and in decent amounts until you either a) get a reaction or b) have used it for 2-3 weeks minimum. Only use one product at a time if you're testing for a reaction.

As good as tea tree is as a fungicide etc, it can cause reactions like redness and irritation with some people. If you start using other stuff at the same time as you start using the sorbolene, you won't be sure which is helping or which is causing the reaction. Baby steps. :)

ETA ; Sorry Gilly, I know that probably wasn't what you wanted to hear. :p

Gilly
February 3rd, 2009, 12:14 PM
You are quite right as usual Knightslady, I am just fed up with scratching like a hound all day!:rolleyes:I will just use the Sorbolene on its own, PROMISE!!!
I assume that it will be very soothing anyway and as a lot of the itching is caused by dry patches its got to help:cheese:
I hope its there today when I get home!

Gilly
February 3rd, 2009, 11:42 PM
Well it's still not here I phoned them and it was dispatched yesterday, I wish I had got express post!:wail:
I have now done 3 washes with Nizoral 2% and the itching is getting worse, I am obviously reacting to the SLS or whatever in the shampoo, at least it does not seem to be fungal as I would have thought I would have got SOME relief from the itching :shake:
Ah well, more moon gazing for me!!:eye:

KnightsLady
February 4th, 2009, 01:33 AM
Well it's still not here I phoned them and it was dispatched yesterday, I wish I had got express post!:wail:
I have now done 3 washes with Nizoral 2% and the itching is getting worse, I am obviously reacting to the SLS or whatever in the shampoo, at least it does not seem to be fungal as I would have thought I would have got SOME relief from the itching :shake:
Ah well, more moon gazing for me!!:eye:


Never mind, Gilly. The more impatient you are for it to arrive, the longer it will take to get there. I think it's one of Murphy's laws.

I'm not sure what I react to, but I've noticed that when I use regular shampoo I get the itchies badly. Perhaps it is just that I notice it more now. Another reason not to visit the hairdresser!

You'll have to report back about the moon. I've not been up late enough to see it for the past few days. Now I'm wondering where it is in it's cycle.

Gilly
February 4th, 2009, 12:25 PM
I am sitting here at work wondering if its going to be there today!!
I think I'm obsessed!!:rollin:
Maybe it's the itch that is driving me mad!

KnightsLady
February 5th, 2009, 02:55 AM
Yeah, I reckon it's an itch too! :wigtongue How's the moon?

Gilly
February 5th, 2009, 12:20 PM
It Arrived!!!:cheese::cheese:I got straight in the shower with it as my itch was awful, I followed Knightslady routine, wet, apply, wet a bit more and "shampoo" it in, I then left it while I had a quick shower and rinsed it really well, I did not get a clean squeak but I did not need conditioner as it felt really nice, I let it air dry and the itch had gone down by half!!
This morning I did it again, using the same routine but this time I blowdried it gently on warm, it looks just the same as it would had I used shampoo!
I agree that the Newton's one is MUCH easier to work with than the others I have tried, it seems to work in much better, the others took ages to work through in my opinion.
Anyway, I am really happy that I now have 2 pots of the stuff and will give it a week to see how the itch goes, normally it will come back in 3-4 days, but at the moment I am sitting here itch free!!!! :cheese:

Um Enis
February 5th, 2009, 04:30 PM
Oh, Gilly, your making me want to ship this stuff all the way here and I just shouldn't do that right now!

Gilly
February 5th, 2009, 04:53 PM
Oh, Gilly, your making me want to ship this stuff all the way here and I just shouldn't do that right now!

YAY!! I'm an enabler!

Gilly
February 7th, 2009, 12:52 AM
Well, its still early days but I can tell that it is helping my itchy scalp, the itch is still there but it is possibly 1/4 of what it was before I started :cheese:
I have not got my nails raking my scalp every 5 mins!
That alone has got to be good for my hair.
I am only doing one "lather" at the moment as I am trying to see how long a pot will last me, I am very encouraged by the results so far and can't thank Knightslady enough for all her help regarding Sorbolene! :flowers::flowers::flowers:

bgarrison
February 7th, 2009, 08:53 PM
Since I'm *still* dealing with uber- itch, this thread's got me interested.

Blue lizard sells a sorbolene through Amazon. Has anyone tried it?

http://www.amazon.com/Blue-Lizard-Sorbolene-Cream-Australian/dp/B000MUT76G/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=hpc&qid=1234064761&sr=8-1

Ingredients: Purified Water, Soft White Paraffin, Glycerin, Cetyl Alcohol, Stearyl Alcohol, Liquid Paraffin, Ceteareth-20, Chlorocresol.

KnightsLady
February 7th, 2009, 10:25 PM
Since I'm *still* dealing with uber- itch, this thread's got me interested.

Blue lizard sells a sorbolene through Amazon. Has anyone tried it?

http://www.amazon.com/Blue-Lizard-Sorbolene-Cream-Australian/dp/B000MUT76G/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=hpc&qid=1234064761&sr=8-1

Ingredients: Purified Water, Soft White Paraffin, Glycerin, Cetyl Alcohol, Stearyl Alcohol, Liquid Paraffin, Ceteareth-20, Chlorocresol.

I haven't tried that particular brand, but have found the paraffin based creams aren't as easy to use as the Newton's one (they're more time consuming to apply). The ingredients list above looks similar to the paraffin based sorbolene that I was originally using though.

If you're happy to spend $19.31 for 454gms plus shipping, then I'd suggest you consider purchasing the Newtons one instead. It comes in a tub of 600gms which I think is around $15-20 Australian dollars (will be less in US$). (However it's been a while since I purchased my last tubs, so I may have the price wrong. Gilly can you confirm the cost??) I think Gilly also tried some other vegetable sorbolenes a while ago and may have some feedback on them too, as I think they were easier to use.

Gilly
February 7th, 2009, 10:36 PM
I haven't tried that particular brand, but have found the paraffin based creams aren't as easy to use as the Newton's one (they're more time consuming to apply). The ingredients list above looks similar to the paraffin based sorbolene that I was originally using though.

If you're happy to spend $19.31 for 454gms plus shipping, then I'd suggest you consider purchasing the Newtons one instead. It comes in a tub of 600gms which I think is around $15-20 Australian dollars (will be less in US$). (However it's been a while since I purchased my last tubs, so I may have the price wrong. Gilly can you confirm the cost??) I think Gilly also tried some other vegetable sorbolenes a while ago and may have some feedback on them too, as I think they were easier to use.

Hi,
Newtons charged me AU14.50 for 500g pot of vege sorbolene, worth every penny so far! I am going to order another 2 pots when I get paid on thursday as its really good for my skin too!
I also tried a brand call Natures organics (I think that's right) but it did not solve the itch, it does have Parabens in it and I think that may be the cause :rolleyes: it was under AU$7 for 600ml.

KnightsLady
February 7th, 2009, 10:48 PM
Hi,
Newtons charged me AU14.50 for 500g pot of vege sorbolene, worth every penny so far! I am going to order another 2 pots when I get paid on thursday as its really good for my skin too!
I also tried a brand call Natures organics (I think that's right) but it did not solve the itch, it does have Parabens in it and I think that may be the cause :rolleyes: it was under AU$7 for 600ml.

Thanks Gilly. :)

Gilly
February 7th, 2009, 10:54 PM
Thanks Gilly. :)

No worries!

Gilly
February 10th, 2009, 12:09 AM
Is anyone else going to have a go at this or it is just us two crazy Aussies????:p

KnightsLady
February 10th, 2009, 12:31 AM
Doesn't matter to me if I'm only one of two crazy Aussies. :p

Gilly
February 10th, 2009, 12:44 AM
Doesn't matter to me if I'm only one of two crazy Aussies. :p

We are an Elite band!!!:cheese:

MermaidGirl
February 10th, 2009, 12:51 AM
Is anyone else going to have a go at this or it is just us two crazy Aussies????:p


Doesn't matter to me if I'm only one of two crazy Aussies. :p


We are an Elite band!!!:cheese:

I'd love to have a go at the sorbolene, but I'm here in the U.S. and am wondering what on earth shipping would cost, and if I could even get it shipped to me from Newton's (<---- that is the store, right, not the brand?)!

Gilly
February 10th, 2009, 12:55 AM
I'd love to have a go at the sorbolene, but I'm here in the U.S. and am wondering what on earth shipping would cost, and if I could even get it shipped to me from Newton's (<---- that is the store, right, not the brand?)!
Newton's is both the store and the brand, they make it themselves, and very good they are at it too!
Have you checked out the website?
Maybe drop them an email and ask how much shipping would be?
They are very helpful and will answer all emails.

MermaidGirl
February 10th, 2009, 09:42 PM
Thanks for the suggestion, Gilly, I will do that!

Darkhorse1
February 10th, 2009, 10:56 PM
I won a huge Cetephil package when I won my division at my Short Course last year (they were one of the sponsers). Can you believe this? I was allergic to it. Whatever was in there made my face and skin itch SO badly. I did pass it on to a friend who loves the product. Just to show you that something can be deemed 'hypoallergenic', but still can cause reactions to people.

Knightslady--GORGEOUS hair!!!

Gilly
February 11th, 2009, 12:28 AM
I can't use Cetephil either:rolleyes:
Itchy city!!!

Gilly
February 11th, 2009, 01:38 AM
Well so far so good, it seems to be helping with the itch which is great.
I had noticed that it did seem to get a little greasy by the end of the day, (I wash daily) so today I lathered twice and tonight it still looks good so hopefully I have sorted that problem!!:cheese:
I must get some pics done!!!

SimplyLonghair
February 11th, 2009, 01:55 AM
Well so far so good, it seems to be helping with the itch which is great.
I had noticed that it did seem to get a little greasy by the end of the day, (I wash daily) so today I lathered twice and tonight it still looks good so hopefully I have sorted that problem!!:cheese:
I must get some pics done!!!

I am happy that this is starting to work for you. I have such a hard time finding products as I am allergic to parabens and any type of wheat or barley and oat products. It makes it really hard to find something that works. I am going as natural as possible now. Glad to see you on the boards! Gilly! Praying for all ya'll overthere! Keep cool and safe! :smile:

Deborah
February 11th, 2009, 09:21 PM
Well, I am still interested, but like most Americans, find Sorbolene (a cheap product down there) quite expensive to get here. I used gallons of it on my skin, but then shipping costs increased so I found an American supplier. Here you can only get it in concentrated form, then have to whip water in yourself. I liked it better when I could get it directly, already in ready-to-go form.

I may start the research again to see if I can find a good, reasonably priced Sorbolene. Just Sunday I stumbled on some of the concentrated version that I had in the back of some other stuff in a closet I seldom visit.

So, I may try Sorbolene hair washing again. When I did it in the past, I found that my hair was pretty greasy, so I switched to conditioner instead. But I may give it another shot, lathering twice instead of just once, as I did before. It is what Hugh Molloy likes to use, but he did say that many find it too greasy. That is why he said that most folks he convinces to drop shampoo end up using a light conditioner instead.

I'm not sure whether Sorbolene is any healthier to use than conditioner. Does anyone really know? According to Dr. Molloy, both are way better for one's health than any shampoo.

Sunshine69
February 11th, 2009, 09:59 PM
has anyone tried making their own vegetable sorbolene? The ingredients that Gilly posted looked pretty basic and easy to track down. I wouldn't know what ratios to use, because I've never experienced sorbolene. Gilly didn't mention any water in the ingredients. Is this stuff really thick and greasy before you add water? what's the consistency?

Cetylstearyl alcohol (aka cetearyl alcohol) - emulsifier/surfactant
Capric triglyceride (aka fractionated coconut oil) - just the oily portion of coconut oil
Cocnut oil
Vit E acetate
Glycerin -humectant and lubricant

Deborah
February 12th, 2009, 12:34 AM
Sorbolene is not thick and greasy. It is a soft, somewhat fluffy lotion. The texture is very nice.

Gilly
February 12th, 2009, 01:28 AM
I am trying to think of how I would describe the Vege Sorbolene texture, its pretty thick, I leave finger lines in mine when I scoop it out of the tub, I suppose its probably about the same thickness as cold cream.
Knightslady, how would you describe it????

KnightsLady
February 12th, 2009, 02:42 AM
I am trying to think of how I would describe the Vege Sorbolene texture, its pretty thick, I leave finger lines in mine when I scoop it out of the tub, I suppose its probably about the same thickness as cold cream.
Knightslady, how would you describe it????

Slightly fluffier cold cream, but is more similar to cold cream than a lotion or hair mousse. I've also described it to be like King Island cream (cows milk stuff).

KnightsLady
February 12th, 2009, 02:44 AM
I won a huge Cetephil package when I won my division at my Short Course last year (they were one of the sponsers). Can you believe this? I was allergic to it. Whatever was in there made my face and skin itch SO badly. I did pass it on to a friend who loves the product. Just to show you that something can be deemed 'hypoallergenic', but still can cause reactions to people.

Knightslady--GORGEOUS hair!!!

Thank you for the compliment :)

I also didn't like Cetaphil. It didn't stop the itchies either.:p

Sunshine69
February 20th, 2009, 11:56 AM
Deborah, I tried the sorbolene from the distributor you linked to in your original post. I mixed some in a plastic applicator bottle with water and shook the heck out of it (probably 1/2 cup of the sorbolene and 1 1/2 cups water). I was afraid it would leave my hair greasy as you mentioned, but it didn't at all. I massaged it into my scalp when my hair was dry. I then just rinsed it out of my hair and scalp. I was surprised when my hair started drying that it was curling so much, and today my hair feels really soft and smooth and looks shiny. Not greasy at all. I also like washing my body with this stuff.

I ordered some supplies to try making my own sorbolene. I'll let you know how it goes.

bgarrison
February 27th, 2009, 11:19 AM
*still watching this thread and loving the updates, as well as the ideas to make it at home

How are the experiments going? I haven't felt spendy enough yet to order any, but am keeping the idea in the back of my mind in case my itchies don't subside. Every time I think I've found help, it doesn't last.

Sunshine69
February 27th, 2009, 11:41 AM
I made my own batch of sorbolene. I had to make up my own recipe because I couldn't find one, and I just guessed at the proportions. I've used it to wash my hair for about a week. It works great, and no itchies. I probably could have added more water to it, because it's very thick (like a cream). I've been massaging it into my scalp with dry hair and then getting my hair and head wet and massaging again and combing it through the length. It detangles very easily. I'm going to try making some more as soon as I use the rest of this batch. I might alter my ratio of CAT to the oils (slightly more oils, because I'm hoping to leave a trace of them on my hair instead of rinsing them all off). I'd like to try using some shea butter and maybe different oils and a little more water. It works great as a handwash or facial wash, too. Here's what I did for my first batch:

Sorbolene
2/20/2009

A:
20g CAT, from makingcosmetics.com (it's a blend of cetearyl alcohol, an emulsifier, and behentrimonium methosulfate, a cationic surfactant)
40g Kukui Nut Oil
30g Coconut Oil

B:
60ml Hot Water
10g glycerin

C:
1/4 tsp Vitamin E oil

A: melt CAT and coconut oil in kukui oil in hot water bath. (150 degrees)

B: Add glycerine to hot water (150 degrees)

Mix part B into part A. Mix with stick blender. Cool to 100 degrees. Add C and mix again.

bgarrison
March 14th, 2009, 11:34 AM
How are you liking the homemade sorbolene, sunshine?

Sissy
March 14th, 2009, 12:32 PM
Thank you for the compliment :)

I also didn't like Cetaphil. It didn't stop the itchies either.:p

Wow, I use Cetaphil on my face daily... but recently my skin on my face is still dry (winter has been very hard on my skin this year). I am also interested in Sorbolene now... anyone found a way to get it in the states cheaply and easily?

Knigthslady your hair is beautiful!

Darkhorse1
March 14th, 2009, 03:04 PM
Cetaphil caused my face to break out, itch and general unpleasantness. Weird huh? I even did a test on the back of my hand, but it still irritated my skin. St Ives is the best product for me (the apricot scrub) and a variety of different oil free moisturizers. :)

bgarrison
September 16th, 2009, 09:32 AM
<link removed>
I just came across this--this is a US company. Is it the same as the australian product?

Also wondering how everyone's doing with their sorbolene trials? I still haven't taken the plunge even though my scalp's still wonky.

Flynn
September 16th, 2009, 05:37 PM
Cetaphil and sorbolene are VERY different. You can get both of them here (Australia) and they are in no way equivalent.

As for getting your hands on sorbolene, try UK and Australian "products from home" shops (and websites) in the US. There are a few things (Allens lollies, sorbolene, pawpaw cream, tim tams/penguin biscuits) that Aussie and UK expats just can't live without. >_o

The product in the post above this is the same as Australian sorbolene.

Not all brands are created equal. There are some thicker ones (I think the one linked above might be one of these) which are wonderful for "tough" skin areas -- hands, feet, elbows and knees, but can bee too much for, say, the face. (Thick sorbolenes make me break out if I use them on my face, for example.) Thinner ones, like Redwin (http://www.pharmacyonline.com.au/redwin-sorbolene-lotion-with-vitamin-glycerine-litre-p-1949.html), which happens to be my favourite, won't help dry hands and feet as much, but are perfect for the rest of you, and the face, and are the far better option if you're trying to use it as a cleanser.

Do note that the Redwin one does contain mineral oil.


Sorbolene is not thick and greasy. It is a soft, somewhat fluffy lotion. The texture is very nice.

As stated above, that's not always true.

Deborah
September 16th, 2009, 07:43 PM
<link removed>

I just came across this--this is a US company. Is it the same as the Australian product?



Yes, it is the same, but it is very concentrated. You add a lot of water - I usually whip it up half sorbolene, half water, but you can add lots more according to the website.

Sister13
September 18th, 2009, 09:08 PM
Ordered mine from Newton's in Australia. Can't wait til it comes. Thanks for the tip.

Next transformation will be henna.

bgarrison
September 21st, 2009, 04:21 PM
Thanks, Flynn and Deborah for confirming. :) Still contemplating the purchase, but nice to know it's the same item.

bg

Sister13
September 26th, 2009, 09:45 AM
Got my veggie sorbolene from Newton's last night and it's amazing. Great moisturizer. Have my doubts on using it as the only soap. Like will it really clean the "special" parts as well as real soap?

Hmmm...

KnightsLady
September 27th, 2009, 03:42 AM
I use it (Newton's Vegetable Sorbolene) for everything, because it's not drying like soap. Instead of shampoo, instead of soap, instead of a moisturiser. Haven't had a problem with any of it.

KnightsLady
September 27th, 2009, 05:03 AM
.. and I've just realised that I've been using Newton's Vegetable Sorbolene as a replacement for shampoo, soap etc for over a year now. :) Haven't come across any problems cleaning any parts yet... :o

Chibbylick
September 27th, 2009, 07:27 AM
Oh I am sooo going to try this!

Chibby

bgarrison
September 27th, 2009, 08:34 PM
Got my veggie sorbolene from Newton's last night and it's amazing. Great moisturizer. Have my doubts on using it as the only soap. Like will it really clean the "special" parts as well as real soap?

Hmmm...
How much was shipping to the US? TY!

bg

bgarrison
September 27th, 2009, 08:40 PM
I use it (Newton's Vegetable Sorbolene) for everything, because it's not drying like soap. Instead of shampoo, instead of soap, instead of a moisturiser. Haven't had a problem with any of it.

I see two items at Newton's website-- sorbolene and "sorboveg"--- is the latter what you use, Knightslady?

Is this a common use for sorbolene? I'm curious how this started and why people try it. Itching? Dryness?

I had no luck with CO so I wonder if it's worth trying this. Is it a similar concept?

Flynn
September 27th, 2009, 08:50 PM
I see two items at Newton's website-- sorbolene and "sorboveg"--- is the latter what you use, Knightslady?

Is this a common use for sorbolene? I'm curious how this started and why people try it. Itching? Dryness?

I had no luck with CO so I wonder if it's worth trying this. Is it a similar concept?

Sorbolene instead of soap is fairly common.

Sorbolene instead of shampoo is unconventional, much like CO washing.

KnightsLady
September 28th, 2009, 04:05 AM
I see two items at Newton's website-- sorbolene and "sorboveg"--- is the latter what you use, Knightslady?

Is this a common use for sorbolene? I'm curious how this started and why people try it. Itching? Dryness?

I had no luck with CO so I wonder if it's worth trying this. Is it a similar concept?

As Flynn mentioned, sorbolene is commonly used as a soap substitute. It is freely available under an assortment of brands in supermarkets and pharmacies. Sorbolene has been recommended for many years by dermatologists for dry skin, itchiness, excema, psoriasis and the like, as it doesn't dry and irritate as soap can.

Why did I try it? I've had skin problems (acne, dry skin, itchiness, 'dandruff') for years, so information relating to the topic tends to grab my attention. Whenever I spot a new remedy I've sought to try it out. It took me a while to gather the courage to try sobolene for a shampoo replacement though, as it has an image of being a bit greasy and potentially difficult to wash out. I had read a transcript of a dermatologist being interviewed a few years before, but when I came across his book in a secondhand shop became newly inspired to experiment.

I don't order from the Newton's website, but would reasonably confidently guess that the one I'm using is sorboveg, as they also produce the regular paraffin based sorbolene. I found that the paraffin based sorbolene can be a little more time consuming, because the recommended application was the night before rinsing it out. It worked ok, but wasn't as easy as the vegetable sorbolene.

Is it a similar concept to CO? Well.... it might be called that. The dermatologist recommended CO as an alternative if people weren't happy with the results from just using sorbolene (ie they felt their hair was too greasy). CO is touted as being more gentle than shampoo, but I found that CO still left my scalp a bit itchy.

ETA - missed this one...
Is sorbolene a common replacement for shampoo? Not as far as I'm aware. If I mention it, I get raised eyebrows. (I don't mention it much.) However, I do know that there are other people out there who do use it for that purpose. I've heard them interviewed on radio (Richard Glover, ABC702 No shampoo challenge) and seen it mentioned in the book and transcripts as a recommendation that the dermatologist made and I would assume that at least some of his patients took up the challenge to change over to it. The dermatologist actually used sorbolene himself as a shampoo substitute for many years.

bgarrison
September 28th, 2009, 08:12 AM
Thank you for your patient and kind answer, knightslady. So helpful.

It appears the one I found available in the US is more of the parrafin based type, so if I was to try this I'd order the "sorboveg" from newton's. My scalp has been a problem for over a year (dryness, itching, bumps, scales, pain) and I'm desperate to find something to help.

One more question for those of you using this-- after washing ad drying with sorbolene, how does your hair look and feel? Should I expect my hair to look like it's been washed with shampoo/ soap bar? Or will it feel different? Does all the sorbolene rinse out or does some remain on the hair and scalp?

Just wondering what to expect and how to gauge if I've done the process well.

Thank you.

bg

Sister13
September 29th, 2009, 12:52 PM
Hey there, bgarrison -- the shipping for 2 tubs of Sorboveg and one other item was US$39.40.

When I consider the u$elessness of all the dermatologist trips, cortisone cream prescriptions & my habitual avoidance of soap, I gotta say it's better to wash more and see if the itchy-scalies leave me. So far so good and it's got a nice moisturizer feel and action.

It's hard to accept that it's both a soap and moisturizer but I'm impressed.

I went for the non-petroleum Sorbo-Veg. I'm happy so far but haven't yet tried washing all the "special" body parts with it yet. It's like my brain can't believe it'll really get me clean all over.

Also, my itchiest skin is on my legs and the backs of my hands. The hands seem to be triggered by dust/mildew from a place I lived for a year. It was horrid when I lived there and now even "clean" clothes are contaminated and must be rewashed.

I'm a slave to Essential Fatty Acids as well to help stave off the itchy-scalies.

Good luck. The Australians got it going on with this one. :cheese:

Liluri
September 29th, 2009, 09:07 PM
It's hard to accept that it's both a soap and moisturizer but I'm impressed.


This got me thinking but water is one of the best solvents and well it's kind of vital to life and moisturising too.