Augmenting shampoo? Or how to help my son :)

[Desdesdes]

Hoping I can get some good advice here.

I'm the long haired mom of a long haired 11 year old boy who has autism. Coupled with a genius IQ are a lot of sensory issues that make all sorts of things a challenge. Shampooing hair is one of them. We hit gold with a locally sourced handmade shampoo. He loves it, but it seems to be drying his hair. He refuses all conditioner. I'm not about to rattle him by insisting he give up his beloved shampoo if I can help it. I'm wondering if there is something I can slip into his shampoo bottle that might enhance its moisturizing factor? My only disqualifiers would be anything with too strong a scent. His shampoo smells very strongly of mint, so it could disguise a bit, but he has a pretty sensitive nose.
Did I mention he's also a daily blow dryer <shudder>. I'm also trying to come up with some sort of thermal protection spray he might tolerate.

GPO his hair below. I know he needs a trim, but he is anti that, too :rolleyes:
http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5320/6949646454_be938a7f1f.jpg

Thanks in advance for any ideas :flower:

[Avital88]

you could try putting a few drops of oil in his shampoo,olive or argan and for the hair i think it looks great

[PolarCathy]

There is this thread "Oil shampoo". I would pour olive oil to the shampoo :) or maybe something lighter that washes out easily, maybe grapeseed oil and a bit of aloe vera gel. How does that sound?

[mzBANGBANG]

How about Scent A Way hunter conditioner? You could add it to the bottle and I doubt it would change anything. My mom used to use it when she'd go hunting with my dad. I haven't looked at the ingredients yet but if odor is the big issue, it might be a good trade. Here's a link (http://www.amazon.com/Hunters-Specialties-Scent-A-Way-Odorless-Conditioner/dp/B001F0IKOW) to what I am talking about. The shampoo is sold at Walmart, not sure about the conditioner since most men don't care so much about that :P

[heidi w.]

You do know that they make shampoos that contain conditioners, right? I assume you aren't using it because a change incites further problems.

I don't know about pouring olive oil into the shampoo. I don't know how great of a hair washer he is. This stuff is fairly viscous and he may have trouble getting it rinsed out of his hair. Maybe some drops of oil, but essential oils do have an aroma, and depending on how sensitive he is it may upset him.

This is a tough problem given your parameters, and I'm sorry to say I don't have a reliable answer for you.

Soon he'll really be a pubescent boy, and he may have acne problems and whatnot.

heidi w.

[anemix1005]

maybe some honey and olive oil? :)

[fridgee]

I second the oil shampoo. It works best with coconut oil (the shampoo allows it to penetrate the hair, which won't happen with other oils) and the refined stuff is odorless. It can take some experimentation to get the ratios right tho. I hope you find a suitable solution, good luck :flower:

[PixxieStix]

I use oil shampoo and LOVE it! I mix in coconut oil, but some people like jojoba or sweet almond or grape seed oil.

[Pierre]

Aspie here. I suggest you try spreading a drop of oil on his hair after shampooing. If he doesn't like it, try another oil. He may not like the smell, or he may not like the feel. I know another aspie who doesn't like the smell of jojoba; I don't notice the smell, and I like the feel.

[afu]

i would also suggest a refined coconut oil mixed with the shampoo - it doesn't have a smell but cocnut oil does wonders for a lot of people.

[Anje]

Personally, I wasn't a fan of adding oil to my shampoo when I tried it, and gave that a fairly intensive attempt too. So it may or may not work for him.

How would he feel about oiling his hair gently before he washes it? Perhaps an hour or two before even, with something like coconut oil. Many people here have reported great benefits to pre-oiling their hair before washes, and it wouldn't have quite the same slimy characteristics that I imagine he objects to with conditioner.

[|Xei]

How about honey or glycerin in small amounts?

[Tia2010]

Would he be agreeable to a few drops of Argan oil after his wash? IMO it doesn't have a strong scent so he may not mind...or as others have said maybe add a little coconut oil to the shampoo ( I second the refined coconut oil...It doesn't have a coconut smell so it would mix easily with the mint)

ETA: How about mineral oil/babyoil? Does he mind that. Lots of people ( me included) have had good luck with a few small drops used on the length/ends)

[Tisiloves]

You could try mint scented conditioner, I used really like the Asda own brand one, that should hide quite well. The problem may well be texture-wise as well though, conditioner's pretty slimy and might trigger "a little Autistic moment".