Sophie Says: I’ve heard a lot of things about Pantene Pro-V’s shampoo and conditioners. A lot of hairstylists swear on 
However, I’ve been using the Pantene Restoratives shampoo and conditioner for a few months now, and I find my hair less frizzy, more manageable, smoother, and softer. Of course, I also use John Frieda Anti-Frizz Serum and Pantene Pro-V Restoratives Frizz Control Ultra Smoothing Balm (I highly recommend the latter, just apply to wet hair).
Phew, that was long. So, my question is: Is Pantene good or bad for my hair?
The Right Brain Righteously Responds:
Sophie, please don’t fall into the trap of believing everything your stylist tells you. (That’s one of the The Beauty Brains Basic Beliefs.) While most stylists are very talented at cutting and styling hair, they’re not very talented at interpreting cosmetic formulations.
The truth is, Pantene’s shampoo and conditioner formulas are believed to be among the best in the industry by those of us in the cosmetic science side of the business. It makes sense if you think about it. P&G, makers of Pantene, have a HUGE research budget. Certainly larger than any salon company. That means they can afford to dedicate resources to developing and testing the best formulas possible. We’ve seen Pantene formulas beat the pants of salon products in blind consumer testing. (The products are hidden or blinded, not the consumers)
Why is Pantene vilified?
So why do stylists say that Pantene coats the hair with plastic, or make it fall out? Because that’s what they’re told by the sales representatives for the salon companies. And the truth is, it’s just not true! Compare the ingredient lists for Pantene conditioner and any salon brand you can find.
Even though the names vary you’ll see three basic types of ingredients: fatty alcohols (like cetyl and stearyl alcohol); conditioning ingredients (like stearamidopropylamine and quaternium-18) and silicones (like dimethicone and cyclomethicone.) There’s nary a plastic to be found in Pantene. And no, it doesn’t make your hair fall out either.
The Beauty Brains Bottom Line:
You can choose whatever you like – a retail brand like Pantene or a salon brand like Matrix. But shop around and find a product you like and make your own decisions based on your own experience. Don’t pass on Pantene because of stylist anti-hype.
Have you got something to say about Pantene? Leave a comment below.
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Okay, I’m not one to really bash a product, but I never had to experience one that has truely harmed me before. About two years ago I started to lose my hair. Since I’m in my early thirties and newly divorced, I reasoned that I’m just stressing out! Then, last year it slowly looked as if it was coming back. But that was short lived. Then about eight months ago, it began to fall out again and even at a faster rate than before! “Okay,” I reasoned, “probably poor food choices.” So, I began taking my vitamins again, adding to it extra protein enriched foods. Nothing was happening. My hair was still shedding so fast that I’ve developed bald circles around my head. I’ve been sad, but I felt like I would never find out the cause. I started looking into wigs and thought that this is just my fate, when suddenly my two daughters, 10 and 7 years old, began losing their hair at an alarming rate! Yesterday my daughter actually cried for the first time because the reality is setting in, she is really losing her hair. Tomorrow is our first of two doctor appointments I made for us. But all morning I sat and seriously thought about what we all have in common. We don’t eat the same. We don’t take the same vitamins. We don’t juice the same. We don’t exercise the same. Our well water has just recently been tested and passed with flying colors. We are now very comfortable with our new lifestyle and since they are homeschooled, we live a very stress-free lifestyle, so that couldn’t be it. The children have fallen in love with the arrangements my x-husband and I have made for them and we are all very happy. So, if it isn’t stress, then what in “Goodness sake” could be going on? Radon? Pollution? Nope. Come on Lord, hint to me…then it dawned on me! Two years ago I began using Pantene’s New Textured Formula. Then, as suddenly as it was here, it was no longer on the shelves. I couldn’t find it anywhere! I loved it and was disappointed that it was gone, yet something inside whispered to let it go, find something else! Then about six months later it came back and the first chance I got, I quickly jumped to it and ignored my once “little warning”. I quickly gave the children the Suave and bought my favorite Pantene once again, even though something inside was telling me not to do it. Now, I see that the time I was on Suave, my hair was growing back. I went back to Pantene and my head was always itchy! So, every couple of days I used Head and Shoulders just to take care of the pain and the itch. Yet, without knowing it was the shampoo, I went back to the Pantene over and over and just watched my hair literally pour out of my head with the draining water! I never would think it was Pantene. After all, it is a big name! It is Pantene!!!! How could it hurt me? Then, I think back to a few months ago to when I switched my children to Pantene when they were done with all our “left-over” shampoos. Suddenly, their heads were always itchy, of course, I still never thought it was the shampoo. I just switched them to Head and Shoulders for a while also, and put them back on the Pantene, after all it made our hair look so healthy and shiny. Then, I saw them in the sun a few weeks ago and tears came to my eyes. I could see their entire scalps! My 10 year old was blessed with the thickest, most beautiful head of hair. But now, I could actually see her scalp too. My youngest has thinner hair and in the sun she looked bald! What was doing this to us? I racked my brain. Then I thought back to my “tiny warning whispering in my ear” a year ago. It was the Pantene. It was leaving burns on my scalp and it has been hurting so badly. This morning I soaked my head in Emu Oil Shampoo I just resently bought to “add” to my Pantene thinking it would help my hair regain some strength. But, this morning I soaked my scalp in it alone and for most of the day my scalp has been “cooled” down. Pantene may not hurt some people, but you may not be using the New Textured Formula. Please don’t. I’ve been on the internet all morning investigating other complaints. More and more people are out there screaming out since 2005! Nobody has yet said that their hair has grown back, but I won’t give up faith. If you want to stick with Pantene, just don’t go with the New version and please the minute you suspect your hair is thinning, shedding, graying faster or even turning a different color, please throw it away! You won’t be disappointed that you did. I hope we still have a chance to save our hair, maybe just time will tell!
I want to cry because I’ve been using this product for several months and my hair had started falling out. I thought it was stress then I thought it was the fact I was on blood pressure medication. My doctor and my hairdresser had told me that blood pressure medication can cause my hair to be brittle. I read somewhere that Pantene cause hair to fall out. I’ve been so busy that I never made the connection. I switched to Aveda and Carol’s Daughter. More expensive but all natural. Guess what…no more hair breakage. I’m very angry the product damaged my hair. I’m now trying to repair it with Aveda treatments. Won’t go the Pantene cheap route again.
I have been using Pantene for as long as I can remember, and have not been able to find another brand that comes close. Sad to say, I have had the same experience as Abbey and Sweatpea – I keep getting a greasy waxy spot at the top of my hair that doesn’t wash out for a month!! I can’t figure it out, one random day I’ll go in a shower with perfectly clean hair and come out with a disgusting grease spot on top of my head which doesn’t come off!!! I thought it was just the Smooth & Silky, but it happened again with the Hair Fall Control. My hair is also falling out like crazy, which I didn’t connect with Pantene till reading other complaints today. This all started in October 2007, not sure if that coincides with a “new” product line.
I am a stylist.I have been doing hair for 10 yrs.One day one of the other stylists tells me she wont do color on hair with pantene because of the build up of wax it leaves on the hair and that it changes the result of a chemical service. So i started asking my people what kind of shampoo and conditioner they used before a chemical service and this is what i found. If i do a color on a client that is going from very dark to very light such as in highlights,it will leave the strands blochy and wont take in parts of the hair strands. I have found that colors wont hardly take at all especially on long hair because of all the build up of several uses of Pantene products.Colors do not do well at all when you are changing the hair color more than 1 or 2 levels. I have now posted in my shop on all of my stylists mirrors”Please notify your stylist if you use any Pantene products,as this may alter the results of your chemical service”.I am just a beautician so i dont understand all the chemical names and such that they have on the back of their bottles,and i dont know if thay contain anything that is harmful to your hair,but i do know after working on several people that Pantene only makes messes. I am not saying this because im trying to sell you something else i am asked all the time what they can buy from the store because they cant afford salon prices.I always tell them i dont know what to use i only know professional products but that i do know i would rather them buy doller store shampoo than to ruin their hair with Pantene.I now have a boy who uses Pantene poo and cond. he is 20 yrs. old and hispanic very thick hair,he now is very thin on top and i told him to stay clear of pantene to use anything else but that.I wondered why for a long time why some colors just never seemed to work right.Thankfully she told me this several years ago,before i lost clients,and money fixing colors. Now i own my own salon and have 7 booth renters,and they all post the sign!
I dont know what it is in Pantene nor do i know if other brands have the same ingredients as Pantene,but i do know there is something in pantene and maybe others too that has a big impact on how my hair color works on my clients.It could be as easy as the water they use i dont know,but somethig about it is bad for your hair.Its like anything else some things never effect someone bad and then that same thing could effect others in a real bad way.I can say this its like the old saying goes its better to be safe than sorry and so i think i will just be safe and stick with something else.I do have a question though,Please tell me Beauty brains I have heard you defend Pantene many times,can you tell me what shampoo and cond. you recommend from both sides of the salon Professional and Non-professional?Please do tell i am anxious to find out and your reasons to back it up. Please dont say they all work for differently for diffrent people we know that. Lets just say on the average normal everyday hair.Normal resistance to chemicals and medium length ,average everyday people. Which in my book are little hairspray litle blow dry,touch up ends with straightner or curling iron(no big jobs) Daily or bi-daily.Please do tell Beauty Brain experts,we would all like to know your non-biased opinion.
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April,
Interesting observation. I can’t say that we’ve seen the same but you would need a better controlled experiment to verify that Pantene has this kind of effect on hair color. It may be that you are experiencing confirmation bias. That means you notice that the color isn’t taking and when you ask the person used Pantene. You form that opinion and start remembering only information that supports the hypothesis. Think of all the people who’s hair color turned out fine where you didn’t ask them what they used. Probably Pantene. Also, you don’t mention whether the people are using shampoo or conditioner. Conditioner would have a much greater impact on whether a color is affected or not because the compounds in it actually are deposited on the hair.
As to what shampoo we recommend, we don’t. In truth, all shampoos basically work well to clean your hair. VO5 & Suave are fine from your hair’s point of view. If your hair is less oily then you’ll want to use a moisturizing shampoo like Pantene, Fructis, Dove, Tresemme, Herbalessences, etc. All of these can provide excellent results. So too can salon formulas like Paul Mitchel, Biolage, Kerastase, etc. For your hair, none of these work significantly better. Some may be more drying on your scalp or may foam better or smell better but from a purely functional standpoint, none are better than the others.
Conditioners are a bit different. The more expensive ones are better than the 99 cent ones. All the brands mentioned above can work well but it is more hair specific. It depends on how well your hair responds to a certain conditioning ingredient, how damaged your hair is, how oily it is, and how you like it to feel.
The best advice we can give is this. If you use a conditioner, then the shampoo you use doesn’t really matter. The end condition of your hair is the result of the conditioner effect.
Left Brain
Internet hysteria is hilarious
If Pantene makes your hair fall out, someone forgot to tell mine. I grew my hair from super short 3-4 inches to waist length on Aussie shampoo and Pantene conditioner. I use other products now, mostly because I have more disposable income, and I’ve found stuff that works better for my changing needs. Although I am tempted every now and then to try my cheapie former staples again.
Why don’t you look up on the net the ingredients that are in Pantene or in any of your shampoos? I found it amazing that some of the ingredients in Pantene which are also found in VO5, Tresemme were pretty toxic to one’s health. By comparing the shampoos against each other i found that Schwarzkopf, Garnier and some Sunsilk did’t have a lot of the products that Pantene and the other products have. To those people out there who to want to change shampoos, wash your hair with Sunlight detergent to get rid of the chemicals that the Pantene shampoo contain. If you don’t, sometimes your hair gets worse(more oily, etc) as they two ingedients come together and thinking that your hair is worse from the other shampoo you change back to Pantene.
And those toxic chemicals would be what?
The internet is a terrible place for most people to find out information about the chemicals in their personal care products. Since anyone can write anything you have no way of knowing what is real and what is just made up. For example, the fact that you say Pantene, VO5 and Tresemme are filled with toxic chemicals clearly shows that you are mis-informed about the science.
No personal care product uses any chemicals at levels that would pose a danger to people.
I am very worried about my hair, All I use Pantene and I have noticed that even though I stand under the shower for a long while my hair doesnt seem to get that wet hair feeling i have to double check to make sure it is wet before I put on my shampoo, I just noticed a bald spot and I am terrified, I set an appointment with the doc for tomorrow. Hence the reason for me visiting this website is ai am worried that what they say about pantene is true!!!!
I just gor my hair cut this week and while my stylist was using the razor on my hair tons of white stuff was coming off at the same time. Seeing as I don’t use any other product in my hair besides my pantene shampoo and conditioner, it is clear that they are the cause. I’m sorry but it seems like you are just trying to make excuses for these bargain brands.
As much as I would like to believe you.. I cant. I have been using pantene for about a month now and at first.. WOW. But then my hair started frizzing and feeling waxy (falling out a lot too). I figured that this just meant it was time for a hair cut. SO, I go into a new supercuts and get a brand new haircutter (never used her before) she starts cutting my hair and suddenly asks “So which are you using? Pantene or Suave?”. She had actually found that some of my hair was clumped together and wax was coating it. The frizz, the waxy feeling, and the hair loss? Due to pantene pro-v. So, from personal experience, don’t use it. Save your hair.
Since Suave and Pantene are 2 of the best selling shampoos, having your stylist guess that it was one of those isn’t surprising in the least. It also ignores the 50 customers before you in which she asked the same thing and they answered neither. Confirmation bias.
Anecdotal stories like the ones posted here demonstrate exactly why anecdotal evidence is practically worthless for any scientific investigation.
1. You don’t know if it’s true. Anyone can write anything on the internet.
2. You don’t get all the facts. There are hundreds of other possibilities that aren’t considered to explain hair loss/wax build-up.
I could go on but I’ll save it for a future blog post.
The bottom line is that there is no scientific basis for the claims that Pantene makes hair fall out or puts wax on your hair. There are also no verified cases of it happening.
As a hair professional i consult with all of my clients before i get started with any service. One of my questions is “What kind of hair care products do you use at home?” I have not had a problem with the Pantene styling products,i have although had more problems with the Pantene Pro-V Shampoo and conditioner.It is more prominent in long hair clients than short,probably from long time build up.I do have a problem with more drastic changes inhaircolor such a a level 3 going to a level 9.The color seems to come out all blochy and i have to refresh the blonding products during processing once they have cut through the whatever it is. I am very open minded,i would not lie to my customers to sell a product.I have very cheap home made recipes that people have told me about that i find actually work.
People ask me all the time what products to buy at the local stores because they cant afford salon prices,hell even at a discount i can barely do so.I am trying to raise a family too.So i always do my best at recommending products i know dont alter the outcome of Chemical services(since most get them). I find Herbal Essence,Tressame,and regular ol baby shampoo(virgin hair only) do fine! In the Professional line i have found the Farouk,CHI line to be the best. Oh my gosh…..have you tried Chi infared Shampoo and CHI ionice color protecting shamoo….they are the bomb of hair products.But you will Pay for them…..exspensive as hell.Not everyone can afford them.So as you see i try to do my research for everyone that comes in,sometimes i ask just for asking. I love to learn. People started coming in and i asked everyone that comes in the door,and believe me theres alot of em,”what products do you use?” Alot said Pantene,some chemical services come out fine,most do not.I now have a sign posted in my salon “Please notify your stylist if you use Pantene Products before any chemical service is performed” I am now adding John Freda to that list of DO NOT’S . Maybe it is only a coincidence,maybe not. But i believe so much of the negatives that i now take a extra 30 min to Pre-strip all the build up out of the hair if i know Pantene or Freda is being used.I do not charge extra,i only educate my clients.I have gone as far as actually being able to see it on the hair with the naked eye.It looks almost like they have gotten a little paint on their hair.Not white but kinda gray substance you can actually pick it off.Come on …….i dont have to be a scientist to make a discovery.If we never used our brains we would still think the world to be flat. Again my Motto for those of you that are scared of it”Better to be safe,than sorry!” Just use something else and do your homework on it theres alot of other great shampoos out there that you wont have to be worrying about whether your hair ia going to fall out.Becareful of the conditioners though,watch the PH balance.I do my research beauty brains.I went to College. If you want to know the real truth,ask the people that have used it.They have the best opinons.I believe thats why we we have consumer reports.No matter what those “rocket scientists” think they know,they are not the ones working in the beauty industry all day….. everyday…….!
IS THE SCIENTIFIC METHOD JUST NOT TAUGHT IN SCHOOL ANYMORE? THIS IS INFURIATING, EVERYONE SHOULD GO RIGHT NOW AND READ THE CHAPTER IN AN EIGHTH GRADE TEXT BOOK ABOUT THE SCIENTIFIC METHOD BEFORE POSTING THEIR HORROR STORIES AND IF THEY’RE EXPERIENCE DOES NOT CONFORM TO IT JUST STOP TALKING.
the internet makes me so mad sometimes.
Hey it is me again, just wanted to report that since my original post about 6-8 months ago I have not used Pantene at all what so ever. The verdict… My hair is has grown almost down to my waist (from my shoulders) and is at least 3 times thicker than it was. I also only lose maybe 6-10 hairs in the shower when I wash it or when I brush it now (yes I really do count them).
So you can try and tell me I have a medical problem and you can try and tell me that I am just getting old but like I said in my original post no doctor could find a problem and I am feeling great for my ripe old age of 28!
Again, was it from Pantene? I really do not know as I am not a doctor or a scientist, but having my hair back is kind of nice so I think this is evidence enough for me. I will never use it again.
I never used Pantene till 5 years ago. Both my twin (identical) sister and I started using it as it was a much cheaper solution to the expensive brands we were using at home.
After a few months, Lindie started losing hair, and we both assumed it was due to stress. We were both studying the same subject and we were living identical lives, and eating the same food. Oddly enough I was generally the stressed one. Her hair kept falling more and more as time went by. We went to the doctor, tried to figure out if our diet, studies and whatever else was causing her to lose her hair. Couldn’t get anything definitive so we assumed stress. We spent the summer doing noting but swimming, hiking, enjoying ourselves but her hair kept falling. Halfway on our three month vacation we ran out of shampoo, and our cabin mate offered her the use of her Paul Mitchell. Within a week or so Lindie’s hair had stopped falling and we assumed it was the result of the relaxing vacation. Back to college after that, and we went back using Pantene and boom… hair loss again for Lindie. I thought it over and over, and I wondered if it was the shampoo, but since it didn’t seem to affect me it was not possible. After we finished the Pantene, I bought a few bottles of Paul Mitchell cheap as the salon was going out of business, and well.. hair loss was over, her hair managed to grow back, and not a day of hair loss after that. Finished the Paul Mitchell, back to Pantene.. and you gotta be kidding me… hair loss again.. and we are once again on vacations… so? How can it be the stress??
Well, my sister stopped using Pantene, and her hair is doing great now. So, to us, the hair loss was definitively produced by the use of Pantene, but only affected her for some reason and not me.
Different people react to shampoos differently. So saying that Pantene makes you hair fall, is true for my sister. But it is not for me. I have decided no to use it, just to be on the safe side.
I rarely ever use the same shampoo/conditioner twice, so I can’t attest to long-term results, but I’ve never had any problems with Pantene. My hair falls out pretty easily no matter what shampoo/conditioner I use, and Pantene definitely didn’t make it worse. (I’ve tried plenty of drugstore brands: Garnier, Cristophe Beverly Hills, Samy, Sunsilk, Herbal Essences, Neutrogena, Charles Worthington, L’oreal, Organix, Nexxus…)
I used the midnight expressions/brunette expressions line sometime in the last year or so and I actually liked it. It wasn’t anything particularly special, but I’ve never found any shampoo/conditioner to be a miracle product.
Ann said: ” I was told Garnier Fructis and Suave were the way to go for non-salon hair products. ”
I’ve heard bad things about pantene. But myself, I’ve never tried it.
But, I did use Garnier Fructis and I heard exactly the opposite. Garnier supposivly has citrus extracts in it, which dry your hair out. [ So I'm told. ] I used it for a long time, and since I stopped…my hair has gotten much better. I use Vive PRO for colored hair now, and I love it.
I have had always had beautiful hair, never any bother it has always been thick, soft and shiny, about a week and a half ago I used pantene pro-v and straight after the first thime I used it I could feel a greasy build up on the back of my hair, I rewashed it immediately as I am quite particular about my hair, and it came out worse.
I assumed it was a spray product I had used, so I used pantene again the next time, even more greasy, i then thought I wasn’t rinsing out the conditioner properly. Next time i used pantene I spent 15 mins just rinsing out, and still the greasy build up.
I was told I was using too little shampoo, so I used even more pantene, and surprise it became even more greasy. Someone then said too much so I used less and it made no difference.
I even went to a hairdressers today and asked them, when I told them I used pantene they looked horrified, and tod me that it was the shampoo. I had been going crazy trying to figure out was causing the build up, washing it even more than usual which only made it worse.
The build up is so bad they washed it four times and whilst it is much better than what it was the build up is still there, and it is going to take me a while to get it out.
It is disastrous and I would steer well clear of any pantene products.
Clearly all hair product lines do not work on all people. This is a commonly accepted fact that seems to have escaped many of the commenters here.
For example, my hairs are very fine, but I have a very thick head of hair that is prone to some curling and a lot of frizzing. I personally find that cream shampoos such as Herbal Essence, Head and Shoulders, and Pantene work very well on my hair, leaving none of the very prominent sticky residue I was finding while using gel shampoos.
On the suggestion of a friend, I recently switched to Pantene pro-V, and have found it to be a good match for my hair. However, it leaves my hair feeling only very subtly different from when I use the other brands listed above. I do find, however, that switching between these brands every few days helps to prevent build-up and keeps my hair light.
I am fully in support of Pantene pro-V products, and think that a lot of these comments are based only on having heard rumors. As previously stated, it’s very easy to hear a rumor and find research to prove it. But I’ll bet it’s just as easy to disprove if tried.
One problem I’ve noticed is that Pantene does not sit as well with my flat iron as some other brands, not to say it’s terrible – just that there’s an identifiable difference in texture. Does anyone have a good solution to this? No flat iron? Different product brand? Something like that?
Before posting against a product, test out some similar products under different brands. Are most of the results not nearly the same? Perhaps it’s just the type of product you’re using that’s causing you so much trouble. Try something different. =)
Consider this:
A major cause of hair loss is the build up of dead skin cells, oil, and other material naturally in your hair.
Is it possible that by hearing the Pantene hype, you became afraid to cleanse your hair properly, used less shampoo, etc?
This could cause build-up, leading to hair loss.
Just a thought.
I was a long time Pantene user, but my hair was not responding well to it at all in the end. My hairdresser (a friend) told me it was bad to use due to excessive buildup and to find something else that didn’t cause any irritation. She didn’t try to sell me anything, and never has.
I’ve now changed to shampoos that do not contain SLS (Sodium laureth sulfate are synthetic cleansing agents that are small molecule ingredients. They are capable of penetrating the skin, which can increase the occurrence of skin irritation) of any kind. Read up on SLS and see what damage it can do. My hair has never been better since stopping all Salon/Supermarket shampoos.
I noticed Pantene was Made in Indonesia instead of Made in Australia. I’m not sure if it was just the particular range I was using at the time, but this alarmed me. Check where yours is made if you are in Australia.
There are many more natural options available than all of the brands mentioned here, in my opinion.
WHEN I WAS IN MIDDLE SCHOOL I ALWAYS STRAIGHTENED MY HAIR OR CURLY IT SO MY STYLE WOULDNT BE SO BORING IF YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN BUT WHEN I USESD TO MUCH STRAIGHTNER AND HAIRSPRAY AND CURLIER IT WAS SO DAMAGED I WENT TO THE BEST HAIR BEAUTY SALONS AND THERE WAS NO RESULTA I BOUGHT EXPENSIVE TREATMENTS AND ACTUALLY CURLY HAIR APPEAREANCE IS REALLY DRY AND THIRSTY I WANTED A GOOD LOOKING HAIR BETTER THAN THE COMMERCIAL GIRLS I THOUGHT THAT WOULD NEVER HAPPEND BUT WHO KNEW THAT JUST A SIMPLE CHEAP SHAMPOO FROM HERBALESSENCES WOULD RESCUE IT HELLO HYDRATION IS GREAT
I’m inclined to agree with the person who said that products work differently for different people. It’s the same with food: despite what the modern “experts” say, old wives have known forever (at least for the past thousand years or so) that sweets and milk cause some people to suffer acne and others not. I suspect it’s the same with hair products, as the twins’ testimony attests. As for my experience with Pantene: I have just discovered the Beautiful Lengths conditioner and absolutely love it. I used Phyto for an entire year, outputting a ton of money. But the truth was that my long hair was not any healthier or any less inclined to tangle, even though my stylist told me how great Phyto was and how I should never resort to drugstore brands. I couldn’t figure it out because the Phyto products are all “natural” and shouldn’t have caused damage but my long hair grew increasingly dry and unmanageable as the months progressed (even though I used the intense conditioners, etc.). I tried Fekkai and Ouidad (I have curly hair) as well, to no avail. Finally, I grew tired of spending so much money only to get poor results. I have now started experimenting with cheaper brands. Most haven’t made any difference. Until Pantene. I must admit that I’m still using my old “pure” expensive shampoos, following up with Pantene Beautiful Lengths coniditioner instead of the expensive ones on my shelf–and love the results. With my very first use of Pantene, for the first time in a year I had no more tanagling; no more frizz; my hair is smooth to the touch and healthy feeling; my curls softly defined. So I’m thinking of continuing to use my expensive shampoos (including a Phyto clarifying shampoo to prevent buildup)and following with Pantene conditioner for a while to see if the improvement continues. I’ll post again to report on what I find for myself as the weeks progress. Has anyone ever used JUST the conditioner and experienced the hair loss issue from that alone?
Thanks for this website and all the helpful input by so many people!
Okay, as an apprentice hairdresser. My fellow workmates believe that not only pantene but majority of supermarket haircare product do contain silicone. We had one client who’s hair, even though we had rinsed and shampood her hair 3 times, still felt like there was a build up of product in the hair. She had been using a supermarket braught wax and was finding her hair started to drop and become heavy. She was also using a supermarket shampoo to try and remove the bulid up, but because of this she was simply coating the hair in the silicone making it harder to remove. We sujested she buy a deep cleansing shampoo (non-silicon based) to get rid of this product build up.
Not only do silicone product such as ones braught from the supermarket create nasty buld up like that. They can also hinder the preformance of salon hair colors as they are coated in the silicone, you may find that your colors won’t be as vibrant, that they won’t last as long, and they will fade. This is due to the color not being able to enter the cuticle therefore it is jus grasping the silicone layer.
I recomend using salon products. Even though you can buy the same brand in some supermarkets the salon choice is always better as they are more concentraited.
Thankyou.
I thought this rumor was BS. I used Pantene off and on my whole life. But then my hair started falling. I had never used it for 6 months strait and nothing else before. I know the difference between a normal shedding and being able to make a dread everytime you run your fingers through your hair. I stopped using the pantene shampoo. After a month it has stopped falling. The funny thing was that it had not grown since a last color in some strands. I have used the pantene left over conditioner occasionally. This doesnt seem to bother me. I have used the conditioner for over 6 months and that doesnt bother me either.
I wouldnt doubt the stylist freaks about those products or anything else thats made to coat the hair shaft. It can really screw up a color job.
Chemicals in everyday products are harmful to your health. The HBA industry is not really regulated all that well. Saying there is that and this combo doesnt mean squat to me. I can drink coca-cola and swim in a pool. But if I put the bare cola and chlorine together it will combust into flame.
I think this shampoo is a flaming failure for my scalp.
I also wouldnt doubt that the coating makes for the build up that conrtibutes to loss. Silicone based products can contribute to loss.
Google up “skin deep” and read on your products if you think big business really gives a rats behind about your well being. They dont. They just want to make money.
Look how much pantene cares:
http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com/brand.php?brand_id=702
Hey great reviews really got me thinking and trying to figure out if I should try out a diefferent shampoo. I have long hair past my chest and do not dye it. I haven’t dyed it in a year. I haven’t cut it in a year either. I never have a problem with my scalp itching although in the past I have used shampoos that made my hair fall out whether it was the conditioner doing it or the shampoo. I have been alternating between suave coconut shampoo (very cheap) and matrix color care shampoo in a pink bottle with a purple top. The matrix makes my hair very soft to the point where I do not feel as if I need conditioner but I use it anyways. I use different conditioners such as tresemme and biolage. I wear my hair up everyday at work because I work in a factory. I have not used pantene in years though. I used to use biolage hydrating shampoo but I think the conditioner made my hair fall out. My friend is using john freida in her hair for brunettes and she said her hair falls out a lot. If I experiment with a shampoo and condiotioner I will probably try walmart for their 99 cent try out specials they always have or go to a beauty salon and look at what they have. My other secret is I do not wash my hair but every three days because of my busy schedule
. I used to blow dry and wash every other day plus straighten it and my hair was dry, frizzy and fell out more then than now. Too many women and girls are high maintenance and “have” to do their hair especially with a business type job where they need to look professional. With my job I wrap and go. It is easier being more simplistic with your hairstyle then u don’t stress yourself out over it looking “perfect” all the time. I used to be like that until I got a factory job. I am active on my feet all day too. My brain is always busy. I will stick with what I have now until it runs out or maybe experiment too 
. My mother also claims that the old pantene was better then than it is now. She claims her hair falls out with it too. I also used a salon shampoo that had olive oil in it and it smelled great and made my hair very soft.
Hey great reviews really got me thinking and trying to figure out if I should try out a different shampoo. I have long hair past my chest and do not dye it. I haven’t dyed it in a year. I haven’t cut it in a year either. My hair is thin and I have a lot of it and has a natural wave. I never have a problem with my scalp itching although in the past I have used shampoos that made my hair fall out whether it was the conditioner doing it or the shampoo. I have been alternating between suave coconut shampoo (very cheap) and matrix color care shampoo in a pink bottle with a purple top. The matrix makes my hair very soft to the point where I do not feel as if I need conditioner but I use it anyways. I use different conditioners such as tresemme and biolage. I wear my hair up everyday at work because I work in a factory. I have not used pantene in years though. I used to use biolage hydrating shampoo but I think the conditioner made my hair fall out. My friend is using john freida in her hair for brunettes and she said her hair falls out a lot. If I experiment with a shampoo and condiotioner I will probably try walmart for their 99 cent try out specials they always have or go to a beauty salon and look at what they have. My other secret is I do not wash my hair but every three days because of my busy schedule
. I used to blow dry and wash every other day plus straighten it and my hair was dry, frizzy and fell out more then than now. Too many women and girls are high maintenance and “have” to do their hair especially with a business type job where they need to look professional. With my job I wrap and go. It is easier being more simplistic with your hairstyle then u don’t stress yourself out over it looking “perfect” all the time. I used to be like that until I got a factory job. I am active on my feet all day too. My brain is always busy. I will stick with what I have now until it runs out or maybe experiment too 
. My mother also claims that the old pantene was better then than it is now. She claims her hair falls out with it too. I also used a salon shampoo that had olive oil in it and it smelled great and made my hair very soft.
I used Pantene Blonde expressions shampoo and conditioner after my niece left her’s behind at my home. I thought I was scoring a fantastic brand of hair products. I soon noticed that I was “shedding” hairs. All over the place. My brush was full and I always had loose pieces of hair on my clothes, around my neck. It was very irratating and annoying. I have never ever had this problem before. I stopped using pantene during the second bottle, and went on to VO5 vitality 2in1 – Guess what?? No more shedding. Nothing.
I am a qualified hairdresser, although no longer working in a salon, so I feel qualified to say that Pantene was causing my “shedding”
Wow.. everyone should just switch to a detergent-free and all- natural shampoo (go green). I have used expensive shampoos like (biolage, kerastase, and paul mitchell) and cheap ones like (pantene, garnier, and dove) all i have to say is pantene does cause build up though it makes hair look and feel better its a facade like many other shampoos with the same ingredients. I like Burt’s bees natural rasberry shampoo and sometimes i use wen by chaz dean. both detergent free.
Pantene does NOT make your hair fall out. If you are experiencing hair loss, it is more likely the result of an underlying condition (underactive thyroid, infection, product/styling overuse, other…) Like many other people already commented, check the list of ingredients, and compare it to other shampoos. As far as panthenol and panthenyl go, please google these terms…they are NOT waxes…(remember chemistry…words ending in -ol and -yl???)
I can only say one thing about the Pantene hairsprays, they are terrible, terrible, terrible. I was using the Pantene Flexible Hold. I didn’t think anything was wrong until my hair started feeling like straw. I would wash it, condition it and it would still feel like straw. For the life of me I could not figure out what was wrong. I was convinced I had a thyroid problem. A friend told me to mix baking soda in with my shampoo and see if it was hairspray build up. I was in shock. My hair feels back to normal. Pantene spray DOES NOT WASH OUT. I will never use it again!!!!
I just tried using Pantene products for the first time and have now washed my hair twice with the Brunette Expressions line (the one for lighter shades). Yesterday, I noticed a bleach or ammonia type smell but thought maybe I was just having a weird moment and didn’t think much of it until I went to begin drying my hair. I thought it kind of looked different than when I got in the shower but forgot about it.
Tonight, I noticed the same smell in the shower and it was strong enough that it actually set my asthma off (please, I know that someone may argue against that but harsh smells like bleach, ammonia, and many cleaning products are among the few things that have set it off since I was little). When I went to dry my hair this time, it was *significantly* lighter and it now has a very noticeable orange tint – a friend that I saw only three or four days ago knew nothing about my product change and tonight she even commented on the difference.
Different people might get different results, but something in the Brunette Expressions products wreaked havoc on my hair and from this moment on, I will never trust any of their products.
I also forgot to add in there, that I did compare the ingredients in the shampoo (not the conditioner) to an old bottle of shampoo I had in the shower like some have suggested. I only compared until about halfway through (4 or 5 lines on each bottle) and other than water, there were pretty much no ingredients that the two shampoos had in common.
Well everyone I am really upset and have been for the last three weeks. I have been using Patene for about 6 weeks. My top of my hair is really thin and so much of my hair is falling out in the shower. Today, I told my family that if I was to lose any more hair I would have to get a wig or not leave the house. I can’t even tell you how many tears I have cried. Years ago I used the CHI smooth system and my husband said maybe that is it. I googled chi with hair loss and got to this website. This must be it. I will stop using the shampoo and other products. My doctor is ordering a full blood work up. I understand some of the comments but I will say this has been really scary for me. I have had 4 children and never lost mhy hair until now. I will let you know what happens after I switch my shampoo.
Well, it’s been a month of using Pantene products, both shampoos and conditioners, and I must say that my hair is FALLING OUT LESS than when I was using expensive salon products such as Phyto, Fekkai, Ouidad, etc. Go figure! Seriously, my hair has never been healthier. Products really do work differently for different people. Looking at reviews online, all I can say is that for every product out there, without exception, you’re going to find someone who loves it and someone who hates it.
I love Pantene. Not all of them but I have been using the shampoo for a very long time. I have dandruff. I always have and I have used every dandruff shampoo known to man. Head and Shoulders was the worst for me then selsum blue. I LOVE PANTENE DANDRUFF CONTROL. It works fabulous on my hair. tgel also worked well but smelled very badly. The pantene dandruff control only comes in a 2 N 1 and it is getting harder and harder to find but I love it. Smells good makes my hair soft and reduces my breakage. My hair is VERY thick, and almost down to my knees. I know I lose more than 100 hairs just from brushing but I reduced that by brushing from the bottom up. Thats another trick to try. I don’t heat anything to my hair and I rarely use styling products
My best friend is a hair stylist. She loves my hair and gets real angry when she sees the pantene in my shower I just tell her its my hair and thats what I like plus its affordable and it stops my dandruff.
Be true to you and what you like. You don’t have to jump on every bandwagon that passes you by.
Hey, for some reason ALL of the stylist dont recommend pantene. Same with friends that take care of their hair, same says so a lot of pages on the internet. So or are all of them lying, or probably it is easier and cheaper for pantene to make a shampoo that covers hair with plastic, is not the research budget, is marketing. Like drugs, at first they do “good” to you, but eventually they will kill you, but people make it for the money they can get, not for what it does to you. Usually people that uses pantene is because they hasnt tried anything else. So come on, see the two sides of the coin and dont defend pantene without real proof.
Of course you don’t mean “ALL” stylists because my stylist doesn’t have a problem with Pantene, so clearly that’s an exaggeration.
There are plenty of explanations for what you point out. Consider where stylists learn about products (from salon brand marketers – Pantene’s competition). So too will friends who are into their hair.
Cosmetic scientists who create formulas (both salon and mass market) would not agree with stylists or friends who are into their hair. These are people who specifically analyze & create formulas. They are in a much better position to objectively comment on the quality of shampoos.
There is no plastic in Pantene and it certainly won’t kill you.
The truth is most people don’t use Pantene. True, it is the best selling shampoo but plenty of people use Fructis, Dove, Tresemme, Suave, etc. Pantene is just the most popular & it’s because for people who like it, it works the best.
I’ve been using Pantene for years and years, and it’s always made my hair very healthy and shiney. I’ve toggled between the full & thick and curly collections. Being a person with curly hair; I know that this type of hair is quite fragile and thin compared to straight or wavy. It seems thick because of all the curls, but it really isn’t, which is why I use the Full & Thick collection. I shed quite a bit but I do use the flatiron and permanently straighten my hair regularly. I’ve never blamed Pantene for that part, and I don’t have that waxy build up that people are talking about. There’s a wide selection of Pantene products, and maybe some people are using the wrong collection. Like it doesn’t make much sense to use the Extra Straight collection if you have curly hair, or the Full & Thick collection if you already have thick hair. All I know is that my hair grows very fast, is always shining, and the lady who does my hair doesn’t have a problem with Pantene at all. I have no reason to use hairsprays, mousses or gels thanks to Pantene. Researching about your hair type can help find what shampoo/conditioner is best for you, and since Pantene has a wide variety of collections for different types of hair, why not choose it? I highly doubt this product would be on the shelves or even be popular if it did significant harm to peoples’ hair anyway.
I HAVE counted how many hairs I would loose after shampooing with Pantene versus Sunsilk—it’s always DOUBLE the amount!! I have tried almost every line of Pantene, and every one of them made me shed twice the amount of hair than usual. I am hoping to find out which ingredient/s causes the hair loss, to be sure I never buy any other products with the same ingredients in it again. It may only happen on certain types of hair–I don’t know. But it CLEARLY causes me to lose double the hair that I would loose if I used my other shamppoo.
There’s no better proof than testing something yourself!
Don’t believe the hype, and put your faith in the chemists who create these products. Pantene is one of the worst products for the environment and is seeping into your brain and through the bottom of your feet as you shower. Plus it makes you fat (check out this link)
http://www.terressentials.com/endocrine.html
take a look at what’s in it. even trace amounts (especially on the daily) can be harmful and cause diseases like breast cancer and alheimers.
Ingredients from packaging: Water; Ammonium Laureth Sulfate; Ammonium Lauryl Sulfate; Dimethicone; Glycol Distearate; Cetyl Alcohol; Sodium Chloride; Cocamide MEA; Fragrance; Polyquaternium-10; Sodium Citrate; Hydrogenated Polydecene; Sodium Benzoate; Disodium EDTA; Trimethylolpropane Tricaprylate/Tricaprate; Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate; Benzophenone-3; Panthenol; Citric Acid; Tocopheryl Acetate; Panthenyl Ethyl Ether; Methylchloroisothiazolinone; Methylisothiazolinone; Ammonium Xylenesulfonate
You can see some reports about Pantene here:
http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com/product.php?prod_id=97514
yes Cancer
yes Developmental/reproductive toxicity
yes Violations, restrictions & warnings
yes Allergies/immunotoxicity
yes Other concerns for ingredients used in this product:
Neurotoxicity, Persistence and bioaccumulation, Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive), Miscellaneous, Multiple, additive exposure sources, Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs), Enhanced skin absorption, Contamination concerns, Biochemical or cellular level changes
Hello, I have been using Pantene great lengths shampoo/conditioner and have noticed alot of hair falling out.
Hello, I have been using Pantene shampoo and conditioner on and off for the last 10 years (even though different hairdressers have told me to stay away from it) I too am very particular with my very long and thick hair, don’t use a hairdryer etc. However my hair has definately changed!
Loads fall out and I when my husband asked where my tail has gone, I realised it has thinned out so much! I will NEVER buy pantene again. I have also noticed Pantene is huge in Australia, but in France it is not?
The power of marketing and advertising!!!
Unfortunately, a more likely explanation for your hair changes is that you are getting older and your body is changing. This is just a fact of life. Not a result of Pantene. But it doesn’t hurt to change shampoos/conditioners so if it makes you feel better, try something else.
@Claudia, if you were a bit more skeptical you might consider finding your information from sources that aren’t trying to sell you a product.
hey one of the comments waaaay back really intrigued me …
how do you make your own shampoo?
also can you tell me about the main ingredients in pantene please?
hey i was just wondering is pantene ok to use on dogs?
@kristalovesbrad: Yes, you can use Pantene on dogs. Just be sure to rinse thoroughly.
@charlotte: The main ingredient in Pantene is Ammonium Laureth Sulfate (after water of course). You can look up their formula by searching the US Patent database (uspto.gov). And you can make your own shampoo by getting supplies from a site like this The Personal Formulator.
I know this will seem like it has nothing to do with Pantene, because I do not use it. Like many here, I would get build up with it after usage for a few months.. but the fact is, I get that with MANY products.. L’oreal, Redken.. you name it. Anyways, I recently tried Aussie Moist and Smooth. I too noticed alot of hair loss. well more than the 50-100 strands a day.. in fact, I somwhat compare it to when my son lost his from chemo treatment, or after having my children.. so it could be hormonal, it could be chemical damage ( i dye my hair.. and have stripped the color a few times as well with color fix) or possibly, I am sensitve to something in the Aussie! Everyone is different, we are all going to respond to health and beauty products in many different ways. In my case, when i stop using the aussie and use sunsilk beyond brunette, the hair loss subsides some. not totally gone over night, but it definately eases up. is it not possible that different people could be reacting to different surfactants in shampoos? the difference between Aussie and Sunsilk? Aussie uses ammonium laureth sulfate. Sunsilk uses sodium laureth sulfate. Now I know Beauty brains has mentioned that these are in he same class of detergants, but to me there is an obvious difference. Some shampoos even give me incredibly painful bumps on my scalp.A whole lot of trial and error on everyones part to find what works and what doesn’t.
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