Does Hair Conditioner Really Contain Fruit Wax?

Heidi’s comment: Shampoos like Pantene, Dove, and the like are using cheaper grade ingredients because…well?… they’re cheaper and they can… they are not different per say… just… cheaper… and larger in molecule size… Some are using the same kind of wax you put on an apple to make it shiney in the conditioner (you thought the shine was natural?)… Its food grade, edible, and naturally derived… Therefore? Legal and acceptable.

The Left Brain retorts:

For those of you who may have missed the discussion, Heidi’s comment appeared in our post on How Beauty Salons Lie to You. While I am appreciative off all the comments from the Beauty Brains community, I do feel compelled to correct inaccurate statements when I have the chance. And although Heidi raises some good points she’s perpetuating a myth when she says that conditioners contain “the same kind of wax you put on an apple.” This is the type of urban legend that has been used to bash non-salon conditioners for years and in reality it’s just not true.

An apple a day…

According to the apple experts (bestapples.com), the natural waxy coating that protects fresh apples from moisture loss is partially washed off when the apples are cleaned after harvesting. To ensure a longer shelf life, a different kind of natural wax is applied to the apples at very low levels.  This wax is usually carnauba or shellac, both of which provide a very durable coating that prevents moisture loss, enhances firmness retention and slows down the apple respiration rate.

(FYI, according to the website “some historians report wax has been used on produce since the early 1920s, but other experts say fruits and vegetables were waxed by housewives long before that to improve storage life.”)

On the other hand, supermarket and drug store conditioner brands like Pantene, Dove, and Tresemme use silicones and cationic polymers to smooth the hair shaft to make it more reflective. These ingredients do coat the hair but they are not like the tough waxy coatings used on fruit. I have NEVER seen a shampoo or conditioner that uses carnuaba or shellac to make the hair shiny.

The Beauty Brains bottom line

If you don’t like silicone containing conditioners because they weigh your hair down, thats your choice. But don’t believe scare tactics that simply aren’t true. Thanks to Heidi for giving me the chance to clear up this misconception (and to learn a little bit about apples!)