M Must Know…I’ve been using Johnson & Johnson baby shampoo lately, and my hair feels softer but a little more frizzy. (Before I had been using head and shoulders). My question is: how is J&J baby shampoo different from others? Is it just the lack of lathering agent?
The Right Brain Lathers Up A Response:
M, baby shampoos are different than most “regular” shampoos because they use milder foaming agents. Let’s look at the key ingredients in the two different shampoos that you mentioned:
Johnson & Johnson Baby Shampoo
Cleansers:
PEG-80 Sorbitan Laurate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Sodium Trideceth Sulfate, Lauroamphoglycinate, PEG 150 Distearate, Sodium Laureth 13 Carboxylate
Conditioning Agents: Polyquaternium-10
Head and Shoulders:
Active Ingredient for dandruff:
Pyrithione Zinc
Cleansers:
Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, Cocamide MEA, Ammonium Laureth Sulfate
Conditioning Agents:
Dimethicone, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
You’ll notice that the cleansers are very different. H&S and many other shampoos are based on lauryl sulfates to clean and provide lather. But these sulfates are such good detergents that they irritate the cells in your eyes, causing them to burn. Baby shampoos use milder surfactants (known as amphoteric surfactants) that clean without causing that burning sensation – that’s why baby shampoos are labeled “tear-free.”
Another characteristic of amphoteric surfactants is that they don’t foam as well as sulfates and they’re not as good at cutting grease. This usually isn’t a problem for babies, but if your hair is really dirty you may have to lather, rinse, repeat.
Also, your hair may feel a bit softer because you’re not stripping it as much. (Part of the different feeling comes from the dandruff active too. But H&S does have better conditioning ingredients compared to J&J. That’s probably why you’re getting a few more frizzies.
If you have need any more information on detergents, read this post on sulfate-free shampoo OR feel free to to ask our newest team member, Foam Gnome and his sidekick Bubble Boy.*
*That last part is not true, I just wrote it to irritate the Left Brain.
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Hi, replying to the Sodium Laureth Sulfate isn’t that a “cheap soap”? If so, is Ammonium Laureth Sulfate better? What I mean by “cheap soap” is that it tends to take more of your hair’s natural oils away. I read this in an email I got from this site (don’t remember the name) but yea I was just wondering. Also, do you know the ingredients in the Pantene Pro-V winter rescue Daily Moisture Renewal Shampoo because it’s not really stated on the back. I’m asking because I have damaged hair with lack of luster and no matter what I use it doesn’t really come back and all the items I have used have Sodium Laureth Sulfate. Thanks =]
I think your hair is frizzy with Johnson’s Baby shampoo because they took out the glycerin and the only conditioning ingredient in it now is the fixative/detangler that they added years ago. It isn’t the original formula. It builds up on your hair. With the original formula from when I was a kid you could use it every day and it wouldn’t build up.
I’m going through a period of itchiness of the scalp, no dandruff. A week ago I found hydrating TeaTree Mint by Organix and it seems to be helping. It says ‘no sulfates’. I have short hair and need to wash it every day. Do you suppose I’m becoming allergic to sulfates?
I agree about the Johnson’s Baby Shampoo–how they changed the formula many years ago and it used to be a wonderful shampoo for me and my kids until the elimination of glyerin and added fixative to it. The only shampoo I’ve found close to original formula is California Baby. It has glyerin in it and no fixatives. Used to be people didn’t have problems with shampoo. Now there isn’t much out there that is good, especially for people with fine hair that gets build-up very easily.
What about that Wen shampoo? they claim they don’t have the harsh detergents, but when you go to their site, they give you a fake link for the ingredients (it never goes anywhere, just back to the FAQs). Also, I clicked on the article about sulfate-free shampoo, it’s also broken. I guess it’s not my day and I will remain in the dark
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Yep, that link for sulfate free shampoo is broken – it goes to the old blogspot address. I tried searching the new beauty brains blog for it and those links seem to be broken as well. Alas – will we never hear the full sulfate story?
Is it possible to become allegic to SLS?
I stopped using shampoos containing it as i felt they were stripping the pink hair dye from my hair but when i went back a shampoo containing SLS my scalp started getting really itchy.
Poly, I don’t know whether it is possible to develop true allergy to SLS. But you have to consider that many times, when our skin doesn’t like something, it’s an irritation rather than a true allergy. Allergies involve your immune system getting all riled up and causing inflammation in an attempt to fight a substance it mistakes for a foreign invader, whereas irritation doesn’t involve the immune system at all. Detergents can certainly be irritating because they are basic and strip the skin of its protective oils. My guess is that true allergic reactions tend to be more serious (like breaking out in hives or getting a rash) than irritant reactions, but that may not always be the case. According to this site http://dermnetnz.org/treatments/cleansers.html , true allergy to cleansers is rare. Another thing to keep in mind is that fragrances, botanicals and preservatives in personal care products and laundry detergents are common allergens, so if you do have a true allergy to your shampoo, it might be to a different ingredient and not the SLS.
I’ve been using two types of different baby shampoos for about almost 1 year now. And since like about 5 months i’ve noticed that lots of my hair is loosing it’s color. It’s getting white. In different places, specially on the sides of the head. I wonder if using baby shampoo is the main reason for my hair getting white? Because, i had no white hairs when i used normal adult shapoo.
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