Which ingredient is doing the magic in my conditioner?

simbel

So, here's the story. I'm a huge fan of Clairol's Color Seal Conditioning Gloss. Where I live it is only available in the box of the Nice'n'Easy hair colour that I buy; it works better than any other conditioner ever, leaving my often frizzy and dry hair smooth, soft and shiny. If I didn't know it was science I'd claim it was black magic. It's that good.

The only problem is that the tiny tubes always run out too soon... so I want something like that in a larger bottle. Hence I'm trying to figure out what ingredients I should look out for.

Here are the ingredients for Color Seal:

Water, Bis-Hydroxy/Methoxy Amodimethicone, Stearyl Alcohol, Cetyl Alcohol, Stearamidopropyl Dimethylamine, Glutamic Acid, Benzyl Alcohol, Fragrance, Panthenyl Ethyl Ether, EDTA, Carthamus Tinctorius (Safflower) Seed Oil, Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil, Panthenol, Hydrolyzed Sweet Almond Protein, Trimethylsiloxysilicate, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Methylchloroisothiazolinone, Methylisothiazolinone.

What would be your guess - is it the special silicone that makes it magical, or a combination of ingredients? Is Bis-Hydroxy/Methoxy Amodimethicone different from normal Amodimethicone, and if so, how?

Thanks for your insights!

RandyS

My guess is the Bis-Hydroxy/Methoxy Amodimethicone. It's primarily used for its ability to help retain hair dye but it also has conditioning properties.  

rungrace01

I swear if the conditioner manufacturers would just market "conditioner that we put in home coloring packages" the product would FLY off the shelves.  I don't color at home, but I buy the "shine" product (which does have peroxide) and love the conditioner.  My hair is colored - highlights/lowlights - just at the salon.  The shine product lets me extend the time between visits because it subtly lightens the roots.

But I mostly use it for the conditioner. If anyone finds a product out there that even comes close to the conditioner in coloring products please post!!!

simbel

Thanks, Randy! I'm not a chemist, so I'm having a difficult time figuring out whether the Bis-Hydroxy/Methoxy part would make Amodimethicone better somehow? What does it even mean?

For example, Redken Color Extend's formula contains Amodimethicone:

Aqua/Water/Eau (Water), Cetearyl Alcohol, Behentrimonium Chloride, Propylene Glycol, Ceteth 3 Acetate, Dimethicone, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Amodimethicone, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum/Fragrance, Laureth 23, Methylparaben, Trisodium EDTA, Ethylparaben, Glycine Soja (Soybean Oil), Sodium Citrate, Arginine HCl, Tocopherol (Natural Vitamin E), Disodium EDTA, Taurine, Pentasodium Pentetate, Ethyhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Trideceth 6, Limonene, Butylphenyl Methlyproprional, Hexylcinnamal, Linalool, Cetrimonium Chloride, PPG 5 Ceteth 20, Citronellol, Wheat Amino Acid, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, 2 Oleamido 1, 3 Octadecanediol, Oleth 10, Geraniol, Disodium Cocoamidopropionate, Lecithin, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Phosphoric Acid, Trehalose, Ethylhexyl Salicylate (D6794/1)

Could I possibly expect a similar smoothing effect from this conditioner, or does it have to be Bis-Hydroxy/Methoxy type to feel like ColourSeal does?

RandyS

The "Bis" version of amodimethicone has some additional carbon atoms tacked onto it that will make it feel different. My guess is that this Redken formula will not feel the same as the ColourSeal product but you'd have to try it to be sure. 

ArgonOilsTheNuRadium

@ Simbel OMG RIGHT?! It's just the best, they should just sell that, make gajillions, forget the stupid hair color. Or at least it seperatly, in regular bottles. Even if it's salon price, WORTH IT. Hands down. I wonder if on ebay someone was bright enough to get a bunch on liquidation, buy them take them out and sell them in lots. Lol, is it weird I went there?
 
@ Randy, It really is witch craft It even brought some of my spit ends.... after I er... um got my pony tail too close to my soldering iron and kinda singged them by the heat. Anyways, it's magic! Heeeeey, You know what, that's what you guys, Beauty Brains should make as a trade make product! That way, I don't have to keep buying boxed color and wait for it to "wash out" into the right shade!

ArgonOilsTheNuRadium

<-- redheads have a tough time getting the perfect shade by box.