# Healthy hair and good shampoo?



## Thrifty McGriff (Nov 20, 2008)

I don't know where else to post this so I chose this forum since it's about the health of one's hair. Do any of you ladies or gents maintain healthy hair using as little shampoo and other products as possible and if so, what shampoo and additional products do you use? 

Right now I basically just use a tiny bit of shampoo, some Fructis stuff, every night or every other night, and sometimes I use a bit more if I feel like I really smell bad after working in the kitchen. When that happens my hair loses all of its natural oils and comes out looking dry. I'm just trying to figure out how to balance this and I figure I could be using better shampoo, but I don't know a thing about it so I thought I'd turn to any experts out there. I have experimented with conditioner and didn't like the results. 

Any suggestions would be much appreciated.


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## Fascinita (Nov 20, 2008)

Thrifty McGriff said:


> I don't know where else to post this so I chose this forum since it's about the health of one's hair. Do any of you ladies or gents maintain healthy hair using as little shampoo and other products as possible and if so, what shampoo and additional products do you use?
> 
> Right now I basically just use a tiny bit of shampoo, some Fructis stuff, every night or every other night, and sometimes I use a bit more if I feel like I really smell bad after working in the kitchen. When that happens my hair loses all of its natural oils and comes out looking dry. I'm just trying to figure out how to balance this and I figure I could be using better shampoo, but I don't know a thing about it so I thought I'd turn to any experts out there. I have experimented with conditioner and didn't like the results.
> 
> Any suggestions would be much appreciated.



Instead of Fructis and similar "drugstore" shampoos full of really harsh soaps, you may want to use a shampoo with natural ingredients. I use Nature's Gate shampoos and those are not too drying. The hemp line is good. There's tons of other brands that use less harsh ingredients, though. It may take some shopping around to find one that works for you.


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## Cors (Nov 20, 2008)

I suggest natural shampoo bars. 

Check out LUSH and Chagrin Valley.


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## superodalisque (Nov 20, 2008)

Thrifty McGriff said:


> I don't know where else to post this so I chose this forum since it's about the health of one's hair. Do any of you ladies or gents maintain healthy hair using as little shampoo and other products as possible and if so, what shampoo and additional products do you use?
> 
> Right now I basically just use a tiny bit of shampoo, some Fructis stuff, every night or every other night, and sometimes I use a bit more if I feel like I really smell bad after working in the kitchen. When that happens my hair loses all of its natural oils and comes out looking dry. I'm just trying to figure out how to balance this and I figure I could be using better shampoo, but I don't know a thing about it so I thought I'd turn to any experts out there. I have experimented with conditioner and didn't like the results.
> 
> Any suggestions would be much appreciated.



have you ever had your thyroid tested. thyroid issues can give you dry skin and hair. it can also make your hair fine and even start the balding process. also you might want to look at your diet since pretty hair starts on the inside. you might need more healthy fats and omega 3s in your diet. i like a drop of tea tree oil in with my shampoo. i let it all sit on my scalp for a bit. when its done its job when it feels a little tingly. it kills bacteria. its great if you tend to have a dry itchy scalp, and it keeps your hair and scalp nicely hydrated for a long time without being greasy. even though its very light make sure to rinse well with warm water and get most of it out.


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## superodalisque (Nov 20, 2008)

Cors said:


> I suggest natural shampoo bars.
> 
> Check out LUSH and Chagrin Valley.



i like lush but it makes my hair dull for some reason


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## ashmamma84 (Nov 20, 2008)

www.carolsdaughter.com -- she has some of the best hair products I've used. They are effective, yet gentle on your hair. When I'm traveling I use Rosemary Mint Shampoo w/Sea Moss or the Tui Herbal Shampoo and follow with condition. For a deep treatment, I use one of the hair smoothies...it's like a mask, except for the hair. Tea tree oil, as stated before is also great for the hair. Oh and I don't wash my hair very often -- maybe once a week or so...otherwise it will dry out. I'm AA and my hair is even drier in the winter, so I combat that by going easing on sudsing up only when I really need to. 

For reference, I have curly/kinky hair that's cottony soft.

ETA - I'm not sure if you are a person of color or not, but...stay away from grease! It's the worst thing you can do for your scalp/hair.


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## Thrifty McGriff (Nov 20, 2008)

Thank you all for your responses. I figured drugstore shampoos were no good so thanks for the brand suggestions, I'll start looking around this weekend. My hair is fine, somewhat wavy and curls at the tips, it seems to be pretty healthy looking when I don't wash it often or too vigorously with my current crap shampoo. I even got complimented on it last week by a server at work, she said it looked good and healthy. Being a sweaty man and all, especially at work where I often end up smelling like the food that I work with (onions and beef in particular), I am more wary of my hair smelling if I don't wash it often enough than anything. Unfortunately I don't think I can shampoo once a week without starting to get a bit ripe.  

I don't know if I had my thyroid tested as a wee lad, otherwise I haven't had it checked out in recent memory. The skin on the tops of my hands gets dry in winter, as do my lips, but I use hand cream, etc., and right now a few of my finger tips are getting some damage but I think that is from my job (lots of hot water and repeated hand washing). That's the extent of my dry skin, which is seasonal and I assume isn't an issue. I eat well enough for a youngin, and I used to just eat fish but now I also eat lots of chicken and the occasional burger at work. On the other hand, I still don't eat enough for a young man, probably not half as much as I should be eating. :doh: It's always something I'm struggling with. 

Looking to my family history, my dad has psoriasis and it has a genetic component.  I seem to take mostly after my mom in numerous physical traits and other things, so who knows, maybe I'll be able to avoid that one as I don't seem to have any signs of it yet. It could still happen later in my life.


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## MissStacie (Nov 20, 2008)

Hey there..

I use TIGI Dumb Blonde shampoo and conditioner and I LOVE IT. As you can see, I'm a bottle blonde and with the flat ironing every day, bleach, etc, my hair COULD be very damaged and this shampoo saves my hair.

It is for "blondes", but it actually can be used for any color, the bottle says so. I also use the TIGI Dumb Blonde Reconstructor about once a week or so.

I know that everyone says that prenatal vitamins are good for your hair, so you may want to talk to your doctor about it? And yeah, some normal blood work up couldn't hurt, either!

Good luck,
Stacie


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## bobbleheaddoll (Nov 20, 2008)

i can't use drugstore shampoo either. once my hair started to go salt/pepper it got really dry. i try new shampoos every trip to the salon. some work, some don't. i got paul mitchell moisture shampoo my last trip to the salon and it seems to be working pretty well. i find that paying a bit more for good shampoo usually works out cheaper than if i have to buy multi bottles of drugstore shampoo that never work.

if you work in a kitchen with higher temps that could be drying your hair out.

as for the dry skin-water, water, water! drink it up! you can put all the stuff in the world on your skin from the outside and it may help temporarily, but drinking water hydrates at the cell level. you may be a bit dehydrated and that is causing the dry skin. it will also help your hair!


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## Thrifty McGriff (Nov 20, 2008)

I'm guessing prenatal vitamins aren't meant for a young man.  However I probably should get some blood work done again, but my experience with doctors generally is that I'm a young man, I can't be unhealthy, so they won't take me quite so seriously or give me a full physical as I've requested before. Oh well.

Yeah I'm finding that spending more initially ultimately saves money for a lot of things. The kitchen can't be avoided unless I find another job, and at this point in time that will be challenging. As for water, well that makes sense, I don't always drink enough of it, especially at work where I should be drinking more of it due to heat exposure. :doh: I'm getting sloppy, I used to drink litres at my last kitchen job. 

Thanks, both of you.


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## Risible (Nov 21, 2008)

Neutrogena has a good shampoo that is available at most stores; you can wash your hair every day with it. I've found that washing my long hair every three days works best for it; beyond that it gets too oily at the scalp.


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## Miss Vickie (Nov 21, 2008)

I'm a Pureology girl, m'self. It manages to hydrate my hair nicely without making it hang limply or be too greasy. It's good stuff. I love how Lush stuff smells, but it doesn't rock my hair like Pureology does. 

Next I'm going to try Rusk. I use their DeepShine leave in conditioner which is freakin' amazing. When I run out of Pureology I'm going to try their shampoo and conditioner because that leave in conditioner is like magic.


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## Thrifty McGriff (Nov 21, 2008)

Thanks both of ye's for more suggestions.  I just hope the mall will have at least one of these brands.


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## LalaCity (Nov 21, 2008)

I will say this -- and it will *shock* some people here, no doubt -- but I have not shampooed my hair once in the last 5 or 6 years. I was turned onto the "no 'poo" system by a friend and it has worked wonders for me and my formerly dry, frizzy hair which today, thanks to not bombarding it with harsh detergents, is now wavy, soft, silky and beeyootiful!

All you need is conditioner. It pretty much lifts out all the dirt and excess oil by itself without stripping your hair. Plus, it saves time in the shower.

Honestly -- just try it and see.


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## superodalisque (Nov 21, 2008)

LalaCity said:


> I will say this -- and it will *shock* some people here, no doubt -- but I have not shampooed my hair once in the last 5 or 6 years. I was turned onto the "no 'poo" system by a friend and it has worked wonders for me and my formerly dry, frizzy hair which today, thanks to not bombarding it with harsh detergents, is now wavy, soft, silky and beeyootiful!
> 
> All you need is conditioner. It pretty much lifts out all the dirt and excess oil by itself without stripping your hair. Plus, it saves time in the shower.
> 
> Honestly -- just try it and see.



ohh interesting idea! i wanna try that


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## D_A_Bunny (Nov 21, 2008)

I have to use Head & Shoulders or I will have no scalp left. I usually wear my hair in a ponytail and since I don't work, it does not get super dirty, just what occurs naturally. I also rarely if ever blowdry.

That being said, I shampoo my hair every second or third day. And once a week I give it a vinegar rinse. I put about an inch of white vinegar in the bottom a large plastic drinking cup. Bring it in the shower, wash and rinse as usual. Then squeeze excess water out a bit, then add warm water to the vinegar in the cup and pour slowly and carefully over my hair. It is best if you have some ventilation in the room. Also, be mindful of your eyes and mouth. Then I clip it up and finish with my shower. At the end, I rinse it out and let it air dry. My hair is silky smooth and tangle free.


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## SpecialK (Nov 21, 2008)

Thrifty, I can understand how if you work in a kitchen you'd want to shampoo your hair on a regular basis. If your hair is prone to drying out, look for a shampoo that is specially formulated for dry hair. That might help. And a conditioner will make your dry hair a bit softer as well.


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## Fascinita (Nov 21, 2008)

While we're talking about this, I thought I'd add that one obvious advantage to choosing *Cruelty-Free* (not tested on animals) products is that, the less harsh it is for animal, the less harsh it will be for human. 

It's great how that works. 

I look for labels on bottles that say "Not Tested on Animals." And my hair is as healthy and split-end-free as I could wish for. These products strip my hair a lot less than typical drugstore products, and save me money in the end by pre-empting the need for a bunch of other "repair and condition" products.


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## Diego (Nov 22, 2008)

I have to tell everyone, there is a certain vitamin called Biotin. I think it's derived from vitamin B7, but anyway, it thicken your hair up and make shiny healthys. I use it and my hair grows really fast since i start.


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## No-No-Badkitty (Nov 22, 2008)

LalaCity said:


> I will say this -- and it will *shock* some people here, no doubt -- but I have not shampooed my hair once in the last 5 or 6 years. I was turned onto the "no 'poo" system by a friend and it has worked wonders for me and my formerly dry, frizzy hair which today, thanks to not bombarding it with harsh detergents, is now wavy, soft, silky and beeyootiful!
> 
> All you need is conditioner. It pretty much lifts out all the dirt and excess oil by itself without stripping your hair. Plus, it saves time in the shower.
> 
> Honestly -- just try it and see.




Yup...conditioner will clean hair just as good as shampoo.
With no drying.


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## Miss Vickie (Nov 23, 2008)

No-No-Badkitty said:


> Yup...conditioner will clean hair just as good as shampoo.
> With no drying.



I've tried and my hair is so damn greasy on its own that it just did NOT work for me. I'm glad it works for others, but I must be some kind of Lean Mean Grease Making Machine 'cause all I get is nasty limp greasy bangs. Ugh. 

What I do instead is that I just wash my bangs, since they're the only part that gets greasy. That way the rest of my hair is preserved (and in fact it's deep conditioned often) but I can still face the world.


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## olwen (Nov 23, 2008)

Thrifty McGriff said:


> I don't know where else to post this so I chose this forum since it's about the health of one's hair. Do any of you ladies or gents maintain healthy hair using as little shampoo and other products as possible and if so, what shampoo and additional products do you use?
> 
> Right now I basically just use a tiny bit of shampoo, some Fructis stuff, every night or every other night, and sometimes I use a bit more if I feel like I really smell bad after working in the kitchen. When that happens my hair loses all of its natural oils and comes out looking dry. I'm just trying to figure out how to balance this and I figure I could be using better shampoo, but I don't know a thing about it so I thought I'd turn to any experts out there. I have experimented with conditioner and didn't like the results.
> 
> Any suggestions would be much appreciated.



I'm not sure what texture your hair is, but for my texture hair, since it's natural, moisturizer is the most important thing for me. I use shampoo and conditioner in addition to a hot oil treatment that I do once or twice a month. For daily use (basically whenever it gets dry) I use leave in conditioner and/or shea butter hair lotion and/or any sort of cream moisturizer hair lotion I find. Pantene makes a good one. Basically anything with shea butter, olive oil, coconut oil is good. Usually those products are in the hair product sub-section for women of color in a regular drug store.


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## olwen (Nov 23, 2008)

ashmamma84 said:


> www.carolsdaughter.com -- she has some of the best hair products I've used. They are effective, yet gentle on your hair. When I'm traveling I use Rosemary Mint Shampoo w/Sea Moss or the Tui Herbal Shampoo and follow with condition. For a deep treatment, I use one of the hair smoothies...it's like a mask, except for the hair. Tea tree oil, as stated before is also great for the hair. Oh and I don't wash my hair very often -- maybe once a week or so...otherwise it will dry out. I'm AA and my hair is even drier in the winter, so I combat that by going easing on sudsing up only when I really need to.
> 
> For reference, I have curly/kinky hair that's cottony soft.
> 
> ETA - I'm not sure if you are a person of color or not, but...stay away from grease! It's the worst thing you can do for your scalp/hair.



What do you mean exactly by grease? Do you mean the containers of hair grease that say things like Hair-Gro and stuff like that? Do you mean pure oil, like just rubbing pure olive oil on your hair, or do you mean hair lotion (But not the pink stuff. I actually dislike the pink stuff)?


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## Sandie_Zitkus (Nov 23, 2008)

I'm going to suggest you get your thyroid checked. Dry hair, dry brittle nails, dry skin can be a sign of hypothyroidism. My hair is dryer than its ever been and I am hypothyroid. 



Thrifty McGriff said:


> I don't know where else to post this so I chose this forum since it's about the health of one's hair. Do any of you ladies or gents maintain healthy hair using as little shampoo and other products as possible and if so, what shampoo and additional products do you use?
> 
> Right now I basically just use a tiny bit of shampoo, some Fructis stuff, every night or every other night, and sometimes I use a bit more if I feel like I really smell bad after working in the kitchen. When that happens my hair loses all of its natural oils and comes out looking dry. I'm just trying to figure out how to balance this and I figure I could be using better shampoo, but I don't know a thing about it so I thought I'd turn to any experts out there. I have experimented with conditioner and didn't like the results.
> 
> Any suggestions would be much appreciated.


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## LillyBBBW (Nov 23, 2008)

LalaCity said:


> I will say this -- and it will *shock* some people here, no doubt -- but I have not shampooed my hair once in the last 5 or 6 years. I was turned onto the "no 'poo" system by a friend and it has worked wonders for me and my formerly dry, frizzy hair which today, thanks to not bombarding it with harsh detergents, is now wavy, soft, silky and beeyootiful!
> 
> All you need is conditioner. It pretty much lifts out all the dirt and excess oil by itself without stripping your hair. Plus, it saves time in the shower.
> 
> Honestly -- just try it and see.



I'm going to toot this horn too. I know lots of people who no-poo their hair and it has made a HUGE difference in dryness and their hair's overall appearance. For most people it is all that is necessary and works fine. I no poo using Nexxus Humectris or some reasonable facsimile. (Suave) I do worry about buildup because I use unrefined shea butter and vitamin e oil in my hair sometimes. I wash with Pantene Pro-V Beautiful Lengths 2 in 1 Shampoo + Conditioner maybe once or twice a month for a clean slate.

As for vitamins I take a generic brand of Centrum Performance. (CVS) WOW! My nails have been unstoppable, for real. My hair always grew kind of fast but it seems to be doing extremely well with these vitamins and I'm the only person in my family or the office who hasn't caught that severe cold that's been going around. (knocks in head) I used to take prenatals and I knew a lot of men who took them too, but the Centrum works just as well if not better. Vitamins are vitamins so I wouldn't dismiss prenatals swiftly out of hand, but try the Centrum Performance first. Good stuff! And make sure you're taking some kind of Omega-3s/fish oil. I take Omaga 3-6-9. (vitaminworld.com)


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## ashmamma84 (Nov 23, 2008)

olwen said:


> What do you mean exactly by grease? Do you mean the containers of hair grease that say things like Hair-Gro and stuff like that? Do you mean pure oil, like just rubbing pure olive oil on your hair, or do you mean hair lotion (But not the pink stuff. I actually dislike the pink stuff)?



Yes, I mean the big tubs of green/blue grease. They aren't the best for hair -- they retard hair growth and clog pores. I have natural hair, locs, specifically and I find the most moisturizing products are from Carol's Daughter and homemade potions my loctician mixes. Olive oil might be great, never tried it...I would think it would be hard to rinse out though...

I try not to do too much to my hair; it's super super soft, looks and feels healthy, so far so good. I "baby" my hair too, so I sleep with a bonnet, which also helps keep in moisture and softness.


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## MissToodles (Nov 23, 2008)

I use evening primrose oil capsules for pms relief and a wonderful side effect is healthier hair/nails. My hair has never looked glossier and I haven't had dry hair in quite some time. It is pricey, but vitacost.com has the best price on it.


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## No-No-Badkitty (Nov 23, 2008)

Sandie_Zitkus said:


> I'm going to suggest you get your thyroid checked. Dry hair, dry brittle nails, dry skin can be a sign of hypothyroidism. My hair is dryer than its ever been and I am hypothyroid.




Yup, I second this. My hair was TERRIBLE till I got on thyroid. Now it's much better.


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## Thrifty McGriff (Nov 26, 2008)

Thanks for all the replies and ideas everyone.  I'll try the conditioner-only approach and see how that goes. My nails aren't super brittle, the skin on my hands is just taking extra damage from my job combined with the usual dryness that comes from winter. The rest of the year my hands are fine. I'm not ruling it out but I don't think I have a thyroid problem. I'll try to look into it if some prick doctor will actually give me a full physical checkup instead of telling me I'm too young to have health problems.  It's benign so it doesn't really count but I do have a Mobitz 1, and they weren't able to explain why. Doctors... *grumble*

With regards to supplements, I don't bother with any though I was trying fish oil pills for a month until I left for Ireland in August. I didn't bother taking them again. *shrug* I'd rather get what I need via diet I suppose.


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## MarkAnthony (Nov 28, 2008)

You can try applying some fortifying shampoo. For instance Garnier Long & Strong fortifying shampoo. I might reduce your hair fall.


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## BrunetteBeauty80 (Dec 4, 2008)

I wash my hair every morning, and use Dove shampoo. I don't use conditioner. I love the way it makes my hair feel. My hair is naturally wavy, so I brush it when it is wet (they say not to do this, but it has never hurt mine) so that it will dry straight. I have never blow dried my hair, and never colored my hair. Yes, I go out of the house with wet hair, but oh well

I recently donated about 15 inches to Locks Of Love, and the hairdresser was telling me how great my hair looked and how soft it was. Every hairdresser I have been to has always said that. I don't do the conventional things to my hair like "experts" say to, and my hair is great.


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## StrawberryShortcake (Dec 5, 2008)

The problem with many shampoos, as well as soaps, is that they contain laurel/laureth sulfates which exponentially raise your risk of skin cancer. A few great products to try are:

-Trader Joe's NOURISH SPA Shampoo and Conditioner.
The ingredients in both the shampoo and conditioner consist of organic oils, fruits, and herbs. It comes in a tall, white bottle shaped almost like a parabola. I have thick, wavy Italian hair and it leaves my mane very soft and shiny. It smells great as well. I have tried other brands of Trader Joe's shampoo and they left my hair chalky, oily, and dull. This is by far the best shampoo/conditioner combo I have EVER tried from any store. At $2.99 a bottle, why not check it out? Especially if you have Latin or African hair.

-Dr. Brommer's Soaps 
These are pure castile soaps. I like the peppermint in the morning because it leaves me feeling refreshed and wide awake. The lavender is good for relaxing at night. Once again, the only ingredients are pure organic oils and no, they wont leave your skin oily: just perfectly clean and refreshed. You can purchase bottles in health food stores, Trader Joe's, and Whole Foods. 

- Desert Essence: Thoroughly Clean Face Wash
I love this face soap! I used to exfoliate with a scrub but now I just wash my face with this pure castile soap (which has added botanicals and tea tree oil), then I tone my facial skin with a piece of lemon. My skin looks so vibrant and clear. And there is no need to exfoliate with harsh scrubs because the fruit acids in the lemon hydrate and exfoliate.

The shampoo/conditioner is by far my favorite. It just smells so great and leaves my hair absolutely full of volume and shine. I would imagine it would be great for a guy, too. You can use it every day without worrying about your scalp drying out due to all the organic oils. And it washes away clean!


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