Nature's Gate Shampoo & Conditioner
I've struggled with oily hair my whole life. Within 24 hours my roots start looking greasy. Consequently I've washed my hair every day for as long as I can remember. Some of you may know that this can actually cause your scalp to produce even more oil. Since learning this I've decided to take a stab at washing my hair every other day, but that's another blog post entirely. Today's focus is on Nature's Gate shampoo and conditioner. If you saw my other Nature's Gate post you'll know I love their toothpaste so I was naturally excited to try out their hair care products.
Many conventional hair care brands include ingredients like Sodium Laurel/Laureth Sulfate, Propylene Glycol, Parabens, etc. which are generally considered toxic. Nature's Gate products on the other hand are formulated without Parabens, Sodium Lauryl/Laureth/Coco Sulfates, Phthalates, Butylene Glycol, Artificial Colors, and GMOs.
I purchased the Calming Shampoo and Conditioner which feature Tea Tree and Sea Buckthorn and have been using them together for awhile now. The Calming line is said to be best suited for oily hair. Their ingredients list is pretty lengthy for a natural product. Even though it is composed of many plant extracts and oils, there are quite a few difficult-to-pronounce ingredients in the shampoo as well:
↠ Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine: a synthetic surfactant (foaming agent)
↠ Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate: a surfactant derived from coconut oil
↠ Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate: a synthetic surfactant
↠ Lauryl Glucoside: a surfactant derived from coconut or palm oil
↠ Panthenol: Vitamin B5
↠ Tocopherol: Vitamin E
↠ Ascorbic Acid: Vitamin C
↠ Ascorbyl Palmitate: a fat-soluble form of Vitamin C
↠ Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride: a water-soluble version of natural guar gum
↠ Polysorbate-20: a surfactant; in my last post I mentioned this ingredient may be contaminated with 1,4-dioxane, a known toxin
↠ Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose: binding agent derived from cellulose
↠ Sodium Hydroxide: pH adjuster; EWG states "The product manufacturer has listed sodium hydroxide on the product label or has informed Skin Deep's research team that it is used to make the product. In a properly manufactured soap, this common raw ingredient completely reacts with oils; none remains in the product. Therefore, the hazards associated with sodium hydroxide are not considered relevant for this product."
↠ Glyceryl Undecylenate: skin conditioning agent
↠ Phenoxyethanol: a preservative that's considered an irritant and potential hazard by EWG
↠ Fragrance: a known toxicant and irritant as it can contain many hidden ingredients
Many of these ingredients are listed as non-toxic by the EWG and are likely of no concern. The questionable ones are Polysorbate-20, Phenoxyethanol, and Fragrance. While I would prefer a shampoo with less synthetic and questionable ingredients, I must say I did like that it actually foamed. In terms of efficacy, it cleaned my hair nicely and didn't leave it feeling stripped though it didn't do much for my dandruff or oily scalp. If I'm being honest, I've never fallen in love with a shampoo so I can't say I'm too surprised. It's not a bad product, it's just not life changing.
Size: 18 fl oz
Price: $5.93 on Vitacost
Pros:
↠ Free of Parabens, Sodium Lauryl/Laureth/Coco Sulfates, Phthalates, Butylene Glycol, Artificial Colors, and GMOs
↠ Refreshing scent
↠ Left hair feeling clean but not stripped
↠ Great price
Cons:
↠ Didn't lessen dandruff or minimize oily scalp
↠ Some questionable ingredients
Would I repurchase? Maybe, though for now I'm going to experiment with other products.
The conditioner has a similar ingredients list:
↠ Stearyl Alcohol: a naturally occurring fatty acid
↠ Cetyl Alcohol: a thickening agent
↠ Benzyl Alcohol: used as a solvent and preservative; considered a potential allergen
↠ Panthenol: Vitamin B5
↠ Tocopherol: Vitamin E
↠ Ascorbic Acid: Vitamin C
↠ Ascorbyl Palmitate: a fat-soluble form of Vitamin C
↠ Sclerotium Gum: a natural thickening agent derived from fungi
↠ Sodium Hydroxide: same as above
↠ Potassium Sorbate: preservative considered a potentially mild toxin by EWG
↠ Fragrance: same as above
Again, many of these ingredients are considered a non-issue by the EWG though Benzyl Alcohol, Potassium Sorbate, and Fragrance are of some concern. As with the shampoo, I wish this product was more natural though it did do quite a nice job conditioning my hair. It didn't leave a residue and left my strands feeling silky smooth. Products with "Alcohol" tend to be drying though I didn't notice that being an issue wit this product.
Size: 18 fl oz
Price: $6.19 on Vitacost
Pros:
↠ Free of Parabens, Sodium Lauryl/Laureth/Coco Sulfates, Phthalates, Butylene Glycol, Artificial Colors, and GMOs
↠ Refreshing scent
↠ Left hair feeling clean and moisturized with no residue
↠ Great price
Cons:
↠ Some questionable ingredients
Would I repurchase? Probably
Another thing I want to mention is that Nature's Gate offers ten different lines of products to suit many different needs from moisturizing, to volumizing, to shine enhancing, to calming, and many more. I'm excited to try more from this brand.
What's your favorite shampoo and conditioner?