can u compare paul mitchell tea tree special shampoo to all of the
other shampos i asked u to look up? like i said before i used it for a
week and it made my scalpe feel cool and good but it dryied the hell
out of my hair and scalpe???? why????what chemicals make it so
harsh???

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Request for Question Clarification by missy-ga on 22 Jan 2003 13:51 PST

Hi again!

I've not yet been able to locate the ingredient list for Paul Mitchell
Tea Tree Special shampoo online.  This might require offline research
(i.e. a trip to the mall to see who carries it!).

Please bear with me while I hunt this list down!

--Missy

---

Clarification of Question by anonymous777-ga on 22 Jan 2003 14:17 PST

also check this site out and tell me what you think

  www.mastey.com/avoid7.asp

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Clarification of Question by anonymous777-ga on 22 Jan 2003 14:18 PST

i mean www.mastey.com/avoid1.asp

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Request for Question Clarification by missy-ga on 22 Jan 2003 14:32 PST

Hi!

Just an update - I managed to find a salon with the Paul Mitchell Tea
Tree Oil Special shampoo in stock.  I'm going to grab a bite of
dinner, then dash out to pick up a bottle of that shampoo so we'll
have an accurate ingredient list to work from.  I'll be back at my
computer around 7PM EST.

I had a look at the site you've pointed out below.  According to that
site, the differences between Ammonium Laurel Sulfate and Sodium
Lauryl Sulfate are miniscule - +/- .01 %, and both rate as "severely
irritating".  I'd avoid them both, as Kim at Fiesta recommended.

--Missy

---

Request for Question Clarification by missy-ga on 22 Jan 2003 16:04 PST

Hi there!

(I'm really going to have to find a nickname for you, for as much
talking as we've been doing.  "Anonymous" sounds funny!)

I've acquired a bottle of Paul Mitchell Tea Tree Special shampoo and
am transcribing the ingredient list.  Once that's complete, I will
sort through the ingredients already discussed previously, and focus
on the ones we don't know anything about yet, as I did for the rest of
the previous answer.

I expect this will take a couple hours to complete.  I will keep you
posted.

--Missy

Hi there,

After a few phone calls, I was able to find a place to purchase Paul
Mitchell Tea Tree Oil Special shampoo.  The ingredient list is as
follows:

Water, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Oleamidopropyl
Betaine, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Peppermint Oil, Tea Tree Oil,
Dimethicone Bisamino Hydroxypropyl Copolyol/White Ginger/Dimethicone
Copolyol, Dimethicone Bisamino Hydroxypropyl Copolyol/Algae/Aloe
Barbadensis/Chamomile/Jojoba/Rosemary/Dimethicone Copolyol, Lavender
Oil, Wheat Germ Oil, Panthenol, Glycol Stearate, Polyquaternium-7,
Tetrasodium EDTA, PEG-150 Distearate, DMDM Hydantoin, Iodopropynl
Butylcarbamate, Citric Acid, FD&C Blue #1, FD&C Yellow #6

Oh, yipes.  Look at those ingredients!  After water, Sodium Lauryl
Sulfate and Sodium Laureth Sulfate (both on the "Unwanted List") are
the most plentiful ingredients!  Cocamidopropyl Betaine is, as
previously discussed, linked with "shampoo dermatitis", an irritation
of the scalp.  No wonder it dried your scalp out!

Here are the ingredients discussed previously:

Water
Sodium Lauryl Sulfate
Sodium Laureth Sulfate
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
Aloe Barbadensis
Chamomile
Rosemary
Panthenol
Citric Acid
Glycol Stearate
Polyquaternium-7
Tetrasodium EDTA
PEG-150 Distearate
DMDM Hydantoin

If you want to re-familiarize yourself with what eac ingredient does,
just use the "Edit --> Find In Page" function of your browser at the
following URL"

Compare Chemicals In Shampoos
http://answers.google.com/answers/main?cmd=threadview&id=146590

Here are the remaining ingredients:

**Oleamidopropyl Betaine - a surfactant.  Used for detangling and
conditioning.

"Oleamidopropyl Betaine - Applications: Unique conditioning and
detangling agent for shampoos. Excellent viscosifier for bath gels,
facial cleansers, bubble bats."

Amphoteric Surfactants
http://www.oilchem.com/prod_list.cfm?ind=personal&type=Amphoteric%20Surfactants

**Peppermint Oil - oil of the peppermint plant.  A natural astringent,
renowned for it's soothing properties.  The oil in large concentration
may have a drying effect on skin, however.

"Peppermint - Emollient herb that is astringent, stimulating,
cleansing, restorative and healing."

Make Your Own Cosmetics Glossary
http://www.makingcosmetics.com/makingcosmetics/glossary/16_glossary_p.html

**Tea Tree Oil - extract of the tea tree plant, known for it's natural
astringent and antiseptic properties.  Retards dandruff and promotes
healing of scalp irritations.

"Tea Tree Oil may help to rid animals of fleas and humans of head and
body lice. It can reduce the inflammation, irritation and reaction
caused by insect bites and is effective in the control of dandruff and
other scalp problems. It is also useful in the treatment of burns
because its solvent and penetrating properties can help reduce pain
and inflammation and its proven anti-microbial activity can lessen the
possibility of infection."

The Therapeutic Value of Tea Tree Oil
http://www.wellbeing-uk.com/teatreerange.html

**Dimethicone Bisamino Hydroxypropyl Copolyol - a silicone additive to
add gloss and a "silky" texture

"Dimethicone Bisamino Hydroxypropyl Copolyol - Provide lubricity,
impart gloss and body to hair."

Silicone Additives for Hair Sprays, Mousses, Gels
http://www.magitsurplus.com/WIP/Silicone%20Additives%20for%20Hair%20Sprays,%20Mousse,%20Gels.htm

**White Ginger - also called "Awapuhi" - extract of the white ginger
plant.  A natural moisturizer.

**Dimethicone Copolyol - a silicone additive.  A "plasticizer", meant
to help improve elasticity.

**Algae - seaweed.  Used for moisturizing properties.

"Algae is a seaweed full of trace elements, calcium, and magnesium. In
skincare products, it helps the skin store moisture to improve
elasticity."

Make Your Own Cosmetics Glossary
http://www.makingcosmetics.com/makingcosmetics/glossary/01_glossary_a.html

**Jojoba - a liquid wax, used to treat dry skin.  In shampoos, it will
lend body and shine to hair.

"Jojoba is a natural, very valuable wax. Since it is liquid it is
often also called Jojoba oil. It is widely used in different personal
care and cosmetic products helping to treat dry skin. It also soothes
and helps to remove wrinkles and stretch marks. It acts as a tonic,
emollient and moisturizer."

Make Your Own Cosmetics Glossary
http://www.makingcosmetics.com/makingcosmetics/glossary/10_glossary_j.html

**Lavender Oil - known to aromatherapists for it's calming properties.
 Soothes irritation.

"Lavender Oil - Clean, fresh aroma. Calming, healing, soothing
properties."

Spiral Haircase Ingredient Directory
http://www.spiralhaircase.com/ingredients.html

**Wheat Germ Oil - a moisturizer and antioxidant, derived from wheat.

"Wheat Germ Oil - A rich source of vitamin E that smooths the skin and
serves as an anti-oxydant."

Spiral Haircase Ingredient Directory
http://www.spiralhaircase.com/ingredients.html

**Iodopropynl Butylcarbamate - an antibacterial preservative

Preservatives
http://www.ispcorp.com/products/hairskin/prod_cat/05pres.html

**FD&C Blue #1, FD&C Yellow #6 - Dyes.  No purpose but to add color to
the shampoo.

-------------------------------------------------------

Though Paul Mitchell Tea Tree Special shampoo does contain several
useful herbs known to ease scalp irritation, any benefit from these
herbs is significantly counteracted by the proportions of Sodium
Lauryl Sulfate, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, and Cocamidopropyl Betaine. 
These are three of the most plentiful ingredients (after water), and
all three are known to be harsh skin irritants.

My friend, I would never use this on my own hair.  In fact, it's going
to be returned to the salon tomorrow morning.  I suspect that if I
used this on my own unruly mop, it would strip out all of my violet
dye!

If you want to give a lovely, *natural* and mild Tea Tree Oil product
a try, let me point you to the one I use:

Burt's Bees - Doctor Burt's Herbal Treatment Shampoo
http://www1.burtsbees.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10001&storeId=10001&productId=11051

It's available directly from the manufacturer, and at health food
stores throughout the US.  Most health food stores carry a variety of
chemical-free shampoos - ask the proprieter of your local shop for a
recommendation.  S/he may have one that will work even better for you.

As far as the other shampoos I've looked at for you, the Nexxus
products still appear to be superior to the Paul Mitchell and Clairol
products, though they are each meant for different purposes.  One will
give you happy hair, the other will give you happy scalp.  Both are
suitable for getting your hair thoroughly clean.

Though websites with a vested interest in selling you their hair care
products will tell you never to vary your product usage, the fact is,
you *can* safely alternate shampoos and even conditioners.  You might
consider using the Luxury shampoo until your scalp is healed and no
longer irritated, then switching to the Botanoil if you plan to use
these products.

I note that you've mentioned several times that you use "a lot" of
Rogaine.  How much is "a lot"?  I feel compelled to point out that if
you use more than what the package recommends (twice a day), you can
cause yourself quite a lot of irritation.  Minoxidil is a skin
irritant, and too much of it will make your scalp hurt.  If you're
using it more than twice a day, you might consider scaling back, as
this is no doubt contributing to the discomfort you're now suffering:

"The proper use of minoxidil is not to exceed the daily dosage of 1
ml. applied twice daily. Used correctly, the amount of the drug
absorbed into the scalp is not enough to to cause serious side
effects. The most common side effect of Rogaine is itching where the
product is applied. If you experience itching in the area where you
apply Rogaine stop using minoxidil, and consult your doctor.

[...]

"Male users should detect hair regrowth within eight months, female
users within 12 months. Using minoxidil more than twice a day will not
make hair grow faster.

[...]

"Any breakage of the skin will cause any product to be absorbed in the
system more rapidly. So do not use this product if the scalp is
inflamed, infected, painful or irritated. Also scalp abrasions,
psoriasis, or even sunburn may increase the absorption. Speak to your
doctor is any of these conditions apply."

Rogaine Side Effects and Dosage Information
http://www.minoxidilshop.com/rogsidefandd.html

Be kind to your scalp so it doesn't hurt you anymore! 

If there is anything else I can do for you, please let me know.  I
will gladly follow up for you.

--Missy

Search terms:  Listed ingredients.

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Request for Answer Clarification by anonymous777-ga on 22 Jan 2003 18:42 PST

i am glad that u agree that the paul mitchel product is bad! when i
used it my hair was shot! can u just list one more time what makes the
clariol so bad?? i have use it for 3 days and so far it makes my hair
feel great!! i admitt today my hair was a little drying but not half
as bad as the paul mitchell!! i think i will use the botanoil and
rotate with the clariol. what do u think? my scalpe does not hurt,it
is not red, my hair just looks so brittle and dry!! i feel like my
hair falls out because of how dry the scalpe and hair is!! what do u
think? thanks

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Clarification of Answer by missy-ga on 22 Jan 2003 18:58 PST

Hi again!

The problem I see with the Clairol is the abundance of harsh and
drying chemicals - Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, Sodium Chloride, Tetrasodium
EDTA and DMDM Hydantoin.

Sodium Lauryl Sulfate in particular is noted to be corrosive and very
harsh, and the preservative DMDM Hydantoin releases the chemical
formaldehyde, which many people have allergic reactions to.

I see no harm in rotating beween the Clairol and the Botanoil if
you're satisfied with the performance of those products.  Everyone's
hair reacts differently to different products.  It's important to use
products that work well for you and don't cause you any irritation.

--Missy