Hair Vitality Shampoo by Truth In Aging is launched

I’ve been pulling my hair out (figuratively) for most of this year. Making a shampoo, let me tell you, is not easy. My goal was to create a shampoo that cleanses gently, imparts ingredients that encourage healthy hair growth, rinses out completely and complements Hair Vitality Conditioner and Hair Vitality Complex. It has been a long time in the making, but now I am happy to say that I have a formula for Hair Vitality Shampoo that I am proud of.

Hair Vitality Shampoo ($35 in the shop) does not foam. Sudsers are typically chemical and would compromise the kind of product I wanted and so with the guidance of Darrell Owens of Your Best Face, who formulated Hair Vitality Shampoo for Truth In Aging, we went instead for gentle cleansing agents. At the same time, it was critical for me that I not shampoo tangles into my hair. Many natural shampoos leave me with a hair nest that I have to saturate with conditioner. I wanted my shampoo to rinse out, leaving my hair smooth and tangle free.

Decyl polyglucoside is a non-ionic surfactant derived from plants. It’s gentle enough for sensitive skin and can be used in baby products. It also possesses moisture-binding properties that help make the hair feel smooth and soft. Stearamidopropyl dimethylamine (an alternative to silicone) comes from rapeseed and is used as an anti-static agent and a mild cleanser. Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium is a water-soluble derivative of natural guar gum, and delivers conditioning properties. Polyquaternium-10 is an anti-static that adds sheen and is considered safe.

Having gotten the basic functionality out of the way, it was on to the fun stuff. Hair Vitality Conditioner and Hair Vitality Complex help with healthy growth and reduce shedding, and I wanted the companion shampoo to rally to the cause alongside them. So there is caffeine, which some studies have shown to reduce hair loss. I particularly like the addition of ferulic acid, a powerful antioxidant; it has been given a boost in that department by rosemary. There is also beta sitosterol, which has been seen to have a positive effect on male baldness. There is speculation that it blocks the action of 5 alpha reductase, an important enzyme in the hair loss process. Aspen bark extract has salicylic, which helps exfoliate the scalp and keep the follicles free of gunk. The natural preservative is oil of ravensara and a gentle form of thyme oil.

You do have to get into a different mindset for a non-foaming shampoo. Hair Vitality Shampoo is easily massaged into the scalp and rubbed through the hair. It rinses out easily and completely. Because it doesn’t tangle up the hair, I found that I can use significantly less Hair Vitality Conditioner than I was when using it with other shampoos. The result is hair that has volume and shine. Best of all, after several months of testing this shampoo alongside the conditioner, I have only a few strands of hair in the drain hole. Actually, that’s second best. The very best is that my colorist says I have the hair I had when I was 30.

Ingredients: Reverse Osmosis Water, Decyl Polyglucoside, Stearamidopropyl Dimethylamine, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium, Polyquaternium-10, Meadowfoam Seed Oil, Ceteareth-6 Olivate, Citric Acid, Aspen Bark Extract, Dl-Panthenol (Vitamin B5), Ferulic Acid, Caffeine, Beta Sitosterol, Rosemary Antioxidant, Vitamin E, Essential Oils Of Lemongrass, Carrot Seed, Thyme Ct. Linalool And Ravensara