August 2014

Saturday, August 9, 2014

Product Review: Annabelle’s Perfect Blend White Chocolate Mousse Hair Mask (The Deep Conditioner Files #7)

Price: $10 for 4 oz. or $20 for 8 oz.

Ingredients: Water, Marshmallow Root, Wheat Germ Oil, Cetyl Alcohol, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Cetearyl Alcohol, PEG-40 Castor Oil, Stearalkonium Chloride, Emulsifying Wax NF, Shea Butter, Cocoa Seed Butter, Cetrimonium Chloride, Sodium Lactate, Silk Amino Acids, Pathenol, Diazolidinyl Urea and Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate, Fragrance.

Promise: From the website - Chocolate Mousse Moisture Intense Mask is a deep conditioning mask that will impart much needed moisture back into your hair. It packs a powerful punch with its blend of cocoa butter and marshmallow root.

Scent: Chocolate torte! I wanted to eat it.

Consistency: Super thick, like softened butter or thick mud. I forgot to take a picture of the consistency before I used the last of this.

Results: I used this as an overnight deep conditioner at least twice. I was actually surprised at how well my low porosity hair liked it because of the thickness and because my hair doesn't usually like Emulsifying Wax. This left my hair feeling soft, strong and moisturized. It reminded me a lot of the Pura Body Chocolate Hair Smoothie in the scent and the way it made my hair feel, but I think I like the Pura Body version better because it is lighter.

Love it, Like it or Leave It: Like It

annabelle's , deep condition , like it , low porosity , product junkie , product review , protein , purabody

Saturday, August 2, 2014

Ingredient Investigation: DMDM Hydantoin

Hey, beautiful people! I’m still continuing my investigation of suspect ingredients. Another suspect ingredient that I frequently see in drugstore products is DMDM Hydantoin.

DMDM hydantoin is used in some products as a preservative to prevent microbes (i.e., bacteria, mold and mildew) from growing in the product. The main issue with this ingredient is that it is a formaldehyde releaser. Yes, the same stuff used to preserve dead bodies. In fact, it works so well as a preservative because the released formaldehyde makes the environment less favorable to the microorganisms.

While DMDM hydantoin only releases formaldehyde in low amounts, this can be an issue for people with sensitive skin or allergies because formaldehyde can be an irritant to the skin, eyes and lungs. It may also create a formaldehyde allergy.

Formaldehyde-releasing preservatives in a product that also includes amines, such as triethanolamine (TEA), diethanolamine (DEA), or monoethanolamine (MEA), can create a carcinogenic substance, called a nitrosamine, that can potentially penetrate skin.

For now, while pregnant, I’m staying away from any product with DMDM hydantoin; but, after pregnancy, I may be ok with DMDM hydantoin products, as long as the product doesn’t also contain an amine. I've been wanting to try TRESemme Heat Tamer Spray, but it has DMDM hydantoin and TEA, among other suspect ingredients, so I'm avoiding it. Call me overly cautious.