2-in-1 Shampoo—Worth It?

Photo courtesy of drugstore.com
Photo courtesy of drugstore.com

Shannon R.,SELF magazine

When 2-in-1 shampoos were first introduced, they were considered not only a huge innovation in the industry but the ultimate in convenience for many women (and men!). However, as time went on, they started getting a bad rap. I've heard things like 2-in-1s can coat your hair with wax or even plastic (yikes!), leaving hair weighed down and dull and ultimately causing more harm than good. Well, it's time to to separate fact from fiction and set the record straight on this combo beauty product.

What is 2-in-1 technology?

Basically, two ingredients are added to a regular shampoo to provide a conditioning benefit - a silicone and a suspending agent. The silicone is usually an ingredient called Dimethicone and it is what makes the formula conditioning. The suspending agent is Glycol Distearate and it's what keeps the silicone from separating out of the formula. Without it, the silicone would just fall to the bottom of the shampoo and not stay mixed in). When the shampoo bottle is sitting on a shelf (or in your shower), the suspending agent is able to "hold" the silicone in the formula. However, when you put the shampoo on your head and mix it with water, the suspending agent does not work very well (which is a good thing!), so the silicone separates out and stays behind on your hair and provides conditioning.

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How is this different than regular shampoo?

"Regular" shampoos and 2-in-1 shampoos use virtually the same formulas but 2-in-1s just add the above technology for additional conditioning. Both formulas do a good job of cleaning hair by removing oil and dirt. However, sometimes shampoos work too well, leaving hair feeling dry and "raspy." The added conditioning from 2-in-1s keeps hair from feeling dry and also makes hair smoother and more manageable.

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Are there downsides to 2-in-1 shampoos?
While it's certainly not true that 2-in-1s coat hair with wax or plastic, the silicone used can build up on hair over time (especially if you use lots of silicone-based hair products). Dimethicone works great for adding conditioning and shine, but it can also be heavy and build up a bit. All you have to do is use a silicone-free shampoo every so often to remove any potential buildup. Honestly, if you only use 2-in-1 shampoos then buildup is likely not to be a problem--it's usually silicone serums or other silicone-based styling products that are more likely to cause product buildup.

It's also important to know that many 2-in-1 shampoos are not called 2-in-1s anymore. Lots of shampoos use this technology in products that are labeled "moisturizing", "hydrating" and "conditioning." So, if you are concerned about product buildup, look for shampoos that are called "clarifying" or "volumizing" and check the label to make sure the product does not contain Dimethicone.

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Bottom Line

Despite what you may have heard, 2-in-1 shampoos do not damage hair or coat hair with layers of wax or plastic. In fact, most moisturizing and conditioning shampoos use 2-in-1 technology (even if it doesn't say 2-in-1 on the label). The truth is, these products work and they work well. Silicone is a superstar hair care ingredient. However, silicone (particularly Dimethicone) can build up over time. If you have fine, thin hair and are concerned about product weigh down then be sure to look at the label and avoid products containing Dimethicone.


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