Sodium Hydroxide / Lye / Caustic Soda, In Products

Hmm it was in a dye remover I used during the summer. Suddenly my hair feels less healthy lol.

Sodium Hydroxide aka Lye aka Caustic Soda - Check your products

I posted this at my site but I'm sharing it with you all too because I feel it's important. :)

I was watching tv and saw a commercial for the new Pantene Time Renewal line so I went to their website and took their quiz.
It told me to use Breakage Defense because I was only concerned about splits. I then Googled to see if any stores listed the ingredients and found it on Walgreens.com

As usual it had dimethicone but I was amazed when I saw Sodium Hydroxide in the ingredients. Sodium Hydroxide aka Lye aka Caustic Soda is an ingredient used in some hair relaxers and is a very harsh thing to put on hair. And this was in a conditioner that is supposed to be strengthening my hair.

I don't know what the formula does or how it balances out but I won't be trying that. I should also check my other bottles.

Many of the members at the forums I visit are trying to avoid harsh sulfates. Well those are probably like water compared to sodium hydroxide. Just my opinion.

I'm not saying you have to throw out your products if it has S.H. in it. I'm just saying this might be one more ingredient to watch out for if it concerns you.

S. H. is one of the ingredients used in drain uncloggers because it eats hair. Bleach (Sodium hypochlorite) is the other ingredient in drain stuff. I've seen some with both in it.

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My guess at why this would be in the product is:

I would compare this to either sanding a floor before applying varnish or roughing up a nail before applying acrylics.

I think it's meant to chew a few extra holes in the hair so that the dimethicones and other stuff will bond to your hair better. And then after long term use your hair will supposedly be stronger and shiny. Again I'm only guessing.