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The worst product in the world?

Printed From: HairBoutique.com
Category: Hair Talk
Forum Name: Bloopers
Forum Description: Share your hair horror stories...
URL: https://talk.hairboutique.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=24999
Printed Date: May 13 2024 at 8:12am


Topic: The worst product in the world?
Posted By: Lyris
Subject: The worst product in the world?
Date Posted: January 20 2003 at 8:07am
Hello everyone. If you're bored and feeling creative, here's a question for you:

What is the absolute worst hair product you've ever tried, and why was it so wretched?

My vote:
Special FX Straight Out gel. I was in Washington, D.C. during the hottest part of July when I first tried this thick, pink gel. My then-shoulder-length hair was the greasiest, heaviest wreck of snarls the Metro has ever seen. I have pictures of me standing in the subway with hair that still embarasses me.

What's yours?

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Look for beauty, and you will find no intelligence. Look for intelligence and you will find both.Proud member of the Cult of All Soft



Replies:
Posted By: caro
Date Posted: January 21 2003 at 2:55am
panthene shampoo, the old formula, really really awful, it ruined my waist length hair.

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Posted By: Ingrid16
Date Posted: January 21 2003 at 5:09pm
Hey!
I agree about Pantene- it was the conditioner for me, tho...I saw all of these commercials about it and everyone said that it was the best, so I caved in and bought it. Every time I used it, it seemed that some hair would fall right out of my head; not the couple 2-3 strands you normally get when you condition, and not exactly in handfuls, but a LOT. I used it for about three weeks (thinking there was something wrong me ME), and my hair got noticably thinner. Then I stopped using that junk, and it stopped falling out. I`ve known a couple of other people who have had similar experiences with it. :(

Thanx for the story, Lyris....made me smile. :)

Love to all,
Inga

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If I had wings then I could take you in
I'd stay on the ground and show you some things
The grass is strewn with blades of gold
all sights and sounds I have been told
all hopes, desires, seem to sing


Posted By: Lyris
Date Posted: January 21 2003 at 9:25pm
Hi Inga! Nice to chat with you again. My HAIR would`ve made you laugh! Or feel compelled to buy me a bottle of industrial-strength shampoo. :-)


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Look for beauty, and you will find no intelligence. Look for intelligence and you will find both.Proud member of the Cult of All Soft


Posted By: Merlin
Date Posted: January 22 2003 at 11:39am
Rave Perm.

Back in the Big Hair 80s, my sister-in-law decided that she wanted one since several of her friends had it and talked about how great a product it was. The rods weren`t even fully out when we realized we had made a HUGE mistake! Her hair felt sticky and gummy - and we followed the directions to the letter and even left the solution on shorter than recommended. It took MANY conditioning treatments and trims to return her hair to anything resembling normal. As for her friends, they all suddenly got pixie haircuts.

Awful stuff :( but a fun topic, Lyris. ;)

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Merlin


Posted By: Booie
Date Posted: January 30 2003 at 1:17pm
over the counter ....SUN IN .......... that stuff should be banned ! lol ...A hairdressers life would be so much easer!!!!... lol
NO MORE HENNA`S..LOL
....I was bored thanks Lrie`s!!!!

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Booie


Posted By: Booie
Date Posted: January 30 2003 at 1:21pm
I mean Lyri`s .....my spelling & typing stink`s ..LOL

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Booie


Posted By: hairalways
Date Posted: February 04 2003 at 5:12am
Oh this list could go on and on.......

Rave perm and sun-in (my teens were a study in hair diasters) Clairol Balsam hair color in black. All Pantene, Suave and WHite Rain products. Aqua Net. Dep gel. And last, but not least, any home hair relaxer. Don't do that at home!!!! My loose wavy hair became a flat lifeless mess!

jacqui

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Posted By: Lyris
Date Posted: February 04 2003 at 7:20am
I had forgotten about Sun-in. Sheesh, what a wreck. In the dead of winter during my high school freshman year I took a bottle of that godforsaken stuff and a blow dryer to my medium brown hair. Apparently I didn't realize that crossing guard-orange is NOT a stylish color choice for natural brunettes....or anyone, for that matter. I had two teachers, a track coach and my band director all comment on my "new" hair color. You know it's pretty bad when the best descriptor they can muster is "new." Yeeeech!

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Look for beauty, and you will find no intelligence. Look for intelligence and you will find both.Proud member of the Cult of All Soft


Posted By: Isla Q.
Date Posted: February 04 2003 at 10:16am
Is pantène really that bad? I've used it a few times and did notice anything strange. I have noticed though, that pantène is on sale more than any other hair product in my local drugstore.

A product I definitely did not like was by Henna Plus, I don't remember what it's called, something like "Hair repair" I think. Now THAT did make my hair fall out, it took all the shine away and it was really sticky! Won't be using that again!

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Posted By: Lyris
Date Posted: February 04 2003 at 10:20am
Hi Isla. Consumers have a real love-hate relationship with Pantene. It is by no means a deadly, hair-destroying brand for every user, but it certainly has its wealth of problems. The shampoos tend to be on the harsh side, which is problematic for dry hair, and the conditioners can cause significant buildup due to their film formers and silicone-derivatives. The conditioners won't hurt your hair, but without a good, thorough shampoo they can weigh down fine hair. I used Pantene only briefly during my second year in college and have since discovered lines that I like better.

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Look for beauty, and you will find no intelligence. Look for intelligence and you will find both.Proud member of the Cult of All Soft


Posted By: Booie
Date Posted: February 04 2003 at 6:28pm
do you remeber when people thaught the horse shampoo Main & Tail was the greatest cheapest stuff ?...............Thats when i seem to remeber panteen being poular too .....bye the way ....Lyris
multie colered hair desaster needs help real bad and you are sooooo good wih words they are talkin sun in !!! hope ya get this in time ...

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Booie


Posted By: wittils
Date Posted: February 05 2003 at 11:26pm
My husband uses the Mane and Tail conditioner.... He seems to believe it is good stuff. But I snuck a bit and my hair frizzed, so that was that. Has anyone else had good or bad results with it?

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Precious is the day... it happens only once in a lifetime.


Posted By: Booie
Date Posted: February 06 2003 at 12:19pm
hi Wittils, I only used it on my horse's......but I do remember getting a worning at the shop from the matrix co. I think but dont realy member any way our rep said that it caused problems in perming because of the lanelin in it ......I'm not sure what the problems were ........butt I do know once a man's mind is set its hard to change it..lol ...J/K

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Booie


Posted By: demodoll
Date Posted: February 09 2003 at 8:04pm
I too had a disaster with Sun-In. Back in 1970, the summer before my freshman year in high school, I spent a week at the beach with a bottle of Sun-In and my best friend. We believed we were looking good and even put it on our eyebrows to "match" them to our hair. Imagine the distress when we realized what we had done. And back then 14 year old girls did not color their hair or go to the salon (our mothers were still doing the once a week shampoo, set, tease, spray routine so styling and color were iffy at best). So I spent an entire year growing it out. My head was a stripe for a long time.

My daughter tried it at about the same age and had beautiful results. She has great hair though and at least going to the salon for color correction was an option for her.

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"It is better to look marvelous than to feel marvelous" Billy Crystal


Posted By: uzma
Date Posted: February 14 2003 at 3:57pm
IMHO - Aveda products.
The most money I have ever wasted on hair products.

Specifically:
> Blue Malva shampoo & conditioner
> Brilliant shampoo & conditioner
> Purefume shampoo
> Deep conditioning treatment

My purse said "Ouch".
My hair said "You've dried me out - don't use that stuff on me ever again !!!"

I said "OK".

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Uzi



Posted By: Ingrid16
Date Posted: February 15 2003 at 2:30am
Another one that stinks...
Physique products (or at least the couple I've tried).
They don't work at all!!!!! They say that it gives you 20 hour hold...it didn't last 20 minutes.
Oh, well, at least its not expensive. Live & learn! :)

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If I had wings then I could take you in
I'd stay on the ground and show you some things
The grass is strewn with blades of gold
all sights and sounds I have been told
all hopes, desires, seem to sing


Posted By: Unregistered Guest
Date Posted: February 18 2003 at 12:47am
I posted a question on the "getting black out" thread a few days ago and nobody has responded, so I hope someone sees this one! You guys seem to agree that Sun-In is horrible...what does it do? I had planned on using it to keep my hair blonde by using a little bit every couple of weeks on my roots, but maybe that's a bad idea.

Also, I don't know if there's a thread about this, but what are the best products out there? Specifically, conditioners and deep conditioners? I guess I'm just asking what your experiences have been. =)


Posted By: Lyris
Date Posted: February 18 2003 at 7:43am
Hi Leslie,

First off, what is your hair like right now? Naturally or colored blonde, dry, frizzy, long, healthy, curly, wavy, etc? Speaking from personal experience, Sun In is a product that warrents serious introspection and caution. Hydrogen peroxide is the lightening ingredient, and while it can help blonde hair lighten up, it comes with a price. The lift process is damaging--that's an inescapable fact, as with virtually all permanent processes.

People who get the scariest results from Sun In are typically medium to dark brunettes whose hair turns orange, not blonde. To go platinum a brunette must use a two-step process, meaning first strip the naturally dark color then apply a toner (blonde color.) Sun In alone cannot lift brown hair all the way to blonde--it stops at about tangerine orange.

As for good shampoos/conditioners, it really depends on your hair type and what you want your hair to do. If your hair is dry, look for shampoos without harsh surfactants such as sodium lauryl (not laureth) sulfate, TEA-lauryl sulfate and sodium c14-16 alkyl benzoate. My personal recommendations: Redken All Soft and Phyto Systeme Hydro-Botanics. As for conditioners, I love Aura Cherry Almond Bark revitalizing conditioner, Frizz Ease Glistening Creme and Mizani Moisturefuse. Good luck Leslie!

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Look for beauty, and you will find no intelligence. Look for intelligence and you will find both.Proud member of the Cult of All Soft


Posted By: Unregistered Guest
Date Posted: February 18 2003 at 6:36pm
Well, I went to the beauty college today and spent two hours under a "virgin bleach," after which my roots were albino blonde and the rest had remnants of my red tones. After toning, it was more blonde, but my roots are still horribly light...I'm going back on Thursday and they're going to try a darker tone. Naturally my hair is getting darker, but is still pretty light brown.

Overall, now I'm bleach blonde (so it's a bit coarse). Also, it's naturally slighly curly on the bottom layers but flat on the top. It almost reaches my shoulderblades and is layered, and pretty thick. When I do style it I usually blow-dry it straight and flip the ends one way or another. If I don't dry it, it gets pulled back into a pony tail or half up and dries kinda curly.

As far as the sun-in goes, I wanted to use it very gradually, so I guess I'll just see how it works for me.


Posted By: Savage Gardener
Date Posted: February 23 2003 at 5:59pm
Sun-In is the tool of the devil! The orangeness - it's like you've been Tangoed!


Posted By: Unregistered Guest
Date Posted: February 24 2003 at 1:18am
Yes Sun-in is horrible. Will all those ruined by Sun-in at some point in their lives please raise their hands, er click their mouses? I know I was quilty and it destroyed my hair. UGH. Shudder.


Posted By: Unregistered Guest
Date Posted: February 24 2003 at 1:18am
Yes Sun-in is horrible. Will all those ruined by Sun-in at some point in their lives please raise their hands, er click their mouses? I know I was quilty and it destroyed my hair. UGH. Shudder.


Posted By: Sophie
Date Posted: February 24 2003 at 4:31pm
My hair has never been ruined......But I have Fixed or in some unfortunate cases, Atempted to Fix Sun-In disasters, many, many, times though out the years.

Color On, My Artistically Inthusiastic Friends.

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Sophie
http://salonwest.proboards34.com - http://salonwest.proboards34.com


Posted By: Unregistered Guest
Date Posted: February 25 2003 at 12:08pm
Hi Leslie,

Best products out there? It depends on who you talk to and what type of hair you have. Some people with undamaged, healthy hair can use drugstore products with very good results. Others who have problem/sensitive hair or who have chemically processed hair may need to use salon quality brands like Redken, Phyto, Rene Furterer, Artec or Aveda. Again, it depends on your own circumstances.

There really is no "best" hair care products but what is best is what works for you and hair type. The first step should be to figure out your own hair's type and needs. If your hair is healthy and has not been chemically processed you can experiment with Aura (sold at Sally Beauty) or Alberto Culver (some of them are good) or Redken.

If your hair is damaged, chemically processed, fried or has special needs, you might try some of the salon brands like Redken, Paul Mitchell, Aveda, Phyto or Furtherer. A lot depends on the length of your hair as well.

Carole


Posted By: LiliBeach
Date Posted: March 02 2003 at 8:10pm
One of my "worst" would be Matrix Amplify Shampoo and Conditioner.
I tested the ph on these and the shampoo was an 8.5 ph and the conditioner was a 3 ph.
An 8.5 is equivalant to a perm.
In other words, the shampoo blows open the cuticle than slams it shut with the conditioner.
This really reeks havoc on your hair.

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I am a professional Hairstylist/Haircolorist with 19 years experience. I have traveled all over the country for my advanced education. I am also a salon owner.:)........and I LOVE Redken!!!


Posted By: Lyris
Date Posted: March 03 2003 at 7:33am
Originally posted by LiliBeach LiliBeach wrote:

One of my "worst" would be Matrix Amplify Shampoo and Conditioner.
I tested the ph on these and the shampoo was an 8.5 ph and the conditioner was a 3 ph.
An 8.5 is equivalant to a perm.
In other words, the shampoo blows open the cuticle than slams it shut with the conditioner.
This really reeks havoc on your hair.


Good grief!!

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Look for beauty, and you will find no intelligence. Look for intelligence and you will find both.Proud member of the Cult of All Soft


Posted By: Sophie
Date Posted: March 03 2003 at 9:59am
Wow. Good to know!

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Sophie
http://salonwest.proboards34.com - http://salonwest.proboards34.com


Posted By: Laine1998
Date Posted: March 24 2003 at 4:23pm
As for sun-in,

I've used it numerous times a few years back. My hair was a medium color blonde (its darkened over the years, it was white when I was a baby.) I guess it really determines on what your hair color was before you used it. I would be somewhat hesitant to use it now because my hair is now a dark blonde/light brown color now.

But then again, I was still in high school, so I might of thought it looked good..but that doesn't mean too much

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Posted By: Tap Dancer
Date Posted: March 24 2003 at 5:39pm
Sorry to disagree with you guys, but I *LOVE* Pantene and I use it all the time. My hair is really thick and Pantene makes it soft and silky.

I don't like Physique. I got some samples and they made my hair flat and hard to comb through.

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[IMG]http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n89/yerdumm/tapdancer2.gif" />


Posted By: wheeler
Date Posted: March 25 2003 at 3:21pm
I really hate all and any hairgel that is neon colored and has all those little bubbles in it. I must admit, it looks neat, but it leaves your hair hard as a brick. I used to dance when I was younger and I remember going through bottles of dep. That stuff sure holds very, very well but it takes ages for all the residue to finally rinse out of your hair no matter how many times you shampoo.

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Until you value yourself, you will not value your time. Until you value your time, you will not do anything with it.
- M. Scott Peck


Posted By: Unregistered Guest
Date Posted: March 26 2003 at 1:09pm
Prell shampoo is horrible. Hairstylists use it to remove dyes that are too dark. It would probably eat paint off an automobile. Cheap, rotten and horrible. But a pretty green. :-)


Posted By: Elissa
Date Posted: April 03 2003 at 5:04am
and it smells good too, I remember using it now and again as a teen.

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[/url]
http://lilypie.com">


Posted By: demodoll
Date Posted: April 03 2003 at 11:14am
My husband still uses Prell--the original formula, not the new ones. I use it occasionally when I want a real clairfying shampoo. It really takes everything out.

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"It is better to look marvelous than to feel marvelous" Billy Crystal


Posted By: turquoise_girl
Date Posted: April 04 2003 at 2:20pm
Well, i don't know what is the WORST product i've used but about the Sun-In mentioned above...
I have golden brown hair and decided a couple of years ago that it would be great to make my hair a little more golden(but not blonde). So i just read the directions about spraying it on and sitting in the sun. I sprayed it on and then smoothed it all through with my hands. It was winter so i used a blow dryer(another option on the bottle). It didn't work at all. The worst part is that i woke up the next morning and the skin on the palms of my hands was burnt and peeling off. I had never seen the part that said "avoid contact with skin". so if it burns my skin that bad- what does it do to your hair!?!:)

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Posted By: Kgirl
Date Posted: June 12 2003 at 10:48am
Hi Lyris,

I think the worst product(s) in the world have to be Herbal Essences anything. I absolutely despise the sickly sweet flower smell, and the shampoos strip the life out of my hair. :( It's weird, because when I was a freshman in high school, I used that an entire year and it made my hair so soft and shiny. Now it just sucks.

Good topic! :D


Posted By: LiliBeach
Date Posted: June 12 2003 at 9:25pm
I agree kgirl!!!

That stuff is horrible!

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I am a professional Hairstylist/Haircolorist with 19 years experience. I have traveled all over the country for my advanced education. I am also a salon owner.:)........and I LOVE Redken!!!


Posted By: Karrinne
Date Posted: July 04 2003 at 6:49pm
Sun in, the summer of 75.
Dishwater blonde hair, almost waist length.
Lightened to sunny California girl blonde.
Fall of 75.
Sunny blonde hair.
Fried. Broken off. Shoulder length.
Oh. Dear. Lord.
NEVER again!!!
Home perm, the next summer.
Same results as sun in.
NEVER again.

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hair today/hair tomorrow/hair always
??/37/52
See my hair at http://karrinne1960.tripod.com - http://karrinne1960.tripod.com


Posted By: Jennifer
Date Posted: July 05 2003 at 11:15am
I have used Sun-In, but it's definitely not for everyone!

I have natural blonde hair, and during the winter when it got a little darker (from obviously not being in the sun as much), I would spray a little bit on, and it worked very well!

However, I've been told by numerous stylists that a combination of Sun-In and a perm = chemical haircut....(the combo makes your hair fall out)

But I think if it's used on virgin blonde hair, it can be okay for some.

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Posted By: Karen Shelton
Date Posted: July 05 2003 at 7:12pm
Hi Karrinne,

You have lovely hair. Thanks for the image.

Best wishes,
Karen


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That which doesn't kill you makes you stronger or drives you totally insane. :-)


Posted By: papillon_purple
Date Posted: July 07 2003 at 4:18pm
I agree with the Herbal Essenses comment. I used the conditioner for colored hair on my highlighted hair. When I grew that out, I tried the shampoo and conditioner for normal hair. ONCE. It left my hair sticky and stiff - kind of like hair spray. bleah.


Posted By: Reenie
Date Posted: January 12 2004 at 7:15pm
This is just an observation on my part, but I've noticed that I can use shampoo and conditioner at my home and have my hair come out terrible and then use the same shampoo and conditioner someplace else and have it come out fantastic. Do you think that water may have something to do with how well a product works? I know that water that is really soft will make a difference compared to water that is harder. Just a thought. Oh, and I don't like Suave products or any shampoo/conditioner combination, but I love Aussie!

Reenie

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Life is wonderful...when you have a cat. But even better when you have a cat and good hair!


Posted By: Unregistered Guest
Date Posted: January 25 2004 at 7:16am
Manic panic. I bleached my hair WHITE and that crap still developed unevenly and made my hair feel stiff(Yes, I rinsed it out and Yes, I can smell a smart-assed comment a mile away). I noticed, observing friends and neighbors as well as myself, that manic panic just does NOT like african-american hair, either.


Posted By: Kuroneko
Date Posted: January 26 2004 at 4:14am
I don't think Manic Panic likes anyone-- I had a friend who dyed her hair green with it, and it came out so uneven it looked like her hair was camouflage or something :-P . I always thought it was just something she did wrong, but if it does that to everyone, maybe it is just a bad product.

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More awesome than a manatee!


Posted By: LRF
Date Posted: February 01 2004 at 1:24pm
Pantene,& does anybody remember the shampoo that had beer in it? I forgot the name!!

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Posted By: Unregistered Guest
Date Posted: February 27 2004 at 12:56am
Spritz! Everyone & his brother was talking about how they used it so when I saw some that was on sale for free after rebat I decided to try it. It made my hair too stiff & wheat straw. I wound up giving it to our niece who is a spritz user. Instead I use fruit flavored or light type hair spray. Nothing too harsh...


Posted By: Twanda
Date Posted: February 27 2004 at 3:27pm
I think the beer shampoo was called Body On Tap.

Twanda

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