Is TRESemmé Good For Your Hair?

a view of several TRESemmé shampoo and conditioner bottles on display at a local grocery store in Los Angeles, California, United States

Is TRESemmé good for your hair? The short answer is no, TRESemmé is not good for your hair. TRESemmé, like many drugstore shampoos and conditioner brands, contains a lot of harsh ingredients that are unhealthy for your hair.

The harmful effects of parabens, sulfates, silicones, phthalates, and formaldehyde-releasing ingredients on your hair and scalp can be huge. These ingredients can cause anything from an itchy scalp to even lesions and blisters.

Although TRESemmé shampoos and conditioners are affordable, I recommend that you don’t use them. I am not a fan of TRESemmé, as I find that their products contain harmful ingredients. This article will explore why I believe that TRESemmé is bad for your hair, as well as some safer alternatives.

Is TRESemmé Shampoo Good For Your Hair?

TRESemmé shampoo is not good for your hair. TRESemmé products contain sulfates like sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) or sodium laureth sulfate (SLES) and cocamidopropyl betaine which can strip natural oils from the scalp and hair.

This can cause a number of hair problems including dryness, and breakage. Some of these products claim to do many great things for your hair, but actually, they are just masking the damage that these ingredients are doing to your hair.

So if you’re still using TRESemmé shampoo, it’s time to break out of the cycle and make a change. There are plenty of natural alternatives that can help to improve your hair health without causing any damage.

Is TRESemmé Conditioner Good For Your Hair?

TRESemmé conditioner is not good for your hair. TRESemmé, like other drugstore popular products, contains a lot of harmful ingredients in their products. Harmful ingredients include sulfates, silicones, and alcohol.

These ingredients can strip your hair of its natural oils, damage your hair, and cause scalp irritation. While these ingredients may make your hair look good in the short term, they will damage your hair in the long run.

TRESemmé conditioners are also not vegan as they contain animal-derived ingredients including, but not limited to milk, honey, lanolin, silk, elastin, collagen, keratin, and tallow.

Additionally, TRESemmé conditioners contain methylisothiazolinone (MIT) and methylchloroisothiazolinone (CMIT); two preservatives that have been linked to contact allergic dermatitis.

As it stands, TRESemmé is far from being the best shampoo and conditioner on the market. In fact, we would recommend staying clear of the products altogether. We recommend swapping out TRESemmé and other drugstore hair care brands like OGX for natural, organic products.

Which Is Better Pantene Or TRESemmé?

Pantene and TRESemmé are both brands that you should avoid. These brands both contain ingredients and chemicals that are harmful to your hair as well as your skin and scalp.

Pantene, however, is a better option if you have to choose between the two. The worst “line” that Pantene carries is the Pro-V line. So as long as you don’t get that line and pay attention to the ingredients then you should be good.

However, you should steer away from TRESemmé and Pantene brands. They both contain sulfates, silicones, and parabens that are not good for your hair or scalp at all.

Some of these lines under Pantene and TRESemmé claim that they are “all-natural” but they are not. It is important to pay attention to the ingredients list and choose your hair care brands wisely.

Does TRESemmé Cause Hair Loss?

TRESemmé can indeed cause hair loss. There are actually many reports of people experiencing hair loss after using TRESemmé products. There are tons of reasons why you could suffer hair loss when using TRESemmé products.

It could be due to the products themselves, or it could be that you are allergic to them—an allergic reaction that causes severe scalp irritation can lead to hair loss. This can happen if you have a reaction to the shampoo or conditioner that you use on your hair.

Ingredients such as fragrance, sulfates, and silicones can cause a multitude of negative effects to your hair and scalp, including hair loss. Ultimately, prolonged usage of these products that contain harmful ingredients can actually ruin your hair in the long run as well, making it hard to get it healthy again.

Unilever, the company that makes many products such as TRESemmé, has previously faced legal action over its use of DMDM hydantoin in its Suave Professionals Keratin Infusion products. Hundreds of women claimed that they had suffered hair loss and scalp burns after using the products.

In 2012, that complaint triggered a recall of the products, and in 2016, a $10.25 million fund was created to compensate women who used Suave Professionals Keratin Infusion 30-Day Smoothing Kit and experienced hair loss and scalp burns.

Does TRESemmé Contain DMDM Hydantoin?

Despite being aware of the potential hair loss and scalp irritation caused by DMDM hydantoin since 2012, Unilever has continued to use it as a preservative in its products. The company has not advertised or disclosed the potential side effects to consumers.

Funnily enough, although TRESemmé has stated on its United States website that by July 2021, all TRESemmé products will be DMDM hydantoin free. DMDM hydantoin is still listed as an ingredient on TRESemmé’s Australian website.

DMDM hydantoin is an ingredient in the following TRESemmé products listed on their Australian website:

TRESemmé Keratin Smooth Shampoo Ingredients

Click here to verify the ingredients list on the TRESemmé website.

Water, Sodium Laureth Sulfate/Sodium C12-13 Pareth Sulfate*, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Sodium Chloride, Polyquaternium-10, Hydrolysed Keratin, Disodium Edta, Dmdm Hydantoin, Methylchloroisothiazolinone, Methylisothiazolinone, Fragrance. *Used Interchangeably

TRESemmé Keratin Smooth Conditioner Ingredients

Click here to verify the ingredients list on the TRESemmé website.

Water, Cetearyl Alcohol, Dimethicone, Stearamidopropyl Dimethylamine, Behentrimonium Chloride, Peg-150 Distearate, Hydrolysed Keratin, Amodimethicone, Peg-7 Propylheptyl Ether, Cetrimonium Chloride, Lactic Acid, Dipropylene Glycol, Sodium Chloride, Disodium Edta, Dmdm Hydantoin, Methylchloroisothiazolinone, Methylisothiazolinone, Fragrance.

TRESemmé is a global brand, so it’s interesting to see that there is a discrepancy in the ingredients used in their products in different parts of the world. Keep in mind that while TRESemmé is phasing out DMDM hydantoin in the United States, this doesn’t necessarily mean that they are phasing it out globally.

Also, there is still a risk of consumers using TRESemmé products containing DMDM hydantoin, as the company has not recalled previous batches with the toxic chemical. You may be able to find some older stock in stores that still contains DMDM hydantoin, so make sure you check the label before buying.

What Is The Bad Ingredient In TRESemmé?

As mentioned above, DMDM hydantoin is one of the worst ingredients in TRESemmé products that causes negative effects to your hair and scalp. In November 2020, another class-action lawsuit was filed against Unilever for its failure to warn consumers about the dangers of DMDM hydantoin in TRESemmé products.

DMDM hydantoin is actually a formaldehyde releaser that helps with preserving the product. Believe it or not, this ingredient can be found in many more products than just TRESemmé products. This ingredient is a well-known human carcinogen, which is a cancer-causing ingredient.

Scientists have been conducting studies and patch tests on DMDM hydantoin, a common allergen, since the 1970s. A 1988 study found that DMDM hydantoin can cause contact dermatitis in people who are allergic to formaldehyde. A 2015 report also linked formaldehyde to allergic skin reactions.

The brand claims that DMDM hydantoin is harmless, while the plaintiffs are adamant that this ingredient can cause irritation and hair loss when used as directed. According to anecdotal evidence, extended usage of these types of ingredients can leave your hair dry, brittle, and coming out.

There are also reports of many different long-term health problems if used over a long amount of time. Since people often wash their hair multiple times a week, the likelihood of exposure to harmful ingredients is high. In many cases, TRESemmé products containing DMDM hydantoin have been linked to scalp burns and hair loss.

What Are The Side Effects Of TRESemmé Shampoo?

The main TRESemmé product that we’re going to be referencing is the keratin line at TRESemmé. These products, like others from TRESemmé and other leading brands, have harmful chemicals in them.

There is no denying that harmful chemicals are in some of our favorite shampoo brands. We can’t avoid them completely, but we can educate ourselves on which ones to avoid.

The top harmful chemical that causes terrible side effects is DMDM hydantoin. This ingredient releases formaldehyde when it comes in contact with water. This can cause heavy irritation and other effects on your hair and scalp, especially with prolonged usage.

Some side effects that can be caused by using these products are hair loss, dry and brittle hair, red or dry scalp, itchy scalp, and other discomforts. These side effects can happen as early as only after a couple of washes using these products. These side effects are extremely common among people who have used these products.

What Hair Brands Are Bad For Your Hair?

There are a lot of brands of shampoos and conditioners that are not very good for your hair. You may be surprised to find out that the most popular and accessible brands are the ones that you really should not be using. Let’s go through some of the worst brands that you could use, but should not be using on your hair.

Pantene

Pantene is one of the most popular and accessible brands that you should not be using on your hair. You may read the label and claims of the products and think that they are good for your hair, but in reality, you should read the ingredients list, because you will realize the harmful ingredients placed in it.

Head & Shoulders

Head & Shoulders is a popular brand that claims to help get rid of dandruff, but in reality, it actually makes it worse. Head & Shoulders shampoo and conditioner dries out your scalp and hair which makes dandruff worse, especially if you already had dandruff.

TRESemmé

Of course, TRESemmé would make it on this list because of the harmful ingredients in their products including sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS), sodium laureth sulfate (SLES), cocamidopropyl betaine, methylisothiazolinone (MIT), methylchloroisothiazolinone (CMIT), and DMDM hydantoin.

Aussie

Aussie is a brand that is famous for making your hair super soft and silky. However, your hair isn’t soft and silky because it’s actually nourished, but because it has a ton of silicones in the shampoos and conditioners that coat your hair.

Garnier Fructis

Garnier Fructis brand of shampoos and conditioners contain harmful ingredients that can leave your hair and scalp dry. This in return, causes dandruff that you may not have had prior to using this brand.

What Is The Safest Shampoo To Use?

The safest shampoos to use are the ones that are made with natural ingredients. These products should not have any harmful ingredients or chemicals that can cause negative effects on your hair and scalp. Here are some of the safest shampoos that you can use on your hair to truly nourish it.

Briogeo

Briogeo is derived from 90 to 100 percent natural ingredients. They are also free of parabens, silicones, and sulfates. Plus they are mostly vegan, gluten-free, and cruelty-free.

Avalon Organics

Avalon Organics is an all-natural brand that is actually certified which means that they don’t just claim to be all-natural and organic, but they actually are.

SheaMoisture

SheaMoisture is another brand that doesn’t have harmful ingredients like parabens, phthalates, and formaldehyde in it. They are earth-friendly and consumer-friendly as well, by creating natural products.

Herbal Essence

This brand is actually a surprise, but Herbal Essence has gone to great lengths to create a natural line of products. This line specifically is formulated without silicones, parabens, and other harmful ingredients.

Ethique

Ethique is a little different because it’s actually a bar of shampoo. This is an all-natural product as well as a plastic-free option and it’s cruelty-free.

Final Thoughts: Is TRESemmé Good For Your Hair?

Overall, finding a good brand to use for shampoos and conditioners doesn’t have to be difficult. It’s important to just pay attention to the ingredients list and not just the claims of the products.

As we’ve seen with TRESemmé, you can’t really trust what they claim. Watch out for parabens, silicones, sulfates, or the controversial ingredient “DMDM hydantoin.”

These ingredients can hurt your hair and cause more damage than good for your hair. Extended usage of these brands with harmful chemicals in them can cause a lot of long-term damage to your hair and even your health.

In addition to dry and brittle hair, you can experience hair loss or your hair can become oily and heavy. Also, be sure to watch out for allergic reactions to these harmful chemicals.

Irritation, rash, or redness anywhere around your hairline and scalp can be a sign of an allergic reaction to these harmful ingredients. Your hair is one of the most important things to pay attention to when it comes to your health and beauty routine.

The best way to be safe about what you’re using on your hair is to do your research and be sure to read the labels. Looking out for these bad ingredients can help you narrow down what exactly you should be putting in your hair and what you shouldn’t put on your hair.

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Categorized as Hair

By Cierra Tolentino

Cierra Tolentino is a beauty writer at Kintegra Research. She loves keeping people up-to-date with the latest beauty trends in skincare, hair care, and makeup. Finding answers to tough questions is her thing. When she has free time you can find her chasing down a clumsy toddler and obsessively drinking tea.