Question about Nature's Gate

Hi all,Recently, I've been using Nature's Gate Herbal shampoo andconditioner. I've been liking the results -- as long as Ideep condition my hair (once a week) by glopping theconditioner onto my dry hair hours before showering. If Idon't do this my hair tends toward it's natural state --slightly dry.Anyway, I looked at the ingredients on both and I like thefact that there are so many natural ingredients. But Iwonder about the "vegetable emulsifying wax" (low) in thelist of ingredients of the conditioner. Will this wax havean adverse effect on my hair after using this product forawhile? Do the other varieties of NG use wax in theconditioner? Does anybody who uses NG have any words ofadvice on the long-term effect on their hair from using NG,specifically if they have had any problems with dryness?Thanks in advance,Dave

Yes, Clare's right, I've been using NG stuff for more years than I can remember now, probably 12 plus years at least, and its really been consistent in its effectiveness. Sometimes certain varieties will make my hair a bit more flyaway than others, but that seems to be related to the time of year and the humidity in the air. Lately I've been using the keratin and jojoba varieties but I like to switch off with some aloe and original herbal every few shampoos with some awapuhi when I want a dramatic "big fluffy hair" day. I wish my store would carry some chamomile, I'd love to try that kind, but regarding the waxes, I'm fairly certain all the varieties have some form of them as a means to make the product itself creamy in texture. I've never seen any adverse affects on my hair from these ingredients and in fact, the one or two times I can even remember trying another brand (salon stuff) I was so disappointed by the performance (and the five or six dyes in the last ingredient line) I've been very reluctant to venture out from this little universe of Nature's Gate.I've always been terribly curious about the exact characteristics of these ingredients though, Dave, and if you do find out what those waxes are and what they are meant to do, please post won't you?Oh, BTW, for hair that tends a little toward dry, try the keratin or jojoba conditioners as a second step. I've been using the shampoo and conditioner pair (pick a variety) rinsing lightly and applying a second conditioner of either keratin or jojoba or sometimes both. This additional condition step with each shampoo has allowed me to give up the weekly deep conditioning I used to do but don't often seem to have time for these days.Hope that helps, since we sure don't want anything to harm that magnificient head of hair of yours Dave, it is sooooo very..... oooooo, don't get me started about men with long hair!!!Best wishes to all,Dawn> Hi all,> Recently, I've been using Nature's Gate Herbal shampoo> and> conditioner. I've been liking the results -- as long> as I> deep condition my hair (once a week) by glopping the> conditioner onto my dry hair hours before showering.> If I> don't do this my hair tends toward it's natural state> --> slightly dry.> Anyway, I looked at the ingredients on both and I like> the> fact that there are so many natural ingredients. But I> wonder about the "vegetable emulsifying wax"> (low) in the> list of ingredients of the conditioner. Will this wax> have> an adverse effect on my hair after using this product> for> awhile? Do the other varieties of NG use wax in the> conditioner? Does anybody who uses NG have any words> of> advice on the long-term effect on their hair from> using NG,> specifically if they have had any problems with> dryness?> Thanks in advance,> Dave

You're right, Dawn, "question" was me. Somehow, I must have put "question" in the name slot and did not even notice it. Then my browser was saying "Welcome back, Question." It kind of made me laugh. But I think I have it fixed now.Thanks,Clare> Yes, Clare's right, I've been using NG stuff for more> years than I can remember now, probably 12 plus years> at least, and its really been consistent in its> effectiveness. Sometimes certain varieties will make> my hair a bit more flyaway than others, but that seems> to be related to the time of year and the humidity in> the air. Lately I've been using the keratin and jojoba> varieties but I like to switch off with some aloe and> original herbal every few shampoos with some awapuhi> when I want a dramatic "big fluffy hair"> day. I wish my store would carry some chamomile, I'd> love to try that kind, but regarding the waxes, I'm> fairly certain all the varieties have some form of> them as a means to make the product itself creamy in> texture. I've never seen any adverse affects on my> hair from these ingredients and in fact, the one or> two times I can even remember trying another brand> (salon stuff) I was so disappointed by the performance> (and the five or six dyes in the last ingredient line)> I've been very reluctant to venture out from this> little universe of Nature's Gate.> I've always been terribly curious about the exact> characteristics of these ingredients though, Dave, and> if you do find out what those waxes are and what they> are meant to do, please post won't you?> Oh, BTW, for hair that tends a little toward dry, try> the keratin or jojoba conditioners as a second step.> I've been using the shampoo and conditioner pair (pick> a variety) rinsing lightly and applying a second> conditioner of either keratin or jojoba or sometimes> both. This additional condition step with each shampoo> has allowed me to give up the weekly deep conditioning> I used to do but don't often seem to have time for> these days.> Hope that helps, since we sure don't want anything to> harm that magnificient head of hair of yours Dave, it> is sooooo very..... oooooo, don't get me started about> men with long hair!!!> Best wishes to all,> Dawn

To Dawn, Cher, Clare, LittleO,Thank you all for your replies to my question!I tried the "scrape test" and could not get anything to "scrape off."Either there's no wax build-up, or I didn't use the right technique...although I did hear the scraping sound.Maybe our resident expert Laura Jane could offer some insight into thevalue (and possible side effects) of the "emulsifying wax." A briefreview of Merriam Webster's dictionary (http://www.m-w.com) along withsome speculation makes me think that the purpose of the "emulsifyingwax" may be either to distribute the wax (oil) itself throughout theconditioner, or to help mix the other ingredients together better.But then again, this is just a guess. (Laura Jane, where are you?)Clare, the products you have been using are the exact same ones I havebeen using (Aveda Shampure, ARTec smoothing, NG) for the past 10 months.Do you alternate every time you shampoo? Please tell me more about howyou mix up your use of these products. I tend to use the same productfor longer stretches -- weeks at least, if not months. I used Avedashampure for 7 straight months with nothing but great results.Based on the many recommendations for it, I am going to buy some of theNG Jojoba shampoo and conditioner.DaveP.S. Oh Dawn... to hear YOU, long-hair goddess with the fantastic hair,speak so favorably of MY hair is almost too much to believe. Thank you!You are too sweet :-)

Hi, Dave,Sorry it took me a while to get back to you. I alternate shampoos and conditioners almost everyday. My most common are the Artec smoothing pair, Aveda Shampure (I will usually combine this with a NG conditioner, usually the jojoba), NG jojoba pair, NG rainwater shampoo and rosemary conditioner, and sometimes I throw in a shampoo with Aveda Blue Malva or Black Malva. I want to try Aveda color conditioners, but have not gotten to yet. I always use Aveda Elixer as a leave-in. I love that product because it doesnt weigh my hair down or make it sticky, or any of those types of problems. Oh, yeah, sometimes I use Aubrey Organics JAY shampoo and GPB conditioner. (I have a lot of hair care products).Some new additions to the list as of this weekend:Artec Kiwi Shampoo (Love the smell)NG Aloe conditioner (on sale for $3 a bottle)Willow Lake Carrot extract/milk conditioner.I am a hair care product junkie. Sort of. As far as finishing products: I use (alternating): Aveda Styling Currescence, Aveda Phomollient, Artec smoothing serum (which I really like), Aubrey Organics B5 gel, and Aveda Confixor.For all of you NG fans looking to maybe save some money:If you're a member of a Coop or have other access to ordering NG products, The herbal and rainwater varieties of shampoo and conditioners are available in bulk gallon sized containers, which is cheaper in the long run. Just a thought if you want to save some $$$.Regards,Clare> To Dawn, Cher, Clare, LittleO,> Thank you all for your replies to my question!> I tried the "scrape test" and could not get> anything to "scrape off."> Either there's no wax build-up, or I didn't use the> right technique...> although I did hear the scraping sound.> Maybe our resident expert Laura Jane could offer some> insight into the> value (and possible side effects) of the> "emulsifying wax." A brief> review of Merriam Webster's dictionary> (http://www.m-w.com) along with> some speculation makes me think that the purpose of> the "emulsifying> wax" may be either to distribute the wax (oil)> itself throughout the> conditioner, or to help mix the other ingredients> together better.> But then again, this is just a guess. (Laura Jane,> where are you?)> Clare, the products you have been using are the exact> same ones I have> been using (Aveda Shampure, ARTec smoothing, NG) for> the past 10 months.> Do you alternate every time you shampoo? Please tell> me more about how> you mix up your use of these products. I tend to use> the same product> for longer stretches -- weeks at least, if not months.> I used Aveda> shampure for 7 straight months with nothing but great> results.> Based on the many recommendations for it, I am going> to buy some of the> NG Jojoba shampoo and conditioner.> Dave> P.S. Oh Dawn... to hear YOU, long-hair goddess with> the fantastic hair,> speak so favorably of MY hair is almost too much to> believe. Thank you!> You are too sweet :-)