Paul Mitchell Tea Tree Special Shampoo

Product Information

Ceramides and hyaluronic acid, substances that can help minimize hair breakage by providing hydration

As active ingredients go, tea tree is one of the most popular treatments for mild cases of Seborrheic Dermatitis. Anyone with more severe cases should look to one of the stronger agents. What’s Inside: The Ingredients

We recommend thinking more about your scalp and less about your hair when deciding how often to wash. Dr. Palm says the goal is to prevent flaking, itchiness, and redness on the scalp, and that many people do this by shampooing every one to three days. Editor’s Note: We reviewed this article on September 24, 2023. As per our editorial policy, we are constantly updating our content, to make sure it reflects the best of the best when it comes to beauty, wellness, and fashion. We want to assure our readers that we still stand by our recommendations, which we do. As the name suggests, it’s a tea tree shampoo. It’s signature tingly sensation appeals to many, but we’re here to look at the efficiency of the shampoo by looking at the formulation to learn exactly what goes into this shampoo. The Shampoo: How it Looks, Smells, and Washes About the brand: Paul Mitchell is a haircare brand founded by friends John Paul DeJoria and Paul Mitchell. It’s part of the broader JPMS haircare group, which creates tools and haircare for use both at home and in the salon. About My Hair: Fine with oily roots and dry ends My hair is short, fine, and prone to greasiness around the roots. It’s also very soft because I don’t color it. I’m always on the hunt for shampoos that will remove buildup and create volume without stripping or damaging my hair.

Uses: An invigorating shampoo that helps with oil and scalp health. Depending on your hair type, it can work for regular use or as a periodic clarifying shampoo. The Paul Mitchell Tea Tree Special Shampoo is a product that fits the above bill perfectly. Enriched with tea tree, peppermint, and lavender essential oils, this product is not only great for hair health, but it has a certain zingy quality that’s hard to resist. The shampoo also contains artificial colors CI 42090 (Blue 1) and CI 19140 (Yellow 5). These rank relatively low as toxicants but can be irritating for some.Wow, where to even start. While there is a handful of nice ingredients that could benefit the scalp and hair, there are far too many irritants, allergens, and toxicants. And strong ones at that. Paul Mitchell may claim to use only the highest quality ingredients that are good for us and the planet, but we’re sad to conclude that as false. With such a mixed formula, there’s just no way that this is good for the majority of users, or the earth for that matter. When dealing with hair loss, it’s important to take care of the hair that’s still on your head. According to Palm, you should look for nourishing and hydrating ingredients, such as the following: Every time you use shampoo, natural oils are removed or stripped from your hair along with excess oil, sebum, or product buildup,” Dr. Ilyas says. “These natural oils serve to protect and hydrate your hair, [but] in excess, they can weigh the hair down and make it lose fullness or body.” The tea tree and menthol in the shampoo definitely come out when washing and simply sniffing the bottle. They provided an invigorating experience, both for my skin and my nose and left a slightly cooling sensation. Limonene, Linalool, and Citronellol are also fragrances with strong evidence for being irritants, allergens, and toxins. They are restricted for use in cosmetics in several countries.

Melanie Palm, MD, MBA, a board-certified dermatologist and fellowship-trained dermatologic cosmetic surgeon Now, this shampoo isn’t one big bag of bad chemicals. There are some really promising ingredients in there. Washing your hair can be a mundane beauty chore—or it can be an enjoyable ritual. It all depends on how you look at it and the products you’re using. Personally, I love the sensory benefits that come with a fresh-scented shampoo. Who doesn’t want to turn their shower into a mini day spa? When it comes to your scalp, it’s delivering those same benefits, just for the skin on your head. It is said to be particularly beneficial for those dealing with scalp issues such as dryness, itching, flakes, and even full-on dandruff. Not to mention that the essential oil innately feels refreshing, a major win for anyone who craves that ultra-clean, totally refreshed sensation. The easiest way to reap these benefits? With a tea tree oil shampoo, of course. In addition, to the tea tree, this shampoo contains a number of “interesting” noteworthy ingredients.

What’s Inside: The Ingredients

The shampoo works in three ways: by decreasing hair follicle shrinkage, reducing hair shaft breakage, and extending your hair’s natural growth and rest cycles, so hair grows faster. We love that it’s gentle enough to be used every day to keep your scalp clean, but works effectively enough to give you both short- and long-term results. Best for: Normal to oily, fine hair types. The brand also claims the product is safe for colored hair. The experts strongly suggested choosing shampoos made with nourishing and growth-promoting ingredients such as biotin, saw palmetto, and ceramides. They suggested avoiding harsh cleansers like sulfates and phthalates. They also stressed the importance of choosing shampoos that emphasize scalp health, since dirty or clogged follicles can impede healthy hair growth. Unfortunately, there’s no prescription for how often you should wash your hair—everyone is different so it really comes down to individual preference and needs. It may take a little trial and error to find the shampooing timeline that strikes the right balance. Tea tree oil is a naturally occurring essential oil with antifungal properties known to combat the yeast associated with Seborrheic Dermatitis.

While there is no conclusive scientific evidence to show that sulfates, phthalates, and formaldehyde can cause thinning hair or hair loss,” Dr. Palm says, “I would recommend avoiding these ingredients in your shampoo or hair care products since they’re known to cause skin irritation and can strip natural oils from your hair.” A couple other ingredients worth mentioning are panthenol (or vitamin B5) and glycerin. Both of these are well-known moisturizers, so they can assist with creating soft, shiny, manageable hair. Sarah Bradley has been writing health content for over five years, and has covered everything from product roundups to nutrition explainers. She knows how important it is to receive trustworthy and expert-approved advice about over-the-counter products that manage everyday health conditions such as hair loss and dandruff. The first two ingredients listed after water are Sodium Laureth Sulfate and Sodium Lauryl Sulfate. These are two incredibly controversial ingredients. They are basically cheap ingredients that both wash and foam. These harsh surfactants can, and will, strip your skin of its natural oils. Hence, they are strong potential skin irritants. Most people looking for gentle personal care products avoid these ingredients these days. There are far gentler alternatives out there, and their inclusion didn’t fill us with much hope of what was to follow. Aloe Barbadensis (aloe vera) Leaf Extract, Anthemis Nobilis (chamomile) Flower Extract, and Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Extract are all soothing for the skin. And Hedychium Coronarium (White Ginger) Extract is anti-inflammatory.To find the best shampoos for thinning hair, we asked dermatologists what to look for and avoid when choosing a product that can improve the condition of existing hair and prevent future thinning and loss. Those we spoke with included: