Gotta Pick your brains - cancel each other out?

[Cayenne0622]

Hey ladies - on another thread I asked for some suggestions on daily moisturizers and I got some good responses. I always try to look up ingredients on the moisturizers before I try them so now I have a question. Is it possible for the "cones" in a moisturizer to cancel out its ability to moisturize? What if there is only one cone and several humectants/moisturizers in the product?
Here are the ingredients to one particular moisturizing hair lotion. Let me know your thoughts. I listed them as they appear on the bottle.

Moisturizers in purple, cones in red.
Water
Propylene Glycol: Combination of glycerin and water, an organic humectant similar to Butylene Glycol used in cosmetics. Clear, colorless liquids that are among the most common moisture-carrying vehicles in skin care. It delivers superb permeation through the skin and excellent humectant properties (softens and moisturizes the skin).
Polyquaternium 37: Emulsifier.
Dicaprylate: Emulsifier (a thickening agent that helps bind different ingredients together).
PPG-1: Emulsifier.
Trideceth-6: Emulsifier (thickening agent).
PEG-150 Distearate: Form stabilizer; hair and skin conditioner.
Soybean Oil: An alternative to petrolatum because of its emulsive (thickening and binding) abilities. It's also has emollient property and may be found in some skincare products. Also contains antioxidants and nutrients.
Cetyl Alcohol: A fatty alcohol that acts as a gentle humectant (promotes the retention of moisture in the skin), lather booster, and emulsifier (binding and thickening agent). In hair products, it is used to smooth and soften the hair cuticle.
Glycerin: A humectant (draws moisture from the air to moisturize the skin) that absorbs moisture from the air to keep hair and skin moist. It is also used as an emollient (skin smoothener and softener), lubricant (skin lubricator that helps prevents moisture loss), emulsifier (thickener) and diluting agent in cosmetics.
Phenyl Trimethicone: Emollient, moisturizer. Water resistant silicone, adds shine and flexibility.
Acrylamidopropyltrimonium Chloride/Acrylamide Copo
Methylparaben , Propylparaben
Hydrolyzed Soy Protein
Milk Protein: A natural protein complex used for its mild cleansing properties and soothing action on the skin.
Cholesterol: A lipoid manufactured by the liver. It is more commonly located in the skin, fatty tissues, and brain tissue. It forms a protective cream with sebum and water to lubricate and protect the skin.
Honey: Humectant for skin and hair (Helps the skin or hair attract and retain moisture). A mixture of plant nectar and bee enzymes containing carbohydrates, b-complex vitamins as well as vitamins C, D, and E, with some minerals.
Silk Amino Acids: A natural water-soluble source of acid derived from liquid silk; these acids help moisture penetrate the skin (aid in absorption) and aid in skin healing. Used in skin and hair products, powder, and color makeup. See Amino acids.
Corn Oil: Corn oil is used as a skin soother and softener (emollient). It is rich in linoleic acid, one of the three essential fatty acids. Go to the Fruits & Vegetables Dictionary and look up Corn

BHA: is an anti-oxidant. It reacts with oxygen free radicals. It can thus slow down the autoxidation rate of ingredients in a product that can cause changes in the taste or color. It can be added to the food itself, or to the packaging material. Primarily used to prevent fats from becoming rancid.
BHT: (Butylated Hydroxytoluene) An antioxidant and preservative used to prevent oils from turning rancid.

Coconut Oil: This oil derived from coconuts acts as a surfactant and has good cleansing properties. It is used as an emollient in soaps and as a shine enhancer in some hair products.

Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil Safflower An unsaturated vegetable oil derived from safflower. It is used for its moisturizing and softening properties. The flowers are used in decoctions for skin eruptions, acne and skin blemishes.
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract Rosemary
Urtica Dioica Extract Nettle
Equisetum Hyemale Extract Horsetail
Stearalkonium Chloride Reduces static electricity by neutralizing electrical charges on hair. Good conditioning agent - cationic surfactant.
Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil
Cocoa Butter
Shea Butter
Glyceryl Stearate
PEG-100 Stearate
Cyclomethicone
Carrot Oil
Fragrance
Dye
DMDM Hydantoin

 

[gymfreak336]

Well, cones are usually used in cosmetics for their texture. Cones make a product smoother, and they also coat the hair to provide "slip". Cones usually have a heavier molecular structure than other additives which is why they are often used in frizz fighting and smoothing lines. They latch on and help fill in the empy gaps from damage and what not. A good moisturizer whether it is for the skin or not will have three things; A humectant, emollient, and occlusant(sp?). The humectant will bring mositure from the surroundings into the hair strant, emollients will make sure the texture of the product is smooth and consistent as so application is easier and the occlusants help seal all of it in. In this case I am not sure if the cone in this product is in a high enough concentration to affect the delivery system of the other humectant additives in this product.

 

[Cheleigh]

I don't know if they cancel each other out per se, but FOR ME, there are other problems with this moisturizer. YMMV.

1. There are actually two silicones in this product--the cyclomethicone you found, and also Phenyl Trimethicone, which is water insoluable and higher on the ingredient list.

2. The second ingredient is proplene glycol. Some people are fine with this product, but I find it very drying to my hair when it's high on the ingredient list.

3. The parabens (preservatives) are pretty high on the list, which means that there are probably only trace/small amounts of the ingredients below the preservatives.

4. My hair is fine with poly quats, but some people who have problems with silicone have problems with some polyquats too. I'm less knowledgable on polyquats, so I can't say if this one might cause a problem.

5. Glycerin can be drying to my hair as well if it's too high on the ingredient list. This amount might be fine for me though.

I would probably pass on this moisturizer, given the ingredient list and knowing my hair.

 

[Cayenne0622]

Thanks ladies! Wow. I knew I'd get some good, knowlegable responses but I didn't know they'd be this good. Thanks bunches!