Pleeeeeeease stop using NTM silk touch leave-in

[Mocha Princess]

Hey girls, I'm a newbie to the forum, and I tried to post this last night but am not sure if it worked or not so I apologize if this a repeat thread. But N*E*ways, I've been lurking on here for a good while and have loved the wealth of information I've been able to find since discovering this website. Let me stop rambling and get to the point. I was in CVS one day, looking for hair products as I always do since I'm a serious PJ, and I noticed from looking at the ingredients in the NTM silk-touch leave-in, that it contains SODIUM HYDROXIDE (NaOH). Right when I saw that, I just about died!! I was sooooo close to using that ish, and I was extremely shocked! I couldn't believe what I was seeing and was seriously trippin in aisle 5!! LOL But seriously, stop usin that stuff. Now, it may contain such a small amount of NaOH, that it may not even be a problem, but why take a chance? I've heard that even small traces of relaxer chemicals can cause severe damage, as this may cause serious overprocessing or overlapping. Maybe that's why it gets the hair so soft, scary thought huh? Who knows, this stuff may be the devil in disguise! :angeldevi Be careful girls, and if you choose to keep using it, always be aware of the risk you're taking with your hair, as well as the fact that it may catch up with you over time. I bought the NTM conditioner, and have never used it, and won't cuz now I'm too scurred, even though the ingredients do not contain NaOH. From now on, Neutrogena products will only be used on my face, but the hair products for our hair types, being chemically processed and all, is a BIG no no for me right now. Ladies, I would like to know your thoughts on this very popular leave-in. Have a blessed day.


Bumpin for responses!!

 

[MonaLisa]

*looks at time on watch.....patiently awaits Sylver2's arrival at some point...*

 

[Ebonygurl00]

*looks at time on watch.....patiently awaits Sylver2's arrival at some point...*

LOL, I was thinking the same thing! To the OP, I know that CON shampoo contains Sodium Hydroxide, and no one, including me, has had a problem with it (well, except build-up, but that's another story ). Well, I don't think anyone's had a problem with it....Hmm....

 

[Saida]

hmm, i just bought some more of it

 

[destiny616]

 

[nadz]

Welcome Mocha P!

 

[Mocha Princess]

Thanks for the welcome nadz! Yeah, I guess it may not be a problem, but just to be on the safe side, I won't touch anything with NaOH, or any other chemical used to relax hair in it!! If mineral oil, petroleum, lanolin, and parrafin are such a huge problem for some, then shouldn't SODIUM HYDROXIDE be a big no no as well??

 

[gymfreak336]

Please keep in mind that even thought sodium hydroxide is the base of lye relaxers, that doesn't mean that the fact that it is in the leave in makes it damaging. Relaxers have a extremely strong ph. The same concentration of naoh in the leave in is not the same. If the concentration was enough to really cause that kind of damage then there would have to be a warning on the packaging. Yes it is true that small traces of chemicals can cause damage you also have to keep in mind that other chemicals are used in making products and that you have know idea what kind of reaction these make together. All chemicals fall one way or another on the ph scale and even though Naoh might be on one extreme, you can't count it out because you are not using each chemical separately. You are using the final product. What if it was just added to neutralize other acidic chemicals used in the leave-in? Sodium Hydroxide is used in making ice cream, grits, soda and even some types of baked goods. When used as glaze on rolls before baking, it helps give them a crisp crust. Again it all about the concentration. Retinol which alot of us use in skin care products are extremely strong as well. The right concentration can help us fight fine lines and hyperpigmentation as well as acne. Other concentrations can strip the pain off of a car. Just some thing to think about.

This is just some of the things I have learned from being a chemisty major as well as from daily observation of chemicals. I am not claiming to an expert in any way but I just wanted to give this issue a different perspective

 

[MzOptimistic]

Hey girls, I'm a newbie to the forum, and I tried to post this last night but am not sure if it worked or not so I apologize if this a repeat thread. But N*E*ways, I've been lurking on here for a good while and have loved the wealth of information I've been able to find since discovering this website. Let me stop rambling and get to the point. I was in CVS one day, looking for hair products as I always do since I'm a serious PJ, and I noticed from looking at the ingredients in the NTM silk-touch leave-in, that it contains SODIUM HYDROXIDE (NaOH). Right when I saw that, I just about died!! I was sooooo close to using that ish, and I was extremely shocked! I couldn't believe what I was seeing and was seriously trippin in aisle 5!! LOL But seriously, stop usin that stuff. Now, it may contain such a small amount of NaOH, that it may not even be a problem, but why take a chance? I've heard that even small traces of relaxer chemicals can cause severe damage, as this may cause serious overprocessing or overlapping. Maybe that's why it gets the hair so soft, scary thought huh? Who knows, this stuff may be the devil in disguise! :angeldevi Be careful girls, and if you choose to keep using it, always be aware of the risk you're taking with your hair, as well as the fact that it may catch up with you over time. I bought the NTM conditioner, and have never used it, and won't cuz now I'm too scurred, even though the ingredients do not contain NaOH. From now on, Neutrogena products will only be used on my face, but the hair products for our hair types, being chemically processed and all, is a BIG no no for me right now. Ladies, I would like to know your thoughts on this very popular leave-in. Have a blessed day.


Bumpin for responses!!

The NTM leave in that I use is for medium to coarse hair...Sounds like my hair type to me. It moisturizes my hair and my hair is thriving soooooo I will continue to use it until further proven facts R given

 

[Kalani]

Hmmmm....while I have faith in Neutrogena and their quality products, this is still something to think about it. I'm going to investigate this further.
Thanks for the heads up Mocha, and welcome!

 

[Mocha Princess]

Gymfreak336, that's really intelligent insight, and I agree with you on the fact that certain chemicals, when combined, will neutralize one another and so forth, but I guess since I'm not knowledgeable enough to know if that's the case, I'll just stay away from it until I see that others don't have any problems with it over time. While a product may start off moisturizing and making your hair feel healthy etc., It may overtime, become your worst enemy! Like in the case of many who are now complaining about the phyto-relaxers dryin the dickens out of their hair, they at first, felt it was very moisturizing, makin the hair look all shiny, healthy and stuff, and then all of a sudden WHAM, along comes dryness and breakage. Just be careful, that's all I'm sayin.

 

[LadyJay114]

you dont have to worry about sodium hydroxide.

the base of this chemical is water (HYDRO-xide)

its used in toothpaste.

 

[Sistaslick]

ITA with gymfreak 100%.

Just about all of the products we use today contain chemicals of some kind of another. In the hair world, some of the best moisturizers contain propylene glycol and anyone who has worked in a chemistry lab, or has even taken introductory level chemistry course will tell you that this chemical can only be handled with gloves, goggles, and in a well ventilated area. It is very dangerous to handle, yet its in a great many of our moisturizing products for its humectant properties. I don't see anyone using gloves and goggles to squirt on their S-Curl

Everything is a chemical--- even water. In different concentrations, certain conditions, (or mixed with certain other ingredients) one chemical may have two totally different actions. Water, Sodium and chloride do nothing on their own, but when they come together, they cause a highly explosive reaction. A really quick interesting display of this reaction here if you are bored:

http://jchemed.chem.wisc.edu/JCESoft/CCA/CCA0/Movies/NACL1.html

The end result is harmless table salt. Adding the table salt itself again to water, though it still contains the same sodium and Chlorine does nothing but make salty water. Sodium hydroxide (NaOH) is the same way. The same NaOH added in Dark N Lovely is not going to be or react the same as the NaOH in NTM.What separates NTM from Dark N lovely or Affirm is the concentration of NaOH , the pH, and the presence of other chemicals that encourage the relaxing effect. Nothing in NTM is going to give you that same effect. You could dump the whole entire bottle on your head, cover it overnight, and nothing would happen except you’d have a gunky mess on your hands. Now, try that with Affirm or Dark N Lovely

Much of the soap used today is actually derived from NaOH, but when it mixes with oils and water (through a process called saponification) it is no longer truly lye. It is a “waxy ,fatty substance” or “soap” and it acts as an excellent, effective non-drying cleanser. In the NTM, its probably acting in a waxy capacity along with the other shaft coating smoothers (silicones) all up and through that product. Any dryness you get from NTM would be best blamed on the "cones" if theres a threat, that would be it.

So no need to get worked up or worry! Products that contain NaOH will not have a relaxing effect on your hair- unless the product is explicitly a relaxer or texturizing product. It will NOT process or over process your strands. If you eat pretzels, those are actually boiled in a NaOH solution before baking.

 

[nomoweavesfome]

um you guys are really smart cookies. What are ya'll doing with those degrees? I know that's off topic.

But um yes I really appreciate the heads up as well. I do realize like it was previously quoted evrything on this earth is some time of metal/ chemical whatever -and depending on what it's mixed with will determine if it's harmful or harmless.

I guess that is the beauty of finding out what works for you and what products you can essentially mix and match. But it's great as a newbie to make observations so you can make an informed decision for yourself.

 

[nomoweavesfome]

by the way the movie was really cool.

 

[Synthia]

So, what's the value of adding sodium hydroxide to ntm? What does it do as an ingredient? Make the hair smoother, softer...what? Anybody really know its purpose here?

 

[Mocha Princess]

I don't have much experience in chemistry, but do know that hydroxides are really strong bases. NaOH, CaOH, etc. And, NaOH + H2O <> Na+ + OH- + H20. This basically beans that when NaOH is added to water H2O, it will ionize or dissociate into sodium and the base hydroxide. So, maybe it isn't so bad, but still be careful because Hydroxides have the ability to break disulfide linkages, which is what our hair is made up of. Plus, strong hydroxide bases such as this one have the potential to denature, or destroy polypeptide linkages which are the repeating amino acid patterns our hair is made up of! It's better to be safe then sorry. Oh and, I don't use CON, but now that I know that, I certainly won't be, thanks for the heads up.

 

[gymfreak336]

So, what's the value of adding sodium hydroxide to ntm? What does it do as an ingredient? Make the hair smoother, softer...what? Anybody really know its purpose here?

it could be just to even out the ph in the product. Other ingredients in it could be acidic and the sodium hydroxide could function just as a balance. I really wouldn't know unless we contact neutrogena

 

[Sistaslick]

by the way the movie was really cool.

I know! I love, love, love stuff like that! Nature is so cool, man. Now imagine if that happened in kitchen while you were trying to sprinkle salt and it accidently mixed with water Thank goodness there is some type of order to these reactions- or else things would be blowing up and popping off all over the place. If there were hair product chemists with no chemical knowledge just slapping preparations together . . . only Lord knows what would happen. Knowing how things work together is really important.

Synthia, thats a good question why NaOH and not something else? All I can think of is that its used for pH balancing purposes, but I'm only speculating. I was reading on another site (Agency for Toxic Substances) that in its room temp state- it draws moisture from the air (acts a humectant) . . . but with all the humectants out there why they'd pick this one is beyond me.

 

[Sistaslick]

it could be just to even out the ph in the product. Other ingredients in it could be acidic and the sodium hydroxide could function just as a balance. I really wouldn't know unless we contact neutrogena

thats what I was thinking too.

 

[Priss Pot]

I wondered the same thing about this with the CON shampoo. I stopped using CON a while back due to the Sodium Hydroxide. I've since then included it back into my regimen, even though I don't use it at often.

 

[punchinella]

ITA with gymfreak 100%.

Just about all of the products we use today contain chemicals of some kind of another. In the hair world, some of the best moisturizers contain propylene glycol and anyone who has worked in a chemistry lab, or has even taken introductory level chemistry course will tell you that this chemical can only be handled with gloves, goggles, and in a well ventilated area. It is very dangerous to handle, yet its in a great many of our moisturizing products for its humectant properties. I don't see anyone using gloves and goggles to squirt on their S-Curl

Everything is a chemical--- even water. In different concentrations, certain conditions, (or mixed with certain other ingredients) one chemical may have two totally different actions. Water, Sodium and chloride do nothing on their own, but when they come together, they cause a highly explosive reaction. A really quick interesting display of this reaction here if you are bored:

http://jchemed.chem.wisc.edu/JCESoft/CCA/CCA0/Movies/NACL1.html

The end result is harmless table salt. Adding the table salt itself again to water, though it still contains the same sodium and Chlorine does nothing but make salty water. Sodium hydroxide (NaOH) is the same way. The same NaOH added in Dark N Lovely is not going to be or react the same as the NaOH in NTM.What separates NTM from Dark N lovely or Affirm is the concentration of NaOH , the pH, and the presence of other chemicals that encourage the relaxing effect. Nothing in NTM is going to give you that same effect. You could dump the whole entire bottle on your head, cover it overnight, and nothing would happen except you’d have a gunky mess on your hands. Now, try that with Affirm or Dark N Lovely

Much of the soap used today is actually derived from NaOH, but when it mixes with oils and water (through a process called saponification) it is no longer truly lye. It is a “waxy ,fatty substance” or “soap” and it acts as an excellent, effective non-drying cleanser. In the NTM, its probably acting in a waxy capacity along with the other shaft coating smoothers (silicones) all up and through that product. Any dryness you get from NTM would be best blamed on the "cones" if theres a threat, that would be it.

So no need to get worked up or worry! Products that contain NaOH will not have a relaxing effect on your hair- unless the product is explicitly a relaxer or texturizing product. It will NOT process or over process your strands. If you eat pretzels, those are actually boiled in a NaOH solution before baking.

ITA with everything said here, very good explanation.

When my grandmother was alive she made her own soap and it was mixed with straight lye, whatever she mixed it with changed the burning effects of the lye. They washed their hair and bodies with it. They still had natural hair (it did not get straight), and they had some of most pretty skin you ever wanted to see. My mother use to have my grandmother send us soap sometimes and nothing happpened to us.

I'm glad we have people like Sistaslick on this board to break it down for us and to help educate us.

 

[sylver2]

ITA with gymfreak 100%.

Just about all of the products we use today contain chemicals of some kind of another. In the hair world, some of the best moisturizers contain propylene glycol and anyone who has worked in a chemistry lab, or has even taken introductory level chemistry course will tell you that this chemical can only be handled with gloves, goggles, and in a well ventilated area. It is very dangerous to handle, yet its in a great many of our moisturizing products for its humectant properties. I don't see anyone using gloves and goggles to squirt on their S-Curl

Everything is a chemical--- even water. In different concentrations, certain conditions, (or mixed with certain other ingredients) one chemical may have two totally different actions. Water, Sodium and chloride do nothing on their own, but when they come together, they cause a highly explosive reaction. A really quick interesting display of this reaction here if you are bored:

http://jchemed.chem.wisc.edu/JCESoft/CCA/CCA0/Movies/NACL1.html

The end result is harmless table salt. Adding the table salt itself again to water, though it still contains the same sodium and Chlorine does nothing but make salty water. Sodium hydroxide (NaOH) is the same way. The same NaOH added in Dark N Lovely is not going to be or react the same as the NaOH in NTM.What separates NTM from Dark N lovely or Affirm is the concentration of NaOH , the pH, and the presence of other chemicals that encourage the relaxing effect. Nothing in NTM is going to give you that same effect. You could dump the whole entire bottle on your head, cover it overnight, and nothing would happen except you’d have a gunky mess on your hands. Now, try that with Affirm or Dark N Lovely

Much of the soap used today is actually derived from NaOH, but when it mixes with oils and water (through a process called saponification) it is no longer truly lye. It is a “waxy ,fatty substance” or “soap” and it acts as an excellent, effective non-drying cleanser. In the NTM, its probably acting in a waxy capacity along with the other shaft coating smoothers (silicones) all up and through that product. Any dryness you get from NTM would be best blamed on the "cones" if theres a threat, that would be it.

So no need to get worked up or worry! Products that contain NaOH will not have a relaxing effect on your hair- unless the product is explicitly a relaxer or texturizing product. It will NOT process or over process your strands. If you eat pretzels, those are actually boiled in a NaOH solution before baking.

Thank u Sistaslick. Bolded what you said for emphasis

 

[sylver2]

*looks at time on watch.....patiently awaits Sylver2's arrival at some point...*

U crazy..haha.
everything will be alright, I'm calm, cool and collected

Oh and welcome MochaP

 

[~*~ShopAholic~*~]

Gymfreal and Sisterslick broke it down nicely for us, , and I believe the same thing goes for SLS @least that's what I read on he Wholefoods website.

 

[sylver2]

Please keep in mind that even thought sodium hydroxide is the base of lye relaxers, that doesn't mean that the fact that it is in the leave in makes it damaging. Relaxers have a extremely strong ph. The same concentration of naoh in the leave in is not the same. If the concentration was enough to really cause that kind of damage then there would have to be a warning on the packaging. Yes it is true that small traces of chemicals can cause damage you also have to keep in mind that other chemicals are used in making products and that you have know idea what kind of reaction these make together. All chemicals fall one way or another on the ph scale and even though Naoh might be on one extreme, you can't count it out because you are not using each chemical separately. You are using the final product. What if it was just added to neutralize other acidic chemicals used in the leave-in? Sodium Hydroxide is used in making ice cream, grits, soda and even some types of baked goods. When used as glaze on rolls before baking, it helps give them a crisp crust. Again it all about the concentration. Retinol which alot of us use in skin care products are extremely strong as well. The right concentration can help us fight fine lines and hyperpigmentation as well as acne. Other concentrations can strip the pain off of a car. Just some thing to think about.

This is just some of the things I have learned from being a chemisty major as well as from daily observation of chemicals. I am not claiming to an expert in any way but I just wanted to give this issue a different perspective

Good to Know

 

[brooklyngal73]

Don't worry about it. The sodium hydroxide that's in beauty products is a minute amount (notice that it's always listed towards the end of the ingredient list). Didn't regular bath soap have lye in it at some point?

There's nothing to worry about...

hmm, i just bought some more of it

 

[sareca]

ITA with gymfreak 100%.

Just about all of the products we use today contain chemicals of some kind of another. In the hair world, some of the best moisturizers contain propylene glycol and anyone who has worked in a chemistry lab, or has even taken introductory level chemistry course will tell you that this chemical can only be handled with gloves, goggles, and in a well ventilated area. It is very dangerous to handle, yet its in a great many of our moisturizing products for its humectant properties. I don't see anyone using gloves and goggles to squirt on their S-Curl

Everything is a chemical--- even water. In different concentrations, certain conditions, (or mixed with certain other ingredients) one chemical may have two totally different actions. Water, Sodium and chloride do nothing on their own, but when they come together, they cause a highly explosive reaction. A really quick interesting display of this reaction here if you are bored:

http://jchemed.chem.wisc.edu/JCESoft/CCA/CCA0/Movies/NACL1.html

The end result is harmless table salt. Adding the table salt itself again to water, though it still contains the same sodium and Chlorine does nothing but make salty water. Sodium hydroxide (NaOH) is the same way. The same NaOH added in Dark N Lovely is not going to be or react the same as the NaOH in NTM.What separates NTM from Dark N lovely or Affirm is the concentration of NaOH , the pH, and the presence of other chemicals that encourage the relaxing effect. Nothing in NTM is going to give you that same effect. You could dump the whole entire bottle on your head, cover it overnight, and nothing would happen except you’d have a gunky mess on your hands. Now, try that with Affirm or Dark N Lovely

Much of the soap used today is actually derived from NaOH, but when it mixes with oils and water (through a process called saponification) it is no longer truly lye. It is a “waxy ,fatty substance” or “soap” and it acts as an excellent, effective non-drying cleanser. In the NTM, its probably acting in a waxy capacity along with the other shaft coating smoothers (silicones) all up and through that product. Any dryness you get from NTM would be best blamed on the "cones" if theres a threat, that would be it.

So no need to get worked up or worry! Products that contain NaOH will not have a relaxing effect on your hair- unless the product is explicitly a relaxer or texturizing product. It will NOT process or over process your strands. If you eat pretzels, those are actually boiled in a NaOH solution before baking.

Aww, I miss Chem class.

 

[*ElleB]

I saw that, but the reason I don't use it is because it doesn't work for me so i threw it away...

 

[*ElleB]

ITA with gymfreak 100%.

Just about all of the products we use today contain chemicals of some kind of another. In the hair world, some of the best moisturizers contain propylene glycol and anyone who has worked in a chemistry lab, or has even taken introductory level chemistry course will tell you that this chemical can only be handled with gloves, goggles, and in a well ventilated area. It is very dangerous to handle, yet its in a great many of our moisturizing products for its humectant properties. I don't see anyone using gloves and goggles to squirt on their S-Curl

Everything is a chemical--- even water. In different concentrations, certain conditions, (or mixed with certain other ingredients) one chemical may have two totally different actions. Water, Sodium and chloride do nothing on their own, but when they come together, they cause a highly explosive reaction. A really quick interesting display of this reaction here if you are bored:

http://jchemed.chem.wisc.edu/JCESoft/CCA/CCA0/Movies/NACL1.html

The end result is harmless table salt. Adding the table salt itself again to water, though it still contains the same sodium and Chlorine does nothing but make salty water. Sodium hydroxide (NaOH) is the same way. The same NaOH added in Dark N Lovely is not going to be or react the same as the NaOH in NTM.What separates NTM from Dark N lovely or Affirm is the concentration of NaOH , the pH, and the presence of other chemicals that encourage the relaxing effect. Nothing in NTM is going to give you that same effect. You could dump the whole entire bottle on your head, cover it overnight, and nothing would happen except you’d have a gunky mess on your hands. Now, try that with Affirm or Dark N Lovely

Much of the soap used today is actually derived from NaOH, but when it mixes with oils and water (through a process called saponification) it is no longer truly lye. It is a “waxy ,fatty substance” or “soap” and it acts as an excellent, effective non-drying cleanser. In the NTM, its probably acting in a waxy capacity along with the other shaft coating smoothers (silicones) all up and through that product. Any dryness you get from NTM would be best blamed on the "cones" if theres a threat, that would be it.

So no need to get worked up or worry! Products that contain NaOH will not have a relaxing effect on your hair- unless the product is explicitly a relaxer or texturizing product. It will NOT process or over process your strands. If you eat pretzels, those are actually boiled in a NaOH solution before baking.

Thank You Sistaslick for breaking it down! But is still dried my hair out though