<shrug> I liked it, it seemed to work well, there is independent corroboration (and not in a generally complimentary way -- she wanted color) that it doesn't tint, and it doesn't have that SLS stuff that honeyrose wanted to avoid.
Don't forget the variations in local water supplies.
When we moved here 19 years ago, I had to switch shampoos because of the differences in the water.
Oh, there's a huge variation in the water here and where I last lived.
But I'm sure you may be mentioning that, Noddy, to sozobe about the henna.
In my case, my hair hasn't been all that drecky dull (neither has it been a gleaming light on the horizon), but I've decided to venture into going both natural and cheap.
On Nature's gate, that was the bottle, so I do remember not liking the brand, having tried other of their choices. I was, however, likely to have been affected by the "feel" of my hair with the shampoo and conditioner as I was shampooing - as in not used to using products, much, without the sodium laureth sulfate. To be fair, I should at least try the shampoo again.
If you have problems with a dry or itchy scalp you can fill a tea ball with rosemary and steep it in boiling water. It makes a nice aromatic rinse.
I should be taking notes. Something I read yesterday mentioned in passing that whatever it was stopped itchy scalp. I used to have that, a little, but that was when I washed my hair almost every day.
I just started looking up homemade shampoos. First link I looked at was this one, with some points of interest. I dunno about that MSM stuff....
http://www.pioneerthinking.com/rs_herbalshampoo.html
This looks more doable to me -
http://www.pioneerthinking.com/shampoo1.html
Re: Nature's Gate, yeah, I didn't love it enough to track it down once I moved. (For example, I got Burt's Bees lip balm at the same place -- a LONG time ago, before it was available everywhere -- and had my mom buy it for me and send it in the mail because I couldn't live without it.) These days I use Herbal Essences mostly, which I'm sure has chemicals up the wazoo despite the crunchy name.
Not to hijack, but Mr. Tai Chi read some depressing news re: Burt's Bees (which I love). Apparently it's being bought by Clorox...
Oh, NOOOOOO! (I love Burt's Bees too.)
More natural concoctions - this list interests me -
http://www.hgtv.com/hgtv/ah_personal_care_other/article/0,,HGTV_3148_1374021,00.html
After dinner Alicia wants me to wash and condition her hair. We went to the Salon last week and she got a cute cut and she just loves the pureology shampoo and conditioner.
