Is Pantene Bad for Your Hair? – Let’s Find Out!

Last Updated on December 6, 2023 by Gaga

Many people have been told by their hairdressers that they shouldn’t use Pantene products. I myself have been told that. However, is Pantene bad for your hair?

Pantene products are not bad for hair unless someone has sensitive skin or curly hair. Pantene products contain fragrances and other ingredients that can irritate sensitive skin. However, some people with curly hair have found Pantene products that work well.

Pantene’s reputation has improved in recent years. To learn more about Pantene shampoo and what products will be best for your hair type, keep reading.

What Is Pantene Shampoo?

Is Pantene Bad for Your Hair

Pantene shampoo is a type of soap that is supposed to be used on your hair. It is designed to cleanse your hair of oil and other things that make your hair feel gross and dirty. Some Pantene shampoos are designed to do more than just cleanse your hair, but since most people rinse the shampoo out of their hair right after they are done washing it, the matching Pantene conditioner will likely do more than the Pantene shampoo.

For example, Pantene sells shampoos that are designed to hydrate/add moisture, clean and clarify, repair the damage, protect from damage, add volume, keep hair smooth and sleek, and more.

Is Pantene Good for Your Hair?

Pantene is generally good for your hair, but if you try out a Pantene product and find that your hair is greasy, dry, frizzy, heavy, or otherwise abnormal in a bad way, that product is not meant for your hair and shouldn’t be used. For example, most people with curly hair don’t use Pantene products because they tend to have alcohol and sulfates that make it hard for moisture to fully penetrate the hair, making it dry and frizzy. However, some people with curly hair find that Pantene products have the opposite effects on their hair. Many people who have straight hair love using Pantene products.

However, if you have sensitive skin or allergies to common shampoo ingredients, Pantene shampoo may not be the best shampoo to use. Most Pantene products have fragrances that will irritate your sensitive skin. Also, if your hair is colored, permed, dry, coarse, or thin, you likely won’t want to use Pantene products.

Most ingredients in Pantene shampoos that are generally considered harmful are not highly concentrated, so they likely won’t do anything bad, especially if you rinse out the shampoo quickly.

However, Pantene is known by many for making hair heavy, unmanageable, and hard to style because it tends to leave a wavy substance behind even though they don’t have wax in them. If you find that Pantene products leave your hair waxy, use a clarifying shampoo or other gentle, clarifying products like apple cider vinegar.

Some Pantene shampoos are paraben and sulfate-free, which many people look for when shopping for a new shampoo to start using.

Some Pantene shampoos and products contain ingredients that are considered incredibly beneficial for hair, including:

  • Pro-vitamin B5
  • Glycerin
  • Emollients

When using Pantene shampoos or thinking about trying one out, keep in mind that everyone’s hair is different, so a product that worked for someone you know may not work for you. However, if Pantene shampoo leaves your hair feeling and looking wonderful, keep using it.

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Is Pantene Conditioner Good for Your Hair?

Pantene conditioners are quite good for your hair. In fact, they are often better for your hair than Pantene shampoos because they are designed to add things to your hair rather than remove things. While some Pantene shampoos have sulfates in them, which are considered bad for hair because they can strip away moisture and natural oils that are beneficial for your hair, Pantene conditioners are sulfate-free most of the time.

However, some people prefer not to use Pantene conditioners, as most of them have silicones, which can weigh down the hair and prevent it from getting moisture, which causes it to become dry, and nutrients, which causes it to become brittle and unhealthy. However, if you don’t want your conditioner to have silicones in it, you can choose from one of Pantene’s silicone-free conditioners and other products.

Potentially Unsafe Pantene Products

Although most Pantene products can safely be used on your hair, some products contain benzene, which can cause various types of cancer. Luckily, this ingredient was added to various products on accident, so Pantene products typically don’t have it. However, always read the ingredients list on your hair products and avoid products that have benzene in them.

The products that contained benzene were recalled and were only made between January 2019 and June 2021. The recall mainly affected dry shampoos and other aerosol products. You can view a full list of products that were recalled here.

When it was discovered that Pantene and a few other hair products and grooming product-making companies put benzene in some of their products, a class action lawsuit was filed, so no Pantene products have benzene in them. This means that, realistically, no Pantene products that are currently in circulation will damage your hair, depending on your hair type and if your hair reacts well to Pantene products.

Best Pantene Shampoo & Conditioner For Various Hair Types

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Various Pantene products will work better for various hair types than others, so we will now focus on the best Pantene shampoos and conditioners for common hair types. Let’s go over the pros and cons of using specific Pantene products for specific hair types.

Straight Hair

The Pantene Pro-V Smooth and Sleek shampoo and the corresponding conditioner are the best Pantene products for straight hair. These products will make your hair smooth, especially if you leave the conditioner in for about 5 minutes. It is best to use these products before straightening your hair, but if you have naturally very straight hair, you might not need to use heat to make it look how you want it to.

However, there are a few cons to using these products, as they can make your hair dry, which will, in turn, make your hair frizzy. These products also have fragrances, so don’t use them if you are sensitive to a lot of common fragrances.

Frizz Control

If your hair is extremely frizzy and you want to control frizz, use the Pantene Nutrient Blends Miracle Moisture Boost with Rose Water Shampoo and the corresponding conditioner. These products are extremely gentle on hair, partially because they are both sulfate-free. The conditioner is especially known for making hair silky-smooth and extremely soft.

Some pros of these products are that they don’t have any dyes, parabens, or mineral oils. This is especially good because many people avoid using hair-washing products that have parabens and dyes.

However, some people have found that there are some cons to using these products as well. They found that these products changed the texture of their hair and made it extremely dry, especially over time. So, if your hair is frizzy because it is dry, it might be best for you to avoid using these products and use a moisturizing shampoo and conditioner instead.

Wavy Hair

If you have wavy hair, the best Pantene shampoo and conditioner combination is the Pantene Pro-V Nature Fusion Moisture Shampoo and the corresponding conditioner. It will leave your hair looking wavy, smooth, and shiny. Your hair will also likely be extremely soft and smell great. Many people have used these products and loved them.

Pantene Pro-V Nature Fusion Moisturizing Shampoo...
  • Gentle cleansing shampoo boasts a paraben-free formula splashed with sweet melon essence
  • Leaves hair feeling moisturized and soft all day while boosting shine
  • The active Guvar in each bottle of Nature Fusion shampoo is derived from seeds grown in India. Your hair is left strong against breakage

However, others have found that these products can make your hair feel flat and greasy, which you definitely don’t want.

Dry Hair

If you have dry hair, you should use the Pantene Pro-V Daily Moisture Renewal shampoo and the corresponding conditioner, as they are the best Pantene products to use on dry hair. One good thing about this Pantene shampoo is that a little bit goes a long way, so even if you have long hair, you will only have to use a little bit of product. This will ensure that it will last for a long time and will help prevent it from stripping your hair’s natural oils, which will help it stay moisturized.

Pantene Daily Moisture Renewal Shampoo with Hair...
  • HARD WORKING Fuels hair with a potent blend of Pro-V nutrients and antioxidants so hair is strong against damage
  • LONG LASTING Gently cleanses hair with a vitamin-rich lather with 2x more nutrients, with results that last 72 plus hours
  • HYDRATION IN EVERY WASH Gently cleanses hair with a nutrient-rich lather that removes build up and primes strands for optimal hydration

You don’t need to use these products every day, but it is somewhat recommended.

However, some people don’t notice a difference in the moisture content of their hair after using these products, so they may not work properly. The result will vary depending on your hair and how it reacts to these products after multiple uses.

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Curly Hair

If you have curly hair and want to use Pantene products, use the Gold Series Sulfate-Free shampoo and conditioner, as they are the best Pantene shampoos and conditioners to use when you have curly hair. Pantene also sells a variety of products to pair with this shampoo and conditioner that are made to be used on curly hair to keep it healthy and as curly as possible.

Pantene’s Gold Series Sulfate-Free shampoo and conditioner don’t have sulfates in them, which is good for people who are looking to use sulfate-free products. Both of these products, even the shampoo, are designed to nourish your hair rather than strip it, which will help make your hair look and feel extremely soft and clean. Many people have used these products together and love them.

However, these products may contain dimethicone, parabens, various artificial fragrances, and preservatives like methylchloroisothiazolinone and methylisothiazolinone. Many people are allergic to methylisothiazolinone and methylchloroisothiazolinone, so if you have a lot of allergies or have had allergic reactions while using other shampoos or conditioners, check the ingredients list of this Pantene shampoo and conditioner before you start using it.

Dimethicone is also a type of silicone that can weigh down your hair, especially if you use products with this ingredient often. If you have curly hair, you don’t want it to be weighed down by silicone.

While many people have found these products to be great for curly hair, you might want to try them out first before you decide to love or hate them. Try purchasing travel-sized bottles of these products before using them regularly.

Coily Hair

If you have coily hair, the best Pantene shampoo and conditioner is the old Series from Pantene Moisture Boost Shampoo with Argan Oil for Curly, Coily Hair, and the matching conditioner.

Pantene ProV Gold Series Boost, Moisture Shampoo,...
  • REMOVES PRODUCT BUILD UP Creamy lather gently cleanses to remove product build-up and hydrates rough cuticles
  • ARGAN OIL FORMULA Paraben-free and dye-free formula infused with Argan Oil
  • THOUGHTFULLY DEVELOPED The gold standard in moisture, developed by Black PhD scientists and perfected by Black hair stylists

One of the pros of these products is that they will soften your hair while keeping it extremely moisturized. This will help your curl pattern last for days on end between washes.

There aren’t any cons to using these products, or at least I couldn’t find any mention in the reviews. However, if you try these products and don’t like them, they may just not have reacted well with your hair. After all, hair can be very temperamental, especially when trying out new products.

Colored Hair

If you have colored hair and want to use Pantene products, the best shampoo and conditioner that you can use is the Pantene Pro-V Radiant Color Shine shampoo and the corresponding conditioner. It is designed to prevent the color in your hair from fading quickly. Your color will still fade over time, but you won’t notice such a difference in the vibrancy if you use these products. It also will keep your hair looking shiny, which will make the color of your hair look even better than it normally does.

However, the shampoo has a lot of sulfates in it, which is known to strip color quickly. Exactly how this shampoo and conditioner will react to your hair color will vary, so you may notice that your hair color lasts longer, but the opposite may also be the case.

Pantene Pro-V Radiant Color Shine Shampoo...
  • Protects color & restores brilliance
  • Cleanses & preps color-treated hair
  • Helps retain gorgeous color

Overall, feel free to use any Pantene products in your hair. There is a reason why Pantene is such a popular hair-care brand, and it shows in the happiness of the people who use their products. Keep in mind that your hair’s reaction to the change in products used may vary, so you may not know what Pantene products do to your hair for at least a few weeks.

However, Pantene products are worth trying, as they are extremely cheap and can be found in nearly every store that sells hair-care products.

About the author

Website | + posts

Gaga is a blogger and founder of the Softer Hair website. She often says that insomnia is to blame for her first blogging attempts. Being the night owl, she hated the morning alarm. She left her office job and returned to what she loved most - writing.

 

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