Beauty

[Harpa]

I don't know why Chaz uses menthol. I think you should write and ask him.

Traditionally, it is an antiseptic (like other natural things) and gives a warming/cooling effect. (Does he also use it in his Tea Tree formula? I don't know, but if so, why would he put two strong essential oils together?)

But again, I don't know what his reasoning is for using it in his core formula CCs. I never read that it is known as a hair growth stimulant.

[Kathlen]

I don't use WEN, but I have used some hair products with menthol (with not-so-good-results).

I suspect that it's to give the illusion of a clean tingly scalp ... sort of like a breath mind for your hair. Natural body oils (e.g. sebum - google "sebum scalp") can be really stinky and I don't know that WEN actually removes all of them. Hence the menthol and various scents.

[wagirl]

You know, I finally caved in and started using Wen and while I have no adverse reactions to menthol or citrus, I've been reading ALOT of complaints about hair loss and even about a class action lawsuit to that fact. I've ditched the Wen until things settle down. I'm a little angry at myself for giving in to the hype of WEN. The guy has always creeped me out and I never watch his shows. Stoopid me!!!!

[SquishyMommy1]

I really wish they made a non menthol version besides the kids. I love the kids scents and use them occasionally...but Im not super interested in smelling like a fruit bowel all the time. For me the menthol is stronger in some scents and makes me not like them. Like the FTP...all I can smell is menthol in that one.

[sidsmom]

On 3/1/2015 Hilary77 said: Menthol stimulates the scalp for healthy hair growth.

I question the effectiveness of that. It's only on your scalp at the very most...5 minutes, then it's washed off. Growth inhibitors are on the inside...not topically. Diet, hormones, age causes hair growth to slow. Shampoo has nothing to do w/ growing hair faster.

[DCAnnie2004]

From Paula's Choice Ingredient Dictionary: Derived from peppermint; menthol can have the same irritating effect as peppermint on skin (Sources: Postgraduate Medicine, July 2013, pages 7-18; Archives of Dermatologic Research, May 1996, pages 245–248; and Somatosensory and Motor Research, Volume 9, Issue 3, 1992, pages 235-244). Despite its documented ability to irritate skin, menthol is used in a surprisingly large number of products, particularly those aimed at helping oily or acne-prone skin. Unfortunately, the cooling, refreshing sensation menthol causes is direct evidence your skin is being irritated, not soothed. See counter-irritant , peppermint

[okiebug]

n/m

[suzyQ3]

On 3/1/2015 okiebug said:

On 3/1/2015 Kathleen said:

I don't use WEN, but I have used some hair products with menthol (with not-so-good-results).

I suspect that it's to give the illusion of a clean tingly scalp ... sort of like a breath mind for your hair. Natural body oils (e.g. sebum - google "sebum scalp") can be really stinky and I don't know that WEN actually removes all of them. Hence the menthol and various scents.

I've used WEN for years and I DO KNOW that it actually removes the oil from my scalp. It has normalized my extremely oily scalp to normal. The scents are essential oils and have been used for beauty/medicinal purposes for hundreds of years.

You seem to be one that doesn't follow the crowd, so this comment surprises me.

From Beautypedia:

counter-irritant

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Miscellaneous

Ingredients such as menthol, peppermint, camphor, and mint are counter-irritants (Sources: Archives of Dermatologic Research, May 1996, pages 245–248; and Code of Federal Regulations Title 21—Food and Drugs, revised April 1, 2001, CITE: 21CFR310.545, www.fda.gov). Counter-irritants are used to induce local inflammation for the purpose of relieving inflammation in deeper or adjacent tissues. In other words, they substitute one kind of inflammation for another, which is never good for skin. Irritation or inflammation, no matter what causes it or how it happens, impairs the skin’s immune and healing response (Source: Skin Pharmacology and Applied Skin Physiology, November–December 2000, pages 358–371). And although your skin may not show it or doesn’t react in an irritated fashion, if you apply irritants to your skin the damage is still taking place and is ongoing, so it adds up over time (Source: Skin Research and Technology, November 2001, pages 227–237).

From futurederm.com:

Menthol

Menthol, naturally derived from peppermint, is part of the alcohol family and can be drying to skin. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Menthol, made synthetically or derived from peppermint oil, is commonly used as a pain reliever, but that doesn’t mean it won’t irritate skin. It’s a chemical penetration enhancer, which means that it helps other ingredients absorb into the skin. It does this by causing vasodillation in the area it’s applied to and thus reducing skin barrier function (Skin Pharmacology and Physiology). This ability might be, in part, responsible for why menthol can be a skin irritant. In studies using patch tests, it’s been shown to cause contact dermatitis (Contact Dermatitis, Contact

[shoekitty]

Many reasons as posters have stated. Menthol acts a fungicide, it alleviates hair mites, makes the hair shine and adds fullness. It also is good to repair hair and prevent hair loss.

Hair mites are more common than one thinks, not lice...mites!! You get them from pillows, and the body somehow has them. They are so minute you would need a telescope to see them. They naturally feed on the dead skin cells. Menthol cleans them out, and the dead skin cells.

I personally cannot stand the smell of menthol or tea tree. It nauseates me to no end . It is a phobia, LOL! I do use WEN, like Mango coconut, to fig or Pom. Ones where I cannot smell the stuff.

[Feldspar]

Pureology uses menthol, too. I think it feels soothing on an itchy scalp, but I really dislike the smell of it.