Jane Carter of Jane Carter Solution Interview: Shampoo

There is so much information Jane Carter shared that it is absolutely necessary to break this interview into a several part series. I could literally write a book on all of the knowledge she is sharing with us. 


First, Jane discusses her lines new SLS-free shampoo, Hydrating Invigoration Shampoo. She also talks to us about the dreaded Sodium Lauryl Sulfate. She also explains her vast experience and the history of her hair care line, Jane Carter Solution.


Hair2Toe Beauty: I love the line and I’m happy to see you have a new shampoo out! I just wanted to get you to explain the difference between this one and the Moisture Nourishing Shampoo.

Jane Carter: This is one of the products that we just introduced. We are also introducing a new product called Curl Defining Creme which is really for women with natural hair that want to wash and wear there hair. The biggest complaint I get all the time is that, “My hair shrinks when I wash and wear it and I hate it. I want it to have a little more volume.”

So we decided to create a product that didn’t have the plastic polymers and resins that alot of the gels have that kind of give you the same effect.

We decided to introduce this new this new shampoo because we used Sodium Lauryl Sulfate in our original shampoo. SLS really got a bad rep in the last two years. SLS is not a terrible thing for your hair. It’s a complex conversation.

Shampoo is detergent. Bar soap is designed to cleanse. Dish soap is designed to cleanse. But, it really depends on what else you add to it to buffer it to make it less harsh.

I’m a hair colorist so I use a pre-shampoo treatment on my clients before I color. SLS is a great cleanser. If you really have to remove product and dirt from the hair, it’s really great. It’s not terrible as long as its buffered the right way and the pH is adjusted the right way. It doesn’t necessarily have to be drying.

So we decided to use something to create a SLS-free shampoo. We've gotten really great results. We added a little peppermint extract to it. It works really well.


H2T: I bet it has a really great tingle on the scalp, too!

JC: Yes. I didn’t want anything that’s too irritating. But, I like a lot of tea tree and peppermint. So we decided to add that invigorating feeling. We've tested it and it's been good. Even in our original shampoo we've had no problems. It’s really great for color-treated hair as well, we've noticed.

H2T: Going off of what you just said...I don't have "color" in my hair, only an old henna gloss. But everytime I use your conditioner, leave in, and Hair Nourishing serum, my color just POPS! It's so vibrant. I've never been able to get those kind of results with other line.

JC: That's great! Thank you. We are a tiny company compared in the grand scheme of who we're in the marketplace with. I started making these products about 10 years ago. I owned a salon for 20 years. At that point, we were a Paul Mitchell Signature Salon. I was working as a hair color educator on Clarol's national style team with a staff of 20 people.

One day, I developed contact dermatitis. It was a whole allergic reaction for me. Eventually, I couldn't even be in the salon if we used any of the typical ingredients that were in products. And that's how the product line started.

I had to clear out all of the products in the salon. And say, ok, what do we use? I couldn't be around anything that had petrochemicals, alcohol. I read the labels and thought, "Wow!" They don't care what's in the bottle, they don't read labels, they just care if it works.

Stay tuned for Part 2 of the Jane Carter interview where she talks about how the first product, Hair Nourishing Serum, was created and the benefits of essential oils for coarse, textured hair.

Read more about the Jane Carter Solution line @ www.JaneCarterSolution.com.

Posted in: Feature,Healthy Hair Growth,Natural Hair