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How To Look 50-Cent Fabulous
Warning: NSFTWAWOFH (Not Safe For Those Who Aren't Women Or Flaming Homosexuals).

GreylBuddyWash.jpg

Leonor Greyl, whom Hillary Johnson rightly called "The Couturier Of Hair" in an LA Times Magazine piece (after she sent me to her salon in Paris for a little investigative hair care), makes some of the best shampoo and hair products on the planet. In fact, Madame Greyl changed my life, via my hair, which now looks more like a field of new pennies than a field of Brill-O.

Madame Greyl took two looks at my hair (on my head and under a microscope!), and told me, "You Americans wash your hair too often." She said to wash it no more than twice a week. That's where her Lait Lavant a la Banane comes in. It's a shampoo substitute, gentle enough to use daily, should you need more than the one or two weekly shampoos. It looks and smells like banana juice!

Then there's Crème Moelle de Bambou, which, Hillary also rightly said, makes your hair feel like butter. It's incredible. And it doesn't lather -- because, apparently, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, the stuff that's in most shampoos to make them froth up, dries out your hair. So, when I'm not using Crème Moelle, I use Kiehl's All-Sport, which barely lathers at all.

The thing is, with the dollar vs. the euro, Leonor Greyl has gotten outrageously expensive. (Not that it wasn't before.) It's now $29 for a six fluid oz. tube. Granted, if you're only shampooing once a week, it lasts longer...but still! And I don't pay the regular price of $25 for Lait Lavant. I got a case of six for six bucks each on eBay.

But, I ran out of Kiehl's, and had only a bit of Crème Moelle left, and I got to thinking. Lucy's fur (which, on a Yorkie, is actually hair, more like a human's, not really fur) is so soft and smells so great after her bath...

lucy.jpg

Yes, I used dog shampoo on my head, and what a revelation. Not just any dog shampoo. I get this all-natural lavender-mint stuff called Buddy Wash for about $8 at Drugstore.com. Oh yeah, and that's $8 for 19 fluid oz. And same with the conditioner. My hair, which is thick and wavy/curly-to-frizzy (with most shampoos), came out completely soft, unfrizzy, and fabulous. What a revelation.

I called Cloud Star, the San Luis Obispo-based company that makes Buddy Wash, because I was wondering about the "coconut base" listed on the label. The woman I spoke to said that's what makes the shampoo lather, and that everybody who works there uses it on their hair. And now, I do, too. I can maybe buy an apartment in Paris, like a friend of mine did, with the money I'll save on shampoo!

UPDATE: An e-mail about Buddy Wash from an Advice Goddess Blog reader's girlfriend...

Dear Amy:

My boyfriend is a loyal reader. He turned me on to the idea of the Buddy wash and Buddy rinse products. My shower which looks like the closeout outlet for hair products could just barely hold another product touted to be "the greatest thing ever" for your hair. But the similarities of our hair texture and ensuing issues compelled me to give this just one more try, (I wish I had a nickel....).

Well, I am never letting another product touch my head - EVER. I swear I can see myself in the shine and here in So. Florida where frizz is king, my hair is smooth and my curls like a toddlers. The smell is wonderful and the feeling of clean along with the softness and shine has me hooked for life!

I'll go you one step further. A drugstore.com another product came up in my search called BUDDY SPLASH. This product is advertised as a between shampoo deodorizer and tetangler. For $5 bucks I figured "what the heck?" Well, let me tell you...If your hair even thinks about losing that lovely fresh clean smell or refrizz. This stuff stops that nonsense in a flash, with no negative results of any kind. The shine is boosted, the smell returns, tangles are banished and curls spring back all defined and sperate - no frizz in sight.

I am tempted to post a review on the drugstore.com site, but my selfishness stops me. I know you found that the employees use the products but I fear that widespread publicity would create the cult following these products richly deserve and the company might triple the price for sure and then of course discontinue it as is the fate of all my favorite products,

THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU. As a woman my hair is so important to how attractive I feel. I have an absolute mane of dark brown curls down to my waist and if they didn't rock my fiance's world I would have considered shaving my head!! But thanks to you both I am one happy puppy! LOL! And your newest fan!

Try the Buddy Rinse and tell me what you think if you want. And renumber.....Mum's is the word.

Very Truly yours, Andrea

Oops, I guess I should have made it clear -- I used both the shampoo and Buddy Rinse. They're both just fab! Great for anybody with thick, curly hair -- and as for how it works for the hair-like-spun-flax types, you'll just have to write and let me know. P.S. And, FYI, Andrea did give me permission to print her e-mail.

Posted by aalkon at April 8, 2006 12:16 PM

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Comments

Perfect timing! I was just about out of my Paul Mitchell so I ordered the Buddy Wash instead. I'm a daily shampooer (have to, with fine hair and oily scalp). I figure if this doesn't work for me, or even if it does, we have a Cavalier King Charles who gets bathed every couple of weeks and he'll be the prettiest smelling dog on the block.

Posted by: deja pseu at April 8, 2006 7:28 AM

Do let me know what you think! Also, a note: I have thick hair, and it's wavy/curly. People with other hair types might want to use just the shampoo, and maybe a light leave-in conditioner afterward, like one of those from Kiehl's. I guess you could also call or write Cloud Star (see info at the link), and ask them for the experience of people there!

Posted by: Amy Alkon at April 8, 2006 7:52 AM

Will do. I tend to skip conditioners except for the spray on "No More Tangles" type.

BTW, Amy, I'm also hooked on your friend's coffee now and just ordered another 2 lbs of Sumatra.

Posted by: deja pseu at April 8, 2006 10:08 AM

Pretty in pink. I love Lucy. :)

Posted by: Sissy Willis at April 8, 2006 12:04 PM

I think youse just missed the uproar over "Mane 'n Tail" shampoo about ten years ago. It's still available. Google for it.

Posted by: Radwaste at April 8, 2006 7:53 PM

Thanks, Amy! I'll be ordering this stuff right now; my hair is similar in texture to yours, so this'll be great, and it'll save a lot of time putting that damned leave-in conditioner in my hair every day! (I happen to sport naturally what is commonly --around here-- referred to as an "East Utica 'Fro," which translates into really frizzy, huge hair that likes to dread up on occasion.) Once again, great haircare tip!

Btw, I've been reading your column and your blog for a little over a year now, and I just wanted to say thanks for the great columns, and the cool links I've found on das blog! Kudos!

Posted by: Kim at April 9, 2006 6:42 AM

Awww, you're welcome, Kim, and thank you, Sissy...and that's fab, deja. And Rad, "Mane 'n Tail" is "high lathering" -- exactly what you don't want if you'd like to avoid drying out your hair. Details, Rad, details!

For anyone who wants to know about the coffee (my first remark about it was "It's like drinking velvet!")...go to RistrettoRoasters.com. It's "artisanally roasted" by Din Johnson, husband of my talented writer-friend Nancy Rommelman.

Posted by: Amy Alkon at April 9, 2006 7:05 AM

Hey, Amy! For future reference, I've found Buddy Wash and Buddy rinse for $6.95/ea w/free shipping via this site:

http://www.valleyvet.com/ct_detail.html?pgguid=41a20e26-b80f-41e5-8f4f-e05afcd81b9a

Thanks again for the haircare advice and the kick-ass column; just wanted to pass along another tip in return! Cheers! :)

Posted by: Kim at April 9, 2006 2:32 PM

Aww, thanks.

Posted by: Amy Alkon at April 9, 2006 3:08 PM

Is Buddy Wash colorsafe?
I'm a redhead too (formerly a natural redhead, now a Toni & Guy redhead) and my color fades with a lot of washing.
I'd love to use this if it makes your hair feel like butter!!

Posted by: Jill at April 10, 2006 9:22 AM

I would assume so, although I don't really know...you can call the company - see link for phone number or email address. And do post what you find out here!

Posted by: Amy Alkon at April 10, 2006 9:25 AM

The next big thing in hair care will go to those who invent a decent shampoo and conditioner for menopausal women. Trust me, your hair does change.

Posted by: hrc at April 11, 2006 12:31 PM

Uh-oh...how?

Posted by: Amy Alkon at April 11, 2006 2:57 PM

Got my Buddy Wash yesterday and tried it this morning. I used just a little bit of the shampoo and it lathered like crazy. After I rinsed, my hair felt like it might be a bit tangly, so I used just a couple drops of the conditioner and it did come out very soft. The real test will be tomorrow morning when I see if I can go a day without washing again. But I do love the scent!

Posted by: deja pseu at April 12, 2006 7:16 AM

Well, it isn't really on the shampoo if you can or can't -- it's just something good to do so your hair doesn't get dried out. I use the Lait Lavant still if I want to get hair products out of my hair at the end of the week.

Posted by: Amy Alkon at April 12, 2006 8:16 AM

Yeah, I'm just curious to see if my roots will be looking oily by tomorrow or not. I'm still trying to achieve that delicate balance between dried out and greasy-looking hair since I'm trying very hard not to shampoo every day.

Posted by: deja pseu at April 12, 2006 10:12 AM

Well, with that problem, I do suggest the Lait Lavant. Get one, then if it works for you, buy a case on eBay.

Posted by: Amy Alkon at April 12, 2006 10:26 AM

Dear Readers.
I do not consider myself a vain person, bit when what looks like a pelicans nest residing on your head is trasformed into silky ringlets in one use of the Buddy products, it is hard not to glance at your refection in anyting shiny. Before this my obsession had always been clothes , clothes and more clothes - my hobby predicting the next trend. I now have an eBay store where I mostly sell the coolest clothes I can get my hanfs on to support my habit. Anyone who sees this posting and is advenerous enough to visit ny store "DONTWALKBY" will recieve shipping insurance on me. After all we are sisters under the frizz!
Andrea

Posted by: Andrea at April 16, 2006 7:31 PM

Amy, I must thank you for the Buddy Wash recommendation. My hair thanks you, too. My wife sniffed it this morning and said it smelled real good. She also says that my howling at fire engines is probably something she can get used to.

Posted by: David at April 19, 2006 7:35 PM

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