Do the whitening shampoos work better than laundry bluing mixed with say oatmeal shampoo? If so. why? How do the gold and black enhancing shampoos work?
The BBird reply:
Although adding laundry bluing to an existing shampoo will provide some whitening effect, it is not the same as using a product specifically formulated for whitening.A good whitening shampoo has to be a deep cleaning shampoo first and also an optic enhancer. White is the absence of color, so first the shampoo has to remove staining and dirt embedded in the hair cuticle. Then it needs to deposit the optic enhancers, which can be blue/violet color to change the light spectrum, and/or "brighteners" which reflect light and make the hair sparkle. These brighteners are often silicone ingredients. The laundry bluing will give the hair a very slight blue tinge which is perceived by the eye as white(er), but some of the more sophisticated whitening shampoos such as Chris Christensen White on White contain violet color which is more intense, as well as ingredients such as dimethicone copoloyol for shine, or herbals such as chamomile or awapuhi that create a similar effect.
To be clear, there are three ways in which whitener shampoos work:
1) Removal of dirt and stains from hair cuticle which are perceived by the eye as grey or yellow.
2) Deposit of coloring agent in the blue or violet spectrum to slightly tint the hair in a manner that is perceived by the eye as more white; and
3) Reflective agents to increase the shine and reflect light making the hair seem brighter and to sparkle like fresh snow.
There are also three forms of stain removal:
1) Emulsifying or deep cleaning with detergents;
2) Bleaching or oxidation which attacks stain molecules through oxidation and removes discoloration; and
3) Dissolving stain material with enzymes which break down stain molecules into smaller particles that are then removed by the detergent.
All forms of stain removal are enhanced by using hot water, as heat opens the hair cuticle and allows the cleaning agents to penetrate to the more deeply imbedded stains. Enzymatic cleaners especially require heat to operate well. Similarly, all color enhancing products benefit from cool rinsing, as cold temperature closes the hair cuticle, sealing in any deposited color and allowing maximum light reflection to occur.
Clues to how a given whitener product works can be found in the instructions for use. For example, All Systems #1 White Lightning shampoo states that it should be applied to non-colored areas of coat only as it will cause colors to fade. That means there is bleaching action. A shampoo suggesting that the product be applied without dilution and left on the coat for 5-10 minutes, such as Chris Christensen White on White, is depositing some coloring to the hair.
EZ Groom Crystal White, which features a enzyme comples, reminds us to either heat the product prior to application or use the warmest water that is comfortable for the pet. Products using ingredients for shine, such as Show Season's Bright, can usually be diluted and rinsed immediately. The color of the product itself is also another clue. The Show Season's Bright is a blue color, suggesting the use of bluing as well as optic brighteners.
Color enhancers for other than white coat work in similar fashion to whiteners, only depositing different tints that reflect different color spectrums for different effects. Golds and reds, for example are often enhanced by green or yellow tint. All colors are enhanced by shine, which makes the colors "pop" out at the eye. Blacks, especially, benefit by reflective ingredients, as well as deposit of dark tint to cover red stains.
It is very important to exactly follow the instructions on the bottle for optimum effectiveness of color enhancing products. Failure to do so can lead to a disappointing result or a blue dog, which can be disappointing or not, depending on the owner. I will never forget the time we turned Samantha the Samoyed pink by using Kelco Red/White shampoo. The label clearly stated "wet coat thoroughly before application". Unfortunately, the bather failed to get the undercoat on
the hips and rear wet to the skin. The red coloring agent grabbed onto that dry undercoat and wouldn't let go. My bather was in tears as I rebathed THE FAT SAMOYED three times with everything I could think of. There wasn't anything that would remove that tint. The red pigment in the shampoo had deposited under the hair cuticle. There was nothing left to do but put a pink bow on Samantha and apologize to her owner. Fortunately the woman was a little odd and didn't mind at all. "She looks a whole lot better than she did when I brought her in", the owner said good naturedly. Whew! We dodged the bullet and learned an important lesson: product directions are there for good reason. Read them. Follow them.
Related Links:
Groom_TNT email list is found at Yahoogroups.com
White on White, Gold on Gold, and Black on Black shampoos are found at: http://www.chrissytems.com or at Cherrybrook, www.cherrybrook.com
EZ Groom Crystal White, Crystal Gold and Crystal Black shampoos are at:
http://ez-groom.com/
Call for professional groomer prices:
1-800-777-5899
Show Season Bright is found at www.showseasongrooming.com This product was reformulated in 2009 to contain more blue. It will now achieve good whitening when used through a recirculating bathing system.
#1 All Systems White Lightening shampoo can be found in the Pet Edge Catalogue http://www.petedge.com/
Quik Color by Exhibitor's Best can be found in the equine section at http://www.kvpet.com/ Although this product is designed especially for dark colors, it is spectacular on whites, and a great choice for tri-colored dogs, such as the Bernese Mountain Dog.
Caveat: There are many other fine color enhancing shampoos available, these are the ones with which I have had the most experience.
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