When my friend told me that she had started washing her hair with horse shampoo, I thought she was joking.
Horse shampoo? Where would I even buy horse shampoo? At the pet store?
As it turns out, I could buy Mane ‘n Tail, perhaps the best-known horse-to-human shampoo, at the drugstore down the block! So I decided to test the shampoo and give NaturallyCurly readers my take on the horse shampoo fad.
The Hair
I am a Type 2C/3A curly girl, depending on the weather. My hair is shoulder-length and relatively thin.
The Product
Because I was focusing solely on the benefits of horse shampoo, I simply replaced the shampoo I was using with Original Mane ‘n Tail Shampoo, “the original horse to human crossover shampoo that provides fuller, stronger, longer, healthier hair.” I continued to use my other products–Pantene Daily Moisture Renewal Conditioner and Jessicurl Confident Coils Styling Solution–as I did before introducing Mane ‘n Tail.
The Ingredients
You can find the full list of ingredients here. It is important to note that Mane ‘n Tail Shampoo contains sodium lauryl sulfate, a cleansing agent that can strip the hair of its natural oils. However, there are co-surfactants also present, such as cocamidropropyl betaine, which works to reduce the drying effects of sodium lauryl sulfate.
Ultimately, you have to try the product to know if it works for you. I haven’t had any problems with the sulfates—in fact, my hair feels more moisturized than usual!
The Hype
Horses and humans are seeking the same results from their shampoo: clean, moisturized, thick, shiny hair. Horse hair and human hair also have similar protein structures, so it makes sense that a shampoo formulated to tame unruly horse manes and tails would also work on human hair.
It has been said that horse shampoo makes your hair thicker and even helps your hair to grow faster. Obviously, this makes the product extremely attractive, particularly to a girl that is trying to grow out her thin, curly hair.
The Results
I noticed a difference in my hair almost immediately. It was softer and shinier after only two uses–even my roommate noticed! And my curls stayed full and bouncy for longer than usual.
Now I have been using Mane ‘n Tail for about a month and I’m very happy with the results. My hair doesn’t seem to have changed in thickness and it didn’t grow exponentially in the last month, but it’s definitely softer, shinier, more moisturized and overall, healthier. Maybe that will eventually lead to thickness and faster growth as I continue to use horse shampoo.
I will definitely continue to use this product. At about $8 for a 32 oz. bottle, the price is right. And more importantly, my hair feels great.
I’m not saying that the product will work for everyone–you have to try it and see if it’s right for your hair type. But it’s definitely worth a shot!
