What Is Apple Pectin Shampoo?

Apple pectin shampoo is a health and beauty product intended to wash the hair and invigorate the scalp. As its name suggests, it is almost always made with apple pectin, but how much is used can vary a lot by manufacturer. Pectin is a chemical compound in most fruits that is known for its binding and gelling abilities. In hair products, pectin can help strengthen strands and add shine while also achieving a “deep clean” by helping to remove dirt and product build-up. Apple pectin is sometimes extracted as a health supplement, and many alternative health experts recommend supplements for the treatment of all sorts of problems, from itching skin to certain cancers. In shampoo its use is almost always to improve the look and feel of the hair, though it’s perhaps best known for its sweet apple scent. This is almost always added artificially by the manufacturer, as pectin on its own doesn’t usually smell like anything. Shampoos and other beauty products made with apple pectin first became popular in the 1960s and 70s in the United States, and though production numbers have dropped the products still have a following in many parts of the world.

The main goal of any shampoo is to clean the hair, often while refreshing and removing build-up from the scalp, and manufacturers have found various ways of achieving this end — often involving additions and augmentations to the standard “soap and water” recipe. Apple pectin shampoo, which is also sometimes also known as apple pectin concentrate shampoo, is one example. It basically combines the cleansing power of shampoo with the strengthening and oil stripping capabilities of pectin, resulting in a versatile product that can be used on almost all hair types as often as once a day. The pectin adds grit and cleaning power, but isn’t harsh and won’t normally damage hair. The low concentrations of actual pectin in most shampoos reduces the risk of damage even further.

Apple pectin shampoo is considered to be an acidic shampoo known for leaving the hair extremely clean and shiny. It will not typically strip the hair of its natural oils, and does not contain silicone, which can build up on the hair and weigh it down. It is also quite concentrated, which means that a small amount is all that is usually needed to thoroughly cleanse the hair. Apple pectin is a complex carbohydrate present in ripe and near-ripe apples. Once extracted it’s normally an off-white or brown color and often resembles granulated sugar, though it dissolves quickly once mixed into the shampoo as a whole. It’s a natural thickening agent, which often makes the hair feel thicker and fuller after washing.

There isn’t usually any regulation of the shampoo and hair care market, which, among other things, means that manufacturers can use as little or as much pectin as they wish while still calling the product by the “apple pectin” name. In many cases these shampoos also contain apple extract and vitamins A, C, and B-complex — but again, not always. People who are interested in the differences between competing bottles are usually wise to read the labels critically and potentially also engage in further research.

Apple pectin hair products first became widely available in the 1970s when many salons used it at their shampoo bowls and sold it to clients for home use. It is a deep-cleansing shampoo that is recommended for almost all hair types, and is most often identified by its distinctive fresh apple fragrance. Many people of older generations feel a certain nostalgia for the product and purchase it specifically for its scent. In most cases the fragrance is not only present while using the shampoo, but also lingers in the hair after it is rinsed, dried, and styled.

Although other types of professional shampoo have taken over a large share of the salon market, apple pectin shampoo is still on the shelves of many beauty supply stores that sell to licensed hairdressers and salons as well as to the general public. In many cases it continues to be made in the same original formula as well as in moisturizing and fortifying formulas for dry or color-treated hair. In most cases it’s also very reasonably-priced professional shampoo, which is often a factor.

In addition to the shampoo itself, other varieties of apple pectin products may also be available, depending on demand. Examples include hair conditioner and even an apple pectin permanent wave. Thanks in large part to their pleasant scent, these products have also sometimes been used to remove unwanted odors. For example, apple pectin conditioner mixed with a small amount of baking soda and placed under heat can absorb and neutralize the lingering chemical smell of a permanent wave.