Reformulated: Kirkland Signature Shampoo and Conditioner

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Costco reformulated Kirkland Signature Shampoo and Conditioner

We had a good run, Costco Kirkland Signature Shampoo and Conditioner. I’ve been using this duo since the TRESemme-induced hair loss I shared in January 2021, but alas – I’ve run afoul of a discontinuation-style issue.

This Again?

It isn’t a true discontinuation. Costco reformulated within the last year or so. I only just started using the new formula at the end of June because I was still working through my liter bottles of the previous formula.

I didn’t realize it was a reformulation (as opposed to just a packaging refresh) until three weeks ago. My hair started becoming a nightmare to wrangle again, symptomatic of overexposure to protein (everyone is different, you may never experience this!), but it didn’t click immediately.

Was it stress? No, that’s just a constant at this point. Eventually, I scrutinized the ingredients list on the new bottles – yep, go figure. The old formula had protein, but it was one of the last few ingredients – so there was less of a concentration of it. It doesn’t seem like my hair can’t deal with any, just either 1) high concentrations and/or 2) specific varieties. Alas, my hair is not tolerating the Costco Kirkland Signature Shampoo and Conditioner’s new formula well.

If it is still working well for you, GOOD! I still have faith in the product. This time, truly, I am the problem.

What Now?

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Starch as Non-Aerosol Dry Shampoo

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I switched away from conventional, aerosol dry shampoo well-before the news broke that the dry shampoo cans have been spewing poison at an uncomfortable rate. Instead, I use tapioca starch as non-aerosol dry shampoo to minimize oil between washes.

Non-aerosol dry shampoos have been available for a while. However, many of them come in the form of foam that claims to dry quickly. I haven’t tried them personally as they seem impractical; even if they dry fast, damp-looking roots can still be a problem. If I have time for damp hair, I would prefer to wash and dry it quickly.

Instead, on Jean’s advice, I use tapioca starch decanted into a few containers that I apply with a brush or puff. I realize this might sound like lunacy, so here’s more detail on HOW I go about using it:

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How Retinoids Changed my Skin Routine

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Retinoids Changed my Skin Routine

I shared that I stopped using OTC retinol products after learning how they lose potency fast. I switched to a prescription retinoid, Tretinoin, which has extensive research and time in the market behind it. It works, and it remains stable over its shelf life – which is more than can be said by cosmetic OTC retinols.

I expected to see improved results over, say, Paula’s Choice, Inkey List, or InnBeauty. But retinoids changed my skin routine in ways I didn’t expect, too.

Retinoids Changed my Skin Routine – Fewer Steps, Fewer Products

When you’re incorporating a serious retinoid into your routine, best practice is to discontinue all other treatments to give your skin time to adjust. I pared back to the basics: cleanse, moisturize, retinoid, sunscreen. No acids, no toners, no treatments or whatsoever else. I did reincorporate Vitamin C in the morning, which I previously used, once I had adjusted.

A typical skincare day looks like this:

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Cutover Complete

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We’re on our new host now with pretty minimal downtime as the site’s address resolved to its new location. Yay!

Not too much to say on that; I ended up having to go with a different hosting provider than I was working on originally when I made the previous announcement, but it worked out well.

Upcoming Changes / Future of the Blog

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July was a strange month with personal developments that required my focus. This bled into August. I reached a decision, but only now have capacity to communicate it and start executing.

Future of Beauty Skeptic

I reached a decision about what to do with the blog.

I am working on relocating where it is hosted – but the process to do so is going to mean there will be down-time associated with it. Between now and Labor Day, BeautySkeptic.com may be periodically unavailable as I migrate hosts.

Why is This Time Different?

Last time I did this, the provider I moved to offered fully automated, turnkey service, I need to do a great deal of this manually – and some of it is learn-as-I go, because while I do work in tech, I am not a Systems Administrator.

What Does This Mean?

All said and done, it means that after the migration is done, you will still be able to access the site and contents a you did before.

For me, it means I have significantly less financial overhead to keep this site live. It isn’t that I want to wash my hands of the project, but the combination of where it was as a priority + how much it was costing just to keep it online + the administration of keeping it online + content creation combined made me consider shuttering it.

Since I’m defraying cost, I think the other elements will be much easier to digest. :)

Brief: Lume Deodorant Minis

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Lume Deodorant Minis

Today, we’re revisiting a recent topic: Lume Deodorant. I’ve tried, and like, the unscented cream version. Target sells Lume Deodorant Minis, though, and I figured that would be a halfway decent way to try one of the other options.

I picked up one of the Lume Deodorant Minis in Clean Tangerine. This time, I got the mini stick which comes in a small, slender tube not unlike the Native minis’ older packaging. Certainly very travel or purse friendly. I really dislike having fragrance on my hands, so the squeeze tube was not an option.

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