Does anyone here remember Tame shampoo from the 70s? Or how about Tame cream rinse? Heck, I'm still not entirely sure what a "cream rinse" is, but I do know that cream rinses were all the rage when I was a very young kid growing up in the 70s. By the time I was really interested in haircare products, it was the 80s and cream rinses were pretty much phased out in place of what we all use now: conditioners. But back in the 70s, cream rinse was the bomb.
And no other drugstore brand did it like Tame. Just watch:
Defrizz the frizzies with TAME!
(I have to get this stuck in your head the way it's been stuck in mine for the past few days)
So now that we've taken this stroll down memory lane, I think you can understand how much I freaked out when I saw Tame products at my local 99 Cent Only Store the other day. My mom was with me and I was like, "MOM! It's TAME! It's TAME! What the heck is TAME doing at the 99-cent store???" She was just as surprised as I was, since neither of us have seen Tame products on store shelves since...wow...maybe the early 80s?? So naturally, these bottles went straight into my shopping cart:
Tame Shampoo & Cream Rinse (retail: $0.99, 13.5 oz)
"Keep your hair looking groovy with Tame"
It's baaaaaaack! Amazing. The one thing I remember loving the most about Tame was the unusual bottle. Click here and here to fully understand why I was obsessed with Tame. Even as a young child, I was obsessed with beauty product packaging. I was fixated by the fact that this shampoo bottle kind of looked like a drinking glass. I don't know...it was just different than any other haircare product out there, and I'm sad they didn't bring back the original shape of the bottle in this new version, but let's move on.
I do like that the makers of Tame (Evergreen Consumer Brands out of Canada) didn't try to completely rework this brand and give it a contemporary feel. I like that they chose to capitalize on the 70s vibe of Tame, because honesty, when I hear "Tame" I immediately get nostalgic, so it's fun to see words like "groovy" on the packaging and I like the tageline: "An American favorite since 1978."
So what about the actual products themselves, right? Do they work?
I've been using both the shampoo and cream rinse (which is actually used just like a regular conditioner, by the way) for a week now. Since I have no recollection of what the original Tame products were like for my hair (besides, my hair wasn't color-treated, abused or dry back then) I can't compare the original to the new products. So this review is based solely on my impressions of these actual 2010 products.
The smell of the shampoo definitely takes me back! I can't say whether or not it smells like the original (I don't remember what the original smelled like) but it's got a retro feel to it, if that makes any sense. It smells fruity and clean, and exactly what I would expect from a 70s haircare product. In other words, I love it. But the consistency takes a little getting used to, and I'm going to attribute that possibly to the amount of aloe vera in this product. In a way, it's got a slight gel-like consistency (almost like the consistency of aloe vera gel you get at the drugstore for sunburns) but I like it. For lack of a better word, it's groovy. Also, this product doesn't lather up instantly like a lot of other drugstore shampoos. You need to work it into your hair for bit, but eventually you do get a nice lather.
Moving on to the Cream Rinse: the consistency of this product is thin, but it's not super watery. The first time I used it, I used the same amount I would use of any other conditioner in my shower. But I have since discovered that more is better with this product. In fact, the directions say to "Apply a generous amount of Conditioner to damp hair" and I would 100% agree with this suggestion. When I use about a full palm's worth of product on my (long) hair it's the perfect amount to turn my dry, tangly hair into soft, tangle-free hair in just a few minutes. I actually have been leaving this product in my hair for the amount of time it takes to shave my legs and that seems to do the trick.
After using both the shampoo and cream rinse for a week now, I can tell you that, for me, these products actually do "defrizz the frizzies". I deliberately have not used any styling products in my hair since I've been using Tame, and I'm very happy with my lack of frizz. I don't have the usual flyaway hair that I tend to see when I don't use a smoothing cream or other styling product, so that's wonderful. But here's where I have to warn you: I don't think this product works best for my hair type, which is fine, long and wavy. I've noticed that my hair just seems a little flat when I use Tame. But please note: when I say flat, I do not mean oily or greasy. Quite the contrary since my hair feels amazingly clean and shiny and soft when I use Tame. But it just doesn't have the volume that I'm used to seeing. So, in my opinion, I think Tame might be FANTASTIC for people who have thicker hair that has a tendency to be poufy. I think Tame might give you just the right amount of control that you need. But since my hair is fine and lacking in the volume department, it's not an ideal match. But I will certainly try using Tame shampoo combined with another conditioner and see how that works, because I just love how clean my hair gets with this shampoo, yet it doesn't feel dry.
So that's my take on the new Tame. I hope you enjoyed the stroll down memory lane, and if you're interested in picking up some of these products, check your dollar store!
Did you use Tame back in the day? Have you tried the new version? I'd love to hear from you!
Oh wow... I remember Tame, too! I have often tried to remember when we made the shift from "cream rinse" to "conditioner" and I just can't seem to remember. My mom still says "cream rinse" and it cracks me up...
ReplyDeleteI hope I see Tame somewhere near me - surely it would be useful for us in the hot, sticky, humid southeast! We have Dollar Tree and a variety of 99cent and dollar type stores.
I'm still waiting for Tickle deodorant and Bonne Bell's Ten-O-Six lotion to come back and I'll be happy!
can't wait to raid my 99 cent only store for this! If anything just to try it. I have thick, frizzy hair with the right weather (rainy days mostly), so this could be my new fav!thanx!
ReplyDeleteI don't remember Tame at all. The commercial didn't even ring a bell. But I do remember saving my allowance to get 'Gee, Your Hair Smells Terrific.' Both the shampoo and, probably called 'creme rinse,' as well.
ReplyDeleteDo you remember the pink hair tape? I used it, overnight, to plaster my fringy hair to the sides of my cheeks. lol
Wow, this brings me back. We loved Tame. And Body on Tap. And Silkience. And used Rose Milk cream and Camay soap.
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ReplyDeleteEdited to make sense, LOL:
ReplyDeleteMy family shops regularly at the 99 cents only store and my mom FREAKED when she saw Tame on the shelf. I had no idea what the fuss was about. She says she remembered using Tame as a teenager and then proceeded to fill the cart up with the green bottles. Now Tame sits in the shower right next to my L'oreal Sulfate-free shampoo and conditioner. Both my parent choose the 99 cents only store Tame over the new fancy-schmancy products.
It's funny that you mentioned cream rinse because my mom also tried to explain to me what cream rinse was. She said it was a PITA and that you had to measure it out in a cup and dilute it. Basically, it was conditioner in a more concentrated form and that you just added water to dilute it yourself while in the shower. She says now we pay for the water that is already added to the bottle. I don't know how right she is, but I am glad we have conditioner instead of cream rinse nowadays.
I have never heard of Tame but I am sure my mom has. She and my grandma also call all conditioners, cream rinse. In fact, that is what I called it until I was about 12.
ReplyDeleteHaha I do remember Tame. Not sure if we ever used it or not though. I LOVED "Gee your hair smells terrific" and gosh I wish there were hair products out now that smelled like it. :( I also remember using "Body on tap" shampoo which was also referred to as the beer shampoo. It smelled so freaking good!!
ReplyDeleteThe bottle in the commercial is the bottle I remember. I had looooong hair in the late 70's and early 80's and I used nothing but Tame. My older sisters actually turned me on to it and it was the best. All the girls were constantly asking to brush my hair, which looking back seems kinda strange, but back then was cool for a young kid.
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