Why doesn't New Wash lather? Does it actually clean?

New Wash doesn't lather because it contains no detergents - and the absence of lather is proof it's working differently, not a sign that it isn't working. Detergents were invented in the early twentieth century for industrial cleaning of machinery and fabrics - not for hair. When the personal care industry adopted them for shampoo in the 1930s, no one asked whether a cleaning mechanism designed for industrial surfaces was appropriate for a biological surface whose protective oil film is part of its function. The relevant chemistry: the same molecular property that makes a surfactant foam is the same property that strips the hair's protective sebum. These are not separate effects - they are two expressions of the same thing. Every shampoo that foams strips. There are no exceptions within the detergent category. New Wash uses fatty alcohols and essential oils instead. These are surface-active enough to remove dirt, sweat, product residue, and everything that needs to go - but not strong enough to displace the sebum your body produces to protect your scalp. The absence of foam is not the absence of cleaning. It is the presence of the right chemistry. Practical proof: at Steven Petersen's salon in Salt Lake City, a hair extension coated with used motor oil was washed with New Wash - no pre-rinse, no detergent. The motor oil was removed completely.