Aveda Shampure Conditioner

...couldn’t write an opinion about Aveda Shampure shampoo without following it up with the complementary conditioner opinion! Another reason for me writing this opinion is the fact that there have been only 2 other opinions written about the conditioner, and both of these were written over a year ago……so I felt it a duty to let you all know of my experience!

Price
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Another ouch! Same as the shampoo ...
...have since been told that Aveda is cheaper from QVC (unfortunately I think this is the tv version which I don’t have, as I have looked on their website and there’s no mention of Shampure). The prices are rather steep but reflect that this is a salon brand of shampoo – not to be found in your local Boots. You can find Aveda in branches of John Lewis and Debenhams if you prefer high street shopping as opposed to net.

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Apology: I know you are all sick to the back teeth of reading shampoo ops and I apologise immensely for the boredom created by my last opinion….but, I couldn’t write an opinion about Aveda Shampure shampoo without following it up with the complementary conditioner opinion! Another reason for me writing this opinion is the fact that there have been only 2 other opinions written about the conditioner, and both of these were written over a year ago……so I felt it a duty to let you all know of my experience!

Price
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Another ouch! Same as the shampoo I’m afraid - £3 for a titchy bottle (50ml), £8.50 for ‘normal’ sized bottle (250ml) and £24 for 1 litre (massive sized). All prices quoted here are from Lookfantastic.com, although I have since been told that Aveda is cheaper from QVC (unfortunately I think this is the tv version which I don’t have, as I have looked on their website and there’s no mention of Shampure). The prices are rather steep but reflect that this is a salon brand of shampoo – not to be found in your local Boots. You can find Aveda in branches of John Lewis and Debenhams if you prefer high street shopping as opposed to net.

Packaging
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I am not going to give you a full account of the packaging (if you are really that interested I can refer you to my Shampure shampoo op as the packaging is exactly the same!). Once again you have to pay 99p for a pump dispenser and I totally begrudge paying this when I have already splashed out £24 for a bottle of their conditioner! So please Mr Aveda, chuck in a free pump with your big bottles. There is no way that I can use this conditioner from a litre bottle without a pump, as unlike the shampoo, this is quite thick and a bugger to tip out of the bottle! It’s actually quite a challenge to use it without the pump – the bottle is quite flimsy and awkward (being so large!), and you have to start shaking it and patting it on its bottom like a ketchup bottle!!! (no comments about this please – I didn’t know how else to describe the process!!!!!!)

Smell
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Exactly the same as the shampoo, this smells very natural (probably due to the 25 flowers and herbs added to the formula), and again a bit like Pears soap. I am sitting here sniffing both the shampoo and conditioner – trying to compare (!) and I have to say that they smell EXACTLY the same – I can’t tell the difference, which is quite unusual as conditioner of a particular brand is usually softer and more delicate smelling than the shampoo. I like the smell – it doesn’t have the same artificial tinge as many high street brands.

Selling Points
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Why did I buy this conditioner in the first place? I have very thick hair, which is extremely prone to knots. If you have long hair I feel it is essential to buy a good quality shampoo and conditioner as the majority of your hair will be years old (and will have suffered damage and stress from pollution, brushing, chemical treatments, heated appliances etc). That’s one hell of a lot for your hair to go through! I have always been told (and still believe it) that the same people that make washing-up liquid and detergents make many of the hair products found on the high street. Do I really want these people using the same principles for their shampoo as they do for their washing up liquid??? (eeek no!) But that’s only my opinion and that’s why I look for salon quality brands. Aveda is a favourite with many a Ciao member and that is always a good reason for me to buy a product.

This conditioner promises to protect from thermal and environmental damage (which basically means that it will protect your hair from the damaging effects of your hairdryer and pollution). Similar to the shampoo, it contains Morikue protein (derived from the Brazil nut), which is suppose to restore and strengthen hair. Another important aspect for me is the fact that it promises no build up – and you often get this from conditioners if you have long hair, making your roots appear greasy. Aveda is also quite an ethical company and uses organic resources when possible, and don’t test their finished products on animals.

Who is it suitable for?
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Again, very annoyingly – the bottle doesn’t actually state who this conditioner is most suitable for and leaves you to guess! But due to the fact that I actually purchased this from Lookfantastic, which has good product info on it’s site, I know this is recommended for all hair types. I have normal hair, which is prone to dry ends but it’s also very knotty so my priority is to ease the pain of when I brush my hair!!!!! I want a sleek, shiny head of hair! (don’t we all!)

The Important Bit!
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Does it condition my hair? Well….its ok but its not really that great. ‘A very average product with a great smell’ is how I would best describe this conditioner. When I use conditioner, I like to be able to rinse my hair and instantly feel the benefit of the conditioner. But this is very average and doesn’t really make my hair that soft or easily manageable. It doesn’t seem creamy enough – a bit like crème frais as opposed to double cream if I were to relate it to food! A ‘low fat’ version of conditioner!!!

I really don’t like the concept of a conditioner for all hair types, as I believe that different hair types need different levels of conditioning. I would probably say that this conditioner is more suited for normal to oily hair, if your hair is on the dry side you won’t find this conditions enough, nor will it make your hair particularly easy to manage. I am quite indifferent to this conditioner as you can tell – its better than going without but then again, its not the most effective conditioner that I have found for my hair. I have found better, less expensive ones that are more effective at reducing knots and making my hair more manageable. I probably won’t buy this conditioner again (whilst I would definitely buy the Shampure shampoo again), but I do like the concept of the bigger bottle and I love the smell!

Imrpovements
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*Please Mr Aveda make this a bit more creamy! I want double cream on my hair not yogurt! I want tangle-free locks not straw!

*I would like a free pump dispenser instead of being asked to donate a further 99p towards Aveda’s profits! £24 is one hell of a lot to spend on a conditioner – surely the consumer deserves a free pump? You will find it very difficult to use this without a pump!

*I am a little skeptical that this conditioner is suitable for all hair types. Maybe Aveda should design a separate Shampure range for oily, normal and dry hair instead of lumping us all together when obviously one hair type is very different from another!

*Only 25% of this plastic bottle is recyclable – why is that when the whole bottle is made of the same material (I guess the 25% is possibly the cap but it doesn’t state this on the bottle). Make more of this bottle recyclable (it is interesting to note that 45% of the smaller, 250ml bottles are able to be recycled).

Conclusion
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I probably won’t buy this conditioner again as it doesn’t condition as well as I would have hoped. I love the smell and different bottle sizes but it really doesn’t do it for me (or my hair!). I don’t think the concept of one conditioner for all really works and it certainly doesn’t in my case. I would recommend that you purchase a trial sized bottle (50ml) or ask your hairdresser to use Shampure before you splash out on a £24 bottle of the stuff! It’s ok but not that great. There are many better ways to spend £24!

Thanks for reading and I promise not to submit another hair care related op in the next month to give you all a break!!!

© moose
 

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