Hated It: Giovanni Root 66 Max Volume Shampoo

I was in need of a new shampoo and conditioner and saw that my local Whole Foods had Giovanni hair care on sale.( $5.99 for 8.5 oz down from $7.99) I've always loved Giovanni: I like their packaging, the products are very affordable and perform well. (one downside: they have a REALLY obnoxious and frustrating website)

I was excited to see an unfamiliar bottle:I know this is embarrassing to admit, but I was sold when I saw the fuchsia dots on the logo.
( it's my current favorite color.)

I have long, fine, snarly hair that tends towards the oily side. I also prefer to shampoo about every other day but would love it if I could get away with two or three times per week.

The first time I used the shampoo I was completely captivated. My hair felt slick and drenched with moisture immediately. I couldn't believe how nourished it felt so quickly.

I hesitated when I followed up with conditioner--I usually only apply it to the bottom half of my hair, away from the roots but it DID say "root 66" and was specified for "limp and lifeless hair" so I decided to throw caution to the wind and go for it.

After blow drying I preened in front of my bathroom mirror--my hair was a glossy, silky mane and smelled fantastic, like ripe mangoes.

The very next morning, however my vanity was crushed when I saw the flaccid, oily strands that were plastered to my forehead. I attributed it to the fact that I had applied conditioner all over my hair instead of the ends, like I normally do.

The next time I showered I was careful not to apply conditioner willy-nilly, convinced that would do the trick and I could go on loving my new products, but the same exact thing happened. Frustrated and confused I flipped the bottle over to read the ingredients:

The offending ingredient jumped out at me: dimethicone. Silicone derivatives coat the hair making it feel smooth and shiny but do not actually nourish it like natural oils such as jojoba. Coating the hair weighs it down immensely which makes it an odd choice for a shampoo for limp hair.

To test out my theory that it was the shampoo that was causing the problem I used a different shampoo the next time I washed my hair. I used the Giovanni conditioner like usual. (it doesn't contain dimethicone) My hair was shiny and smooth and did not get oily for a record three days.

As much as it pained me I exchanged the shampoo, something I hardly ever do. I just knew I wouldn't use it. I love the way silicones feel but I would much rather use a product that is actually feeding my hair instead of just pretending, and ultimately causing it to be in worse shape than it was before.


Ingredients:

INGREDIENTS: Aqua (Purified Water), With *Mango (Mangifera
Indico), *Kiwi (Actinidia Chinensis) Fruit Extract, *Papaya (Caroca
Papaya) Fruit Extract, *Plumeria (Plumeria Aculifolia), *Aloe Vera
(Aloe Barbodensis), *Horestail (Equiselum Arvense), Awopuhi
(Zingiber Zerumbel), *Soybean Protein (Glycine Soja), C12-14
Olefin Sulfonate (Cocunut Derived), Cocamidopropyl Betaine,
Polyquatenium 7,  Dimethicone,  Polysorbate  20,   PEG -8
Caprylic/Copric  Glycerides,  Panthenol  (Pro-Vitamin  B5),
Tocopherol (Vitamin E), Phenoxyelhanol, Fragrance With Essential Oils,
*Certified Organic by Guaranteed Certification Services
No Animal By-Products and Cruelty Free



Bottom Line: Very disappointing. And by the way, what
IS a "horsepower expander" anyway??!

Front label panel:

ROOT 66
MAX VOLUME
SHAMPOO
PureOrganic Technology
for limp, lifeless hair
with horsepower expanders to increase body
and shine while infusing weightless texture
giovanni
ORGANIC HAIR CARE
8.5 fl oz  e 250mL