conditioner — Product Reviews & More

When it comes to cruelty-free hair care, Giovanni definitely tops my list.

As mentioned in my previous post, my husband and I moved from NYC to Colorado at the beginning of June. In addition to the totally new landscape and lifestyle, I’ve also had to learn how my hair and skin respond to the significantly drier climate. Having had dry hair to start, the endless 90+ degree heat, sun, and total lack of humidity has really taken its toll on my locks.

Enter Giovanni’s 2chic Ultra-Moist shampoo and conditioner with avocado and olive oil. Doesn’t it just sound good enough to eat?

Okay, so while I don’t recommend eating it, it smells great, and after a week’s use, my hair and scalp already feel improved. It’s also worth mentioning that I swim laps about three times a week, so my hair is marinating in public pool levels of chlorine, and is still getting hydrated from this stuff. All without making it greasy or heavy, to boot.

Giovanni has two different haircare product lines: Eco Chic and 2chic, with the Ultra-Moist product suite falling under the latter. 2chic now offers six different hair and body care profiles. I’ve used four of the six, and I bet you can find the right thing for your needs no problem. To explore the 2chic line, click here.

Thankfully, Giovanni is making its way into lots of popular stores. Most major grocers and pharmacies, as well as places like Target and Walmart, offer their products. To find Giovanni in a store near year, check out their retailer list.

An 8.5 oz. tube of either shampoo or conditioner retails for $8.99, though I was lucky to get both for under $10 at a local natural grocer in Longmont, CO, thanks to both an in-store sale, and $1 off coupons attached the bottles.

Giovanni is Leaping Bunny-certified, and nearly all of their products are vegan – including Ultra Moist.

Have you used any Giovanni products? Let me know what you love in the comments below!

Hello cruelty-free compatriots! It’s been awhile since I’ve been able to make an update, but I’m back and ready with reviews for a whole slew of products.

First up: YES TO, a great company that became Leaping Bunny certified in 2014, and which I’ve been using more or less since their inception.

For the past month, I’ve been using the Yes to Carrots Nourishing shampoo and conditioner and it’s been lovely to my hair and scalp. Added bonus: It smells terrific. I was using Giovanni’s Tea Tree Triple Treat Invigorating shampoo and conditioner for a while, but found that it dried out my scalp and made it itchy. A no-go for my short, fine and non-oily hair, but it hasn’t gone to waste – my husband, who has extremely thick, curly hair, finds that the Triple Treat keeps his hair and scalp clean without over-drying.

But back to YES TO.

The Yes to Carrots collection is targeted for those with normal to dry hair (your “standard” hair care regimen), but if you’re looking for something a little more specific, the company offers a “color protection” regimen (Yes to Cucumbers), “healthy hair repair” (Yes to Blueberries) and “ultra moisture” (Yes to Coconut). If you’re dealing with an itchy, flaky scalp, there’s also a “scalp relief” Yes to Carrots collection. Personally, I’m hoping that they’ll add a volumizing line for my fine hair, but in the meantime, Yes to Carrots is doing its job.

The Daily Pampering set of Yes to Carrots 16.9 fl oz shampoo and conditioner retails on the YES TO website for 17.98 and is Petroleum, SLS & Paraben Free. If you’re looking for it on your local store’s shelves, I’ve spotted it in plenty of stores including Walgreen’s and Target.

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YES TO isn’t just about hair care – they’ve got your whole body and face covered, too. One of my most favorite recent finds has been the Yes to Tomatoes Roller Ball Spot Stick, which works wonders on zits of all shapes, sizes and tenacities (gross, I know, but whatever). One of my longest struggles since going cruelty-free has been finding the a truly effective zit-buster, and until I found the Yes to Tomatoes Spot Stick, I’d been using Burt’s Bees Herbal Blemish Stick or Desert Essence’s Tea Tree Oil Blemish Stick with mixed results. The latter two are both blends of all-natural botanical extracts, and I found that they worked best on the occasional rager of a pimple, but not as well on the smaller zits. And boy, do they burn going on!

The Yes to Tomatoes Spot Stick, however, seems to work for me on all levels. I bought it because it claimed the following:

Improves the severity of blemishes in 3 days!
Reduces the size appearance of blemishes in 3 days!
98% of users love that this product is gentle and non-irritating but works!

And they weren't kidding. I’ve been using the Spot Stick for a couple months now and have been pretty pleased with the effect it’s had on my skin. Noticeable size reduction and redness, and I find that most blemishes clear up in just a few days – it works far better than the Clearasil or Neutrogena creams I’d been using throughout my youth. It is worth noting that the active ingredient in the Spot Stick is salicylic acid (along with that multi-faceted tea tree oil), so if you’re looking for something 100% natural, you’re better off with the Burt’s Bees or Desert Essence sticks mentioned above.

The Yes to Tomatoes Spot Stick retails for $9.99 on the Yes to website and in addition to being 97% natural, is Petroleum, SLS & Paraben Free. The Yes to Tomatoes line isn’t just limited to the Spot Stick – they’ve got everything from cleansing wipes to a clearing mask in the collection, which is targeted for oily or troubled skin.