Review of Avalon Organics Lavender Shampoo and Conditioner

Finding the right hair products can be confusing - with so many choices it's hard to pick out the right thing. Also, a lot of products contain ingredients which do more harm than good.

Most shampoos contain sulfates, which are cleansing but can be harsh. Avalon Organics is one of the few companies that sells sulfate-free shampoo. It is reasonably priced, at $7.95 for an 11 ounce bottle. This makes it a little more expensive than drugstore brands but less expensive than salon products. After switching to Avalon shampoo from a shampoo containing sulfates, my hair's condition really improved, to the point that my stylist commented on the difference. I experienced less breakage and my ends felt less dry.

Their shampoo is also paraben-free. Parabens are preservative chemicals that Avalon Organics chooses not to include in their products, due to concerns about consumer health. I used this shampoo before they switched to the paraben-free formula and much preferred the original fragrance. The scent of this shampoo is hard to describe, kind of a medicinal/chemical smell which I don't care for. Its fragrance is the only drawback to this shampoo.

Since the shampoo is sulfate-free, it won't suds up like other shampoos, and may seem less cleansing. The ingredients that cause shampoos to get all "suds-y" are the ones that damage your hair.

Avalon's conditioners are silicone free. Silicone is another ingredient that can be damaging to your hair. It can weigh down fine hair, cause buildup, and dry out the hair. One good thing about silicones is that they make the hair feel and look more healthy, but that's misleading. Their conditioners sell for 7.95 for an 11 ounce bottle.

The conditioner has a wonderful fragrance; it smells exactly like lavender itself. It's earthy, and is not perfumey like a lot of lavender fragrances. Since it doesn't contain silicones, it might not feel like it detangles as well as conditioners that do, so you may find yourself needing to use a lot of it.