Naturalla Beauty

ETA: Unfortunately, after recent debate over whether Organic Excellence is disclosing full ingredients on their labels, I'm no longer comfortable recommending the company or these products. (Feb. 11, 2013)

As far as I'm concerned, one of the worst things companies can do is reformulate products.  Obviously if a product sucks, reformulating is a good idea, but as the saying goes, if it ain't broke, don't fix it.  Almost a year ago now my regular shampoo and conditioner got pegged for reformulating and inevitably the new formula did not work for me.  Luckily I had enough of the old stockpiled to last me a while, but as the bottles started to get low, panic set in and I was left madly hunting for a replacement haircare line. 

To make a long story short, I decided on Organic Excellence and have been using it since mid-November.  As it turns out, I think I prefer it to my old shampoo/conditioner, and to sweeten the deal, it also costs less than what I was previously using!  It's unlikely I would have tried a new shampoo/conditioner otherwise, so, I guess the moral of the story is.......reformulations aren't always a bad thing after all.

Wild Mint Shampoo 

"A luxurious hair therapy, free of the harsh chemicals Sodium Lauryl Sulfate and Sodium Laureth Sulfate found in most shampoos. Our Wild Mint Shampoo is specially formulated to moisturize, maintain a healthy pH balance, prevent hair loss, stimulate growth, and protect against ultra-violet rays and air pollution. Restores moisture, shine, and body for beautiful hair. Ideal for all hair types."  

A couple weeks ago, Bronwen from Tested on Human wrote about her troubles getting her non-bald spot clean, which reminded me of my struggles with the same thing before switching to this shampoo.  While I was waiting for my Organic Excellence to arrive, I ran out of shampoo and in desperation started using my body wash as shampoo.  Even though I've never before (or since) noticed my hair get greasy in this particular spot, I ended up with the same problem and couldn't manage to get the back of my hair clean!  Imagine my immense relief when the Wild Mint Shampoo finally arrived and succeeded in getting this spot (and the rest of my head) squeaky clean in just one wash! 

In addition to it's great cleaning ability, it smells great - pepperminty and slightly sweet, just like a candy cane.  If you've been reading my blog for any length of time, you'll know that sometimes even naturally scented products bother me, but neither this nor the conditioner have given me any troubles on that front.  AND, it lathers to a pretty decent frothy lather.  Maybe not quite on par with the lather you'd get from a conventional SLS shampoo, but a lot more than many other natural shampoos and definitely enough to satisfy my desire for bubbles.

Wild Mint Conditioner

"Wild Mint Conditioner moisturizes without coating your hair, building up or creating a heavy feeling. It prevents split ends and hair loss, promotes growth, and calms frizz and static electricity. For manageability, deep conditioning, luxurious body, and a beautiful shine, nothing compares to Wild Mint Conditioner. Ideal for all hair types"

I have curly and quite often frizzy and tangled hair, but this conditioner does a great job in all respects.  In the shower, it rinses out easily and leaves my hair feeling soft and silky, without weighing it down or leaving any kind of residue or oiliness.  The conditioner scent is somewhat fainter than the shampoo - it still smells pleasant though and just a bit minty.

The Final Verdict

I'm really happy with both the shampoo and conditioner.  The combination of the two leaves my hair clean, soft, and shiny - and really, what more can you ask for?  The mint scent is pleasant, but not overpowering -  I notice the scent when I'm using the products, but it isn't something that I can smell on my hair once it's dry.  Actually, I do kind of wish the scent would linger a little more, but that's not a deal breaker for me.  Also, for anyone concerned about such things, neither of these products give you that cold, tingly feeling that some peppermint products do.  

The price point is also very reasonable, although it does fluctuate a bit depending on where you purchase them.  They are available for $15.95 each direct from Organic Excellence or $12.85 from iherb (Plus you can get $5 off your first iherb purchase with the code ITI429.)  I believe they're also sold at some Whole Foods.   All in all I'm really happy with these and would recommend giving them a try if you're looking for a new natural and non-toxic shampoo or conditioner.