It may be time to break up with Giovanni!!! What next?

[Teacherbear]

I've used Giovanni products for at least 7 years. I've LOVE it! Actually, I still love some of the products (Direct Leave In, SAS, etc)

My problem is with the Smooth As Silk Shampoo. Since I found it a year or two ago, it seems to have gone through several reformulations. At first it was very runny and white. Then it thickened up a bit. Now it has a bit of a yellow tinge.

A bottle and a half ago I noticed that I have to use more shampoo to clean my hair (and get suds - I like suds). Then, I noticed my hair is getting dirtier and my scalp gunkier/dirtier between washings. I use to be able to go 7-10 days between washes, now 5 is stretching it. I usually shampoo once a week, but now I'm having to shorten up that time span.

So, I've decided the reformulations aren't working for me.

Now, what to do? Go to a different Giovanni shampoo? Or, switch to a different brand?

Those of you who have very fine hair, what have you used and like?

[chrissy-b]

My hair is very fine (with a few M underneath) and I use Aubrey Organics Calaguala Fern Treatment Shampoo. I LOVE this shampoo. I dilute it about 50/50 with water and it's still very foamy (I like suds too!). It is the only shampoo I've used that actually makes my hair feel like it has some body (though I haven't tried shampoo bars yet to compare).

I posted a review in the reviews section if you want to check out ingredients and all that. I know it's sulfate and protein free.

[Ursula]

Teacherbear - do you have a bottle from the old formula floating around? It might be helpful to compare the old ingredient list to the new, and see what has changed. Then you could look for things close to the old formula, and specifically avoid the things in the new formula.

[amaiaisabella]

I have super fine hair, and with shampoos, it's a fine line between them weighing my hair down (with my roots limp and greasy and my ends all frayed) and not being moisturizing enough.

Lately, I dilute a Suave kids' 2n1 shampoo/conditioner, but I think it has a cone or two. Not sure if you want to avoid those, but it doesn't give me any coated feeling or whatnot that I get with the heavier cone products. I also dilute it, which helps.

If you want to go completely cone-free, I think the Whole Foods 365 line is pretty good. I used their conditioner for CO a few times, and it never weighed my hair down, so the shampoo shouldn't be too bad. We don't have a Whole Foods nearby, so it wasn't worth it to make the trip, but I never had an issue with it.

[Flaxen]

I've been using Earthly Delight (Whole Foods, Willner Chemists) for about the same length of time, TBear, and I still like it. No reformulations (Shhh! Don't say that out loud!) so far. :grin:

[Carolyn]

How about one of the Trader Joe's lines? Do you want just a shampoo or a matching shampoo and conditioner? My personal opinion is that the shampoo doesnt matter as much as the conditioner. I second the vote for WF 365 products.

[kwaniesiam]

I personally used to love the Tea Tree Triple Treat until I found CV bars, its worth a try. Target has small travel size bottles if you don't want to commit to a full size one.

[spidermom]

My hair is combination, which includes lots of fine hairs. It is responding well to JASON Natural Biotin Shampoo and Conditioner. I dilute the shampoo so much that I don't get much in the way of suds (and don't care). It would probably give plenty of suds at less of a dilution.

[paper]

The same thing happened to me Teacherbear!

I was using Smooth as Silk, loved it! I was washing my hair twice a week, then I noticed, I had to wash every other day. I'm also growing out hair dye, so I thought my virgin hair was the problem, and I was worried about drying out the old dye by washing so much. Also, my hair was limp and lifeless.

I started using Giovanni Volumizing shampoo. I put Smooth as Silk conditioner on my length and the Volumizing shampoo on my scalp only. So far this is working great for me.

[Delila]

I wasn't a huge Giovanni fan, once I used up what I'd bought I didn't go back.

I've been a fan of scalp washing with dilute shampoo for quite some time. My scalp's pretty oily, so I do need to wash fairly frequently to stay comfortable. Pretty much anything works, but lately I've been happiest with QH Mint Julep and Optimoist (Ellin Lavar's Textures line, @ CVS drugstores).

Also, as my hair gets longer, I find I prefer using a separate detangling rinse, after I condition. I guess it's because I don't like using conditioners that are too rich, yet need plenty of slip/detangling.

[Teacherbear]

Thanks, ya'll! :flowers:

I prefer matching products, but have quite a bit of Giovanni conditioner that I'll have to use up before buying new conditioners. I'll look into the WF 365, Earthly Delights (I assume it is different from the WF 365).

I don't have a Trader Joe's close by, so I'll bypass those suggestions (until I can get to one of those stores! :) ).

I'll consider the thought that other Giovanni 'poos might be better for me than the SAS.

While looking at WF, on Sunday, I was wondering about J/A/S/O/N/S products and . . .

I have a few questions, I thought Aubrey Organics shampoos were all soap based. Are they? I tried an AO shampoo before I found Giovanni and I wasn't thrilled with it. If AO has some non-soap based ones, then I might give them a try.

Delila, what conditioner do you use that gives you a lot of slip? I need that, too!

Thanks again to all of you for your suggestions. I have a little while until I need to buy a new bottle, so I wanted to do some research before hand.

[lora410]

I like the Avalon Biotin b-complex. I tried different poos and always come back to that one.

[chrissy-b]

I have a few questions, I thought Aubrey Organics shampoos were all soap based. Are they? I tried an AO shampoo before I found Giovanni and I wasn't thrilled with it. If AO has some non-soap based ones, then I might give them a try.

I don't know if they all are, but I know the one I use is soap based.

[Delila]

For a detangling final step, I've been using Biolage Detangling Solution lately, and have been quite happy with it.

I have a ton of Frederick Fekkai's detangler too, over the past five or six years I've bought more than one bottle. It smells GREAT, so using it up is no torture, but I'm not sure I like it better than the Biolage.


For regular conditioning, I've been using Ellin Lavar's SatinSoft (part of her Textures line, at CVS.) It's pretty moisturizing, so I'm glad of that, but it doesn't seem to be too heavy.


Water quality where I live seems kind of strange. When I moved here, I had enormous trouble finding products to use that would rinse out. Somehow I think it will be a shock if I ever move elsewhere and don't have to contend with this issue anymore.

[hennaphile]

Hauschka sea buckthorn
Morrocco Method shampoos (best stuff EVER)
Mehandi shampoo bars
Indian herbs (shikakia and aritha) with simmered tea of stuff like sage, rosemary, thyme, etc after a good hair oiling

[chickpea]

I've been using Earthly Delight (Whole Foods, Willner Chemists) for about the same length of time, TBear, and I still like it. No reformulations (Shhh! Don't say that out loud!) so far. :grin:

I haven't tried the shampoo, but I love the Earthly Delight conditioner. It smells so good, and is super moisturizing. I like this product best in the winter when my hair needs a richer conditioner.
:bluesmile

[SleepySin]

I currently have the Giovanni Smooth as Silk shampoo and conditioner. I've been switching around with all the Giovanni S&C's and I haven't really compared their older formulations. What I do know is that I'd like to just finish up the current bottle because it uses dimethicone and I'd like to steer away from using silicone and its by-products in my hair.


I like the Avalon Biotin b-complex. I tried different poos and always come back to that one.

I also have this shampoo and I like the job it does but I find that the smell bothers me. Reminiscent of some sort of Asian ginger-y dish..:confused:

[OR Cowgirl]

I've been very happy with QH Mint Julep for well over a year now. Keep in mind that I dilute it ALOT so there really isn't much for suds. But a stronger dilution would probably suds well.