Raise your hand if you’re one of the few beauty product aficionados left who have yet to discover the amazing eco-friendly, cruelty-free brand Aveda; if your hand is still in the air, you’ve no idea what you’ve been missing!
Founded in 1978, the renowned Minneapolis-based company has trademarked use of the Art and Science of Pure Flower and Plant Essences in creating some of the finest hair/skin care products available. To summarize their mission statement: Beauty is as beauty does–it does not qualify as beauty if it hurts any of the diverse life forms that the best beauty artist of all, Nature, created.
So, assuming you’re new to the brand, where do you begin? What should you try first?
Since most of us wash our hair on a regular basis—and are often dissatisfied with our current shampoos and conditioners—let me recommend one of my personal favorites from the plethora from which to choose (starting with a personal favorite): Black Malva. This gentle cleanser smells terrific, and works with its companion conditioner to help maintain color in between salon visits.
Since I regularly dye my hair an inky shade of black, I love how the key ingredients (black malva, black tea and aloe—all of which are certified organic) work to discourage the brassy reddish tones that love to wreak havoc on my color’s overall cool undertone. Don’t worry if your own hue doesn’t match mine; while Black Malva yields the best results on deeper brunette shades, gals (and guys!) with lighter brown/honey blonde hair should try the Clove formula. Extremely pale blondes benefit from Blue Malva (also works well on grey); try Camomile if you’ve got highlights. Last, but certainly not least, Madder Root suits auburn, red or chestnut shades.
All of these formulas are available on Aveda.com, where a 1-liter bottle costs $26.50. Unfortunately the conditioners are only sold as a $17.00 8.5-oz tube, but since experts caution against over-zealous use on hair that is already colored, if you supplement your regular routine with the appropriate hue, you’ll find you can stretch the value of the $43.50 you’ve spent! (Speaking from my own experience, I bought the 1-liter bottle of shampoo sometime in November and have about ¾ remaining. Obviously the conditioner doesn’t last as long, but I have plenty of that left as well.)
Moving right along—there’s plenty more to see here—allow me to give a special shout-out to the Brilliant line. While the entire collection could, arguably, be touted as Aveda’s pièce de résistance, my two favorites are the Damage Control pre-styling spray and the Spray-On Shine.
I use the former while my hair is still damp; the latter works wonders after blow-drying/flat-ironing—avoid that whole [unattractive] I-just-washed-with-yesterday’s-bacon-leftovers look by not spraying too much! An 8.5 fl. oz bottle of Brilliant Damage Control will set you back an additional $15, with 3.4 fl oz of Spray-On Shine eating up $20.
However, if you spend at least $80, Aveda.com will ship your new regimen for free—and offer you a free sample of 2 of the top-rated hair care products.
I realize how quickly the cost of such specialty items can add up–and that most of us are on a budget—but again, because these Aveda products really last, the overall value-to-initial-cost ratio does, in fact, favor value.
























