Aveda Invati™ Exfoliating Shampoo & Thickening Conditioner

Let's start this review with a disclaimer. No, it's not that I received these items for free, I actually got them in my May Topbox. This disclaimer is because Aveda's invati line isn't intended for me. According to Aveda, this line is a solution "for thinning hair" as it "reduces hair loss by 33% to help you keep the hair you have longer." As someone who naturally has a full, healthy head of hair, I have no need for invati products.

Because of that, and because I only had deluxe sample sizes to work with, I'm not commenting on whether or not this line had any impact on the thickness of my hair. Instead, I'm going to look at how these products fulfill their other duties as a shampoo and conditioner.

According to Aveda, the shampoo, "removes build-up that can clog pores and renews the scalp with wintergreen-derived salicylic acid." I have never have an exfoliating shampoo before and I was really looking forward to trying it out. Based on the refreshing, cooling sensation it delivered, it certainly felt like it was doing something.

But then my hair dried and instead of looking clean and refreshed, my roots felt and looked greasy. I thought maybe the problem was me not using enough shampoo, and/or not lathering it up enough. So the next time I used more and spent several minutes really getting the suds into my heads. But the results were the same, my hair didn't look, or feel, clean.

The conditioner didn't impress me any better. Aveda states that it contains, "Arginine derived from sugar beets and soy protein(,which) is clinically proven to restore strength and improve hair elasticity, reducing breakage." It also contains, "Organic kukui nut oil helps add natural shine." I noticed no difference in any of those areas except for shine. My hair actually looked less shiny while using this line.

At least both products smell great. They have that herbal, spa-like scent that so many Aveda products have and that I personally find quite relaxing and enjoyable.

Like most (all?) Aveda products, this shampoo and conditioner are pricey, coming in at $35 each. Part of the reason for this high price is that that this shampoo and conditioner, like all Aveda products, is packed with natural ingredients. The star in these two items is an Aveda-created complex call densiplex, which is "an invigorating blend of Ayurvedic herbs, including turmeric and ginseng." That sounds fancy; here's hoping that it actually works better at thickening hair than cleaning it.

Would I buy this product: No, but I don't have thinning hair.

Should you buy this product: If you seriously have thinning hair, you might want to give this line a shot; just have a back-up shampoo on hand in case you run into the same results that I did.