AWESOME, AWESOME product. This really gives a very piecy look and doesn't look dirty or gummy. I love it and thank you to MUA for turning me on to such a wonderful product. No more drugstore brands for me. You do get what you pay for in most things.

Love, love, love this product. I think I'm addicted to aveda! I don't agree with other reviewers who said this has no hold- it does have some light hold which is why I like it. It also adds some nice texture, fullness and boosts my curls. I prefer to use it on wet hair (I have 3a curly long hair). I start off with my leave in, then add a dime size of aveda's be curly style prep and comb through, and then I take just a dab of this defining whip (just enough to coat my finger) and I emulsify it and mix it together with one pump of aveda's phomollient (foaming product). I concentrate that defining whip/phomollient combo on my roots while hair is flipped upside down, then repeat one dab defining whip mixed with another phomollient pump and distribute that on the outer shaft of my hair. Diffuse and beautiful curls.
Sometimes I'll also use a dab of the defining whip mixed with one spray of a shine serum on dry hair for finishing (or the aveda texturizing cream instead).
I also love it on day 2 hair either by itself or combined with the phomollient on lightly misted hair & diffuse. continued >>

I like this for my short hair. I also really like the smell. I love how all Aveda products smell. Anyway, this has great hold without being sticky or slimy or greasy, all of which can be problems with products commonly used on short hair. Gives awesome texture which lasts pretty well. I would like more staying power, but other than that, it's great. It has a bit of a dampness to it when you first get it out of the jar, but that subsides as you put it in your hair. An interesting product.

I really love this product! I have been dying to buy it since it came out! It only took me 5 years. I felt a little guilty b/c its expensive. However, since I bought it I havent regretted it!. I chopped my hair and it really gives texture to my layered bob! The cut looks so much better with it! The smell is great too!

I have short medium-thick, fine textured hair. I use this on short, flippy do to give it some texture and definition. I like it because it is so light and doesn't weigh my hair down or make it greasy. It is also great for smoothing the wispys along my part and hairline. I have had the same tub for about 2 years now and have hardly made a dent. It is scented, but pleasantly so.

I have fine but thick, short, colored and highlighted hair with lots of texture. This is my favorite product for definition without heaviness. Unlike waxes and pomades, it is much more controllable. And it washes out easily. But if your hair is not like mine, this may not be the best product for you.

I think it smells great, but that is about it. Absolutely NO hold at all, not light, not a little, nothing. I really don't understand what the purpose is, but it was a total waste of $24 for me.

Gives great body/volume to dry hair and reminds me of Kusco murphys lavender hair creme. My only complaint is I wish it had a shine finish rather than Matte, so I have to use a shine product with this.

I love this - I have short fine wavy hair that is cut in long layers in a very cropped bob. This product lifts, defines and creates a wonderful funky choppy look in seconds that lasts all day. You hardly need any product, I take a small 'finger' rub my hands together and then scrunch into my hair.
I've converted both my mother and sister to this and we all have different hair and styles so this is very versitile.

I use this to make my side swept bangs stay put. It does the job and holds them all day without looking stiff or unnatural. I love the lavender scent in the product. The one container will last me a very long time since I only use a tiny bit from it each day on my bangs. Overall, I would not purchase again because I'm sure I could find a similar product that is much less expensive to do the job.

I really like this product so far. It lightly defines my super-fine short hair without weighing it down or making it greasy. I have a chin length bob with bangs that I first blow dry. Then, I use just a dab of the defining whip and smooth it onto my ends and bangs to give my hair more texture. Love! Will definitely repurchase when it runs out (which won't be any time soon! - a little goes a long way)

I like this a lot for scrunching through my shoulder-length wavy hair (I use it when my hair's wet...Haven't tried it on dry hair, as the Aveda website recommends). It gives me great-looking waves that last all day. I'm not sure that it's discontinued. The company's website doesn't mention it, and you can order it from them, no problem (at its regular price, not clearance). I e-mailed customer service, and will update with their response.
EDIT: Company responded 5/9/08, and this is NOT discontinued. Yay!

EDIT: I just posted this review, and then saw on folica.com that Aveda is discontinuing it. Last year Aveda discontinued my other favorite product-- their Elixir leave-in conditioner-- and if they drop this too, I'm leaving them, after a 20-yr relationship. Gah!
I've been known to leap out of the chair when a stylist gets ready to add product to my hair-- 90% of products make my hair look "done" and flat. However, this product is Total Genius. I have very thick, heavy, slightly wavy hair, that I wear in a sharply angled short bob. A little bit of this on the long ends in front gives me a soft version of that Supremes-type wave at the tips, and a little bit on the back of my head roughs it up so I don't look overly coiffed. It also works on wavy-hair days AND straight-hair days, which is impressive.
It is pretty pricey, but one jar lasts me 9 months or more. And whoever said it resemble Noxzema in both appearance and texture was dead-on. But compared to its many awesomenesses, those are minor complaints.

I love this stuff for giving some matte texture to my short hair. Smells nice and it doesn't creep onto my face and make it oily.

I really like this product. It is good for texturing short hair without leaving it too gooey. I also love the smell. (If you like other Aveda products' smells, you'll love this one too!) It's a bit pricey, but you don't have to use too much.

I've had my jar of whip for a few years and it still works (and still smells pretty good). Perfect for styling a short, cute haircut, especially when going out on the town.

This stuff rocks! I have long, fine, frizzy hair which I flat-iron. I live in a highly humid area and this miracle product is the only product that can calm down my frizzies. My hair would get frizzy shortly after flat-ironing it and this really smoothes everything down without being heavy or greasy and I apply it on my root area also. The only con is, it's pricey.

I have fine short hair that is longer in the front (say 5 inches) and shorter in the back (3 inches). I tend to flip up my hair on the back of my head & smooth it flat on the front with a little height at the crown.
Got stuck with a different stylist than my regular stylist (she was on an extended leave of absence) & the new temp stylist used this product on my hair. She said all the Aveda hair products packaged in the light blue containers are meant for fine hair thus it won't be heavy or weigh my hair down.
She used this defining whip & yes the ends flipped up & the front was smooth and sleek. But in hindsight - she used about 3 or 4 total products not including the shampoo/conditioner. Plus I just got my hair trimmed so it always poofs up & behaves at that exact moment in time.
The packaging forces you to get the product under your fingernail - not a big issue once you start warming it up between your fingertips anyways. It looks a lot like Noxzema, but more fluffy. Yes it is very light & airy unlike pomades, waxes, gels, etc - feels a bit like a watery version of styling mousse.
I live in a brutally humid & generally hot coastal area so battling frizz & humidity issues is never ending! After I apply the whip to my hair & use it to piece out the little flips of hair in the back & smooth out & lift all other areas - it looks - ok on a good day.
The downer is that the time I leave my bathroom & step out on the back porch to let the dog out & get exposed to the morning dew - my hair has already begun to curl & wave & frizz. It's like I didn't even try to make my hair look decent - but now it's too late & I have to get to work with this lousy styled hair. I suppose if you don't live in a humid climate or have no frizz issues but do have fine hair - this may be cool for you. Can't see how a thicker, coarser hair would benefit at all.
I really really wanted this product to work & have been tinkering with how much & how I place it - but I've gained no ground & look no better for my efforts. I finally pitched it out & went back to using my regualr products & hair looks (and acts) fab! continued >>

My Hair - Short pixie cut. Straight hair. Hair texture is fine, not heavy. Many cowlicks and naturally spiky at this length.

Product - Straight from the tub, this material is an ugly, grainy-looking off-white goop, not runny but not a solid wax or overly thick paste. HINT: you must emulsify this in your hands before applying AND don't use too much. If you don't emulsify this before applying, the wax "grains" look like dandruff stuck in your hair :( ... I take a dime-size blob and work it between my palms until the consistency is uniform and the graininess is gone. Then I apply to dry or damp hair with fingertips to chunks that I want to look piecey, then rub my palms with what's left over the rest of my hair. For my hair, this does a fair job for a piecey look and provides medium hold to keep my cowlicks down. Dries a little bit crunchy and feels a little greasy to the touch; feels like my hair is unwashed... Can be reworked lightly with damp hands at midday. Not as strong an aroma as many of Aveda's other hair products.
NOTE: When I had longer hair, this did not work nearly as well for me - with chin-length or longer, fine straight hair, this product just weighed my hair down too much and left it feeling greasy/dirty.

Packaging - Opaque blue plastic tub with translucent screw-on lid. The lid also has a streamlined flip top, so you can open it whichever way you prefer; very thoughtful.

Overall - Not my personal favorite due to the texture, but it definitely gets the job done. Best suited for day-after hairstyle looks and preventing flyaways. Best when applied to dry or lightly damp hair. Don't use too much! continued >>

This stuff is great but the problem is I have black hair, and I have to really work this in to make the white disappear. So I took off 1 lippie otherwise I really like this. It's great to give volume to a ponytail, it holds well.