Joico • K-PAK Chelating Shampoo • Shampoo

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Thunderblitz on 4/25/2013 3:20:00 PM more reviews by Thunderblitz

Age: 36-43   Skin: Other   Hair: Other   Eyes: Blue    

This isn't just for product buildup, but also for hard water buildup. If you have white spots on glasses and in the shower, you have hard water. This can dry out your hair, and really do a number on it. Instead of reaching for the conditioner, give this a try, it made a tremendously good difference in my hair, it's so much softer, but full of volume. I've tried other clarifying shampoos, but I don't think they do anything for hard water. By the way, I think the current version is called Clarifying, but it still has the same ingredients and is still chelating. Highly recommended.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

sassyBrunette on 10/14/2012 10:11:00 PM more reviews by sassyBrunette

Age: 19-24   Skin: Acne-prone, Fair   Hair: Brunette, Wavy, Fine   Eyes: Brown    

this was a decent clarifying shampoo for once a week. however, maybe i did not need it once a week? maybe i only needed it for once every 2 weeks? because after the second time using it, my hair looked like it was in bad condition haha. it got rid of build up though! also VERY drying, i do not know if this is with all clarifying shampoos? The only non-drying one was the pureology one that i tried....USE a good hydrating conditioner after!

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TeaGirl on 8/2/2012 8:42:00 AM more reviews by TeaGirl

Age: 30-35   Skin: Combination, Fair, Cool   Hair: Brunette, Straight, Fine   Eyes: Hazel    

I use an organic/natural shampoo all month long but I have incorporated this shampoo into my routine about twice a month.

I love organic but when I use hair products my hair starts to seem a bit heavy after a while.. I wanted something that would really clarify my hair and this does the trick.

I used to use redkin products religiously but my hair became dry, frizzy, dull and unmanageable. So of course I would add more products to fix those issues without ever stopping to think that perhaps it was my shampoo that was the problem.

I switched to an organic shampoo and even from the first wash my hair already became softer and more shiny. After a week it was hardly frizzy anymore and so smooth. I have been organic for 2 years now and no longer need to use products that add shine and cut down friz and make hair sleek.

After using Joico Chelating Shampoo, my hair is more bouncy and really light. Its also really really shiny. On the down side I need to wash my hair sooner the next time as it gets oily quicker and I had forgotten how much shampoo burns when it gets in your eye.. haha... the worst my organic shampoo can do is make my eye feel minty fresh... it also feels a little drier.

I wouldn't use this product more often as I feel my hair may become damaged again but I will definitely be sticking to this routine for now as it seems to be working for me.

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hnrenfro on 6/22/2012 9:34:00 PM more reviews by hnrenfro

Age: 19-24   Skin: Normal, Fair, Neutral   Hair: Brunette, Curly, Medium   Eyes: Brown    

This is one of my favorit shampoos its gentle enough to be used on VERY VERY damaged hair yett it really removes hard water mineral buildup styling product build up cones everything , oh did i mention the smell is to die for<33 cant believe i havent reviewed this yet ive been using it for 4+years

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clareylb on 9/21/2011 5:23:00 PM more reviews by clareylb

Age: 30-35   Skin: Combination, Fair   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Hazel    

This stuff is amazing. I moved house and I wondered why my hair was so awful. It felt lank but dry at the same time. I contemplated getting it all cut off. Anyway, it dawned on me that I had moved from an area with soft water to one with hard water. I love Joico products so when I saw they did this chelating one, I bought it. It's great! One wash and my hair sprung back to life. The rest of my Joico products now feel like they are really sinking in and doing their job - while my roots feel bouncy again. The smell of the actual shampoo is lovely, I'd say a bit coconutty? But I do have to say that when I was lathering my hair, it gave off a pretty nasty ammonia-like smell. My hair itself didn't smell, just the air in the shower. I guess it's down to a chemical reaction with my overprocessed hair? Anyway, don't let this put you off, this product is fab!

5 out of 6 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

*TOP REVIEWER* Donnz on 4/6/2011 9:39:00 PM more reviews by Donnz

Age: 30-35   Skin: Dry, Fair-Medium, Neutral   Hair: Brunette, Wavy, Fine   Eyes: Green    

Best clarifying shampoo I've tried hands down so totally worth the money. I don't use any products on my hair so I only use this once a month to get rid of residual cones and bring back intense shine. It does leave everything squeaky clean and so the frizz is an issue but within the next wash (using one n only Argan oil shampoo and conditioner) the problem is sorted. In love with the smell and richness of it and it is far cheaper than other high brand chelating shampoos. Will absolutely repurchase!

2 out of 3 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

*TOP REVIEWER* Jewelx17 on 3/24/2011 11:01:00 AM more reviews by Jewelx17

Age: 30-35   Skin: Acne-prone, Fair-Medium, Warm   Hair: Black, Wavy, Coarse   Eyes: Brown    

Oh my god, I love this stuff! Ever since I moved to a location that has hard water, my hair has been looking like sh*t. It's been so dry and frizzy, nothing has helped and we don't have enough money to get a water softener system. I've been coping by trying all different types of hair products in hopes of improving my hair. Usually something might work for the first time and then after that, it's downhill again. My hair just felt so dry and rough, hated my hair after a while. I've tried clarifying shampoos to try to get rid of the build up but it just dries out my hair even more. This stuff really works without drying my hair! I almost feel like my hair starts out fresh every time I use this. It gets rid of all the gunk from product build up and whatever the hard water is doing to my hair. Now I feel that my conditioners actually work because it sinks into my hair rather than just sit on top of build up. This is expensive ($13) but for a salon product that actually works, it's worth it.

5 out of 6 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

*TOP REVIEWER* hippihanna on 2/6/2011 10:28:00 AM more reviews by hippihanna

Age: 19-24   Skin: Oily, Olive   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Brown    

This is an awesome chelating shampoo. I have tried many, and they all have left my hair dry, tangled and crisp but this surprised me as it is so gentle yet effective... Not one knot after rinsing!

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*TOP REVIEWER* simi531 on 1/28/2011 12:47:00 PM more reviews by simi531

Age: 36-43   Skin: Dry, Fair-Medium   Hair: Blond   Eyes: Blue    

This stuff was hard to find but so worth it. We have well water which has been wreaking havoc on my hair. Add highlights and haircolor to the mix and I have pretty dry unmanageable hair. This stuff changes all of that. With my arsenal of deep conditioners and treatments to try and get my hair healthy again, the build up was taking its toll on my hair. My hair had a strange reddish tint to it from faded highlights and color and i know our water filtration system wasnt working so that was partially to blame. Anyway, none of my old standby conditioners seemed to help, so I knew that I needed to change something. I ordered this from a local salon a few months ago and have been using it pretty regularly. I dont like to use shampoos with sulfates in them, but I was really desperate to get the rust type coating off of my hair and start fresh. This helped so much! I used it once a week or more in the beginning b/c it made my hair feel so light and able to take the deep conditioners. They were actually able to penetrate my hair effectively to do their job. I now just use it a few times a month or when I feel like I have too much build up from hair products and well water minerals. Great stuff. Will always use this unless a sulfate free chelating shampoo comes out that is just as good.

2 out of 3 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

Phira on 9/11/2010 8:55:00 PM more reviews by Phira

Age: 36-43   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium   Hair: Red   Eyes: Brown    

This is the best clarifying shampoo out there. I use a lot of products with silicone and with my hair being color treated I am terrified of anything that will dull or strip my color. Other products dried me out. This is a gentle clarifier but gets the hair super clean. I always follow this with the Joico's deep hydrating conditioner and my hair always looks fantastic.

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AutumnRosebud on 5/24/2010 10:35:00 PM more reviews by AutumnRosebud

Age: 19-24   Skin: Combination, Fair, Cool   Hair: Blond   Eyes: Blue    

I bought this to use before treating my hair with the K-Pak deep penetrating reconstructor and intense hydrator. I have used the reconstructor and hydrator following both my regular shampoo and this chelating shampoo and I definitely see a difference in their effectiveness! It seems like the chelating shampoo helps those products work a lot better. I've also used this product a few times without following with the reconstructor and hydrator because I wanted to really see the effects of this product alone.

I've used clarifying shampoos in the past and they left my hair looking thin and stripped, but this was different. Whether using the reconstuctor and hydrator afterwords or just my regular conditioner, my hair was left feeling and looking very clean, light, and still very moisturized.

I have been using this once a week with the reconstructor and hydrator-those three products combined have COMPLETELY overhauled my hair. Up until about a year ago I had pretty healthy hair. Despite wearing ponytails and messy buns way too often and using my straightener on a regular basis I never really had any major signs of damage in my hair. A year ago that all changed and slowly throughout the course of this year my hair has become weak, brittle, damaged, and started breaking at the slightest touch. I noticed results after the first use of this system-my hair was much softer. However, the softness went away after the next time I washed my hair. After the first use my hair was still damaged looking and frizzy though. With every use of this system, the results got better, and lasted longer. Now it seems like my hair is just naturally a lot healthier! Its very soft, far less frizzy, and the signs of damage are really minimized. I'm going to be repurchasing this entire system and I highly recommend it!


I did a lot of research on these products before buying it, and I've learned that its best not to leave this product in your shower. If any of your shower water gets into the bottle (which is very easy because water gets trapped in the cap pretty easily) it can cause the product become grainy and lumpy because the product is reacting with the minerals and chlorine in the water because thats what the chemicals are meant to do on your hair. So I make sure not to leave this in the shower to reduce the chance that my chelating shampoo wiill get lumpy and so far I haven't had a problem with that!

17 out of 19 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

*TOP REVIEWER* felgoj on 4/10/2010 10:56:00 PM more reviews by felgoj

Age: 36-43   Skin: Dry, Medium, Warm   Hair: Brunette, Wavy, Medium   Eyes: Brown    

For $13 this shampoo is a miracle worker. It's been a long time since I clarified my hair & when I finally did last week (with Paul Mitchell Shampoo Two), it was ok. Good work. But it could have been better. I accidentally bought Shampoo Two (for product buildup) instead of Shampoo Three (for chlorine buildup) b/c they look identical. Instead of making an exchange I decided to keep Shampoo Two (I love the lemon scent) & went out & got Joico's Chelating shampoo (my hair needed a really deep cleaning) & it revived my suffering hair!


The packaging fairly stinks, as the dispensing opening is flat & shampoo can smear around if I don't keep it clean. One more thing to have to worry about! But I'll keep using this shampoo as long as it continues to clarify my hair free of hard NYC water which is full of minerals, metals & chlorine. Iron deposits build up on my shower head which I have to clean off periodically. So I knew the situation had to be the same with my hair, & it has really made a difference.


Leaves a fresh slate so conditioners can do their job. My hair is soft, responsive, renewed ...not weighed down w/buildup ...not lifeless but bouncy & healthier ...so much UNlike the damaged chemically processed state it's been in for so long. I wish I learned of this shampoo FAR sooner.

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miinx on 4/8/2010 10:23:00 AM more reviews by miinx

Age: 25-29   Skin: Oily, Fair, Cool   Hair: Red, Straight, Fine   Eyes: Green    

Best clarifying/chelating shampoo ever. I use alot of hair products and have hard well water at my house, so my hair needs de-gunkified pretty often.

I had been using Aveda Detox and Aubrey Organics green tea shampoo, but neither really gave me what my hair needed. My hair has been feeling pretty spectacularly gunked up lately - even after a wash with the aubrey clarifier and a vinegar rinse, my hair was still looking dull, limp, and lifeless, and feeling totally coated - i was even experiencing gross, oily flakey buildup on my scalp. My hair was a hot mess.

Joico chelating shampoo fixed all that. It somehow managed to simultaneously remove all the gross product and hard water buildup, totally banish the buildup and flakes on my scalp, and restore my hairs softness and bounce. My hair is shiny, my color looks bright and vibrant again, my natural wave and body is back -- and best of all, it managed to clarify my hair so completely without making my hair feel like a dry, matted, tangled mess like so many clarifying shampoos do - only a light conditioner needed. AMAZING stuff.

I can actually let my hair air dry again without it looking like a total flat, dull mess.

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platinumdesk on 3/19/2010 9:35:00 PM more reviews by platinumdesk

Age: 19-24   Skin: Acne-prone   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Blue    

This is my first review on this site, that's how much I loved this shampoo. I live in LA and the water is so hard here that it leaves white spots on dishes. Yuck. For months I've been trying to find a solution for my highlighted and damaged hair. It had been feeling like straw and was so stiff that it would stick straight out, like it had glue in it or something. I had tried all sorts of clarifying shampoos but they would leave my hair even more dried out and in my effort to add moisture, my hair would go right to being sticky and stiff. Plus, I was even starting to develop patches of dandruff. I read about hard water and that chelating shampoos remove buildup better than clarifying shampoos. I shampoo'd twice with Joico chelating shampoo, applied a hair mask for 10 minutes in the shower and didn't expect much. But when my hair had dried...oh my wow. It was incredible, my hair felt silky and i was able to let it down and it actually moved in the wind. I still need some deep conditioning to fully restore my hair but I'm on my way to having beautiful, touchable hair that doesn't always have to be in a bun. If you have hard water and have been struggling with your hair, try this shampoo!

4 out of 5 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

Daniela7474 on 8/28/2009 4:13:00 PM more reviews by Daniela7474

Age: 30-35   Skin: Combination, Fair, Warm   Hair: Blond, Straight, Fine   Eyes: Green    

This stuff is GREAT!!!!!!!!!!

We have really hard water with lots of cholorine, which results in my blonde highlights going brassy very quickly. This shampoo makes my hair squeaky clean and shiny, as well as removes the orangey colored tones from the chlorine.

Smells great and since I only use it two or three times a week (as directed on bottle), it lasts a long time.

I will ALWAYS buy this---it's genius!

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BarbwireDoll on 7/11/2009 11:44:00 PM more reviews by BarbwireDoll

Age: 19-24   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium   Hair: Red   Eyes: Blue    

I can't believe I haven't reviewed this before.
I'll admit, I used this for a slightly different goal, but it was great none the less.
One day, on a whim, I took a packet of chocolate brown semi-permanant dye and put it over my delicate, strawberry blonde, highlighted hair.
It wasn't pretty, I hated it!
So, I ran to the salon and my stylist reccomended I use this shampoo as much as possible. I always washed my hair twice, and initially I did everyday for two weeks...and it worked, so well! My hair was noticable lighter after one wash, and in two weeks I had a nice, medium red....
Now I use it occasionally when I feel my hair just isn't getting clean, and it's great!!

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*TOP REVIEWER* curlycuesue on 10/2/2008 4:47:00 AM more reviews by curlycuesue

Age: 25-29   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Brown    

I just took up swimming, and wanted a clarifying shampoo to eliminate chlorine. After doing a board search, I found that chelating shampoos are better than clarifying shampoos at extracting all the bad stuff, so I purchased the Joico Chelating. So far, so great! If I use regular shampoo and conditioner after swimming, my hair is dry, brittle, and still reeks of chlorine (even though I thoroughly wet and apply conditioner to my hair before entering the pool). But on the days I use Joico Chelating, my hair is definitely softer and there's absolutely no smell of chlorine (which is how I know it works). I wish I could use this shampoo every day but I'm afraid all the color in my hair will seep out (plus, the directions advise to use only 2x/week). I can't attest to how well this shampoo eliminates minerals and styling product buildup, but if it works on chlorine, I'm thinking it'll eliminate other bad stuff, too.

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*TOP REVIEWER* JEvon on 9/8/2008 6:54:00 PM more reviews by JEvon

Age: 36-43   Skin: Normal, Medium   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Brown    

I have only used this once and so far I love it. My hair has always seemed to respond well to Joico treatment products. My hair is dyed, dried and fried and I was using Redken products to try to help it.
My hair wasn't responding so I figured my hair might need to be deep cleaned first. I had this shampoo on hand and right away I could tell this was something wonderful. It lathered nicely and my hair felt soft under this shampoo. I then conditioned with Redken and my hair was left shiny, soft and in better condition. I think now I will do the Joico K pak.
UPDATE: Not sure what happened but for some reason this shampoo turned and had clear gel clumps in it. It didn't lather up or clean right either. I called the salon where I got it and they said it sometimes happens as it sits on the shelf. I didn't have it a month and this happened.

2 out of 3 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

chicagoheather on 6/3/2008 6:30:00 PM more reviews by chicagoheather

Age: 30-35   Skin: Combination   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Brown    

i was having an issue with hard water and had NO idea why my normally dry, frizzy hair looked like an oil slick everytime i washed and blowdried til' i tried this shampoo. 2 minutes once a week assures my hair is shiny and soft, and no longer greasy!

LOVE IT!!!

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*TOP REVIEWER* eternalstarangel on 2/26/2008 3:39:00 AM more reviews by eternalstarangel

Age: 19-24   Skin: Normal, Fair-Medium   Hair: Black   Eyes: Brown    

I absolutely this shampoo when combined with the rest of joico's 17 minute hair repair system. Used every 1-2 weeks along with the ph balancer, the hair reconstructor and the intense hydrator,my hair becomes amazingly shiny healthy looking after using this product.

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