Alba Botanica • Hawaiian Gardenia Hydrating Conditioner • Conditioner

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*TOP REVIEWER* rallu on 2/26/2013 12:57:00 AM more reviews by rallu

Age: 30-35   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium, Warm   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Brown    

I found this BOGO at my supermarket ...so I got the shampoo and conditioner and used them together. The shampoo is sulphate free but lathers very nicely which made me think would clean my hair too. I was wrong...left my hair "gluey" feeling. The conditioner has some silicones but towards the end of the list...detangles nicely but makes my hair really flat. The second day my hair looked really oily and had to wash it again. Used them separately too and same results. After 2-3 washes I gave up and stopped using them...

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*TOP REVIEWER* LittleBear23 on 4/9/2012 7:37:00 PM more reviews by LittleBear23

Age: 36-43   Skin: Sensitive, Fair-Medium, Neutral   Hair: Brown, Straight, Fine   Eyes: Brown    

Meh. It's a conditioner and it smells nice in the shower. That's about it. The scent doesn't last once you get out of the shower. I have fine, thick, straight hair that's color treated. It's barely damaged from the color, but still I need more moisture than this provides. It would probably be ok if you have fine, straight, thin, virgin hair. Otherwise, I think you'll need more moisture.

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dauboo on 4/26/2011 12:47:00 AM more reviews by dauboo

Age: 25-29   Skin: Acne-prone, Fair   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Blue    

I love this stuff, it's one of the only conditioners I've ever bought more than once. When I first used it, I noticed how my hair seemed to turn to silk when I was rinsing it out in the shower. Shortly after, more than one person randomly commented on how shiny my hair was.
Only problem is that it builds up. After a few weeks of using it, you'll no longer be going oooh and ahhh as you run your fingers through your hair. For that reason, I stopped using it for a while... until I stumbled on the solution: clarify. Since I started doing weekly vinegar rinses (that is, mix a splash of vinegar in a big cup of water and rinse your hair with it), I tried this stuff again and it was like the first time I'd used it! I've also tried mixing a splash of red tea into this conditioner with even more fabulous results.
Bottom Line: I like it.

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

*TOP REVIEWER* ashleydutta on 12/8/2010 9:22:00 PM more reviews by ashleydutta

Age: 25-29   Skin: Combination, Fair, Warm   Hair: Brown, Wavy, Fine   Eyes: Green    

This is one of my favorite conditioners! I have fine textured hair that gets weighed down easily by product, but my hair is still dry so I need something very hydrating - it's hard to get that combination right - but this one does!
first of all, it hydrates really well - the day after I use this my hair is shiny, less frizzy, and manageable. it also gives my hair a lot of bounce and makes it look healthy. it smells wonderful - like a tropical vacation. and, it's not too expensive. It also doesn't contain much silicones - it does contain one, dimethicone, but it far down the ingredient list. So I feel this keeps my hair healthy and it can actually absorb into the hair shaft since it is not just a concoction of silicones like many conditioners.
The only problem with it - the texture is too thick. it's hard to get out of the bottle, and it can take a lot of product to spread on the hair because it is so thick. But, I can put up with that since it leaves my hair looking (and smelling) so nice. Btw, this gardenia conditioner is better than the Alba Coconut conditioner in the same line.

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CosmeticConfessions on 6/28/2010 10:31:00 PM more reviews by CosmeticConfessions

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

I have very thin, limp hair that is prone to being oily so this conditioner works well for me as it does not weigh down my hair. It does not feel super moisturizing when I put in on in the shower but when I rinse it out my hair feels soft and smooth. This product also smells amazing! My one main complaint is that the hard plastic of the bottle makes it difficult to squeeze the conditioner out of the bottle!

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ADelicateFlower on 1/7/2010 8:53:00 PM more reviews by ADelicateFlower

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

I have used this product before and found it to be just okay. It has a thick consistancy which is nice and smells like fresh gardenias but beyond that this conditioner is just a glorified detangler. Nothing special and it hardly did a thing for my dry ends.
Bottom line: good if you want to detangle your locks with something all natural and very nice smelling, but not conditioning enough for any heavy lifting.

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*TOP REVIEWER* Zedar on 9/7/2009 1:21:00 AM more reviews by Zedar

Age: 30-35   Skin: Acne-prone, Fair, Cool   Hair: Blond, Wavy, Fine   Eyes: Brown    

This conditioner works better after I use Nature's Gate Biotin Shampoo compared to the various BWC shampoos that I used to use.

The fragrance and consistency of Hawaiian Gardenia conditioner remind me of a prototype Alba facial cleanser that my friend sourced in the early '90s from the dermatologist creator of Alba.

I like the gardenia fragrance fine, but this is not a favorite conditioner of mine.

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rooks on 8/20/2009 12:15:00 PM more reviews by rooks

Age: 30-35   Skin: Normal, Fair   Hair: Blond   Eyes: Hazel    

I like this conditioner a lot. I'm surprised more people don't like it. The smell is divine, and it makes my thin, tangly hair manageable and soft. It is a bit thick in consistency, but I find that diluting it with a bit of water helps and makes it more cost-effective, too.

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TiareFlower on 8/12/2009 9:03:00 PM more reviews by TiareFlower

Age: 56 & Over   Skin: Combination, Fair   Hair: Other   Eyes: Blue    

Even though alba Botanica's parent company Hain Celestial has their reps say that AB's conditioners have no silicones, all the conditioners in the Hawaii line have dimethicone and lots of it. It's about a third the way down on a long list of ingredients. I've found that whenever Hain Celestial buys a natural product company, the quality suffers. They bought Maranatha nut butters, a company w/ a sterling track record, and after they did, Maranatha had to recall a run of tahini for salmonella contamination. The ethics of these folks seems questionable. My guess is that they put impossible pressure to lower expenses on their subsidiaries, so the companies are forced to buy cheaper ingredients and cut back on quality control.

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*TOP REVIEWER* myolderbrother on 6/11/2009 2:42:00 AM more reviews by myolderbrother

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

I lose my mind when it comes to good smelling gardenia products!! This conditioner smells soooo great!!! I wish I could say it performs as well as it smells. Better than an average conditioner due to the wonderful scent. Definitely a treat to use, especially while vacationing in Hawaii!

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greengoddess11 on 3/12/2009 3:52:00 PM more reviews by greengoddess11

Age: 25-29   Skin: Combination, Fair   Hair: Red   Eyes: Green    

I am suprised at how bad this conditioner is! It worked ok at detangling and it smelt nice. However my hair felt like hay after I used it! Not buyin this one again.

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trendoid on 10/24/2008 10:17:00 PM more reviews by trendoid

Age: 18 & Under   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Hazel    

This is a nice conditioner but I wouldn't recommend it to anyone with dry hair who needs that extra boost of moisture. It is gentle enough to use everyday and the scent is definitely a pick me up.

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debbsterina on 3/24/2008 11:50:00 PM more reviews by debbsterina

Age: 44-55   Skin: Sensitive, Fair   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Blue    

I just washed my hair and the entire apartment smells like a garden. My hair is clean and fragrant; oh I feel wonderful. Also use the Plumeria Shampoo.

Heaven.

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luv_bug on 2/11/2008 3:26:00 AM more reviews by luv_bug

Age: 25-29   Skin: Combination   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Brown    

The first time I used this product, I thought it was great. It smelled amazing (like Fracas), came out thick, and left my hair feeling silky. It was all downhill from there. It started drying my hair out, seemed to leave a waxy buildup, and the silicones made me break out all throughout my hairline. Even worse, the pimples spread to the rest of my face. (I think because it got on my pillowcase and transferred.) I wish I'd never tried it in the first place.

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

sugarrbebe1 on 12/8/2007 6:52:00 PM more reviews by sugarrbebe1

Age: 36-43   Skin: Normal, Olive   Hair: Black   Eyes: Hazel    

I loved the smell of this product, but it was just too rich for my hair. I just don't need anything quite so thick. The only time I was able to put it to good use was after coloring my hair. However, for someone with dry or damaged hair, I would think this would be a godsend.

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akemikatze on 8/17/2007 11:02:00 AM more reviews by akemikatze

Age: 25-29   Skin: Sensitive, Fair   Hair: Red   Eyes: Hazel    

I absolutely LOVE the smell of this, so I'd probably repurchase just for that alone. I have a lot of very fine hair that tends to get oily and limp at the root but dry at the ends, so I have to keep this from about midshaft down. I like the consistency because I can leave it in while I shower and it doesn't go anywhere, and it still rinses clean and leaves my hair nicely moisturized. However, the packaging is terrible for a product this thick. I have to store it upside-down and give it a good smack and squeeze to get it out. I rated it a 3 because it also contains 'cones, but they are of the water-soluble variety. Overall, this conditioner is nothing amazing, but it does what I need it to do and I'd repurchase.


NOTE: I compared the ingredients to the Mango Moisturizing (wasn't sure what the difference between "Moisturizing" and "Hydrating" was) and they are word for word, exactly the same.

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

*TOP REVIEWER* IcedTeaChick on 6/26/2007 1:56:00 AM more reviews by IcedTeaChick

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

LOVE LOVE LOVE the smell of this conditioner, I thought it wouldn't be moisturizing enough for my dry hair but I was wrong. Even if it wasn't moisturizing enough, I'd still buy it for the gardenia scent!!! Usually heavily scented shampoos, conditioners, fragrances in general bother me, but not this one, I find it relaxing :)

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kylesmom27 on 6/26/2007 12:04:00 AM more reviews by kylesmom27

Age: 25-29   Skin: Sensitive, Fair   Hair: Blond   Eyes: Green    

I really like this conditioner. It adds moisture but doesn't weigh my fine hair down. It smells heavenly and makes my hair really shiny. Love it!

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doujima on 6/8/2007 7:42:00 AM more reviews by doujima

Age: 25-29   Skin: Combination   Hair: Blond   Eyes: Blue    

rubbish, just as the other conditioner in the same series. smells nice, but that's about it, and I need my conditioner to do more than that. I recommend Thinkhappy Organic Surge conditioner instead.

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mariacarolinacs on 3/18/2007 12:44:00 PM more reviews by mariacarolinacs

Age: 25-29   Skin: Combination   Hair: Blond   Eyes: Brown    

I bought because the bottle is soooooooo cute, but again realized that's the king of stupid compulsion I have to avoid.

I love the smell, it's trully Gardenia, but this condioner did nothing for my hair. Even detangling in the shower with teh product still on is hard, gave no shine, didn't mosturize and the scent didn't "bond" to my hair.

Will not buy again.

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