Kiehls • Amino Acid Shampoo • Shampoo

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Angel_Wings on 8/12/2009 11:48:00 PM more reviews by Angel_Wings

Age: 30-35   Skin: Sensitive, Fair-Medium   Hair: Black   Eyes: Brown    

This shampoo is extremely gentle. I can use it everyday without it irritating my scalp or drying it out. I love the smell and it rinses out easily. Although it is on the expensive side, you don't need much to get a nice lather.

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*TOP REVIEWER* AmazonRises on 8/6/2009 3:47:00 PM more reviews by AmazonRises

Age: 44-55   Skin: Combination, Olive, Warm   Hair: Brown, Wavy, Medium   Eyes: Brown    

I have never been faithful to any shampoo, but this product has changed that. I have naturally wavy hair that gets fried from coloring and straightening. Once I tried Amino Acid Shampoo, other products just could not measure up. I don't know what the secret ingredients are (other than coconut oil), but this shampoo cleans well without drying my hair. It also leaves it very shiny and healthy-looking. It is expensive but worth every cent. Whenever I run out, I immediately go to the Kiehl's store or Nordstrom and get a new bottle.

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*TOP REVIEWER* amarock on 7/27/2009 10:24:00 PM more reviews by amarock

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

I really enjoy this shampoo. The SMELL! I think I'm addicted to just the smell... to me, it's a mix of coconut and baby powder. The scent is so light and comforting, I leave the lather in my hair just to get more of the scent in my hair - not sure if this works, but at least I get to smell it for longer while I wash my body! The performance of the shampoo is good - a decent amount of lather, cleans my hair well, doesn't leave any film or residue, or dry out my hair. I have pretty healthy hair with oily scalp that I wash daily, and this gentle shampoo is good for daily use. The bottle is just your standard Kiehls apothecary type with a flip top cap, easy to use, but also not that unique. Basically, this shampoo is an indulgence... it's $24.50 CAD for a 250mL. I can buy a drugstore brand that performs on par with this shampoo, for less than $5! It's not organic, or even all natural... but just a good basic shampoo that happens to smell really good! I would buy this again, but I wouldn't use it on a daily basis, just for pick me up days for that scent fix (mmmm... coconut + baby powder). Does any one know if there is a scent out there that smells like this shampoo? Maybe then, I can break free of this! I took a lippie off for the price vs product performance.

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mooncake421 on 3/3/2009 1:09:00 AM more reviews by mooncake421

Age: 19-24   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Brown    

So I generally love Kiehl's products, and I was thinking about what Kiehl's products I absolutely couldn't live without. Turns out, as much as I love them, I could *probably* live without some of them, but I honestly think I would be devastated if I didn't have this shampoo. The funny thing is I didn't realize how much I loved it because I've been using it for so many years.

I know that this shampoo is pretty expensive, but I feel like Kiehl's products are fairly reasonably priced for the quality, and this shampoo is no different. Also, I'm saving a TON of money on conditioner because with this shampoo, I don't need it!! Yep, I do not use conditioner, sometimes when I occasionally try other shampoo, I'll use that conditioner, but when I wash my hair with Kiehl's, I never have to use conditioner. For reference, my hair is pretty thin and limp, and has a tendency to get really tangled, but it is generally manageable (so I have typical Asian hair). When I use this shampoo, my hair is shiny and glossy and it also smells great (like coconuts, it has coconut oil in it).

It produces a nice lather (and you only need a little bit) without stripping your hair too much, which I feel like a lot of shampoos do, and my hair feels really clean but not like straw, which is a great feeling. Instead, it's just soft and shiny once it dries. I also don't use other conditioning treatments for my hair and with the Amino Acid Shampoo I really feel like it's not necessary.

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SoPolished on 2/17/2009 8:46:00 AM more reviews by SoPolished

Age: 30-35   Skin: Dry, Fair   Hair: Red, Wavy, Medium   Eyes: Grey    

This is not a "bad" shampoo. But- its just a shampoo, and it is certainly not worth the price that I paid for it.

I won't ever buy this again. My supermarket sells similar items for a fraction of the price.

I usually CO wash and only use shampoo to clarify when I need it- so I am willing to spend a bit of $$ on a good product. This is NOT it ladies. Save your money for Nexxus or Fekkai or something that is gentle and actually clarifies.

I have very thick hair, with fine strands- and I wear my hair up in a bun for work everyday- which means I use alcohol free gel- for hold- and get build up...Because I CO wash my hair- I need something that is a little stronger but still gentle for once or twice a week use.

Recently I used this as a daily shampoo- for about two weeks, just to "test" it, and it was a let down, my hair was tangled and didnt feel clean....

If you need an every day shampoo- you can find something gentle and inexpensive....in a DS or supermarket. This stuff is ridiculously overpriced- I was actually angry after using it for a while, I couldn't believe I had wasted so much money- and fallen for the advertising!!

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BD on 2/16/2009 11:36:00 PM more reviews by BD

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

Info on my hair: shoulder lenght, brown hair which is dry, thin and tangles easily! My scalp however, is quite normal: not too oily not too dry, it does tend to flake and irritate so it's a bit tricky to find the *perfect* shampoo for me.

Now, on to this shampoo, I got it as a birthday present, I've only used it once or twice and I find it decent enough. It's a good shampoo, and it does what it says: gently cleanses without striping hair of it's natural oils etc. A little goes a long way.

My scalp loves it, but my ends don't. I don't find it's very moisturizing, so if you've got dry hair you'd be better off using a more rich, moisturizing shampoo. Also, despite the lovely and creamy lather, my hair still tangles easily, even after shampooing :( Maybe it's because of the moisturizer I use, maybe not.

So, to sum it up...
Pros: LOVELY smell! It's got a really soft, subtle and nice coconut scent. Nice creamy leather. Really good cleanser, my hair felt clean but soft and was REALLY shiny after I used this shampoo.
Cons: Dries my mids and ends too much! Not good on my thin, tangle-prone hair.

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alliebear109 on 12/25/2008 6:37:00 PM more reviews by alliebear109

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

For reference: I have shoulder length blonde hair that is naturally wavy and medium thickness. My hair scalp is oily and gets dry in the winter.

I picked up the 4.2 oz bottle at my local TJ Maxx for a fairly decent price I enjoyed the scent. Someone commented that it smelled like Malibu liquor and that is right on the money! It had a creamy lather and felt moisturizing on my scalp. After washing it off, my hair felt nice and smooth. It was easy to comb through and my hair was shiny, smooth and bouncy after using it. I will repurchase again in the future!

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daniargie on 12/6/2008 12:51:00 AM more reviews by daniargie

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

I love Kielhs but I was really let down by this product. I cant believe this is SLS free, still, it must have some strong detergents in it. Im not very picky regarding shampoos but this one was TERRIBLE. Made my scalp itchy on the first use. My hair was knotted and it was impossible to comb through. Just horrible stuff, and the price is stip for a mediocre shampoo. I found it drying and harsh. If you have a sensitive scalp avoid this product.
For reference: My hair is fine, highlighted and past my waist.

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LilaGirl on 11/27/2008 5:50:00 PM more reviews by LilaGirl

Age: 36-43   Skin: Combination   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Brown    

Decent stuff. Was recommended to me by a MAC makeup girl who I was asking about the Shiseido shampoo; she had dark curly hair like me that tends to be dry, and she sad she uses this along with the fruit conditioner ... so I figured I'd give it a try. After using both, I got compliments on my curls. Some really good conditioners (like super rich, by Bumble and Bumble) leave my hair really conditioned, but a little flat. This is conditioning and leaves good curls. But I only used samples, so not sure what this would be like over a long period of time.

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Mako on 11/25/2008 11:42:00 AM more reviews by Mako

Age: 30-35   Skin: Dry, Fair-Medium, Neutral   Hair: Black   Eyes: Brown    

I wash my hair everyday, so I am always looking for mild shampoo that can be used everyday. I am glad that I found this one. It smells great (very soothing) and cleans nicely. It doesn't foam a lot. I think it's because it doesn't contain too much chemical foaming agent. I alternate it with Aveda shampure during the regular days. On the days I need extra volume, I use kiehl's rice and wheat volumizing shampoo or ojoin. All in all, it is a very gentle everyday shampoo.

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*TOP REVIEWER* silviabeloved on 10/3/2008 7:28:00 AM more reviews by silviabeloved

Age: 25-29   Skin: Sensitive, Fair   Hair: Black   Eyes: Black    

Got a 65ml small bottle of this as a free gift after spending some money on Kiehl's masks, I like the very faint nice smell, and I think it leaves my hair looks and feels nice after washing, I have very long hair (almost to my waist), and I don't have to use much, well, I think I will buy it if I have that money, but it's hard to say, maybe I will go for something else with stronger smell :P

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roguechild on 9/12/2008 12:46:00 AM more reviews by roguechild

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

General description: Kiehl's states that this shampoo contains pure coconut oil, amino acids and wheat proteins (to help add body). The shampoo promises to be mild and suitable for all hair types and scalps.


Packaging: The shampoo comes in a typical minimalist Kiehl's bottle with a white label and white flip-top cap. The shampoo comes in a few sizes: 2.5 fl. oz., 4.2 fl. oz., 8.4 fl. oz, 16.9 fl. oz., and a limited edition 1L pump size.


My hair: I have long, coarse, thick hair prone to dry ends and a moderately oily scalp (meaning I can go for a day without shampooing without looking like a grease ball).


Comments: The shampoo is certainly mild. If you simply apply it onto your hair, you will be disappointed in its cleansing powers. Because it doesn't have strong chemical detergents such as SLS and SLES, it will be hard to get a good lather from this shampoo without ensuring that your hair is SOPPING WET before you use this shampoo. (In fact, all shampoos should be used on very wet hair.) I usually dunk my head under the shower just before using this shampoo, and always manage to get a very creamy lather. Of course it is not on par with the lather of say Pantene, but the chemical detergents used this formula are much milder, so this is to be expected.

To get a thorough clean, I use half of my "regular amount" of shampoo to first massage my scalp vigorously, ensuring that every part of my scalp has been stimulated with my fingers (the pads, never the nails). I then rinse out the shampoo, and use about two peas' worth amount to then wash the strands of my hair (from the ears down). This might seem excessive, but I find that if I skip the last step my hair feels less clean.

After using this shampoo, I have found that I need much less conditioner than I had needed with other shampoos, to get the same conditioned result. I use normally use a silicone-free conditioner, or a conditioner with water-soluble silicones nowadays, whereas before I needed a conditioner with silicones to make my hair feel this sleek and smooth.

I can foresee problems with this shampoo for people with truly oily scalps or for those who don't like to wash their hair either everyday or every other day. Because this shampoo is so mild, I like that it does not strip my hair of its natural oils, and that it seems very well suited to my hair type. Those with fine hair may not love this shampoo as much.

As for the smell of the shampoo, it definitely lingers, but it is an inoffensive coconut smell, far less brash and in-your-face than the artificial fruity blends of drugstore shampoos. My only reservation about this shampoo is its price. However, I have found that I don't need as much of this shampoo as drugstore brands, so in the long run, I can use this shampoo for much longer. Considering it works so well on my hair in summer, I can see it working well on my hair in winter as well. Since I also have no problems with acne on my back while using this, I will definitely repurchase.

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

romany on 5/5/2008 10:36:00 AM more reviews by romany

Age: 36-43   Skin: Combination   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Green    

I have been using this product for the last month without success. My hair is very thick, but the strands are fine, and I have waves/spiral curls if I allow it to dry without intervention. The result of using this shampoo was that I was left with a permanent frizz haze over my entire head, including all the baby hairs that grow close to the hair lilne. The smell is ok- but to my nose it's more a mix of baby powder and coconut than straight coconut- it pretty much fades when hair is dry. Price wise, unless you have money to burn this is way too much at $19CAN after taxes for a small 125ml bottle. I gave it 2 instead of 1 only because most hair products are obnoxiously strong and artifically scented, and while I'm not a lover of this scent, it doesn't over offend me. Due to the damage it has performed on my hair, I won't even be finishing the bottle.

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smilealwz02 on 4/15/2008 9:44:00 AM more reviews by smilealwz02

Age: 19-24   Skin: Oily   Hair: Black   Eyes: Other    

Surprisingly, this works wonders for my oily hair and scalp. I wasn't expecting much from this when i bought this and the protein concentrate. Was actually putting high hopes on the protein concentrate since it was highly raved here. I was told the concentrate only be used every other day. I first started using the protein concentrate with my previous shampoo, it was great the first few times i used it however, the effects didn't last long. By afternoon my scalp would get itchy. So i stopped using for a while and when i had finished using my previous shampoo, i changed to the amino one.

When i started using, i felt the ends of my hair were a little dry( i guess due to the change of shampoo) But by the 2nd week of usage, hair was smoother. If i were to wash my hair in the morning, by afternoon, hair would look shiny and scalp will be oily. But after using this for a month, my scalp doesn't feel oily in the afternoon. Great for everyday use without stripping the oil from the scalp.

Being quite happy with it, I thought i'll give the protein concentrate another try, so i alternate that with the amino. Total disappointment again, i guess my hair doesn't work well with the protein concentrate. Scalp starts to itch again. For now, i'll just stick to using amino only.

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sorichsopretty on 3/30/2008 1:29:00 PM more reviews by sorichsopretty

Age: 18 & Under   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium   Hair: Blond   Eyes: Green    

i can't live without this shampoo. definitely a must have. it smells incredible,it's quite cheap & it makes my hair so shiny! i have VERY long, VERY dry hair and this is just perfect!

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suzzel on 3/5/2008 11:31:00 PM more reviews by suzzel

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

UPDATE - tried a Redken shampoo (moisturizing, some sort) at my friend's place and noticed the difference - I have to do two washes with Kiehl's to get my hair feeling clean, not with Redken. Will keep this one in my rotation, but it's sort of expensive to go so fast.

Best shampoo I've used so far. I have long, thick hair with bangs, so my bangs and head get greasy faster while my ends dry out and split. This shampoo lathers really well and cleanses without really stripping. It has a great subtle coconut scent that lingers. (Someone says it washes out completely - it def. doesn't, so you better like it). The only drawback is that I have to use quite a bit to get my (long, thick) hair clean, and it's not cheap. But I think that might be a trade off with shampoos - otherwise it would be stripping.

If I had oilier hair or used a lot of products, I'd use a more aggressive shampoo.

(I thought the Castille Shampoo would be right for my hair type - thick & course - but it's pretty watery and lame for an expensive shampoo.)
Also, I'm ok with paying more for Kiehl's since they don't test on animals.

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Betsybai on 1/18/2008 11:41:00 PM more reviews by Betsybai

Age: 25-29   Skin: Combination   Hair: Black   Eyes: Black    

Got my Holy Grail shampoo and conditioner in 250ml bottle eventually, 320RMB(around 45USD) in total including courier delivery which is not bad since you can purchase it nowhere locally (Shanghai of China).


No doubt, hats off to Kiehl's. I immediately kick all my Phyto, Rene Furterer, loreal salon collection to the curb.


The coconut scent is great but not at all overpowering and washed out completely, the lather is not foamy but cleans the hair and scalp thoroughly.


I have oily, itchy and dandruff prone scalp but dry ends after years of using the silicon-based shampoo, when I woke up one day and turned to those French brands which claim to be essence oil based with all these natural crap, no matter how hard I tried, how much I shell out, they just do NOT work miracles on me. My hair never look so bad, they are dull, greasy and just glued to the scalp the next day with dry locks.


I washed my hair daily in the morning and dry blow it so I really need the shampoo to be gentle while moisturizing. It is gentle but cleans the scalp without stripping it and it IS moisturizing. I really love it.


Got a lot of samples of most other shampoo products in Kiehl's line, will alternate with this full-size Amino Acid when I need to change the shampoo once in a while. Will update whether they are as good as Amino Acid.


The 133 formula conditioner is fine but still could not guarantee perfectly frizz-free hair even I rinse it off with cool water. I guess it takes some time since my cuticles are way too damaged when I used to use ceramic flat iron everyday to make my hair look sleek.

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

sesajones on 12/23/2007 1:43:00 PM more reviews by sesajones

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

I seemed to need far too much of it to clean the product out of my hair; don't use it if you have an oilier scalp, or lots of product, even though it says it's for all hair types. Would have expected it to be less watery or more concentrated for the price.

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*TOP REVIEWER* Tess35 on 12/17/2007 3:48:00 AM more reviews by Tess35

Age: 30-35   Skin: Combination, Medium   Hair: Black   Eyes: Black    

I swear. This makes my hair shiny. But also makes my scalp oily when I skip shampooing for a day.

Btw. I color my hair with pure henna and indigo.

UPDATE: After my shampoo journey, I find that this baby is the best shampoo for your hair if you prefer daily-washing or lives in a hot humid climate. I changed my rating to 5.

However, if you don't wash your hair everyday but when you do you take time rinsing it (3 mins at least and finish off with cold splash), the best one is Sisley. But the price will slap you off.

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

calisummer on 11/22/2007 12:45:00 PM more reviews by calisummer

Age: 25-29   Skin: Normal, Fair   Hair: Blond   Eyes: Brown    

I first tried this product when a small bottle came with an online Saks purchase I had made. Absolutely loving the coconut smell, I bought a huge bottle of it. Well, I still love the smell, but I just don't find that it does much for my hair. I have thick, wavy, color treated hair and I really need a product specifically for those needs. This one does not do that, although it does not claim that it does either. I still use it every once in a while, but it just doesn't do enough for my hair that I would buy it again.

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