Desert Essence • Italian Red Grape • Shampoo

Where To Buy?

Cupcake07 on 3/31/2013 6:51:00 AM more reviews by Cupcake07

Age: 19-24   Skin: Combination, Fair, Neutral   Hair: Brown, Wavy, Fine   Eyes: Blue    

This smells so good, just like grape bubblegum! It foams nicely and makes my hair smell lovely and fresh. The red grape version is for coloured hair and I have noticed my hair colour has faded less since using this.

    Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

Bcakes on 4/27/2012 12:47:00 PM more reviews by Bcakes

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

Really nice. Grape smell. Hair Type- Oily roots, normal ends, med-long, fine yet thick

    Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

hafftya on 12/14/2011 12:24:00 AM more reviews by hafftya

Age: 30-35   Skin: Normal, Fair-Medium   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Blue    

The most delicious shampoo I have ever used. Like showering in wine. I tried it at a friend's house and went out and bought it for everyone I know. Intoxicating. My hair was soft/manageable and smelled amazing

    Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

BothCoasts on 12/13/2011 11:22:00 PM more reviews by BothCoasts

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

In full disclosure, shampoo is shampoo is shampoo to me. I'm much more of a conditioner girl--in my life, shampoo is just to curtail oil and grime and the conditioner does the REAL work in making me look good.
.
Soooo...I got this as a gift because someone like me doesn't pay $9 for shampoo and when I read the label, my first thoughts were "Antioxidants for my hair? Are we really doing that now? Didn't I learn in like, eighth grade that hair is comprised of dead skin cells?" Yes, yes, I did. You probably did, too. And if there was any question as to the necessity of antioxidants for your hair, look up the statistics on "adult-onset hair cancer" and "pediatric tress tumors." Riiight. Man, even dogfood can't quite match this sort of marketing pizzazz and your pup's actually ingesting that.
.
Among the other claims from Desert Essence is that this shampoo contains UV filters as well as a healthy dose of extra vitamins and minerals. Which is all very well if you go for that sort of thing, but like I said, you asked me and we're talking about shampoo. Did I notice my hair feeling noticeably softer, healthier, magazine-worthy after using this? Nope. But it didn't make me angry because it didn't make my hair like straw and it didn't disappoint me because I'm not out nine bucks.
.
In my view, the $9 pricetag all comes down to a few factors:
1. ECO-FRIENDLINESS: label says it's biodegradable; doesn't have parabens or laureth sulfate/sls; petroleum; silicone; not tested on animals; and made in the USA (with wind power, natch). However, label also says "Organic" and they're not certified as such by the USDA (hence why they don't have the requisite seal), so that kind of makes the label suspicious.
2. SMELL: It's strong, it's sweet and fruity and some people like it, but it's also synthetic: grape is sort of tricky because there's no way it can't have a hint of Jolly Rancher. And this stuff smells precisely like Dimetapp. Luckily, it seems to fade from my hair when I wash with it.
...or maybe it's my expensive conditioner that covers it up.

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

Stacela72 on 10/27/2011 11:36:00 AM more reviews by Stacela72

Age: 36-43   Skin: Acne-prone, Medium   Hair: Red   Eyes: Blue    

Great for thick, colored hair. I think I am the only positive review for this product because of my hair type. I was blessed with very thick strong hair ( but cursed with lousy skin) This shampoo and conditioner made my mostly gray, coarse, colored hair soft and manageable. It was much better than aubry organics which is too thin and drying for my hair type. The smell is very nice and not overpowering. I love it.

    Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

CuteCliche on 9/28/2011 5:52:00 PM more reviews by CuteCliche

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

Simply terrible. Horrid stuff. Probably the worst shampoo I have ever tried. It lathered way too much, but did not make my hair feel clean in the slightest, just thin. A little bit of grape scent would have been nice, but this was simply overpowering. I thought it would wash out/vanish when dried, but it was as strong as ever and gave me a headache. I've had to wash my hair with a very nasty SLS-containing clarifying shampoo JUST to get it out hours later! I tried everything and nothing would work to cover up the smell aside from washing it 3x with a clarifying shampoo. THAT is how badly it lingers. After I dried my hair it felt like a mixture between waxy and crunchy. It was a simply awful texture and grew more tangly/dry as the day went on. Another complaint is that you don't get much for the price.

I liked that it contained all-natural ingredients, but it isn't worth it. That is probably the only pro. That and my scalp felt a bit better/less itchy. However, for something all-natural I noticed that my hair felt dirtier/worse after coming out of the shower than before I went in it! I also lost a LOT more hair in the shower than normal. It was coming out in clumps!

Warning: if you are the least bit sensitive to scents, this product is definitely not for you. The scent will not go away as the day wears on.

I used this product once and was so dissatisfied with it that I returned it the next day. Thankfully, Whole Foods has an excellent return policy.

    Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

Seashorechic on 7/24/2011 3:05:00 PM more reviews by Seashorechic

Age: 25-29   Skin: Sensitive, Fair, Cool   Hair: Blond, Wavy, Fine   Eyes: Blue    

For a sulphate-free shampoo, it lathered extremely well. On the down side, it felt more like an average clarifying shampoo, which I had to follow with a good conditioner. I also thought I could handle the strong artificial-smelling grape scent, but I could not. However once my hair dried, it felt clean, smooth and in good shape. I was confused. After, I read the 5 star reviews on the coconut shampoo and I quickly exchanged the grape for the coconut. It makes sense the moisturizing coconut might work better, because it has better ingredients (coconut, jojoba and olive oil), and I trust the honesty of MUA reviewers. I had originally forgoed my first instinct for the coconut shampoo, so now I am excited to try it.

    Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

yuigi on 7/3/2011 6:55:00 PM more reviews by yuigi

Age: 19-24   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium   Hair: Black, Straight, Fine   Eyes: Brown    

I had just recently dyed my hair and wanted to give another type of desert essence shampoo a shot. Grape isnt exactly my favourite smell, but I still wanted to give this shampoo a shot. Sadly, this one fell short of expectations. It felt very heavy, even after I had washed the shampoo off. I will be finishing this bottle, but wont be purchasing again.

    Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

Kaspari13 on 5/9/2011 2:53:00 AM more reviews by Kaspari13

Age: 19-24   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium, Warm   Hair: Blond, Straight, Medium   Eyes: Other    

This product was my first adventure into organic shampoo. I have very short highlighted hair that can be dried out easily, but can end up heavy and lifeless with the wrong products. I used this shampoo in conjunction with the Italian Red Grape Conditioner for about a month in order to write an accurate review. Overall this product had some good qualities, but for me, the cons outweighed the pros.

PROS:
- The scent was very similar to grape Kool-Aid, not what I expected, but bright and fruity nonetheless
- Initially, left my hair clean, shiny, and didn't weigh it down

CONS:
- As I mentioned, the fragrance was nice, but I had hoped for something more earthy and natural smelling, so I guess I'd count it as a small con
- Like many other reviewers, after about 2 weeks I noticed my scalp became very itchy. I tried adjusting the amount of shampoo and conditioner I used, but no success
- The shampoo caused my hair to become very tangled while I washed it. This made the conditioner a complete necessity.
- After repeated use, this shampoo began drying out my hair and made my hair look dull.

I understand that the effectiveness of hair care products is based on many different factors (length of hair, dryness/oiliness, thickness, etc.), however, this one just didn't cut it for me. I don't think I'll be buying it again.

    Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

ador on 2/1/2011 6:14:00 PM more reviews by ador

Age: 30-35   Skin: Normal, Fair-Medium   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Green    

I wanted to like this, but I didn't... It left my hair not feeling totally clean and made my head itchy. It smells like a grape jolly rancher, which could be good or bad depending on what you like. Skip it.

    Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

marileab on 10/14/2010 10:39:00 AM more reviews by marileab

Age: 30-35   Skin: Oily   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Green    

I bought this shampoo specifically because it's SLS-free. As others have mentioned, it does have a noticeable grape smell. To me, it smells like the grape Icee-Freeze pops I used to have as a kid. I should mention that I have slightly oily hair, but I shampoo and condition every day. When I used this shampoo, I did use it daily. This shampoo is gentle and cleans well, but it leaves my hair very tangled. I could not have used it without using conditioner afterwards. I'm still searching for a good SLS-free shampoo, and I don't think I'd buy this one again.

    Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

*TOP REVIEWER* darkharbour on 8/8/2010 3:35:00 PM more reviews by darkharbour

Age: 44-55   Skin: Dry, Fair-Medium, Neutral   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Hazel    

Very mild clear shampoo that lathers gently. Cleans without stripping. Leaves behind a soft grape jam scent. I have naturally curly, colored foiled hair prone to frizz and damage. Seems to help with oxidizing color. Very easy to squeeze too much from the tube. This is not a dense shampo. Leaves my hair soft. Pretty tube container.

    Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

ilovemeandmelovesi on 6/12/2010 12:56:00 PM more reviews by ilovemeandmelovesi

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

this sucks. it is not conditioning at all.

    Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

rxqueen011 on 2/22/2010 9:19:00 AM more reviews by rxqueen011

Age: 25-29   Skin: Acne-prone, Fair-Medium, Warm   Hair: Red, Wavy, Fine   Eyes: Hazel    

I will start off saying that the ONLY time I can use this shampoo and coordinating conditioner is after coming home from the beach. It mingles with the salts from the ocean and really transforms my hair. Any other time it just looks normal!

As others have already stated, it smells like grape jelly. The ingredients are quality with this line, and the package is pretty good. The cap seems flimsy, but hasn't broke.

I'm only giving this product 2 lippies because my hair feels dry and stringy after rinsing the shampoo out. The conditioner is more of a standout product, and I wouldn't use this shampoo unless I followed it with the conditioner. I won't be repurchasing either once I run out.

    Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

*TOP REVIEWER* renia22 on 2/22/2010 8:28:00 AM more reviews by renia22

Age: 36-43   Skin: Combination, Fair, Cool   Hair: Brown, Wavy, Fine   Eyes: Brown    

Though I normally prefer products that smell herbal (like the Aubrey Organics), I decided to try this after reading all of the positive reviews on vitacost. It does smell like grape juice, and it is strong and I can smell it throughout the day, so beware if you are sensitive to scents or don't want to smell like grapes. However, after shampooing twice, my shoulder length hair (which is layered and on the fine side) is left full of body and shine, and it seems to really bring out the red highlights from the henna that I use. The conditioner is a bit heavy, so I either use a tiny bit or I use it prior to shampooing, and I can even skip the conditioner and my hair still looks good. Overall, I have been getting great results and compliments on my hair. Would buy again

    Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

*TOP REVIEWER* spaflam on 6/22/2009 2:52:00 PM more reviews by spaflam

Age: 36-43   Skin: Dry, Fair, Cool   Hair: Brown, Wavy, Fine   Eyes: Green    

I bought this at a Cape Cod spa about 2-3 years ago and once I started using it I didn't like it so i stopped. So again, I tried to use up the bottle (it does smell nice - wine-grapey) and it still sucks.



It strips out my color and yet does not clean well.
It just was not a good buy.

    Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

*TOP REVIEWER* dragonballz on 7/17/2008 2:32:00 AM more reviews by dragonballz

Age: 25-29   Skin: Other   Hair: Other   Eyes: Other    

I tried this product a few months ago and felt that it wasn't formulated for my hair type. It would leave my hair feeling heavier than usual. I think it coats hair to help block it from the elements as its marketed to protect hair color. It claims to have some form of sunscreen in it as well. I like my hair to feel light and much prefer the DE Lemon Shampoo. This may be appropriate for someone with drier hair but I doubt I will repurchase.

    Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

*TOP REVIEWER* Diamonds on 5/18/2008 7:37:00 PM more reviews by Diamonds

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

Sad to say, but I agree w/ the negative reviews of this product. It smells SOOO good that I wish it came in lotion form. The grape smell is not like grape Jolly Ranchers-more like a wine type smell.

I absolutely agree that this stuff "gums" up in your hair. I consider myself an expert w/ beauty products, and this is one of the worst products I have ever tried. I have tried Sulfate Free shampoos before (Organix is a good product, available at all major stores) but this stuff was horrid. The product didn't lather well, and matted my long hair.

I have no interest in purchasing from this line again, which really disappoints me. They have some yummy smelling products. I'll stick to Desert Escence lotion.

    Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

*TOP REVIEWER* chiodancrgrl23 on 4/14/2008 12:19:00 AM more reviews by chiodancrgrl23

Age: 25-29   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium, Cool   Hair: Blond, Curly, Fine   Eyes: Blue    

This shampoo smells great. I get more real red grape scent than kool-aid. Smells so much nicer and natural than koolaid! I washed my hair with the Red Grape shampoo and it lathered up pretty well. It rinsed out easily too. I had a sample of the Kiss My Face Everyday Frequent Wash conditioner and tried that too. It was really nice and smelled good. However, after washing and conditioning my hair was harder to detangle than usual and I lost more hair than I'd like. Even though, after letting my hair air dry it is shiny and very soft! I think I might try some more of the DE Organics shampoos but I've heard the conditioners aren't that moisturizing so I don't know about trying those.

    Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

aworldofcool on 3/29/2008 11:08:00 AM more reviews by aworldofcool

Age: 18 & Under   Skin: Sensitive, Fair   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Hazel    

I love this shampoo. I've tried many SLS-free shampoos, and this is by far the best. I've found that the key for me, (with a very oily scalp) is to add a few drops of tea tree oil to it, massage it in, and let it sit for a few minutes. I rinse it out, use conditioner, and my hair is so soft and shiny it's unreal.

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