Paul Mitchell Tea Tree Scalp Care Anti-Thinning Regimen

Recommended to me by the salon I usually go to, I tried the full line up that comes in the handy 'take home kit': shampoo, conditioner, and tonic. Shampoo and conditioner I used 2-3 times weekly, and the tonic twice daily. Although I'm not that big on the PM brand, I was quite eager to try these mainly because of the ingredients in them (full of good botanicals) more than anything else.

So how effective did I find this? Remarkably good! There was a definite improvement in hair volume and the amount of my hair shedding within just the first 3 weeks of usage, although slightly at the expense of what I'm used to from shampoos and conditioners - shine, softness that kind of thing. The shampoo, creamy in texture and scented like tea tree which I love, cleared build-up from my scalp, as promised and didn't strip my hair color, although I did find it slightly drying - in itself not a problem as the conditioner used straight after balanced out the effect. Usually I find it difficult to find an effective shampoo to clear build-up but this one actually did it. As a bonus I also found it helped keep my scalp clear of the psoriasis that flares up every now and again, possibly due to the inclusion of tea tree. The foam I found slightly sticky although good at giving instant volume to my roots.

If I had one gripe it would have to be that I need to use the foam twice a day, every day. I'm more accustomed to using hair loss products that only require twice weekly or so application, this twice daily routine was quite time consuming for me. However if you want results you definitely need to put in the time and effort.

Verdict: A good product range that's worth trying out!


Selena x



~ My HG list ~

(As I've sampled many 100s of skin, hair and m/u products over the last decade and a half, I thought it might be useful to share my top 10 must-have products, subject to change if and when I come across something more effective. I love constantly trying out new stuff - usually sample sizes via e-bay, also plenty courtesy of a friend who works at Sephora)


1. Hair Loss Treatment: ‘Divine Herbal’ - Hair Oil
2. Lip Balm: 'Nuxe' - Reve De Miel Lip Balm
3. Pigmentation + Anti-Ageing Treatment: ‘Divine Herbal’ - Facial Treatment Serum
4. Cleanser: 'Paula's Choice' - Skin Balancing Cleanser
5. Concealer: ‘Mac’ - Studio Finish Concealer
6. Lash Growth Serum: ‘Divine Herbal’ - Divinelash
7. Foundation/SPF: ‘Juice Beauty’ - Stem Cellular Repair (warm glow)
8. Face Scrub: ‘Sisley' - Botanical Gentle Buffing Cream
9. Moisturizer: ‘Antipodes' - Rejoice Light Day Cream
10. Hand Cream: 'Origins' - Make A Difference Rejuvenating Hand Treatment

I'm 52 and my hair has experienced normal age-related thinning. It used to be really thick, and now I think it's normal - much thinner than it used to be but not noticeable to someone who's meeting me for the first time. I'm now on my third bottle of both the shampoo and conditioner. They somehow manage to make my hair really look thicker. My hairdresser noticed, too. I don't know if it actually is thicker, but it definitely looks it. And what I love about the conditioner is that it leaves my hair very soft and manageable. Most thickening and bodifying conditioners are not very moisturizing at best and very drying at worst. Not the case here. I don't know they do it, but Paul Mitchell managed to make, at least for me, the perfect shampoo and conditioner.

My hair type:
I have medium textured, medium-to-light density, 2b large "S wave" patterned, very wavy hair. Depending on the direction the waves are going, my hair can go from flat and dull one day, to poofy and mushroom shaped the next. I am VERY protein sensitive. I must have a highly moisturizing regimen to keep my protein/moisture levels balanced. The ends of my hair up to my ROOTS will turn stiff and brittle and result in breakage if I use products containing any type of protein.

My hair problems/concerns:
Dry/brittle/damaged hair from a bad salon experience - stylist overlapped high volume bleach repeatedly. So a lot of my hair broke off. :(
Also, I have had back-to-back postpartum hair loss, itchy/sore scalp, with moderate-to-severe scalp build-up (not dandruff or product build-up, but sebum build-up clogging follicles).

My experience:
I use a lot of thinning products as a woman in her 20s who suffered greatly with hair fall after each birth of my two daughters. Now that my hair was fried off with chemicals, the ends were trimmed completely off to stop further breakage, so my hair is a little healthier, but very short.

Over the last 6-7 years, I have previously used:
Viviscal, Nioxin, Pura D'Or, Jason, Aubrey Organics, Aveda Invati, OGX, Hairfinity, Nutri-Ox, Nutrifollica, GrowFast, Follicure, HairRenew, Hair Formula 37, Nisim FAST, DS Labs Revita...

Oils, herbs, caffeine, minoxidil, ketoconazole, zinc, salicylic acid, biotin, ACV, sulfate free, cone free, tonics, serums, products with "proven" ingredients...

Many things have helped, made my scalp feel clean and normalized, or kept my hair soft and smooth. But after trying so many products with different ingredients, I can say that two ingredients stand out with helping my actual hair fall and promoting optimal growth: ginseng and turmeric. This product contains these in their proprietary blend. (*Aveda also uses these ingredients in their anti-thinning system, which is not widely available, or affordable - over $100 for the 3-step regimen of tiny 6oz bottles!)

During a hair sale at my local Ulta, I got two LITER (33oz) bottles for just over $40 of this Paul Mitchell shampoo and conditioner.

My results:
I have only used this for one week (4 washes - washing every other day) and the results are already awesome. I noticed a difference the first time I used it but now after only one week, my hair and scalp are a lot different - in a good way!

Usually with anti-thinning or scalp concern products, dry hair is left even drier. As a protein-sensitive girl, my hair always needs extra attention if I'm using products that target scalp. This is the first non-stripping shampoo and ultra-hydrating conditioner I have used that also leaves my scalp feeling NORMAL! For cleansing, I get a great lather, it's very concentrated, and a little goes a long way! For the conditioner, it melts into my hair like butter, and also treats my dry itchy scalp. With hair and scalp that feel this healthy, it serves as an amazing environment for optimal hair growth.

But the best part? My hair fallout has reduced from SEVERE to MILD in the last week. I can run my fingers through my hair and not end up in a pile of hair. It is extremely encouraging. I have had over half a decade of hair loss and this gives me hope. I have liter sized bottles, but I will be repurchasing when the time comes and I will be trying the tonic as well.