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Tuesday, March 13, 2012

Aveda Blue Malva Shampoo Review

Hey guys! Since I started working at an Aveda concept salon, I've really gotten to know a lot about Aveda, and their products. I could care less about the "natural" aspect that Aveda tries to portray, because that word is so over-used it's become virtually meaningless. I always have a bit of an attitude whenever any company, not just Aveda, tries to come off like their products are so organic and natural...yeah, sure. Because taking something out of the earth, processing it, and then putting a minuscule amount in a small, pleasantly shaped bottle along with 50 other ingredients is the absolute epitome of "natural." But hey, I'm always willing to put all my feelings aside and try something new...whether it's "organic" or not. Forgetting all those eco-friendly words for a second, Aveda is actually a nice brand, and I genuinely like a lot of their products. I would just like them more if they were honest with both the consumers and the professionals, like me.

Today I'm reviewing Blue Malva Shampoo, a blue-violet tinted shampoo for blonde, grey, and other cool-toned hair shades. First of all, the Cherry Almond Bark scent is AMAZING not to mention totally addictive. Apparently Aveda used to make a whole line of Cherry Almond Bark products..? I don't know why they chose to discontinue them, because I can't imagine anyone not liking the way it smells. Anyway, I was turned on to Blue Malva after I chose to get blonde highlights in my hair again (I, um, get bored with my hair color very easily..). After one of the stylists in my salon used it on me, I was hooked. Not only did it cleanse my hair just right and smell incredible, it visibly toned down the brass in my hair that I'm very susceptible to. So I've pretty much been using it every day, to keep the brass away, and my blonde still cool-toned, but...I think it worked a little too well. It's not something that you notice at first, or even at all in my case. But yesterday, I got a few more highlights put in my hair, and I couldn't believe the difference! The old highlights looked way too dull compared to my new very bright, very blonde ones! This has never happened to me with a violet shampoo before, and then it hit me - it's not called Blue Malva for nothing. That's why my hair got so drab, it's all the blue pigments! I'm used to violet shampoos that are, well, violet. Blue Malva is much stronger than I thought, which I love, just not for every day. However, if I had more of a cool-toned dark ash blonde hair color, or even if I had brown hair but disliked any sort of red reflections in it, I would definitely use Blue Malva often. Blonde hair is just a bit more porous so it takes in color easier, that's why my hair turned so ashy. I'm still gonna keep using it, and I'll definitely get more once I run out.

Here's the ingredient list:
Aqueous (Water/Aqua/Eau) Extracts/Extraits Aqueux: Malva Sylvestris (Mallow) Leaf Powder, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Shell Powder, Prunus Serotina (Wild Cherry) Bark Extract, Centaurea Cyanus Flower Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Ammonium Lauryl Sulfate, Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate, Lauramidopropyl Betaine, Wheat Amino Acids, Panthenol, Tocopherol, Babassuamidopropyl Betaine, PEG-6 Cocamide, Dimethicone PEG-7 Cocoate, Cocamidopropyl PG-Dimonium Chloride Phosphate, Polyquaternium-10, Isostearamidopropyl Morpholine Lactate, Glycerin, Fragrance (Parfum), Geraniol, Linalool, Limonene, Glycine Soja (Soybean) Oil, Sodium Chloride, Polysorbate 80, Maltodextrin, Tetrasodium EDTA, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Methylchloroisothiazolinone, Methylisothiazolinone, Annato (CI 75120), Ext. Violet 2 (CI 60730).
And without all the puffery:
Ammonium Lauryl Sulfate, Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate, Lauramidopropyl Betaine, Wheat Amino Acids, Panthenol, Tocopherol, Babassuamidopropyl Betaine, PEG-6 Cocamide, Dimethicone PEG-7 Cocoate, Cocamidopropyl PG-Dimonium Chloride Phosphate, Polyquaternium-10, Isostearamidopropyl Morpholine Lactate, Sodium Chloride, Polysorbate 80, Maltodextrin, Tetrasodium EDTA, Annatto (CI 75120), Ext. Violet 2 (CI 60730).
A pretty basic, gentle shampoo. Ammonium Lauryl Sulfate, Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate, Lauramidopropyl Betaine, Babassuamidopropyl Betaine, PEG-6 Cocamide, Dimethicone PEG-7 Cocoate, Cocamidopropyl PG-Dimonium Chloride Phosphate are all surfactants, foaming agents, cleansers, etc. Wheat Amino Acids, Panthenol, and Tocopherol are conditioning agents. Polyquaternium-10 and Isostearamidopropyl Morpholine Lactate both prevent static electricity when used in hair care products, but Polyquaternium-10 also enhances the look and feel of hair, as well as making damaged hair feel healthier. Sodium Chloride is used to thicken many cosmetics and personal care products that are water-based. Polysorbate 80 is an emulsifier; it helps to mix other ingredients that normally wouldn't mix at all. Maltodextrin is a binding agent and emulsion stabilizer, but could also be used as a film former or conditioning agent. Tetrasodium EDTA is usually found in soaps. It can prevent hard water from not creating foam, and increase the lather effect. Annatto (CI 75120) and Ext. Violet 2 (CI 60730) are colorants that I would usually leave out, but they're what gives Blue Malva that blue-violet tint. Annatto is actually an orange/red color...maybe it's to control the blue? I'm not a chemist, so I don't know.

Again, I'll say this is good for blondes that like cool tones in their hair, just don't use it every day. If you have darker blonde or brown hair, but don't like getting any warmth, I'd suggest you try this. It does have Ammonium Lauryl Sulfate and Sodium Chloride, so this shampoo is not safe for keratin treated hair.

Aveda Blue Malva shampoo is now only available in a liter size, and retails on the Aveda website for $31.50. So if you're interested, stop in to your local Aveda salon or store and pick some up! I've got some new products by Keratin Complex that I'm loving and will definitely do a review soon. Take care of your hair everyone! [:

12 comments:

kare.d22 said...

Thank you for this very detailed and informative review! I recently dyed my brown highlighted hair to an all-over medium blonde color, and I have had the worst trouble with getting the orange out! I've tried semi-permanent toners and the purple Clairol Shimmer Lights shampoo without much luck. Now that I have read this article, I know that the Aveda Blue will more than likely work on my orange/red prone hair.

Sandra said...

Thank you so much, for the detailed review. I have looked all over for a blue/purple shampoo that doesn't bleach my hair at the same time. I have used more than four different kinds (l'oreal and a few other popular brands) which have all ended up bleaching my medium blonde (natural!) roots to a horrible shade of orange despite this being the opposite of what I wanted to do. I've used the shampoos to attempt to tone down my highlights, as I'm trying to grow out my hair, and I really don't want it lightened further, with added brassiness. The "orange color" ingredient slightly worries me about the shampoo, but perhaps this could work for me afterall?

Unknown said...

Great post all natural products are best. Natural organic shampoo is the best for your hair.
best organic shampoo

Heather said...

I used Blue Malva shampoo about 7 times and I can say that my orange bleached hair is finally gone! I have used Clairol Shimmer Lights for the past few years and did not see a removal of orange tones nearly as much as Aveda's Blue Malva. I would never have guessed that I would get such good results with it since the Blue Malva shampoo looks like a dark, sheer violet purple and does not look blue. Apparently it has a lot of blue in it that you can't see because it has taken away my orange tint, which is the opposite color on the color wheel. I sometimes use Aveda's Damage Remedy Conditioner and Kiehl's Creme With Silk Groom protein treatment so my hair doesn't dry out.

Anonymous said...

Finally! I've been searching for an answer about whether I can use this shampoo on my naturally dark brown hair that is bleached and toned with a few different colors leading to an ash tone. Hair kept going brassy within a week or so, so the stylist was desperate to try and help me. The color is staying after 2 weeks, but after the first wash 1 week in with B&B sulfate free shampoo I do see a subtle change compared to the picture from the first day, so I'm looking for a shampoo that will slow the brassy tones coming back on as it seems my hair is having a hard time holding color. Probably because i've been coloring my hair since I was a teenager. I do not eeven know if I have gray hair yet because there is usually something in my hair.

Anyways! Just wanted to thank you for providing the info I couldn't find on the Aveda website. All of their comments liked it for their gray hair, but I don't want to protect silver tone, so I was becoming frustrated trying to determine if I should go with this or not, as it seems some will say to go with a silver shampoo for ash tones.

Aveda Shampoo said...

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Amelia Farica Sisman said...

Hi! Thank you for the detailed review!
I have naturally black-brown Asian hair and now currently wanting to dye it to light/medium brown with some ash/cool tone.. which one do you think will help to counteract the brassiness more? Blue or purple shampoo?

Thank you!

WestcoastFox said...

I have had a Cezanne Smoothing treatment so I'm looking for a way to tone out red but with a sulfate free shampoo. You have sulfates listed in both of the ingredient sections but I think you also state it's sulfate free. Can you confirm pls?

HEARTSTARBOLT said...

@WestcoastFox

Nope, I definitely did not list it being sulfate-free as it contains ALS. It also contains sodium chloride, which is not recommended with certain smoothing treatments.

If you want to stick with Aveda, try the Blue Malva conditioner, it has a much stronger cool tone sans sulfates.

Another option I like is Joico Color Balance blue conditioner. Unfortunately the shampoo contains sulfates.

It's hard to find a colored shampoo without sulfates, and usually the colors are either only violet or sometimes red.

Good luck to you, let me know how things go!

-Anthony

WestcoastFox said...

Thank you Anthony! I incorrectly cross referenced the sulfate info. I appreciate your reply.

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