Hairstory Review
Jessica Wagner
The (New) Art of Washing
I am so excited to finally share my full Hairstory journey with you since ditching my shampoo and switching over to New Wash for the past 30 days.
If you follow me on instagram I have been posting updates about my experience with New Wash, and spoiler alert: I absolutely LOVE all of Hairstory’s easy to use, all natural, detergent-free products. (That also smell brilliant!)
I’m going get into the nitty-gritty details, so there are labels with pretty little captions, as I have a lot of information I want to break down. Feel free to skim and read the parts that interest you, (and bless you if you read it all!) but let me just say I am hooked and never going back to my old arsenal of hair products.
What is Hairstory
Hairstory is a new hair product company from the founders of Bumble and bumble (remember their cult favorite Surf Spray?)
Here's a little Hairstory history for you: back in 2006 creator, Michael Gordon had grown tired of seeing hair companies promoting unrealistic beauty standards, and started researching the core base of hair care – discovering fault in the way we use shampoo. Basically, he found big companies “solutions” to our hair problems, are actually being aggravated by their products (sulfates in shampoo.) Looking to make a change, Gordon learned more about widespread, harsh chemical use in the industry and it's destruction to our environment (and hair!) Gordon decided he wanted to create a non-chemical, detergent-free product for real people, with real hair. Which in turn propelled New Wash and the Hairstory product line, founded in the belief that less is more. His revolutionary line promises to bring hair back to it’s natural child-like state and keep it there.
What Is New Wash & How Does It Work
New Wash is a gentle cleanser that doesn’t strip away all the good things. It replaces traditional detergent found in shampoo with aloe and essential oils–leaving your natural moisture barrier in tact and promises to work on all hair types. (More on that below.)
A gentle cleanser allows the scalp to stop overproducing oil. When that protective layer isn’t being washed away, hair gets oily less quickly allowing longer between washes as a result of not over drying hair with detergent. New Wash replaces not only your shampoo, but all of your conditioners and masques. Since you won’t need to condition, you will also be saving time in the shower and using less water. Plus, the formula is biodegradable.
"Less product, less often, equals less money down the drain." --Hairstory
My 30 Day New Wash Challenge
When Hairstory Studio reached out to me about their 30 day New Wash challenge, I eagerly accepted, but only after doing a little research of my own. I found extremely agreeable reviews, and read a few captivating articles on the subject. (This one from Forbes is chock-full of great info, this one too!)
Still not 100% sure what I was getting myself into, I took the dare. (Who picks truth anyway??) Intoxicated by the idea of giving my hair new life, I am here to share with you my “hairy story.”
Background:
This is big you guys. I know most of us would have a hard time turning over to essentially one hair wash product. That’s right, no shampoo, conditioner, treatments or masques.
Products I’m replacing: Redkin Extreme Shampoo ($19) / Redkin All Soft Heavy Cream Super Treatment ($18) / Redkin Exreme Strength Builder Plus ($29) / Pureology Hydrate Serious Color Care Shampoo ($28) and Conditioner ($30) / Pureology Colour Fanatic Hair Treatment ($20)
Before New Wash, which runs $40, I was using all the above ($144 in total to be exact, and replacing every few months.) Pureology is a brand I have been using off and on since high school and we have a love/hate relationship. Sometimes it works, and sometimes it feels overpriced and lacking. Redkin was recommended by my colorist, and was working well enough, but since having kids, no matter what I do my hair feels limp/oily and needs washing after a day or two.
While I didn’t have a problem with my old products, I wasn’t completely satisfied with them either, and I was using a lot of them! And none of them came cheap! While some boast the same “all natural - vegan” or “sulfate free” line, they didn’t completely align with the amazing success New Wash was promising. Who doesn’t want to fall in love with their hair? Isn’t it so much lovelier to be able to embrace your natural hair than to try and mold it into something else? (Getting deep here guys!)
I have always loved playing around with hair color, and know how damaging it can be, so I’ve never minded spending a little extra on my hair care products to pro-long the life of my color. I would never dream of liking my hair without spending time styling it first. I can honestly say, since using New Wash, I like the way my hair looks (and feels) after letting it air-dry with a little bit of their Hair Balm! It’s like waving a magic wand I didn’t think existed, but I am getting ahead of myself here....
My Hair Type & Syle:
I have very straight, fine, color treated hair. Without styling, it has about as much volume as a flapjack. I try to avoid heat styling whenever possible, as it dries out very quickly. On weekends I go for beachy waves with a curing wand, and prefer low-maintenance looks and products.
As a super busy mama, and I already don’t wash my hair everyday. I like easy. I adore getting dolled up but if I can be honest, that doesn’t happen much during my typical week. I’m home with kiddos, and keep my locks pulled back in low braids or ballet buns for convenience.
Day 1:
-I usually have to gently brush out my tangles post-shower and with New Wash I have NO tangles. That fact right there blows me away.
-My hair felt a little heavy to me, but this being the first time using it, I think it requires a bit more rinsing out to make sure there product is fully washed through.
-I love the scent. For me, that’s a huge selling point! I love when a scent lingers just enough to keep you you feeling fresh.
Day 15:
-My hair feels thick. You read that right. It has healthy, unreal volume at the roots. Loving New Wash now that I am getting the hang of it.
-I notice my hair feels cleaner longer, and with a little bit f Hair Balm or Dressed Up, it’s behaving better.
-I am still going about 2-3 days between washes, and prefer my look blow-dried as opposed to air-dried. I did notice with air-drying, my usually pin straight hair has more tousled bed-head vibe.
Day 30:
-One thing I adore about New Wash is it really does allow you to go longer in-between washes. The biggest difference I notice is my hair look/feels less oily, and in fact, still looks great on day 3.
-I still have days where my hair feels a little “heavy” out of the shower and I wonder if I just need to rinse a little longer? I read somewhere to brush New Wash through your strands IN the shower with a wide toothcomb and I have yet to try this.
-There is a definite “adjustment” period. I feel like I can now wash my hair two to three times a week, air dry, and still like my look instead of feeling like I need to cover it up/ pull it back / wear a hat!
Overall Thoughts:
-I would honestly give New Wash 5 out of 5 stars, based on the product delivering what was promised – longer between washes and a renewed sense of liking my hair in its un-done air-dried state. Overall, my hair feels soft and light and it’s got more body and movement to it than before.
-I plan to keep using New Wash! My hair looks smooth and shiny. I can’t really say if it’s any healthier? I am curios to see what my colorist thinks when I go see her next week. (She is always warning me about damaging my hair by putting too much blonde in it!) I also want to see how it reacts to my next coloring. I will let you guys know!
-I will probably still do a hair mask every so often, but I am not going back to a shampoo/ conditioner routine. I was always jealous of boys for being able to hop in and out of the shower so quickly, and now I am right there with them!
-Finally, the cost is about the same as buying a high quality shampoo and conditioner, and since I don't need to wash my hair as often, and personally only use about 1-2 pumps per wash, I will end up saving!
Very happy with these results and would recommend New Wash to anyone looking to switch up their hair story!
Rob’s New Wash Review:
"I don’t typically care what shampoo or hair product I use, whatever Jess puts in the shower I’ll grab and to be honest I usually can’t tell a difference. So when Jess said she was gonna do this 30 day challenge with New Wash and wanted me to do it too, and it didn’t really make any difference to me, I agreed. She gave me the run down on how to use it, and I “listened.” Not to be corny, but after the first time using it I noticed a difference, so I asked her to tell me more about it again. I typically shower at night cause I’m not a morning person and that allows me to sleep in until the last minute. I usually like my hair to have a messed up look, and be a little bit up and spikey, and to get this usually requires some sort of putty or pomade. What I liked about Hairstory is that it seemed to thicken up my hair and when I’d wake up in the morning instead of having typical bed-head I would have the messed up spikey hair style I usually spend 5-10 minutes trying to create. Sometimes in-between washes I’d have to help it out, but typically any morning after I used New Wash I would wake up and be good to go for the day, at least with regards to my hair. Anything that allows me to sleep in another 10 minutes is great." --Rob
Coco’s New Wash Review:
I also took to using New Wash on my daughter who is about to turn 3. She has the wispiest little baby hair, and it tangles very easily. The result: no more tangles post shower!! We both love that we are no longer spending time brushing through a mess of snarls afterwards. I much prefer using it to baby shampoo (she really isn’t a baby anymore!) and I love knowing all the ingredients are natural.
Noah’s New Wash Review:
I also asked my seven year old, Noah, to give it a try. I am pretty sure he doesn’t wash his hair in the shower unless I remind him to, but he thinks the stuff smells good, likes the bottle, and it makes his hair feel smooth!
Scent
This honorable mention can be a deal-breaker. I am super picky about how things smell. I will not use an amazing product if it smells un-winsome. I have actually caught myself untwisting the cap of New Wash and taking a whiff randomly through the day because the scent is so calming. I mean that’s a little weird, but also a testament to the blend. I love when I notice my hair still that lingering, clean scent a day later. It has a really light zest to it. Like sunshine. That’s totally it! It’s like bottled up sunshine for your hair. (I would tell you to buy a bottle just for the scent alone.)
Hairstory Products
So, since Hairstory sent me a free trial kit of all 4 of their products, I’m going to break the other three down for you guys, as this stuff is too good to keep a secret. These other products are designed to work together with New Wash to bring out and enhance natural texture, without feeling coated or weighed down.
Hair Balm:
I used one pump of this conditioning cream after the shower when I planned to air-dry. It’s a moisturizing, nourishing base, great for highly color treated hair. It can be used wet or dry, and enhances natural texture.
Dressed Up:
This one was my favorite! It’s more of a lotion that you disperse through your hair when you plan to heat style. It creates tons of body when you blow dry, and is invisible to the touch! It gives off that stylishly effortless look that I adore so much.
Undressed:
This is the modern surf spray. I would use this for adding more volume or when you want that beachy, refined hippie mermaid-chic look. It didn’t make my hair crispy, but sometimes a little frizz would pop up. You can add it to dry or wet hair for a more casual look.
So how's that for an in-depth review? Would you ever ditch your shampoo? How often do you wash your hair? Would you like to wash it less?! I would love to hear your thoughts and comments below!! As always, let me know if you have any questions!
Product Details:
New Wash
Hair Balm
Undressed
Dressed Up
