Routine is a high-end shampoo brand that claims their formulation is “safe,” “simple” and “effective.” Their products are very expensive, and at a price point of around $25 per bottle we would expect a superior formulation.
But is Routine Shampoo and Conditioner really a better quality product than the average drugstore shampoo? Does Routine contain research-backed ingredients? Does it contain any questionable additives? And how do real users rate and describe its effects?
In this article we’ll answer all of these questions and more, as we analyze the ingredients in Routine Shampoo and Routine Conditioner based on medical studies to give our take on whether they're likely to improve hair quality, or if they're a waste of money.
We'll also feature unsponsored customer reviews.
Key takeaways:
- Contains many research-backed active ingredients
- Contains one inactive ingredient we consider unhealthy
- We do not currently recommend Routine Shampoo
Routine Shampoo Ingredient Analysis
The ingredients in Routine Shampoo are shown above.
There are a number of research-backed ingredients in this shampoo for improving hair quality.
Argan oil was shown in a clinical trial published in the Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology to reduce damage to hair follicles, and also may be effective for reducing breakage due to its hydrating nature.
Saw palmetto extract was found in a 2018 clinical trial to promote hair regeneration and helped repair damaged hair in mice. This compound appears to decrease inflammation of hair follicles.
Caffeine has been clinically shown to reduce hair loss in both men and women.
As we documented in our review Better Not Younger hair serum, topical caffeine use increases the duration of the anagen phase of the hair cycle, which is when hair follicles are generated and grow.
Coconut oil is one of the plant oils with the most clinically-proven benefit to the skin and scalp. A 2003 medical review reported that coconut oil has been shown to prevent hair damage “remarkably,” because it’s able to penetrate inside the hair shaft and reduce protein loss.
Aloe vera is another good choice for a shampoo formulation because this plant-based gel can help moisturize both skin and hair. Its ability to lock in moisture can prevent hair breakage.
Clearly, Routine Shampoo contains a number of research-backed ingredients. However, it also contains one ingredient that may be questionable from a health perspective.
Phenoxyethanol is a synthetic preservative shown to be toxic to human cells in a 2020 clinical trial. This was a test tube study, which is a weaker standard of evidence than a trial with human participants, but we still believe this is worth noting to potential consumers.
There is only one ingredient list published for all four scents of Routine Shampoo, although there is an "unscented, fragrance-free version." This suggests that the other versions contain fragrance, although this is not included in the ingredient list.
We urge Routine to immediately clarify whether their scented formulations contain fragrance, because fragranced consumer products were described as posing a "serious risk" to human health in a 2016 medical review.
Overall, we consider Routine Shampoo likely to improve hair quality and from an effectiveness perspective, consider it one of the better shampoo formulations we've reviewed on Illuminate Health.
We don't currently recommend this shampoo due to the inclusion of phenoxyethanol and our concerns over the fragrance ingredient disclosure.
Before analyzing the ingredients in Routine's conditioner, we'll share some customer reviews of the brand.
Real People Try Routine
A YouTube creator named Alexandra Martinez reviewed both Routine Shampoo and Routine Conditioner after a full year of use, sharing her thoughts about the best way to use the products and whether they're effective for someone with an oily scalp:
A TikTok creator named Callie Nou Lee shared two progress updates about the effects of Routine shampoo and conditioner on her hair and scalp after two weeks of use:
@calliehang Tracking my progress using Routine Wellness Shampoo and Conditioner. Week one. #shampoo #hairloss #routinewellness ♬ Here Comes the Sun - HERDIANSYAH
Routine Conditioner Ingredient Analysis
The ingredients in Routine's conditioner are shown above.
This is a very similar formulation to the brand's shampoo.
Routine Conditioner contains every single ingredient we reviewed in the previous ingredient analysis section, including coconut oil, aloe vera, caffeine, saw palmetto extract, argan oil and phenoxyethanol.
Jojoba seed oil is an ingredient that's unique to the conditioner, and use of jojoba oil on hair was shown to improve hair fiber, protect hair thread, and improve breakage resistance in a medical review of the cosmetic benefits of jojoba published in the Polymers journal.
Tea tree oil is naturally effective against dandruff, as we documented in our Hair Food reviews article on another brand containing this ingredient.
Like the shampoo sold by the brand, we consider Routine Conditioner likely to be effective for improving hair quality, protecting hair from breakage and improving the aesthetic appearance of hair due to its many research-backed ingredients.
We don't currently recommend Routine Conditioner due to the inclusion of phenoxyethanol.
But where's the best place for consumers to buy Routine products? We'll discuss in the next section.
Our Clean Hair Care Picks
Acure Vivacious Volume Shampoo is our top shampoo pick.
It contains argan oil which is clinically shown to help protect hair from damage.
Ritual HyaCera is our top hair growth supplement.
This supplement contains wheat oil extract, and a 2024 clinical trial reported that a wheat lipid complex had "a reducing effect on hair shedding and a stimulating effect on hair reappearance and growth."
Both of the products recommended in this section are free of ingredients we consider to be unhealthy.
Routine Shampoo Pros and Cons
Here are the pros and cons of the Routine hair products in our opinion.
Pros:
- Many research-backed ingredients
- Likely to improve hair health
- Likely to improve scalp health
- Likely to protect hair from damage
- Likely to improve aesthetic appearance of hair
- Offers fragrance-free versions
- Free shipping on US orders
Cons:
- Expensive
- Contains phenoxyethanol
- Brand makes it unclear whether scented versions contains fragrance
