{"id":557098565705,"title":"Kristin Ess Shampoo Review: High Quality at Low Prices?","created_at":"2022-10-28T17:37:40-04:00","body_html":"\u003cscript type=\"application\/ld+json\"\u003e\/\/ \u003c![CDATA[\n{\n \"@context\": \"https:\/\/schema.org\",\n \"@type\": \"Article\",\n \"headline\": \"Kristin Ess Shampoo Review: High Quality at Low Prices?\",\n \"keywords\": \"kristin ess shampoo, kristin ess shampoo review, kristin ess shampoo reviews, kristin ess purple shampoo, kristin ess reviews, kristin ess hair, is kristin ess good, kristin ess review\",\n \"description\": \"Our research team reviews the ingredients in Kristin Ess to give our take on whether the shampoo is likely to improve hair quality or if it's worse than luxury shampoos. We highlight some questionable added ingredients in Kristin Ess shampoos and share real user reviews of the brand's products.\",\n \"url\": \"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/blogs\/health\/kristin-ess-shampoo-review\",\n\"author\": {\n \"@type\": \"Person\",\n \"name\": \"Calloway Cook\",\n \"url\": \"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/pages\/calloway-cook\",\n \"sameAs\": \"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/calloway-cook\/\",\n \"jobTitle\": \"President\",\n \"knowsAbout\": \"entrepreneurship, dietary supplements, herbal supplements, eCommerce, medical research\",\n \"alumniOf\": {\n \"@type\": \"EducationalOrganization\",\n \"name\": \"S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University\"\n },\n \"memberOf\": {\n \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n \"name\": \"Illuminate Labs\"\n }\n},\n\"creator\": {\n \"@type\": \"Person\",\n \"name\": \"Calloway Cook\",\n \"url\": \"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/pages\/calloway-cook\",\n \"sameAs\": \"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/calloway-cook\/\",\n \"jobTitle\": \"President\",\n \"knowsAbout\": \"entrepreneurship, dietary supplements, herbal supplements, eCommerce, medical research\",\n \"alumniOf\": {\n \"@type\": \"EducationalOrganization\",\n \"name\": \"S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University\"\n },\n \"memberOf\": {\n \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n \"name\": \"Illuminate Labs\"\n }\n},\n\"editor\": {\n \"@type\": \"Person\",\n \"name\": \"Brian Moore\",\n \"honorificSuffix\": [\n \"M.D.\",\n \"F.A.A.D\"\n ],\n \"url\": \"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/pages\/brian-moore\",\n \"sameAs\": [\n \"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/brian-moore-md-faad-2b1b77a2\/\",\n \"https:\/\/www.apexskin.com\/our-team\/dr-brian-moore-md\/\"\n ],\n \"jobTitle\": \"Dermatology Advisor\",\n \"knowsAbout\": \"dermatology, skincare, pigmented lesions, anti-aging, medical research, clinical trials, sunscreen, moisturizer, wrinkles, makeup, shampoo, soap\",\n \"alumniOf\": {\n \"@type\": \"EducationalOrganization\",\n \"name\": [\n \"Columbia University\",\n \"University of Toledo\"\n ]\n },\n \"memberOf\": {\n \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n \"name\": \"Illuminate Labs\"\n }\n},\n\"image\": {\n\"@type\": \"ImageObject\",\n\"url\": \"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0047\/1524\/9737\/files\/Kristin_Ess_Shampoo_Thumbnail.png?v=1667012588\",\n\"width\": \"3364\",\n\"height\": \"3364\"\n},\n\"citation\": [\n\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/18510666\/\", \n\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/31773153\/\",\n\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC5093181\/\",\n\"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/blogs\/health\/function-of-beauty-review\",\n\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/20086192\/\",\n\"http:\/\/webprod.hc-sc.gc.ca\/nhpid-bdipsn\/ingredReq.do?id=3473\u0026lang=eng\",\n\"https:\/\/www.fakespot.com\/product\/kristin-ess-the-one-signature-shampoo-10-oz-abfb751d-d4eb-40d7-b137-5b0898073b2e\",\n\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/22517595\/\"\n],\n\"mentions\": [{\n \"@type\": \"Thing\",\n \"name\": \"glycerin\"\n },\n {\n \"@type\": \"Thing\",\n \"name\": \"preservatives\"\n },\n {\n \"@type\": \"Brand\",\n \"name\": \"SariReanna\"\n },\n {\n \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n \"name\": \"Health Canada\"\n },\n {\n \"@type\": \"Brand\",\n \"name\": \"Milabu\"\n },\n {\n \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n \"name\": \"Amazon\"\n },\n {\n \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n \"name\": \"Fakespot\"\n }\n],\n\"datePublished\": \"2022-10-28\",\n\"copyrightHolder\": {\n \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n \"name\": \"Illuminate Labs\"\n},\n\"publisher\": {\n \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n \"name\": \"Illuminate Labs\",\n \"url\": \"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/\",\n \"description\": \"Illuminate Labs is the most transparent supplement company in the U.S., and is a leading publisher of research-based health information.\",\n \"knowsAbout\": \"supplements, science, nutrition, exercise, health, medication, pharmaceutical, wellness, diet, weight loss, medical research\",\n \"publishingPrinciples\": \"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/pages\/editorial-guidelines\",\n \"memberOf\": [\n {\n \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n \"name\": \"U.S. Chamber of Commerce\",\n \"url\": \"https:\/\/www.uschamber.com\/\"\n },\n {\n \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n \"name\": \"Certified B Corp\",\n \"url\": \"https:\/\/www.bcorporation.net\/en-us\/\"\n },\n {\n \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n \"name\": \"Natural Products Association\",\n \"url\": \"https:\/\/www.npanational.org\/\"\n }\n ],\n \"logo\": {\n \"@type\": \"ImageObject\",\n \"url\": \"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0047\/1524\/9737\/files\/Illuminate_Labs_Favicon_48x48_7595c3cc-e27b-47b8-a4fe-edcc7ed9b29a.png?v=1666502785\", \n \"width\": 48,\n \"height\": 48\n},\n \"foundingDate\": \"2019-01-30\",\n \"sameAs\": [\n \"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/illuminatelabs\",\n \"https:\/\/twitter.com\/illuminatelabs\",\n \"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/illuminate-labs-supplements\",\n \"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UCpgSJAsIPb-fZ25djtTxBEA\"\n ]\n }\n}\n\/\/ ]]\u003e\u003c\/script\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0047\/1524\/9737\/files\/Kristin_Ess_Shampoo_Review_Article_Header_Image_Optimized.png?v=1666993086\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"dc\"\u003eK\u003c\/span\u003eristin Ess is a popular hair care brand that has great branding and reasonable prices. It’s available both online and in major drugstores like CVS, Walgreens and Ulta. The brand claims that their shampoo gets hair “super clean” but also “leaves it feeling moisturized and looking shiny.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eBut does Kristin Ess shampoo actually contain ingredients proven to have these effects, or is it a waste of money compared to cheaper drugstore brands? Does it have any potentially harmful additive ingredients? And how do real users rate it?\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eIn this article we’ll answer all of these questions and more as we review the ingredients in Kristin Ess shampoo to give our take on whether it’s likely to improve hair quality and whether it’s safe. We’ll also share real, unsponsored user reviews of the product and review the brand’s popular Purple Shampoo.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eKristin Ess Signature Shampoo Review\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cimg style=\"display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\" alt=\"Kristin Ess Signature Shampoo ingredients\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0047\/1524\/9737\/files\/Kristin_Ess_Shampoo_Ingredients_Optimized.png?v=1666993104\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThe most popular Kristin Ess shampoo appears to be their Signature Shampoo – ingredients shown above.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThis shampoo does have some research-backed ingredients. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eGlycerin\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e was found in a \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/18510666\/\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003emedical review\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e published in the \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eBritish Journal of Dermatology\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e to improve skin barrier function, hydrate the skin and have an antimicrobial effect, making it an excellent conditioning ingredient.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eChitosan\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e is a natural anti-fungal ingredient derived from the shells of crustacean animals like crabs. It was shown in a 2020 \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/31773153\/\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003emedical study\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e to reduce levels of pathogenic bacteria on the scalp, making it a healthier option than commercial antifungals in our opinion.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eHowever it also contains ingredients we recommend avoiding for health reasons.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eFragrance\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e is an ingredient we recommend consumers avoid. A 2016 \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC5093181\/\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003emedical review\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e described the potential for “serious risks” to human health from fragranced consumer products.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e Kristin Ess does come in a fragrance-fr\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eee version, so we’d recommend consumers intent on purchasing from the brand choose that option.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003ePhenoxyethanol\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e is a synthetic preservative found in at least one clinical trial to be toxic to human cells, as we documented in our \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/blogs\/health\/function-of-beauty-review\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eFunction of Beauty\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e review article (of another popular shampoo containing this ingredient).\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eSodium benzoate\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e is another preservative we recommend avoiding (this one single shampoo actually has three preservatives in total, including \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003eethylhexylglycerin\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e).\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eOverall we believe that Kristin Ess shampoo has the potential to improve hair moisture and quality, but we don’t recommend it due to the additive ingredients.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eKristin Ess Shampoo Real User Review\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eOne of the most popular YouTube reviews of Kristin Ess shampoo comes from a creator named SariReanna. She shares a review of her experience using the shampoo as well as other Kristin Ess products that’s more focused on the cosmetic effects and overall experience than the health benefits:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ciframe title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/npmHTKdz58s\" height=\"315\" width=\"560\" allowfullscreen=\"\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" frameborder=\"0\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eKristin Ess Purple Shampoo Review\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cimg style=\"display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\" alt=\"Kristin Ess Purple Shampoo ingredients\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0047\/1524\/9737\/files\/Kristin_Ess_Purple_Shampoo_Ingredients_Optimized.png?v=1666993166\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eAnother one of the most popular Kristin Ess shampoos is their Purple Shampoo – ingredients shown above.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eUnfortunately this product is not colored with natural coloring agents but with \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003eBasic\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cb\u003eViolet 1\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e, which is an artificial dye. A \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/20086192\/\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003emedical review\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e published in the International Journal of Toxicology analyzed data on this ingredient and concluded the following: \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003e“The panel concluded that because of the carcinogenic potential of these dyes, insufficient data exist to support the safety of Basic Violet 1, 3, and 4 in cosmetic formulation.”\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eCarcinogenic potential refers to the potential for an ingredient to cause cancer.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eKristin Ess Purple Shampoo also contains \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003efragrance\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e, and a preservative called \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003emethylisothiazolinone\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e which \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"http:\/\/webprod.hc-sc.gc.ca\/nhpid-bdipsn\/ingredReq.do?id=3473\u0026amp;lang=eng\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eis banned or prohibited\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e by Health Canada due to safety concerns.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eWe consider this to be the worst shampoo we’ve reviewed on Illuminate Health from a health perspective, and would recommend consumers avoid it.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThe most popular YouTube review of this shampoo comes from a beauty creator called Milabu. We’ve timestamped the video below to the point she begins reviewing Kristin Ess Purple Shampoo:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ciframe title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/-MlapfANJ8E?start=79\" height=\"315\" width=\"560\" allowfullscreen=\"\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" frameborder=\"0\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eKristin Ess Shampoo Real Customer Reviews\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eKristin Ess shampoos are sold on Amazon which is a more objective resource for customer reviews in our opinion than a brand’s website.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eTheir Signature Shampoo has been reviewed over 1,400 times on Amazon at the time of writing this article, and has an average review rating of 4.6 out of 5 stars.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThe top positive review from a verified purchaser comes from a user named “leslie” who claims that the shampoo improved hair quality:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e“I have thick straight hair and I love this. Before trying this shampoo, I used Redken All soft shampoo and conditioner and though it worked wonderfully, I wanted to find a cheaper alternative that would do the same job of softening my hair. After the first use I was able to notice how soft my hair was and how great it smelled (smell lasted quite a bit).”\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThe top negative review from a verified purchaser is written by a user named “Natalie Grones” who claims that the shampoo caused negative changes to hair:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e“When I first tried this shampoo and conditioner I was fully out of my last bottles of a different brand I had tried. Because I was using both brands for the first 2-3 weeks of having the product I didn’t notice much of a difference. But now that I’ve been using just this brands shampoo and conditioner I have noticed a huge difference in my hair. I can’t get a comb through it, it’s waxy, and doesn’t feel like it lets my hair fully dry. My end are splitting and my scalp has such bad dander build up.”\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eOur Clean Shampoo Pick\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cimg style=\"display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\" alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0047\/1524\/9737\/files\/Shampoo_Image_20df2087-a8ba-4c39-adbe-7dd14757ec84.png?v=1666993226\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThe shampoo we recommend is \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3SViT6y\" rel=\"sponsored\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eAcure Vivacious Volume Shampoo\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThis shampoo is formulated with effective and non-toxic plant-based compounds like \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003ealoe vera juice\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e and \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003eargan oil\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e. It also contains rosemary leaf oil which was shown in a \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/22517595\/\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eclinical trial\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e published in the \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003ePhytotherapy Research\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e journal to promote hair growth.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eMost importantly, this shampoo contains no questionable additive ingredients like fragrance or synthetic preservatives. It’s also a few dollars cheaper than Kristin Ess per bottle at the time of writing this article.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eInterested consumers can check out Acure Vivacious Volume Shampoo \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3SViT6y\" rel=\"sponsored\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eat this Amazon link\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eConclusion\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eWe do not recommend any Kristin Ess shampoos. Both their Signature Shampoo and Purple Shampoo contain questionable additive ingredients. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eKristin Ess shampoos are priced between drugstore shampoos and luxury shampoos, but we don’t consider their formulation to be any better than the average drugstore shampoo.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eUsers do appear to rate Kristin Ess shampoos well from an aesthetic and hair quality standpoint, but we consider it illogical to use shampoo with questionable additive ingredients when there are shampoos on the market without these ingredients.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","blog_id":49281925193,"author":"Calloway Cook","user_id":26601750601,"published_at":"2022-10-28T23:07:12-04:00","updated_at":"2023-09-25T15:26:41-04:00","summary_html":"We review the ingredients in Kristin Ess to give our take on whether the shampoo is likely to improve hair quality or if it's worse than luxury shampoos. We highlight some questionable added ingredients in Kristin Ess shampoos and share real user reviews of the brand's products.","template_suffix":"","handle":"kristin-ess-shampoo-review","tags":"_related:shampoo"}

Kristin Ess Shampoo Review: High Quality at Low Prices?

Kristin Ess Shampoo Review: High Quality at Low Prices?


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Kristin Ess is a popular hair care brand that has great branding and reasonable prices. It’s available both online and in major drugstores like CVS, Walgreens and Ulta. The brand claims that their shampoo gets hair “super clean” but also “leaves it feeling moisturized and looking shiny.”

But does Kristin Ess shampoo actually contain ingredients proven to have these effects, or is it a waste of money compared to cheaper drugstore brands? Does it have any potentially harmful additive ingredients? And how do real users rate it?

In this article we’ll answer all of these questions and more as we review the ingredients in Kristin Ess shampoo to give our take on whether it’s likely to improve hair quality and whether it’s safe. We’ll also share real, unsponsored user reviews of the product and review the brand’s popular Purple Shampoo.

Kristin Ess Signature Shampoo Review

Kristin Ess Signature Shampoo ingredients

The most popular Kristin Ess shampoo appears to be their Signature Shampoo – ingredients shown above.

This shampoo does have some research-backed ingredients. 

Glycerin was found in a medical review published in the British Journal of Dermatology to improve skin barrier function, hydrate the skin and have an antimicrobial effect, making it an excellent conditioning ingredient.

Chitosan is a natural anti-fungal ingredient derived from the shells of crustacean animals like crabs. It was shown in a 2020 medical study to reduce levels of pathogenic bacteria on the scalp, making it a healthier option than commercial antifungals in our opinion.

However it also contains ingredients we recommend avoiding for health reasons.

Fragrance is an ingredient we recommend consumers avoid. A 2016 medical review described the potential for “serious risks” to human health from fragranced consumer products. Kristin Ess does come in a fragrance-free version, so we’d recommend consumers intent on purchasing from the brand choose that option.

Phenoxyethanol is a synthetic preservative found in at least one clinical trial to be toxic to human cells, as we documented in our Function of Beauty review article (of another popular shampoo containing this ingredient).

Sodium benzoate is another preservative we recommend avoiding (this one single shampoo actually has three preservatives in total, including ethylhexylglycerin).

Overall we believe that Kristin Ess shampoo has the potential to improve hair moisture and quality, but we don’t recommend it due to the additive ingredients.

Kristin Ess Shampoo Real User Review

One of the most popular YouTube reviews of Kristin Ess shampoo comes from a creator named SariReanna. She shares a review of her experience using the shampoo as well as other Kristin Ess products that’s more focused on the cosmetic effects and overall experience than the health benefits:

Kristin Ess Purple Shampoo Review

Kristin Ess Purple Shampoo ingredients

Another one of the most popular Kristin Ess shampoos is their Purple Shampoo – ingredients shown above.

Unfortunately this product is not colored with natural coloring agents but with Basic Violet 1, which is an artificial dye. A medical review published in the International Journal of Toxicology analyzed data on this ingredient and concluded the following: “The panel concluded that because of the carcinogenic potential of these dyes, insufficient data exist to support the safety of Basic Violet 1, 3, and 4 in cosmetic formulation.”

Carcinogenic potential refers to the potential for an ingredient to cause cancer.

Kristin Ess Purple Shampoo also contains fragrance, and a preservative called methylisothiazolinone which is banned or prohibited by Health Canada due to safety concerns.

We consider this to be the worst shampoo we’ve reviewed on Illuminate Health from a health perspective, and would recommend consumers avoid it.

The most popular YouTube review of this shampoo comes from a beauty creator called Milabu. We’ve timestamped the video below to the point she begins reviewing Kristin Ess Purple Shampoo:

Kristin Ess Shampoo Real Customer Reviews

Kristin Ess shampoos are sold on Amazon which is a more objective resource for customer reviews in our opinion than a brand’s website.

Their Signature Shampoo has been reviewed over 1,400 times on Amazon at the time of writing this article, and has an average review rating of 4.6 out of 5 stars.

The top positive review from a verified purchaser comes from a user named “leslie” who claims that the shampoo improved hair quality:

“I have thick straight hair and I love this. Before trying this shampoo, I used Redken All soft shampoo and conditioner and though it worked wonderfully, I wanted to find a cheaper alternative that would do the same job of softening my hair. After the first use I was able to notice how soft my hair was and how great it smelled (smell lasted quite a bit).”

The top negative review from a verified purchaser is written by a user named “Natalie Grones” who claims that the shampoo caused negative changes to hair:

“When I first tried this shampoo and conditioner I was fully out of my last bottles of a different brand I had tried. Because I was using both brands for the first 2-3 weeks of having the product I didn’t notice much of a difference. But now that I’ve been using just this brands shampoo and conditioner I have noticed a huge difference in my hair. I can’t get a comb through it, it’s waxy, and doesn’t feel like it lets my hair fully dry. My end are splitting and my scalp has such bad dander build up.”

Our Clean Shampoo Pick

The shampoo we recommend is Acure Vivacious Volume Shampoo

This shampoo is formulated with effective and non-toxic plant-based compounds like aloe vera juice and argan oil. It also contains rosemary leaf oil which was shown in a clinical trial published in the Phytotherapy Research journal to promote hair growth.

Most importantly, this shampoo contains no questionable additive ingredients like fragrance or synthetic preservatives. It’s also a few dollars cheaper than Kristin Ess per bottle at the time of writing this article.

Interested consumers can check out Acure Vivacious Volume Shampoo at this Amazon link.

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Conclusion

We do not recommend any Kristin Ess shampoos. Both their Signature Shampoo and Purple Shampoo contain questionable additive ingredients. 

Kristin Ess shampoos are priced between drugstore shampoos and luxury shampoos, but we don’t consider their formulation to be any better than the average drugstore shampoo.

Users do appear to rate Kristin Ess shampoos well from an aesthetic and hair quality standpoint, but we consider it illogical to use shampoo with questionable additive ingredients when there are shampoos on the market without these ingredients.




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