Aveda Essentials Review

Happy Monday, friends! Did any of you get a chance to shop the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale, or at least take a peek at it? I managed to snag a few things, and I can’t wait to share with you all!

And speaking of #NSALE, don’t forget that there’s a giveaway going on for a chance to win a $1,000 Nordstrom gift card! I reposted the widget below, so it would be easy to find.

A few weeks ago, I had the opportunity to partner with Aveda to try out a few of their popular hair products, ! I’m not a huge product junkie, but when it comes to taking care of my hair, I do not like to skimp on quality.

For the last few years, I have been an avid Redkin user. The hair salon I go to uses Redkin, and I fell in love with the products and price point!

After having Lilly, however, my hair went through a few drastic changes–I have always had thick hair, and being pregnant made it even THICKER. But after Lilly arrived, my hair began falling out. Like, bad.

Over the course of the next six months, I had lost almost a third of the volume, and my hair was super dry in the lengths but would become dirty after only two days (I use to be able to go three-four days without shampooing!). So when I was contacted to test out some products from Aveda, I jumped at the chance to try something new!

If you’re not familiar with Aveda or their products, Aveda makes their products free of parabens, phthalates and sodium lauryl sulfate, are certified organic, and are sourced from renewable plant-based origins. You can read more about where they source their ingredients here!

SO, let’s get to talking about the products, and what I’ve enjoyed using so far!

AirControl Hair Spray

This is a light hold aerosol hairspray, and does not leave your hair feeling like it’s been glued into place :D. Unfortunately for my thick(er) hair, I need something with a stronger hold if I want my curls to stay curled. It is perfect, though, for keeping flyaways at bay and for holding a looser, beach-wave curl!

Thickening Tonic

The product I was MOST excited to try was the hair thickening tonic–I knew that it wouldn’t regrow my hair, but I was hopeful it would at least give the appearance of having thicker hair, and I was not disappointed! With the very first use, my hair looked and felt thicker and coupled with the Phomollient styling foam, I looked like I had my pre-pregnancy hair back!

Smooth Infusion Style-Prep Smoother

My hair reacts to humidity in two ways; frizz and waves. The Style-Prep Smoother greatly helped to keep my hair sleek and smooth, although it didn’t last for twelve hours like the bottle says. I didn’t expect it to last quite that long, but it lasted for several hours out and about in the humid heat!

Phomollient Styling Foam

Ok, this product I was bit skeptical to use, at first, because it says it’s volumizing for thin/fine hair, which I have neither. It didn’t give me mega-volume, but it did give me the normal “oomph” I usually get when I style my hair, AND it didn’t leave my roots feeling like I had put a lot of product in. Also, the volume lasted for a couple of days post-blow out, which allowed me to wear my hair down without having to do any touch-ups!

Smooth Infusion Styling Cream

This styling cream is similar to the Style-Prep smoother, except it helps to tame the frizz. My hair tends to be frizzy because I have naturally dry hair, and it worked well, in conduction with the styling foam. Again, it didn’t last as long as the product claims, but I’ll take what I can get! All in all, I have an overall positive review of the products from Aveda! I tried each one individually, and as well as all at the same time, and they work best when used in conjunction with each other. The thickening tonic and phomollient were my two favorites, and are able to be used on their own. One of my favorite outcomes from using the products, is that my blow-out lasted for 3 days, which is HUGE for me! I am always tucking my hair behind my ears, putting it up in a high ponytail when running around with Lilly, and sleep with it in a loose bun on top of my head. I would wake up and take my hair out of the bun and go–no ugly hair-tie ring in my hair, no lost volume, and all smooth. Twenty minutes of saved time is a BIG DEAL for this mama! I still use Redkin shampoo and conditioner, but have officially made the switch to Aveda styling products. And they smell oh so good!

Don’t forget about the giveaway, only a week left to enter!

Now…it’s time for a fabulous giveaway! I’ve teamed up with an amazing group of bloggers to give YOU a chance to win: a $1,000 Nordstrom Gift Card, just in time for the Anniversary Sale!

Simply enter below by completing the rafflecopter. You’ll receive one entry per completion. This giveaway is open internationally and runs until 7/24. Winner will be announced here. Good Luck!