Customer Reviews - Rustic Art - Biodegradable Aloe Shampoo
Aakanksha Puranik on 21.06.2014
Hair feel so good in the first wash! Softer! Shiny! wavy! light! Believe me it isn't a overrated review ;) :) p.s. Thanks to the people .. those have reviewed it earlier...else I wont have bought it! :)
Supriya kabra on 27.11.2012
a must have shampoo for your hair problems. i was recommended this by the NM team (a big thank you tina), bought it and started using and could feel the difference on the very first wash. its a mild shampoo, cleanses your scalp effectively. however, for wash after oiling, you will have to use it two time (not a problem!!. lathers very well, is used less and will last me long for my short hair... its paraben and sls free, as evident from the description of ingredients. i will be buying this again and again!! :)
ShrutiLakshman on 21.01.2013
This shampoo is like a dream. A love story between your hair and this shampoo. I would like to give you pointers as to why you must buy this. Or at least try it once and you are sure to fall in love with it. Número uno, hair is soft and healthy. Rustic art uses no chemicals, no essence. But it lathers. I amount this to the wheat protein in the shampoo. The smell is so so heavenly. The right blend of essential oils it is though not mentioned which ones. I would really like to know which ones they are. It removes oil in two washes. The shampoo is gel like and thick. My hair was dry and frizzy. This shampoo did help out on the dry part but not so much on the frizzyness. But I can live with that. It's like my hair has had some knd of health drink. Because this literally made such a big difference in the way I look at what I am putting in my hair and body. I recommended this to a couple of my friends and rest assured, they are not getting back anytime to their old shampoos. Thank you Natural Mantra and Rustic Art. Can I give it more than 5 stars?;-)
Anjali Pant on 07.02.2013
My Saturday evenings are mostly spent at supermarkets with my family. And one thing that always catches my eye is a “SHAMPOO”. New additions on the shelves of the marts are indeed a true delight. However, the distance between me and these shampoos always remain evident, reason being “WHAT LIES INSIDE THESE BOTTLES”. These days market is flooded with numerous brands which claim to be safe/organic/herbal , but at the end of the day they carry mostly the same “HARMFUL” ingredients like other commercial/cosmetic products. But, Rustic Art is different. If you’ll check their website which is http://rusticart.in/ , you’ll get to see what great work this team has been doing. WHAT’S ITS ALL ABOUT : Most of Rustic Art’s products are USDA certified , but this shampoo does not hold a USDA certification. It doesn’t claim its shampoo to be organic, instead it says that its free of Parabens , SLES , SLS , Phosphate and that its biodegradable. The packing of the product is simple and “RUSTIC”, but I like the idea of the handmade paper covering. However with time the handmade paper starts coming out due to frequent contact with water. So it’s my request to Rustic Art to kindly laminate it. This shampoo is transparent in colour, has a runny-gel consistency and a luxurious fragrance. You will require a very small quantity , and that will do its job. It foams well , so you will not find any difficulty in cleansing the scalp as well as hair. For removing oil, you will have to do 2 rounds of cleansing , keeping the shampoo for atleast 2 minutes each time. Don’t worry, it removes oil , like “MAGIC”. My personal suggestion to you all would be to not to do over washing with this shampoo , even for removing oil (2 rounds will be just perfect), as it could leave your hair a little rough/dry (still maintaining the lustre :-D ). Actually with commercial shampoos, post oiling , even 3-4 washes work fine , thanks to the “SILICONE” plating , which is considered to be unsafe. Another positive aspect of this shampoo is that it is “COLOUR SAFE”. My mother colours her hair since a long time. She has always used L’oreal hair care range(shampoo+conditioner), to maintain her hair colour. But, fortunately , one day she tried Rustic Art’s Aloe Vera shampoo , and do I need to say more ??? Yes , she loved it ! It didn’t affect her hair colour , and infact made her hair soft and lustrous , making the shade of the colour more vibrant. This one single shampoo works both as a cleanser and as a conditioner. However do not expect it to give you that “SALOON” effect. This shampoo works in the most natural way , making your hair shiny and silky. It gives a healthy feel and look to the hair. As far as therapeutic properties are concerned, I don’t think it is skewed towards treating any particular scalp-ailment for example hairfall , dandruff etc. However , depending upon the compatibility with your scalp , it may help in dampening down the severity of the problem , but I am repeating again , this will vary from person to person. Although it’s an all season shampoo, it will be best suited for winters. In summers our scalp already produces so much natural oil , that this conditioning shampoo might not work that great for the people who either have a really oily scalp or who suffer from extreme sweating problem. It will definitely make your ends smooth but may leave your scalp a bit oily. One solution here could be to try its other variant: Rustic Art’s Herbal Shampoo. Otherwise it is suitable for all hair types and yes “GENDER NO BAR” :p MY EXPERIENCE: My hair is black ,straight and silky. Although my scalp is substantially oily which further gets worse during humid weather, this shampoo suits me well. For both daily cleansing and oil removal (roughly once a week in summers ), I use this “FANTASTIC FORMULATION”. However, seasonally I do switch between different shampoos, to maintain my scalp’s health, to get rid of unwanted residue, and ofcourse to break free from the monotony. This “MASTERPIECE” works great in removing oil, and leaves my hair healthy and lustrous. A downfall with this shampoo is that it doesn’t control scalp’s excess oil and also does not heal scalp itching, which is bound to happen during monsoon. But the best part is, that its high foaming capacity prevents unnecessary hair breakage ( only loose hair comes out ). In winters, for a scalp like mine , it works wonders. However, a follow up with a conditioner may be required in extreme cold. Since with change in weather I substitute it with other shampoos, in my case, this shampoo lasts for about 1- 1.5 months. Ideally it should work for a month. INSIDE OUT: This shampoo comprises of – Demineralized Aqua , Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate , Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Alfa Olefin Sulphonate , Disodium cocoamphodiacetate , Laurydimonium hydroxypropyl , Hydrolyzed wheat protein , Sodium Cocoyl Glutamate , Essential oils blend , Aloe barbadensis , Ascorbic acid. Benefits of Aloe Vera are not new to us. But since benefits come with a cost, so does this shampoo; it’s not just about Aloe, there is more to it. The fact that this shampoo lathers might startle a few. Well, earlier Rustic Art didn’t use to disclose the composition of this shampoo, but in its latest packaging it has listed down the foaming agents, details of which are as follows : (a) Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate : It is a cleaning agent that is gentle to skin. Even in high consistency, it causes little irritation. According to the journal Contact Dermatitis, 10% Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate displays "similar" signs of irritation to 2% Sodium Lauryl Sulfate . It also has a good cleaning ability, resistance to hard water, medium foaming ability, easiness of rinsing, good smoothness and biodegradation. It acts as a degreaser by binding to dirt and oil on the hair and scalp. It leaves hair clean and shin . Structurally it is a considerably larger molecule than many other surfactants and cannot penetrate the skin. It belongs to a category known as anionic surfactants, meaning that it has a negative charge. Now this may “charge” your hair , so you could use a conditioner to counteract that effect. But yes this “charging” effect may not be true in all cases. The safety and mildness of Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate lies in the absence of a sulfate ion head, which is commonly found in many other surfactants. The sulfate ion, which originates in sulfuric acid, is replaced with the more stable and safer sulfonated este. The result is an effective yet safe product that offers a plethora of advantages over sulphate chemicals. However, many sources claim that DLS is carcinogenic because it contains surfactants, which can be contaminated with nitrosamines. (b) Cocamidopropyl Betaine : A synthetic surfactant (detergent) made with petrochemical amines and fatty acids (sometimes coconut fatty acids).It is a chemical found in many personal care products, including shampoo, toothpaste and body wash. The chemical is derived from coconuts and Dimethylaminopropylamine and is used to make products produce more foam. Because cocamidopropyl betaine originates from coconut oil, even some personal care products labelled as natural still contain it. Cocamidopropyl betaine is a known skin, eye, and lung irritant. Additionally, at high temperatures and under acidic conditions, it can form carcinogenic nitrosamines. Cocamidopropyl betaine was voted 2004’s Allergen of the Year by the American Contact Dermatitis Society. However , even then ,it is considered safe by many. (c) Alfa Olefin Sulphonate : C12-14 olefin sulfonate (coconut derived) -- Also known as alpha olefin sulfonate; this is a synthetic chemical surfactant/detergent and it is often represented as "derived from coconuts," but in fact, according to the report HOUSEHOLD CLEANERS by the University of Tennessee's Center for Clean Products and Clean Technologies, olefin sulfonates may contain traces of benzene, which is a carcinogen or reproductive toxin, and may also release it into the environment during the manufacturing process (as it is created using petrochemicals). According to the Swedish Society for Nature Conservation's* LIST OF SURFACTANTS (June 21, 2001), olefin sulfonate is a category 4 surfactant and is NOT approved for use in eco-labelled products. Olefin sulfonate contains 50% or more petroleum derivatives and is not considered to be a readily biodegradeable or nontoxic to aquatic organisms. The Swedish Society for Nature Conservation is an internationally recognized source of the cosmetic chemical industry for environmental standards. This surfactant belongs to the anionic surfactant class. These surfactants provide outstanding detergency, high compatibility with hard water, and good wetting and foaming properties. According to some sources, AOS is free of skin irritants and sensitizers, and it biodegrades rapidly. It is used in high-quality shampoos, light-duty liquid detergents, bubble baths, and heavy-duty liquid and powder detergents. (d) Disodium cocoamphodiacetate (DSCADA): Derived from the fatty acids found in coconut oil, it is an imidazoline-derived amphoteric organic compound. This surfactant works as a mild foaming agent, cleanser and skin/hair conditioner. As a foam booster, it increases a solution's foaming capacity by increasing the surface viscosity of the liquid which surrounds the individual bubbles in a foam. It cleans the skin/hair by enabling water to mix with oil & dirt particles, and rinse them off the surface. The Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) Expert Panel has assessed this ingredient as non-toxic and non-irritating, and they, along with the EU Cosmetics Directive, have determined it as safe to use in OTC personal care products. So far, I haven’t found a negative argument for this surfactant. (e) Sodium Cocoyl Glutamate : Proponents say that this surfactant , which is derived from coconut oil and glutamate amino acid , is mild enough. However opponents have a very interesting argument. They say that even though it is derived from coconut oil , its extraction process is followed by extensive processing and forced reactions with synthetic chemicals. While the ingredient list may not tell you this information, these overly processed “semi natural” ingredients are likely to be contaminated with unintended by-products or petrochemical solvents. [ Sources : http://www.truthinaging.com , http://kittenish.onsugar.com , http://www.organicconsumers.org/bodycare/natural_bodycare_ingredients.cfm , http://www.livestrong.com/ , http://www.ewg.org , http://en.wikipedia.org ] What you may have observed in the details of the above listed ingredients, is a pattern of “CONTRADICTIONS”. Yes that is definitely apparent as well as inevitable. And it is so because neither there are 100 % accurate evidences against these ingredients nor in favour of these. It’s very difficult to get a unanimous “YES” for a synthetic surfactant. HIT OR MISS: Well, this decision completely depends upon the degree of your tolerance towards chemicals. This shampoo is definitely a good substitute for a chemically loaded one, however it s not the “BEST”. I may call it a safe choice, but that is only in the “RELATIVE” terms and not in the “ABSOLUTE” terms because at the end of the day it does contain “SYNTHETIC” surfactants which are surely of a great concern. So if your preference is for 100% chemical free stuff, then go for a powder- based shampoo. Although a dry cleanser is a healthier choice, it may not provide your hair with that gorgeous sheen; it would be a little cumbersome and messy to add a dry-shampoo to your daily bathing routine . Contrary to this, Rustic Art’s creation is handy plus would make your hair look like Rapunzel’s tresses, but then that will be at the expense of ingredients. Thus there is a trade off, which is ineluctable, no matter what you choose. Whatsoever, this shampoo for sure will remain my companion in the years to come and that’s simply because: 1. It’s economically feasible. At Rs.290, it has been decently priced. Only a small quantity is required and on top of that it foams like “AMAZING”, which further makes oil removing not really an expensive deal. 2. Although it has synthetic surfactants, for which there are conflicting views, the shampoo is mild enough and much better than what we usually get to find in our local marketplace. 3. Even if I substitute it with other shampoos, my mum will surely never part with it, hence I’ll be left with no other option! :p Had the product been free of synthetic surfactants, I would have surely given it 5 stars , but the presence of these synthetic surfactants makes me give this “STUPENDOUS CREATION” of Rustic Art a rating of 4 stars. TOPPINGS: (a) Many a times I use this shampoo by diluting with water. This technique really works well with my hair(even for removing oil) , making this shampoo even more economic . (b) If you are using this shampoo in monsoon , then you may take a few precautionary steps to make it stay effective for a longer duration : 1. Post wash, before stepping out, make sure your hair is completely dry. If you perspire a lot, then stay in an AC room till your wet hair dries up (try to minimize the usage of a hair dryer; it damages hair ends). And then tie your hair into a bun/plait/pony. This will prevent moisture from getting trapped in your hair. 2. Since its monsoon, it would be obvious for you to wash your face 3-4 times a day. Each time you will wash your face, your hair will also get wet, and since its humid , your hair will not dry out immediately. In short, whole day the front section of your scalp/hair will be soaked in water/sweat. Hence, prefer to use a broad hair-band or a shower cap ,each time you wash your face. 3. Follow this shampoo with a lemon-water rinse. This will control scalp’s excess oil and will also add shine to your hair. 4. And yes, if possible and suitable, wash your hair regularly. Bon Voyage! :-)