I typically fly right past most of the ads in my Facebook and Instagram feeds, but recently the Hairstory New Wash shampoo ad caught my eye. This sulfate-free shampoo is supposed to change the way you wash your hair, and with 4/5 stars and more than 5,000 reviews, I thought, why not?
I dropped $40 on a bottle and gave it a try, as part of our Damn You Social Media Ads series, in which we buy the products being pushed on us in social media ads, then try them to see if they’re worthwhile.
So, here’s what I thought about Hairstory New Wash.
You might also like these reviews from our series:
Color WOW Dream Coat anti-frizz treatment review
The Earthling Co.’s bar shampoo review
The Ordinary skincare and makeup review
Glossier Balm Dot Com review
Function of Beauty custom shampoo and conditioner review
Thrive Causemetics Infinity Waterproof Eyebrow Liner review
Ohora at-home gel manicure kit review
Inkbox semi-permanent tattoos review
This post contains affiliate links and some purchases may generate a small commission to help support our work at no additional cost to you. We’ve purchased these items at our own expense, and you can tell, our reviews are 100% our honest opinions.
First, about my hair
First, let me tell you a little bit about my hair and my normal hair routine, so you can get a good basis for comparison to your own hair.
My hair is just below shoulder-length and falls somewhere between wavy and curly, tending toward frizzy. It’s about as natural as it gets — it’s never been dyed and I use very few products on it besides the occasional spritz of hairspray.
Recently I’ve been using either Pantene or TRESemmé shampoo (whichever is on sale), and I’ll use conditioner about once a week. I usually let my hair air dry, and once a week or so I use my straightening iron to get out the frizz.
Related: Is the Color WOW Dream Coat anti-frizz treatment the miracle product that influencers claim?
How to use New Wash shampoo
First, I chose the basic New Wash formula, which has a slightly minty scent that reminds me of the forest — it seems that’s a result of oils like clove, rosewood, and balsam among the fragrances they use — but it doesn’t leave any discernable scent after washing. Then…shower time.
New Wash shampoo’s big claim is that they use “essential oils and naturally derived saturated cleansers” to clean your hair. What it doesn’t use is the detergent you’re probably used to. That means it doesn’t lather up like typical shampoos, so that’s a change.
Instead, you coat your hair as you would conditioner, rub your scalp like crazy or use their scalp brush (really a seal brush, shown above) , which comes with their $76 starter kit. Then let it soak, and finish up your shower routine until you’re ready to rinse it out at the end.
The shampoo is thick, so it takes some real rinsing to get it out — the bottle even tells you to use your hands like a squeegee. At that point, your hair should be both cleansed and conditioned all in one, and you’re ready to go.
(If you want to read the full story on how the chemistry works — and I mean, complicated chemical formulas — you can read up on the New Wash formula.)
How my hair looked after one day with Hairstory’s New Wash shampoo
So, my first day after using Hairstory was not a love story.
Right off the bat, my hair felt dirty. It didn’t look greasy, per se, but it felt heavy — like the way mine feels if if I let my hair dry right out of the pool or the ocean without washing it first. It didn’t have the normal volume and bounce I’m used to with freshly washed hair.
That afternoon, when I asked my brutally honest neighbor what she thought (with the full knowledge that I was reviewing the shampoo), she said my hair looked dirty.
Oof.
Try, trying again
Typically, I would wait 3-4 days before washing my hair again, but because it felt so dirty I went ahead and washed it again the next night (as per Hairstory’s own suggestions) to see if maybe there’s some adjustment period with this new shampoo that I was missing.
I used 5 pumps this time to make sure I really got full coverage, especially beneath my hair at the nape of my neck, and spent a little more time rinsing it out than the first time.
When shampoo has no lather, it definitely takes some time to figure out whether the shampoo has covered your hair in the first place — let alone figuring out whether it’s all been rinsed out afterwards.
Afterwards, I used dry shampoo the next morning when I styled, and used the straightening iron, hoping that would help.
This time, I was happy with the results and didn’t wash it for two more days.
How my hair looked after one week with Hairstory’s New Wash shampoo
Later in the week, it was time for another shampoo. This time, I let my hair go with its natural curl — and once again, it was feeling heavy and dirty again. Sigh. By the time the week was over, honestly, I couldn’t have been happier to go back and wash it with my old shampoo again.
Related: The single best dry shampoo ever, according to someone who has tried them all
The verdict on Hairstory New Wash shampoo
If you have a lot of natural curl and like bouncy volume, this is probably not the shampoo for you. Maybe if you have a totally different kind of hair you’d get different results than I did — as you can see from the comments below! — but I was only happy with my hair when I added volumizing dry shampoo and wore a straight style and that’s just too limiting for me.
You also may have more patience than I have to let your hair “adjust.” (As you can see in our comments below, a lot of you do!)
For comparison, I also tried out Beautycounter’s Daily Shampoo. a sulfate-free and Paraben-free shampoo that still lathers when you wash. It’s significantly cheaper ($26 per bottle versus $40 for Hairstory) and, despite the name, I only felt the need to wash my hair every 2-3 days with it.
After using Beautycounter’s shampoo, my hair felt cleaner and bouncier than it did with Hairstory.
Even so, neither shampoo provided the smooth finish I get with more traditional shampoos, even if it’s the chemicals that do it. And so I can’t wholeheartedly recommend them, at least if you have hair like mine.
In all: I’m definitely glad I spent $40 — and not $76 — on the entire starter kit.
Counterpoint…
See the incredibly thoughtful, thorough comments below this post. There are a lot of fans out there! Did I get it wrong? Or did it just not work for me?
If you’ve found a fabulous, more natural shampoo that works for hair like mine, I’d love to hear about it — or if you want us to try a product you’re seeing all over your Facebook or Instagram feeds, let us know. We’ll buy it and post our honest review.
Also note that our editor Liz uses the Hairstory Hair Balm for her super thick, curly-frizzy hair during the summer when she wants to go more natural, and does recommend it!
Thanks so much for this review… and for saving me $40!
I’m following the curly girl method that means no shampoo nasties, I use as I am coconut co wash on my naturally curly hair, it does the same thing for 8 pounds and my hair is left beautiful soft and shiny , I’ll cleanse with twisted sista once every 2 week to get rid of product build up
Can you explain how you use the coconut oil?
I feel this article is a little unfair and not very accurate, as the Hairstory website does say it can take 3 weeks for your hair to adjust. I would have been interested in seeing if your hair changed at all over 3 weeks. Rather than you giving up after just 1 week.
I agree. I’m into my 2nd week of using Hairstory on my super baby fine hair and found this post in hopes of learning what to expect after the initial phase of transition. This post was not helpful at all and not a proper experiment.
I’m not impressed. Ive finished day 3. have very fine hair, and despite copious rubbing and rinsing, it is looking dirtier each day and feels kind of greasy. Yuck.
I’ve been using New Wash for a few years now on my baby-fine hair and oily scalp, and I can honestly say that my experience has been phenomenal. I used to have a lot of problems with an itchy scalp and dandruff, while the ends of my hair would get dry and split. Now my hair is halfway down my back and split ends are rare! My scalp is also significantly healthier and I don’t get as much oily build up. So, NW is probably not for everyone, but don’t write it off right away–I recommend giving it a full 3-6 months, honestly. It’s an investment, but one I’ve never regretted.
note–I’m not affiliated with Hair Story in any way except as a satisfied customer, I just stumbled on this post while and wanted to share my experience!
I’d say that using 5 pumps would be part of the problem. Oneof the benefits of new wash is youbneed LESS product. If you think about it, it’s an oil rich product so less is more. I’ve used one packaged over one year. I had a psoriasis rash that wouldn’t heal until this product. I have had less breakage than ever and have been able to keep my length! I wash every 4 or 5 days, not because my scalp is oily but for the moisture benefit to the ends.
My fine shoulder length hair has volume and is stylable with my hands or fingers. I have super cool hair rn! I describe it more as a fabric after one year of new wash. Best product ever!
I am into my second week and I love this shampoo. For the first time in 25 years of colouring (highlights/lowlights) I have not had to use conditioner or all the other products previously required each time I wash my hair – something for detangling, something for heat protection and something for shine. My hair does not in any way feel greasy or dirty. It is smooth, straight with plenty of movement. Colour is naturally strawberry blond, fine strands and about 5 inches below my shoulders and lots of it! After washing all I do is comb it out with a wide tooth comb and lightly blow dry. NO knots!!
It is worth noting that I have always used high grade products such as Kerastase, Redken and Oribe and they have kept my hair really healthy looking but at the same time cost me a fortune.
Something really drastic would have to happen for me to give up New wash at this stage. $60.00 is very reasonable when I don’t have to buy all the other necessaries.
**No affiliation with Hair Story
I have it a full 5 weeks. I’m now at the hairdresser to get my hair fixed because it looks and feels terrible. Definitely does NOT work in all hair types I guess.
Same here!
I am using new wash and so is my curly haired daughter and we both LOVE it! One week is definitely not enough time to let it work it’s magic. It takes at least 2 weeks. I wore mine up most of that time.
I love it too! I don’t understand the negative reviews. My hair is slightly wavy and very fine . I had great results after the first shampoo. No “dirty” look at all. Possibly because I haven’t been using all the lotions and potions I’ve used before the pandemic? I also love the fact that my hair doesn’t look oily on the second day. I’m getting ready to buy their hair balm hoping to get more wave.
I’m am a bit confused about someone using several pumps. No wonder their hair looked dirty! This is not “regular” shampoo and shouldn’t be used like one.
THIS IS A REAL REVIEW! I was not paid as another reviewer suggested although I probably won’t show as “verified” because my purchase was through Amazon.
It sounds like I have very similar hair to that described in the article, in addition to me using tresemme brands for years because it’s seriously good value for money.
I really wanted hairstory to work. And eventually, keeping at it and not giving up as my hair was so damaged by chemicals it started to work. My hair detoxed, my scalp no longer itches, I had shiny full hair which I was delighted with.
But it took weeks, maybe 7 weeks until it felt like it was really working.
I was totally gutted to have to stop because of the cost. It was killing my wallet
You should try it again but use a clarifying shampoo first. Then wash with New Wash for the next wash. You need to get all the buildup off your hair first. Then you can transition to New Wash or a co-wash.
Wow! I got new wash rich which was what they recommended and the hair balm and I really like it. I also got the scalp brush. I don’t use five pumps or even close to that I think it tells you to use a small little ball of it in the palm of your hand that’s all I use. My hair is not long though. And another thing you have to rinse a lot and you wanna switch to cooler water toward the end of your rinsing. I love this product it’s got rid of my frizziness and helped my curls be more themselves and I also love the hair balm.
Thanks for this review! I was curious but now much less so. My hair seems similar to yours. Another brand you might want to try is Briogeo. The Repair, Don’t Despair line is great.
Bumble and bumble invisible oil shampoo and conditioner is amazing from curly/wavy hair. It leaves your hair light, clean, and soft. I had to use it for a couple of days before it got all the chemical laden residue out of my hair (during which time my hair felt clean but rough and dry). But once those couple of days passed my hair was literally the nicest and healthiest it’s ever been. Less frizzy too. Living Proof is also excellent.
Finally someone who doesn’t LOVE it! I have tried 2 different types of New Wash & with both of them my hair always feels dirty. Only time it is properly clean is after I’ve been to the hairdresser & they use shampoo with sulphates in. ??♀️ I have naturally poker straight hair, so I am still looking for a decent shampoo.
WOW!! I had this on my list to order this week….so glad I did a little review research and digging…if you go to their customer reviews you’ll see they’ve made sure all the “bad reviews” are funnelled to the very very Verrrryyyy end…and it’s like 30+ pages of 1Star negative reviews.( I know because I scrolled that far before giving up. Not sure who Allllll these people who say they loved the product are…but my guess a little paycheck to write “fake reviews” from a well known FIVERR website (freelancers for hire) and they suddenly got thousands of 5 STAR rave reviews…I totally smell a rat! LOL!
I started using New Wash several months ago. When I first got it, I shampooed with it daily during my shower, and got the dirty, heavy hair you described. My stylist then told me I should try using it twice per shower (like shampoo and conditioner rounds, only using the same product for both). I use one pump for each round. What a difference! The second round of using it, my hair feels better in the shower, and looks and behaves normally after the shower too. My hair sounds similar to yours, only just above shoulder length. I’m able to wear it both curly or straight when I use it this way. My only complaint with the product at this point is the price.
I’m glad it’s working for you! I also tried the twice-per-shower method and it still was leaving mine too heavy and greasy.
I’ve been using it for almost a year and it’s fantastic. Before Hair Story I was using sulfate free Kevin Murphy and other expensive products and had fly always and a crown of frizz on my straight to wavy hair all year long hot weather or not. I used shampoo, conditioner, leave in conditioner, every after product a hair stylist could recommend and would always have the flyaways and frizz crown. I believe that Hair Story recommends 4-6 pumps on the plastic bottle. It took a few days to regulate for me, and change in weather means an adjustment in the amount I use, but I don’t think you gave it enough time, or enough product. I gave away every treatment and styling product and I now step out of the shower comb my hair smooth and that’s it. No more tons of other goops. I use the All Dressed Up if it seems extremely humid. I’ve used that 3 times in 6 months. I just didn’t want to have the 5ver comment go without another honest positive review. It’s good stuff, and the quiz helps to cater the right product to you. My husband now uses Deep New Wash as an everyday hair washer. I use regular New Wash ever other day. FYI, those drug store brands are stripping your hair of their moisture and then replenishing each time to mask the damage they are doing. It’s cyclical. That’s why I used to need the post wash products, to remoisten the drying/weighing down the shampoo and conditioner are doing. So, I think doing honest reviews you have to give it more time. They recommend a longer transition. The drug store brand ingredients aren’t just had for your hair. They are bad for your skin, and your whole system. Bad stuff! Have you tried Apple Cider Vinegar trick? Friends swear by that but it takes way long to transition to that, so you’ll need patience.
Have you tried DevaCurl No-Poo? It’s supposed to be the “best option for the curly-haired.”
I haven’t tried either of those!
Hi Kate, I have not tried the product you reviewed but have tried other sulfate free shampoos and not liked the results. Your hair type sounds similar to mine naturally curly thick and can be frizzy. I have started getting Pure Brazilian keratin treatments about twice a year and it has changed my life. My hair is smooth shiny and more manageable than ever. I can still curl it and it is so much easier to manage.
Thanks for sharing. I found your site after I tried it and hated it as I really wanted to like this. It had to be the worst shampoo ever. After using, my hair was not soft; it was a tangled, frizzy, ratty mess after using. Flat ironing didn’t even help. And needless to say, I washed my hair before an event and didn’t end up going as my hair look horridness.
My hair is not curly or straight, it is in between. I have to either flat iron my hair or curl it otherwise it looks a mess.
omg literally it’s the only shampoo i’ll ever buy again. it’s soooo expensive and i go to the store to buy dove or whatever but NOTHING makes my hair feel as good as this stuff. i keep coming back to it. you like what you like. this works for me. it took me a few sessions. i have wavy/benty/frizzy hair <3
I feel the same! I didn’t know how dry my hair was until I started using New Wash. I didn’t love it at first but thought I’d finish the pack, and by the end I was hooked! I have fine, oily, curly hair and I buy New Wash Deep, I do have to wash it every day though. And I think you need to use quite a lot and really comb it through and massage your scalp a bit, but it is really clean afterwards. I’ve been using it for 9 months now and my hair is TRANSFORMED and I’m getting so many complements on how lovely and curly it is
I just used this for the first time today, the Deep version. I have fine wavy, dark brown hair with zero chemical treatment. On first go? I love it. I have experience with Wen, though, which also doesn’t lather, so I’m used to this kind of thing. Observation: I have 1-3 inch long hair and I had to use 16 pumps. It’s a lot of pumps but each pump is an incredibly small amount. I’m excited to see what happens after a few washes, though; I can’t wait to wash my hair again tomorrow even though I might not have to ?
Sadly, this is another product that uses a single plastic bottle. The world does not need any more single use plastic. Switch to bar shampoo or at least refillable bottles.
I agree that reducing those single-use plastics is best! We tried this bar shampoo and loved it. https://coolmompicks.com/blog/2020/02/12/educated-earthlings-bar-shampoo-review/
This product has a plastic bad style package available as well. I’ve only needed one large package in one year. Pretty minimal footprint imo.
Awful product. Brand is a gimmick to see which idiot will pay >£40 for an unknown untested product..
Guys use your common sense.
I have used this for 2 freaking months, waiting for my scalp ‘oils to adjust’ as mentioned in their promotional materials. They claim, and aren’t wrong, that traditional shampoo really strips the good oils. With time, sometime lots of time, your scalp adjusts. However, I waited…and I waited. It is still heavy, greasy, limp and hard to style after over 60 days. I have done ‘no-poo’ in the past with baking soda and apple cider vinegar with much better response. Just 2 week adjustment time. Their dry shampoo is pretty good, gives great volume, but wow, what a price tag. Simply not sustainable.
Hiii! I am a hairstylist of 19 years who specializes in organic/plant based haircare and wanted to comment on this… Changing from commercial to natural products is always going to be different. I recommend detoxifying your hair (REALLY well- like at least 3 times) before trying New Wash. Shampoos such as Pantene and TRESemmé contain ingredients that actually coat your hair in film. If you don’t remove that prior to anything else, you’re not going to have good results. Period.
Making sure your hair is really wet before applying new wash is also helpful while scrubbing.
Also, $40 for a professional Haircare system, is not that bad. If you are looking for quality, over the counter products check out EO by Everyone. You can buy online. There are so many better/healthier options than Pantene etc. out there! And, I am actually very impressed with New Wash so far. 🙂
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Ed note: This comment was lightly edited to remove unproven claims about competitive products
how do you detoxify your hair???
Hi there, how do you recommend detoxing your hair before using new wash?
How do I detox my hair first?
I’m another New Wash lover. My hair is wavy/straight mixed, and I don’t have that much of it. I’m a wash and towel dry girl, occasionally using a comb, and then I put a dab of gel in it. I have colored it in the past, but not for years. I tried just water, and I tried conditioner only, for a while before New Wash. I think I probably did not have much or any build-up on my hair once I started with New Wash. I use *very little* of the product, but plenty of time and effort to rub it in, and then rinse it out. I wash it this way 2-3 times a week. I rarely have bad hair days any more. (Well, I guess that is all relative!) I just wish it were not so darned expensive. I’m out here in the internet searching for a less expensive alternative. It’s confusing to me, because terms like no-poo and co-wash are used interchangeably, and I’m not even sure what New Wash would be considered!
I just went through a year’s worth of chemotherapy treatment for breast cancer. When people lose their hair during chemo, it typically comes back frizzier and kinkier than it was before. (I used a cold cap and was part of the lucky few who didn’t lose any hair during chemo, but new hair growth after the chemo still came out as completely different hair than I used to have. My formerly thick but fine, smooth, straight hair is now frizzy, kinky, and out of control.) I read about New Wash and was first drawn to it because it is sulfate, phosphate, and paraben free; eliminating possible carcinogens sounded like a good idea. And I thought: why not try something completely new for my completely new hair… Worth a go. I selected New Wash Rich because of the newly frizzy and kinky state of my hair. I’m about 5 weeks in and I’m intrigued… The most amazing thing is how clean my hair remains for days after I wash. (I used to shampoo every day — every other day at an absolute minimum.) With New Wash Rich, my hair feels and smells clean for 3-4 days now. I do think the price is high. If I didn’t find it so expensive, I might still wash my hair every other day (and may well do that moving forward). But I’ve been experimenting with how it looks and feels 2, 3, and 4 days out. On the whole, I really like it. My hair feels lighter and cleaner and healthier than it ever has before. Day one in particular is fantastic; day two is nice, too. The oily/greasy feeling I used to get on day two or three with regular shampoo is gone completely. I just decided to join the New Wash club and am committed for the next few months. I think I really like it so far.
I’m so glad it’s working for you!
Fat & The Moon’s shampoo is incredible for all hair types and I can often go an entire week without shampooing again. I also found that when I started using detergent-free shampoos that it took up to a month for my hair to really acclimate but I don’t regret it for a second! Fat & The Moon’s shampoo is very expensive and I find that I need to use quite a bit to get it around my head – it is a rather thin liquid – but I can use it so infrequently that it ends up lasting much longer than my other shampoos! Also Aveda is a great company and also helped me transition my hair to even more gentle shampoos.
I use New Wash and I don’t think you used enough of the shampoo for your length of hair. I have shoulder length, curly hair and I use about 7-9 pumps. I rinse it very well and I can go 4 days between shampoos. I use a light, leave in conditioner after I shampoo and that’s it. It is expensive, but when you use it in the manner I can, it isn’t more than a regular salon shampoo. It is kind to my hair and I really like it.
I’m glad you like it, but whoa—-9 pumps is a lot to use at once!
I must say that I LOVE it, not the price, but the product. I do feel that one week does not make for a very accurate review. My hair is the type that gets oily on the scalp and dry on the ends. Yes, I am a man and have long hair. After using the product for a month, I could tell that my hair not only looked so much better, but the condition of my hair was healthier. The price might scare you, but this is a good product.
I’m glad to hear it’s working for you!
Do you rinse with water in between shampoos? I exercise every day and need to shower, should I keep my hair dry or can I rinse with water?
I keep my hair dry if I’m not actually washing it, because I’ve found that mine has a tendency to look really greasy if it gets wet but not washed.
I purchased Hairstory during the pandemic as a means to support my stylist. I absolutely HATE this stuff. I only wash my hair twice a week and immediately after shampooing with this stuff and rinsing our thoroughly, the crown of my scalp is totally heavy and greasy. Waste of money.
I love that you were thinking of creative ways to support them! Maybe they’d be willing to switch to a different product for you?
What if it’s formulated to be use daily as a substitute for normal weekly shampooing.
Thanks for this honest review.
I am a no poo girl for over 2 years and wondered if it was worth it to try.
I wash with just a baking soda and water mixture and then condition with a Apple cider vinegar/water rinse and my hair and curls are beautiful. First time I knew I even had them. Grows well and I don’t need to wash or dry shampoo for like 4 days.
I actually found putting anything on my hair like dry shampoo makes my hair a oil slick and gritty and chalky. Gross. It works better for me to just do no poo and then leave it until it needs another wash. Usually 2-3 days with no oils, unless i am out in direct sun or sweating.
I will shampoo once in a while but put a 1tbsp of baking soda in it and condition only my ends with a deep conditioner. But typically if my hair is feeling dry, I use Shea Moisture Jamaican black castor oil leave in on just the lower ends. It is rare to need it, mostly when I get really tangled or winter dry.
Also there is about a week FUNK when switching to no poo or no natural products. It is the scalp pushing off all the old oils and debris or caked dead skin cells. If I use regular shampoo and conditioner on a trip, I have to reacclimate for a few days. It is just because baking soda and acv cleanse and strip the crud off but the scalp has to find its oil balance again so it goes through learning what oil amount is needed. Usually starts with TOO MUCH oil haha I have done this off and on for about 5 years. I get lazy and miss that first day new shampoo feeling. Then I remember how much better my hair feels NOT using it.
I think you would love your curls with this method and then adding a little coconut oil to the ringlets as a touch up on wet hair, but the shea moisture is amazing as a curl coater.
I never put anything on my scalp, except baking soda and acv. I used to have a dry scalp. I don’t use dry shampoo ever, I dust in a little bit of arrowroot powder/tea tree/lavender mixture if I am trying to go past day 5 hahaha which is rare and only happened 1x in a year. lol
Wow, thanks for all these tips!
Can you please tell me how you wash your hair with baking soda
Interesting. Need to try
Too bad it didn’t work for you. I have hair that sounds very similar to yours, except it’s dyed, and I absolutely love New Wash. The basic formula left my hair too curly, so they sent me the rich formula for free, and that is much better. I find my hair and scalp feel very healthy, and I love not having all of those products to use. In the end, I think I am saving money. I wouldn’t discourage people from trying it.
I absolutely LOVE New Wash! It took me a good 4-6 weeks to love it though! Your hair and scalp have to go through that “detox” phase before you should judge. I also double-cleanse and now use the scalp brush that is offered. I have thick, naturally curly hair. I typically alternate the deep and rich formula. I would give it another try! I do love the fact that I can skip the conditioning step so I feel like it’s worth the $…
I love New Wash (Rich) now, there was an adjustment period during the two weeks. I still put a dab of hair oil on the last two inches as it is needed living in an arid climate. I let my hair air dry so planning on trying their Balm with the next shipment. I also love the eco friendly packaging. I would say to others, yes it is different, but give your hair and scalp time to adjust and soon you only have 1 vs 2 steps to clean hair.
I just found your article and appreciate it. I have fine mildly wavy hair that is colored. I recently tried the Act and Acre shampoo and conditioner and have been very impressed. My hair is bouncier than it has ever been. I sometimes add a little additional conditioner to it but overall it is the best shampoo/conditioner that I have tried. Also, it smells great!
Thank you for your honest review saved me time and money.
All of these non-detergent shampoos are the same — they are generally much better for your hair and don’t strip your hair because there isn’t a detergent in them (hence the non-foaming part). Like Wen and others they tell you that your scalp and hair will need a lot of time to adjust to the new reality. As one person said it took her and her daughter about 2 weeks — some with fine hair may find it takes 2 months. Eventually, your scalp gets used to it and stops producing extra oil (which it does to make up for the detergents you use with all the other shampoos). Once that happens, you’ll find your hair feels and looks healthier. I haven’t tried New Wash, but I’d imagine that if you give it time, you’ll be quite pleased with the results.
I think 1 week isn’t accurate enough timeframe to give people advice on a product! I took about a month for my hair to adapt – I alternate co washing with a sulfate or a no poo shampoo & my curly hair ( that I wear natural and don’t straighten) feels extremely moisturizing ??? it’s definitely not for everyone – but if you’re reading this and style your hair naturally it could work for you!
I used a sample of my sisters Original Hairstory Wash once and it worked great so I got some for myself!
Disappointed when I got mine and used it at home and did not work the same – it had left my hair greasy like I hadn’t washed it out enough. So I tried a few more times, ensuring I rinsed EXTREMELY well, and the same issue.
Upon talking to others I soon realized it was due to the fact that the first time I used it was with soft water, and at home I have hard water.
So I definitely recommend if you have a water-softener ! I really did love the results that first time.
Thank you very much for the honest review.
Hi I have been using Hairstory original for 3 washes now. I hate it! My hair feels so dry and it’s frizzy even though I used the balm. Smell is terrible like wet dog. I was down to 2 “washes” a week. 1 with Briogeo, by the way their cowash is excellent and the second wash with DP hue apple cider wash followed by their oil. I so desperately want to use the ACV rinse to get this stuff off. I will try for another week so we shall see.
It’s so interesting how everyone with different hair has a different experience of Hairwash! Just goes to show there’s never going to be one “miracle” product to suit everyone!
It’s great you gave such an honest and fair review though – they aren’t transparent on their website and they only publish 5star reviews! I’ve never even seen an option to write a review after purchasing.
Also they completely underestimate how much hairwash you should be using, I think the actual amount needed is about 3 or 4 times more than what they suggest. I use about 50ml each time and I have very fine, shoulder length hair
I have never used this product so I don’t have any skin in the game but for it to work you’re gonna need to clarify your hair first. If you’ve been using Tresemme or Pantene for years, you have a lot of buildup that a sulphate free product doesn’t have the power to remove. To give it a real chance, you should do a clarifying shampoo. THEN start in with the New Wash regime. I guarantee you’ll have better results. Just a hairstylists’s two cents.
thanks, that’s great advice that I wish had come with the shampoo! 🙂
Thanks for saving me a bundle on yet another Facebook come-on. Cheers, and I’ll stick with my own lather…
Try Kevin Murphy sulfate free shampoo. Took getting used to, no suds, but I actually do like it better plus you can buy it in a large bottle so it’s a good value. I’d be interested to hear what you think about it
I have the same hair as you have! Tried many things but then I finally found a great shampoo and conditioner from
Maria Nila ( made in Stockholm – Sweden)
Check it out!
Hi Kate,
Thanks so much for the review. You have saved me the cost of trying it for myself.
I’ve been using the Ethique bars for a while now and I’m pretty happy with them. I’ve found I need to go easy on the shampoo or my scalp dries out (less is more) but the conditioner bars are brilliant and I am going to try just using those for a while and seeing how I go. They are expensive up front but as long as you store them well they last a really looooong time. I bought a little scrubber made from coconut fibre and I sit them on top of that so they don’t dissolve between uses. Ethique make a little in-shower box but it’s pricey and plastic.
Meg–that scrubber idea is great. I have stuck with the Green Ablutions bar shampoo I wrote about here. Just bought two more bars. They last my family about 6 months.
Thank you so much for this review and for saving me 40$!!! I have waist length, dine, bleached hair, so I am always on the lookout for alternative options to traditional shampoo. I am bummed about this product making hair look dirty and many natural shampoos do indeed have that effect, except the Deciem HIF volumizing shampoo. Try that one, it’s pretty much the only oneI found amongst dozen of products I tried. I guess I won’t find a second product to alternate any time soon.
I have been using it for a week and my hair looks DISGUSTING. It looks stringy and dirty as hell! Feels gross.
New Wash interfered with my salon blinding process. Color would not take and high volume peroxide needed. This has never happened before using New Wash! If you are blond do not use this line!!!
Really disappointed in the review methodology. There is no validity to trying a product without following the suggested instructions. Also, any hair does not fully adjust to a new shampoo for min 1-3 months. This was your first review I read and sadly will not trust others. I loved the approach to review the products pushed as trends. Hope you add better testing and integrity to your reviews.
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Ed Note: Sorry to hear that you are disappointed Jennifer. Kate was transparent about her methods, timeline and process — including how long it took her to conclude that she didn’t want to spend any more time not looking or feeling her best. Not everyone wants to spend 1-3 months in a hat while their hair “adjusts” and that seems like relevant information to provide.
Hairstory’s own site indicates that some people will see a difference right away, and others may take more time — and hopefully it’s helpful for some people to know that if you’re one of the “takes a long time” candidates, you should factor that into your consideration. As you can tell from this review, and those around the web, it’s great for some hair and not for others. C’est la vie.
Hope you find something that works great for you .
Thanks for this article. I gave it a good 5 months for my hair to adjust, and your article finally convinced me to throw in the towel. I follow the instructions and use the scalp brush as directed, but it doesn’t make a difference. My hair continues to look stringy most of the time, and it never feels clean. Time to try something else.
I have thinning, very fine colour treated hair. Seems to me you could expect this to be great for thick coily hair, but not super fine hair. Has anyone has found good products for this hair type? I generally get the most satisfactory results from perfect hair day products.
I have used co-washes for years. New Wash is one of my favorites, Sorry it didn’t work for you.
I just tried the Trader Joes Hair Wash for $4.99. I was impressed. I would like to see how it works for you. Glad I found your site!
$4.99!! Great tip, thanks Lucille!
my stylist used NW on me once. it was fine (she prob added something while cutting but no greasy/dirty feeling at all), but I choosing plastic-free when possible, so I use Ethique clarifying shampoo bar 1-2x/week with their curly co-wash bar as leave-in conditioner. Best my fine, dry wavy/curly/straight hair has ever been. Scalp is normal-dry and is not at all dried by the clarifying bar. they have cute names for the bars which I don’t remember atm but easy to figure out which is which. superzero is another good co for quality hair product bars. I used to not be able to get a brush through my hair and it used to tangle easily. all good now. minor adjustment to my wash schedule/routine was necessary after I’d been happily co-washing for a few years.