I tried EVOLVh Ultra Shine Moisture Shampoo + UltraShine Moisture Conditioner | $26 + $28

I can’t even tell the difference between the Ultra Shine Moisture Shampoo and conventional ones. That’s how well this formula preforms. There is no sacrifice. No grin and bear it. No six rounds of washing. No greasy nape. Nothing! Just clean, fresh, awesome smelling hair.

EVOLVh has four shampoo + conditioner options. All four work great for me. I happen to like the UltraShine Moisture Shampoo because my gray hair is a little dryer than my brown hair. They also have shampoos specifically for curly hair, color treated hair and designed to add volume.

Size: 8.5 oz each (also comes in liter sizes)

What I like: 

• Fresh, but not overpowering grapefruit scent
• Shampoo is packed with antioxidants and amino and fatty acids
• Conditioner doesn’t add any weight to hair
• They offer minis to try before investing in full size
• This truly strikes the perfect balance of cleaning my hair (well!) without stripping it
• TNK approved ingredients 

What I don’t:

• While conditioner is creamy and light it may be too light for hair types that need more moisture

Overall: This is my number one pick hands down. Plus it’s family friendly. My kids and husband use it too.

Save: Use code NEWKNEW15 for 15% off sitewide.

I tried REVERIE Balancing Shampoo + Nourishing Conditioner | $38 + $40

Clean haircare is getting to that point where (like Beyonce singing country) everyone is doing it.  REVERIE was founded by industry-leading, Los Angeles hairstylist Garrett Markenson and it was picked up by everyone (clean retailers or not) like The Detox Market, Credo, Sephora and more. That’s how good it is.

Size: 8.45 oz each

What I like: 

• The chic branding and packaging
• The shampoo works to clean hair. It even removes hair treatments like scalp oil or hair oil with just one wash (We’ve tried it!)
• Leaves hair smooth and bouncy
• Doesn’t leave scalp feeling dry and itchy. (It’s even helped with Nicolle’s flaky scalp!) 
• Their conditioner is hardy and one of the best we’ve tried for detangling
• I think they’ve nailed the Aveda scent that everyone loved in the 90s—but all natural! 
• TNK approved ingredients
• Sensitive skin approved by Nicolle
• This brand is plastic negative

What I don’t: 

• The pH is a little high for our preference, as we prefer a shampoo under 5.4

Overall: Using this duo is *chef’s kiss* and I love how bouncy and clean my hair feels after. The conditioner is what makes this duo sing. I would repurchase again and again! 

Save: Use code NEWKNEW for 15% off sitewide.

I tried Captain Blankenship Shampoo + Conditioner | $29 + $29 (purchase the duo for $58)

Captain Blankenship has evolved over the years to where it is now which is solely focusing on creating sustainable and efficacious haircare. (I think the only product that remains from their original line is their famous Sea Salt Spray). Loving this new look and their ever commitment to being stewards of the earth.

Size: 10 fl oz each

What I like: 

• Strong focus on organic ingredients
• This viscous, jelly-like shampoo is aloe-based instead of water based
• Responsible packaging
• Hair boosting ingredients like seaweed extracts, amino acids, minerals and more
• Cleans hair
• Mini sizes available to test
• TNK approved ingredients 

What I don’t:

• When a shampoo + conditioner is created for “all hair types”—it can err on the side of serving no hair types
• The scent of the shampoo is very lemongrass-y and borders on smelling like a wood floor cleaner.
• I also find it odd that the shampoo and conditioner don’t have matching scents
• The conditioner is thin and too mild for me

Overall: I hate saying this but this shampoo runs a little basic and almost feels like castile soap to me. Potentially a great fit for kids or anyone who is not fussy about their haircare and just wants to get the job done.

I tried Everist The Shampoo Concentrate & The Deep Conditioning Concentrate

A WATERLESS sustainable hair care line. You read that right. There is no water in this shampoo and conditioner, so you have to add it back in! 

What I like: 

• They have a 100% guarantee (I rarely see that!) 
• Love the peppermint scent 
• Love the sustainability efforts 
• Love the innovation
• This shampoo works to clean hair
• Is pH balanced in our preferred range of 4.5-5.5
• TNK approved ingredients

What I don’t:

• Even though this shampoo is concentrated, I still had to do 2 rounds of washing to get it to foam—which ends up being a lot of product since this is so concentrated.
• I found this shampoo to be drying and it leaves my hair more tangly than with others. 
• I’ve tried using more product and I’ve tried using less product and there seems to be no happy medium here.  
• No conditioner should be waterless IMO. You need water in a conditioner to help rinse out. Oil and water don’t mix so it’s really hard to add water into a formula that is rejecting water. At that point it just turns into the equivalent of rubbing Vaseline on your head. 
• Adding water to the shampoo is easier however as you add water to the large chunk, it breaks up and then smaller chunks can slide off your hands and down the drain and now you are wasting so much product—especially since it’s concentrated. 
• The metal packing can split and leak and get slippery / hard to hold in the shower.
• 100 to 1 odds that no one is getting all the product out of these tubes.
• Also, my husband uses my shampoo and conditioner and now one of the caps are missing. 
• Anyone with dexterity issues will potentially have a hard time getting product out. The conditioner is v concentrated and even hard for me (I have strong hands) to extract—specially as the tubes warp with use. 

Overall: Unfortunately, this brand’s waterless ethos is its biggest triumph and its biggest pitfall IMO.

I tried LolaVie Restorative Shampoo + Restorative Conditioner | $29 + $29

For a celebrity haircare line I have to say, I’m pretty impressed. There are no major ingredient red flags and in fact there are some really cool ingredients incorporated. I’ve used this line piecemeal (like mixed in with other products) and I’ve also used it straight up (by itself with no other products) and I can’t believe I’m about to say this but, this line is really best when used all together as a system. Check out my review of the entire line here.

Size: 8.5 oz each

What I like: 

• Includes fermented bamboo which some research shows helps improve scalp health
• Shampoo is not too thick and it’s not too thin and ready to ramp up at the slightest amount of friction
• Second wash gets very sudsy
• This shampoo leaves my hair feeling very clean
• Conditioner is thick, creamy and hardy (even more so than their Intensive Repair Treatment which seems odd to me)
• TNK approved ingredients 

What I don’t:

• The shampoo scent is way too strong and giving drug store shampoo that my grandmother used to use vibes
• I absolutely love it but their conditioner may be too heavy for thin or fine hair 
• Very few organic ingredients

Overall: These are both well formulated, solid options for a clean shampoo and conditioner. You can’t go wrong here.

I tried Mukti Botanique Shampoo + Botanique Conditioner | $32 + $32

I’ve been obsessed with all things Mukti ever since trying their 2-in-1 Resurfacing Exfoliant ⚰️ . So when I saw their shampoo + conditioner had that same desert lime and cucumber scent profile I was like yaaaaaaasssss. Also I’m just a sucker for any brand who comes up with unique and cool-looking responsible packaging—and this is that.

Size: 12.67 fl oz each

What I like: 

• The size! At 12.67 oz this feels supersized compared to the 8 oz fills of most
• Leaves hair feeling clean
• Doesn’t strip hair or leave scalp feeling dry or itchy
• Comes in recycled packaging that is actually cute
• Has healthy ingredients that boost hair health
• First ingredient is aloe (not water)
• TNK approved ingredients 

What I don’t:

• Their signature desert lime and cucumber scent is so faint I would almost call this unscented so if you want your hair to smell fresh from your shampoo this won’t do that
• This thin shampoo is v low foaming to the point where sometimes I need to do three rounds of double pump washes before I get any sudsing action
• This brand is based out of Australia so it’s limited to where you can buy it in the US

Overall: This is a very gentle shampoo + conditioner and a good pick for someone with dry, damaged or color treated hair.

I tried natureofthings Hair Cleanse + Condition Concentrate | $36 + $36

I tried a smattering of natureofthings last spring via a Beauty Heroes box and was instantly obsessed. I mean just look at this brand. Have you tried them yet? They are the definition of luxe beauty and a must in my book. 

Size: 8.5 oz each

What I like: 

• I can’t say enough about the branding and packaging
• Inclusion of Swiss apple stem cells to support hair
• Shampoo is aloe-based vs just water-based
• Shampoo is extremely concentrated, you only need a little to get a good lather going
• Gets hair squeaky clean with inclusion of clay (personally didn’t need 2nd shampoo round, but the bottle does suggest it) 
• Shampoo has a mild, quintessential “soap” scent
• TNK approved ingredients 

What I don’t: 

• Clay in shampoo may be too drying for damaged hair 
• Conditioner is lackluster, I wish it left hair feeling smoother with more slip
• Conditioner scent is a lot more subtle than the shampoo – same quintessential “soap” scent with a mint-piney note (which could be a plus for some people who are scent-sensitive)
• Does anyone else find it unfortunate that this brand’s acronym is “NOT”?

Overall: If I were ever going to gift someone a shampoo and conditioner, this would be it. Chic, luxe and effective overall. (For the record, I want everything in their shop).

I tried umanos marine greens shampoo + conditioner | $26 + $28 ($49 when purchased as a duo)

Saw this duo and I instantly thought; Now we’re cooking with gas! A recyclable, refillable, reusable seaweed superfood duo packed with antioxidants, B5 and amino acids. I’m game!

Size: 10 oz each

What I like: 

• All the sustainability efforts
• Low foaming and v mild cleanser 
• Hair is left moisturized
• Doesn’t leave scalp feeling dry or itchy 
• The conditioner is rich and thick and has a tall setup
• Shampoo delivers 65+ vitamins, minerals and nutrients
• TNK approved ingredients 

What I don’t: 

• The conditioner pump malfunctioned and didn’t work for me 
• Not a huge fan of the scent. It’s trying to be minty but comes off muddy 
• A little too low foaming and mild for me

Overall: Only recommending this for people who are looking for a mild cleanser. This is a great fit for people who have thin, brittle, dry hair that needs some love. 

I tried WONDER VALLEY Sandalwood Yuzu Shampoo + Sandalwood Yuzu Conditioner | $36 + $36

First of all, WONDER VALLEY is a VIBE. Love love love their branding so much. Like I just want to walk into my shower and see this sexy ass woman, every dang day. I am her and she is me.

Size: 10.1 oz each 

What I like: 

• Mild scent 
• Super cute (aluminum) packaging 
• This is a mild cleanser but still leaves hair feeling clean 
• Doesn’t leave scalp feeling dry or itchy
• The conditioner has a stiff setup, is super creamy and v hydrating
• TNK approved ingredients 
• Made with their own organically farmed, Northern California olive oil 

What I don’t: 

• Kinda wish the scent had a little more umph to it
• Low foaming (foams up better on the second round)
• The pH for the Sandalwood Yuzu Shampoo is 5-7 and the Conditioner is 4-6 which is a fairly large range and can exceed the pH prefer for our haircare

Overall: This is a very mild shampoo with a beefy conditioner and is a great option for people with dry hair or dry scalp that needs a little more love.