I have been using St. Ives Swiss Formula conditioners for months and I thought I would do a comprehensive review here. I started using the conditioners back in February or so. My first one was the Vanilla and Edelweiss, and my latest use was the Citrus and Lemongrass which I used a few weeks ago.
The Conditioners
1. Vanilla and Edelweiss (Moisturizing for Dry or Stressed Hair)
2. Aloe Vera and Echinacea (Revitalizing for Color Treated Hair)
3. Pear and Vitamin E (Strengthening for Dry or Fragile Hair)
4. Raspberry and Jojoba (Extra Shine for Normal Hair)
5. Chamomile and Sunflower (Extra Body for Fine or Thin Hair)
6. Citrus and Lemongrass (Ultra Light for Oily Hair)
The Ingredients
Water
Cetyl alcohol
Quaternium-18 <-----
Chamomile Extract
Panthenol
Primrose Extract Tocopheryl acetate
Sunflower Extract ascorbic acid
Elder Flower Extract Retinyl Palmitate
Panthenol chamomile extract
Tocopheryl Acetate Cysteine primrose extract
Ascorbic Acid Hydrolyzed milk protein sunflower extract
Retinyl Palmitate Retinyl Palmitate elder flower extract
Hydroxyethyl Cellulose ascorbic acid
Steraryl Alcohol
Glyceryl Stearate [Pear and Vitamin E] [Aloe Vera and Echinacea]
Quaternium-80
Steareth-21
Propylene Glycol
Dimethicone
Disodium Dimethicone
Copolyol Sulfosuccinate
Oleamine Oxide
Stearamidopropyl Dimethylamine
Glycerin
Citric Acid
PVP
DMDM Hydatoin
Fragrance
Yellow 5
Yellow 6
[Chamomile and Sunflower]
With the Chamomile and Sunflower conditioner, it should be viewed as the basic formula. Vanilla and Edelweiss, Raspberry and Jojoba, and Citrus and Lemongrass, the specific extracts are simply added to the basic herbal group (i.e., chamomile, primrose, sunflower and elder flower). Each of the relevant extracts is added at the arrow above.
The major differences are with the Pear and Vitamin E and the Aloe and Echinacea conditioners. With the first, two protein ingredients are added, Vitamin E is moved up to the top and Vitamins A and C change order. With the second, the vitamins are moved higher up the list and the herbal extracts take their usual place.
Why So Much Emphasis on Ingredients in the Review?
I took the time to do this because I started wondering why I could use literally every conditioner in the line with great results generally. The only conditioner which I had problems with was the Pear and Vitamin E. That was because I didn't particularly care for the smell (see below) and it left my hair a bit hard. Not rock hard, but harder than I would have liked. I cannot say that it strengthened my hair only because I used it very infrequently compared to the others.
Categorizing the Conditioners: How Moisturizing?
I wanted to give you some idea of how moisturizing the conditioners are, so I decided to categorize them on my own. I think a lot of you know the moisture level of my hair just from the products I use and how I have described my routine, and some of the complaints I have made about a variety of products.
The four categories are listed below with the conditioners placed in each:
1. Ultra-Moisturizing: Vanilla and Edelweiss, and Aloe Vera and Echinacea.
2. Highly Moisturizing: Raspberry and Jojoba, and Chamomile and Sunflower
3. Very Moisturizing: Citrus and Lemongrass
4. Protein w/Some Moisturizing Properties: Pear and Vitamin E
Scents of the Conditioners
1. Vanilla and Edelweiss: Heavenly aroma of true vanilla.
2. Aloe Vera and Echinacea: Strong herbal odor with a touch of some cologne.
3. Pear and Vitamin E; Strong aroma of Bosch pears. I did not like this one at all.
4. Raspberry and Jojoba: Wonderful aroma of fresh raspberries. Ties w/Vanilla as a favorite.
5. Chamomile and Sunflower: Light aroma of sunflowers.
6. Citrus and Lemongrass: Extremely fresh citrus with smell of true lemongrass (i.e., lemon plus mild herbal scent) and backdrop of grapefruit.
How I've Used the Conditioners
With the exception of the Pear and Vitamin E, I've used the rest of the conditioners as regular-rinse out conditioners, deep conditioners, and even as leave-in conditioners.
As a quick fix to too dry ends, I always choose the Vanilla and Edelweiss. For double conditioning my ends, this works as well as the St. Ives Swiss Formula Strength and Shine Reconstructor or Clairol's Herbal Essences, Intensive Blends Conditioning Balm. As you know, I have given past rave reviews to these products.
As a leave-in, either the Vanilla and Edelweiss or the Aloe Vera and Echinacea provides superior protection when blowdrying to straighten your hair. With the heat, the softness and shine of my hair are incredible.
If you ever experiment with a shampoo which dries out or tangles your hair, any of the conditioners will remedy the problem quickly.
Why I'm Extremely Impressed: Universal Use, Economics and Stellar Results!
I am extremely impressed with these conditioners because I can use every one in the line, they are economical, and have produced stellar results on my hair.
I have purchased the conditioners for a price of $2.59-$2.99 for 20oz. Depending on where you live, you might be able to purchase a bottle at a grocery or drugstore for as little as $1.99.
For detangling, on a scale of 1 to 5, where 5 is the best, I give a 10 to every conditioner except the Pear and Vitamin E. Nevertheless, I would give it a 3.5. It loses points because it can leave your hair a tad hard.
For smoothness, shine, manageability, and moisture retention, all the conditioners receive the same rating. I feel comfortable and confident in making this statement because I have used these conditioners for nearly 10 months.
In terms of economics, I feel that I have found and used some excellent conditioners which happen to be inexpensive. The price is like a bonus!! At the start, what I figured was that I would use 2-3x as much, but that hasn't been true. All the conditioners are thick, rich, and cream. They go a long, long way!!
Local Availability
Initially, I located the Vanilla and Edelweiss conditioner at a discount grocery store, namely Shopper's Club, which is akin to a small Costco's or Sam's Club. When I had gone through a few bottles of the Vanilla and Edelweiss, I wanted to try the others. No local store carried any of them.
When I contacted St. Ives, which is a division of Alberto-Culver, they referred me to several online stores, including Drugstore.com, Netgrocer.com and Discount-Drugmart.com. They also indicated that I could mail order from them directly. I ordered from Drugstore.com, Netgrocer.com and did two mail orders from them. My mail orders came extremely fast (no more than 7 business days) from two St. Ives'warehouses (one in Pennsylvania and another in Georgia) and the conditioners were always "fresh." I could tell from the stamp on the product.
For the conditioners, you receive a case which consists of 6 bottles for $17.10, with shipping and handling included. To do a mail order, send a check or money order to: St. Ives, Attn: Customer Relations Department, 2525 Armitage Avenue, Melrose Park, Illinois 60160.
St. Ives admits that with their hair products they do have some distribution problems, so they fulfill mail orders where product availability is poor. What is interesting to me is that there is no advertising for the hair products and most seem to really enjoy them from what St. Ives says and from what I've heard from some users.
Overall Rating
1. Vanilla and Edelweiss: 10/5 [Excellent!!]
2. Aloe Vera and Echinacea: 10/5 [Excellent!!]
3. Pear and Vitamin E: 3.5/5 [Don't Like It!]
4. Raspberry and Jojoba: 10/5 [Excellent!!]
5. Chamomile and Sunflower: 10/5 [Excellent!!]
6. Citrus and Lemongrass: 10/5 [Excellent!!]
~Jade~
The Conditioners
1. Vanilla and Edelweiss (Moisturizing for Dry or Stressed Hair)
2. Aloe Vera and Echinacea (Revitalizing for Color Treated Hair)
3. Pear and Vitamin E (Strengthening for Dry or Fragile Hair)
4. Raspberry and Jojoba (Extra Shine for Normal Hair)
5. Chamomile and Sunflower (Extra Body for Fine or Thin Hair)
6. Citrus and Lemongrass (Ultra Light for Oily Hair)
The Ingredients
Water
Cetyl alcohol
Quaternium-18 <-----
Chamomile Extract
Panthenol
Primrose Extract Tocopheryl acetate
Sunflower Extract ascorbic acid
Elder Flower Extract Retinyl Palmitate
Panthenol chamomile extract
Tocopheryl Acetate Cysteine primrose extract
Ascorbic Acid Hydrolyzed milk protein sunflower extract
Retinyl Palmitate Retinyl Palmitate elder flower extract
Hydroxyethyl Cellulose ascorbic acid
Steraryl Alcohol
Glyceryl Stearate [Pear and Vitamin E] [Aloe Vera and Echinacea]
Quaternium-80
Steareth-21
Propylene Glycol
Dimethicone
Disodium Dimethicone
Copolyol Sulfosuccinate
Oleamine Oxide
Stearamidopropyl Dimethylamine
Glycerin
Citric Acid
PVP
DMDM Hydatoin
Fragrance
Yellow 5
Yellow 6
[Chamomile and Sunflower]
With the Chamomile and Sunflower conditioner, it should be viewed as the basic formula. Vanilla and Edelweiss, Raspberry and Jojoba, and Citrus and Lemongrass, the specific extracts are simply added to the basic herbal group (i.e., chamomile, primrose, sunflower and elder flower). Each of the relevant extracts is added at the arrow above.
The major differences are with the Pear and Vitamin E and the Aloe and Echinacea conditioners. With the first, two protein ingredients are added, Vitamin E is moved up to the top and Vitamins A and C change order. With the second, the vitamins are moved higher up the list and the herbal extracts take their usual place.
Why So Much Emphasis on Ingredients in the Review?
I took the time to do this because I started wondering why I could use literally every conditioner in the line with great results generally. The only conditioner which I had problems with was the Pear and Vitamin E. That was because I didn't particularly care for the smell (see below) and it left my hair a bit hard. Not rock hard, but harder than I would have liked. I cannot say that it strengthened my hair only because I used it very infrequently compared to the others.
Categorizing the Conditioners: How Moisturizing?
I wanted to give you some idea of how moisturizing the conditioners are, so I decided to categorize them on my own. I think a lot of you know the moisture level of my hair just from the products I use and how I have described my routine, and some of the complaints I have made about a variety of products.
The four categories are listed below with the conditioners placed in each:
1. Ultra-Moisturizing: Vanilla and Edelweiss, and Aloe Vera and Echinacea.
2. Highly Moisturizing: Raspberry and Jojoba, and Chamomile and Sunflower
3. Very Moisturizing: Citrus and Lemongrass
4. Protein w/Some Moisturizing Properties: Pear and Vitamin E
Scents of the Conditioners
1. Vanilla and Edelweiss: Heavenly aroma of true vanilla.
2. Aloe Vera and Echinacea: Strong herbal odor with a touch of some cologne.
3. Pear and Vitamin E; Strong aroma of Bosch pears. I did not like this one at all.
4. Raspberry and Jojoba: Wonderful aroma of fresh raspberries. Ties w/Vanilla as a favorite.
5. Chamomile and Sunflower: Light aroma of sunflowers.
6. Citrus and Lemongrass: Extremely fresh citrus with smell of true lemongrass (i.e., lemon plus mild herbal scent) and backdrop of grapefruit.
How I've Used the Conditioners
With the exception of the Pear and Vitamin E, I've used the rest of the conditioners as regular-rinse out conditioners, deep conditioners, and even as leave-in conditioners.
As a quick fix to too dry ends, I always choose the Vanilla and Edelweiss. For double conditioning my ends, this works as well as the St. Ives Swiss Formula Strength and Shine Reconstructor or Clairol's Herbal Essences, Intensive Blends Conditioning Balm. As you know, I have given past rave reviews to these products.
As a leave-in, either the Vanilla and Edelweiss or the Aloe Vera and Echinacea provides superior protection when blowdrying to straighten your hair. With the heat, the softness and shine of my hair are incredible.
If you ever experiment with a shampoo which dries out or tangles your hair, any of the conditioners will remedy the problem quickly.
Why I'm Extremely Impressed: Universal Use, Economics and Stellar Results!
I am extremely impressed with these conditioners because I can use every one in the line, they are economical, and have produced stellar results on my hair.
I have purchased the conditioners for a price of $2.59-$2.99 for 20oz. Depending on where you live, you might be able to purchase a bottle at a grocery or drugstore for as little as $1.99.
For detangling, on a scale of 1 to 5, where 5 is the best, I give a 10 to every conditioner except the Pear and Vitamin E. Nevertheless, I would give it a 3.5. It loses points because it can leave your hair a tad hard.
For smoothness, shine, manageability, and moisture retention, all the conditioners receive the same rating. I feel comfortable and confident in making this statement because I have used these conditioners for nearly 10 months.
In terms of economics, I feel that I have found and used some excellent conditioners which happen to be inexpensive. The price is like a bonus!! At the start, what I figured was that I would use 2-3x as much, but that hasn't been true. All the conditioners are thick, rich, and cream. They go a long, long way!!
Local Availability
Initially, I located the Vanilla and Edelweiss conditioner at a discount grocery store, namely Shopper's Club, which is akin to a small Costco's or Sam's Club. When I had gone through a few bottles of the Vanilla and Edelweiss, I wanted to try the others. No local store carried any of them.
When I contacted St. Ives, which is a division of Alberto-Culver, they referred me to several online stores, including Drugstore.com, Netgrocer.com and Discount-Drugmart.com. They also indicated that I could mail order from them directly. I ordered from Drugstore.com, Netgrocer.com and did two mail orders from them. My mail orders came extremely fast (no more than 7 business days) from two St. Ives'warehouses (one in Pennsylvania and another in Georgia) and the conditioners were always "fresh." I could tell from the stamp on the product.
For the conditioners, you receive a case which consists of 6 bottles for $17.10, with shipping and handling included. To do a mail order, send a check or money order to: St. Ives, Attn: Customer Relations Department, 2525 Armitage Avenue, Melrose Park, Illinois 60160.
St. Ives admits that with their hair products they do have some distribution problems, so they fulfill mail orders where product availability is poor. What is interesting to me is that there is no advertising for the hair products and most seem to really enjoy them from what St. Ives says and from what I've heard from some users.
Overall Rating
1. Vanilla and Edelweiss: 10/5 [Excellent!!]
2. Aloe Vera and Echinacea: 10/5 [Excellent!!]
3. Pear and Vitamin E: 3.5/5 [Don't Like It!]
4. Raspberry and Jojoba: 10/5 [Excellent!!]
5. Chamomile and Sunflower: 10/5 [Excellent!!]
6. Citrus and Lemongrass: 10/5 [Excellent!!]
~Jade~
