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REVIEW: Plaine Product’s Shampoo and Conditioner is the Zero-Waste ‘Holy Grail’ for Curly Girls

REVIEW: Plaine Product’s Shampoo and Conditioner is the Zero-Waste ‘Holy Grail’ for Curly Girls

Below is a review of Plaine Product’s Rosemary Mint Vanilla Shampoo and Conditioner. We requested a sample for the purposes of review, to which you will find below.

Founded by sisters, Lindsey and Alison Delaplaine, Plaine Products began with a dream to have less plastic waste in the world. By swapping out the standard plastic bottle with a refillable aluminum one, people with hair can send back their empty bottles with the free return label provided so they can keep their wash cycle going. 

I’ve been wanting to make the switch to a zero-waste shampoo and conditioner for a while, but with my naturally wavy hair, it has been difficult. Shampoo bars were over-drying and trying to use that last little bit was annoying. Not to mention the conditioner options always seemed to revolve around an ACV rinse, not actually helping moisture penetrate my hair cuticle to keep my waves happy and healthy. 

Since I have found success with the “curly girl routine” of removing sulfates and silicones from my haircare regimen, I really wanted to find a shampoo and conditioner that followed these guidelines, while being part of the fight to reduce plastic waste in our beautiful world. 

To say that Plaine Products hit this mark for me is an understatement. 

The Aesthetic

Upon unboxing, I was pleased with the simple, but elegant look of the aluminum bottles. The blue font is straight to the point: “SHAMPOO,” “CONDITIONER;” with an adorable doodle of an aloe vera plant proclaiming the bottle’s zero waste mantra, “Return Me, I’m reusable!” The aluminum feels sturdy and sleek, but not slippery, which as every curly girl knows, means less precious conditioner down the drain. 

Plain Products box

Rinse, Lather, Repeat

I’m not going to waste time discussing how well the shampoo lathers (luxuriously) or how silky the conditioner feels (sinfully), but what really sold me on this brand after using for a week was how much easier my fine, heavy waves were to maintain. I blame this entirely on the ingredient list! 

‘Aloe barbadensis’ is drawn twice on the bottles, mentioned as “the main ingredient in our premium products.” I’ve known for a while that my hair happens to LOVE aloe, so I was cautiously optimistic when it finally came to wash day. 

I’d like to preface my wash day experience with the important disclaimer that I had just spent three days at the Gulf, letting the saltwater, waves and sand straight RUIN my ass-length hair. I knew running a brush through it was going to be an endeavor when I finally returned home, and I also knew that I had a haircut scheduled for the next day, so I couldn’t bring myself to introduce my hair to my new stylist without attempting to de-tangle it first. 

Plaine Products gave me the easiest wash day I’ve ever had. Given the density of my hair, I have washed with a shampoo brush since I made the switch to low-poo ingredients, but I was always left with either residue on my scalp or dried-out roots. The Rosemary Mint Vanilla shampoo finally gave me the balanced, clean scalp I have been seeking for years, and I can still get away with washing every two or three days. 

Of every shampoo I’ve tried, this has quickly become my “holy grail” product. So, too, is the conditioner. I’ve always had to use far more conditioner for my heavy, dry hair than made economical sense, but this is the first time I was able to use a “normal” amount of conditioner that left my hair soft and easily de-tangled. 

When you have hair as long as mine was on this wash day, brushing it is quite the arm workout, but for the first time since my hair became wavy, it wasn’t. I was worried that the sixteen-ounce bottles wouldn’t last me long, as I used to go through a thirty-two-ounce bottle of conditioner every month, but with that sweet, sweet aloe juice replacing what is typically water as a first ingredient, a little goes a very long way. 

BEFORE

Cassie's hair before Plain Products

I walked into my hair appointment with the healthiest my hair has ever been after wash day, and it showed. 

AFTER

Cassie's hair after Plain Products

It’s been a week since that cut, and while a lot of weight was removed (razor cut, also a holy grail situation with fine, heavy waves), my still-dense hair hasn’t tangled once. 

For the first time since I discovered my straight, frizzy mess was instead, wavy hair, I’ve been able to have coveted “second-day curls,” which makes the $30/bottle price tag far more palatable. 

And yes, I do blame the magic that is these products combined. My only disappointment, if one can even call it that, is the scent options. Rosemary Mint Vanilla smells divine and Citrus Lavender sounds delicious, but I’m a blonde, beach-loving, self-proclaimed basic bitch…can I get a coconut scent up in here?

About The Author

Cassie Bilyeu

Cassie is a former forensic scientist turned tarot reader and astrologer. She keeps her chemistry background sharp through her never-ending quest to find the perfect skin and hair routines, and through her novice bartending skills. She will be the first to tell you, “alcohol IS a solution, so long as it’s not on my skin.”

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