Tried & Tested: Kristin Ess Cleansing Conditioner

Here on the M+B blog, we test out a new product every month to see if it’s worth the hype and worth investing in. It seems like there’s a new one hourly and as hard as it can be to keep up, we’re certainly trying our best and setting our credit cards alight in the process. This month the new line by super stylist Kristin Ess caught our eye thanks to the gorgeous packaging and celebrity following. In particular, we wanted to test out her Cleansing Conditioner to see if the co-wash trend could work for us. After all, we could do with one less product on our crowded bathroom shelf, right?

What is it?

This is essentially a shampoo and conditioner in one which gently cleanses your hair without stripping any moisture. You can use this every day if you need to, in place of your regular shampoo and conditioner and it’s perfect for dry or damaged hair. Rather than lathering up, it has a balmy texture which you need to work into your scalp in section. The conditioner also contains their Zip-Up Technology which targets split ends and damaged strands to smooth the appearance of frazzled hair.

How much does it cost?

It’s around £12 or $14 for a bottle which is good considering you only need one product. The bottle is 250ml so it should last you a really long time and you don’t need to use a lot to cover your hair.

How do you use it?

You need to split your wet hair into four sections, two in the front and two in the back. You then want to apply a small amount of product to each section, working it into the roots for 1 minute. You can then rinse out the product until your hair is totally clean. The ends of your hair will pick up enough nourishment as the product rinses out, so don’t worry about working it into your ends.

What are the benefits of co-washing?

Co-washing is when you just use a conditioner in place of your normal shampoo and conditioner routine. It’s way more gentle and less stripping as there are no harsh sulphates or stripping agents. Unlike using a regular shampoo, it will cleanse product build-up and oils while keeping your hair hydrated and healthy. This makes it perfect for anyone with dry, damaged, thick or curly hair.

What Rhian Thought...

I've never tried a co-wash before so this was an interesting experience for me and something I’ve wanted to test out for a while. I particularly wanted to see if it would help to control frizz as it’s something I desperately need to control! To start with I absolutely loved the packaging, it looks great and the cap is easy to use. When I came to putting it on my hair though, I think I overdid it which is why I didn't get the best results. It takes a while to get used to the product, it is so different from a regular shampoo and conditioner. As there are no suds I couldn’t figure out if it was working and put far too much on and oversaturated my hair. However, the sectioning technique they ask you to adopt works really well but you definitely need to tangle tease your hair before just to make life a little easier. Once my hair was dry I was really happy with the results and it achieved exactly what it said it would. My hair felt really glossy and I had no frizz but as I had put too much product in my hair it went greasy within hours. They advise using a nickel size amount which I’ll definitely stick to next time. Score: 8/10

What Christy Thought…

I am 100% converted to this product! Honestly, if you have dry hair like me then this is game-changing. I’ve tried so many shampoo and conditioner combinations before but all of them seem to strip the moisture out of my hair, even if they claim to be really gentle. It’s so frustrating, but now that I know co-washing works I’m definitely going to stick to it. The conditioner smells amazing and it has a really luxurious vibe which I like, including the packaging. When you first work it in it’s a bit strange that it doesn’t lather, so you’re not sure that it’s working, but it definitely leaves your hair feeling clean. I liked that it recommends working it into your scalp too as a massage is great for boosting hair growth. It’s also way easier to work in sections, which is something I wish I started doing with regular shampoo. Afterwards, my hair felt clean but really nourished and my ends were way less dry than usual which was such a bonus. I also thought that it felt a lot stronger and less brittle and I’ll definitely be using this in the winter to keep my hair healthy. I think if you have dry, curly or damaged hair then this is a must-have. Score: 8/10 Whether you have dry ends or very over-processed locks we think the Kristin Ess Cleansing Conditioner is a great product to keep your hair healthy. Do you have something you’d like us to review? Be sure to leave your ideas in the comments for the team to take a look.