| ARTec KIWI Shampoo |
| Karen Marie Shelton |
| Date: 5/1/2002 |
Introduction
If you have read any of my other hair care product
reviews you probably know that I have normally dry, naturally
wavy, thick hair that falls to the middle of my
tush. I have my hair highlighted 3-4x a year using Matrix's Socolor and the
cap method.
While I mostly alternate my personal hair care products between the ARTec Smoothing
line and the Aveda line,
I am perpetually on the lookout for great new hair care products that will
give my hair the biggest bang for my buck.
My constant quest for finding better new hair care lines drives me to try
lots of different products every year. I have learned through
years of testing hair care products that what works for one hair will not
necessarily work for my hair.
So I have learned that the only way to find a great product for my own
hair is to test, test and then test some more.
ARTec Smoothing Shampoo
My constant searching helped me find Aveda many years ago and then ARTec Smoothing
about 1 year ago (1998). As I discover new hair care products that
work better for my hair, I rotate them into my normal hair care schedule.
ARTec Smoothing does wonders for my hair. In fact, I have used it a
many times in recent months to recover from "bad testing"
experiences. (Yes, I do have a few of those).
 One
of the things I love about ARTec
Smoothing is that I know it will help me get my hair back to its
baseline after using test products that make it dry, sticky, gooey or limp.
I used to panic a little when I would try a different product line and it
would wreck havoc with my hair. It would often take me a week to get my hair
back to normal.
With ARTec Smoothing it may only be a matter of 1 or 2 shampoos and
conditions. My hair comes right back and I am then ready to test new
products.
KIWI Shampoo
Since I had such great luck with the ARTec Smoothing I decided to branch
out and try some of the other products in the ARTec line.
I tried the Moisture Pac
and loved it. I also tried and loved some of the styling products such as
the Smoothing Serum and Texture Gel (reviews pending).
I figured the next step along my ARTec path should be the KIWI Shampoo. I
also bought the matching KIWI Coloreflector Conditioner & KIWI Detangler.
ARTec describes the KIWI Shampoo as a natural
enhancing shampoo that frees the hair of daily build-up while
providing translucent shine.
The KIWI Bodyifying Detangler is a leave-in conditioner that detangles
the hair instantly.
The KIWI line also contains the KIWI Coloreflector Conditioner which is
designed to protect and provide body, manageability and shine.
Natural Enhancing Shampoo
The KIWI (Clear) Natural Enhancing Shampoo contains cultivated botanical
KIWI extract.
The KIWI line was specifically blended for color treated or natural hair
as a daily shampoo. This multi-functional cleansing system builds in
the look of healthy manageable hair and provides extra body whatever the
humidity conditions.
KIWI formula frees hair of daily build-up, normalizes hair and scalp, and
adds translucent shine.
KIWI contains Vitamin E, a natural anti-oxidant that minimizes haircolor
fade, and folic acid, which is essential in maintaining healthy hair.
Natural protective filters and sun screen factors have been added for
additional protections. The pH balance is listed on
the bottle as: 4.5
- 5.5.
KIWI (Clear) Natural Enhancing Shampoo is designed by ARTec to be
used as an alternating shampoo with the ARTec Colorist Collection Color
Enhancing Shampoos to seal in color or to be used alone on natural
(uncolored) hair.
Usage Directions
Directions: Wet hair. Spread normal amount of shampoo
between palms and massage evenly throughout hair. Lather. Rinse. (Repeat if
extra body is desired).
Follow with KIWI Colorflector Conditioner if you feel a conditioner is
helpful for your hair care routine. Be sure to rinse completely and follow
with a cool/cold rinse to seal the hair shaft and add shine.
Great Packaging
I have to admit that I am still very intrigued with the crisp clean
"art deco" appearance of the ARTec white/black KIWI shampoo
bottle. I love the packaging.
I know that is not supposed to mean much about the product, but I had the
same reaction with the ARTec Smoothing line which comes in a crisp clean
white and black bottle. The only difference between the two is the addition
of the word "KIWI" in green and the words "Colorist
Collection".
I think that all of the ARTec products are packaged well and they all
look very chic and very classy.
My Testing Procedure
For my test of the KIWI shampoo I decided to stay as close to my normal
ARTec Smoothing shampooing routine as possible. So before I hopped in my
daily lukewarm (very early) morning shower I brushed my hair and removed all
knots and any tangles.
I opened the ARTec KIWI shampoo and my nose got a incredible whiff of the
tropical kiwi aroma.
The first whiff reminded me of a tropical rain forest that I had visited
on St. Kitts many years ago. It was definitely a fresh, crisp and clean
scent. I squeezed the bottle and the easy-to-use top dispensed a very
thick, creamy liquid..
The shampoo felt very silky on my fingers. I massaged a small amount into
the palm of my hand and then applied it to my hair.
The shampoo felt tingly on my scalp. I was really enjoying the fresh
tropical aromas that wafted through my entire shower. I carefully sudsed my
hair so that that a stream of the suds would foam through my mid and end
hairs.
I have to admit that I really was having fun with this shampoo. It
almost felt like I should be in a shampoo commercial where I oohed and
aaahed and screamed with joy. You know the commercials I mean.
I rinsed the first shampoo application out of my hair with luke warm
water and then squeezed as much moisture out of my hair as possible.
After rinsing completely I poured on a glob of the ARTec KIWI
Colorflector conditioner. It had the same fresh aroma.
The conditioner was very thick and the texture reminded me a lot of
ARTec's Smoothing conditioner.
I massaged the conditioner from my roots to my ends and then let it sit
on my hair for close to 5 minutes.
I rinsed with warm water, followed up with my cold water rinse and
stepped out of the shower.
My head felt all tingly and my hair felt clean and fresh.
Lasting Fragrance
One of the major things that I noticed when I tested the ARTec KIWI
was that the wonderful tropical aroma lingered in my wet hair. I also
noticed that my wet hair felt soft and relatively tangle free.
I decided to test the new ARTec KIWI shampoo and KIWI conditioner by
going very light on my normal Aveda detangler step. I used just one tiny
spritz of the Aveda Curessence Styling detangler.
Note: ARTec makes a wonderful companion KIWI
detangler that I had not yet started using. Now that I have discovered
the KIWI detangling product I use it all the time. A review of this
detangler will be included in a future Hair Boutique product article.
I used my fingers and my trusty pick to remove the tangles. My hair
detangled almost instantly.
Following my normal "wet hair routine" I wrapped my damp hair
in a big bun, popped in a pair of Zuni Bear Hair Sticks
and let my hair air dry. This is what I do almost every day to give my
hair a break from hot blow dryers.
First Time Results
Besides the great lingering kiwi aroma, I could feel my bangs on my
forehead. They felt soft. Later on, at 10:30 in the morning, I hurried off
to the bathroom with my trusty pick.
I popped the Zuni Bear chopsticks out of my hair and soft waves of shiny,
luxurious hair tumbled down my back. I picked my hair out and the waves were
very soft and shiny.
I have to admit that while the aroma is so great with the KIWI, I still
felt that the ARTec Smoothing made my hair feel a little more more
moisturized.
In some ways the KIWI felt a little more drying than the Smoothing.
This is not a bad observations, just something I had to keep in mind because
my hair is normally on the dry side.
Test Of Time
I faithfully continued to experiment with the ARTec KIWI shampoo and
matching conditioner until my initial bottles were empty.
My initial observation seemed to hold true. The KIWI shampoo and
conditioner did make my hair feel somewhat drier than the ARTec Smoothing.
I will tell you that the KIWI felt similar to Aveda's Chamomile shampoo
that I sometimes use and match with Aveda's Curessence conditioner.
I would have to say that overall my hair did well with the ARTec KIWI but
I still prefer the moisturizing effect of the ARTec Smoothing a little bit
more.
Mixing & Matching
The KIWI products seemed to work best when I mixed & matched the
shampoo with the ARTec Smoothing conditioner and the KIWI conditioner with
the ARTec Smoothing shampoo.
When I did the KIWI/Smoothing combination I got the great kiwi aroma with
a similar moisturizing silkiness of straight ARTec Smoothing.
I have continued to use the ARTec KIWI product. When I ran out of the
initial ARTec KIWI I decided to go back and immediately test my hair with
Aveda Shampure shampoo and Deep Revitalizer conditioner. I realized that my
hair responded to the Aveda Shampure like it did the KIWI shampoo.
While I still liked the Aveda, I missed the ARTec fresh burst of tropical
aromas.
KIWI Shampure + Aveda Curessence Conditioner
I also experimented by mixing the KIWI shampoo with Aveda Curessence
conditioner and Aveda Styling Curessence.
The results were pretty good. My hair was still not quite as soft as with
the ARTec Smoothing conditioner, but the shine was there and so were the
natural waves.
Aveda Shampure + ARTec KIWI Conditioner
Aveda Shampure shampoo worked very well with the ARTec KIWI conditioner
and the Styling Curessence. The same combination also worked well using the
KIWI detangler in the place of the Aveda Styling Curessence.
When I mixed the smoothing shampoo with Aveda Cherry Almond Bark the
combo cranked up the waves in my hair. I also used my Joico leave-in
conditioning spray with good results.
Old Faithful
Recently I bought another large bottle of the ARTec KIWI shampoo
and conditioner.
Needless to say, I also continue to use the ARTec Smoothing shampoo and
conditioner as my main hair care product line. I do alternate every week
with the ARTec KIWI and I still have all my old Aveda favorites stacked up
in my shower. However, I now use Aveda as my infrequent "change of
pace" product line.
KIWI Shampoo Results On My Hair
I have to say that I really love the aroma and the consistency of the
KIWI Shampoo. I actually love the aroma of the KIWI more than
the Smoothing. However, I do find that it is a slightly more drying to
my hair than the ARTec Smoothing.
I have found that the KIWI works best for my hair when I only use it
about 4-6 times a month.
I have also found that the KIWI Shampoo works very well when I
"mix" it with the ARTec Smoothing Conditioner.
The KIWI Shampoo without the Smoothing Conditioner seems to make my hair
feel definitely more dry overall. When I combine the KIWI Shampoo with the
ARTec Smoothing my hair feels silky and the aroma of the KIWI lasts all day.
KIWI Mixed With ARTec Color Shampoos
I have been told by my stylist that the KIWI shampoo was originally
designed to be mixed with the ARTec Color Shampoos to make them less
concentrated for the hair. My stylist suggested that I might want to
try mixing the KIWI with the color shampoos or dilute the KIWI slightly.
I have to admit that I have not gotten around to that test yet.
KIWI Shampoo Ingredients
ARTec Colorist Collection - KIWI Shampoo Ingredients I have listed all
the ingredients in the KIWI Shampoo exactly as listed on the bottle:
Ingredients: Botanical Extracts (Deionized Water, Pure
Kiwi Fruit, Wild Pansy, Coffeebean, Quillaja (soapbark), Yarrow, Cinchona,
Nettle, Birch, Horsetail & Chamomile), Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate,
Cocamide DEA, Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine, Polysorbate 20, Hydrolyzed Soy
Protein, Biotin, Folic Acid, Benzophenone-4, Panthenol, Jojoba Oil, Aloe
Vera Oil, Olive Oil, Rice Bran Oil, Lactamide MEA, Isostearyl Benzoate,
Walnut Oil, Allantoin, Polyquaternium-10, Linoleic Acid, Tocopherol,
Superoxide Dismutase, Propylene Glycol, Glycol Stearate, Sodium Citrate,
Tetrasodium, EDTA, Methylparaben, Methylchloroisothiazolinone,
Methylisothiazolinone, Citric Acid, Sodium Chloride, Fragrance, FD&C
Blue No1, FD&C Yellow No.5.
Difference Between KIWI FRUIT & KIWI EXTRACT
I did make an interesting observation about the KIWI Shampoo when I
compared the ingredients with the ARTec Smoothing shampoo.
The ARTec Smoothing contains Kiwi Fruit Extract while the KIWI Shampoo
includes Pure Kiwi Fruit. My assumption is that the Pure Kiwi Fruit is
a higher concentration of Kiwi than the extract that is included in the
ARTec Smoothing shampoo.
I also noticed other differences in the formulations of the two ARTec
shampoos. The Smoothing shampoo has DATUM which is a known smoothing
ingredient whereas the KIWI does not contain DATUM.
Also, while both products contain natural oils, they contain different
oils. The Smoothing shampoo contains Tea Tree Oil and Ylang Ylang Oil
where as the KIWI contains jojobo, olive oil and walnut oil.
Difference BetweenARTec Smoothing & Kiwi Shampoo
There are some other interesting ingredient differences. For
comparison with the ARTec Kiwi product I have listed all the ARTEc Smoothing
Shampoo ingredients in the textureline smoothing shampoo exactly as listed
on the bottle:
Ingredients: Water, Kiwi Fruit Extract, Matricaria
(Chamomile) Extract, Juniperus Communis Extract (Juniper Extract), Chinese
Angelica Extract (Chinese Angelica Root), Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Glycol
Distearate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, PPG-5-Ceteth-10 Phosphate,
PEG-7,Glycerly Cocoate, Hydrolyzed Silk, DATEM, Ylang Ylang Oil (Ylang Ylang
Flowers), Tea Tree Oil (Tea Tree Leaves), Aloe Barbadensis Gel (Aloe Vera
Gel), Plyquaternium-7, Rice Bran Oil, Yarrow Extract, Hops Extract,
Propylene Glycol, Polyquaternium-7, Rice Bran Oil, Yarrow Extract, Hops
Extract, Propylene Glycol, Tetrasodium EDTA, Citric Acid, Sodium Chloride,
Methylchloroisothiazolinone, Methylisothiazolione, Fragrance.
Environmental Concerns
ARTec does not test on animals and also requests that all empty
product bottles be recycled for the environment.
Contact ARTec
You can reach ARTec at: (800) 323-6817 or (800) 669-9514. Prices will
vary on the KIWI depending on where you purchase it.
Generally you will save more by buying the highest quantity of shampoo
that is available at the time. Generally the 32 oz versions of the ARTec
shampoo and conditioner are a better buy overall.
A lot of times it is harder to find shops or stores that will sell the 32
ounce sizes. Always ask. The prices is best.
Summary
I have faithfully used the ARTec KIWI shampoo a couple of times a week
over the past several months and I really enjoy it.
I do find the KIWI shampoo product to be a little more drying on my hair
than my favorite ARTec Smoothing shampoo.
Overall I would recommend the KIWI shampoo for color treated hair or hair
than needs shine. It also tends to create more fullness and body than
the ARTec Smoothing line. The aroma is heavenly and makes using the
product a wonderful experience.
Please remember that my hair is unique and that how I experience a
shampoo or hair care product will not necessarily be the same as how anyone
else may experience the same exact product. Proceed at your own risk.
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