Drunk Elephant Clean Haircare Review: Shampoo, Conditioner and Tangle Spray

Drunk Elephant recently introduced its highly anticipated line of haircare products. The clean skincare company joined forces with celebrity hairstylist Chris McMillan (the stylist behind Jennifer Aniston’s “The Rachel” haircut). They’ve created these new and innovative haircare products by taking Drunk Elephant’s skincare philosophy and applying it to the scalp and hair.

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The Drunk Elephant Philosophy

Drunk Elephant is committed to using ingredients that benefit skin health and support the integrity of their formulations. Their focus is on proper pH levels, easily absorbed molecular structures and active ingredients that not only work but also support the skin’s acid mantle (the acidic film on the skin that protects it from bacteria and other pollutants). Drunk Elephant has now applied their skincare philosophy to the scalp because the scalp is skin too.

They believe that 6 ingredients are at the root of most skin issues and never use them in their products. These “Suspicious 6” ingredients are essential oils, drying alcohols, silicones, chemical sunscreens, fragrances/dyes, and SLS. This benefits all skin and hair types and ultimately will lead to not only healthier skin but also healthier self-confidence.

The Evolution of Drunk Elephant Haircare Products

Customers were asking for haircare products, so Drunk Elephant founder Tiffany Masterson joined forces with a childhood friend, hairstylist Chris McMillan, to create products that he could test on clients every day, and at the same time refine the formulas until they developed a final product. The resulting products dissolve years of buildup with coconut-based cleansers and shine-boosting amino acids using ingredients based on biocompatibility.

The Drunk Elephant Haircare Line

Drunk Elephant’s new line of haircare products includes a shampoo, conditioner, detangler and scalp scrub. All products in this line do not contain sulfates, silicones, essential oils, fragrance, dyes and drying alcohols. Plus, they are cruelty-free. I picked up all products except the scalp scrub (I hope to review this at a later time). Here are product descriptions, ingredients and how they performed:

NOTE: I find it extremely helpful that Drunk Elephant is so transparent with their ingredients and philosophy. It helps me understand their goals when it comes to product performance and why certain ingredients are part of the formulas.

Drunk Elephant Cocomino Glossing Shampoo

Sulfate-free Drunk Elephant Cocomino Glossing Shampoo is color-safe and contains a blend of coconut-based surfactants to create a rich lather. It gently removes dirt and styling products without damaging the hair shaft or stripping color from the hair.

The Coconut Amino Acid Blend is fatty-acid rich and adds strength, body and bounce to hair along with a shiny appearance. This amino acid blend prevents water loss and adds smoothness while protecting hair from heat damage. Sacha Inchi Seed Oil coats and partially penetrates the hair shaft to add shine and offset heat styling damage. Argan oil moisturizes both skin and hair while Marla oil smooths, moisturizes and adds shine. Cocomino Glossing Shampoo has a pH level of 5.5.

This is a very thin formula for a clear gel shampoo. So thin that I wondered if it would even lather, but it created a generous gentle lather with small bubbles. My hair rinsed cleanly and I was compelled to repeat to inhale more of the lovely but not overpowering cherry almond scent. Just what I would expect from this clean product company: a gentle but effective cleanser.

Drunk Elephant Cocomino Marula Cream Conditioner

Drunk Elephant Cocomino Marula Cream Conditioner is a blend of plant oils (without fragrance) and butters that contain coconut alkanes at a scalp-loving acidic pH of 3.6. This means that the conditioner won’t disturb the scalp’s acid mantle or cause the unwanted buildup often found in products that contain silicones. The conditioner strengthens hair and protects against heat damage while fighting frizz and adding shine.

Marula butter and a long list of nourishing oils such as organ, mongongo, baobab, tamanu and kalahari seed soften hair without leaving it feel heavy or greasy. The Multi-Amino Acids Blend makes hair more manageable adding body and bounce.

This is a very lightweight conditioner that clearly feels like a clean product to me. The scent is even lighter than the shampoo. The conditioner really leaves your hair feeling weightless since it doesn’t have any heavy ingredients. My hair was left soft and shiny and very smooth.

Drunk Elephant Wild Marula Tangle Spray

Drunk Elephant Wild Marula Tangle Spray is a leave-in hair mist that is formulated to detangle and smooth hair without weighing it down. It contains plant oils such as sacha inchi seed, pracaxi seed, marula and argan oils that penetrate the hair shaft to condition and strengthen. It also helps to protect hair from heat styling.

Fermentoil Hair Complex (a blend of fermented nut, fruit and tea oils) targets frizz and static without using silicones. Like the shampoo and conditioner, this spray also contains Drunk Elephant’s Multi-Amino Acids Blend that adds strength, body, bounce, and manageability. Wild Marula Tangle Spray has a pH level of 4.5.

This spray worked really well on my hair. My long hair is in desperate need of a trim, and although I don’t usually have issues with tangles, but the longer it gets, it has been starting to knot when wet after washing. I make sure to shake well and apply to towel-dried hair, and my brush melts through my hair like a hot knife in butter!

I love that this product addresses more than just tangles. You also get heat protection, shine and smoothing, so this is multi-tasking at it’s best. I think this spray would be great for adults but also for kids, or anyone who doesn’t want sulfates, silicones, essential oils, fragrance, dyes and drying alcohols in their products. This product was a pleasant surprise and I will continue to use it.

Final Thoughts on Drunk Elephant Haircare Products

I wasn’t sure what to expect, but I really like these new Drunk Elephant haircare products. The products leave my hair feeling weightless, shiny and smooth, without a lot of unwanted extra ingredients. They are not the most budget-friendly products out there, but they are different from mass-marketed haircare products in the way they are formulated, and how they perform, so the higher prices are not surprising.

One last note. The packaging. It just makes me smile. The bright uplighting colors along with the minimal modern bottle design is my favorite.

Have you tried Drunk Elephant’s new haircare care products? Have you tried the scalp scrub? I’d love to know your thoughts in the comments!

Thanks for reading!