Burt’s Bees Grapefruit and Sugar Beet Shampoo and Conditioner Product Review
Ok, I’m going to start out this product review with a statement.
I love Burt’s Bees products.
I’ve used their face wash, their lotion, their luscious chapstick, and I’ve adored them all.
Well, until I bought their Grapefruit and Sugar Beet shampoo and conditioner.
Product Specs
Burt’s Bees Grapefruit and Sugar Beet line uses grapefruit extract in addition to coconut and sunflower oils to create a shampoo that smells fabulous. The sugar beet oils are used to repair damaged hair and shield against future damage.
Now, the shampoo and condition scored very high on the Cosmetic Safety Database (see my article, “What’s In YOUR Shampoo” to find out more on product safety). Its high score in the database is a big reason why I spent $8 on each bottle to try it out.
Why I Didn’t Like This Product
I knew from the first wash that me and the Burt’s Bees Grapefruit and Sugar Beet shampoo weren’t going to get along.
First of all, it hardly lathered at all. But, lots of the more organic shampoos don’t give tons of suds like the chemically-ladened mainstream brands, so I was ok with this. What I was not ok with was the greasy residue left on my hair and scalp after rinsing (and rinsing, and rinsing…).
Now, I’m stubborn and not easily turned away. Also, I’d just dropped $16. On SHAMPOO. I didn’t want to waste that money and product, so I kept using it.
I finally gave it up as a lost cause over the weekend. After a month of use, the greasy feel never went away. The gunk on my scalp never went away. And I just couldn’t take it anymore.
I don’t know it is in this line that causes the greasy gunkiness. Perhaps it’s the sugar beet extract. Maybe we shouldn’t be putting sugary things in our hair? I’m just not sure.
If you have very short hair, especially short dry hair, you might be ok with this shampoo. After all, shorter hair means it’s easier for you to scrub your scalp. My hair is really thick and curly, and I have to really scrub to rinse everything out. So perhaps my hair’s too much for this line.
I’m interested to know if any of you have had the same experience. Is it just me? Is this product fab and I’m just not rinsing enough, or is it really greasy?
If you’ve used this shampoo and have an opinion, please feel free to write in and let me know what you think!
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I went through a similar experience – saw the good ratings on Cosmetic Safety Database, read some reviews on other sites, took a big gulp and paid 8 bucks for the BB Grapefruit and Sugar Beet conditioner. (I didn’t buy the shampoo b/c I hadn’t yet run out of the Jason’s brand shampoo I had also paid 8 bucks to try out.) I hated it. I used it for at least a month, a month in which I had to wash my hair every day to keep it from being a greasy mess. (Normally, my hair does better on an every-other-day shampoo schedule.) I finally gave up and gave up good. I went back to nasty old traditional products, complete with hot pink D&C No. Whatever dye and parabens and plenty of other disgusting stuff, I’m sure. But it’s cheap and makes my hair look good. Once I’m past the whole experience, I’m sure I’ll brave the green shampoo thing again. But I’m not ready yet.
Hi Stacey,
Thanks for writing in and sharing. We definitely had the same experience with this!
I recently wrote a review on Nature’s Gate Organics Lavender and Aloe Shampoo, which is what I bought after the unfortunate Burt’s Bees experience, and have been very happy with that shampoo. Might be worth checking out!
A quick look at the ingredients suggest that this product is a soap blend rather than using detergent surfactants. The downside of soaps is that they form precipitates with minerals in your water and leave a scum residue that is very difficult to rinse out.
The “detergency” of a surfactant is by definition “the ability to clean”. The stronger anionic detergent surfactants not only grab and hold dirt and oils better, and are less attracted to other things in the water such as minerals, but they are also more attracted to the water, so they rinse well. Milder soap surfactants have a weaker attraction to dirt, and a weaker attraction to the water as well. Plus once the surfactant molecule bonds with the minerals instead of the dirt, it is neutralized and left behind in your hair. This is a trade off of using soap instead of detergents.
I really liked the Nature’s Gate shampoo and conditioner as well. My husband – a big Burt’s Bees fan – actually bought it instead of the Burt’s Bees shampoo, which he thought was way too expensive. Glad he did!
I had the same experience (it’s the conditioner – not the shampoo). The solution is to just apply conditioner to the ends (not the scalp/roots) – which is the proper use of conditioner anyway. Problem solved! And my hair never looked/felt better than since I stopped using products with harsh chemicals – what a difference – doesn’t even tangle anymore. Another tip I was told is to occasionally use a difference shampoo just to remove any residue of your usual brand (applies to both conventional products as well).
had the same experience. It;s too bad because i really love the company and the fact that it’s a nice alternative to detergent surfactants…thanks for being honest in your review!!
Try Organix products. They claim to be Green and work wonders on my hair! I have very long, straight, oily hair that I process once a month with hairdye. I use their coconut shampoo/conditioner/serum (its repairative with egg whites in it) & it works wonders. Its sulfate free so you will have to get used to not having a lot of suds, but it doesn’t strip color at all (not even my very red hair after 5 weeks!) and is affordable (16oz is 9.99 at Wal*Mart). I’d definatly reccommend it to anyone–especially because Organix has many other types of shampoo/conditioner for every hair type/hair need that are ALL Green and sulfate free!
sadly, i have to agree with you. i’d had high hopes for the shampoo and conditioner as i love their skincare products. my issue with the shampoo is not the greasy residue but rather that it leaves my hair horrendously tangled every time. i can’t recall using any other shampoo that had this effect. using the conditioner on the ends help with the detangling, but not after numerous strands of hair have been yanked out in the process. i am looking for alternatives once this is finished – the sooner, the better. shampooing has never been so unpleasant!