Vegan Caffeine Shampoo Powder: Our Awake Organics Shampoo Review

awake organics logo

Overall Rating:

4.70/5

Ease Of Use = 4.5

Value For Money = 4.8

Range Of Products = 4.7

Results And Smell = 4.8

PROS:

  • 100% natural and organic ingredients
  • Plastic-Free
  • Perfectly clean hair
  • No transition period
  • Leaves hair soft and healthy looking
  • Great value for money
  • Great customer reviews

CONS:

  • Impossible to stop moisture from entering the bottle when used in the shower
  • Starts to clump after a few months of using it
  • Dosage can be tricky sometimes

Moving away from liquid shampoos in plastic bottles has led my husband to a shampoo powder. Here we share his experience with it.

I switched to shampoo bars a few years ago and hoped my husband would follow my lead and ditch his liquid shampoo too. And a while ago, it happened.

He found an eco-friendly alternative to the German caffeine shampoo he was using. Promising to give the same results, but without the chemical ingredients and the plastic bottle, the powder shampoo seemed just what he was looking for.

In this Awake Organics shampoo review, we will tell you if it kept its promises and if it’s worth switching to it.

About This Family-Run, UK-Based Business

Awake Organics Story

I came across Awake Organics when I was looking for eco-friendly deodorants. What attracted me to this company was the fact that they are based in the UK, where they also make all their products on-site by hand.

The company was started in 2017 by Melissa, who was born and brought up in Canada. As a child her grandmother and mother would make their own personal care products from ingredients provided by nature.

She continued this tradition and honed her skills. When she needed an income to allow her to stay at home with her two children, she turned it into a business.

And while it has grown since then, the values have stayed the same. No nasty chemicals, no plastic and no mass-production. Awake Organics freshly hand-make their products on their premisses in Northamptonshire in small batches.

This is how they can ensure quality for every single product.

They only use natural and organic ingredients which are selected for the results they give. And they all come from UK suppliers. All their packaging is recyclable, made from cardboard, glass or aluminium.

Awake Organics also use less water when making their products, often creating concentrated products, such as the shampoo. This reduces their carbon footprint, which is great.

You just can’t fault them. These values are the reason why I love them and would recommend them to anyone looking for an eco-friendly business selling personal care products.

But their eco credentials are only one part of it. Because it would all be pointless, if their products wouldn’t do the job they are meant to do, right? So let’s look at how the shampoo powder performs.

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Brilliant Lather And Perfect Clean

First thing I have to say is that I didn’t try the shampoo myself, but my husband did. Like me, he wants to live a more sustainable life and is looking to switch to eco-friendly alternatives.

When I told him about the caffeine shampoo powder by Awake Organics, he was intrigued and decided to try it. He has since also started to use their probiotic deodorant and loves it.

He has been using a liquid caffeine shampoo from a German brand, which he liked, but it comes in a plastic bottle. So he decided to try the powder alternative.

The powder shampoo comes in an aluminium bottle, which is tiny. But because the shampoo is concentrated, more will fit into a small space, so a bigger bottle isn’t needed.

The powder is water-activated and as soon as it gets wet, transforms into a paste you can easily distribute over your hair. My hubby was impressed how well it lathered up.

And also how little he needed to use. Admittedly, he only has short hair, so even with his old shampoo he didn’t need to use much. Compared to what I need to use for my long thick hair, he hardly uses anything.

But the tiny bottle lasts ages for him, probably twice if not three times as long as the liquid shampoo.

This makes the Awake Organics shampoo powder really good value for money, as he actually saves money by switching to it. Of course, it will depend on how much your current shampoo costs whether you will also save money.

In terms of results, my husband is very happy with how clean his hair feels after washing. And the shampoo also keeps his dandruff at bay, which is important to him.

So when it comes to the basics, the shampoo definitely delivers.

Hair Loss And Hair Growth

Awake Organics Caffeine and Rosemary Powder Shampoo

The reason my other half has started to use a caffeine shampoo was because as he got older, his hairline started to recede. Looking at his dad and granddad, it’s probably genetic.

So I wanted to cover this in our Awake Organics shampoo review, as it’s likely something you might be looking for as well.

Caffeine is said to promote blood flow, which can help to improve hair growth but also slow down hair thinning. Another ingredient in the Awake Organics shampoo does the same: rosemary.

His hair looks healthy and feels soft, suggesting that his hair growth is healthy. Of course, this is very subjective, but I would notice if his hair would be dry or greasy.

While it’s very difficult to say, we both think that his hair hasn’t receded any more since he switched. This would indicate that the caffeine and rosemary stimulate blood flow to his scalp and hair follicles, keeping hair thinning and hair loss at bay.

He does also keep his hair quite short, which does hide the receding hairline a bit, so I couldn’t be 100% that he hasn’t lost any more hair.

But he is happy with the results and that’s the main thing.

One thing to say is that this shampoo is suitable for all hair types and there is only one. That’s because it’s for a specific issue, namely hair loss and hair thinning.

So unlike other natural shampoos that are aimed at specific hair types, this has been made to work for people with all hair types that have this issue.

However, Awake Organics also has other hair products, including a hair oil and conditioner, which you can use if your hair has specific needs that the shampoo alone doesn’t meet.

Moisture In The Bottle Makes The Shampoo Clumpy

awake organics bottle showing clumping shampoo powder

So far, so great! But there is one thing that my hubby does have concerns about. The instructions say to keep the powder dry, which is rather difficult when you use it in the shower.

Even if no actual water drops get in, some steam from the hot water is bound to enter the bottle. And while this didn’t seem to have caused an issue for several months, not long ago no powder would come out.

When he looked into the bottle, the powder looked clumped up. I suggested closing the bottle and hitting it against the shelf to loosen the clumped up powder.

I have this problem sometimes with my spices in the kitchen, and it does the trick. I’m pleased to report that it also worked with the shampoo powder.

And you don’t have to do it every time either. Just once in a while will suffice to loosen up the powder, so you can continue to use it as normal. And when it happens again, just hit the bottle against a hard surface to loosen it again.

He did also say that it can be a bit difficult to use the right amount. As he washes his hair in the shower, he can’t put the shampoo powder back in the bottle if too much comes out due to his hands being wet.

This does mean that sometimes he uses more than he needs, which isn’t ideal.

While it isn’t an issue, my husband did say it would be a good idea if the bottle had a shaker insert to stop too much powder coming out at once. He even looked to see if he could find one. But they were all made of plastic, which would defeat the object.

What Other Customers Have To Say

When it comes to personal care products, the experience can be quite individual. So just because a shampoo works for one person, doesn’t mean it works for another.

However, if a high percentage of customers who tried it are happy with it, the chances are it might work for you too. That’s why we also look at what other customer reviews are saying.

I normally look at independent review sites such as Trustpilot or Feefoo. But not every small business will be on these, as they have to pay for the privilege.

Awake Organics isn’t on those, but they have an Amazon Store, so there are independent reviews on their Amazon listing of their Caffeine and Rosemary Shampoo Powder.

Of over 130 reviews, 75% have given the shampoo a 4- or 5-star rating. This is slightly low compared to many other products I have looked at over the years. However, these happy customers said that the shampoo worked great for them and left their hair soft and healthy.

20% of the customers only gave a 1- or 2-star rating. The main concern for these customers was that the shampoo seemed to dry out their hair and make it straw-like.

This could be due to reactions to the ingredients, which might not be right for those users. So it might be worth checking the ingredients list to see if you are aware of any of them giving you issues before you buy.

Of the 5% of customers who gave a 3-star rating, the shampoo worked fine, but their issue was with using the powder shampoo. They basically described the same issues as my husband encountered.

The powder clumps up due to moisture from the shower getting in and makes it more difficult to use it. The issue of dosage has also come up, with one customer saying they found it difficult not to get too much out.

So actually 80% customers were happy with the performance of the shampoo, but for some the practicalities let it down.

Overall, the majority of customers who tried the Awake Organics Caffeine and Rosemary shampoo were happy with it. But it’s worth keeping in mind that it doesn’t seem to work for everyone.

And the issues around using a powder shampoo in the shower have also come up as an issue for some.

Verdict Of Our Awake Organics Shampoo Review

This brings us to the end of our review. I asked my hubby if he would recommend the shampoo powder to others and he said yes. He really likes the ethical and environmental aspect and says it makes him feel good using it.

The shampoo’s performance is what he wanted, so he is happy with that too. And while we can’t be sure if it does stop his hairline from receding further, it does look like it.

Despite the concerns about the clumping powder, he said he will continue to use it, because it’s better for the environment, which is important for him.

So why not give it a go and see if it works for you too and allows you to replace nasty chemicals and plastic with an eco-friendly solution?

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