Aubrey Organics

Introduction

The Hair Boutique is very excited to present this first guest article from one of our regular Hair Talk and Hair Politics visitors. Jade 21 offers excellent insights into the natural hair care line of products offered by Aubrey Organics.

Article

I started using Aubrey Organics hair products in September 1997. While I was doing an unrelated search, I came upon the Aubrey Organics website.

In April 1997, I had trimmed about 4 inches of split ends off my hair. Just prior to that time, my scalp had recovered from a bad reaction to a shampoo (Finesse) containing sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS). Emotionally, I was not happy with the state of my hair or scalp for that matter. I was ready for a change in my hair care products and overall hair care routine. I wanted to give my hair some tender loving care, so that it would thrive.

Initially, I sent an e-mail to Aubrey Organics about the J.A.Y. (jojoba, aloe, yucca) shampoo. I was familiar with the benefits of jojoba, but I wanted to be sure that the stated ingredients (i.e., no SLS) were indeed in the product. The shampoo is for normal to dry hair and my hair was crackly and quite weak at that time.

My e-mail must have sounded quite pitiful because I received a prompt response from the vice-president, Susan Hussey. She recommended that I try the J.A.Y. shampoo, along with the Jojoba and Aloe Hair Rejuvenator and Conditioner (the richest conditioner) or the GPB (glycogen protein balancer) conditioner.

Within a month, I noticed a substantial difference in my hair. It was moisturized, shiny, elastic and much stronger. The weekly hot oil treatments with Aubrey’s organic jojoba oil also helped.

After about three months, I had read Aubrey’s book on Natural Hair and Skin Care and had asked the company about numerous products. I had always used hair rollers and sat under a hair dryer. I was dissatisfied with my setting lotion and gave it up for Aubrey’s B-5 Design Gel. It’s the ultimate in a hair dryer protector. It lasts for a long time and feed your hair some nutrients at the same time. Later, I learned to mix the B-5 Design Gel with the Ginkgo Leaf and Ginseng Root Moisturizing Jelly to yield maximum shine and manageability for my hair. In the meantime, my hair was growing faster and the quality of existing hair and new growth was excellent.

After six months, I had to switch from the Jojoba and Aloe Conditioner to the GPB. My overly dry hair had become balanced. No more crackles and my hair was silky smooth. Friends and strangers had begun to notice. I had made progress.

In the meantime, I had tried several of Aubrey’s other shampoos: Honeysuckle Rose, Island Naturals, Blue Chamomile and the White Camellia. I liked all of them, but always came back to the J.A.Y. shampoo. All were extremely rich, smelled terrific and by this time, I had learned to shampoo my hair to get it clean without the excess suds which SLS generates. Next to the J.A.Y. shampoo, I choose the Honeysuckle Rose and Blue Chamomile most often.

Aubrey also developed a new line of products: The Blue Green Algae line. It includes a shampoo, cream rinse, pre-shampoo conditioning treatment and skin care products. I did not like the shampoo. It is supposed to be for all hair types, but it smelled bad and left my hair like straw. The cream rinse was lovely as a light conditioner, but my hair needed the GPB. The pre-shampoo conditioning treatment, actually called a hair mask, is SUPERIOR.

Soon, I learned to apply the product to my scalp only to encourage strength and growth. I have never used a product which gives your hair so much body which can last as long as one week.

My hair is heavy, so that’s why I started to apply the product to my scalp area only. Like the GPB, the product leaves your hair silky, soft, free of tangles, and definitely encourages growth.

An added benefit is the removal of dandruff from the scalp. Right before winter, my scalp seems to suffer with a few outbreaks of greasy dandruff. The hair mask literally pulls the flakes from the scalp and soothes an irritated scalp at the same time.

After one year, my hair had been transformed. It was healthy again and growing faster. I was pleased and promised myself that I would maintain an excellent hair routine. Aubrey Organics has a customer for life.

Aubrey Organics prides itself on being a truly natural company—no chemicals, no animal testing. It has a policy of full disclosure with regard to labeling of products and encourages customers to ask questions. The company has been in business for over thirty years and stands behind its products. Moreover, the hair (and skin) care products are not directed at any particular racial or ethnic group.

It was always interesting to me that the GPB conditioner was originally tested on (and refined because of the testing) on black women who had over processed, damaged, breaking hair from the application of chemical relaxers. With the first application of the GPB, the condition of these women’s hair showed a marked improvement.

Natural Ingredients

The quality of the natural, organic ingredients is second to none. For example, the GPB conditioner contains: Aubrey’s Essential Fatty Acid Base (including the amino acids Cysteine, Cystine, and Methionine), Lactalbumin (milk protein), Rosemary, Sage, Horsetail, Coltsfoot, Nettle, Glyco-Protein (Glycogen, Polysaccharides) Balsam Tolu, Citrus Seed Extract with Vitamins A, B, C and E.

The amino acids alone were enough to convince me to try the GPB. Your hair, skin and nails are packed with these. In addition to these sulfur-rich amino acids, the herbs horsetail, coltsfoot and nettle are high in sulfur, too. I’m sure many of you are taking a horsetail supplement to add shine and strength to your hair because of its high vegetal silica content which your body converts to elemental silicon. In addition to milk protein (lactalbumin), there’s the protein glycogen from purified oyster shells. The rosemary and sage are excellent hair tonics to soothe and moisturize the scalp.

In 1994, Aubrey Organics was certified as an organic processor by Quality Assurance International of San Diego, California. It is the first hair and skin care products manufacturer to be certified organic.

You can find Aubrey’s products at health food stores and select mail order companies. You can also order directly from the company in Tampa, Florida via mail (4419 N. Manhattan Ave., Tampa, FL 33614), phone (1-800 AUBREY H) or the website.

The products are relatively expensive, but they are effective. From personal experience, the longer you use the products, the greater the results. I began purchasing the products through a mail order/retail company called the Vitamin Shoppe. The Vitamin Shoppe carries most of Aubrey’s products and offers discounts of 20-40% off the suggested retail prices.

I would urge anyone with damaged, breaking, brittle or poorly growing hair to try the products. I think you will see quite a difference in your hair. Similarly, if you’re just looking for something different to improve an already healthy head of hair, I think you would enjoy the products.

Happy Growing!

Jade21

If you want to talk more about this or other hair care articles on HairBoutique.com or anywhere else, please post a message on HairBoutique.com's Hair Talk Forums.