Kristin ESS The One Signature Shampoo Review 2024 | I Tried The “Luxury” Shampoo From Target!

Here is the Kristin ESS The One Signature Shampoo review! Does this clarifying shampoo suit oily hair and can it be used on curly hair? Find here!

I have been wanting to try out this shampoo for a long time now and finally I could get my hands on this Kristin Ess shampoo.

Now Kristin Ess is a celeb hairstylist who has worked for actors like Lucy Hale from Pretty Little Liars and more. But her haircare line is sold at Target for very affordable prices.

So naturally I was very excited to use this shampoo. And I did use it 3-4 times a week for an entire month. Here’s what I found!

The Kristin ESS The One Signature Shampoo: At A Glance

• Is It Sulfate Free - Yes
• Top Ingredients - Mango Butter, Panthenol, Matricaria Flower 
• Who It’s Suitable For - People with Limp, Oily Hair
• Fragrance - Floral Scent (From Perfume Sources)
• Is It Colored Hair-Friendly - Yes
• Is It Good For Sensitive Scalp - Yes
• Price Range - $$ (Affordable)

Kristin ESS The One Signature Shampoo Review

Ingredients Explained

These are the chief ingredients in the Kristin ESS The One Shampoo. I’ve explained in detail below what they are and how they impact your hair. 

Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate: No, don't get surprised. This ingredient is a “sulfonate” ; it's not the same as sulfates. 

Yes, it’s a surfactant. But it’s much milder and doesn’t remove scalp’s natural oil or hair dye pigments from hair like sulfates do. 

It’s also an emulsifying agent and adds a lot of foam to the shampoo making it easier to use. 

I do feel like the surfactant is much better than sulfates. However, it’s still highly cleansing and might have a drying effect on scalps that are already dry or sensitive. 

Panthenol: I really liked that one of the chief ingredients in this shampoo is panthenol. It’s a fantastic anti-inflammatory and soothing agent. 

According to a study, panthenol is also supposed to prevent transepidermal water loss. So in layman’s terms it reduces moisture loss from hair and skin cells. (Camargo, Flávio B Jr et al. “Skin moisturizing effects of panthenol-based formulations.” Journal of cosmetic science vol. 62,4 (2011): 361-70.)

Mango Seed Butter: The Kristin Ess shampoo can get too clarifying. So I was happy to see the addition of a moisturizing agent like mango seed butter. 

The mango seed butter contains palmitic, stearic and oleic acid which locks in moisture in your hair, preventing dryness and dehydration. 

Matricaria Flower Extract: What makes this shampoo perfect for oily scalps that have problems with inflammation is the addition of this Matricaria extract. 

This particular ingredient contains a lot of antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties that helps soothe the scalp. 

Avocado Oil: There are several studies that show that avocado oil helps improve collagen production. (Werman, M J et al. “The effect of various avocado oils on skin collagen metabolism.” Connective tissue research vol. 26,1-2 (1991): 1-10. doi:10.3109/03008209109152159)

This means that if you have damaged hair or breakage, avocado oil can help repair your strands and bring back it’s elasticity.

• Related: Review Of Paul Mitchell Tea Tree Hair And Scalp Treatment
• Related: ACTIIV Shampoo Review

Pros of the Shampoo

• The packaging of the shampoo has a very aesthetic appeal. I know it’s not as important as the formula, but it doesn’t hurt that the shampoos are very Instagram friendly.
• The shampoo lathers very well despite being free of sulfates like Sodium Laureth Sulfate  (SLES) and Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS).
• As it lacks SLS and SLES it won’t strip hair dye pigments from your strands. So it’s safe for use on color-treated hair
• I love how the shampoo, despite being gentle, contains mild surfactants that help deeply cleanse hair and scalp of impurities
• It’s very, very effective against product buildup and yet doesn’t leave hair dry like some clarifying shampoos do.
• There are moisturizing ingredients in the shampoo (avocado oil, mango butter) that keep it soft and also help control the frizz and flyaways in my hair
• Yes, there is perfume in here. But it smells so darn good! The Signature The One perfume here has notes of amber, sandalwood, magnolia and pear. So it’s a very musky, deep and floral scent that is pure bliss while you’re using the shampoo.

Cons of the Shampoo

• Firstly, I disliked the texture of the shampoo. It’s a bit thick and difficult to get out of the bottle.
• It might not foam as much as expected, especially if you’re in a soft water area. But it will still cleanse your hair, that’s for sure
• Another thing I wished was different about this Kristin ESS shampoo is the fragrance. Yes, I liked it. But it can be too overpowering for some people, especially if you’ve got sensitivity to scents. 
• Also the scent here is from synthetic perfumes. So it can really dry out hair and scalp in the long run. It’s also known to irritate a few very sensitive scalp types. 
• It’s not very nourishing if you have dry hair. I feel like it worked well on my tresses because I have an oily scalp and generally very greasy hair. Otherwise the ingredients are nowhere near nourishing for dry scalp types.
• This shampoo might not be suitable for natural or African American hair types. It’s too strongly clarifying and lacks moisturizers that are essential for coily hair. 
• The shampoo contains dimethicone, which is a type of silicone. So it will control frizz instantly but also leave buildup in the long run. 

FAQs

The Kristin ESS Shampoo Review: A Summary

The Kristin ESS Signature The One shampoo is a great salon-grade shampoo available at affordable prices. 

It retails at $10 in Target. But there are also several online sites, including amazon.com where you can get the Kristin ESS Signature The One Shampoo at a discount. 

The shampoo is sulfate-free and also free of parabens, phthalates, formaldehyde and other harmful chemicals. It’s safe for color-treated hair as well.

However, it’s still got milder surfactants like sulfonates and it also contains added perfumes. So it might suit sensitive scalps and those with eczema. 

I also suggest using this shampoo only if you have oily, limp hair with a lot of product buildup. It can be too strong for dry scalp and hair types.