Davines Energizing review

Welcome to You’ll Love This, our bi-weekly column in which Forbes Vetted staffers spotlight their favorite products while they’re on sale.

When you have fine hair, a good volumizing shampoo is deceptively hard to find. I’ve tried many—no-frills drugstore brands, fancy salon options, hippie solid bars and heavily perfumed French imports—but none gave my strands the oomph I was looking for. Either I didn’t notice any lift at the roots, or they coated my hair in heavy thickening agents that, invariably, led to greasy, gunky build-up. So I started to consider a volumizing shampoo to be decent if it didn’t leave me worse off. That is, until I tried Davines’ Energizing Shampoo (which, BTW, is 20% off right now with the exclusive code FORBESFAV20).

Volumizing shampoos never worked for me until I tried Davines' Energizing Shampoo, which is ... [+] currently 20% off with the code FORBESFAV20.

Davines

During the pandemic, my hair grew long—really long. This cut down on salon bills but made my fine hair even finer. But I liked the swishy length, so I didn’t want to cut it. Then I got diagnosed with a hormone imbalance which, I discovered, makes me especially prone to hair loss and dry, brittle strands. Super. So when an email appeared in my inbox from a publicist for Davines, the revered Italian botanical haircare line, asking if I wanted to try the Energizing Shampoo from the brand’s Naturaltech line—telling me it was designed to help “thinning and fragile strands”—I was sold.

The unisex Davines shampoo is not new; It came out more than a decade ago and seems to have a cult following (the only negative reviews seem to be from people wanting the bottles to be filled even higher to the top with the magical elixir). And after trying it for myself, I can totally see why. When I use the Energizing Shampoo in conjunction with Davines’ Energizing Thickening Tonic, my hair feels noticeably fuller. And according to my coworkers, it looks more voluminous over Zoom, too.

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Davines

Davines Energizing Shampoo

The Davines shampoo comes out of the bottle with a slightly gooey consistency because it’s ultra-concentrated—you don’t need much to get a full lather. The formula itself containsa propriety blend of green tea extract and vitamin B3 to calm inflammation, caffeine phytoceutricals to stimulate and encourage hair growth and a “microbiotic booster,” a brew of molecules created by Davines’ scientists to preserve the scalp’s skin barrier and prevent breakage. When you massage it in, it tingles, smells super minty (like sinus-clearing, toothpaste-level minty) and unlike many other body-boosting shampoos, it made my hair feel thicker at the roots but without any build-up. It’s also worth noting that the sulfate-free liquid didn’t strip my dyed hair of its colored glory (phew).

As I mentioned above, for an extra boost I pair the Energizing Shampoo with the brand’s newly reformulated Energizing Thickening Tonic, a leave-in texturizing spray that bulks up the diameter of the hair fiber. It comes in a squat bottle with a very forceful spray applicator that sends a full blast of the (also very minty) tonic into your scalp. Then, you’re supposed to massage it in and comb it through. What I like best about this formula is that it leaves my hair soft and manageable, not at all stiff or crunchy, like mousses and other leave-ins sometimes do. Davines claims the vitamin-B-based tonicincreases hair thickness by 10 percent, and after using it regularly for a month, I can totally attest to that.

Davines

Davines Energizing Thickening Tonic

Good-hair seekers know that Davines rarely, if ever, discounts its hair products. So it’s a pretty big deal that the brand is offering a discount exclusively for Forbes Vetted readers now through October 31. The code FORBESFAV20 will get you 20% off the Energizing Shampoo (limit one bottle per customer, please). Start there and then you’ll probably decide to explore the tonic and other hair-boosting products (scalp serums, treatment gels) in the Energizing Line once you see how voluminous, bouncy and thick your hair becomes.

Do you suffer from fragile scalp and hair that is prone to falling out?  Well Davines has the solution with their stimulating Naturaltech Energising range. This range is also suitable for use as a preventative treatment against various types of alopecia. 

Davines Naturaltech Energizing Shampoo gently cleanses as it stimulates and revitalises the hair and scalp. It provides a sensation of energy, vigour and wellbeing to the scalp. 

BENEFITS

  • Stimulates scalp microcirculation
  • Balancing effect on the scalp
  • Moisturising action to the hair
  • Stimulates new hair growth
  • Adds shine
  • Paraben free
  • Vegan friendly

FEATURES

  • Caffeine Phytoceuticals: perform an effective anti-oxidant and anti-ageing action, toning and strengthening the scalp
  • Hair Energy Complex (niacinamide & green tea): possesses anti-inflammatory properties while helping to reduce the production of sebum on the scalp and improving skin hydration 

DIRECTIONS
Gently massage the product onto damp hair, leave for a few minutes then rinse. Repeat the application, if necessary. Alternate with Davines Naturaltech Renewing Shampoo.

As an intensive treatment use every other day for 1 month.

As a maintenance treatment use twice a week for 2 months.

How often should I use davines energizing Superactive?

Davines Energizing Superactive of product evenly over the scalp and massage in until completely absorbed. Do not rinse off. Intensive treatment: every other day for 1 month. Maintenance treatment: twice a week for 2 months.

How good is davines?

Davines is a wonderful company focused on producing the highest quality products possible while doing so sustainably. Founded in Parma, Italy in 1983 by the Bollati family. Davines has grown to a wide range of products with distribution in 70+ countries.

Does davines use silicone?

Do Davines products contain silicones? Yes. Thanks to the perfect calibration of quantity and the high quality of silicone, there is no risk of any build up on the hair.