Everything we choose to do, our hairstyle, the way we dress, our perfume and expressions all reflect our mood, outlook on life and our personality. At times we subconsciously change our look to communicate to people how we are feeling but why stop at clothes, perfume, expression and hairstyle, by using Aveda purescription shampoo and conditioner you can also reflect your outlook on life, personality and mood. Aveda purescription shampoos and conditioners are available from the key elements range of Aveda products and are customized for you; they contain therapeutic aromas that reflect some facet of your personality.

The purescription shampoos and conditioners contain natural UV absorbers which protect you hair colour from fading, the shampoo gently cleansers the hair using only plant derived ingredients such as coconut oil, the conditioner is designed to give you the highest level of temporary colour deposits or enhancers for your natural colour again using only plant derived ingredients such as black malva, madder root or camomile to co-ordinate with the shampoo, it untangles and smoothes even very fine strands of hair and does not add weight, it conditions with light, plant based emollients; both the shampoo and conditioner contain aloe as a soothing agent.

To obtain the purescription shampoos and conditioners you are taken on a sensory journey, which results in a formula of plant or flower derived pampering for your hair, it is a journey of four steps.

Step One
Choose your aroma by sampling around twenty-five different aromas, some uplifting, some soothing, some calming; this is something you should take your time over, keep smelling the coffee beans between aromas to clear your nose and the aromas that appeal to you put to one side, go back to those aromas you have put to one side and go through the process again, keep doing this until you have settled for the aroma you feel suits you best; I selected an uplifting aroma on my last
visit, however I have had about nine different aromas in the past, it depends on how I feel on the day.

Step Two
Choose a colour for your hair; you could have a temporary hair colour mixed with the aroma you have chosen to give you maximum temporary colour deposits with natural pigments and basic dyes; this enables you to extend the life of colour in dyed hair or to experiment with colour without commitment. There are eleven colours to choose from – black, dark brown, medium brown, red brown, light copper, copper, neutral blonde, gold, red, purple and violet. If you do not want to change your hair colour, or cover up any grey hair the beauty therapist will find the best match to your natural colour by mixing colours, I have red hair and did not want to change my hair colour so the therapist suggested a mix of copper and light copper, this proved to be perfect to enhance the natural highlights and colour of my hair.

Step Three
Enjoy a complementary cup of herbal tea while the therapist blends the ingredients to make your bottles of purescription shampoo and conditioner.

Step Four
Enjoy using your new products and the complements you receive from people about the condition of your hair, the shine and the unusual, subtle aroma.

The shampoo and conditioner cost approximately £10 each for a 7 fluid ounce bottle but having used these products for about five years now I believe I am getting good value for my money, it may sound expensive for a shampoo and conditioner but I usually have two different aromas on the go at the same time. I wash my hair every other day and have long thick hair, I use these shampoos about twice a week, depending on how I feel, and a different Aveda shampoo the rest of the time, the two bottles of purescription shampoo and conditioner last me about ten months, because the shampoo and conditioner is so rich in deep cleansing ingredients I only need a little shampoo about the size of a ten pe
nce piece to get a good lather and I use about the same amount of conditioner.

I am fortunate that I have two Aveda outlets near my home, House of Fraser at the Metro Centre in Gateshead and Fenwick in Eldon Square, Newcastle; the only way to purchase Aveda Purescription products is from an Aveda counter in a department store or an Aveda Salon.

Aveda counter locations I am aware of are:
London: Barkers of Kensington, Bentalls, Dickins and Jones, Fenwick, Harvey Nichols, Liberty, Selfridges
Bristol: Bentalls
Surrey: Bentalls
Cambridge: Eaden Lilley
Brighton: East Street
Kent: Fenwick
Newcastle: Fenwick
York: Fenwick
Leeds: Harvey Nichols
Milton Keynes: House of Fraser
Nottingham: House of Fraser
Gateshead: House of Fraser
Essex: House of Fraser Lakeside
Manchester: Kendal, Selfridges
Birmingham: Rackhams
Canterbury: Ricemans
Colchester: Williams and Griffin
Jersey: Voisins

I am sorry I do not know of any stores in Scotland, Wales or Ireland but there probably is outlets in a few of the major cities. If you have the opportunity to visit an Aveda counter or salon give yourself (and you hair) a real treat, it’s an enjoyable experience selecting your purescription products and they are a joy to use.