We Tried Jennifer Aniston’s Latest LolaVie Products — Here’s Our Review

When the first episode of Friends debuted in 1994, people immediately obsessed over Jennifer Aniston’s hair. But it wasn’t just her famous haircut that drew envy — it was the silky locks that accompanied it. Last month, the actor celebrated the first birthday of her haircare brand LolaVie with a new product launch: a restorative shampoo and conditioner.

"I wanted these to be able to take care of a number of issues, so they do more than just clean the hair,” Aniston told PEOPLE in a previous interview. “It was really important to have it perform on a large group of people with different hair. We worked really hard to make sure it worked for as many hair types as possible.”

This line is completely vegan, cruelty-free, and made without harsh ingredients like silicones, parabens, and sulfates. Producing a product in this way comes with its challenges, as Aniston pointed out in the exclusive interview. “How do we get natural ingredients in a shampoo or conditioner to perform?” she posed. “Because a lot of times you have to put a lot of crap into different shampoos and conditioners to get that sort of slick, sexy, voluminous look. But then after a while, it starts to break your hair down, because of the buildup of all that stuff.” 

LolaVie aims to confront these issues by using formulas that address scalp health in addition to protecting and strengthening hair follicles. Both the shampoo and conditioner — following the glossing detangler, perfecting leave-in conditioner, and lightweight hair oil in this line — are made with unique complexes that increase volume and longevity (of the wash). The volume complex combines fermented essential minerals such as copper, iron magnesium, and zinc with botanical extracts like ginger root, lemon, and sugar cane. Whereas the longevity complex is made from extracts of veggies, fruits, and caffeine. Both complexes work to nourish and hydrate the hair to create that signature silkiness.

The conditioner also utilizes ingredients like coconut, acai, peas, and specific peptides and squalane from each to moisturize and lock in that hydration. To combat frizz, the formula also highlights chickpeas, lentils, and quinoa (basically a whole salad!). We put these rich formulas to the test to see how well they cleaned our hair, and what the results were after several uses. 

Our team used this shampoo and conditioner for two weeks, and this is our honest review.

Meet Our Testers

Madison Yauger, Commerce Writer, PEOPLE

Alyssa Brascia, Commerce Writer, PEOPLE

Michelle Lee, Editorial Assistant, Beauty & Style, PEOPLE

Dhara Patel, Project Manager, PEOPLE

What We Thought

LolaVie Restorative Shampoo

Size: 8.5 oz / 250 mL | Vegan: Yes | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Color-safe: Yes | Silicones: No

Madison: “When I first used the restorative shampoo, I noticed it was very light (not super dense) and had a citrus scent with notes of fresh lemon. I took about a grape-sized amount and thoroughly massaged it through my wet hair from my roots to the ends. As I rinsed, I noticed it definitely dried the hair out as a shampoo should when it’s cleaning because it removes a layer of the natural oils (but not all of them). That hydration was then immediately restored by the conditioner. After washing with the shampoo, my hair felt super clean, and for the most part, after five washes, this shampoo consistently cleaned my hair with good results.”

Alyssa: “One thing I’ll always love a shampoo for, whether I like the product itself or not, is the scent. The restorative shampoo has a light, feminine and floral scent that lingers far past the initial rinse and repeat, which is a huge plus for me. As for the shampoo itself, I’ve noticed that it takes a bit of time to lather up, which makes sense due to its extremely natural ingredients (you won’t get those fluffy bubbles sudsing up your hair right away). Nonetheless, I felt like the shampoo did a great job of really cleaning my hair, and I felt good about the ingredients being used on my strands, as well. However, I will note that if you have somewhat dry or sensitive skin like mine, you may notice a bit of dryness in your scalp.”

Michelle: “On first impression, the shampoo lathered really well and ran through my hair nicely as I worked it in, and was easy to rinse out. The texture of the shampoo was also lightweight and non-sticky and the scent had a lovely citrus aroma, perfect for winding down. As I continued using the shampoo, I noticed that it wouldn’t get all of the tangles out of my hair and at times it was hard to run my fingers through, which is where the conditioner stepped in. The first time using the shampoo I was working with two-day hair, which meant that my locks were oily and flattened. After using the product, my hair did feel cleaner, but weighed down. After continuous use, I noticed that the heaviness lessened, but was still subtly there. I also saw and felt a difference in how my hair felt — smoother, silkier, and healthy — which were all impressive results.”

Dhara: “The first thing I noticed about this shampoo was the scent. The brand describes it as “botanical,” which is quite prominent immediately upon dispensing and even lingers a bit after you wash your hair. While the scent may be slightly intense for some, the consistency is a nice gentle liquid soap that works into a light lather. After the first wash, my hair felt silkier and my scalp had noticeably less buildup.”

LolaVie Restorative Conditioner

Size: 8.5 oz / 250 mL | Vegan: Yes | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Color-safe: Yes | Silicones: No

Madison: “With the conditioner, I felt an immediate surge of moisturization when I applied it after the shampoo. I really massaged it into my ends and a little on the scalp (I have naturally oily hair so I don’t use too much conditioner up top), and felt an immediate silkiness when rinsing it out. After drying, my hair felt super lightweight, and even the ends (which were a bit overgrown and dried out from color-treatments) felt nourished and softer to the touch. Generally, both the conditioner and shampoo cleaned my hair well when used alone.”

Alyssa: “I was unsure how a super natural conditioner would perform against my tangle-prone hair, but I was pleasantly surprised by the ease in which my hair was detangled in the shower. As someone who has rarely had color or any sort of treatments applied to their strands, conditioners often work well with my hair and provide a decent amount of hydration, and this restorative conditioner was no exception. I’ve noticed a definite increase in the glossiness of my locks no matter if I go to bed with wet hair or dry my hair with a blow dryer, which is a definite perk, since my hair can get pretty dehydrated after significant heat use (but this conditioner seemed to mask that).”

Michelle: “The conditioner had a velvety texture, which I enjoyed, and it was easy to rinse off even after I left it on longer to replicate a hair mask. If there were any tangles left over from the shampoo, the conditioner took them out easily. It also had the same relaxing, spa-like citrus scent. It also didn’t leave my hair greasy like most conditioners would but, similarly to the shampoo, my hair felt weighed down, especially after the first use. Like the shampoo, I noticed that my hair appeared and felt silkier and softer.”

Dhara: “The conditioner's light and subtle scent reminded me of the spa. I loved that it wasn't too thick or runny. The consistency made it easy to distribute quickly and evenly throughout my hair. To apply, I thoroughly coated the bottom half of my hair and brushed it with the conditioner still in it. Doing this prevents my hair from breaking and keeps my natural waves intact. After brushing and rinsing, my hair was detangled and felt smoother.”

The Results

Madison: “As mentioned, these products worked successfully when used by themselves. But I also wanted to see how they interacted with different products. I only used the shampoo and conditioner for the first wash, and then followed up with other products like a leave-in conditioner (not LolaVie’s) and de-brassing spray after the second wash. Truthfully, the level of clean didn’t stay long when I mixed the products. To put it plainly, these don’t play well with others. It could be the ingredients clashing — the rich vegan formula not wanting to mix with standard silicones in other products — but either way it should be noted if you use a host of products as part of your hair routine. Once I went back to just using the shampoo and conditioner without any followup products, my hair once again looked and stayed clean longer.” 

Alyssa: “I really loved using the Lolavie Restorative Shampoo and Conditioner for the fact that its ingredients are better for the hair than most others I’ve used. I did notice that I felt like I had to use a good amount of each product, sometimes a bit over a quarter size for each product, to really feel its effects — but this is most likely because I’m used to products with a bit less natural components. I rarely wash my hair twice with shampoo before moving onto conditioner, as I have naturally drier skin that will lose natural, hydrating oils in this process, but I did feel as if I had to do two washes with this shampoo after a long weekend to really cleanse my hair. This ended up leaving me with some dryness in the scalp, but this also could be attributed to several other factors. Overall, I loved the cleanliness of the ingredients and the results, the hydration that my locks held onto after just one shower (though I tested them for many more), and the gloss that my hair was bestowed upon by these products.”

Michelle: “Before testing this LolaVie pair, my hair (straight and stubborn) wasn’t in terrible condition, but it did need something to liven it up. My hair tends to get oily so I wash it everyday more so than not, so I was hoping for products that didn’t dry out my hair and scalp on daily use and would volumize and of course clean. My wash schedule is irregular — some days I would have more oily and “dirtier” hair than others, but I didn’t notice any difference in between washes. I would say that shampoo left my hair feeling clean overall. I also didn’t notice any change in how it left my scalp, which usually experiences hormonal flakes and itchiness. Overall, I think the set definitely delivered on its nourishing and restoring promises, especially with how shiny my hair looked after. But, as someone with extremely straight hair that gets oily often, that weighed-down feeling was definitely a con.”

Dhara: "“Restorative” is the perfect adjective for this shampoo and conditioner. Not only did this product relieve my dry and rough hair, but I visibly saw a decrease in the amount of hair I lost in the shower. In addition to its reparative qualities, the duo is plant-based, cruelty-free, and packed with impressive ingredients — my favorite being niacinamide for its anti-inflammatory and anti-aging properties. It also strengthens the skin barrier, which is crucial for my sensitive scalp.”

Are LolaVie Shampoo and Conditioner Worth It?

Madison: “If you use a combination of products in your hair routine, especially drugstore finds with silicones, these products might not work for you. But, if you’re someone with a balanced hair type (not too dry or too oily) and primarily just work with shampoo and conditioner, I would definitely recommend these products to nourish your hair. I’m a huge fan of vegan and cruelty-free formulas — due to the sustainability behind them — and these ones definitely leave your hair with that signature Jennifer Aniston shine. Plus the price isn’t too expensive compared to other celebrity brands.”

Alyssa: “If you’re someone who lives by clean beauty and loves aesthetically pleasing packaging (I can’t lie, I’m part of the club), then you’ll love the Lolavie line. Its sleek black and white containers are almost decorations in my bathroom and not only elevate my space, but improve my hair’s health and overall shine, too. Be careful of using too much of the shampoo, as it can leave sensitive scalps looking and feeling a little dry, but overall, these products are the real deal. Jennifer Aniston does it again!”

Michelle: “I’d recommend this product for those with dry strands or textured hair, but if there was a LolaVie product that focused on volume or managed the layers/shape in my hair and provided that shine — count me in!”

Dhara: “I have a lot of medium-thick hair that I prefer to wear naturally. I was under the assumption that I would have to use a sizable amount per use to reap all its benefits. I was surprised when I didn't have to use more than two quarter-sized dollops of shampoo and conditioner to achieve silky smooth results. With just a small amount, my hair was left with natural, bouncy waves when dry. All things considered, I would only recommend restorative shampoo and conditioner to people who can handle scented products. If you can get past the scent, it's worth trying to experience sleek and strengthened hair.”

The Restorative Shampoo and Conditioner created glossy locks that kept us feeling good about our hair's health and appearance, as well as the cleanliness and quality of the products we were using. After two weeks of wash and wear, we found favor with this nourishing duo that adds to the growing line of quality products at Aniston's hair care brand.

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