A Review of Aveda Men Pure-formance Men's Grooming Products

Of course, it was just a matter of time before Aveda introduced its own men's line of grooming products. Aveda Men Pure-formance products are now available and, for the most part, they live up to their hype.

Aveda has always positioned itself as a company which strives to create products that are botanically based and manufactured through environmentally friendly processes. Of course, I appreciate when a company makes products that are as free of unnecessary chemicals as possible, but I'm equally concerned with performance. The Aveda Men Pure-formance line of products finds a nice balance here.

Before getting my hands in any of the product, I felt instantly comfortable. The dark bottles with funky faux wood accents are masculine and have a cool retro vibe. The fragrance of the product was very appealing (to me) with notes of citrus, spearmint, and lavender -- an earthy, natural smell. The strong fragrance may not appeal to some, but I found it unique and refreshing.

The three products I tested in this category were Pure-formance Shampoo, Pure-formance Conditioner, and Pure-formance Exfoliating Shampoo. Of all of the products, the shampoo stood out as my personal favorite.

Avede Pure-formance Shampoo
The shampoo has a very rich texture and did a fine job of cleaning my hair and scalp with no noticeable drying or itching. Many shampoos leave my scalp feeling oily, but this product rinsed away completely. My hair and scalp felt clean and refreshed. The scent was a bit strong and lingered longer than most other products, but that's a minor complaint. This really is a great product.

Avede Pure-formance Exfoliating Shampoo
I must admit, I can be a bit harsh in my reviews of exfoliating products -- I'm very particular -- and I found this product to be mostly useless. As a shampoo it performed quite well, but the walnut shells and jojoba beads used to give the product its scrubbing ability were just too large and sparse to be effective. For exfoliating the scalp, I strongly prefer Menscience Microfine Face Scrub or HeadBlade Head Shed, which have small, dense scrubbing agents and are far more effective.

Avede Pure-formance Conditioner
Overall, I liked this product. It gave my hair a bit more shine and manageability and left my scalp feeling soothed and moisturized. In the bottle, the product has a pleasant smell, but once on the hair it developed a bit of a medicinal odor -- a fairly common complaint I've heard with Aveda conditioners. The smell was not bad, but I did not find it as pleasant as the shampoo's fragrance.

The Aveda Men Pure-formance line offers some truly outstanding styling options. I've found each to be exceptionally good, but they do have the same strong fragrance as the rest of the line and may not appeal to everyone.

Avede Pure-formance Grooming Clay
This is my new favorite styling product! It offers exceptional pliable hold with a natural shine. It's great for adding texture to the hair for today's casual "lived in" styles. A small amount can also add a bit of thickness to fine hair as well.

Avede Pure-formance Pomade
This pomade adds strong, pliable hold and high shine and is perfect for controlling short to medium length hair. I have used a small bit of this product to add shine and separation to longer styles as well. Unlike most pomades, this one is water-based, so it rinses clean.

Avede Pure-formance Grooming Cream
For medium to longer hair, this product is great for providing a soft, natural looking control. The product is not sticky and lends itself well to the types of styles which invite you to run your fingers through the hair. I've found this product is most effective on hair that is already dry or just slightly damp.

Avede Pure-formance Liquid Pomade
For light to medium pliable control and high shine, this product can't be beat. For long shags, it is great for taking out volume and giving a more lean appearance to the style. For guys with curly hair, this product is simply fantastic. It provides exceptional shine and helps add definition and separation to curly hair. I haven't found anything quite like it on the market. Bravo!

While there are certainly cheaper alternatives on the market, some will find the higher quality formulations of Aveda Men Pure-formance products will justify the price. Aside from the bold fragrance, which may be too much for some, I've found the products to be among the best I've personally tested. With one exception -- the Exfoliating Shampoo -- I can confidently recommend these products.

I offer additional praise to Aveda which manufactures the Aveda Men Pure-formance line at its primary facility in Blaine, Minnesota. The facility offsets 100% of its electric consumption with certified wind energy and makes the company the largest purchaser of wind energy in Minnesota. Great products, combined with environmentally friendly manufacturing processes, makes Aveda a company I hold in high regard.

UPDATE:

After I published this article, Aveda released Aveda Men Pure-formance Firm Hold Gel and Aveda Men Pure-formance Aroma Spray.

I have used the gel and can report that it's an exceptional product. It is lightweight but still delivers a strong hold without flaking. The gel also contains UVA/UVB protectors which help shield the hair from sun damage. I also found the aroma spray quite appealing. It's a unique scent with notes of citrus, lavender, spearmint, and vetiver -- a masculine fragrance which is perfect for fall. This is my new favorite fragrance.