My Klorane Shampoo Review (2023) – Worth The Money?

It’s time for my Klorane Shampoo review (the quinine + vitamin B version).

So is this shampoo any better than the others?

• Does it keep its promises about fighting thinning hair?
• Can it really thicken existing hair?
• Or it’s just another overestimated shampoo?

Well – I analyzed each of its aspects so here’s the truth behind.

Note: This review is based on my opinion + research on Klorane’s shampoo.

So Let’s Get To The Review

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Full Name: Shampoo with Quinine and B Vitamins from Klorane

Sizes: There are 2 versions available:

• 3.3 oz
• 6.7 oz

I strongly recommend going for the larger one (better price/quantity).

Best Actual Price: Around $16 (6.7 oz bottle)

Cheapest Place To Buy: Most likely Amazon

Designed For: Revitalizing thinning hair. It promises to:

• strengthen and add volume
• increases growth rate
• stimulates keratin to thicken hair

My Rating: 6 out of 10

Worth Buying?: Not quite (despite having an affordable price):

• pretty weak active ingredients
• unsuitable smell for a shampoo (especially for women)
• not very effective in many cases

Instead – I personally recommend a professional shampoo that works much better for both thinning and hair loss/growth.

 

What I Liked About It

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• Its active ingredients are pretty unusual and unique (for a shampoo)
• Light consistency 
• Lathers normally
• Really low price for both sizes
• Very easy to find in most shops and online retailers
• Many authentic reviews available online

 

What I Didn’t Like About it

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• Formula is pretty weak overall
• Smell is too masculine and intense
• Makes hair greasy much faster
• Enough complaints about poor effect on hair

 

 

 

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#1 – Ingredients (6 out of 10)

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Compared to other shampoos – Klorane’s product has a pretty short ingredient list:

• contains about 20 substances overall
• pretty much 2 of them are active ingredients
• the other compounds are inactive

Now – there aren’t many other shampoos based on Quinine and Vitamin B complex.

So that’s what makes Klorane’s product unique.

But other than that – its formula isn’t impressive at all.

I personally would have expected a lot more from a brand like Klorane.

However – let’s take a closer look at its 2 active ingredients (there’s no point checking the inactive ones, since they don’t have any effect on hair).

1. Quinine

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This compound comes from Cinchona Calisaya bark (a South American tree).

Since its bark contains a high quantity of quinine, it’s surely the best natural source for this compound.

Now – how does quinine help hair?

• mostly used for its vitalizing proprieties
• improves dry and lifeless hair
• also helps with strengthening roots and ends

Basically, its effect is rather external.

It doesn’t stimulate growth or thickness – it rather improves hair’s overall appearance.

2. Vitamin B Complex

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Some B vitamins are known to stimulate growth and thickness:

• biotin
• niacin
• vitamin B12

So that’s what Klorane’s shampoo also counts on in terms of effect.

However, most types of vitamin B have a stronger effect when taken by mouth.

In other words – their effect is quite weak when applied on the scalp:

• biotin stimulates hair follicles from the inside [1]
• vitamin B12 also increases growth internally [2]
• niacin is the only one that works when applied topically [3]

So even though this ingredient is very valuable, I doubt it has the same strength in a shampoo as in a supplement.

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Conclusion

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Klorane’s shampoo has a pretty basic formula, if you ask me:

• based on 2 active ingredients
• none of them is extremely strong
• effect might be very disappointing

So in terms of ingredients, it’s surely not a shampoo I would recommend.

It’s good enough for healthy hair, that’s for sure.

But if you’re dealing with hair loss/thinning or you’re trying to grow your hair out, it’s far from my top recommendations.

 

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#2 – Smell & Texture (7 out of 10)

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Here’s what you should know about Klorane’s shampoo consistency.

If you ask me – it could be a lot better at this chapter.

1. Smell

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In my opinion, that’s one of the major downsides of this shampoo.

Surprisingly, it has a pretty masculine fragrance.

That even though it’s designed for both genders:

• smells pretty intensely 
• scent is pretty similar to men fragrance/aftershave 
• it feels pretty cheap, if you ask me

Now – its smell is definitely an advantage if you’re a man.

But most of its users are women – who would surely not like their hair smelling like male products.

Since the smell is quite strong and lasts in the hair, that’s surely not a good point for Klorane’s shampoo.

2. Texture

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Fortunately – things look better for this product here:

• nice consistency
• lathers normally (just like most shampoos)
• dark brown color

To be honest, the only weird thing about its consistency is the color.

Most shampoos have either white or transparent shade in products.

But I don’t necessarily see this as a downside of Klorane’s shampoo.

Once you get used to it, you won’t even notice it anymore.

 

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#3 – How To Use It (9 out of 10)

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As most shampoos – Klorane’s product offers pretty straightforward directions:

1. You always have to use it on wet hair.
2. Apply a small amount and lather.
3. Massage with your fingers.
4. Rinse and repeat if it’s the case.

Obviously, using it is extremely simple and basic.

However, there’s one thing the label doesn’t mention – how often you should use it.

Some brands recommend using their products daily or 5 times per week (for best results).

So in these cases – it’s essential to follow the recommendations.

At least if you want to see a faster effect.

But in this case, there’s no recommendation.

For this reason – I personally believe you should use this shampoo whenever you wash your hair.

There’s no need to wash your hair daily if you don’t normally do this.

But anytime you wash your hair, use this shampoo. That’s what I understood from its directions.

 

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#4 – Results (7 out of 10)

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Since I never tried this shampoo myself – I tried looking for other people’s opinions.

Fortunately, there are plenty of real reviews on Amazon.

Note: I only analyzed authentic opinions, not promotional reviews (which are probably fake).

1. What People Say

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Klorane’s shampoo has an average rating of 4.1 stars on Amazon.

Given the fact that it only has about 100 reviews, that’s not an amazing rating.

However – it’s obvious that it’s a good product that works for enough people.

So here’s what users say about it:

1. Some praise its effect against hair loss.
2. Others claim it really made their hair have more volume.
3. A few others say it cleans the hair really well.
4. On the other hand, some claim it doesn’t work at all.
5. Others criticize its smell, price or ingredients.

As it’s normal – this shampoo has mixed opinions (especially in terms of effect).

But it’s obvious that it’s not among the top rated shampoos on the market.

Its pretty high per cent of unsatisfied users are the best proof.

2. Biggest Complaints

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As I said, most of the negative reviews are related to this shampoo’s poor effect.

Some users claim it doesn’t work at all, while others say it makes their hair look worse.

But that’s not all.

I also found enough complaints related to:

1. High price for the quantity/value.
2. Masculine smell.
3. Greasy texture that makes hair get oily faster.
4. Irritates the scalp.

Now – these complaints are surely not available for everyone.

But the negative reviews are very varied – which means this shampoo has several minor problems (besides its poor effect for some).

That’s another reason why it’s not a product I would recommend.

This high number of negative reviews speaks for itself.

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Conclusion

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Klorane’s Quinine shampoo doesn’t have an excellent reputation:

• many satisfied customers
• lots of various complaints as well

However, many people complain about different things (about 2-5 reviews on each complaint).

So it’s clear that besides its good effect – this shampoo also has several issues.

Since it’s not effective for enough users, I personally would not recommend it.

You can get a more professional shampoo for a few extra dollars.

So I personally think that’s a much better alternative (in terms of effect).

 

 

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#5 – Price (9 out of 10)

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Compared to other shampoos – Klorane’s product is actually affordable.

It’s true that its formula isn’t very professional – so it had no reason to cost a small fortune.

But even so, its price is worth the praises.

1. The Exact Price

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As I said – Amazon probably has the lowest price for Klorane’s products.

When it comes to this Quinine & Vitamin B shampoo:

1. A large bottle costs around $16 (6.7 0z).
2. The smaller version costs $10 (3.3 oz).
3. Shipping is free for orders over $25.

To be honest, $16 for almost 7 oz is a really decent price.

Many shampoos on the market don’t have such a good offer.

However – most of them have much stronger formulas (so their higher price is totally normal).

But even so – Klorane’s shampoo has a really good price for most budget ranges.

As I said, it’s not a professional shampoo and its formula is pretty basic.

So it would surely not be worth more than $16 (maybe even less).

2. Competitors’ Price

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I will only compare Klorane’s product with my #1 recommended shampoo.

I’m talking about a professional product from Valotin called Stimulating Shampoo:

1. Klorane has a pretty basic ingredient list.
2. Valotin has one of the best formulas on the market (among shampoos).
3. Some of its ingredients have clinical evidence behind.
4. Klorane costs $16/bottle (6.7 oz).
5. TRX2 costs $30/bottle (for a double quantity). 
6. However, you can even get it for about $24/bottle (with discounts).

Now – Valotin’s product is a few dollars pricier, but it also comes in a double quantity.

Not to mention that its quality is clearly superior.

As I said, it’s one of the most professional shampoo on the market (for hair loss/growth/thinning).

So its real value is a lot higher than $24/12 oz.

On the other hand – that’s not available for Klorane’s shampoo as well.

For this reason, I recommend getting the best shampoo I know.

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Conclusion

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In terms of price, Klorane’s shampoo is really affordable.

But if you ask me – it’s surely not among the best options from the market (despite its great price).

I personally recommend a much more professional shampoo.

Since it also comes in a higher quantity, it’s a much better choice overall.

 

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#6 – Where To Find It (10 out of 10)

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From this point of view – this shampoo deserves all praises.

It’s extremely easy to find in both online retailers and local shops:

• Klorane’s official website
• Amazon (best price)
• local pharmacies or beauty stores

And that’s available for all products from Klorane, which is a really easy to find brand.

Now – in terms of price, I would definitely recommend Amazon:

1. Lowest cost overall.
2. Shipping is free for all orders over $25.
3. Really safe retailer.
4. Refunds are very easy to get.

Besides – Klorane’s official website has similar (or slightly higher) prices and doesn’t offer free shipping for all orders.

Plus, there are a few other things related to worldwide shipping and so on.

That’s why I suggest going for Amazon.

 

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#7 – Final Conclusions

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Here’s how I would sum up my opinion on this shampoo in 3 ideas. 

1. Too Simple Formula

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I personally would not recommend a shampoo with such a basic ingredient list:

• effect is based on only 2 active ingredients
• none of them has clinical evidence behind
• ingredients work best when taken by mouth

Now – I’m pretty sure this shampoo is effective for minor issues.

But if you’re dealing with a severe thinning or you want to grow your hair out, I doubt it’s going to help too much.

That’s why I wouldn’t recommend it from this point of view.

2. Masculine Smell

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That’s one of the things I dislike most about Klorane’s shampoo:

• very strong fragrance
• feels like a cheap male perfume
• no trace of herbal scents

I’m sure certain people like this smell.

But if you ask me – it’s way too intense for a unisex shampoo.

So you should keep this in mind before you start using this product.

3. Really Affordable

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In terms of price – Klorane’s product looks really good:

• both versions cost decently
• affordable for most budgets 

As I said – it’s not a shampoo I would necessarily recommend (even with its cheap price).

Considering its basic formula, it couldn’t even cost most.

But when it comes to its actual price – I must admit it’s an affordable one.

 

 

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My Verdict – Is Klorane Quinine Worth Buying?

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Short answer: Not really, if you ask me.

It’s surely not a bad product – especially since it has such a low price.

But it’s not a shampoo I would recommend for any serious hair problem:

1. Pretty weak formula.
2. Its active ingredients work better when taken by mouth.
3. Very intense masculine smell.
4. Enough complaints about poor effect.

As I said – it’s a shampoo that works for some (especially for those with healthy hair).

But if you’re suffering from hair loss or thinning – this kind of product isn’t going to make miracles.

So what do I recommend instead? A shampoo made by Valotin:

• extremely effective for most hair problems
• great ingredients and formulation
• worked really well in my case
• very affordable

Compared to Klorane’s product – it’s clearly way more professional and potent (in terms of effect).

Since it’s designed for both hair growth and thinning – it’s obviously a much better choice.

So I  would say it’s a lot more worth it.

At least if you want a real effect in the shortest time.

References:

1 – https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/-pubmed/28879195

2 – https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/-pmc/articles/PMC6380979/

3 – https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/-pubmed/17168873