Suave has been a household name brand for many years – quality and value will do that for you! Their ad campaigns have often followed the same pattern of giving people two products to try without seeing the bottle, one being Suave and the other a more expensive competitor, and showcasing that people choose Suave as the superior of the two.

This drives home the Suave message beautifully – you don’t have to break the bank on personal care products to get results, and brands like Suave are the reason why! You’ll find out what makes Suave products so special here in our Suave Products and Company Review!

Suave History And Background

Back in the day (1937 to be exact), Suave was launched as a hair tonic made for men by the National Mineral Company. The brand was then expanded to include other hair care products for both women and men. At this point in time – in the wake of the Great Depression and overlapping with wartime rations and cutbacks – money was not exactly expendable for more trivial things like cosmetics.

Suave’s low-cost, narrow profit margin business model was very fitting and rewarding for consumers and the company itself.

The company was purchased by Helene Curtis Industries, Inc. who expanded Suave beyond hair care in the 1970’s. Unilever acquired Helene Curtis Industries, Inc. in 1996 and has owned and operated the company ever since. Suave is currently based in Chicago, IL and their products are now sold across North and South America.

Overview Of Suave Products

Their products are generally very well formulated and work well compared to others at the same price point.

Suave makes affordable personal care items including shampoo, conditioner, body wash, lotion, deodorant, and hair styling products. They have different product lines geared towards women, men, and kids. Their products are generally very well formulated and work well compared to others at the same price point.

Suave Clarifying Shampoo Review

Suave Clarifying Shampoo is gentle enough for consistent use, but will clean out product buildup and excess oil like nobody’s business. If you have drier hair, try only using this once or twice a week and a more moisturizing shampoo on a daily basis.

It is pH balanced, so it promotes scalp and hair health, balances out the amount of oil your scalp produces, and helps keep dyed hair from fading and altering. The clarifying line also includes an oil-free conditioner which is absolutely perfect for softening oily hair.

Suave Almond And Shea Butter Review

Almond and Shea Butter products are a part of the Suave Professionals line which provides very close to salon grade products. These are deeply moisturizing, nourishing products that heal and revitalize dry, brittle hair. They’re also great for kinky, curly hair because they are thick and rich and incredible for detangling. The line includes a shampoo, a conditioner, a deep conditioning mask, and more.

Suave Essentials Body Wash Review

Suave Essentials is the newly relaunched line of their standard shampoo, conditioner, body wash and lotion.

Many of the products are identical to the Suave Naturals line which included natural extracts and ingredients but was criticized as a misnomer because the formulas were not natural, likely sparking the name change. The different flavors smell amazing, and they are all enriched with various beneficial essential oils and vitamins.

The scents are divided into three categories: Floral, Creamy, and Fresh & Fruity. The Florals are Amethyst Sunset, Sweet Pea & Violet, Everlasting Sunshine, and Wild Cherry Blossom. The Fresh & Fruity are Cucumber Agave Smash, Rainforest Fresh, and Ocean Breeze. The Creamy ones are Almond Verbena, Cocoa Butter & Shea, Tropical Coconut, and Milk & Honey Splash.

Suave Deodorant Line Review

Suave definitely produces a solid deodorant.

The Suave stick antiperspirant and deodorant comes in six scents (Tropical Paradise, Ocean Breeze, Wild Cherry Blossom, Sweet Pea & Violet, Everlasting Sunshine, and Powder.) and claims to be invisible and to last for 24 hours. Suave definitely produces a solid deodorant.

It keeps you dry and fresh, and all of them smell really nice. Your mileage may vary when it comes to the claim of full-day coverage and protection, but I have found that it does, in fact, take me through the work day quite nicely. What more could you ask for?

I absolutely love Suave’s spray antiperspirant. It is lightweight and doesn’t leave any residue behind (just let in dry for a minute before putting on dark clothing). It is an effective antiperspirant and is both long lasting and very breathable.

The Clinical Strength Deodorants do not mess around. I don’t know if I’d recommend them for everyday use because you want to let those pores breathe a bit, but when you need to stay fresh and dry for an important event, on tight shirt days, or during really humid weather, the clinical-strength deodorant is something you can rely on. This product has been marketed towards women, but the PROsolid Powder is a gender-neutral fresh scent and is great for men too.

Suave Naturals Conditioner Review

When news broke about Naturals Tropical Coconut Conditioner being discontinued, flat-out pandemonium broke out among the curly-haired female community. Curly haired women practically swear by the stuff!

Thankfully, it wasn’t actually discontinued, the name was just changed to Essentials, and it has the same incredibly softening formula. It is infused with coconut oil which is known for its nourishing and moisturizing properties. The conditioner is too rich for very thin hair, but can beautifully replenish and soften thick, dry or damaged hair.

Suave Revitalizing Body Lotion With Vitamin E 32 Review

The Revitalizing Body Lotion contains Vitamin E and A, which are emollients and anti-oxidants, and Vitamin B5 which moisturizes, soothes and heals the skin. It is absorbed quickly and doesn’t leave a greasy feeling on the skin. The thin, lightweight texture makes it ideal for normal skin, but not for very dry skin which could use something thicker to sufficiently moisturize.

Suave Hairspray Review

To be honest, the Suave hairsprays fall short. The Extreme Hold is frankly, terrible. It is sticky and wet, has an overpowering smell and doesn’t even hold styles that well. The Max hold also leaves the hair feeling sticky and the mist is so thick that it can look like you have white flecks in your hair if you apply enough to hold anything.

The flexible hold is actually a pretty good formula that is lightweight and does the job without making your hair feel gross, but the bottle is not constructed well and you have to use two hands to spray which makes styling very frustrating.

Wash, wake up & go! An easy overnight tutorial for effortless #hair: http://t.co/BUF741T7ni #StyleItYourself pic.twitter.com/DcyhevnFFf

— Suave (@SuaveBeauty) August 6, 2015

Suave Mousse Review

For thin hair, the Suave Mousse Max Control is nice because it gives some great body and volume. The Suave Professionals Captivating Curls Whipped Cream Mousse is a cross between a mousse and a lotion, softening and giving light definition to the hair. The Suave Professionals Firm Control Boosting Mousse accentuates waves and curls, providing strong hold and definition without leaving a crunchy texture to the hair.

Suave Styling Paste For Men Review

The Suave Styling Paste gives some great control and hold without stiffness or shine. It’s been discontinued, but you can still find it online and a lot of guys are stocking up before it runs out because this product has worked really well for them.

Are Suave Products Cruelty-Free? Does Suave Test On Animals?

Unilever, Suave’s parent company, does test on animals, so Suave is not a cruelty-free brand. It can be extremely difficult to find budget-friendly vegan products, as not testing on animals would hurt the already narrow profit margins, unfortunately making cruelty-free shopping a luxury that many people can’t afford.

Conclusion

Consumer Reports, a nonprofit organization that tests out products and rates them without bias, found that there is not very much that separates different shampoos across major brands. A lot of the price discrepancy is just a choice by the company to cater to a certain demographic, especially because we naturally associate expensiveness with high-quality. Making something cheaper does not necessarily mean that more people will buy it.

Yes, there is a place for botanically-infused soaps and shampoos full of expensive oils, and I love those just as much as the next girl. But when it comes to cleansing your hair and body, bargain brands are totally just as effective – for a fraction of the price. Soap is soap, especially because all those great ingredients get washed off quickly and don’t have time to penetrate the skin and make any major difference.

Thus, anything that is a good cleanser and isn’t so harsh that it strips away natural oils is great in my book, and Suave’s shampoos and body soaps fill those criteria well. Within their price range, it’s tough to beat Suave products – great quality, great value!

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