Name: Calming Hinoki Shampoo
Brand: akkua
Rating: 4.27 (48 reviews)

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아꾸아

Calming Hinoki Shampoo

Doesn't Create Rich Foam

Makes Hair Greasy

Lacks Cooling Effect

Slippery

Contains Artificial Fragrance

Has an Alcohol Smell

Too Watery

Has a Woody Scent

Improves Hair Texture

Pleasant Scent

Makes Hair Tame

Smooth

Foams Up Well

Scent Lasts Long

It's better to use it only once in a while, such as the day after a hair clinic treatment or on days when your hair needs extra nourishment, rather than using it daily.
I would recommend it for sensitive and dry skin types!

I was surprised by the small size, and after using it, the nourishing effect made my hair a bit oily. I would only recommend it for dry hair types!

For oily skin types, it might cause trouble and make the forehead or scalp too oily too easily!

The product was great as it was gentle and the fragrance was not too stimulating.
In particular, the texture was very soft and smooth, which was suitable for me as I usually have dry scalp and hair.

It's better to use it only once in a while, such as the day after a hair clinic treatment or on days when your hair needs extra nourishment, rather than using it daily.

카밍 히노끼 샴푸

After using this product, I'll use a nicely scented conditioner~^^
If only the scent was different, it would be perfect:(

The scent!!!! It's just not my cup of tea
I knew it was a hinoki shampoo, but the subtle, cool scent of the hinoki tree is not what I got. Instead, it's the scent you'd find in an onsen's hinoki bath. That hard-to-describe... slightly fishy scent. It's never been my preference. But at least we don't just use shampoo, right? We also use conditioner and hair oil, so I was able to tolerate it by knowing the scent would be covered up. The scent also doesn't linger very long.

This review was written by a Hwahae Trial Reviewer who received the product for free and evaluated it with a sense of representing Hwahae. The review is completely unbiased and honest, with no guidelines or restrictions. Trial Reviewers' reviews undergo the same strict verification process as regular reviews, and if they don't meet our standards, revisions will be requested.

It was definitely mild and comfortable on the scalp. I could tell why it's called 'Calming' - it's not the type that strips away all the oil, but rather the type that leaves a moderate shine. My hair also felt relatively soft during the time I used this product!!

When using the shampoo, applying it to the ends of the hair would be even better.

For those with oily scalps, the formula seems to be a bit too greasy. And the ingredients were somewhat disappointing.

The warm and subtle fragrance of cypress wood was absolutely delightful. The unique and special scent, reminiscent of a high-end perfume, seems to be the strength of this product. The softness that it provides when used on dry hair was also great. The easy-to-pump product packaging, font, and lush green color also caught my eye. The excellent product packaging would also make it a great gift.

-Fragrance:
The fragrance was somewhat okay for me, but honestly it's not a great scent, so it would be better if they didn't add any fragrance at all.

-Cooling Sensation:
To be honest, I was expecting a certain level of cooling sensation, but there was absolutely none, and after drying my hair, I even felt a slight dryness.

🍀Skin Type: Oily
✔️Maintains freshness for at least 2 days

-Greasiness, Oil Retention:
Once applied, it maintains a fresh feel for about 2 days!

-Fragrance:
The fragrance was okay for me, but it might be a bit polarizing as it has a floral scent.

-Itchiness:
When I used regular shampoo, I experienced itchiness and the greasy feeling came back quickly, but this product definitely reduces that.

✔️Overall: I personally recommend it.

The fact that it didn't cause any breakouts on my extremely sensitive skin is already a complete pass for me.

🩹 As my skin is extremely sensitive, using the wrong shampoo can immediately cause redness or breakouts around my scalp and hairline. However, this Aqua Calming Hinoki shampoo uses gentle, non-irritating ingredients, and I didn't experience any troubles at all. I've also been interested in sustainability lately, so I'm really glad that it's a cruelty-free product.

🧼 I usually prefer woody scents, and I really enjoyed the fragrance of this shampoo. The scent also lasted longer compared to other shampoos I've used.

✺ Contains domestic Hinoki cypress oil for scalp care and hair damage reduction
✺ 38% Chamomile flower water to protect the scalp from external stressors
✺ Peptide balance to maintain a young, healthy scalp
✺ 90% EWG green-rated ingredients
✺ Completed skin irritation test
✺ Vegan product against animal testing
✺ 7-Free formula

 It seems like this product might be a good fit for those with extremely dry scalp or abundant hair volume who want to achieve a more balanced, calm look.

For reference, my hair volume is average, and my hair strands are on the finer side. I haven't had any hair treatments in the past 3 months, and my scalp type is on the drier side.

 Unfortunately, there were two major drawbacks that prevent me from recommending this product.

First, it makes my hair greasy very quickly.
Even if I shampoo in the morning before work, my hair will look limp and oily like it's been two days since I last washed it within 3 hours. The oiliness seems to be unusually severe.
Whenever I use this shampoo, people comment that my hair looks greasy.
By the time I get off work, my hair is just evenly coated in oil, which can be quite embarrassing at times.

I've been using this product consistently since receiving it, and have tried various methods to address the issue - using a treatment or conditioner, air drying my hair, pre-shampooing, letting the shampoo sit before rinsing, and avoiding hair essence. But nothing seems to work. I even tried using a different shampoo for a day and then going back to this one, but the problem persisted.

The other issue is that it has made my scalp more sensitive.
After using this shampoo, I've developed redness and clogged pores on my scalp in multiple areas. This makes my scalp itchy, and I find myself unconsciously scratching it.
I've tried washing my hair gently and in a scalp-friendly manner, but the symptoms immediately improved once I stopped using the product.

 (Hwahae Trial Reviewer review (The review took longer than the writing period because I wanted to confirm the symptoms for one more day. I'm sorry.)

The first one is vegan!!!!!!
I hope more vegan products will be released in the future.
The lather is also great.

The second is the fragrance!!!!
It's a real hinoki scent. It's luxurious like a woody or hinoki-famous perfume.
If it had been deep, even if the fragrance was good, it would have been burdensome. But since it's light, it doesn't clash with the season.
The longevity was also good, with a strong scent for about an hour and then a subtle lingering fragrance afterwards.

The third is the pumping amount!!!
I tried it twice and once, and one pump was enough.

The fourth is the transparent case!!
It was convenient to be able to check the contents inside.

Finally, the softness!
The hair feels good even with just shampoo. Of course, you have to brush it, but the difference from not using conditioner was not significant.
It seems that the oil content is the reason for this.)

There wasn't really anything disappointing. After using it for about a week, I felt like I really wanted to repurchase it!
Those who prefer a lot of lather may find it less preferable. The lather was similar to that of a body wash.
I had to pump it 2-3 times for my mid-length hair, and it was enough for the scalp but needed an extra pump for the ends of my hair. But it wasn't a major inconvenience^^
If they offered a larger size or refills, I think a lot of people would repurchase it!

The fragrance is lovely~ It's a soothing feeling while shampooing, and the lingering scent that gently wafts out when towel-drying makes me smile^^ 
Even without using a separate treatment, my hair feels soft and smooth. 
I'm also glad it's a vegan product, and the appealing fragrance makes me want to shampoo my hair two or three times more^^

If you have a lot of money, be sure to use a rinse or treatment together. I also wish I had a lot of money so I could just use expensive, good products.

The price is high for the volume.
When my hair is damaged, I have to use a conditioner again to finish it off,
which makes me feel like it's kind of useless.

I really like that it's a vegan shampoo. The fragrance is subtle yet deep.
The basic cleansing power is undoubtedly there.

 The shampoo is moisturizing and gentle, so I would not recommend it for oily scalps. 🙅🏻‍♀️
Instead, I would suggest alternating this shampoo with your regular one.
However, I do highly recommend this shampoo for those with dry scalps. 🙆🏻‍♀️

 The PEG surfactant ingredients are quite high up on the ingredient list. That's likely why I felt an itchy sensation on my scalp, though I can't say for certain that's the exact cause. But it does seem the product is irritating to the scalp.

Ultimately, the main downside is that it makes my scalp itchy.

Since my scalp tends to be dry, I usually can't use shampoos for oily scalps, and need more moisturizing shampoos to avoid an itchy scalp. This shampoo does seem moisturizing, but the intense itchiness I experienced makes me suspect the PEG or some other irritating ingredient just doesn't agree with my hair and scalp.

 The Aqua Calming Hinoki Shampoo was created by a diver for dried and damaged hair caused by seawater and UV rays.
When you learn about the brand's story, you feel more connected to the product.

1. Scent like entering a forest
The scent was really natural. It was a mix of cypress, woody, and herbal notes, not artificial at all. Unless you dislike herbal scents, most people can use this without any aversion.

2. No need for conditioner
They emphasized that it's soft even without conditioner, so I tried using it without conditioner for a few days. It's definitely softer than regular shampoos.
Regular shampoos make your hair feel rough after rinsing, but this product left my hair soft even after just shampooing and rinsing. After drying, it was a bit more frizzy than using conditioner, but still quite soft.
On busy mornings when I don't have time to use conditioner, it's great to be able to just shampoo and go.

3. Vegan product
I like vegan products! I think more products should move in this direction.

4. Reasonably priced
For a 330ml vegan product, the lowest price on Naver Shopping is around 20,000 won (as of 10/21/22). I think that's a good price.

5. Attractive packaging
The transparent, square plastic bottle contains the clear liquid shampoo.
Plus, the green label sticker
The packaging well represents the brand's identity - simple yet natural. I found it very pretty every time I looked at it.

6. Produces decent lather
The lather is not super dense, but soft and fluffy. You can get a decent amount of lather even without thoroughly wetting your hair. It doesn't create an overflowing, thick lather.

If you use it at night, your hair gets easily tangled when you wake up. Compared to other shampoos, it seems to tangle a bit more.

I've heard that if you use it in the morning, your hair looks healthier!

The texture is like water, and it feels a bit slippery when washing, so it doesn't rinse off easily.
I feel like it might get greasy quickly in the summer.
The amount is also quite small...ㅠㅠ
While the fragrance ingredients are listed at the bottom, the fragrance is still quite strong.

Even after washing my hair, I tend to have a bit of dandruff.
My hair is not too dry or greasy, but it's not very thick or voluminous either!
I usually pump the shampoo 7 times when I wash my hair.
Please keep this in mind!

🗣Texture
The texture is like a watery toner.
🗣Amount
It will probably last me around 3 weeks, but the amount is quite small, and I wish they had a larger size on sale so I could stock up.
🗣Lather
As I mentioned, I pump the shampoo 7 times, but the lather doesn't seem very rich.
So it takes me a bit longer to shampoo my hair.
🗣Fragrance
The fragrance is like a perfume or scent, but I'm not sure what it is.
Anyway, I liked it!
It doesn't dissipate quickly and lasts well.
🗣Scalp Condition
My dandruff has calmed down a bit!!!!
I usually get dandruff in the fall and winter, but this seems to have a good amount of oil, so it's been fine!

After washing, my hair used to get very tangled, but lately, it's not as bad, which is great!


+Corrected typos

The scent... it's a bit strong with an alcoholic note when washing hair
But the lingering fragrance is pleasant after drying
Those sensitive to scents should test the fragrance before purchasing

I'm not oily scalp, but normal!
Lathers well with just one pump
Provides a refreshing, cooling sensation
Excellent cleansing power, leaves little greasiness even after washing hair
Hair loss is only about 1/2 compared to regular store-bought shampoos!
Even without a separate conditioner, my slightly curly hair is easy to brush through.

akkua Calming Hinoki Shampoo Reviews

2 Reviews