Aveda Pure Abundance Hair Care Vs. Jason Thin-to-Thick Line

I had been using Aveda's Pure Abundance Shampoo and Conditioner almost a year when a good friend told me about Jason's Thin-to-Thick Hair and Scalp Therapy line. I had seen the latter advertised for years and honestly don't know why I never tried it. So the next time I wandered into Whole Foods, I picked up the Shampoo and Conditioner to see how it would compare to my current Aveda favorite.

How They Work

First, Aveda's Pure Abundance Hair Care line uses certified organic acacia gum and koalin clay to lift up and fill out the hair shaft. The formula also contains: aroma of certified organic peppermint, ylang ylang, palmarosa and jasmine. There are extracts of babassu, calendula, honey, and marshmallow as well.

Jason's Thin-to-Thick Volumizing Hair and Scalp Therapy is more famous for what it doesn't have. Jason's Shampoos have no lauryl/laureth sulfates. The Thin-to-Thick hair products boast biotin, plant proteins and panthenol to plump and strengthen hair shaft. And Jason isn't just throwing the ingredient buzzwords around. Biotin is the 4th ingredient, Vitamin E the 5th, and Panthenol is the 6th ingredient. Not too shabby. There's also peppermint oil, chamomile, aloe, ginseng root and algae extract.

So after one week on Aveda and one week on Jason - who was the champion plumper-picker-upper? It was too close to call. Here's how they stacked up.

Aveda's Pure Abundance Volumizing Shampoo and Conditioner:
- Smells better if you don't mind Aveda's signature scent
- Rinses easier
- Creates more volume than the Jason Shampoo and Conditioner
- Slightly more drying than Jason's duo

Jason's Thin-to-Thick Hair and Scalp Therapy Shampoo and Conditioner:
- Very herbal scent
- Difficult to work through hair and difficult to rinse out
- Left hair noticeably more full and "volumized" without drying
- Hair seemed shinier and more manageable

Bottom line: On pure volumizing performance, Aveda narrowly beats out Jason's Thin-to-Thick line. However, there are too many other factors to dismiss Jason flat out. If your hair tends to be dry, Jason's Thin-to-Thick will give lots of fullness and bounce to hair, without leaving it feeling dry or flyaway. Also, many people are sensitive to sulfates and limiting their use is also good for the environment.

For me, it's as simple as using Aveda's Pure Abundance line during the summer when my hair feels extra heavy, and Jason's Thin-to-Thick during the winter, when I need more moisture in my hair.