Intelligent Nutrients – Green Monday Review
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After our interview with the founder, how excited all of us at we heart this were to take a closer look at products from Intelligent Nutrients! IN first caught our attention when we discovered it was the new line from Horst M. Rechelbacher, the man behind a wht favorite, Aveda. The yummy smelling, beloved line was one of the first to prove consumers were not only interested in beauty products that made you look good, they also wanted products that are good for you and the environment.
After much success with Aveda, Rechelbacher has moved on to even greener (heh) pastures with the introduction of Intelligent Nutrients (IN). This health-inspired line is 100% non-toxic, plant based and uses only Certified Organic ingredients, approved by the USDA and UK Soil Association.
Believing that “everything we put in and on our bodies must be nutritious and safe,” IN product lines are created with food-grade, organic ingredients free of harmful toxins. Of course, we’re not going to start licking our face cleanser, but we love the idea of beauty and body care that’s literally good enough to eat! IN is on a new path to beauty looking to create “result-oriented products that work through natural, plant-based preservatives, fixatives and aromatics.” You will find all products are free of plastics, parabens, phthalates, sulfates, silicone, lead and other toxic petrochemicals.
Plus, all of that organic goodness is wrapped up in striking, elegant and generously sized packages that are 100% recyclable without any non-recyclable parts. It doesn’t stop there, IN is a truly eco-conscious company that took action to become the first professional quality brand in the industry to purchase Renewable Energy Credits toward the manufacturing of all of its products.
Our review team had a chance to test items for both hair and skin and will be here shortly to share their thoughts on these IN products:
Leave In Conditioner – a nourishing leave in treatment that aids in styling (without the aid of silicone) while hydrating and protecting the hair and scalp. $29
Spray On Detangler – Safe for color treated hair, this detangler naturally softens and detangles hair for easy styling, and protects your tresses without weighing them down. $26
Finishing Gloss – For use on dry, medium textured hair, this glossy serum adds tons of shine while taming frizziness, fly-aways and split ends. $29
Perfect Hold Hairspray – the perfect finishing touch, this hairspray provides natural, flexable hold and smells divine! $29
Anti-Aging Cleanser – this creamy cleanser is suitable for all skin types, removing impurities while hydrating skin and maintaining its natural moisture balance. $45
Anti-Aging Moisture – a lightweight lotion free of parabens and silicone, suited for all skin types. This organic lotion fights free radicals and inflammation, while hydrating the face. $50
Anti Aging Serum – This antioxidant rich, restorative serum works hard to prevent and correct signs of aging while improving the elasticity and texture of skin. $60
Anti Aging Mist – This spray on mist is made to work with the Anti-Aging Serum (for optimal serum application) and also balances and refreshes skin. It can also be used to sooth skin after shaving or anytime your skin could use a pick-me up! $35
Lip Delivery Nutrition – My favorite item so far, this lip balm (like all products) is good enough to eat – which is great considering the amount of balm my body ingests! Hydrating and anti-aging, this balm is packed with a “synergistic blend of black cumin, pumpkin, red grape, red raspberry and cranberry seed oils”, plus other nutritious food ingredients like coconut, sunflower seed, castor seed and palm kernel oils. $12
Don’t forget to check the comments for the we heart this review team’s thoughts and experiences with the products listed above.
Disclosure: This review includes products that were provided by the manufacturer/PR firm for our consideration. For more info, or any questions, please see our disclosure policy.
Great review, Tyna!!! That serum is intriguing, and I’m now dying to try the balm. Cumin? Sounds right up my alley! My lips get super dry (thank God winter’s coming to a close), and this sounds just perfect for it!!!
I don’t know which product I’d like to try first. Maybe the Finishing Gloss for my fly-aways. Ooh, and the Lip Delivery Nutrition, too. It contains pumpkin– I’m sold!
I received Intelligent Nutrients line of skincare to test as a system. I got the whole shebang. I know why I got it too; I’m one of only a couple people from our gang of testers who has mature and sensitive skin! I have a thing with taking care of my skin though, and it really makes a difference in the end. It’s a promise I made to myself years ago and this product line is helping me accomplish that. Intelligent Nutrients reminds me a lot of Aveda. I told Tyna and Stef that the minute started using it. It’s a cross between them and Origins/Dr Weil. I know that sounds like a simple explanation, but if you know those lines, you will understand where I’m coming from.
Each of these are very gentle, and over all I liked them very much. Broken record here, but I have sensitive skin and have to be careful about what I use. This was a big plus for me. I do admit I prefer to use this treatment without wearing makeup and that can be tricky, since Lord knows I need it- especially during the work week. But when I use this line it seems to work better for me without anything else on, so I use it in the evenings before bed. It seems to make me slumber better too! But this may be something you can use during the day. Maybe I put too much of the serum on or too much lotion for daytime use with makeup? I’m working that out.
Firstly, Intelligent Nutrients Certified Organic Anti-Aging Cleanser is very easy to use. I used this at night before bed. It cleans impurities and never EVER dries my skin out. Don’t expect any lathering with this, it’s not like that at all. You may feel like you need that but you really don’t. It takes some getting used to, but in the end you will be clean. I asked my husband to try it when he shaved, and he liked it, that’s a big deal cause he’s picky. This line is free of sulfates, silicone, parabens, petrochemicals and synthetic fragrances. This line is also great for dry sensitive skin, like mine.
The second step, the Certified Organic Anti-Aging Mist- oh Yes, I like this too. I’m a fan of misting all day if possible! It’s refreshing and you only need a few squirts. I spray this on my face, and neck after I use the cleanser. I think my skin needs this Antioxidant spray so the next step is absorbed into my skin with ease.
The Certified Organic Anti-Aging Serum. I like this a lot.. It makes my face bright and supple. I just massage 1-2 pumps onto my dampened or i should say, misted face including my neck and chest. I do wish this and the mist were not in glass containers, I’ve got butter fingers and would hate to drop and break it. Especially after applying the serum. A good tip is to keep a dampened wash cloth near by to wipe off your fingers!
Finally, the Certified Organic Anti-Aging Moisture is wonderful. I really like the handy pump container this has too. It’s a frothy consistently when you pump it onto your hand. Be careful, you really need to pump it only once. It truly puts the finishing touch on this line for me. Again, I love the way it smells, and am happy to put something healthy on my skin. I can see an improvement overall. The packaging is very clever too. I like the way this company thinks. I believe more people will see how wonderful it is once they try it too! Check out their website. You can see what they are all about! I give this line 4 stars. I’ll be sad when it runs out!
Hey Pam, just wondering why you like the line better without makeup? Does it leave your skin slightly oily or something? I did notice a lot of natural oils in the ingredient list…
.-= stef´s last blog ..Intelligent Nutrients – the wht interview =-.
I also tried out the whole skin care line, and like Pam my skin is sensitive and on the dry side.
I think the comparison between this line, Origins and Dr. Weill is a good one. Definitely similar in their pure approach.
I really liked the line, but it just didn’t seem to be enough for my skin.
The cleanser is great, very pure and gentle. It removes makeup with ease, and does a very thorough job without feeling stripping at all. It almost feels like a moisturizer, a bit heavier than a cleansing milk.
The Anti aging mist is my favorite and I use it throughout the day, it’s a nice pick me up. Smells very fresh and gives your skin a nice vitamin filled mist which is great.
The Serum is really nice too, as is the Anti-Aging Moisturizer, which by the way you really can cover your face in half a pump. A little goes a LONG way! But I honestly have to say this line didn’t moisturize my skin enough and that is my main complaint. I still give it 4 stars, it’s a great affordable totally green line, it’s just not enough for my skin. I wish it was!!
I think I may just be a little too sensitive or dry for this system. If you tend more toward normal skin I think it would work great. It says it’s for all skin types, and I think it would work for the majority of people, but for this sensitive gal it just fell a little short on the moisture end.
I still continue the serum and anti-aging mist with my heavier cream and cleanser and love them both.
I’m a huge Aveda fan and was excited to try these products. I received the leave in conditioner, the finishing gloss, and the perfect hold hairspray. While I’ll go over each one individually below, I do want to say that the smell of all of these products is amazing. Just like Aveda, the herbal smell hooks you right in. Now for my individual reviews:
Leave in Conditioner
This product smells amazing…probably the strongest herbal smell out of the three. Unfortunately for me, the conditioner is too light and really didn’t do much for my hair. I also felt like it left my hair feeling more dull than usual…like there was a residue on it. I also tried this on my daughter’s hair and it did the same thing. I probably would not buy this again.
Finishing Gloss
My favorite product out of the three. I have very oily hair and this product did exactly as it claimed and did not weigh my hair down or leave me feeling greasy. You only need a tiny amount because a little of this goes a long way. I would buy this again and love how shiny it leaves my hair. Does a great job taming those pesky flyaway hairs.
Perfect Hold Hairspray
I like the spay, but the bottle is flawed. The spray would only come out in a thick single spray resulting in too much product in one spot of your hair. Also, the bottle constantly clogged. I found myself having to run it under hot water every single time I went to use it. Luckily, I had just finished another bottle of hair spray so I decided to test this in another spray bottle. Never once did I have trouble with it clogging again. I really like the product. It has great holding power, but the packaging is just plain bad. I probably wouldn’t buy this again unless they improve the packaging.
Overall, I was a little disappointed in this line. I expected more from a line that came from the Aveda creator. I really wanted to LOVE all these products, but for now the finishing gloss is the only one I would repurchase.
I’ve really tried to make a concerted effort to go more organic and green. I love Aveda and Origins and the idea of using purely organic products like these is definitely appealing to me. The Anti-aging mist sounds awesome and I’ve been looking to try some new moisterizers too… I’m wondering if they make a body lotion or shower cream in this line also?
Whoa! That is some pretty packaging.
And the products sound great, too (hehe…just kidding!). This looks like a fabulous line. I’m glad organic, natural approaches are ‘in’ these days. I think that trend will become more than a passing fad with lines like these. Products that strike our interest with the packaging and then hold it with the fantastic ingredients and benefits.
Stef, I noticed the times I put foundation on they just did not mix well.. I had what seemed to be too much product on my face. I do however, like using it in the evening.. I love the smell of this line.. there is something to that, and especially how natural everything is in them. I’m sure with some further toying with them the good people at IN will make a lot of people happy – I’ll be on the look out!
I got to try 2 of my favorite types of products: Lip Balm and Spray in Detangler. But before I get to my reviews, I just have to say how beautifully IN’s products are packaged. You know being the author of a feature called “Packaging Porn” makes me notice these kinds of things! Especially the skincare. Very minimal, white on white boxes, sleek glass bottles (I like when companies use glass; on top of being very easy to recycle, they look and feel great).
The Lip Delivery Nutrition (some other words for lip balm!) is really quite nice. Packed full of great ingredients, a very large, chubby tube (think big ol’ lip smacker tube. Ok, maybe not that big. But bigger than your typical balm). And it stays on your lips for a very long time. It doesn’t disappear like many balms I own. And of course, feels fab. As for the scent, Tyna pointed it out to me and I can’t deny it; it smells like a freshly sharpened pencil! Maybe one that has been dipped in mint though. I happen to love the scent.
The Spray in Detangler is also very good. It’s loaded with essential oils, you can smell them with the first pump. It also smell a lot like oregano. I couldn’t stop sniffing my hair. And then I said to my guy friend “Smell my hair, isn’t this fab?” And he said “you smell like pizza.” And…I kinda do. Being Italian, I think that’s a rather sexy smell! But, it might be a bit off putting to some. Results wise, It detangles well, but didn’t leave me feel all that moisturized either, and in defense, it probably isn’t supposed to. But I am used to detanglers that do condition a bit more as well.
Overall, I do think these products will be most exciting to people who make organic choices a priority. But at the price point, these items will be on my “maybe” list.
.-= stef´s last blog ..Intelligent Nutrients – the wht interview =-.
You know, it’s worth noting too that I believe this line will only improve with time. Aveda’s had 30 years to perfect products! I think this is a brand to keep your eye on, I believe in Horst!
I want the detangler because my hair is one big knot in the morning, and because I want to smell like pizza.
There’s an Intelligent Nutrients location near me that I pass on a regular basis but never went in, even though I was always curious. This definitely motivates me stop in next time. I’m curious about the detangler, but I’m afraid the pizza smell would make me hungry all the time. ;)
I am always looking for a good detangler. My curls are wicked!! Maybe I will check this out. Does it leave much of a build up?
I received the Finishing Gloss and I love it! My hair is pretty processed but its not too dry either so i can’t use anything too heavy or it looks dirty fast. I’ve been using this consistantly for about a month now and really like the results. Super light, absorbs into my hair really quickly (and doesn’t leave my hands all sticky either). My hair doesn’t look or feel weighed down either. end result my hair doesn’t get all staticy and fly away and stays pretty smooth.
Yep, as a long time fan of Aveda and a green beauty lover, I was pretty excited to check out this line from Horst. Like Stef mentioned, I think this line is only going to get better and bigger (more choices for different skin types, hair types etc)as the formulas are perfected.
I tested the Detangler and the Lip Delivery Balm. First a word about the packaging which is very striking and elegant and (as mentioned) is also totally green. And to make it even better, I thought the products where all generously sized as well (and only a dab of the product is needed) so these products should last a long time.
I truly loved the Lip Delivery Nutrition Balm – from the wide balm shape that’s easily spotted in any bag, to the curious scent (it really does smell like freshly sharpened pencils – a scent I find comforting and kind of neat!) to the smooth, long lasting balm that heals my lips with just one or two applications (when I feel some driness coming on, I make sure to dig this particular balm from my bag).
I liked the detangler as well. It has the slightly herby, almost pizza like smell – but (for me) that only lasts for a few minutes and my hair smells fresh and herby (but not like a pizza joint) all day. I have fairly thin hair that can get very knotty, but a few squirts of the detangler and a wide tooth comb keeps everything under control. The detangler is a teeny bit heavier then some I’ve tried – but it doesn’t overwhelm my hair. If you have thin or flat hair, just keep the detangler to a few short squirts and away from your roots for soft and manageable hair.
.-= Tyna Werner´s last blog ..Look for Less: Keira Knightley =-.