Rahua Shampoo belongs in Dept of Daft
I came across a range of haircare products called Amazon Beauty and was impressed by the short ingredients list and the absence of any silicones, fillers, sulfates or preservatives that can clog up many a shampoo. In fact, I was about to hit the buy button for Rahua Shampoo ($32) featuring rahua nut extract and then I stopped in my tracks. Rahua nut oil is listed in the ingredients, but the word 'rahua' has been registered. That's like trademarking 'peanut'. I smelled a rat.
Amazon Beauty's products come with an origination myth that is remarkably similar to that of Ojon, another haircare line. Like Ojon, Amazon Beauty has scoured the rainforests to find a remote tribe - in Amazon's Beauty's case, the Quechua Shuar tribe who use a special oil that is responsible for their thick and lustrous hair (Ojon's tribe is the Tawaka - roughly translated as people with beautiful hair). Naturally rahua nut oil is extremely rare. So rare, that it exists only in the imagination of Amazon Beauty's Equadorian born founder, Fabian Llguin. There is no such thing as a rahua nut - and I spent ages trying to track one down.
The ingredients list for Ruhua Shampoo also has a separate entry for ungurahua oil. We are told that this is also extremely rare. As a matter of fact, Economic Botany journal says it is a palm tree that widely used throughout the Amazon basin for its thatch, fibers, wood and edible fruit. At least the damn thing exists.
Unguraha oil is, according to Amazon Beauty's marketing blurb, a rich source of omega-9. The trouble is that this fatty acid is not be confused by omegas-3 and 6. Our body makes its own o-9 from unsaturated fat and therefore it is classed as non-essential.
Amazon Beauty helpfully provides an image next to its description of rahua (see above). Am I the only one who thinks it looks like a wreath of dead oak leaves?
Ingredients
Purified water, certified organic herbal water of green tea, honeysuckle and raspberry leaf, organic aloe vera, shea betaine, coconut betaine, vegetable glycerin, sea salt, caprylic fatty acid, wheat protein amino acid, corn amino acids, vitamin E, ungurahua oil, rahua nut oil, lecithin, palo santo oil, panthenol, oat protein, and citric acid.
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wow - i recently bought their (unreturnable!) conditioner because my haircutter raved about it...oh well
Posted on January 31, 2010 at 1:32 pm
I have been using Rahua for a few months now and my hair has never looked so good. It is much healtier and stronger...finally starting to grow. I notice that the shampoo does not strip my hair and the condtioner really leaves a nice feeling to my hair....love it!
Posted on May 13, 2010 at 7:26 pm
Thought this was useful as there is an ad in the mag with the News of the World this weekend encouraging people to buy the rahua product at £26 and £27 for shampoo and conditioner! When will we all realise that if there was a product that fixes frizz, snapped ends we would all nkow about it and notice other peoples hair looking spectacular instead of all complaining about the same thing! The only thing to remedy aboe mentioned probs is a good blow drier and someone to do it for us!!!
Posted on September 12, 2010 at 5:27 am
I bought the products from Liberty in London and I must say they are amazing. I spend quite a lot of money on my hair and my color has never looked so great and my hair feels super soft - I was a huge Kerastase Fan and I would never go back.
This is truly a god sent product and happy it exists!
Posted on November 9, 2010 at 8:00 pm
Not daft. I have been using the finishing treatment now for 4 months and it is wonderful — and yes there are unclassified plants (by western standards) in the Amazon. So before you scoff, suggest you try it!
Posted on December 21, 2010 at 8:53 am
I came across your article when I googled RAHUA to see where I can buy it in the States as I just ran out and I'm from London and I'm in NY for 2 months.
I have to say, for someone who writes about products - maybe you should try them first before you give brash comments.
I bought my first set at Liberty in London after the sales girl raved about it and how it changed her hair after a few washes. It sounded like a sales pitch, but I have to say her looked beautiful and her color fab - so I bought it and after a week, my hair which is colored and very dry came back to life.
Truly Rahua is a miracle product and whatever is in it works! So do yourself a favor and try something first and then give your comment... and from looking at your photo here, your hair can use Rahua.
I'm not one to ever respond to things like this, but I felt you need to be a bit more professional when it comes to giving your comments.
Signed - A big fan of Rahua
Amanda Sterling
Posted on January 5, 2011 at 3:52 pm
I too am incredibly impressed by Rahua hair products. I have tons of super fine hair that frizzes at the slightest amount of humidity and have been experiencing quite a bit of hair loss after shampooing with what I thought was top of the line hair products. After using Rahua products, my hair feels like the hair I've always wanted. Frizz free, shiny, and best of all it has stopped the hair loss! I will be throwing away hundreds of dollars worth of every hair product known to man and will use only the Rahua products.
Posted on February 3, 2011 at 3:25 pm
I use Rahua products and love them! It sounds like you might be a little jealous.
Posted on February 11, 2011 at 4:48 pm
I agree with the other people who have made comments on this, that Rahua is a fantastic brand. The shampoo, conditioner and the styling cream are the best I've tried. It makes hair so shiny and styling is just bliss. I think you need to rewrite your review when you've actually tried the products!
Posted on March 15, 2011 at 1:56 pm
To those who think the writer should try the products first -- doesn't it bother any of you that an ingredient listed on the product you use on your head and that seeps into your body through your scalp doesn't exist?
So what is exactly is the proprietary "Rahua(TM)" chemical concoction? Because there are absolutely no regulations on these kinds of products.
Brazilian blowouts are formaldehyde-based and were recently banned in Canada.
If you are concerned about your body's chemical burden through all your personal hygiene products, then you should check out http://www.ewg.org/skindeep/
And to the author I say -- good for you that you didn't try it. I notice that Amazon Beauty is not listed as having signed the Safe Cosmetics Compact (list here: http://www.safecosmetics.org/display.php?modin=50)
Posted on April 28, 2011 at 4:08 pm
I second all the positive comments on Rahua.
I have been using both S&C for about 2 months - I really love the results. Full, shiny hair w/lots of body. No volimizer.
Give it a whirl, Marta. It may be just right for hot and humid NYC.
Posted on April 29, 2011 at 8:10 am
OK, I've given in and ordered the shampoo, conditioner and finishing cream. I'll let you all know how I get on.
Posted on April 29, 2011 at 8:48 am
I had more than usual breakage with Rahua, but my hair is very fragile: fine, porous (the absolute worst trait for tresses!), and dyed blonde, plus I use velcro rollers and a hot iron a couple of times a week which vanity demands. However, I got huge volume with this stuff like no other product so far. I just can't use it all the time.
Posted on April 29, 2011 at 10:05 am
I've been using Rahua products now for over a year. I think it is expensive, but I love it. My hair is so soft and healthy. I can't stop using it. When I try other products my hair does not feel as good and is much more difficult to style. Worth the money for me.
Posted on May 29, 2011 at 7:14 pm
I am very interested in trying the product, and as I am doing my due diligence I have run across many differing reviews. Most are concerned about the existance of the nut, and are even comparing it to a brazil nut. On the actual website there is an informational video that shows the process from start to finish, showing the nut and how it breaks down. It is definitely not a brazil nut, but it does look legitamate.
The TM could be because this company is the first one by western standards to discover the nut, and they are trademarking the concoction that results from the extensive process shown in the video. From the rav reviews regarding the affects and the remaining ingredients I am going to give it a try.
Posted on August 1, 2011 at 12:00 pm
Hi Michelle, in the end I did try Rahua. You can read my review here: http://truthinaging.com/hair/rahua-shampoo-conditioner-and-finishing-treatment-reviewed
Posted on August 1, 2011 at 1:21 pm
More absurd exploitation and lies. The Shuar speak a Jivoroan language that has no relation to Quechua. They are not called "Quechua Shuar."
"Rahua" is Quichua (related to Quechua) meaning fire. Just another scam exploiting indigenous people and rainforest issues.
Posted on August 29, 2011 at 6:38 pm
It seems some people are ill informed. Rahua uses the rainforest grown Ungurahua nut. The nut is called by different names such as ungurahui, muyo, shiwamuyo and Rahua. Kind've like a sub is called a hoagie, grinder, torpedo etc. At the bare minimum try using the products and doing more research before jumping to conclusions. And just using the shampoo with another conditioner is in itself daft if you are basing a review on it. I have tried a ridiculous amount of high priced hair care over the years and have sought high and low for something natural. To date this is the best stuff I've ever put on my hair. After only one use my hair looked like a hair care commercial.
Posted on January 6, 2012 at 12:25 pm
keep coming back to the conditioner - nothing works as effectively! sorry, John Masters! can live without the Rahua 'poo.
Posted on January 7, 2012 at 9:55 am
I've only used the the finishing treatment - a little dab on dry hair ends, and it is a better treatment than argan, or other treatments on my fine, thin hair that I've tried.
Posted on January 7, 2012 at 1:16 pm