Everist Review: Concentrated Shampoo for Travel = Better Than Bars?

If you want a more sustainable shower routine, but aren’t on board with shampoo and conditioner bars, I’ve tested another plastic-free option for you: Waterless, concentrated shampoo, conditioner and body wash in aluminum tubes from Everist. They’re a travel-friendly option, but read on for the rest of the details.

I’ve been a longtime devotee of shampoo and conditioner bars – both for their plastic-free status and travel-friendly packability. (Well, to be clear, I’m not a fan of all shampoo bars, but one brand that won me over after a lot of testing.)

And I have converted a lot of people – readers, friends and family – into shampoo bar lovers over the years.

But I understand why not everyone is into the shampoo bar concept.

Bars can soften in the heat if you leave them in hot car during summer travels. And you have to dry them and wrap them in washcloths to pack (at least that’s how I pack them).

Not deal-breakers for me, but I get why you might want a shampoo bar alternative – that’s still plastic-free.

That’s what makes concentrated shampoo and conditioner so interesting: They still reduce waste (compared with normal, watered-down products in plastic bottles) but without the inconveniences of bars.

It’s a smart compromise that I learned about from Everist.

Everist is a small Canadian company making vegan, plant-based, waterless shampoo, conditioner and body wash concentrates in easily recyclable aluminum tubes. (For products that can’t be in plain paper or cardboard, that’s some of the most sustainable packaging around.)

They’re based in Toronto, and make all of their products locally. (They’re also featured on my map of sustainable small businesses!)

Everist also created a discount code for this review: You can use the code TILTEDMAP10 for 10% off any order. (Even if it’s not your first order – so be sure to bookmark this for later!)

What’s the point of Concentrated Shampoo?

The first thing to note is that Everist’s waterless shampoo is different from dry shampoo.

Dry shampoos are powders or sprays that you can apply to dry hair, no shower needed, for maintenance between washes. (I like this kind, without aerosols or wasteful packaging.)

Waterless shampoo and conditioner are products you use in the shower, but that have no water in their formulas. (Compared with normal shampoos, which are up to 80% water.)

Both dry and waterless formulas are one of the easiest ways to make everyday products less wasteful: Stop shipping water across continents, and just add it from the tap instead.

But those small, concentrated tubes of shampoo make people understandably skeptical about how long the formulas will last. (At $24 per 3.4-ounce tube, they’re not something you’d want to go through too quickly. But the size does make them a great option for carry-on travel.)

I answered that question below, after my Everist reviews – and after weeks of testing.

Everist Reviews – Quick Highlights

In short, after a month of using Everist shampoo, conditioner, and body wash, I quite like the products themselves. The concentrated shampoo makes my hair just a little bit shinier and bouncier than my go-to shampoo bars. And I love the sustainability of the packaging – aluminum will always be a better choice than a plastic bottle.

But, as usual, I have a lot of thoughts about the details, so that’s what the rest of this Everist review is for.

First of all, while I quickly loved the sustainability of the packaging, I didn’t love using the packaging. At least not at first.

When Everist says these are concentrated formulas, they do mean concentrated. They’re dense.

Actually dense enough that it takes some work to squeeze the products out the tubes. (The shampoo and body wash are okay; the concentrated conditioner is particularly difficult to squeeze.)

I got used to this pretty quickly, but it was surprisingly noticeable at first.

But what complicates the matter is that the aluminum tubes have no grip. And it’s kind of a pain to unscrew the small caps with wet hands.

Is it the end of the world? No. These are definitely “cons” that don’t ruin the experience for me, especially considering how much I like the results and lack of waste from these concentrated products. (But if you have any kind of dexterity issues, stick to shampoo and conditioner bars.)

UPDATE: Everist now offers two different packaging options: The tubes I described above, and new aluminum tins. The tins are much easier to use, if you don’t want to deal with rolling the tube down. And they eliminate the plastic lids on the tubes!

For each details on each individual Everist product, see the reviews below.

Scents

There’s only one scent option, but it’s my favorite part. The scent of all Everist products is kind of a citrusy, slightly minty, slightly herby scent that I really enjoy.

It’s refreshing and clean, but not that citrus-bomb kind of refreshing scent that really hits you over the head with a bag of oranges. Much more balanced and, I would say, grown-up. It’s kind of addictive.

I asked Everist and they said they do have plans to create fragrance-free formulas, so I’ll let you know here when that happens.

Everist Shampoo Concentrate Review

So, I said “shiny and bouncy” at the top of this review, and I need to back that up. Here’s what my hair looks likes after using Everist shampoo and conditioner:

Honestly, Everist is the only shampoo concentrate I’ve tried, but I am definitely impressed with how it feels and how my hair looks.

(And I’m comparing it with every other shampoo and shampoo bar I’ve tried, not with other concentrates.)

One of those tally marks for the shampoo count was when a friend visited us from France. She only washes her hair once a week, and she replaced her normal shampoo bar with Everist shampoo. And she said that after a couple of days, her hair already felt greasy again, whereas normally it lasts closer to the whole week.

I think that makes a lot of sense, because Everist definitely feels like a more moisturizing shampoo formula, rather a deep-cleansing one.

(There’s a useful description of what each of their ingredients does, and where it comes from, on this page.)

UPDATE: If you prefer your shampoo concentrate in a 100% aluminum tin, instead of the original tube packaging, you can order that option here.

Everist Conditioner

NOTE: This review is about Everist’s original “waterless concentrated conditioner,” which is currently deeply discounted. Why the deal? Because it’s being discontinued and replaced by their new Deep Conditioning Concentrate formula. I’ll compare the two formulas below in an update soon!

The Everist conditioner is probably the most different feeling from “normal” products in terms of texture. Rubbing it between my hands feels like rubbing a lump of buttercream frosting between my hands. (Yes, everything is food to me.)

What I mean is that it’s thick. And it doesn’t lather up at all. (Which makes sense – conditioner is supposed to be a moisturizer, not a foamy cleanser.)

And when I rub this conditioner into my hair, it doesn’t really mix with the water; it feels more like its own separate balm on top of the water. (It’s hard to explain, you might just have to experience it.)

So with Everist’s concentrated shampoo, you want your hair as wet as possible when you apply the product. But with the conditioner, it’s actually better to squeeze the extra water out of your hair before applying, like you would with a normal conditioner.

But despite all the weirdness, it does work. My hair definitely looks and feels smooth, shiny and conditioned afterwards.

UPDATE: You can order the *new* deep conditioner in the *new* aluminum tin packaging here.

Deep Conditioner Review (New)

Stay tuned! I’ll be adding details here soon.

If you don’t want to wait: You can order the *new* deep conditioner in the *new* aluminum tin packaging here, or the original aluminum tube here.

Everist Body Wash

While it’s not as well known, the original Everist body wash is actually one of my favorite products from their lineup. It’s just so creamy and rich feeling. Just like their shampoo and conditioner formulas, I’d say it’s more of a moisturizing product that a really deep cleanser, but it’s great as an everyday body wash.

Side Note: If you’re taking the Everist body wash along as part of your plastic-free travel toiletry kit and trying to pack light, it’s great for dry skin from travel. (Airplanes have drier air than the desert!) 

And using it with their natural “Konjac” sponge is a perfect combination for very gentle exfoliation and moisturization in one step. For one more level, they also make a new exfoliating sponge, with walnut and charcoal.

UPDATE: You can order the concentrated body wash in the *new* aluminum tin packaging here.

I also used the original body wash as a shaving cream (to shave my legs) a couple of times. It works just as well as any body wash, but it doesn’t have that really thick protective feeling that I get from my regular shaving cream bar.

UPDATE: In addition to their original body wash, Everist now also makes a Exfoliating Body Wash Concentrate. I’ll add a review of that below soon!

Exfoliating Body Wash Concentrate Review (New)

Stay tuned, this will be updated soon!

If you don’t want to wait: You can order the *new* exfoliating body wash in the *new* aluminum tin packaging here, or the original aluminum tube here.

How long does Everist shampoo last?

Since my husband and I both use the Everist shampoo and body wash, we kept track of every use separately. (I’m the only one using the concentrated conditioner. Since he has very short hair, and I have thick, shoulder-length hair.)

Here’s my highly scientific tracking system:

And this is what we had left after using the Everist shampoo concentrate 25 times, the conditioner 9 times, and the body wash 13 times:

Then I left for a trip. (When I’m not testing plastic-free products, I’m busy with the other side of my job – writing about sustainable travel.) So I snapped the photos of the tubes and our sticky-note system, and moved the count to my phone.

And I used what was left of those concentrates for another three-weeks on the road (after all, concentrated shampoo for travel makes perfect sense), and still didn’t finish them!

In total, I got about 45 uses out of each concentrated Everist product! So the company’s claim of 30 uses per tube is more than fair – and is probably a low estimate for most people.

How Eco-Friendly is Everist Packaging?

When we think about how sustainable a product’s packaging is, it’s not just about the aluminum tube, plastic bottle, or cardboard box, but the shipping materials, too. And Everist does everything right there, too.

Their outer packaging is cardboard (recycled and very easy to recycle). And it’s sealed with paper tape (not plastic). Inside the box, the padding is also all recycled paper.

The original Everist concentrates come in recyclable aluminum tubes. (Reminder: You do need to unwind them, cut them open, and rinse out any remaining product before recycling.)

And the tubes arrive in cardstock cartons. While I would prefer they skipped the cartons, at least they’re made of recycled paper, and can be either recycled or composted.  

Reminder (in case you skimmed down to this section): You can now choose between Everist products in aluminum tubes or 100% aluminum tins. The tins are 100% curbside recyclable, and don’t come with outer cartons! Win-win.

Beyond that, there are no marketing inserts in the box! I love this, because those extra pieces of paper that many companies send with orders drive me mad. They’re essentially junk mail included with your order, and Everist doesn’t take the bait.

Finally, the metal “keys” used to squeeze every last concentrated drop out of the tubes are recyclable metal.

UPDATE: Everist now gives you the option to have your subscription refills delivered without the keys! After all, you can reuse the ones you have from the previous order. I asked them about this when I was initially writing this review, and they promised it was in the works, so I’m really happy to see they delivered on that promise.

And Everist has a plan for the one piece of plastic they do use.

If you order Everist’s original tube packaging, instead of the new tins, your order comes with a hemp bag for collecting the caps. You can then send the caps back to Everist once you’ve collected enough to make it worth the shipping.

That’s great. Although the hemp bag is, frankly, entirely unnecessary. You don’t send them back in the bag, so I’d rather they skipped this little extra item and just let us use an old jar for collection.

I’m also not exactly sure how many caps it takes for the environmental benefit for recycling to outweigh the emissions of shipping, but Everist asks that you save up 10 caps before sending them in.

They’re a new company, so they’re still in the collecting phase, but eventually Everist plans to melt down the caps and use them to make hair accessories.

(You can also send back the metal keys with your caps if you don’t have a local recycling option available for metal, and don’t plan to reorder.)

Sustainability Certifications

Again, Everist is doing a lot right in terms of sustainability. The fact that they’re a very small company whose products are designed specifically to reduce plastic packaging and shipping weights is a great start in itself.

They also have a mostly local supply chain and manufacturing. (All products are made in and shipped from Everist’s HQ in Toronto, Canada.)

Plus, Everist is a member of 1% For The Planet, which means they donate 1% of their total sales (not just profits) to environmental organizations.

And Everist is also third-party certified carbon neutral. While a carbon neutrality certification isn’t perfect, it is a good start.

Needed Improvements (Packaging & Sustainability Update!)

So my main complaint about the Everist products is actually not about the products themselves, but about the convenience of the packaging. (And normally I’m the first to rail against “convenience” taking precedence over sustainability, so I see the irony here.)

But there are two pretty simple improvements I’d like to see Everist make:

#1: let us order without the (theoretically reusable!) keys.

Everist currently doesn’t give the option to re-order their concentrates without the aluminum key that you use to squeeze out the product. There’s just no reason that needs to be replaced with every new tube.

So I asked Everist about this, and they said they are working on an option to order without the metal keys. (I’ll add any updates here as soon as I have them.)

UPDATE: As I mentioned above, as of fall of 2023, Everist has fixed this! You can now order your subscription refills without keys.

Of course, this complicates their logistics to get orders out the door, but there are tons of companies that already do something similar.

More Companies with Good Refills:

by Humankind makes hand sanitizer in aluminum bottles that you can order without the plastic pumps, or order jumbo refill sizes. (They’re also on the list of my favorite very small, eco-friendly companies, along with Everist.)

Noice makes herbal toothpaste in glass bottles that you can reorder without pumps.

And Earth Harbor just started offering similar pump-free and larger-sized refill options for their natural and organic skincare.

So I’m certainly not asking for something impossible. 

#2: the tubes are very difficult to tell apart.

The only difference between the shampoo and conditioner is the very slightly different yellow color of the caps. Otherwise you have to read the (very small) writing on the labels to see which is which. (Everist’s body wash, thankfully, has a blue cap. The exfoliating body wash is black.)

I don’t see why they don’t make the aluminum tubes different colors to just simplify life.

UPDATE: They’ve fixed this too! The writing on their tubes is still tiny, but the new Deep Conditioner concentrate now has a red cap. (Or a red label on the plastic-free tin version.)

Bottom Line on Everist

At the end of the day, I really am impressed by Everist’s waterless products. They make my wavy hair look fantastic and healthy, I love the light scent, and I’m genuinely impressed by how long the products last. I haven’t found anything similar.

I also think concentrated shampoo makes a ton of sense for travel!

Especially for if or when you don’t want to deal with packing shampoo and conditioner bars. (Hey, I get it. I do it all the time, but sometimes it gets old. Especially if I’m packing super light and will be moving hotels often. Conditioner and shampoo concentrates just mean less hassle.)

And when I first published this review (fall of 2022), I was willing to put up with the mild inconveniences of the tricky squeeze-tube packaging, and less than perfect sustainability factors. (The keys that you couldn’t say no to, and the plastic lids.)

But now Everist has actually fixed everything I complained about! At the risk of sounding precious, I’m really proud of them.

Remember, Everist is a very small, sustainability-driven business, and they’re fairly new. They were already so much more eco-friendly than most hair and skincare brands. But since their launch, they’re really improved a lot of the details to become one of the best eco-friendly shampoo options on the market.

Remember, if you want to try any Everist products, you can use the discount code TILTEDMAP10 for 10% off your order. (It works for current customers, too, so you can make a note of it for future purchases, as well!)

I hope you found this Everist review useful! Here are a few more you might enjoy:

• All my favorite less-waste toiletries
• Ideas for sustainable gifts
• SBTRCT solid skincare products from the UK
• The Leaf Razor vs. traditional “safety razors”
• Thinx vs. other (more ethical) period underwear brands
• My favorite shampoo bars (and why they win over so many people)
• Excellent refillable skincare products!!
• Several options for plastic-free face wash
• Toothpaste “tablets” and other plastic-free options
• Plastic-free & refillable deodorants (that actually work)
• Plastic-free laundry & cleaning products
• All about TerraCycle (deep dive on the reality of mail-in recycling)
• Review of LastObject
• and others!

Questions about Everist or other eco-friendly products? Leave them in the comments below!

Do you know another great brand that makes concentrated shampoo for travel? Drop that in the comments, too!

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