Color Wow Money Laundering Shampoo and Conditioner Review

I’m admittedly quite late to the party when it comes to Color Wow; I had seen the brand all over, but the shiny silver packaging never really lured me in or caught my eye enough to want to try it. After a few readers requested I review the Dream Coat spray, I fell in love with the brand and quickly bought nearly all of their products, including their new Money line. All about making your hair look glossy, smooth and expensive, the Money Laundering Hydrating Shampoo and Glossing Conditioner are designed to create that effect easily, without having to add an extra styling step to your haircare routine.

I already have my staple shampoo and conditioner products, so it takes a LOT for me to bring something new into the line-up. That said, I find that shine is one of the underrated haircare concerns. We all want hydrated, strong hair, but shine is really what makes your color (natural or highlighted) pop, and can make your hair look way healthier than it seems. As such, I was very excited to try the Money Shampoo and Conditioner. Color Wow recommends using them together for its signature glossy "Money" finish, but I wanted to see if you could get similar results using just one.

Below, I share my results and findings after testing both extensively both individually and together. I share how they perform on my hair, texture, scent, lather, conditioning, if you need both, and whether I think they’re actually worth the $30 price tag.

color wow money laundering shampoo and conditioner review: is it worth it?

Color Wow's Money collection is designed around hydration, smoothness and shine. The Money Laundering Hydrating Shampoo is sulfate-free and uses hyaluronic acid and marine algae, while the Money Laundering Glossing Conditioner is designed to provide more intensive hydration and a glossy finish.

The shampoo and conditioner are meant to be used together, with the shampoo cleansing and hydrating the hair and the conditioner smoothing the cuticle and locking in moisture. Color Wow says the combination is designed to create its signature high-shine finish. That said, you will also notice a little bit of shine if you use just one! Using them together gets you the best results, though.

When it comes to similarities between the two products, both the shampoo and conditioner are best for dry, dull or frizzy hair that needs softness and shine. Each formula is lightweight but still moisturizing, and has the signature Color Wow money scent which is light, fresh, and has ocean-y notes. It’s not too feminine or masculine; it’s pretty universal and not so strong that those who are sensitive to fragrance (like me) can’t use it.

Both the shampoo and conditioner cost $30 each; unfortunately, you can’t bundle them together to save money (at least right now). $30 is not cheap, but you really only need a little bit; I could see each bottle lasting me close to 3-4 months as someone who washes her hair daily. If you’re only using them once or twice a month, you could stretch it to 6ish months, which is a fairly good deal.

color wow money laundering shampoo review

The Money Laundering Hydrating Shampoo is a clear, sulfate-free shampoo formulated to cleanse while adding hydration. At first impression, it has a gel-like texture that lathers easily, feels lightweight in your hair, and rinses well. I like that it rinses out completely; other shine-enhancing or ultra-hydrating shampoos tend to leave a coating behind.

The Money shampoo is fresh, and makes your hair feel clean while taming frizz and adding shine. Sometimes it seems like my hair is immediately screaming for a conditioner or mask the second I wash shampoo out, but my hair felt balanced and soft after using just the Money shampoo.

When used alone or paired with a different conditioner, my hair still had a shine boost. It wasn’t super noticeable, but my hair did look refreshed and glowy, which is impressive for just a shampoo.

pros

• Lathers easily

• Cleanses well without feeling overly stripping

• Leaves hair feeling soft and hydrated

• Doesn't leave an obvious coating or buildup (rare for shine-enhancing shampoos)

• Sulfate-free

• Gentle enough to be used daily

cons

• Pricey

• Fragrance is more unisex than sweet/ fruity

• May be too rich if your hair gets oily easily

color wow money laundering glossing conditioner review

The Money Laundering Glossing Conditioner is the more indulgent of the two products. Meant to be a treatment-conditioner hybrid that provides hydration and shine while remaining lightweight using hyaluronic acid and marine algae to hydrate hair, reduce frizz, add shine, and strengthen the hair.

What surprised me the most about the Money conditioner is how lightweight it is; it’s creamy, but I’d compare it to a body lotion rather than a body butter, if that makes sense. It isn’t the most nourishing conditioner I’ve ever used, but my hair felt balanced and refreshed after using it. Most importantly, my hair was noticeably shinier! What I loved the most is that my hair was shiny but not warm; sometimes shine-enhancing conditioners can warm up the hair (like Amika’s), but this kept my color as-is, so I don’t have to worry about pairing it with toning products.

The visual look you get from the conditioner is smooth and polished, not greasy, oily, coated, or glittery. The glossy finish is the main selling point of this product, and it definitely delivers.

pros

• Makes hair noticeably softer

• Adds shine; it actually feels like a shine-enhancing treatment, not just a conditioner

• Smooths frizz

• Doesn't feel heavy

• Works well on dry or dull hair

• Doesn’t warm up highlights

cons

• Pricey

• May be too heavy for those with ultra-fine hair

• Fragrance is more unisex than sweet/ fruity

how do color wow money shampoo & conditioner work together?

While I personally love to mix and max my shampoo and conditioner, I honestly love the combination of using the Money Laundering Shampoo and Conditioner together.

The shampoo gives you a clean, hydrated starting point without leaving your hair feeling stripped or greasy. Then, the conditioner adds softness, smoothing, and shine. When I use them together, they create a more polished result than I'd expect from a basic shampoo-and-conditioner combination. As I mentioned earlier, the combination is also such a time saver if you want shiny hair but don’t have the time for an anti-frizz blowout spray (like Dream Coat).

You can tell that Color Wow specifically designed the products to work together, with the shampoo providing hydration and the conditioner sealing and smoothing the hair; I promise it is not a marketing gimmick, haha.

Anytime I use one without the other, I regret it. Not saying the results aren’t good (they are!!), but the combination of softness and shine gives me such a boost, especially when I am close to my next hair color appointment and feeling pretty blah. Using the money shampoo and conditioner together leaves my hair feeling clean and manageable; look-wise, it is smoother, shinier, and glossier. My hair color pops, and unlike lots of other shine-enhancing shampoos or conditioners, this doesn’t warm up your hair.

I rarely reach for a hair gloss or my other shine-enhancing styling products now that I’ve started using the Money shampoo and conditioner more regularly. I love the polished look, notice less frizz, and my hair still feels lightweight and easy to style.

color wow money shampoo & conditioner results

is color wow money shampoo & conditioner worth it?

Ultimately, yes, I think that the Color Wow Money Laundering Shampoo and Conditioner are worth it, particularly if you want shinier hair without having to add extra styling products to your routine.

If you just want a good shampoo and conditioner, you there are less expensive options that will cleanse and condition your hair perfectly well, though. With the money line, you're paying a premium for the combination of hydration, softness, shine and the overall "expensive hair" finish. Fortunately, the results are definitely noticeable and worth it. I don’t have time (or energy) to use Dream Coat for glass-like hair every wash, and I like that I can still get reflective, ultra-shiny results just with the Money shampoo and conditioner alone.

If you want less frizz, more shine, and a lightly fragranced shampoo and conditioner, the Money line is definitely worth considering.

who is color wow money shampoo and conditioner best for?

I'd recommend the Money Shampoo and Conditioner if you:

• Want more shine from your everyday hair routine, without having to add a styling step

• Have dry, dull or frizzy hair

• Want softness without relying on a heavy conditioner

• Want your hair to look smoother and more polished

• Only need a shampoo that lightly cleanses the hair

who should skip color wow money shampoo and conditioner?

You may want to skip if you:

• Have very oily hair and need a stronger cleansing shampoo on a regular basis

• Prefer fragrance-free hair products

• Don't care much about shine or smoothing

• Want a budget-friendly shampoo and conditioner

• Need intensive repair rather than hydration and shine

color wow money shampoo and conditioner vs. other money products

As I mentioned, I went a little overboard and bought nearly all of the Color Wow products, including the entire Money lineup. I don’t want to overload this shampoo and conditioner review with a bunch of detail about the other products, but if you are interested:

• If your hair needs more intensive conditioning than a regular conditioner can provide, check out my Color Wow Money Masque Review. The masque is designed as a deeper treatment rather than an everyday conditioner.

• For those who already love their shampoo and conditioner but still want a little extra shine, my Color Wow Money Mist Review covers how it performs as a leave-in, if it replaced my tried-and-true Unite 7SECONDS, and if it’s worth the money.

Want an overview? I’ve created a Color Wow Money Line Review that covers all of the products in the money product line.

frequently asked questions

is color wow money shampoo good for dry hair?

Yes. The shampoo is specifically formulated to cleanse while adding hydration, and I found it left my hair feeling clean without being overly stripped (or weighed down).

is color wow money conditioner good for fine hair?

My hair is fine, and I found that the conditioner works well for me. That said, you only need a little, or may want to alternate it with a less-intense conditioner if you have ultra-fine hair or are prone to build-up. Because the conditioner is designed to provide intensive hydration, it may leave hair feeling heavy, but it didn’t in my experience. leave my hair excessively heavy, but individual results will vary.

does color wow money shampoo contain sulfates?

No, the Money Laundering Hydrating Shampoo is sulfate-free.

does color wow money conditioner contain silicones?

Part of what makes Money Glossing Conditioner unique is that it does not use traditional silicones such as dimethicone or amodimethicone. Instead, it uses plant-derived silicone alternatives to smooth and add shine. I noticed shine but my hair didn’t have that build-up feel it gets with traditional silicone-enhanced formulas.

can you use color wow money shampoo and conditioner every day?

Yes. Color Wow says both are formulated to be used regularly.

does color wow money shampoo and conditioner make hair shiny?

Yes! Shine is one of the main benefits of the pair. Using them separately makes your hair shinier, but you will get the best results if you use both together.

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