Control GX Shampoo by Just For Men Reviews

What is Control GX Shampoo?

Control GX Shampoo by Just For Men claims to use breakthrough technology that can gradually reduce gray hair with each shampoo for subtle, natural looking results.

The manufacturer tells us that you'll use Control GX just like any other daily shampoo. After a few washes, you'll notice a subtle reduction in the number of gray hairs. From there, you have complete control over how gradually your gray disappears at the start by using every day, or every other day.

When you’ve achieved the look you want—often within two to four weeks—you’ll continue using Control GX three to four times per week for maintenance. Results can last up to eight weeks.

In addition to gradually reducing your gray, Control GX Shampoo also promises to gently and thoroughly clean and revitalize hair, while increasing volume for a thicker, fuller look.

Just For Men’s lineup has been a staple among hair and beard coloring products for decades, but does this necessarily mean that their Control GX Shampoo is worth the money? Even then, is it really “shampoo with a brain”?

Here, we’ll discuss all the essential facts so you can make a more empowered purchase.

What Causes Grey Hair and Is It Reversible?

The Library of Congress tells us that your chances of going gray increase about 10-20% every decade after the age of 30, although the medical community still doesn't largely understand why this occurs.

Exactly how this occurs is a different matter, though. Here’s the situation in a nutshell (we know you’re busy):

Melanin is a pigment polymer that gives your skin and hair its natural color, which is delivered via specialized cells called melanocytes. In the instance of hair, these cells are located at follicles and inject color as the shaft grows.

At some point, these melanocytes slow or stop their pigment production, leading to gray, colorless hair.

While the gene for gray hair seems to have been recently identified, there is no cure for the condition, outside of coloring products like those from Just For Men.

In the instance of Control GX Shampoo, exactly which ingredients does it use to deliver results—and are they clinically proven to work?

How Do Control GX’s Ingredients Gradually Reduce Grey Hair?

While we didn’t encounter a product label during our research, Walmart.com listed the following ingredients for Control GX Shampoo:

Water/Aqua, Disodium Lauryl Sulfosuccinate, Decyl Glucoside, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glycol Stearate, Ethanolamine, Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, N,N-Bis (2-Hydroxyethyl)-p-Phenylenediamine Sulfate, Acetic Acid, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Chamomilla Recutita (Matricaria) Flower Extract, 1,2,4-Trihydroxybenzene, Cetearyl Glucoside, Erythorbic Acid, Sodium Sulfite, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Stearamide AMP, Panthenol, Manganese Sulfate, p-Aminophenol, Sorbic Acid, Etidronic Acid, Fragrance/Parfum, Limonene Linalool.

Like most hair care and coloring products, authoritative websites report that the majority of Control GX’s ingredients work as surfactants, emollients, emulsifiers, thickeners, pH regulators, hair dye agents (N,N-Bis (2-Hydroxyethyl)-p-Phenylenediamine Sulfate), enzymes (1,2,4-Trihydroxybenzene), and preservatives.

Just For Men tells us that Control GX’s formulation also contains a patented blend of molecules that break when massaged and exposed to air, releasing small amounts of the complex and trapping it in the hair shaft every time you shampoo.

In layman’s terms, Control GX is essentially hair dye in shampoo form that, instead of coloring all your hair at once, deposits molecules over time, which then build up and hide gray over the course of several weeks.

Will Control GX Shampoo Cause Any Side Effects?

Some Just For Men customers have reported chemical burns and allergies from the use of the company’s products, so they mandate that you perform a preliminary 48-hour skin allergy test with Control GX, according to directions, before full-scale use.

The company also notes that Control GX shouldn’t be used if you’ve experienced a reaction to other hair color products, if you have a rash or your face, or an irritated, sensitive, or damaged scalp.

Temporary black henna tattoos may increase your risk of allergy. In rare cases, the use of hair color has been associated with temporary and permanent skin depigmentation (lightening).

Just For Men tells us that Control GX Shampoo can be used on any shade of hair, although it’s advertised as ideal for light brown to black hair. You can also use it with other hair care products, but not on hair that has been lightened, bleached, highlighted, or colored.

Pro tip: Many customer reviews we read also mentioned that—like other hair dyes—Control GX has a tendency to stain fingernails, the shower area, and towels. As a result, they recommend massaging it in using your palms, thoroughly rinsing the shower area when you’re finished, and using dark towels to dry off.

How Much Does Control GX Shampoo Cost?

A 5 fluid ounce tube of Control GX Shampoo (enough to last for approximately six weeks, according to the manufacturer) is available at most retailers who carry Just For Men products for between $8 and $9.

It can also be purchased directly through the company for $8.49, with free shipping on all orders over $14.

Money saving tip: At the time of writing, you could also obtain a $2 off coupon on the Just For Men website.

In addition to Shampoo, Control GX also offers a 2-in-1 shampoo and conditioner that contains additional agents for easier combing, softness, and manageability, for the same price.

Are customers reporting a solid return on investment at this price?

Control GX Shampoo Reviews: Are They Good?

On the Just For Men website, Control GX had an average rating of 4.5 stars based on 300+ customer reviews. Most compliments referenced good coloring results, natural appearance, and ease of use, while what few complaints there were often related to messiness and minor nail discoloration.

What it similar elsewhere online?

We also encountered nearly 50 Amazon customer reviews for Control GX, who had given the shampoo an average rating of 3.7 stars. There, most of the compliments and complaints matched those on the Just For Men website.

According to Amazon’s Questions & Answers section, a couple of customers replied that they didn’t recommend Control GX for super short hair (1/4 inch or less). Another reviewer mentioned that you might want to use gloves to avoid staining your fingernails.

From a company perspective, the Just For Men lineup is manufactured by Combe Incorporated based out of White Plains, NY. They had an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau and only two complaints as of 2/14/16, which referenced product formulation and side effects.

Does all of this mean you should spend your hard-earned money on Control GX?

Are the Gradual Results Provided By Control GX Shampoo the Way to Go?

While we didn’t encounter any products using the exact same formula as Control GX during our research, or those that were offered in shampoo form, HairFinder tells us that most dyes that promise to gradually reduce gray hair use metallic salts, which:

“… react with the sulfur in the protein chains of the hair to create a natural looking color in the hair over a period of repeated exposure.”

Perhaps the best-known gradual metallic hair dye is Grecian Formula, although Just For Men’s Touch of Grey treatment seems to deliver similar results. And both of these options are likely available locally for about the same price as Control GX.

How to decide? Just like anything else we choose to put on our body, the ‘best’ way of getting rid of grey hair will be based on your hair color (including level of grey), your hair cut (as well as any hair loss you’ve experienced), your skin type, and dozens of other personal factors.

In other words, there’s no way to know without giving it a try. Fortunately, Just For Men stands behind Control GX Shampoo with a 100% satisfaction guarantee, as might the retailer you purchase it from.

This way, you might not lose much more than a little of your time (and perhaps return shipping charges if you’re not near a retailer) for giving Control GX a shot and end up dissatisfied.