Orofluido Update

I ordered a new bottle of Orofluido and as I opened the box I immediately noticed that the colour is more amber than it just to be. I checked the ingredients and they did in fact change them. Argan oil is now the third ingredient on the list, which is a positive change from before. Basically, they reduced the amount of silicones in favour of argan oil. However, they did add Benzophenone-3 also known as Oxybenzone (8. place on the list) which functions as a photostabiliser and sunscreen. There is a bit of controversy surrounding this ingredient, but since it's in a hair product I'm not concerned. I don't apply it on the skin anyway.

Old ingredient list:

New ingredient list:

As for the texture, scent and results, there is little difference, but it is slightly improved. I compared the new and the old formula of which I still have a few drops left and they feel and smell the same. However, I find that my hair stays moisturised longer than with the old formula. The rest is pretty much the same. You can read the review here.

This is one of my favourite hair products, hence why I repurchased it even after testing other (more) popular hair treatments (even though Elixir Ultime is growing on me, but that's just because of the gorgeous scent, the formula is way too light for me). Oh, and if you're wondering why I purchased it now, when I still have so many other mini sized bottles of other treatments, it's because it had a nice discount on cheapsmells and I paid 14€ for it + 3€ for shipping.

Here is kind of a bonus pic of my first acceptable attempt of a four strand braid. It's a month old picture and the braid is a bit messy. Honestly, it took me way too long to learn it. I watched a few how-to youtube videos, but they only left me more confused. Only when I wasn't concentrating at all where each stand should go, I finally did it. And I've been doing these braids a lot last month. They are a nice change from my usual fishbraids and normal braids. Here is my original inspiration and a tutorial.

Thanks for reading!

Hair Oils Series: Conclusion

Time for a round-up. I want to point out that the differences between all apart from Osmo are really small.  If you checked out the pictures of my hair in individual reviews, you'll see there is little if any difference in how my hair looks. A bigger difference is in how your hair feels. Here is my ranking of the five hair treatments I tested.

Winner: Macadamia Natural Oil Healing Oil Treatment

2nd place: Orofluido Beauty Elixir

3rd place: Moroccanoil Original

4th place: Kérastase Elixir Ultime

5th place: Osmo Berber Oil

For me the winner is Macadamia with Orofluido not far behind. Macadamia provided the sleekest, shiniest and most moisturised results, also it is the best defrizzer. Orofluido and Moroccanoil are almost dupes in results, but differ in price and scent. Also Orofluido leaves your hair with more volume. The same applies to Elixir Ultime which made my hair feel very light, silky and bouncy, but left my ends dry. Osmo made my hair feel a bit greasy at first, but dry in a few hours. However, I still love my combination Orofluido Elixir + Sahara best and I'll stick to it.

Some general information about these treatments.

1. Please don't fall for the extravagant over-the-top advertising. These treatments are very good, but nowhere near the miraculous as they are described by the advertisers. It still baffles me why such high prices  of some these treatments. What am I actually paying for? Silicones are cheap and argan oil can't be that expensive if Alverde's Mandel Argan oil is only 3.5€. The only thing left are the fragrances. The nerve of some brands! On the bright side one bottle does last a long time. Please check the prices in online shops first before spending your money in a salon (Macadamia is around 20€ on eBay, while it's around 35€ in Simple salons).

2. These are described as treatments, I prefer to call them styling products, or better, smoothing serums. Even though they contain oils, the amount of them is small and I'm bothered by the first few ingredients: cones. You can use them as a pre-wash treatment and most brands suggest you do so, but I'd never use a product with silicones for several reasons. First, silicones coat the hair and don't nourish it, just conceal the problems. Second, too expensive. Why would I use the pricey oil and then wash it off. I don't think so. Third: pure argan oil, macadamia, coconut and even olive oil work better than these serums as pre-wash treatments. Not to mention how much cheaper they are. I just use regular oils instead. 

3. Don't over do it. A few drops is enough. A 100ml bottle should last you a long time. Mine lasted two years because I wash my hair once or twice a week and I only used it after washing my hair. But I do find that by using more product on wet hair before blow-drying, I get better results. My hair is then sleeker and less frizzy, specially when using Orofluido and Macadamia. I don't want to use too much silicone products, so I use Alverde Haaröl Mandel Argan which is silicone free for when my ends are dry.

4. They tend to be heavier than their silicon serum predecessors. If your hair is oily, they might be too much. However, they are marketed for all hair types, so if you want to make them work for you, the key is in the amount used and distribution. Kerastaste is the lightest and most appropriate for oilier hair. I heard L'Oreal's Extraordinary oil is quite light as well and Mythic Oil was also way to light for my hair when I tried it once at my hairdresser (all are from L'Oreal btw). The rest are quite thick and heavy. Osmo is really heavy.

5. Most have a strong fragrance. All the ones I tried have quite a heavy perfumey scent, so if you're sensitive to that, try to get a sample first or try it at your hairdresser (if they have it, of course). 

There are exceptions in the hair oils world that don't contain silicones. One of them is Alverde Mandel Argan, which actually deserves to call itself oil. Pure oils like argan, macadamia, coconut and olive are heavy and it's difficult to use them as styling products without leaving your hair greasy. I prefer to use them only as pre-wash treatments. Alverde is a great product for those who want a silicon free product for their ends. It's still an oil, but a lighter version. It won't make your hair as silky as those with silicone, but it will actually nourish your hair. I consider it an actual hair care, not just a smoothing serum like the rest. For that reason I didn't include it in this test and because it's drugstore. I use this on dry hair only, I prefer to use silicones on wet hair before blow-drying.
Ingredients: soybean oil, emollient derived from coconut oil, argan oil, walnut oil, almond oil, burdock oil, two Vitamin E variants, Vitamin C, sunflower oil, and six fragrances derived from essential oils.
Ingredients-wise this is a fantastic product. And best of all, it's cheap. It's around 3.5€ in DM's. It's not the best for oily hair, but if your ends are dry give it a go.

I hope this helped if you're on the fence of which one to get. There are so many on the market for such different prices that it's hard to choose which one is for you.  I would still suggest you go and try it at your hairdresser if they have it, or get the sample size bottle first. I'm sorry for such long posts. I try to keep them short, but I always end up writing so much. It's just that I have so much to say, especially when it comes to hair. Thanks for reading!

Links:

Hair Oils Series: Orofluido Beauty Elixir

This is probably the most raved about product on my blog. It's been featured in numerous favourite posts and I purchased almost all the products from this line. What's so special about it is the absolutely gorgeous oriental vanilla-amber scent. I also love the Orofluido Sahara, which is a lighter version of elixir in spray form and the shampoo is nice as well. Two products that left me unimpressed are the conditioner (to light) and shine spray (too much alcohol, Sahara is better). My bottle lasted me two years and believe me, I used it a lot.

Packaging: A clear glass bottle with a gorgeous oriental design on the front. I think it looks most luxurious out of all, a real decoration on your vanity. Unfortunately, it doesn't come with a pump. It's available in 50ml and 100ml version.

Ingredients (Updated ingredients here): Three cones followed by argan oil, cypress oil, fragrance, isopropyl palmitate (emollient and thickening agent, also anti-static), linseed oil, another fragrance and two dyes. It's most similar to Moroccanoil as it also contains argan and linseed oil.

Scent: One of my favourite scents ever. It's an oriental vanilla and amber scent, strong but not overpowering. Much to my displeasure, it doesn't last on my hair.

Top notes: bergamot, orange flower

Heart notes: amber, red pepper, lily-of-the-valley, cyclamen

Base: amber, vanilla, patchouli, sandalwood

Performance and Results: It has a thick texture that is similar to Moroccanoil and Macadamia Natural oil. As with Moroccanoil, I can use quite a lot on wet hair and never have the feeling that it'll make my hair greasy and limp. During blow-drying it makes my hair incredibly sleek, combats frizz and gives a lot of shine. A few drops on dry hair after blow-drying just adds that finishing touch, again gives shine, smooths it down and helps the ends from feeling dry. I said before it's very similar to Moroccanoil, but it's not in any way far behind Macadamia Natural Oil as well. The only advantage that Macadamia has is that it keeps my ends moisturised longer. I do, however, find that this one leaves me with more volume, others sort of kill it a bit (with the exception of Kérastase, but that one is lighter). 

Where to buy: I bought mine through StudioMa (only for Slovene costumers). It's also sold in some hair salons (Simple) and several online shops including eBay (try this seller), Feel Unique, Cheap Smells, Beauty Bay. Slovenske strani: Mična gospodična, Lepo telo.si.

This is a product that deserves to be praised. It doesn't get as much publicity as Moroccanoil, but it performs the same, is cheaper plus it smells so much nicer. I do find this one leaves me with more volume than Morocanoil and Macadamia. It's appropriate for all hair types, but if your hair is really dry perhaps try Macadamia Natural Oil instead and if it's oily go for something lighter like Kérastase. Even after trying so many other treatments from other brands in the 20€+ range, I will repurchase it.

Hair Oils Series: Osmo Berber Oil

I bet a some of you are thinking: Osmo? Where did she find Osmo? I've never heard of it. Well, I never heard of it until a month ago when I started this test. It was reduced on Feel Unique, so I decided to try a sample size bottle. This one kind of shattered my theory that all oils are good, since it proved to be the most problematic.

Packaging: a dark glass bottle with a pump (100ml version), but with a clear label so you can still see how much is in there.

Ingredients: Three silicones followed by isopropyl myristate, argan, coconut, avocado oil, oxybenzone (sunscreen, a controversial ingredient, here disguised by an alternative name), fragrances and colours.  Isopropyl myristate helps absorption and lessens the greasiness.

Scent: It's a sweet scent. In the bottle, it smells to me like cherry candy, just like Nyx Mega Shine lip gloss. On my hair it smells exactly like strawberry and vanilla tea. Doesn't stay at all on my hair, not on wet nor on dry hair.

Performance and Results: It's very thick, the thickest out of all I tried. The product is clear with a slight pink hue. It's hard to get a small amount because of the very thick texture. I had quite a few problems with this oil. When I tried it the first time, I used the usual amount I use with other treatments on wet hair. During blow-drying my hair feel greasy and I thought that perhaps I didn't rinse my conditioner well enough. The end result looked ok, but my hair felt very weird, like there is to much product. I washed my hair the next day because of that, but this time I made sure I rinsed off my conditioner well and used a smaller amount of oil. Unfortunately, the result was the same. My hair felt heavy and odd, but it looked ok. It looked shiny, there was less frizz and my ends were moisturised. However, all changed after a few hours. My hair became really dry, and not just the ends but everywhere. I'm not impressed by it. It's too heavy and drying at the same time.

The first picture was taken on the first day, right after washing my hair. The second on the second day. As you can see my hair looks a bit dry on the second picture.

Where to buy: I got it on Feelunique.

This is my least favourite one. I find this oil problematic not just because of the results on my hair, but also because of ingredients. Argan oil is only the fourth ingredient, which means there's only a few drops of it in it. It managed to make my hair greasy and dry only a few hours later. I'm not sure I'd recommend it to anyone. I don't hate it, but there are much better products on the market.

Links:

Hair Oils Series: Macadamia Natural Oil Healing Oil Treatment

This makes my hair look like a Pantene commercial. Ok, maybe I'm exaggerating a bit, but even other people noticed how good my hair looks, which considering the mega frizzy state of my natural hair, I see as a big accomplishment. Funny how low my expectations were about this oil, because my first impressions were not that good. I was immediately taken aback by the mega strong masculine scent, but my impressions got better and better by the day. This whole test was partially inspired by Summer's rave about Macadamia Natural oil. I trust her judgement so I had to try it and then I thought, why not try several oils to find out which one is the best. So here we are.

Packaging: It comes in a dark glass bottle with a brown and bright green label. This provides protection from light exposure, however, the label prevents you from seeing how much product is still in there. There are several different sizes available: 10ml, 30ml and 125ml, the biggest size comes with a pump. I have the 30ml and the bottle is quite heavy, in fact the heaviest out of the three similar sizes of oils I have.

Ingredients: The first two ingredients are silicones, which are then followed by Vitamin E, macadamia and argan oil. The next seven are fragrances and last three colours. Vitamin E, macadamia and argan oil are great for dry hair. I actually use pure macadamia oil as a pre-wash treatment and it works wonders. In addition,Vitamin E helps with hair growth and prevents hair loss (argan oil by itself has a high vitamin E content).

Scent: It has a very intense, strong and heavy masculine fragrance. Definitely the heaviest out of all that I tried. It smells exactly like my grandfathers cologne. Well, it is a deodorant. The one that is/was in a dark green bottle with a black cap. I don't know the name, but probably something widely available in Slovenia.  I went round the house asking everyone if it's only me that smells grampa's cologne and they all agreed I wasn't imagining it. I'd describe it as a mix of sandalwood, patchouli and musk (basically nothing like the pure macadamia oil). The scent remains very strong on wet hair for about 20 minutes, then it disappears. Much to my delight, it doesn't last long on dry hair. It's not a bad scent, but too strong and too masculine for my taste. I think I'll grow on me, though. 

Performance and Results: The product is thick and amber colour. It has almost identical consistency as  Morocanoil. When I applied it on wet hair before blow-drying, I had difficulties getting the quantity right. The usual amount I use at other oils was not enough, so I added a few drops more and it felt like it was almost too much. I had a feeling it was easy to overdo and it could leave your hair greasy and limp, but despite the  amount my hair still felt ok. After blow-drying my hair was mega shiny and definitely less frizzy especially on the top, where I can never get completely frizz free. It didn't feel as light and bouncy, but my hair felt stronger. I curled my hair with my big barrel curler and that's when this product really shone. I got the sleekest result out of all, it was mega shiny, soft and almost frizz free. It is the best anti-frizz and my ends looked surprisingly well, moisturised and soft.  On the next day I was getting more and more impressed. Despite using a drugstore conditioner I didn't have to use Alverde Mandel Argan oil, because my ends didn't dry up at all and they stayed in great shape even on the third day. I'm definitely very impressed by it.

Where to buy: I got mine on eBay from this seller because it was the cheapest. It's available in hair salons (if you're in Slovenia try Simple) and online (Feel Unique, Beauty Bay, Cheap Smells, Fragrance Direct, Look Fantastic, ...). 

Make sure you're buying the Healing Oil Treatment and not the Healing Oil Spray. The ingredients are different : Cyclopentasiloxane, Isopropyl Myristate, Fragrance (Parfum), Tocopheryl Acetate, Argania Spinosa Oil, Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil, Benzylsalicylate, Cumarin, Butylphenyl Methylpropional, Linalool, Hexyicinnamoldehyd. Judging from ingredients the spray is lighter (obviously, since it's more liquidy). It's the equivalent of Orofluido Sahara.

I'd say it's best for dry hair, but also appropriate for normal hair if you use a smaller amount. I'm loving everything but the scent, which doesn't last anyway. It gave me most shine, it's the best defrizzer and kept my ends moisturised. This gets my two thumbs up and I'll definitely try other products from this brand.

Links: