Showing posts with label shampoo. Show all posts
Showing posts with label shampoo. Show all posts

Phyto Phytosquam Intense


It's been quite a while since I promised some of you that I'll review this and honestly, I've been avoiding it. The reasons are that first it's a hair care item, which not a lot of people are interested in and the second that this just didn't do its job. It's a new dandruff treatment by Phyto that is quite unique as far as my experiences with anti-dandruff products go. I've tried most of Phyto anti-dandruff treatments before and so far they were the best ones, however, didn't completely help me get rid of the problem, just alleviated it. Funnily enough I had a sample of Phytosquam and it was very, very promising, but the full size product didn't deliver. 


I love the idea of this - it's a product that you apply on dry scalp, section by section, massage it in and leave it on for 5-7 minutes. It's only then that you add water and use it as a normal shampoo. The product has a handy nozzle applicator that makes it easy to apply the product on the scalp, the only problem is that it leaks, so I added a cap from a different product to avoid losing product. Unlike their anti-dandruff shampoos, which are very liquid, Phytosquam is an actual gel, so it feels closer to a normal shampoo. It has a strange scent that reminds me of burnt rubber, but it's not hard to put up with it. When it is on my scalp, I don't feel anything, so no tingling or anything similar. Once I add water, it emulsifies well, like a normal shampoo, which is surprising since Phyto's shampoos, don't foam well and when I rinse it off, it leaves my hair squeaky clean, which is not something I'm terribly fond off, but how else should it remove all the dandruff. Though it worked ok from the start, meaning that it removed most of the dandruff if I applied a thick coat of it, it started losing its effect on my scalp. What's more, not only did that coat of dandruff reappear the next day, now that I'm nearing the end of the tube, it doesn't even remove the dandruff any more. The only thing that I do notice a difference is that there is less itching going on, but it's not gone. 


I did exactly as the instructions said - used it for about two weeks every other day, which was a lot of washing for me since I have dry hair, but after I saw that the treatment didn't work, I started using it only every few washes so I'll use it up. I even started leaving it on for a lot longer than those 5 minutes and it still didn't work as expected. The tube has only 100 ml of product in it and it's almost gone now, but it did last those two weeks of thick applications, which I actually was worried that it won't. 


I liked the other Phyto anti-dandruff shampoos and loved the Phytopolleine, which unfortunately stopped working on me, but it was awesome while it lasted. However, I'm not a fan of Phytosquam. It started out well, but quickly stopped working the way it should and this was a very expensive product, so of course I'm disappointed. Still, if you're as desperate as me and in search of the remedy that will finally cure your dandruff, it's worth a shot, as it might work for you. But perhaps try first the other products for dandruff by Phyto.

I bough mine in Leposana (E.Leclerc Ljubljana) for 20.50 €.

Have a great day!
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Alpstories Bath Salt, Organic Shampoo and Damask Rose Floral Water

Besedilo v slovenščini je na koncu objave.

Alpstories is a Slovene brand that found inspiration for their product in the Alps and they offer a range of products that are free of parabens, mineral oil, articifical colours, sythetic fragrance, silicones and aren't tested on animals. 


Bath Salt
400 g
When I saw that you can customize your own product on Alpstories, I got really excited. I just love the idea so much, though I would prefer if they also had an option of mixing very gourmand scents of products, but classic essential oils are just fine. I needed and wanted a bath salt, so that's the product I decided on, but you can also mix your own shower gel, body milk, liquid soap, massage oil and oil. There are two ways to get the right mix for you, one is by finishing a little quiz that asks you about your skin and habits, and the second way is to decide on the mix of the ingredients yourself. I did the quiz and I got a mix of pelargonium, lavender and ylang yang. I decided to add a bit of camomile in it, since you can add your ingredients later as well, but now I saw that they must have recently added the option of coconut scent, which I'd pick in a heartbeat (and cherry too). Then you proceed to the label part, which to me was terribly exciting. You can pick any colour you want for logo and then also add your own text as well as pictures that you can upload yourself if you wish. I decided on a very simple lavender theme with my blog's logo. I enjoyed making the label so much and next time I might make a mint green version.

The bath salt is sea salt with added essential oils. It takes some time to dissolve due to the size and the scent is very intense - mine turned out to be a relaxing herbal scent. It says you should put a lot of the salt in the bath and one pot contains 400 g of it.

I think this would make an excellent personalized gift. My mix cost 10.38 €, but it all depends on the ingredients and the quantity of them. Ingredients in mine here, also the other side of the label here.

  

12.80 eur, 200 ml
I genuinely did not expect to like this. This was a surprise part of the package sent kindly by Alpstories and I was concerned because I have a bad track record with natural/organic shampoos and I tend to be a bit more brutal in my hair reviews (nothing makes me angrier than a product that ruins my hair). Nonetheless I gave it a try and I honestly haven't tried a SLS/SLES/silicone free shampoo that would actually behave like a normal shampoo - but this one does. It foams well, it cleans well and it doesn't leave my hair a dried up, tangly mess. It's not nourishing, nonetheless I really appreciate that it's not stripping. It has sort of a pharmacy shampoo scent that is a bit more bitter and herbal, but it's not annoying. It's quite a basic shampoo that would probably suit many hair types, though I can't assess how well it would perform on very greasy hair. I don't like sulphate free shampoo in general because they don't clean well enough, but this is really good one, though I would prefer if were a bit more nourishing. It also doesn't irritate my scalp, though it didn't help to fix my dandruff problem at all. Ingredients here.



10.20 eur, 250 ml
There is this hype about rose waters in the beauty community, particularly about the Melvita one and you have to admit that this one and Melvita's share some similarities when it comes to the packaging, but Alpstories one is more affordable. I was excited to give a try due to all the benefits I heard such waters bring. It's a toner in a spray that you apply after cleansing to refresh the skin and you can also use it liberally during the day or even over makeup. The spray pump isn't the best. I've bought some very inexpensive products with a better pump, so price shouldn't be an excuse. The mist isn't fine enough and the product lands on one part of the skin, so it feels too wet and not well distributed. But I can get past that because I actually prefer to spray this on a cotton pad and apply it like that, especially in the mornings before moisturiser and foundation. I do have a problem with the scent. For one I'm not a fan of rose scented products in general, but this one is to my nose even worse because it has this strong sour/vinegar note to it and I can't bear it. I literally stop breathing when I apply this to avoid smelling it, but thankfully it dissipates very quickly. As far as long term result go, I can't say I noticed anything special. The skin feels refreshed right after application and that's it. I notice no particular hydration or other skin benefits and at times I even feel it might be a bit irritating on damaged skin (it definitely doesn't soothe at all). As I said I use this in the morning for a quick refreshment, but I wouldn't miss it in my care. 


They sell their products in Slovenia and Croatia, but they have an international online shop as well.
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Alpstories je slovenska znamka, ki je našla navdih v Alpah in ponujajo izdelke, ki so brez parabenov, mineralnega olja, umetnih ter sintentičnih barvil, silikonov, poleg tega pa ne testirajo na živalih.

Kopalna sol
400 g
Že ko sem gledala Youtube videe nekaterih Britank, ki so govorile o kopalnih soleh Bathory, slednje namreč lahko namešaš kakor si želiš, me je ideja zelo pritegnila, ampak sem enostavno predvidevala, da kaj takega zagotovo ni pri nas. Pa sem se motila. Alpstories mi je sprva izgledala kot vsaka povprečna spletna trgovina z naravno kozmetiko, nato pa sem opazila možnost ustvarjanja lastnega izdelka. Pohvalno. In ne ponujajo le kopalne soli, ampak tudi mleko za telo, masažno olje, tuš gel, tekoče milo in olje. Da namešaš izdelek se lahko odločiš za eno izmed dve poti - začneš sam od začetka ali pa rešiš kratek kviz, ki te sprašuje za osnovne stvari o koži in navadah. Jaz sem se odločila za slednje in mi je ponudilo mešanico pelargonije, ylang ylanga in sivke. Sama sem se odločila še dodati kamilico za vonj, zdaj pa sem videla, da so dodali možnost vonja kokosa, ki bi ga seveda izbrala takoj, zanimiva pa mi je še češnja. Da lahko ustvariš še svojo nalepko me je čisto presenetilo in takoj sem začela delati razne kombinacije barv ter slik. Slike lahko naložiš tudi sam in tudi jaz sem naložila sliko "mojega logotipa". Končna kombinacija je sivkino inspirirana, naslednja pa bo zagotovo mentolno zelena.

Sama sol je navadna groba morska sol kateri so dodana eterična olja, zelišča in parfumi. Sol se počasi topi v vodi in ima kar močen vonj - moja kombinacija je zelo sproščujoča mešanica pelargonije, ylang ylang, sivke in kamilice. Sol je na voljo v velikosti 400 g, embalaža pa je plastična z kovinskim pokrovčkom.

Meni se zdi ideja individualno namešanih izdelkov z nalepkami zelo primerna za kakšno posebno darilo. Moja mešanica je stala 10,38 €, je pa znesek popolnoma odvisen od sestavin in količin le-teh. Sestavine moje soli tukaj, ter še druga stran nalepke tukaj.

12,80 eur, 200 ml
Nisem pričakovala, da mi bo ta šampon všeč. Na splošno nisem ljubiteljica "naravnih" šamponov ali pa takih brez SLS in SLES ter silikonov, ker se v preteklosti niso kaj pretirano izkazali, pa čeprav imam prhljaj in naj bi menjava na take šampone pomagala, je bil končni efekt skupaj ničen. Še bolj me pa moti, da so taki šamponi ponavadi enostavno čudni, se ne penijo in ne očistijo dobro, ampak tale je pa očitno izjema. Sploh ne bi verjela, da je brez sulfatov, saj se obnaša čisto kot normalen šampon, ki se dobro peni in očisti lase. Celo ne diši tipično močno zeliščno, česar res ne maram, ampak diši bolj kot kakšen šampon iz lekarne z dodatkom grenkega zeliščnega vonja. Učinkek je nad pričakovanji, saj mi las ne pusti izsušenih in zavozlanih, čeprav ni pretirano negovalen, pa vseeno cenim, da nimam občutka, da bo potrebno uporabiti ogromno balzama. Zdi se mi primeren za večino tipov las, ker je kar osnovni šampon, čeprav ne znam povedati kako bi se obnesel na zelo mastnih laseh. Glede prhljaja nisem opazila nobenih sprememb, pač pri mojem sulfati in silikoni očitno niso problem, mi pa šampon ni iritiral lasišča, kot nekateri naravni šamponi (Lavera). Kar se tiče naravnih šamponov, je med temi, ki sem jih preizkusila do zdaj, ta najboljši, bi si pa glede na moj tip las želela, da bi bil morda malo bolj negovalen. Sestavine tukaj.

100% organska cvetna vodica damaščanske vrtnice
10,20 eur, 250 ml
Rožne vodice so dosegle najvišjo raven popularnosti v zadnjih letih z Melvitino rožno vodico v centru dogajanja in ne morem si pomagati, da ne bi opazila kako podobni sta si s tole od Alpstories, predvsem vizualno, seveda pa je slednja cenejša. Melvitine verzije nisem nikoli preizkusila, ampak sem slišala, da naj bi imela zelo pozitivne učinke in seveda me je zelo zanimalo kako se bo ta od Alpstories obnesla na moji mešani koži. Je pravzaprav tonik v spreju, ki ga naneseš po čiščenju ali pa kadarkoli, lahko tudi čez ličila, da se znebiš preveč očitnega pudrastega videza. Sam sprej ni pretirano dober, ker ne naredi dovolj razpršene in fine meglice, zato vodica pristane samo na enem delu obraza in pusti moker občutek. Sama se znajdem tako, da tonik raje nanašam z vatko, še posebej zjutraj namesto micelarne vode in pred nanosom kreme, za namene hitrega čiščenja in osvežitve. Me pa zelo moti vonj. Že tako in tako nisem ljubiteljica vrtničnih vonjev v kozmetiki, ker sploh niso podobni pravi stvari, ampak tale ima še dodatno kislo noto, ki jo težko prenašam. Dejansko neham dihati, ko špricam ta tonik, da se izognem vonju, ampak se vsaj zelo hitro razdiši. Glede dolgotrajnih učinkov ne vem če sem res opazila kakšne pomembnejše rezultate. Koža je bolj osvežena po nanosu, ampak to je vse. Kakšne dodatne navlaženosti nisem opazila, mi pa občasno, če je kje kakšna ranica kožo celo malo iritira, saj malenkost peče, pa sploh nima alkohola. Uporabljam jo zjutraj za hitro osvežitev, ampak jo ne bi pogrešala v svoji negi. Sestavine tukaj (pod ingredients)

Alpstories izdelke lahko dobite v trgovinah Misli Zdravo in nekaterih lekarnah. Seznam lahko najdete tukaj, poleg tega pa imajo še spletno trgovino.

Have a great day!

*Products were sent to me.
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Drugstore Recommendations for Dry Hair


PRE-WASH TREATMENTS

Coconut Oil
If your hair is really dry or at least your ends desperately need some extra care, oils are your best bet. Particularly coconut oil has proven to be excellent for hair because it's the only one that has the ability to penetrate into the cortex and also helps prevent protein loss. You simply apply it on dry hair before washing and leave it on as long you like, but the longer the better and leaving it overnight yields best results. Then you simply wash it off (you'll notice how much sleeker your hair is when rinsing off the shampoo) and continue with conditioner as well as the rest of the care. You can also heat the oil first in the microwave or use a hair dryer to warm it up as warm oil performs even better. People often ask me if putting a lot of oil on their hair will make it greasy - you'll wash it off. Unless you have a rubbish shampoo, all the oil simply washes off by shampooing twice. Coconut oil is sold in any bigger grocery store and drugstores (it's usually where the healthy food is), but beware of varying prices as I've seen some insane price tags and if you're paying over 10 €, it's too much.
Read more about coconut oil here on this genius blog, The Natural Haven Bloom, here and here. 

I found this quite randomly in E.Leclerc and though we have this brand just about everywhere here, for some reason I could only find this oil there. I think it's even better than coconut oil and it's my ultimate "über dry hair fixer". They decided to fit the bottle with a spray applicator, which was a bad move, since the oil is too thick and there is no way it could spray it into a mist, but you just spray it in the hands and apply it like that. I'm always very generous when applying it and I use it all over the hair since my entire length is dry, but you can easily just apply it on the ends if that is your only problematic area. I tend to leave it on overnight or all day if I'm at home and put my hair in a tight bun, then wash my hair in the morning or evening and let me tell you this oil has fantastic results. It deeply hydrates and nourishes the hair like nothing I've tried. My hair feels like it's transformed. But it doesn't work on dry hair after washing if you plan to use it as a leave-in as it is very greasy and heavy. 
E. Leclerc, 5-6 €

Other recommendations:
Macadamia Oil
Argan Oil
Jojoba Oil
Olive Oil

SHAMPOOS

I have tried many, many shampoos in my life, a large majority of them were from the drugstore and these two from L'Oreal win hands down. Performance-wise they are both about the same with the main difference being the scent. Extraordinary oil one has an oriental cinnamon-ish scent, while Glatt-Intense has a typical clean scent. The latter seems to have disappeared from our shelves, perhaps in order to be replaced by Extraordinary oil, but regardless, as I said they are so similar. The formula reminds me a lot of the much more expensive and utterly brilliant Oleo-Relax, so it's like a bit of conditioner was added to the shampoo, but it doesn't weight the hair down, just smooths it a bit. When I'm rinsing it off, there is none of that annoying squeaky clean, dry, my-hair-I'll-be-a-tangly-mess feeling and the hair can be combed a lot easier than at a lot of other shampoos. Best of all, these are on offer very often and you can get 400 ml at a bargain price of a few euros just about everywhere.

Other recommendations:

CONDITIONERS, MASKS AND TREATMENTS

Just as shampoos, I've tried my fair share of drugstore conditioners and though a large majority were disappointing (I just tried three new ones last month and all did not perform satisfactory), there are a few drugstore gems that I've been loyal to for years. They of course don't work as well as salon brands, especially when it comes to dry hair (I would suggest you still invest in one high-end one if your hair is really dry), but they still do their work admirably. Brilliant Brunette has been in my conditioners stash for so many years and when one runs out, a new one promptly takes its place. It feels quite light, yet it is moisturising enough for my dry hair and it leaves the hair feeling silky when I rinse it off, but there are two other things that it excels at and that is shine and scent. The scent is divine, it's like a mix of coconut and caramel in a more sophisticated way and this is the only conditioner/mask after which my hair smells nice for at least a day if not longer. I currently own a salon size 500 ml bottle, which comes with a very handy pump, while the regular sizes comes in a squeeze tube.
Price: 8.49 € for 250 ml in Müller and DM.

Things were shaky the first few weeks when I got my first Aussie Reconstructor, but it turned out to be one of my ultimate favourites. It's one of the rare conditioners that I consider being almost as good as some more expensive ones because the effects last a day or two longer on my hair, in particular when it comes to how long my hair stays moisturised. It has a gel-cream hybrid texture that is easy to apply on the hair and it smells just like Hubba-Bubba fruit fantasy bubble gum tape. I leave it on for longer than 3 minutes, usually about 20 minutes, but you can just leave for as long as you want to. It finally became available in Slovenia (can I get a hallelujah for that?), though it is quite pricey compared to the USA. 
Price: 8 € in Müller.

Elvital Total Repair 5 Intensiv Maske mit Reparatűr Serum 
Elvive Full Restore 5
This caught my eye when I saw it on Allure's list of best drugstore treatments, though it's has several different names and packaging, but I think mine is the right one. This is my first pot and though I liked it straight away, I'm more and more impressed by it with every use. Compared to most masks available on our market, this one performs really well on dry hair, it nourishes it and just does all the basic things I expect from a hair mask. The pudding-jelly cream consistency reminds me of Kérastase Nutritive Masquintense Epais-Thick, thought L'Oreal's version of course isn't as impressive as the Kérastase's, but it's certainly lovely for the price. I also tried the newest Extraordinary Oil version and it performs badly compared to this one, so I actually much prefer the combination of Extraordinary shampoo with Total Repair 5 mask. There is also another version of Total Repair in a violet packaging, but I haven't tried it yet. 
Müller, 6.39 €. I've seen only the violet version in DM.

Other recommendations:

HEAT PROTECTION

L'OREAL Studio Line Hot & Smooth Hot Straight Cream
Studio Line Hot&Glatt Thermo-Glättungs-Balm
I will be completely honest at this category and say that none of the drugstore heat protectors blew me away, also a lot of them contain alcohol, which is completely unnecessary for dry hair. However, I have been using L'Oreal's Studio Line Hot & Smooth (previously Silk & Gloss) for at least ten years, first on my hair and now on others. There are a few versions of heat protectors in this line - I have two, the lotion version and the aerosol one. I wouldn't recommend the latter for dry hair because it contains alcohol and it does feel a bit drying on the hair, however, the lotion is another story. It's a very basic, light heat protection that doesn't weight down the hair and does its job of protecting from heat. My bottle is very old and it has been repackaged, so I put the newest aerosol version next to it, which comes in the new design.
About 5 € in Műller.

Possibly interesting alternatives that I haven't tried yet, but heard good things about:

LEAVE-INS

I have exactly the same opinion about silicone oils as about heat protections - there aren't many that are actually good or comparable to salon brands ones. Yes, essentially they are all just good-old silicone serums with some oils. Big deal, right? However, most drugstore ones again have alcohol in it or even if they have nice ingredients, they don't work as well, mostly because they are too light (like for example the Garnier Fructis one). And since they are so light, dry hair just drinks them up in minutes and then it's like you didn't use anything, so you end up using so much oil for any effect. But Petra showed me one exception and it's brilliant. You can tell from the bottle, I've been loving this for the past months. The texture is comparable to salon brands "oils" in a sense that's it's thick, but it's not as thick as Orofluido or Macadamia Natural Oil's one, still it's much better than most drugstore oils. I don't tend to use it on damp hair, but rather after blow-drying to tame the frizz, give the hair a bit of nourishment and shine. It smells nice as well and the scent is like a mix of their "regular" green serum, which smells a bit like apples but in a hair salon way, plus some deep oriental note. I'm also a big fan of the pump, but I do mind that there is only 30 ml of it in the bottle because when you compare the prices per ml, Orofluido is not that more expensive if you know where to get the lowest price.
Avon, regular price 6.90€, but it's often on offer.


Öl-La-La Styling Öl-Spray 
This is basically just a very light silicone-oil in an aerosol form, which is wonderful for dry hair that needs a bit of a boots and even for those who find most liquid silicone-oils too heavy for their hair. It gives tons of shine, helps fight frizz and doesn't weight down the hair, which makes it a great choice to use when you wear your hair curly and you fear your curls will drop if you apply a proper hair oil. It's more of a styling/shine product, since the argan oil content is minimal and it doesn't actually nourish the hair much, however, it's much better than your average shine spray because most of those have a high content of alcohol. This spray is actually just cheating healthy, shiny hair in a can. I can spray a ton of it on my hair and it doesn't weigh it down one bit, build up or make it oily, however, my hair is dry and thick. 
I've seen Fructis does the same thing, but they obviously had to put alcohol in it, what else.
6.99 € in Müller.


I will sneakily add this leave-in as well because you can get it for as little as 12.70 € on Beauty Bay and one bottle lasts me well over a year. A good leave-in conditioner makes all the change when you have dry hair. It injects an additional boots of moisture, it helps the hair stay hydrated longer and this one also helps fight frizz. Using this, I can easily use a drugstore conditioner without having my hair dry by the end of second day after washing it. I don't even have to resort to using oil every day on my ends. It's hands down the best leave-in conditioner I've tried and if you're worried it's heavy, it's actually just a very light liquid.

Other recommendations:
JOHN FRIEDA Frizz Ease Daily Miracle Leave-In Conditioner - recommended by Živa from Nothin' Fancy. Really.

Have a great day!
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Kérastase Nutritive Bain Satin 1


As far as hair care goes, I'm aware that I am very fussy and demanding, but I want only the best for my hair and that's because my hair isn't the easiest to deal with due to the dry, coarse and fizzy condition of it, so it requires a lot more care than average hair. Kérastase Nutrive line contains some of the by far best hair products I've tried so far, with Oleo-Relax shampoo being my favourite shampoo of all time. Bain Satin 1 is another shampoo in that line, but one designed for normal to slightly dry hair. There is also Bain Satin 2 which is meant for dry, sensitized hair.

Bain Satin 1 has a creamy formula and not a gel one like Oleo Relax. Despite that I find it less nourishing and it doesn't leave my hair so magnificently silky as Oleo-Relax, but also doesn't leave my hair stripped. While Oleo-Relax feels like a 2-in-1 product, so like there is also some conditioner added, Bain Satin 1 rinses of completely without leaving that silky layer on the hair. That's why it might appeal more to those who have moderately dry hair and avoid shampoos that could weigh down the hair. It foams very well, cleans the hair well, almost to a squeaky clean point, but doesn't make the hair feel like straw and it smells very classically clean, so similar to Nivea and the likes.


The one thing that kind of does bothers the spoiled side of me is the absence of a flip lid. It's all very old school with the screw off lid. 

I much prefer Oleo-Relax for my hair type and it's still my favourite ever shampoo. Bain Satin is better suited for those with normal/moderately dry hair or even hair with dry ends that gets greasy fast (but don't quote me on that) as it leaves nothing behind, but clean hair. If it's in your budget and fits your hair type, give it a try as it's a lovely shampoo, but for super dry, frizzy hair I'd still go with Oleo-Relax.

Kérastase is sold in hair salons (for example Simple in Slovenia) and in online shops. It costs around 20 €.

Have a great day! 
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Kérastase Specifique Bain Exfoliant Hydratant Anti-Dandruff Moisturising Shampoo


Man, have I been let down by two high-end hair products in a span of a few months, and one of them is from my favourite hair brand, Kérastase, which I truly trust, so that's a bit painful (the other is Bumble and Bumble's Invisible Oil Primer). I must sound like a broken record by now, but I've been suffering from dandruff, flaky, dry and itchy scalp since I was 11 and nothing even helped for long, but I persist and try new treatments ever so often and Kérastase one is the latest. A lot of these treatments or shampoos, this one included, contain salicylic acid to remove the layer of dead skin on the scalp, however, this one also has beads in it to provide manual exfoliation. It's not a new idea as Fructis has a similar product in their line, but it is a nice step forward as the layer of dead skin on the scalp is very difficult to remove (pretty much impossible really, I've tried everything. Baking soda works best).


What I really like about this shampoo is the applicator and that's what differentiates it from the Fructis version. The precise nozzle allows for the shampoo with the beads to get right close to the scalp, so you get the maximum effect and the beads don't get "tangled" and lost into the rest of the length of the hair. But honestly that's about all I love about this shampoo. As much as the idea of beads is genius, they fail to properly do the job and most of the dandruff remains firmly stuck on my scalp (yes, it is as delightful as it sounds). The shampoo formula is creamy and foams very well, which is something I appreciate, however, I'm used to exceptional quality of Kérastase shampoos when it comes to leaving the hair nourished and tangle-free, but this leaves my hair a bit stripped, so it performs like an average, cheap drugstore shampoo. Actually, there are some drugstore shampoos that are way better (I'm currently using L'Oreal's Elvive and I love it). The beads wash off completely. Other ingredients include zinc pyrithione (it's fungistatic and  bacteriostatic) and glycerol. You can find the rest of the ingredients here.


Since I already mentioned the Fructis version, I might as well do a quick comparison/review. These two are very similar in terms of texture, so both have a thick-ish creamy formula with small blue beads. Fructis version also foams well, but it's even less effective than Kérastase and very average in general. It's not bad and I did use up one bottle (this is the second one), but it's just standing there in the bathroom mostly unused because no one really likes it (also the beads dissolved already). As far as Fructis shampoos go, I really like their Oil Repair 3 one, but's not designed to treat dandruff, just dry hair. Ingredients of Fructis Anti-dandruff shampoo here.

Kérastase Specifique Bain Exfoliant Hydratant costs currently 18.36 € on Look Fantastic, while Fructis one is sold in Müllers for about 2-3 €. I like neither, but if you want to try if they'll work on you, they might be worth a go.

Have a great day!
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Aussie Miracle Moist Shampoo


I am terribly picky when it comes to shampoo, which may sound strange since it is just shampoo, but when you hair is as dry as mine, you can't really afford to buy rubbish things. I've already fallen in love with the 3 Minute Miracle Reconstructor and I find it one of the best drugstore hair treatments, so this alone encouraged me to try more things from Aussie. Miracle Moist shampoo is quite praised as being good for dry hair, so it was the first on my list.

Texture: The shampoo is creamy and easy to work with, I especially appreciate how well it foams as even on the first wash it forms a lot of thick foam.

Performance: It cleans the hair well and removes most of the dandruff that is stuck on my scalp but not all. The hair is left almost squeaky clean, so it's not moisturising (or moisturising enough for my hair), but that also means it leaves the hair very light and airy. I wouldn't be surprised if someone with oily hair liked it. The fact it's not nourishing results in the hair being a bit difficult to comb through after washing, which is something I'm not fond of.

Scent: The scent is just divine. It has the same sweet, bubble gum scent as the 3 Minute Miracle and it lasts so well. Love.

Ingredients:

Packaging: Just a simple bottle, but made from softer plastic than most, meaning it's easy to squeeze.

Price: I paid 6 € on Feel Unique. It's also sold in Boots and some DM's across Europe. I hear Aussie is now sold in Slovene Müllers.

It's an average shampoo, but the good kind of average, so it's not amazing, but decent. The scent won me over, although, if it weren't for the bubble gum scent I wouldn't like it as much. However, I love this in conjunction with the 3 Minutes Miracle, since for some reason the combination of the two works amazingly well. This shampoo should work for most people and you'll probably like it a lot, but if you have super dry hair and expect moisture, look somewhere else (I like Fructis Oil Repair 3 from the drugstore selection).

Have a great day!
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Kérastase Elixir Ultime Sublime Cleansing Oil Shampoo


Kérastase is my favourite hair care brand and after being seriously impressed by Oleo-Relax shampoo, I really wanted to try this one from the Elixir Ultime range, partly because I expected it to be another fantastic shampoo, but mostly because I adore the scent of the Elixir Ultime hair oil and this has the same scent. 

The formula is an average clear runny one and it foams nicely. It cleans the hair well, washes out easily and in general performs as it should, though I miss that bit of extra nourishment that Oleo-Relax has. The latter feels like I used a conditioner, however, Elixir Ultime is less moisturising and leaves my hair feeling a bit too stripped for my liking, but I'm the one that does not like the squeaky clean feeling as my hair is already very dry. I think Kérastase is very much right in recommending this shampoo for all hair types, it truly is something that should work for anyone despite the fact it has the word oil in the description.

The scent of it is almost the same as the oil just less intense, so pretty much divine in every aspect. I describe it as a floral-coconut-amber scent, very high-end fragrance like and people often compliment how good my perfume is, even though I've only used a bit of Elixir Ultime on the hair.

The packaging looks luxuriously shiny with the gold cap, but I have the same issue with it as with Oleo-Relax - seriously, has no one in their design team had the common sense to put a cap with a flip lid on it instead of a screw-off one? It's such a simple little thing and it would made things a lot easier. But at least the bottle is clear so you can see how much it's still left.


It's a nice shampoo, not doubt about that, but when I pay as much as this one costs, I expect something exceptional that pretty much performs miracles on my dry hair. I'm not disappointed in any way, but I would like more from it, hence why I will repurchase Oleo-Relax, which in my opinion is exceptional and I am willing to pay the price for it. The scent is addictive and I wish Oleo-Relax had the same one. 

I bought my bottle on HqHair for 19.28 €. Slovenes can get it in Simple salons and Salma.

Have a great day!
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Vichy Dercos Anti-Dandruff Sensitive Treatment Shampoo

I'm always trying new anti-dandruff shampoos as I have been suffering from dandruff since I was 11. I have been at the dermatologist, but she didn't give me anything, she just said I should keep trying different shampoos until I find one that works. I believe Vichy Dercos Anti-Dandruff Sensitive Treatment Shampoo is a newcomer on the market. I've had Vichy's anti-dandruff shampoo before, but this version is sulphate, paraben and colour free. I've been using it for 8 weeks so far and I'm not impressed at all.


Texture: a clear, runny gel consistency. It doesn't foam upon first application, which I find annoying, but it does on the second, though not a lot. As at L'Occitane's Repairing shampoo, I have to use a lot of shampoo for it do anything at all, so a bottle doesn't last long, especially if you're one of those who washes their hair every day.
Performance: It's a sulphate free shampoo which means it's very gentle, but that also means it doesn't manage to remove all the build up and flakes which is essential if you have dandruff. The light, very basic formula doesn't do anything for my hair and it leaves it a bit dry. In terms of anti-dandruff abilities, it's not at all effective on my scalp. It didn't help cure dandruff, but it's very gentle on my scalp and it doesn't irritate or leave it itchy unlike L'Oreal's Ever Riche sulphate free shampoo. This leaves my hair insanely tangled. Normally, a wide tooth comb just glides through my hair after being washed and there isn't a tangle in sight (I comb it before applying conditioner because I noticed that then I use much, much less conditioner), but with this all I can do is slap on a massive amount of conditioner and wait for it to loosen the tangles.

Scent: a fresh pharmacy-ish peppermint one. I quite like it.  

Ingredients: 
Price and availability: 13.05€ in a pharmacy.

I don't like it. It doesn't clean well, doesn't foam, makes my hair ridiculously tangled, does nothing in terms of curing dandruff and I used it up way too fast. The light texture makes it appropriate for most types of hair and it is gentle, but that's it. As far as anti-dandruff shampoos go, I haven't found one that would actually work, but honestly, I prefer shampoos with sulphates because they actually clean well and I notice no difference between regular and sulphate free shampoos in terms of how gentle they are to my scalp. I know there is this whole hype about sulphate free shampoos that are supposed to be better for us with dandruff, but I had much better shampoos with sulphates and I had some sulphate free shampoos that really irritated my scalp. My dermatologist assured me that sulphates are fine and sulphate allergy is rare. I also like silicones in my shampoo because it make the hair a lot more manageable, so shampoo was really a miss for me.

Have a great day!
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Review: Kérastase Nutritive


Prepare for a long and picture heavy post. It's been more than a month since I got these goodies and after some thorough testing, I'm finally feeling comfortable writing a review. Originally, I was going to do a separate post for each, however, I feel the need to put them all in one for a good reason. The thing is that individually these are all great products, some of the best I ever had, however, when all three are used together the magic happens. I swear my hair hasn't never felt this silky, light and soft then when I use all three/four products together. I just can't stop touching my hair and the effect lasts for three days - normally, the top layer of my hair and the ends get dry fast. You know how on L'Oreal or Pantene commercials when they lift the hair, it falls down like a waterfall, well that's how my hair feels after using these (it doesn't look as retouched obviously, it's still normal people hair that feels amazing to the touch). They must have some very high quality silicones too make it this way. The whole Nutritive line is targeted for dry to very dry hair (the description of my hair type is under about).


I tested each individually (with a combination of other products from different brands) and all together. These are all very expensive products and even though I coveted them for a year, I wasn't really prepared to part from my money until a truly fantastic offer came my way. I got the three products 15% off and was given a full size Elixir Ultime, which retails about 35€. A word of advice, salons really overcharge these, so go online on sites like HqHair, Lookfantastic, Feelunique and other similar ones to find the best prices.

Kérastase Nutritive Bain Oléo-Relax Smoothing Shampoo

It's meant for dry, frizzy hair that refuses to be tamed. Other reviewers describe it as the best shampoo for taming frizz - admittedly that was what sold me. Texture-wise it's a regular, gel type shampoo that has an orange hue, it's more on a liquidy side, rather than a thick gel. It foams lovely and lathers to a rich foam. My hair feels quite silky, when I'm rinsing it off and I can easily comb though the knots with fingers. The comb basically just glides though the damp hair. It's a similar effect to using a light conditioner, which is a consequence of the added silicones. It's absolutely not one of those shampoos that leave your hair squeaky clean (a feeling I genuinely dislike) and is one of the best shampoos for dry hair I tried. It doesn't irritate my scalp which is also a plus, however, I do feel the silicones might build up on my hair, so an occasional use of clarifying shampoo or baking soda is needed. As far as the anti-frizz properties go, I must confess I didn't see much of an effect, my hair was equally frizzy than when using other shampoos, however, what I call frizz on my hair are actually individual shorter hairs that get curly because my hair is naturally curly (the longer the hair the less curly it is in my case).


The scent is similar to that of shampoos you get at the chemist's, something like regular soap (aldehydes), but slightly more sharp. I have a slight gripe with the bottle, because the top twists off, rather than having the one that flips. It's more time consuming and frankly a bit annoying, considering I'm paying a lot for it.



If your hair is either normal or oily, you'll probably find it too heavy because of the silicones. It's expensive for a shampoo and I get though shampoos so fast, so it's really more of a luxury to be buying it regularly.  It was 18€ on Lookfantastic and the prices on most online shops are about the same.



Kérastase Nutritive Masquitense Épais - Thick




There are three different hair masks in Nutritive line and this one is targeted for thick hair, which mine are.  The texture is like a medium thickness silicone-heavy cream that just glides on the hair with such ease. Due to that you actually don't have to use much, which is a relief because the pot contains a quite stingy amount of 200 ml. Curiously, there are no instructions as to how long you should leave it on, I do at least 45 minutes. When I'm rinsing it off my hair feels truly silky and it has a lot of slip, it's a very similar feeling to when I use Tigi's Serious Conditioner, but here it's less intense. Once my hair is dry it feels very soft, manageable and moisturised, but the biggest difference is that amazingly my ends stay moisturised for four days. Usually they get dry either on the second day if I use a cheap drugstore conditioner, or on third day if I use a more expensive one and I have to use an oil to condition it. It smells exactly like sunscreen, a scent that I love. 


The packaging is a nice simple pot, nothing special but functional. The price is a shocking 26€ for a 200ml - honestly it could a least be 300ml. 
A little advice: Be careful not to get any water in it, this applies to all products actually, it can affect the effectiveness of the product. So no sticking your fingers into pots under the shower or with wet hands.


Kérastase Nutritive Nectar Thermique



This product excited me the most with the results. It's a heat protection and leave-in conditioner in one meant for dry hair. It's a light cream, truly nothing too heavy, in fact I find it hard to overdo on my hair, but others whose hair aren't so dry might find it heavy if used too much. It glides on the hair with ease and even before blow drying you can feel how your hair feels more silky. During and after blow-drying my hair feels incredibly silky and very soft, the only product that I can compare the feeling to is Tigi's Serious Conditioner, but this goes to an even higher level. My hair looks shiny, but not much less frizzy, I tame frizz with a bit of silicone oil like Elixir Ultime (or Macadamia, Orofluido,...) and Tigi's Spoil Me. The feeling lasts for three-four days and my hair remained soft and silky, but my ends did get a bit knotty as usual.


I really appreciate it for it's moisturising properties. If I had to choose my favourite heat protection, this one and the Tigi S Factor one are neck to neck, but I use them in two different ways, Tigi on dry hair because it's more oily and Kérastase on damp because it's a cream (I use a lot of heat protection, I apply it every time I use a heat tool, so before blow drying and then again if I'll use a curling iron). 

It's 19 € for 150 ml which is actually a very nice size, since it just glides on the hair and you don't need to use much. For example TIGI Catwalk Sleek Mystique Blow Out Balm contains only 90ml for 15€ (well, I got it for 9€ on offer) and I have to use quite a lot pumps. If you really want something from Kérastase, I would definitely go with this first.



Kérastase Elixir Ultime gives the final touches to the hair and makes it look more polished. In my original review I stated it's too light for my hair and it leaves my ends dry, however, in this case because the other three products leave my hair in such great condition this works perfectly. Because it's so light, it doesn't weight my hair down, it just tames the frizz and gives lots of shine. I actually keep a travel size in my bag all the time for frizz taming emergencies. I already raved about the scent, which is just divine, a mix of floral notes and coconut, almost like a high-end beach scent. And the pump is a giant plus. I'm not sure I'd pay a full price (I got it for free), it depends on how long the bottle will last or if I have an unexpected windfall, but it's certainly addictive.



In general my hair does look healthy and amazingly shiny, my mother even commented on how super shiny my hair looks and that it's even noticeable in a dimly lit room. How my hair looks depends more on how I style it using heat tools and the serum I use, but this gives one hell of a base. I am absolutely loving how my hair feels. It truly hasn't felt as silky and soft in like ever. It just stays awesome for days and I've already talked about how my hair is practically never soft in my Macadamia Deep Repair mask review, so this is a huge deal for me. It doesn't get super tangly, nor do I need to use Alverde hair oil to condition the ends and the shine is outstanding. I do, however, use Elixir Ultime daily to make it look more polished and to tame the frizz (the latter is still a nuisance, but I can live with it. There is no need for everything looking perfect).

(You can also see my hair while testing Kérastase in my last months posts: Essence Guerilla Gardening and Ardell Demi Lashes, both are second or third day hair)

I'm a hair care junkie and I've tried my fair share of products, so considering how expensive Kérastase products are, my expectation were very high and I wasn't disappointed. What I can say is that if you have such problematic, dry hair like me and you really want it too feel more like normal hair, I can't recommend this enough, but to get the maximum effect they work best when you use all together, which does mean it's very, very expensive. This does make your hair very silky, which means that some people will need some sort of a texturing product to style their hair. This is heavy-duty stuff, so if your hair is in a relatively nice condition, you don't desperately need it and there are some cheaper options that won't make your hair feel as great, but close enough.  Some links to my posts about hair: My Tips for Dealing with Dry Hair, My Current Hair Care - Part 1, My Current Hair Care - Part 2 and Hair Oils Series. So far my experience with Kérastase has been nothing but positive and I'll probably try more of their products.

Congratulations to everyone who managed to get through this long-winded post. Have a great day!
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