L'Oreal Solar Sublime After-Sun Shampoo + After-Sun Nourishing Balm Review

Hey guys! Since summer is coming soon I figured I'd start reviewing more summer-related products, like L'Oreal Professionnel Solar Sublime After-Sun Shampoo + Solar Sublime After-Sun Nourishing Balm. If you're someone who spends a LOT of time in the sun, you already know how much the sun's rays dry out your hair - ESPECIALLY for color-treated hair! UV rays will fade your color and dry out your hair in the worst way, so your hair needs as much protection as your skin does! That's where Solar Sublime comes in, it's perfect for thirsty hair that's been in the sun too long. It also has UV filters to protect your hair from drying out. Also, the scent is fantastic - like fresh peaches!

First I'll start with the After-Sun shampoo pictured above. It cleans my hair and gets rid of any chlorine/salt deposits on your hair. That's definitely a plus for me because I hate using those special swimmer's shampoos to get rid of chlorine in your hair. They always strip my hair somethin' awful. It also lathers up nicely and it's super moisturizing. However, I do notice that when my hair is healthier and not as dry, it can be a bit heavy. So I'd definitely recommend this more to people with really dry, parched hair looking to protect it from the sun. Oh, and the entire Solar Sublime line is color-safe.

As always, let's see the ingredients, starting with the full list:

Water, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Dimethicone, Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate, Glycol Distearate, Sodium Chloride, Glycerin, Cocamide MIPA, Camphor Benzalkonium Methosulfate, PPG-Ceteth-20, Sodium Methylparaben, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Carbomer, DMDM Hydantoin, Tocopheryl Acetate, Benzyl Benzoate, Benzyl Salicylate, Linalool, Geraniol, Benzyl Alcohol, Hexyl Cinnamal, Limonene, Methyl Cocoate, Sodium Cocoate, Citric Acid, Sodium Hydroxide, Fragrance.

And the list minus the fluff:

Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Dimethicone, Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate, Glycol Distearate, Sodium Chloride, Glycerin, Cocamide MIPA, Camphor Benzalkonium Methosulfate, PPG-Ceteth-20, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Carbomer, Tocopheryl Acetate, Benzyl Benzoate, Methyl Cocoate, Sodium Cocoate, Sodium Hydroxide.

So as you can see, this shampoo isn't sulfate-free, however Sodium Laureth Sulfate isn't super harsh like Sodium Lauryl Sulfate. In a product like this, you need an effective cleanser. Dimethicone is a silicone; it's an effective conditioning agent. Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate works to clean the skin and hair, increase foaming capacity/stabilize foam, and enhance the body + sheen of damaged hair. Glycol Distearate is a conditioning agent that also increases the viscosity of a product and gives it that creamy, pearly look. Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride is another excellent conditioning agent, especially for damged, chemically-treated hair. Methyl + Sodium Cocoate are surfactants made from coconut oil that also improve spreadability of a product. Surfactants made from coconut oil are very moisturizing.

Next I'll talk about the After-Sun Nourishing Balm (deep conditioner). This seriously smells just like fresh peaches, way more than the shampoo, but it's not overpowering. It's just delicious. And even though I hate when conditioner comes in a pot, I really like this stuff. It's super moisturizing and makes my hair really soft and adds a lot of shine and slip. I would also just use it as a deep conditioner, even if I haven't been outside in the sun or the pool, that's how much I like it.

The full ingredient list:

Water, Cetearyl Alcohol, Behentrimonium Chloride, Glycerin, Amodimethicone, Cetyl Esters, Lanolin, Methylparaben, Camphor Benzalkonium Methosulfate, Trideceth-6, Tocopheryl Acetate, Benzyl Benzoate, Chlorhexidine Dihydrochloride, Cetrimonium Chloride, Benzyl Salicylate, Linalool, Geraniol, Benzyl Alcohol, Hexyl Cinnamal, Limonene, Fragrance.

The de-fluffed ingredient list:

Cetearyl Alcohol, Behentrimonium Chloride, Glycerin, Amodimethicone, Cetyl Esters, Lanolin, Camphor Benzalkonium Methosulfate, Trideceth-6, Tocopheryl Acetate, Cetrimonium Chloride.

What we're left with is a pretty basic, yet very effective conditioner. Cetearyl Alcohol is a fatty alcohol and is an excellent conditioner. So is Behentrimonium (and Cetrimonium) Chloride, which is derived from rapeseed oil. Glycerin adds slip and shine to hair, but it's useless in a rinse-off product like conditioner. Amodimethicone is a light silicone that softens hair and tames frizzies. Cetyl Esters are emollients derived from coconut oil. Lanolin is an extremely effective emollient that comes from sheep's wool. It can also be used as a base and an emulsifier. Trideceth-6 is another emulsifier. Tocopheryl Acetate (vitamin E) is a very potent antioxidant that helps skin + hair against pollution, free radicals, etc.

So overall this isn't my everyday shampoo + conditioner, but it'll be handy to have in the summer time when I try to spend as much time outside as I can! Summer Tip: When you're going swimming, put some leave-in conditioner in your hair before you get in the water for some added protection against the chlorine. This is especially important for BLONDES - it helps to prevent your hair from turning green and/or brassy!

That's all for now! Take care of your hair! ♥