S-Factor Diamond Dreams Shampoo + Conditioner Review

Hey everyone! Wow, ABS was a BLAST!!! There were so many awesome booths, and there was all this craziness - but I got a bunch of stuff to show you all pretty soon, sit tight!

Since I'm feeling so fabulous about ABS, I figured I'd post about another thing that makes me feel fabulous: S-Factor Diamond Dreams Sulfate-Free Shampoo + Conditioner infused with Diamonds, Cashmere, Champagne & Pearls. You've seen it in my hauls (here and here), and I've been using it for a few months so I figured a review is in order! S-Factor is kind of like, TIGI's high-end, luxury line. I've used a lot of S-Factor products, and I have to admit that even though they cost a bit more, they've all really impressed me. Diamond Dreams is a relatively new part of the S-Factor line, and I was dying to get it for the longest time, but like always I would hold back and say "Yeah, I'll get it next time." Fortunately, with the help of some birthday money, "next time" actually came! It is, without a doubt, the richest, most luxurious shampoo and conditioner I've ever used. That being said, I'm not gonna act like this is something that everyyyyone absolutely NEEDS to have, because it's definitely a luxury item... and if I didn't have that birthday money I probably still wouldn't have it. But I'm glad I do!

Let's start with the shampoo. I think the thing I love most about the shampoo, well both actually, is the scent - ohmigod, it is the most heavenly intoxicating scent I think I've ever smelled. Since so few companies actually say what the fragrance in their products is supposed to be, I read on some website that it's blackberry lychee. I'm not sure what a lychee is (I think it's a berry) but if they smell like this then I want some! The shampoo is sulfate-free, and offers "An ultra-luxe complex with diamond dust, cashmere & champagne extracts & crushed pearl to indulge hair and provide • brilliant shine • ultra hydration • superior strength • antioxidant power" Now, you all know these really have nothing to do with how the product performs, but doesn't it sound awesome? Haha! I have to say that for a sulfate-free shampoo, it really cleans my hair well. That's saying a lot, considering I put a lot of product in my hair everyday and have to wash it everyday. It doesn't dry my hair out or fade my color. So let's see what really makes this product work. First the whole ingredient list:

Water, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinaye, Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate, Glycerin, Fragrance, Cocamide MEA, PEG-120 Methyl Glucose Dioleate, Quaternium-91, Glycol Distearate, Pehnoxyethanol, Divinyldimethicone/Dimethicone Copolymer Disodium, Cocoamphodiacetate, Lauryl Glucoside, Acrylates/Vinyl Neodecanoate Crosspolymer, Panthenol, PPG-3 Benzyl Ether Myristate, Propylene Glycol, Polyquaternium-44, Polyquateruim-55, Citric Acid, Amodimethicone, Wine Extract, Soy Amino Acids, Hydrolyzed Cottonseed Protein, Sunflower Seed Extract, Hydrolyzed Wool, Polyquaternium-10, C11-15 Pareth-7, C12-13 Pareth-23, C12-13 Pareth-3, Laureth-9, Polyquaternuim-67, Trideceth-12, Tetrasodium EDTA, Methylchloroisothiazolinone, Pearl Extract, Methylisothiazolinone, Butylene Glycol, Diamond Powder, Limonene, Butylphenyl Methylpropional, Amyl Cinnamal, Linalool, Hydroxyisohexyl 3-Cyclohexene Carboxaldehyde, Mica, Titanium Dioxide.

The ingredient list without the fluff:

Water, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinaye, Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate, Glycerin, Cocamide MEA, PEG-120 Methyl Glucose Dioleate, Quaternium-91, Glycol Distearate, Phenoxyethanol, Divinyldimethicone/Dimethicone Copolymer Disodium, Cocoamphodiacetate, Lauryl Glucoside, Acrylates/Vinyl Neodecanoate Crosspolymer, Panthenol, PPG-3 Benzyl Ether Myristate, Propylene Glycol, Polyquaternium-44, Polyquateruim-55, Citric Acid, Amodimethicone, Polyquaternium-10, C11-15 Pareth-7, C12-13 Pareth-23, C12-13 Pareth-3, Laureth-9, Polyquaternuim-67, Trideceth-12, Tetrasodium EDTA, Butylene Glycol.

As you can see, sulfate-free shampoos are much more complicated than normal shampoos. Most of it is just gentle cleansing and conditioning agents. As such, I'm not going into too much detail about every single ingredient - but I will talk about a few of them. Cocamidopropyl Betaine is a synthetic surfactant made from coconut oil. It's also used in conditioner as an an anti-static agent, in cosmetics as a thickener/emulsifier, and also seems to be replacing Cocamide DEA. Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate is used to enhance the appearance and feel of hair by adding shine, body, and improving the texture of damaged hair. PEG-120 Methyl Glucose Dioleate is another surfactant, and an emulsifier. PPG-3 Benzyl Ether Myristate is an emollient that enhances shine and provides a silicone-like feel to hair. Trideceth-12 is a PEG used as a surfactant, sometimes derived from vegetable oil. Butylene Glycol is a humectant and an emollient often found in personal care products; it's used to draw in moisture to hair and skin.

I absolutely love the conditioner, too! It's got the perfect consistency for me. It's thick and creamy as opposed to being too thin or thick and goopy, and conditions my hair extremely well without making it feel heavy or dirty. I can also use any products on my hair afterward, unlike some conditioners where it feels like if I put any other product in my hair, it'll totally weigh it down and look bad... you know what I mean? It has the same scent as the shampoo, but it's a bit more toned down. I guess they don't want you to get sick of it - although I never could. The label is also the same, but in place of "superior strength" this has "superior manageability." So now, here is the ingredient list:

Water, Cetearyl Alcohol, Dimethicone, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Parfum (Fragrance), Cetrimonium Chloride, Behentrimonim Methosulfate, Propylene Glycol Dibenzoate, Dicaprylyl Carbonate Glycol, Distearate, Phenoxyethanol, Quaternium-91, PPG-3 Benzyl Ether Myristate, Cetrimonium Methosulfate, Ceteth-20, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Divinydimethicone/Dimethicone Copolymer, Polyquaternium-55, Dicetyl Phosphate, Sunflower Seed Oil, Shea Butter, Polyquaternium-37, Aminomethyl Propional, Olive Fruit Oil, Sweet Almond Oil, Wine Extract, C12-13 Pareth-23, C12-13 Pareth-3, Soy Amino Acids, Hydrolyzed Cottonseed Protein, Hydrogenated Castor Oil/Sebacic Acid Copolymer, Sunflower Seed Extract, Hydrolyzed Wool, Butylene Glycol, Methylchloroisothiazolinone, Pearl Extract, Methylisothiazolinone, Disodium EDTA, Diamond Powder, Cetrimonium Bromide, Limonene, Butylphenyl Methylpropional, Amyl Cinnamal, Linalool, Hydroxyisohexyl 3-Cyclohexene Carboxaldehyde, Mica, Titanium Dioxide

And when we take out all the fluff, we're left with:

Water, Cetearyl Alcohol, Dimethicone, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cetrimonium Chloride, Behentrimonim Methosulfate, Propylene Glycol Dibenzoate, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Glycol Distearate, Phenoxyethanol, Quaternium-91, PPG-3 Benzyl Ether Myristate, Cetrimonium Methosulfate, Ceteth-20, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Divinyldimethicone/Dimethicone Copolymer, Polyquaternium-55, Dicetyl Phosphate, Polyquaternium-37, Aminomethyl Propional, C12-13 Pareth-23, C12-13 Pareth-3, Hydrogenated Castor Oil/Sebacic Acid Copolymer, Butylene Glycol, Disodium EDTA, Cetrimonium Bromide.

Basically what we're left with is a very rich conditioner, but with really not that many silicones. Good thing too, since everybody seems to be so anti-silicone lately. Anyway, just like I did with the shampoo, I'll go through some of the ingredients I haven't really talked about before. Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride is an emollient made from coconut oil that forms a barrier on hair and skin to prevent moisture loss. Glycol Distearate is what's used to create that cool pearly effect in shampoos and other cosmetics. Technically it is fluff, but I figured I'd talk about it anyway since it's so common. Divinyldimethicone/Dimethicone Copolymer is a film former derived from silicone. C12-13 Pareth-23 is used as an emulsifier. Cetrimonium Bromide is a cationic conditioner that adds shine.

Wow, that was a lot of typing. My fingers kind of hurt. I hope I don't have pancake butt from sitting in this chair for so long. Maybe it would help if I didn't distract myself so much, but whatevs, no big deal.

So who would I recommend this to? Everyone. I doubt anyone could not absolutely love Diamond Dreams. Unless you're someone who doesn't like products that have a strong scent, or you don't like sulfate-free shampoo, or silicones. However, like I said before, it really is a luxury item - and no one really NEEDS to have it... but I'll definitely be re-purchasing it in the bigger tween size. It probably is too much for some people's budget, but I haven't found a shampoo and conditioner that I actually want to rane-purchase in a long time, so it's kind of a big deal for me LOL!

S-Factor Diamond Dreams Shampoo + Conditioner comes in an 250 ml / 8.45 fl oz. bottle and both retail for around $25. The Tween size is 750 ml / 25.36 fl oz. and they both retail for around $35.

My ABS post/haul will be up tomorrow! Until then, take care of your hair! =)