Sebastian Potion 9 Review

Hello all! Happy December!!! To kick off the month, I'm reviewing Sebastian Potion 9 with Recessionista over at Nouveau Cheap. She's reviewing the GVP version of Potion 9, like we did with Joico K-PAK Reconstruct. I love her, she's the most amazing blogger out there. If you don't follow her blog, you need to be shot, and once you recover you should go follow it. =)

Okay, so Potion 9 has been around for like, a longggg time. With good reason too, because it's pretty awesome. It's extremely versatile, lightweight, and makes your hair feel like heavennn. I highly recommend it for curly/wavy hair. I really should use it more.. but... you know... I've got all this other stuff so it kinda gets lost in the mix LOL. I'm gonna be honest though, when I bought it I thought it was like a hair treatment/deep conditioner kinda product. It wasn't until I got home and... actually read the label... that I found out it was a styling product hahaha. I certainly wasn't mad or anything, but the name "Potion 9" made it sound that way. Right? Agree with me please. I'll feel better. *puts on dunce cap*

Anywho, the main ingredients in Potion 9 are: Water, Glycerin, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, and Panthenol. There are a lot of plant and fruit oils/extracts too, but they're not really doing much other than adding some slight conditioning and making the product sound nice. Glycerin is a humectant that does a great job of keeping your hair and skin moisturized. Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride (aka guar gum) comes from the guar bean, which is mostly harvested in India (about 80%). It's a thickening/emulsifying agent that has about 8 times the water thickening power of cornstarch. But don't worry, your hair's not gonna feel like you starched it or anything, it just gives your hair some slight hold and thickens up the product. Hydrolyzed Wheat and Soy Protein are plant proteins that have been partially turned to water by hydrolysis. Panthenol (vitamin B5) is another good ingredient. It plumps up the hair shaft, adding volume and shine. Think of the stuff they use to fill potholes in the road--it's not a permanent solution, but it gets the job done for now.

For curly/wavy hair, I think this stuff works best when you use it and let it air dry. It's also good for blowdrying hair straight. Either way your hair will feel soft and silky, and it'll stay that way all day.

Have any of you tried Potion 9? Or the GVP version? Comment and let me know! Or just comment to say hi!!! ;D

Sebastian Potion 9 comes in both a 5 oz. bottle and 16.9 oz. tub w/ pump. The 5 oz. is around $18-$20, and the 16.9 oz. is around $30. If you really love the stuff, the tub is probably the better deal.

I hope you guys enjoyed this review, and don't forget to check out Recessionista's GVP review too! Take care of your hair, pretties! ...read more ⇒

Sebastian Trilliant Review

Hello everyone! Today I'll be reviewing Sebastian Trilliant--Thermal Protection and Shimmer Complex. The label states "Triple diamond shine for a sparkling glamorous style. Trilliant is a multifaceted complex that is especially designed to provide luscious shine with luscious body, light conditioning, and heat protection."

I have to say, Trilliant is becoming one of my favorite thermal protectors. It's super light, smells absolutely amazing (like fresh watermelons!), protects hair from heat styling in wet or dry hair, and makes hair shine like glass. Definitely a staple!

So what makes Trilliant so brilliant? Let's look at the ingredients: Water, Alcohol Denat., Isododecane, Dimethicone, Glycerin, VP/VA Copolymer. Alcohol Denat. is slightly drying when used on the skin, but used in hair products it is used to give hold. If you're someone that does not care to use products that contain alcohol, you're probably not going to use this, although products that are alcohol-free tend to be either very sticky or very greasy IMHO. I'm sure not every alcohol-free product is that way, but that's been my experience. Isododecane is usually used in creams in lotions to increase spreadability, but I suspect this is what's used to create the two-part system in Trilliant. Any further information please comment and let me know! :) Dimethicone as we all know is a silicone that conditions hair and adds shine. Glycerin is a humectant that locks in moisture in hair and skin. VP/VA Copolymer is another ingredient that adds body and gives a slight hold.

Sooo the downside to Trilliant is that it contains alcohol. If you're someone that hates using products that contain alcohol on your hair you're probably not going to buy this, which is unfortunate because I think Trilliant is a great product. I know alcohol isn't the best thing for your hair, but I don't think you're going to find something that's alcohol-free and works just as well... I certainly haven't found one. Alcohol is really only bad in large amounts, like using Isopropyl Alcohol on your skin--yikes! So really it's up to your personal preference. Have you found an alcohol-free product that is just great?! Comment and tell me about it!! I'd love to know.

Sebastian Trilliant comes in a 147 ml / 4.9 fl oz. bottle, and retails for around $15-$17. That's it for now! Take care of your hair everyone!!! 8-D

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Sebastian Cellophanes Review

Hello everyone! It's review time again! =) Today I'm reviewing Sebastian Cellophanes, the color I used is Pearl Blonde. Btw, does anyone spell blonde without the E? To me it doesn't look right... Anyways, Cellophanes are deposit-only, ammonia and peroxide free colors. There are 3 lines to choose from: Blonde, Red, and Brown, with 3 shades in each line, as well as a Clear shade. I bought the Pearl Blonde because I knew I'd be trying out on myself, and my other blonde pals.

The label says: "Cellophanes professional service is a translucent color revitalizer with a protein enriched formula infused with non-oxidative FDA cosmetic dyes and UV-light inhibitors to provide reflective brilliance and gorgeous color. CELLOPHANES PEARL BLONDE is Ammonia-Free and Peroxide-Free, for beautiful color, luxurious gloss, and the look of healthy hair. Level 8-12. For Professional Use Only." I have to say that I do agree with all their claims. I used Cellophanes on a friend of mine who has level 9 hair with level 10 highlights whose hair had gotten pretty brassy, and Cellophanes did an excellent job of getting rid of the brass and left her hair beautifully blonde and extremely shiny! I highly recommend the Pearl Blonde as a platinum toner or as a refresher for pale blondes.

Be warned though, if you are someone who can't use something with an unattractive scent, you might want to stay away from this. It's not the worst smell in the world... It reminds me of how that Elastic Bubblastic Plastic stuff smells. It's a little strong, but the results are worth it!

Sebastian Cellophanes is a professional product, although I've seen it online for around $35 (for 10 oz.) if you really want to have it at home. Any salon that uses Sebastian or Wella should have the service available for you. I highly recommend going between touch-ups to maintain your color's vibrancy and keep your hair looking healthy and shiny! Take care of your hair everyone! <3 ...read more ⇒