Aveda Blue Malva Shampoo Review

Hey guys! Since I started working at an Aveda concept salon, I've really gotten to know a lot about Aveda, and their products. I could care less about the "natural" aspect that Aveda tries to portray, because that word is so over-used it's become virtually meaningless. I always have a bit of an attitude whenever any company, not just Aveda, tries to come off like their products are so organic and natural...yeah, sure. Because taking something out of the earth, processing it, and then putting a minuscule amount in a small, pleasantly shaped bottle along with 50 other ingredients is the absolute epitome of "natural." But hey, I'm always willing to put all my feelings aside and try something new...whether it's "organic" or not. Forgetting all those eco-friendly words for a second, Aveda is actually a nice brand, and I genuinely like a lot of their products. I would just like them more if they were honest with both the consumers and the professionals, like me.

Today I'm reviewing Blue Malva Shampoo, a blue-violet tinted shampoo for blonde, grey, and other cool-toned hair shades. First of all, the Cherry Almond Bark scent is AMAZING not to mention totally addictive. Apparently Aveda used to make a whole line of Cherry Almond Bark products..? I don't know why they chose to discontinue them, because I can't imagine anyone not liking the way it smells. Anyway, I was turned on to Blue Malva after I chose to get blonde highlights in my hair again (I, um, get bored with my hair color very easily..). After one of the stylists in my salon used it on me, I was hooked. Not only did it cleanse my hair just right and smell incredible, it visibly toned down the brass in my hair that I'm very susceptible to. So I've pretty much been using it every day, to keep the brass away, and my blonde still cool-toned, but...I think it worked a little too well. It's not something that you notice at first, or even at all in my case. But yesterday, I got a few more highlights put in my hair, and I couldn't believe the difference! The old highlights looked way too dull compared to my new very bright, very blonde ones! This has never happened to me with a violet shampoo before, and then it hit me - it's not called Blue Malva for nothing. That's why my hair got so drab, it's all the blue pigments! I'm used to violet shampoos that are, well, violet. Blue Malva is much stronger than I thought, which I love, just not for every day. However, if I had more of a cool-toned dark ash blonde hair color, or even if I had brown hair but disliked any sort of red reflections in it, I would definitely use Blue Malva often. Blonde hair is just a bit more porous so it takes in color easier, that's why my hair turned so ashy. I'm still gonna keep using it, and I'll definitely get more once I run out.

Here's the ingredient list:

Aqueous (Water/Aqua/Eau) Extracts/Extraits Aqueux: Malva Sylvestris (Mallow) Leaf Powder, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Shell Powder, Prunus Serotina (Wild Cherry) Bark Extract, Centaurea Cyanus Flower Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Ammonium Lauryl Sulfate, Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate, Lauramidopropyl Betaine, Wheat Amino Acids, Panthenol, Tocopherol, Babassuamidopropyl Betaine, PEG-6 Cocamide, Dimethicone PEG-7 Cocoate, Cocamidopropyl PG-Dimonium Chloride Phosphate, Polyquaternium-10, Isostearamidopropyl Morpholine Lactate, Glycerin, Fragrance (Parfum), Geraniol, Linalool, Limonene, Glycine Soja (Soybean) Oil, Sodium Chloride, Polysorbate 80, Maltodextrin, Tetrasodium EDTA, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Methylchloroisothiazolinone, Methylisothiazolinone, Annato (CI 75120), Ext. Violet 2 (CI 60730).

And without all the puffery:

Ammonium Lauryl Sulfate, Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate, Lauramidopropyl Betaine, Wheat Amino Acids, Panthenol, Tocopherol, Babassuamidopropyl Betaine, PEG-6 Cocamide, Dimethicone PEG-7 Cocoate, Cocamidopropyl PG-Dimonium Chloride Phosphate, Polyquaternium-10, Isostearamidopropyl Morpholine Lactate, Sodium Chloride, Polysorbate 80, Maltodextrin, Tetrasodium EDTA, Annatto (CI 75120), Ext. Violet 2 (CI 60730).

A pretty basic, gentle shampoo. Ammonium Lauryl Sulfate, Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate, Lauramidopropyl Betaine, Babassuamidopropyl Betaine, PEG-6 Cocamide, Dimethicone PEG-7 Cocoate, Cocamidopropyl PG-Dimonium Chloride Phosphate are all surfactants, foaming agents, cleansers, etc. Wheat Amino Acids, Panthenol, and Tocopherol are conditioning agents. Polyquaternium-10 and Isostearamidopropyl Morpholine Lactate both prevent static electricity when used in hair care products, but Polyquaternium-10 also enhances the look and feel of hair, as well as making damaged hair feel healthier. Sodium Chloride is used to thicken many cosmetics and personal care products that are water-based. Polysorbate 80 is an emulsifier; it helps to mix other ingredients that normally wouldn't mix at all. Maltodextrin is a binding agent and emulsion stabilizer, but could also be used as a film former or conditioning agent. Tetrasodium EDTA is usually found in soaps. It can prevent hard water from not creating foam, and increase the lather effect. Annatto (CI 75120) and Ext. Violet 2 (CI 60730) are colorants that I would usually leave out, but they're what gives Blue Malva that blue-violet tint. Annatto is actually an orange/red color...maybe it's to control the blue? I'm not a chemist, so I don't know.

Again, I'll say this is good for blondes that like cool tones in their hair, just don't use it every day. If you have darker blonde or brown hair, but don't like getting any warmth, I'd suggest you try this. It does have Ammonium Lauryl Sulfate and Sodium Chloride, so this shampoo is not safe for keratin treated hair.

Aveda Blue Malva shampoo is now only available in a liter size, and retails on the Aveda website for $31.50. So if you're interested, stop in to your local Aveda salon or store and pick some up! I've got some new products by Keratin Complex that I'm loving and will definitely do a review soon. Take care of your hair everyone! [: ...read more ⇒

Joico K-PAK Revitaluxe review

Hey guys! So, as soon as you're done reading this, you NEED to go out and buy this. Read fast.

It's the latest addition to Joico's K-PAK line: Revitaluxe...*the crowd oohs and ahhs* But seriously, it's the closest you'll get to actually "repairing" your fried, damaged hair. Yeah that's right, I said it. Because in today's world, unless you never color your hair AND wear it in a tight Lilith Sternin-Crane bun, your hair is probably damaged. Blowdryers, curling irons, flat irons, wavers, crimpers, rollers, color, bleach, perms, relaxers...it's just how it is today and there's no getting around it. BUT - you can at least try and mend the situation...and here we are. Revitaluxe.

All jokes aside, I really do love this. It's like having the power of K-PAK Reconstruct AND a really good deep conditioner all-in-one! I can't think of any hair type that wouldn't benefit from this. Besides, it just looks and feels luxurious...don't you just love that?

Here's the ingredients:

Water, Glycerin, Behentrimonium Chloride, Amodimethicone, Propylene Glycol, Jojoba Seed Oil, Stearamidopropyl Dimethylamine, PEG-8 Distearate, Sorbitol, Sodium Chloride, Glycol Stearate, Ceteth-2, Tetrapeptide-28 Argininamide, Tetrapeptide-29 Argininamide, Pentapeptide-29 Cysteinamide, Pentapeptide-30, Keratin Amino Acids, Hydrolyzed Keratin, Cocodimonium Hydroxypropyl Hydrolyzed Keratin, Hydrolyzed Keratin PG-Propyl Methylsilanediol, Aleurites Moluccana Seed Oil, Evening Primrose Oil, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Tocopheryl Acetate, Psidium Guajava Fruit Extract, Allantoin, Myristyl Myristate, Glycolipids, BIS-Iso-Butyl PEG/PPG-20/35/Amodimethicone Copolymer, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Thioctic Acid, Hyaluronic Acid, Cetyl Ethylhexaonate, Stearyl Alcohol, Sorbic Acid, Cetyl Alcohol, Citric Acid, Polyquaternium-10, Cetrimonium Chloride, Butylene Glycol, Polysorbate 80, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Trideceth-12, Isopropyl Alcohol, Sodium Hydroxide, Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate, Diazolidinyl Urea, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, Butylphenyl Methylpropional, Geraniol, Limonene, Fragrance, Yellow 5 (CI 19140), Red (CI14700)

And here's the important stuff:

Water, Glycerin, Behentrimonium Chloride, Amodimethicone, Propylene Glycol, Jojoba Seed Oil, Stearamidopropyl Dimethylamine, PEG-8 Distearate, Sorbitol, Sodium Chloride, Glycol Stearate, Ceteth-2, Tetrapeptide-28 Argininamide, Tetrapeptide-29 Argininamide, Pentapeptide-29 Cysteinamide, Pentapeptide-30, Keratin Amino Acids, Hydrolyzed Keratin, Cocodimonium Hydroxypropyl Hydrolyzed Keratin, Hydrolyzed Keratin PG-Propyl Methylsilanediol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Allantoin, Myristyl Myristate, Glycolipids, BIS-Iso-Butyl PEG/PPG-20/35/Amodimethicone Copolymer, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Thioctic Acid, Hyaluronic Acid, Cetyl Ethylhexaonate, Stearyl Alcohol, Cetyl Alcohol, Polyquaternium-10, Cetrimonium Chloride, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Trideceth-12

Water: the base for almost every hair product on the market. Glycerin, Behentrimonium Chloride, Glycol Stearate, and Amodimethicone are conditioning agents. Jojoba Seed Oil would usually be excluded from this list, but in my opinion I've found it's quite an effective conditioning agent when it's in a higher concentration like this. Stearamidopropyl Dimethylamine is a cationic surfactant that binds to the hair to smooth and add slip. It's a popular alternative to traditional silicones, but some say less effective. PEG-8 Distearate is an emulsifier, they make sure all the other ingredients get along. Sorbitol is a humectant found in many plants and berries. It helps to retain moisture in hair and gives a velvety feeling to skin...it's also used as a sugar substitute. Isn't that fun? Tetrapeptide-28 Argininamide, Tetrapeptide-29 Argininamide, Pentapeptide-29 Cysteinamide, Pentapeptide-30, Keratin Amino Acids, Hydrolyzed Keratin, Cocodimonium Hydroxypropyl Hydrolyzed Keratin, Hydrolyzed Keratin PG-Propyl Methylsilanediol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Allantoin, Glycolipids, BIS-Iso-Butyl PEG/PPG-20/35/Amodimethicone Copolymer, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Thioctic Acid, Hyaluronic Acid are all very long complicated words, but they're really what sets this product apart. The Allantoin softens all the Keratin this product has, while Glycolipids and Tocopheryl Acetate (vitamin E) also help to "repair" damaged hair strands. I put "repair" in quotes because technically there's no repairing hair, but this product comes pretty close to doing it. Myristyl Myristate is an emulsion enhancer, but it's also used to give products a white, glossy look...which this product has if you've noticed. I wish I had the patience to sit down and give you all a lenghty, detailed version of every ingredient that's in every product I review..but I can only take so much typing at one time. Especially when I write in the middle of the night (thank the computer god sfor spell-check).


Who would I recommend this to? Anyone with damaged hair, especially chemically lightened or over-processed hair. Nothing reverses extreme damage, but with continued use this definitely helps get your hair back to (somewhat) normal. And that's all you can ask of any hair product.


Joico K-PAK Revitaluxe comes in a 5.1 fl. oz. bottle, and retails for around $22.95.

The salon I'm working at is Aveda concept, so I'm really getting into some of their products. Look for those soon...seriously, I mean it this time.

Take care of your hair! XO-Anthony

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Redken Nature's Rescue Speed Review.

Hey guys! So listen, I know you all want me to go totally in-depth about these Redken Nature's Rescue products, but...I don't really feel like it lol. That's a lot of work for products that I don't use very often -- but only because they're just not for me. Also, the fact that I have about 1000 other products to use helps. SO! I will talk about the ingredients, but only a little bit. Feel free to leave me a comment if you have any additional questions and I'll be happy to answer!

First off, the Refreshing Detox Shampoo. Here's the ingredient list:

Water, Sodium Methyl Cocoyltaurate, Laureth-5 Carboxylic Acid, Sodium Chloride, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Glycerin, Parfum, PEG-150 Distearate, Sodium benzoate, Sodium Lauroyl Glutamate, Lactic Acid, Polyquaternium-10, Salicylic Acid, Menthol, Aloe Barbadensis/Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Benzyl Salicylate, Hexyl Cinnamal, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Citronellol, Linalool, Sodium Hydroxide.

Minus the fluff:

Water, Sodium Methyl Cocoyltaurate, Laureth-5 Carboxylic Acid, Sodium Chloride, PEG-150 Distearate, Sodium Lauroyl Glutamate, Lactic Acid, Polyquaternium-10, Salicylic Acid.

It's a pretty good sulfate-free shampoo, that's perfect for all you lather haters out there. It barely lathers at all, yet leaves your hair feeling clean. I'd definitely recommend it to anyone looking for a sulfate-free shampoo. Also, if you have fine hair, I'd give this a shot. It's very light and will not weigh your hair down. All the products have the same kind of oceany, beachy scent. It's a refreshing change! The retail price is $16.

Next, the Refining Sea Polish:

water, pumice, cetearyl alcohol, dipalmitoylethyl hydroxyethylmonium methosulfate, hydroxethylcellulose, glyceryl stearate, glycerin, caprylyl glycol, cetrimonium chloride, parfum, hydroxypropyl guar, algae/algae extract, aloe barbadensis/aloe barbadensis leaf juice, citric acid, hydroylzed soy protein, benzyl salicylate, hexyl cinnamal, citronellol, linalool, eugenol, geraniol, limonene.

Minus the fluff:

Water, Pumice, Cetearyl Alcohol, Dipalmitoylethyl Hydroxyethylmonium Methosulfate, Hydroxethylcellulose, Glyceryl Stearate, Caprylyl Glycol, Cetrimonium Chloride.

If you're only going to get one product -- GET THIS! I use it all the time! I know the pumice sounds scary, but it leaves your hair feeling soooo soft and shiny! Almost like I don't even need conditioner after I use it (but of course I do anyway). I kind of just massage it into my scalp for a couple minutes, then pull it through to the rest of my hair. Definitely a must-have in my shower. The retail price is $19.

Next, the Cooling Deep Conditioner:

water, hydroxypropyl starch phosphate, quaternium-87, stearyl alcohol, behentrimonium chloride, glycerin, propylene glycol, phenoxyethanol, caprylyl glycol, parfum, isopropyl alcohol, candelilla Wax, benzoic acid, aloe barbadensis/aloe barbadensis leaf juice, menthol, sodium hydroxide, algae/algae extract, hydrolyzed soy protein, benzyl salicylate, hexyl cinnamal, citronellol, linalool, 2-oleamido-1,3-octadecanediol, CI 42090/blue.

Minus the fluff:

Water, Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate, Quaternium-87, Stearyl Alcohol, Behentrimonium Chloride, Propylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Benzoic Acid, 2-Oleamido-1,3-Octadecanediol.

The Cooling Deep Conditioner is...okay. Definitely didn't feel the cooling effect, and my hair didn't feel like it had been deep conditioned, just plain conditioned. But that's just my experience with it. Maybe I was expecting more, who knows. But there's certainly nothing wrong with it, and I've even heard it's useful for co-washing and even as a a hand lotion! The retail price is $17.

Finally, the Radiant Sea Spray:

Water, Alcohol Denat., PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Parfum, Glycerin, Sodium Chloride, Phenoxyethanol, Sea Salt, Magnesium Sulfate, Caprylyl Glycol, Polyquaternium-11, Polyquaternium-4, Ethylhexylglycerin, Benzyl Salicylate, Hexyl Cinnamal, Linalool, Citronellol, Limonene, Algae Extract, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Eugenol, Benzyl Alcohol, Geraniol.

Minus the fluff:

Water, Alcohol Denat., PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Glycerin, Sodium Chloride, Phenoxyethanol, Sea Salt, Magnesium Sulfate, Caprylyl Glycol, Polyquaternium-11, Polyquaternium-4, 

Usually I'm the first one to say that all sea salt sprays are the same -- this one is totally different. I would actually describe this as hair fragrance that also texturizes like a day at the beach. See, it's got these tiny little micro beads of fragrance that attach to your hair, and the more you play with your hair, the more you'll smell it. I personally have used it a lot, and it does work! In one day, I went tanning, shopping, out to eat, and did hair and by the end of the night I could still smell it! The Radiant Sea Spray is a close second to the Refining Sea Polish. The retail price is $17.

So there you have it! Again, any comment me if you have any questions about any of the products! Or just comment about anything. You guys keep me going!

Stay tuned for more product reviews, and always remember to take care of your hair! ...read more ⇒

CHI Orbit Double Dramatics Review

Hey everyone! Sorry I've been away for so long... a lot's happened. As you might know, I'm constantly on the lookout for a job in a salon...doing hair in my kitchen isn't as lucrative as I'd like it to be. And.. it's hard to write about my love for the hair industry and review all these products while being unemployed, you know? I'll try to be more frequent with my updates, for real this time.

Anyway, today I'm reviewing the CHI Orbit Double Dramatics curling iron. It's basically a clipless waving iron. I'm ALWAYS on the lookout for a good waving iron that gives true "S" waves instead of the usual shallow crimpy waves most waving irons give. Unfortunately, I was disappointed. While the waves the iron made weren't quite as sharp as other wavers I've tried, it's still not the effect I was looking for. It reminds me of the way Madonna or Britney Spears wears their hair in those tight waves, you know? I think if the rods were spaced farther apart and were a bit thicker in diameter it would've been perfect, but oh well. I'll be returning it this weekend. But, just for fun, I waved one of my mannequin heads to show you all the effect it gives. This iron might not be what I'm looking for, but it might be for you!

See what I mean? I mean it's cute and all, but the waves aren't as deep as I want. But what do you think? If that's the effect you want, I say go for it! The iron itself takes a little getting used to because it doesn't have a clamp, but you get it after a while. Also, the red part between the iron and the switch gets VERY hot, so be careful.

The MSRP of the iron is $205.00, but I've never seen it anywhere that high. I'd guess it's somewhere around $150.00 but shop around and I'm sure you'll get a better price than that. Well that's all for now. Stay tuned!



Oh yeah, and it came with this cool thermal glove. I think it belonged to Michael Jackson.

On a completely unrelated note, go out and pick up this month's issue of ELLE magazine. Gwen Stefani, my queen, is on the cover!

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Redken Nature's Rescue First Glance Review

Hey everyone! Today I'm doing a quick first glance review of the brand new Redken Nature's Rescue products. This is Redken's venture into "natural" hair products, boasting absolutely no parabens, sulfates, and silicones. You all know how I feel about all this anti-sulfate propaganda business, and how it's a big crock, so I'll spare you. But I will tell you that so far I'm loving these products! I've been using them for almost a week now, and have had great results. The products pictured on the left in the stylist intro kit I bought are: Radiant Sea Spray, Refreshing Detox Shampoo, Cooling Deep Conditioner, and Refining Sea Polish (the little packets in the back).

Obviously the most unique product in the collection is the Refining Sea Polish. It's advertised as a gentle hair exfoliant, enriched with pumice to remove impurities and refine the hair surface leaving it smooth and shiny. It's such an interesting experience to exfoliate your hair! I can tell this won't be a product that everyone will like, because it really does exfoliate your hair to give you that squeaky clean feeling, and not everyone likes that. I however, love it! It makes my hair feel very smooth, like it buffs off my dead ends and makes my hair feel healthier.

 Another interesting product is the Radiant Sea Spray. It's a multi-functional texture spray that uses time-touch fragrance technology to release a burst of fresh ocean-y fragrance (kind of like those candles that are supposed to smell like the ocean or rain or something, but better) every time you touch your hair. It really works, trust me. The other day (1/20 I think it was) I sprayed it in my hair at around 11AM after I showered and got ready and stuff, and I made it a point to play with my hair all day. After going to lunch at Red Lobster, tanning, and shopping for a couple hours, I could still smell it up until around 5PM! I absolutely loved having my hair smell fresh all day! And it's so lightweight that I could re-apply it later without my hair feeling heavy and gross, you know?

As for the Refreshing Detox Shampoo, it's different than any shampoo I own. For a sulfate-free shampoo, it cleans your hair pretty well. It also doesn't really lather at all, which kind of bothers me because I like a shampoo that has a rich lather. But after I rinse it out my hair does feel just as clean as if I used a shampoo that does lather, so I'll give it that. But combined with the Refining Sea Polish, they make a great pair.

The Cooling Deep Conditioner is also pretty great for having no silicones. It moisturizes my hair very well, and smells great. I don't really get the cooling effect though. It's supposed to rebalance the moisture in your hair while cooling your scalp, but I haven't really felt it. Which is surprising because it contains menthol, and I usually feel menthol in my products right away. Considering I'm such a hot head, I'm surprised I don't feel it. But maybe you will.

Anyway, those are my first impressions of the new Redken Nature's Rescue collection. What do you think? Anything look interesting? I know I'll be getting the full sizes pretty soon! As always, comment and tell me your thoughts or questions! Take care of your hair everyone! XOXO ...read more ⇒

HAUL!

Hey everyone! Time for another haul! I noticed tonight that I've gotten a lot of new stuff lately, but I haven't posted a haul in a long time! So I gathered up all the new products I've gotten recentlly (at least I think that's all of it), and put it together for you all.

Starting from the top left: S-Factor Vivacious Hairspray (re-purchase), Matrix Design Pulse Hard Lock Hairspray, KMS Makeover Spray (re-purchase), Bed Head Colour Combat Dumb Blonde Leave-In Conditioner, Catwalk Sleek Mystique Look-Lock Hairspray, Catwalk Sleek Mystique Haute Iron Spray, Catwalk Sleek Mystique Fast Fixx Style Prep (the old Fast Fixx re-packaged), Catwalk Sleek Mystique Blow Out Balm.

From the middle left: HerCut Normal-Dry Shampoo, HerCut Medium Conditioner, It's a 10 Miracle Texture Fiber, Matrix Design Pulse Rock N' Hold Gel, Redken Real Control Slim Supreme Serum, Redken Nature's Rescue Stylist Kit including: Nature's Rescue Detox Shampoo, Nature's Rescue Refining Sea Polish, Nature's Rescue Cooling Deep Conditioner, and Nature's Rescue Radiant Sea Spray.

From the bottom left: It's a 10 Miracle Leave-In Plus Keratin, Biosilk Silk Therapy, Rockaholic Rock Out Shine Blaster, White Sands Porosity The Fix, Matrix Design Pulse Go Big Extra Strong Hold Mousse, Matrix Design Pulse Fiber Shuffle, CHI Silk Infusion.

My friend G. over at Nouveau Cheap has been DYING for me to review the new Redken Nature's Rescue products, so I'll be posting a first glance review on all four tomorrow, with more detailed reviews coming later after I've tested them thouroughly (namely the Refining Sea Polish). The It's a 10 plus Keratin is formulated for people who have keratin straightening treatments done to their hair. You can tell it's different cos the texture actually looks like a leave-in, whereas the original has the texture of a deep conditioner. The Bed Head Colour Combat line is pretty new. There are two lines: Colour Goddess and Dumb Blonde. I think they might be phasing out the Brunette Goddess and original Dumb Blonde lines, but I'm not sure. Another new product is Redken Slim Supreme Slimming Serum. I love the Real Control line, and so far I really like this. I'm totally reviewing this soon. I always wanted to try Biosilk Silk Therapy and CHI Silk Infusion since they seem to be so popular. I don't know how I never got around to getting them before. Oh and I'm loving these Matrix Design Pulse Products. The hairspray works great and the mousse gives a lot of volume while leaving hair soft and lightweight.The Catwalk Sleek Mystique products are great too! They all smell so sensual and seductive, and they work amazingly well. They're all lightweight and make it way easy to straighten your hair. Fast Fixx was one of my favorites in the old Catwalk line, so I'm glad they just re-packaged it and didn't change the formula. The Haute Iron Spray is great too, it makes your hair super straight and shine like glass. And I've been wanting to try White Sands Porosity The Fix for a long time! They call it makeup for hair - it's supposed to conceal the imperfections in every hair strand and prime your hair for your styling products. It can also be used in color or lightener formulations!

Anything look interesting? Have you tried any of these? As always feel free to post a question or comment! And be sure to look for my first glance review of the new Redken Nature's Rescue products tomorrow, and take care of your hair! ...read more ⇒

HerCut Normal-Dry Shampoo Review

Hey guys! So I was browsing through Marshall's the other day and came across a bunch of HerCut products at like, ridiculously low prices! I got the Normal-Dry Shampoo and the Medium Conditioner for $4.50 each! I think they retail at Sephora for like $20! Crazy right? Anyway, I love the shampoo but the conditioner just wasn't for me. It's not bad or anything, it just wasn't moisturizing enough for my dry, chemically-processed hair. So I don't think I'll be reviewing it.

HerCut Normal-Dry Shampoo boasts:

• Sulfate free color safe technology
• Strengthens roots to bring out the best in your haircut
• Maximizes color vibrance
• Paraben free

I actually really like this shampoo, bloated claims and all! It moisturizes my hair while effectively cleansing it without the use of sulfates. Not that I buy into all this anti-sulfate propaganda, but for those of you who do I highly recommend this! It also smells pretty good, it kinda reminds me of suntan lotion. Like Coppertone or Banana Boat or something. Anyway, let's break down the ingredients:

The full list:

Purified Water, Cocoamidopropyl Betaine, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Sodium Methyl-2-Sulfolaurate, Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate, Disodium Lauroamphodiacetate, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, Disodium 2-Sulfolaurate, Sodium Cocoyl Glycinate, Glycol Stearate, Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Polyquaternium-47, Butylene Glycol, Sodium PCA, Panthenol, PEG-150 Pentaerythrityl Tetrastearate, Polyquaternium-7, Fragrance, Glycerin, Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein PG-Propyl Silanetriol, Arginine, Polyquaternium-59, Aspartic Acid, PCA, Glycine, Chlorella Pyrenoidosa Extract, Alanine, Citric Acid, Sodium Lauryl Sulfoacetate, Serine, Valine, Sodium Lactate, Irish Moss (Chondrus Crispus) Extract, Proline, Sugar Kelp (Laminaria Saccharina) Extract, Threonine, Isoleucine, DMDM Hydantoin, Histidine, Brown Seaweed (Undaria Pinnatifida) Extract, Phenylalanine, Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate, Disodium EDTA.

Without the fluff:

Purified Water, Cocoamidopropyl Betaine, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Sodium Methyl-2-Sulfolaurate, Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate, Disodium Lauroamphodiacetate, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, Disodium 2-Sulfolaurate, Sodium Cocoyl Glycinate, Glycol Stearate, Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Polyquaternium-47, Butylene Glycol, Sodium PCA, Panthenol, PEG-150 Pentaerythrityl Tetrastearate, Polyquaternium-7, Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein PG-Propyl Silanetriol, Arginine, Polyquaternium-59, Aspartic Acid, PCA, Glycine, Alanine, Sodium Lauryl Sulfoacetate, Serine, Valine, Sodium Lactate, Proline, Threonine, Isoleucine, Histidine, Phenylalanine, Disodium EDTA.

Basically what we have is a bunch of very gentle, non-sulfate cleansers, proteins, a ton of amino acids, and a few moisturizers here and there. Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate is an ingredient that comes from coconut oil, that cleans hair by helping water to mix with dirt and oil and be rinsed away. Cocoamidopropyl Betaine and Sodium Lauryl Sulfoacetate are foaming agents - and there is a lot of foam for a sulfate-free shampoo! It's not necessary, it's just added for the effect that consumers expect. See all those words that end in "-ine?" Those are amino acids. HerCut is big on using amino acids in their products. According to them they use this thing called Proprietary Multi Micro-Molecular Amino-Plex Technology. I'm not familiar with HerCut, but it sounds like a gimmick to me. But listen, I don't know if all those amino acids really help that much in a rinse-off product like this, but it certainly can't hurt. Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein and Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein PG-Propyl Silanetriol are used to try and add protein to hair that's been lost. Sodium PCA is a humectant and anti-static agent, PEG-150 Pentaerythrityl Tetrastearate is an emulsifier, Sodium Lactate is a hygroscopic (moisture attracting) agent, and Disodium EDTA is a chelating agent (make the product work better in hard water) and stabilizer. I know I didn't cover everything, but questions and comments are always welcome!

I'd honestly recommend this shampoo to anyone, unless you have very oily hair. Personally, I like a shampoo that lathers nicely, and gets my hair clean without making it squeeeaky clean, and that's exactly what this does! I'm pretty sure if I had very healthy hair, I could use this shampoo and not need conditioner. However, my fondness for chemicals and heat tools isn't going away anytime soon so I might never know. BUT! My hair is the healthiest it's been since...before I went platinum blonde/white again last summer. Right now my hair is very dark (about a level two) and I'm just gonna let it grow out until I'm au naturale again. No, really, I mean it this time...

HerCut Normal-Dry Shampoo comes in a 10 oz. / 300 mL bottle, and retails for $22 at Sephora, but like I said - I found it at Marshall's for $4.50! So keep your eyes open, and take care of your hair!

EDIT: Just realized this was my 100th post! Yay me! :)

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