Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Most Used Products of 2011 - Hair

Looks gross, right? This is actually a peek inside a jar of Lush Cosmetics' BIG shampoo (24.95 USD, 11.4oz)! I will admit that it took me a while to try this one, but I am so happy that I did. Lush touts this shampoo as one to use for "mermaid inspired locks." I will concur. It is infused with salt, which is actually full of moisturizing minerals and also helps clarify the hair. Think about exfoliating your hair, but try not to get freaked out! It's not at all stripping, lathers well (LUSH shampoos are not free of sulfates), and leaves hair feeling splendidly fresh and clean. BIG is also packed with lime juice for shine and volume (and yummy sniffable goodness) as well as seaweed to soften locks. This jar is really packed with volumizing deliciousness!
Antiphilitron is a retro LUSH shampoo. I get it when I can, and I adore it. I really enjoy combining a bit of BIG and antiphilitron in my palm before shampooing. Veganese conditioner is an ideal treat for limp locks. It is lightweight and completely lanolin free. Some ingredients are: lemon juice, lavender, and rosemary. The smell is a bit musky to me, so I would have a sniff before springing for the largest bottle. LUSH liquid shampoos and conditioners range from 9.95 to 29.95 on average depending on size. Also, I cannot neglect to mention LUSH's brilliant solid shampoo bars. I have liked each I've tried. They are a must have for me on short trips, as I never have to consider what fluids I'm packing if I've got a solid shampoo and conditioner bar. Pictured is the NEW! solid shampoo bar (10.95US). It smells wonderfully of cinnamon, and I adore it. Another fave for me is ultimate shine. These bars last longer than you would expect, but again, they are not sulfate free, and I am not sure I would recommend them to anyone with colour treated hair.



Here are some other items I continually reach for through all of my other hair care purchases! An affordable solution for a cleansing shampoo ( everyone needs one to keep a handle on product buildup!) is Redken's cleansing cream. In my experience, it is less stripping than other versions like Neutrogena. That said, for a person without colour treated hair, Neutrogrena also offers wonderful clarifying shampoos.
For years, I have also continually used L'Oreal Professionnel's Serie Expert lines. I regret to tell you lovelies that they have discontinued their soleil line (I loved the UV protectant), but their sister company, Kérastase, still offers a soleil line for both sun protection as well as sun damage. L'Oreal's serie expert line still includes my two top picks: liss ultime and volume expand.
 The volume (green) shampoo is great and lightweight, but in my opinion, the purple bottle is more dynamic, for me. I love both the shampoo and the conditioning masque in the liss ultime line. This line is targeted toward smoothing unruly/curly hair. I have always found that the products, especially the serum, have helped my hair curl. For a person with unruly hair, it may also aid you in smoothing/straightening your hair through blow drying or pressing with a flat iron. This line uses argan oil, olive oil, patented INCELL technology, polytensium (ultra smoothing properties), as well as highly effective anti humectants to help beat frizz in the face of hellish humidity! Liss is definitely FranklyScarlett approved and highly recommended!

 I have to admit that I try to be pretty low maintenance with my hair. I do not stick to any one range of products for styling (or anything else for that matter!), but I do have a few constant faves and raves. Again returning to L'Oreal Professionnel, the Texture Expert styling line has been a wonderful innovation for their company in the last few years. They have products designed specifically for fine/limp, medium/thick, and course/rebellious hair types. Hey, there are some days when I just use the Aussie spray scrunch. It smells delicious, and despite the heavy amount of alcohol present, I love it on occasion. Still, despite the higher price point, L'Oreal's Texture Expert is outstanding. As a person with fine hair, I have to say that it is very difficult to both smooth and volumize hair. This line can really help you achieve both! Standout products for me are: Smooth Essence Weightless Smoother, Densite Thickening Primer, and the Volume Expansion Mousse. A+

I'm still in search of my holy grail heat protectant. I am so happy to have learned from one of you all that Pureology does in fact still have a product out. In the interim, I have enjoyed using CHI's heat protectant and GOT2B Guardian Angel.
That's a (somewhat) brief recap of my most reached for hair products from 2011. What were yours?!
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