Beauty Empties | February 2013: Haircare Special

This February empties post is ridiculously late, but I'm sure you'll forgive me as it's a haircare special! My March review will be up very soon also.  As a point of reference, my hair is pretty normal; greasy roots, dry ends (from the constant washing to get rid of oily roots) and easily tamable.

Liz Earle Botanical Shine Shampoo & Conditioner* - no repurchase

For a shampoo that doesn't contain Sodium Lauryl/Laureth Sulphate we actually got on pretty well. While it didn't give my hair the cleanse of the century, it's good for everyday washes where I don't need a very strong detergent. It contains shea butter, apple and orange extracts, making it both nourishing and shine-enhancing.  It's £8.75 and although it claims a little goes a long way, I didn't find this the case and probably won't repurchase.  I definitely wouldn't repurchase the conditioner either because it wasn't very...erm...conditioning! (despite it being aimed at dry/damaged hair).  However, it is apparently colour-safe, not a concern for me as I don't colour mine anymore.  I'd rather invest in a tub of the legendary Kerastase Masquintense (review).

Kerastase Nectar Thermique* - definite repurchase 

This stuff is amazing.  A slightly more high brow version of L'Oreal Elvive Renutrition serum which is divine but doesn't have the heat protection properties of Nectar Thermique.  This stuff smells amazing, you only need a small blob and it is ideal for fine hair which can flag under heavy hair oils. When I had this, it was my one stop shop for hair styling, I didn't need anything else. It's around £15, but well worth it as it lasts a couple of months (I wash my hair practically every day).

Elvive Nourish & Shimmer Highlights Serum - no repurchase

This is a bog standard serum with that lovely smell of the Elvive Renutrition range. I can't tell you how long it took me to get through the bottle, but no doubt it's been through a repackaging.  I found it a little too heavy for daytime use so ended up smoothing it through my ends before bed and using it as an overnight leave-in treatment before washing out in the morning.  

L'Oreal Professionnel Mythic Oil* - maybe repurchase

This was the first hair oil I tried and it's a pretty decent offering.  Moroccan Oil is far too heavy for my hair but Mythic Oil is just the right consistency when used on wet hair.  The only thing off-putting is the scent: it's just not feminine enough for me.  L'Oreal have since brought out a cheaper Elvive version and there's no discernible difference in performance.  You can pick up Mythic Oil for around £16.

John Frieda Blonder - no repurchase

This shampoo does lighten your hair over time, and it was fine while I had highlights, but they've pretty much grown out now.  If you're looking to lighten your hair, leave it to the professionals because this shampoo lightens indiscriminately and leaves hair looking brassy.  Worst of all, I found it a little corrosive.  I wouldn't recommend using it in the shower as it will really dry out your skin.  Definitely give this one a miss. If you're blonde you're better off trying the purple tone correcting range.

Aveda Dry Remedy Shampoo* - no repurchase

This is possibly the worst shampoo I've ever used.  It feels like a body cream and fails at shifting grease at the roots (nice!).  I can only see this working for someone with haystack hair who suffers from chronically dry tresses.  At around £20 for 200mls, this is a definite non repurchase.

What's your top haircare discovery of late? Let me know in the comments!

follow this blog| bloglovin' | twitter | facebook | hellocotton | instagram | lifestyle blog | pinterest