Since the weather got a bit warmer about 6 weeks ago, I've been trying out a few new conditioners on my hair. I have highlighted hair which seems to behave very differently in the sunny summer months than in the winter – often in need of moisture and detangling, but very easily turning greasy if I over-condition.
Lovea Bio Tahitian Monoi Conditioner £5.49 for 150ml at mypure.co.uk
This time last year I reviewed a Lovea shampoo made with Argan oil. I really rated it as an organic product although, admittedly, I never bought more of it, so I can't have been totally won over. I've now tried out the Lovea Bio Conditioner and I feel the same way.
For an Organic, SLS-free hair product I'm really impressed at it's effectiveness. It competes well with the salon and high-street brands I use that are packed full of nasties. The tahitian monoi oil with which it is made has a heavenly, tropical scent and is a natural emolliant so it forms a protective barrier over the hair.
I've found that I have to use quite a volume of the conditioner to make my hair tangle-free but that using a large amount of it means my hair gets greasy quite quickly after use (I'm talking a day and a half). Before that point though, my hair feels really great and keeps a lot of its natural shine.
The product is french and the english translation describes it as a comb-out conditioner which worried me for a little while that I was meant to leave it on my hair and not rinse it out. My rudimentary french allowed me to read the instructions to work out that I DID need to rinse it out – the comb-out refers to the intensive treatment you can get by combing it right through to the ends of your hair before rinsing.
A'Kin Avocado and Calendula Conditioner £10.49 for 225ml at mypure.co.uk
I'm also not a stranger to A'Kin products – I love their natural ingredients and well thought out combinations of essential oils. The previous conditioner of theirs that I tried (Jojoba & Lavender) left me feeling underwhelmed with everything other than the sensational scent.
I chose the Avocado & Calendula conditioner this time for a bit of a change because my hair tends to be a lot drier in the summer and the Avocado oil is intended to combat this. The conditioner is really nice and thick and creamy, but is still easy to squeeze out of the bottle.
I've learned that with A'Kin products, a little goes a long way so I only need a tiny amount of conditioner to make my hair smooth and tangle free.
The scent is largely of calendula and geranium (both essential oils that I really like, which is handy) – it is an almost buttery floral smell. All of the ingredients are natural and come from cold-pressed organic Australian plants.
I'm enjoying using this conditioner as I find it really easy to manage my hair but, once again, it doesn't leave me feeling wowed. Maybe I'm expecting too much from a conditioner?
Wen Re-Moist Intensive Hair Treatment – Sweet Almond Mint £18.95 for 112g
At this time of year, when my highlighted hair starts to dry out for the summer, I like to use the occasional deep conditioning treatment on my hair.
The Wen Re-Moist intensive hair treatment is a thick cream, almost solid (but not quite). It is designed for use on dry, damaged, coloured or chemically-treated hair and claims to bring back your hair's natural shine and strength.
I properly love the smell of the treatment, it is minty and refreshing and very relaxing to sit there in the bath with it piled on your head! The treatment is easy to use – slather on, wait, rinse. Easy.
Unlike many other intensive conditioners that I've used, it doesn't leave my hair feeling heavy or thick the day after – just refreshed.
The downside is that it is pretty expensive unless you want to sign up to the Wen monthly package and as I have yet to try the Wen Cleansing Conditioner (for which Wen is better known) I'm not sure I'm ready to take that step. Another downside is that I rather suspect that the ingredients are not as natural, organic or skin-friendly as the other two conditioners!
Lovea Bio Tahitian Monoi Conditioner £5.49 for 150ml at mypure.co.uk
This time last year I reviewed a Lovea shampoo made with Argan oil. I really rated it as an organic product although, admittedly, I never bought more of it, so I can't have been totally won over. I've now tried out the Lovea Bio Conditioner and I feel the same way.
For an Organic, SLS-free hair product I'm really impressed at it's effectiveness. It competes well with the salon and high-street brands I use that are packed full of nasties. The tahitian monoi oil with which it is made has a heavenly, tropical scent and is a natural emolliant so it forms a protective barrier over the hair.
I've found that I have to use quite a volume of the conditioner to make my hair tangle-free but that using a large amount of it means my hair gets greasy quite quickly after use (I'm talking a day and a half). Before that point though, my hair feels really great and keeps a lot of its natural shine.
The product is french and the english translation describes it as a comb-out conditioner which worried me for a little while that I was meant to leave it on my hair and not rinse it out. My rudimentary french allowed me to read the instructions to work out that I DID need to rinse it out – the comb-out refers to the intensive treatment you can get by combing it right through to the ends of your hair before rinsing.
A'Kin Avocado and Calendula Conditioner £10.49 for 225ml at mypure.co.uk
I'm also not a stranger to A'Kin products – I love their natural ingredients and well thought out combinations of essential oils. The previous conditioner of theirs that I tried (Jojoba & Lavender) left me feeling underwhelmed with everything other than the sensational scent.
I chose the Avocado & Calendula conditioner this time for a bit of a change because my hair tends to be a lot drier in the summer and the Avocado oil is intended to combat this. The conditioner is really nice and thick and creamy, but is still easy to squeeze out of the bottle.
I've learned that with A'Kin products, a little goes a long way so I only need a tiny amount of conditioner to make my hair smooth and tangle free.
The scent is largely of calendula and geranium (both essential oils that I really like, which is handy) – it is an almost buttery floral smell. All of the ingredients are natural and come from cold-pressed organic Australian plants.
I'm enjoying using this conditioner as I find it really easy to manage my hair but, once again, it doesn't leave me feeling wowed. Maybe I'm expecting too much from a conditioner?
Wen Re-Moist Intensive Hair Treatment – Sweet Almond Mint £18.95 for 112g
At this time of year, when my highlighted hair starts to dry out for the summer, I like to use the occasional deep conditioning treatment on my hair.
The Wen Re-Moist intensive hair treatment is a thick cream, almost solid (but not quite). It is designed for use on dry, damaged, coloured or chemically-treated hair and claims to bring back your hair's natural shine and strength.
I properly love the smell of the treatment, it is minty and refreshing and very relaxing to sit there in the bath with it piled on your head! The treatment is easy to use – slather on, wait, rinse. Easy.
Unlike many other intensive conditioners that I've used, it doesn't leave my hair feeling heavy or thick the day after – just refreshed.
The downside is that it is pretty expensive unless you want to sign up to the Wen monthly package and as I have yet to try the Wen Cleansing Conditioner (for which Wen is better known) I'm not sure I'm ready to take that step. Another downside is that I rather suspect that the ingredients are not as natural, organic or skin-friendly as the other two conditioners!
