This post is all about the huge range of the supermarket hair treatment mask and leave-in conditioner. They are all hailed as “breakthrough” and “miracle” products, so I am testing them. They all claiming to restore colour treated and damaged hair. There are wonder ingredients, such as argan oil, shea butter and keratin. I’ve bought a bunch of them (filling my bathroom cupboard up again, only just after getting rid of all of products accumulated over the past year).
I am embarking on a fairy floss blonde hair rehab. I’ve dusted the ends, taken off a cm and shaped it around my face to even out all the ends. My hair is in dire need of a hair mask. Or several as in this case.
I’ll use a different one each time I wash and dry my hair, which really, I need to do daily, otherwise the ends get frizzy and the roots get oily. I destroyed my hair with bleach over a few years, and I also lost some hair when on immuno-suppressant medication Arava. I’ve since gone of that medicine, but I have hair at a variety of lengths growing through, so I want to give my hair the best treatments.
There will be a cumulative effect from using the products every day, so I will fact that into my verdicts.
Day 1
Garnier Nutrisse Avocado Enriched Mask 300 ml
What they say:
“Garnier® Avocado Enriched Mask deeply nourishes and protects coloured hair using a weightless formula, for silky, shiny hair. Now you can enjoy the signature Nutrisse ultra-nourishing after-colour treatment not only after you colour your hair, but every day with the new Avocado Enriched Mask!
A rich conditioning mask specifically created for colour treated hair and enriched with avocado oil, it is designed to protect colour and smooth the hair fibre for an ultra-soft look and feel, with the iconic fresh and fruity Nutrisse fragrance! Avocado oil is one of the world’s healthiest ingredients, rich in vitamin A and Omega 6 and known for its ultra-nourishing properties. Your colour will be richer and full of shine for longer.”
My Verdict 4/5
Love the formula and smell but it could have been a bit more enriching, but love the smell and way it doesn’t way my hair down. This felt very rich and creamy, and my hair was not as frizzy after blow drying. My hair felt silky all day and the ends didn’t go frizzy by the end of the day. After 24 hours, I do think my hair is less frazzled and looks more like hair than straw.
Day 2
Schwarzkopf Extra Care Ultimate Repair Anti-Damage Mask 250 mL $8.99
What they say:
“Re-builds the hair structure for up to 95% less hair breakage*. Intensively cared hair full of resistance. Works in just 1 min.The Repair innovation with 3x liquid keratin: the new formula with liquid keratin repair hair damage and refills gaps in the hair cuticle”
My Verdict 3/5
The hair treatment mask feels very thick and rich to apply, but watered down on application, despite squeezing out the moisture in my hair. The damaged ends feel soft and my hair feels smooth and silky. I left it on for 2 minutes, in the shower and blow dried after applying.
I added the following to the ends, as I felt it needed it on the ends.
Ogx Extra Strength Damage Remedy + Coconut Miracle Oil Penetrating Oil 100 mL $17.99
Penetrating Oil
What They Say:
“Drench dry, damaged strands with the secret of Maui. This ultra-rich repairing blend with coconut oil, essence of tiare and vanilla bean extract helps to repair, soften and revive strands. Discover silky soft island girl hair.”
My Verdict 4.5/5
I really love this finishing oil, as it keeps the ends from frizzing up when I blow dry.
Next morning: hair was fluffy but not dry and brittle. I plaited it the night before so it was crimped but just popped in a ponytail. I’m also not trying not to use tongs or excessive styling during this experiment.
Day 3 – Hair is softer, less frizzy
Argan Oil of Morocco Extra Strength Creamy Hair Butter $17.99
What They Say
“This creamy, ultra-rich blend of extra strength argan oil of Morocco hair butter moisturises and conditions dry strands, creating softness and strength as it gives you silky, seductive tresses.”
Rinse out trial
Argan Oil of Morocco Extra Strength Creamy Hair Butter is different tot he others above. It’s buttery when you scoop it in your hands but spread all over the hair evenly without feeling oily. It’s a bit hard to explain. I didn’t want to leave it in, but it felt like I could. I might have a do over tomorrow night and see if it is different when you leave it in. I am always a bit reluctant to use argan oil with blonde hair, because my former hairdresser told me it made blonde hair go darker.
Argan oil is a luxuriously lovely product, grown only in a certain part of Morocco which is why it is so special, and it is very moisturising, but does Argan Oil of Morocco Extra Strength Creamy Hair Butter help to repair my cotton candy floss hair? Do silk amino acids, soybean and coconut oils and shea butter extra really help strengthen fried hair?
Well, I looked at the ingredient listing and the second ingredient is mineral oil, with all the other oils listed before the argan oil, so I think the argan oil content is actually quite small. Mineral oil however is not the evil ingredient we have been led to believe by a lot of skin care companies where “natural” is their marketing buzz word. That is not to say these natural products aren’t beautify and effective, but mineral oil is not the devil. It is used in a purified state regulated by the FDA very strictly and does in fact provide effective moisturisation. There are many myths about mineral oil but most have no basis in fact, with scientific evidence to the contrary. Sure, shea butter, soybean oil sound much nicer for marketing, but they aren’t any better at moisturising and protecting hair.
My hair does feel soft, touchable and it is shiny, so I guess it’s a yes.
Verdict 3/5
It is probably a cumulative effect, but my hair is feeling better since I started, after “dusting” the ends about a cm myself. I am going DIY, a. because I have started a new business and I am being frugal, and b. I am trying to find alternatives to the $150 (which is cheap for a blonde trust me – if I was going to spend that on anyone, I’d be going back to my lovely hairdresser and colourist extraordinaire @hairbyellalevy. If you are located in or near Mosman and in need of a cost effective and great colourist for a variety of blondes, she is a golden find. Located upstairs at Ariane Inden Beauty 690 Military Road, Mosman.
“Leave in” trial
I washed my hair this following morning and left the product in the hair. It took a while longer to dry, and felt heavy, but the ends we not frizzy and it felt soft and silky. I’d probably just leave it through the ends next time, but it is a great way to make frazzled blonde hair cosmetically looking healthier. It felt oily and a bit lank, but it looked great and was easier to style.
Verdict: 4/5
Finishing Spray: SchwarzkopfExtra Care Fibre Therapy Treatment 80 mL $9.99
What they say:
“The formula with breakthrough OMEGAPLEX repairs broken bonds within the hair fibres to strengthen the inner hair structure for improved cohesion. The hair quality is renewed and the fibre is protected against future damage.*
*In combination with shampoo and conditioner after 24 weeks.”
My verdict 4/5
This left my ends feeling stronger, and it’s still shiny, so I will see how it feel in the morning. I’ll also use it for a few weeks as well and let you know how it goes. My hair felt very soft and silky in the morning after using the Moroccan treatment, and Extra Care Fibre Therapy. I spritzed my hair with the Extra Care to restyle my hair from the big bump of hair and flat spot I get when I sleep on it. People say bed hair is sexy, but mine just looks mad.
Day 4 – Hair is Soft and Fluffy
Pantene Moisture Renewal Intensive Repair Masque 300 mL $10.99
What they say:
“Repairs the look of damage caused by heat and daily styling to achieve moisturised and stronger hair.
Helps undo the look of damaged hair. Your hair will look healthy and manageable.
Use Pantene shampoo and conditioner to clean and condition your hair [note, I did not do this].
For a healthy and manageable hair, simply use it once a week, or as often as you need.”
My verdict 2/5 changed to 3/5 for the way my hair felt the next day
I used this treatment mask with my regular shampoo and conditioner, and squeezed out the moisture, applied the mask and massaged through to the tips, then left for the required 2 minutes while I finished my body and face in the shower, then rinsed out. Being a mainly silicone base according to the ingredient listing, it coats the hair shaft temporarily, making the hair cosmetically smooth and silky. It doesn’t look to contain any protein or keratin to strengthen the hair, so any effect is temporary, from my view point.
I used the my ends Ogx Coconut Miracle Penetrating Oil on the ends, and it styled beautifully.
Update: I woke up the next day and my hair felt beautiful. Silky soft and manageable.
Day 5 – My hair is starting to feel so much better
Schwarzkopf Extra Care Blonde Toner 200 mL
Because my hair was starting to look yellow again, I tried a new product, I am sure it is new. I left it in my hair for 2 minutes, as suggested, and it was great, took the brassiness out without turning me grey or worse, purple. At the price it’s an in-shower treatment. I don’t think it is very conditioning, and I still had a product to test for conditioning.
What they say:
“Blonde toner for restoring natural looking blonde tones to your hair. For blonde, lightened or highlighted hair with unwanted yellow gold tones. Gently neutralises and eliminates unwanted yellow gold tones. Adds condition and shine. Ideal for reviving and brightening naturally grey or white hair and toning sun bleached hair. “
My Verdict 2/5
It lasts one wash. As a treatment mask, it’s not. It’s a colour. It looks nice, but is a tint, sot even a semi-permament. It’s to use after your wash and condition your hair I think. I used a conditioner afterwards, and the entire colour rinsed out, so use after conditioning. The product itself isn’t very rich or conditioning so you will need to at least condition the ends before use.
L’Oreal Elvive Total Repair 5 Instant Miracle Treatment Mask 200ml
What they say:
“ELVIVE Total Repair 5 Instant Miracle is a lightweight rinse-out treatment gel for damaged, fine hair. The miracle treatment, enriched with Pro-Keratin and Ceramide, melts into the hair instantly, leaving it transformed, full-of-life with a healthy looking shine. Use after every wash or at least twice weekly. “
My Verdict: 3/5
You can pretty much rinse this out straight away. I kept it in for about 15 minutes to do a face and decolletage sheet mask (I used a face one for my decolletage as I am tryin g to restore that, putting the same energy I put into my face, into my upper chest area, as it is starting to look old – but that’s another story).
It’s pretty good and my hair is soft but it still does compare with the Frustis which is by far the best treatment for my hair. I can’t put that down to the cumulative effects of doing a treatment a day, as it was the first day.
I applied the Schwarzkopf Extra Care Fibre Therapy Treatment to my hair, despite the treatment mask before blow drying, and my hair was lovely and bouncy.
I’ve also tried a new brush for blow drying:
ecotools ultimate air dryer hair brush
Verdict on the ecotools ultimate air dryer hair brush is 5/5 (yes, I am in love and want them all!).
The new bounce might be due to a new hair brush from Eco Tools. There’s an entire range that I’ll do a piece on later once I have tried them all but for now this one, is the bees knees. It dries hair quickly without tugging or pulling and it’s a nice looking brush in the bathroom.
Day 6 – Last Day
Tigi Bedhead Resurrection Shampoo 250ml $19.00
What they say:
“Urban Antidote #3: Admitting is the first step! Face it.. your hair needs some rehab. Let the hydration therapy begin. Bring weak & brittle hair back to life with this powerful moisture packed shampoo. Making a comeback has never been so easy.”
My verdict 5/5
I love the smell. It smells like salon quality shampoo. It’s super concentrated, and lathered up like nobody’s business. I am a convert to this shampoo, mainly for the smell. Divine.
What they say:
“You must have a sense of humour to use our products. urban antidote #3: admitting is the first step! bring dead-end hair back to life once & for all. Formula targets areas in most need of repair, giving your whacked out hair the resurrection it has been waiting for!”
My Verdict: 4/5
Again, a beautiful salon quality product, rich and nourishing. I’d have to use this over a week to determine it’s efficacy, but as far as today goes it’s right up there with the best I’ve tried. It smells lovely, and my hair drank it up. I think a week of using this would show great results.
Bed Head Ego Boost – Split End Mender & Leave-in Conditioner 200ml $21.00
What they say:
“Boost that ego and save your hair! Ego Boost Split End Mender & Leave-In Conditioner will seal, smooth and protect your hair. As a split end mender apply to ends. As a leave-in conditioner, smooth over fly-always as needed. Use on wet or dry hair.”
My verdict: 4/5
Again, I’d have to use this for a week but as a single use, my hair felt great, so much better than it was when I first started. This leave in conditioner didn’t weigh my hair down, and my hair was bouncy and soft.
Final thoughts on 6 day blonde hair rehab
The supermarket and chemist has some great conditioning products and a week of using them back to back has left my hair bouncy and soft. Nothing can reverse the damage caused by bleaching, but a good hair mask and leave in treatment, or shampoo and conditioner set can cosmetically repair the hair in the short term.
Longer term use of quality products can prevent further damage. The key is to find a product that offers protein and more than just a cosmetic boost, a product that actually helps keep the hair from breaking and stops split ends. I found that price wasn’t the determining factor, although the Tigi products were certainly more concentrated and the price tag reflected that.
If you use a straightener/flat iron to smooth your hair it does this but it also singes the hair making the ends frizzier in the long run. No amount of heat protectants can prevent this.Blow drying is a gentler way to maintain hair ends, or letting your hair air dry and finishing off the styling with a blow dryer, using a protecting product, like the Tigi Bed Head Wax Leave In Ego Boost, Schwarzkopf Extra Care Fibre Therapy Treatment 80 mL or Ogx Coconut Miracle Penetrating Oil.
My favourites were the OGX and the Tigi products and I will be using these on a longer term to find out the best products for my poor fried hair.
Tips to protect and nurture bleached blonde hair:
Avoid heat styling (with tongs, flat iron or wand) every day
When possible let hair dry naturally and only finish styling with hair dryer
If you do your own colour, only apply colour/bleach to the “virgin” hair, be careful not to over lap on the already bleached area. Don’t do roots too often, wait 4 – 6 weeks so you have a good amount of regrowth.
If you do to the hairdresser, make sure your hairdresser understands your hair and your hair colour goals. Sometimes a good colour can take a few visits to build up.
Use a quality shampoo and conditioner with protein, and that is concentrated.
Use a leave in heat protecting product
Apply a serum to the ends
If you swim in a chlorinated pool, use a shampoo and conditioner to prevent damage from the the chlorine. If you are in the ocean, use a nourishing conditioner afterwards to stop the salt from drying your ends out.
Use a quality hair brush, and be extremely careful when combine through wet hair. If knotty, apply a leave in conditioner to make it easier to comb or brush.
