(This post is written for The Glosse Posse.) [dropshadowbox align=”center” effect=”lifted-both” width=”autopx” height=”” background_color=”#c9efd3″ border_width=”1″ border_color=”#dddddd” inside_shadow=”false” ]This post contains affiliate links, which means I may receive a very small compensation if you click on the link and purchase an … Continue reading
(This post is written for The Glosse Posse.)
Two weeks ago, I received a package with L’Oreal’s VC shampoo, conditioner and leave-in spray in full sizes by courier. I had completely forgotten that I had agreed to participate in a study to test the products from L’Oreal Paris Hair Expertise Volume Collagen line earlier last month. The study required that I test the products right away for about two weeks or until I received the survey link. I did as told and saw results on the first day. Read below to see what I thought of the products!
My hair:
What I need:
Shampoo:
Conditioner:
Leave-in Spray:
It’s hard to tell how well a product works after washing one’s hair. At first, I thought it was like any other drugstore shampoo or conditioner. My hair has maintained a nice shine for a while (when wet) so I couldn’t tell if the products had worked or not.
Pros:
After blow drying my hair with my head down, I could tell that I suddenly had a lot more volume. It was as if I’d grown more hair without the weight. The only issue is that even my baby hairs were standing on end but that usually happens and I quickly tamed them with my Kerastase hairspray. (At the same time, I can’t remember if hair becomes voluminous when it’s blow dried with the head down.)
I did notice that it seems to hold waves from a hair bun quite well with the volume for at least a a day or two. Since my hair is naturally straight, I was impressed that my hair could hold the waves from a hair bun for a day or two. Usually, the waves would straighten itself by the end of the day, leaving only a curved end, if at all.
Cons:
For the first two washes, I felt that every second day was fine. After a few washes this past week, I noticed that my hair would need to be washed every day or else it would smell unwashed and feel slightly greasy.
Would I buy this?
Although I have been trying to switch to healthier ways of washing my hair, I have to admit that using VC’s shampoo and conditioner have been very convenient and fast. It’s great for quick hair washes in the morning when I need to rush whereas washing one’s hair with ACV or baking soda or coconut oil requires at least 15 minutes of waiting and are therefore better for evenings. Furthermore, washing with ACV can make your hair smell overpowering. Quite embarrassing, actually. 😦 Otherwise, for the time being, I think my other shampoos and conditioners work just as well for my hair.
Out of the three products, I would consider buying the Body Boost Root Lifting Spray though for its ability to amplify flat hair!
This post is dedicated to everyone who likes to get the most out of their beauty (as in skin care, make-up, hair care, etc.) shopping! I will be focusing on some beauty stores in Canada but please note that it is not applicable to all cities. Also note that my reviews are based on the stores I’ve visited in Vancouver, BC.
What I want:
Shoppers Drug Mart: BeautyBoutique
I used to go to Shoppers for all my beauty needs, even for my snacks and breakfast groceries. Until 2009 or 2010, it had been really easy to earn Optimum points for $10+ discounts very quickly. Nowadays, I generally shop at London Drugs but not without checking prices at Shoppers first. You never know when Shoppers is having a deal on certain products!
Pros:
Cons:
I didn’t realise that London Drugs was originally from Vancouver. In fact, there are LD stores in Western Canada only: BC, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba. This has been my favourite place to shop since 2010. There are constantly deals on just about everything!
Pros:
Cons:
Sephora is supposed to be the ultimate beauty store for women and men. You’ll find make-up, skin care, hair care, fragrances, nail lacquers, and beauty tools.
Pros:
Cons:
Murale (by Shoppers Drug Mart)
This summer, I resorted to Murale in Oakridge Centre because Sephora was far too busy. I was delighted to find far more brands available, many of which are exclusively sold by Murale, such as Eve Lom and Cargo.
Pros:
Cons:
The Bay’s cosmetics floor (main) is expanding and will be bringing in more brands.
Pros:
Cons:
Unless all of the above-mentioned stores do not have a particular product or brand that HR also carries, I very rarely shop here.
Pros:
Cons:
You never know what you’ll find at Winners. Some Winners will carry more name brands and bring in new products every week. The Winners on Robson & Granville in Vancouver, for instance, restocks every Tuesday (or Monday). I was once able to find a Lancome Hypnose mascara for $19.99!
Pros:
Cons:
I hope that was helpful! Feel free to ask any questions or let me know what you think. 🙂
Presenting to you my favourite skin care, hair care, & make-up! The products are listed from 1-4 (max.), where 1 is the best. Please note that these are products that worked for me but may not work for you. I … Continue reading
(This post was written for The Glosse Posse)
I wish I had known about dry shampoos earlier. Prior to 2012, if I had a bad hair day or an oilier hair day, I’d cover my head with a beret (that does NOT mean that every time you see me wearing my beret, it’s my bad hair day). I usually wash my hair every other day so I wasn’t sure what to do when I learned that I would be going on a 4 day camping trip last year – with no showers around (obviously). I didn’t want to stink, even if all of us would smell rather terribly, but I certainly didn’t want to have an itchy or oily scalp either. As I went shopping for some camping toiletries, I saw Klorane’s Gentle and Seboregulating Dry Shampoos on sale.
Thinking the smallest can (travel-size with around 50-55ml) would be enough to test and last for at least 4 days, I decided to go with the Oat Extract. It was a hair-saver! My scalp felt cleaner and my hair looked like it had been washed. The only problem was, after a few uses (3-4 times?), the can was empty. :O That meant the can was only good for 2 days at most, assuming I’d only use it once a day. I had one day left to buy a replacement dry shampoo so I set out to buy Klorane’s full-sized (150ml) dry shampoo. I can’t remember how much it was (maybe almost $20?) but I remember thinking that there had to be a cheaper but natural alternative. So instead of picking up the Klorane can as planned, I went to Lush and was glad to see that they had their own dry shampoo, No Drought. The dry shampoo came in a shampoo bottle (with those caps you can flick up or down) for $13.95, which was much cheaper than Klorane’s and would surely last longer. (I now see that there’s a small bottle (55g) for $6.95 that would have been a much better deal for me but would have still been more than enough for my camping trip.) Because No Drought had a citrus scent, I thought it would be able to frighten the mosquitoes and flies away (it did not) and lightly scent my otherwise would-be smelly hair (maybe?). So I opted for Lush and practised using it before my camping trip.
whereas Klorane’s dry shampoos are convenient aerosol sprays (of white powder apparently), Lush’s No Drought is a bottle of powder (talc, I believe) that you have to massage into your scalp – with both hands. The latter requires only a pinch of powder in your palm but can be rather messy if you’re not too careful. It’s best to be wearing your pyjamas or a bathrobe when you’re massaging the dry shampoo into your scalp. In my case with the camping trip, I ended up having to dust the powder off whatever I was wearing and hope that I didn’t have too much powder in my hair. If I did (I brought a little mirror), I would try to dust off as much as I could before throwing on a summer cap. Looking back, I wish I had gone with Klorane instead. It’s worth the money and saves everyone a lot of hassle. Please note, however that both will leave a powdery residue, though Klorane’s is not as noticeable, assuming you do not spray on a lot.
If both of these dry shampoos are not worth the price for you, you can use baby powder or make your own dry shampoo with items from the kitchen. There are many brands with their own dry shampoos nowadays but I haven’t had the chance to try them out. Another alternative is to use some Moroccan Oil Treatment or Hydrating Styling Cream to revive your hair!
The Lady and the Rose 