Review: L'Oreal Professionnel Fiberceutic treatment

Botox for your hair? Indeed! ;)

Being a dedicated fan of L'Oreal Professionnel hair products, I HAD to give this a go.

Overall, this two-step process visibly improved my fine, damaged hair. After the very first application, my hair felt instantly thicker and stronger. Feels like I have a built-in heat protectant, resulting in reduced breakage and damage, despite my "harsh" hair styling habits.

FIY: I purchased this treatment online and applied it on my own, using a standard tiny plastic syringe I purchased from the drugstore, since no hair-salon in my area offers it. I'm quite experienced in using at-home treatments, but if you've never done something like this, and your local stylists offer it, then I'd definitely recommend getting this treatment done by a professional.

Pros:

• Easy to apply, although the syringe application requires a bit of patience, since you have to apply the serum gradually strand by strand (on squeaky clean towel-dried hair) concentrating from the middle to the end of your hair. This took about 10 minutes for my shoulder-length hair.
• Timewise, it only takes five minutes for the product to work, once you've applied the mask to seal this in.
• Lives up to its promise, my fine hair felt immediately thicker and much stronger, meaning I could use my flat iron without worrying too much about heat damage.
• Lasts a few washes, in my case I had to re-apply after one month.
• Available for all hair types, i.e. fine and thick.

 Cons:

• Just like botox, results are not permanent, so this works best if you have the treatments done on a regular basis.
• Didn't do much with regard to frizziness, meaning I still have to use my frizz-taming products. 
• I have to clarify that this is not a product with miraculous hair-transforming effects, just think of it as a "shield" for your hair. ;)

Final Thoughts:
 
If your hair is processed, dyed or damaged from heat styling, then I'm sure you'll love this treatment, especially since it doesn't come with the risks of the notorious Brazillian Keratin treatments (which I never even dared to try out tbh), making this a great alternative.

Although this treatment is available for thicker hair, if you have fine hair you'll definitely get more benefits out of it.

Having done six treatments within a five month period, I can confidently say that the process definitely lives up to its promises and worth having it done... after all who doesn't want strong hair?

9/10

Review: KERASTASE Oleo Relax Serum

Compared with L'oreal Professionnel, Kerastase products have always been a "hit or miss" case, especially when taking the price factor into account.

The Oleo Relax serum was a bit of a miss in this case, because when I purchase a "high end" hair treatment, I expect relatively good results, if not the best.

Although I loved how smoothly and quickly I blowdried my hair, I can't say I was excited about this product's finish, as it left my super fine hair, feeling "feathery" soft, in a bad sense, which led me to believe that this serum would probably work best on thick hair.

But I'll get into more details in the following part;

Pros:

• Economical despite the price tag; seems like I made a lifetime investment purchasing this, you only need two tiny drops of this for shoulder length hair, and trust me its more than enough!! ;)
• Dramatically reduces blowdrying time. I was surprised at how easily and quickly my ceramic brush glided through my hair, so I highly recommend this product if you style your hair on a daily basis.
• One of the best detanglers I've used. This would make a great all-in-one inclusive product if you're planning to go on holidays, considering its multiple functions as a detangler, leave-in conditioner and frizz treatment.

Cons:

•  Left my fine hair way too soft after blowdrying, probably due to silincone being one of its key ingredients. This works much better on thicker locks. I tried it when I styled my friend's dry and thick hair, and the results were amazing .
• My hair started to get oily on the second day... and I mean really oily, which comes as a surprise because my hair is definitely on the drier side. If you style your hair on a daily basis this may not be a problem, but if you style your hair twice a week like me, then I'd skip this serum.

Final Thoughts:

If you have fine hair, I'd recommend the Mythic Oil serum, much less buildup and weight, even if I use the product AFTER styling my hair. =)

If you have thick, dry and coarse hair, then this may be an HG product for you. 

I don't regret buying this serum, but I'm sure I won't be repurchasing it; the results were not good enough for a high end product, at least in my case.

On the bright side, as I said, this makes a great product for my holiday kit. It works great as a leave-in conditioner and leaves my hair in a decent condition when let it air-dry.


6.5/10

Review: L'oreal Professionnel Intense Repair Mask

In this post I will be reviewing one of my all time favorite HG products, which I've been using for years and years... and will continue to do so; the L'Oreal Professional Series Expert Absolut Repair Masque.


If you are regularly dying your hair, or using heat tools (flat iron, blowdryer etc.), and experiencing breakage, then this product is for you.

At times I try to replace this mask with other treatments, as I like to rotate products I use on my hair, but I have to say this is the ONE that always yields the best results; manageable, strong hair, without feeling too "heavy", despite the product's thick creamy consistency.

The company claims this product intensively nourishes dry to very dry hair, and it lives up to it.

Pros:

- Moisturizing without adding weight
- "A little goes a long way", as with all L'oreal Professionnel hair products. I only have to use a tiny amount on towel-dried hair, concentrating on my "fried" ends and the tube lasts me for at least 3 months (I apply it twice a week).
- Lives up to its claims, and results are visible on first application
- Minimizes breakage as it helps keep hair moisturized and shiny

Cons:

- A little on the pricier side
- Takes a while to wash off. I have to rinse my hair for at least five minutes full blast to take any product residue off. Careful not to leave any on, as it will result in making your hair dull looking.

Directions:

Product packaging states to leave it on towel-dried clean hair for 5-10 mins, enough time for the mask to do its work.

Also keep in mind to use a small amount each time, as it's easy to get carried away when using such products. I used to be the kind of person who would go through a tube in 3 weeks, until I was recommended by a stylist to use the smallest possible amount, because overconditioning can actually damage the hair, and that the product would work best when used this way, which I have found to be true.

I also discovered that using this after a clarifying shampoo (any drugstore brand is fine really) is even better, as it leaves the hair squeaky clean and the product is absorbed more efficiently.

An entire line of "intense repair" products is available, but I definitely wouldn't recommend splurging on them, unless your hair is severely damaged; all you really need is this mask. 

Final thoughts:

As I said, its no coincidence I have gone through numerous tubes of this product for years.

Defo a repurchase for me~!


10/10

Does Biotin really make your hair grow faster?

Speaking from personal experience, I would say it does.

Having tried the most expensive hair supplements in the market, which can turn out to be quite costly (but have also worked for me in the past), I decided to give straight biotin supplements a try, after a not-so-pleasant hair disaster.

I started by taking 300mg (SOLGAR brand) initially, along with a vitamin B complex (since I read it helps), which didn't seem to do much, until I upped the dose to 900mg that resulted in a one inch growth per month, on average. I could immediately tell from my roots, as I dye my hair.

Quite impressive and cost-effective!

Now there are a few things that must be taken into account, before taking Biotin supplements, one being acne. I found that, taking over 300mg has resulted in persistent, small cysts, due to excessive sebum production, so it would be best to increase water intake and use acne preventative products if you are prone to breakouts. If you find that this doesn't work either, then perhaps it would be best to lower it to a "safer" dosage... you'll still get the benefit of stronger and healthier new hair AND nails.

Another unpleasant side effect from taking biotin was insomnia, probably because I didn't do my research and took supplements late in the evening (big mistake...).

Biotin is best taken with meals and can also be found in fooods like nuts, eggs, milk and veggies, like cucumbers.

If you're on a mission to grow long and healthy locks, I will share a few hair growth tips that work for me, in conjunction with taking Biotin and B-complex supplements;

• Stimulating blood circulation by using a sparse wooden bristle brush, concentrating on the scalp, not only worked for me, but also helped decrease my frequent headaches.
• Washing your hair with a clarifying shampoo (I use the Pantene Pro-V Clarifying Shampoo) can also be helpful, as it removes excess sebum from your scalp and product buildup from your hair. Since it can be extremely drying, its best to follow with a nourishing hair mask. Some people swear by Head and Shoulders, but it did absolutely nothing for me.
• If your hair is chemically treated, make sure you use treatments and serums, every time you're out of the shower to prevent breakage and keep your locks moisturized (esp. if you're using hot tools to dry your hair).
• Keeping my hair up in a bun, has also promoted hair growth. Just make sure your bun is not too tight; pulling the hair tightly does NOT equal hair growth, but a loose bun will protect your hair from potential damage and breakage, esp. during sleep.

If you have any hair growth tips that worked for you, I'd love to hear them! ^__^

L'Oreal Professionnel MYTHIC OIL review

Hair products are definitely a weak spot for me, I'm always up for trying something new, especially when it claims to be as good as the product I will be reviewing in this post.

L'Oreal Professionnel hair care products rarely fail to meet my expectations. The price may be a downside to this range, but always works out much cheaper than drugstore hair treatments, as I find a little goes a long way.

L'Oreal Professionnel Mythic Oil is no exception to the rule. It visibly improves how my hair looks and reduces hair breakage, every time I style it. :)

Pros:

- Perfect for all hair types. I was initially sceptical about this claim, since I have super fine color-treated hair, and usually oil-based products are a major no-no for me, but to my surprise it didn't weigh my hair down at all.

- Lightweight consistency; as stated, no weigh down, dullness or excessive oiliness (when applied carefully towards the ends) and of course less buildup than "heavier" products I've tried (like John Frieda's Frizz Eaze serum for example)

- Pleasant fruity smell.

- Reduces frizz and helps tame my thin unruly hair.

- Multi-purpose; I use it as a heat protectant and its perfect for finishing touches

- Prevents hair breakage from dryness and styling tools. I use hot tools (flat iron and blowdryer) every time I wash my hair. Ever since I started using the "Mythic Oil" I have much less hair breakage (if any), and less trimming to be done! ^^

- Conditions the hair, making it soft and shiny, without the added stickiness.

- Economical: two drops are more than enough to cover dry/damaged ends, I've had mine for months and the 125ml bottle is still practically full.

- Reduces styling time and frustration. I just love how easily my brush goes through my hair when I use this.

Cons:

- Steep price (but like I said you'll practically get bored of seeing this on your cabinet, it lasts forever xD)

- Needs to be applied every time you style/ wash your hair, meaning that results are not permanent, which is the case with most treatments anyway (low or high end).


Directions:


Prior to styling


The only major secret in using anti frizz products, prior to styling, drying, is to apply them when your hair is really wet. (well not dripping wet ^^!!)

To apply, flip your hair down and run your fingers through from the middle the ends, to gently and evenly deposit the oil (don't massage the product into your hair). I found this method works for me since it helps stay away from the roots.

Two pumps are enough at this stage.


After you've styled your hair

If you feel your ends need more moisture, especially if you're prone to get the frizzies, I recommend applying one pump to your dry ends.

This will help smooth your hair and prevent possible frizz.

If don't have to go through this stage, don't, as it would probably end up making your hair oily faster.


10/10

Full list of L'Oreal Professionnel Mythic Oil ingredients, as listed on the bottle, for those interested:


CYCLOPENTASILOXANE, DIMETHICONOL, C12-15 ALKYL BENZOATE, PERSEA GRATISSIMA OIL. AVOCADO OIL, VITIS VINIFERA SEED OIL, LIMONENE, HEXYL CINNAMAL, COURMARIN, LINALOOL, BUTYLPHENIL METHYLPROPIONAL, BENZYL ALCOHOL, HYDROXYCITRONELLAL, AMYL CINNAMAL, GERANIOL, ALPHA-ISOMETHYL IONONE, ISOEUGENOL, BENZYL BENZOATE, CINAMMYL ALCOHOL, CITRONELLOL, PARFUM/FRAGRANCE