Review: LUSH R & B (Revive and Balance) Hair Moisturizer

Few months ago, I walked into a LUSH store asking for some sort of product to help my dead hair ends.  The sales rep introduced this hair moisturizer to me.  IMO, it's super pricey for a little jar of product.  Anyways, I bought it without looking up on Makeupalley to read up its reviews.  Now here's my take on this product.


The scent:
Smells like a mix of citrus and floral scent.  Not a strong scent.  The smell disappears after applied to my hair. 

Consistency:
Thick.

Application:
To avoid the greasy, clumpy hair, always apply it on freshly washed and towel-dried hair.  After showering, I comb through my hair with a big tooth comb and take very little of the product and rub it at the hair ends.  In the first few times of using this product, I had a tendency or urge to pick up more of the product but it just weighed down my hair right after it dried.

Packaging:

I really wish it wasn't in a jar because it doesn't seem hygienic.  My jar was made in October 2011 and its expiry date is December 2012.  Plus, a little bit of this product goes a long way.

What it claims:
"Revive and balance your dry, brittle hair to give strength, shine and some seriously sexy tresses.  Rub between your fingers and scrunch or smooth into the freshly washed hair."

Thoughts / Results:
I like the results of using this product.  My hair isn't AS frizzy or appear dry.  It makes my hair feel soft.  But the downside of it is being really careful how much of the product you use.  It is quite easy to overestimate the amount you need to rub into your hair.  Although I feel this product has somewhat made my hair appear healthier, it's still not what I'm looking for.  IMO, it helps / prevents my hair from getting split ends.  Thus allowing my hair to grow longer and prevents damage.  Once in a while, I do a regular check on my hair and see if I have any split ends to snip off.  But lately, I haven't found any. 

Cost:
$20.95 CAD

Product: LUSH R and B (Revive and Balance) Hair Moisturizer
Rating: 3.5 / 5

Pros:
- Helps prevent further split ends
- Very little goes a long way
- Gives the healthy hair look

Cons:
- Minimally tames frizzes
- Pretty expensive for a small jar of product
- Very easy to overestimate the amount needed
- Possible to find a better substitute for this product

Hair Care Routine

I have a hair care routine but needs major change up because it's not making my hair look any nicer.  I mean I've used and tried a bunch of products but I just can't get my hair the way I want it to.  I used to have nice, smooth and no-frizz hair when I was a kid.  And back then, I didn't put anything in my hair to make it look that way.  So then I realized, it's my diet.  It's what I changed in my eating habits that changed my hair.  I ate more junk food, drank less milk, ate less nutritious foods and more processed foods and it's gotten my hair in a mess that I'm having a hard time to repair! =\  So now, as I'm still trying new products to repair my damaged hair, I'm also trying to eat healthier.  And that means, no chocolate, no candy, no chips, and no pop.  I'm not much of a frequent pop drinker so that doesn't affect me.  I sometimes crave for chocolate so that one is going to be hard to resist.  I'm not much of a candy person either.  And now, chips. Ugh! I kind of love eating chips.  It's such an irresistible munchie.  I see a bag of chips sitting on the counter, I feel like my stomach is calling for it.  Grrr! That one is hard to resist too, but for my overall health and hair, I'm going to have to stop binging on these foods.
I'm trying to grow my hair right now, but once in a while, I give myself a little trim at the ends to stop the split ends from getting worse.  But once I successfully grow my hair, I'm going to get a hair cut at my salon and maintain it with those hair care products that I consistently buy and try.  Honestly, maintaining nice hair requires so much effort

Summary:
Hair, skin and nails are indicators of whether you're having a healthy diet.  Google it!

Review: Tsubaki Damage Care Treatment with Tsubaki Amino by Shiseido

After using this Shiseido hair treatment for one month, I decided it's time to do a review on it.  I can conclude it's a great product.  I didn't purchase the other products from the Shiseido line, but I'm sure the results would be better if I did.
 
The scent:
It has a floral scent that's stronger when smelt straight from the tube than when in my hands or in my hair.  Overall, the scent is not irritating or pungent.  The floral scent doesn't smell like old lady either.  I don't love the scent but it's ok.  Like it won't give me a headache from smelling it too much.

Application:
According to the directions on the bottle - or rather the instructions on the Cosme-de.com website, I shampoo my hair, towel dry it and put on this treatment, leaving it on for 20 mins.  I concentrate most of the product on the ends of my hair.  I've tried leaving my hair straight down and wrapping in a bun, and I don't find a difference in the results.  Then I wash it off and apply conditioner.  Then rinse that off.  Followed up by the Macadamia oil or Morrocanoil. 
*Sept 15 update: So I tried applying 3 min heat to my hair after applying the treatment, then waited another 17 mins before rinsing it off and applying conditioner.

The consistency:
It's thick but not as thick as regular hair conditioner.

Packaging:
Very clean and sleek packaging.  I like how it's in a tube form and not a pump.  The size of the product is 200g, which is not that bad.


What it claims:
"Shiseido Tsubaki Damage Care Treatment with Tsubaki Amino enhances elasticity, repairs hair with shines and smoothness. The floral scent refreshes your senses and feels like in the forest. Shiseido Tsubaki Damage Care Treatment smooths your hair with rich formula."

Thoughts / Results:
I agree with what it claims to do.  This hair treatment does give my hair shine and smoothness.  I can't tell whether the treatment has enhanced the elasticity of my hair because I haven't experienced very brittle hair that breaks off with a tug.  And the floral scent does remind me of the outdoors.  I think it does a great job on putting a coat of product on my hair to tame the frizzes and flyaways.  But after not using this product for more than a week, my hair starts to return to its original state.  Flyaways return and fluff up my hair after I wash and dry it.  So really, I think this treatment will be best for freshly cut hair and to maintain that state of hair with no split ends.  And I'd recommended being consistent on your hair routine.  Like apply this hair treatment at least once a week, if you consistently fry your hair with hair appliances.
The night before my trip to Vegas, I treated my hair with this product and I find it works great throughout my stay over in Vegas.  I washed my hair every night when I was in Vegas and the results of my hair stayed the same - smooth with shine.  The weather over there is hot and drier - even my lips were calling me to apply some lip balm.  So logically, my hair would have been dry and fluffed up if I washed it everyday without the hair treatment.  I conclude that this product has proved its worthiness.
*Sept 15 update: Putting my hair in a bun with the treatment in my hair, I put on a shower cap and used a hair dryer to put heat on my hair.  Results seem to be no different from not applying heat. 

Cost:
$14 USD

Product: Shiseido TSUBAKI Damage Care Treatment with TSUBAKI Amino
Rating: 5 / 5

Pros:
- Gives my hair shine and smoothness
- Scent is good, not irritating
- Tames frizzes and flyaways
- Price is reasonable and better than Macadamia Oil Hair Mask or Morrocanoil hair treatments

Cons:
- Requires weekly application or however often you use hair appliances - well that's a given, you damage it, you've got to repair it