Jen's Story: Over the summer, I needed a boost for my long hair in the hot and humid air, so I picked up Redken Body Full Shampoo at my local Ulta store. They had a promotion going where they were selling it in armageddon-sized value packs so, needless to say, I still have half of it left. I was pleased with it at first, but my hair started getting more and more lackluster as time went on. I was months overdue for a hair cut and color (I know, bad beauty blogger!) and it showed.

I was traveling for work and forgot my shampoo and conditioner. Not wanting to subject my already damaged hair to the free shampoo in the hotel, I stopped by the Kiehl's booth at the airport and picked up Kiehl's Olive Fruit Oil Nourishing Shampoo. Normally I wouldn't buy any shampoo that purported to rehydrate or make my hair healthier...anything like that usually just weighs my hair down. But low and behold, my hair came to life! Was it just the dry Minnesota air? Nope, I was still in need of a hair cut, but my hair looked healthy even when I returned home.

So eventually, I did actually get that haircut. And once I did, the love affair I was having with the Kiehl's shampoo ended quickly. Suddenly, now that my hair was in better shape, it lost its oomph. How sad.

On a whim, I switched back to the Redken Body Full and it came back to life! Their claims of "volume, long-lasting style and shine" were once again totally dead on.

The moral of this story? Depending on when I reviewed each of these shampoos, I might have had a totally different opinion. It's important to take your needs into account when you buy a product, but just as important to re-evaluate your needs over time.

Kiehl's Olive Fruit Oil Nourishing Shampoo (if your hair is damaged)

Redken Body Full Shampoo (for fine, healthy hair)

Jen Tried It: I've been seeing a TON of sulfate-free shampoos hitting the market lately. After so many years of hearing about how awful sulfates are for hair, I was excited to give this one a try. And I've just got to say, I am in total awe of the remarkable difference in my hair. I color my hair pretty frequently, and as a result, it always seemed a little dry and brittle, but it also needed a lot of product to give it volume. After using this shampoo and conditioner regularly, I don't have to use any other products at all, which is quite a change from my normal routine. My hair doesn't tangle as easily and looks sleek like I used a flat iron on it, but without the drowned rat look I get when I actually do flat iron it. It adds a little bit of texture, which I think is what gives it the extra oomph and helps the style to stay in my hair throughout the day. Seriously, if my hair had a soul mate, it would have to be this shampoo and conditioner. I am truly impressed. Salons, $22.00 each.

DeLush Rating:

Melissa Tried It: I've gone through most of each of these bottles by now, and here's what I can say about this combo - it not only adds lustre and softness, it also has a pleasant fresh scent. Claiming to focus on repairing and transforming "the texture of high-maintenance hair", I was happy to see how it did keep my often unruly and easily-dried-out ends calm. Redken touts these key components in the formula: Cationic Conditioners - moisture & nourishment, Protein / Ceramide - internal strength & repair, Shea Butter - smoothing frizz control. The conditioner is very moisturizing, and I think the combo in general wouldn't be ideal for fine hair or hair that is easily weighed down. For thick & unruly hair, though, it's a nice system. (I'll be reviewing the deep conditioner and overnight treatment soon.) $13, shampoo $14, conditioner. Find a salon location near you.

DeLush Rating:

What They Say: (about ShampooFORTE) Paul Penders Natural Organic Time Release Medium-Suds ShampooFORTE enriches and moisturizes dry & thick hair and brings shine and softness to permed and colored hair. With 22 organic-grown herbs, Italian-sourced olive oil, vitamins, minerals, and fine essential oils, Time Release Medium-Suds ShampooFORTE makes your hair shiny and manageable, without stripping your hair's natural oils. Leaves the scalp healthy and clear.

(about RinseFORTE) Paul Penders Natural Organic ConditionFORTE untangles hair leaving it shiny, silky and never weighed down. Coconut oil and Aloe Vera work to correct dryness and promote extra body, while French Lavender imparts an exquisite fragrance. This unique herbal mixture with added organic apple cider leaves the hair and scalp feeling fresh and clean by eliminating buildup and restoring proper pH levels. Brings moisture and vitality to the driest hair.

Jamie's Thoughts: (ShampooFORTE) The shampoo is lovely - nearly scentless and nearly free of the industrial detergents that other shampoo companies add to their formulas to make you think all that lather is necessary (when in reality, it strips the oil out of your hair). It cleans quickly and thoroughly, and my fickle scalp loves it. I can even run my fingers through my hair mid-shower with ease. Love it.

(RinseFORTE) The conditioner works just as well with its partner shampoo as it does all by itself. It's thick, luxurious, and also almost scent-free. It leaves my hair smooth, manageable, and super bouncy. There was no residue weighing my curls down. Love it.

If you're selective about the ingredients you put on your hair, this pairing is a win-win. I highly recommend it.

Retail Price: $21.50/each (at www.paulpenders.com)

Delush Rating: for both

What They Say: "Give your hair the royal treatment! Hydra Gloss Moisturizing Shampoo for Very Dry/Damaged Hair is the perfect remedy for hair that's distressed by the weather or over processing. It's made with nature's best nourishing ingredients like Royal Jelly, Omega 3 & 6 and Olive Oil. It infuses deep moisture into every strand, transforming hair that's dry and parched with 7X more moisture and a high-gloss finish. The result? Leaves hair soft, shiny and revitalized."

Melissa Says: I'm in love with this shampoo; it has worked wonders on my thick, color-treated hair and parched ends. My hair is very porous - it frizzes easily and can lose moisture quickly, which, coupled with the fact that I'm trying to grow my hair even longer and am battling split ends, was why I chose this more intense formula. When I rinse it out during washing, instead of feeling stripped, my hair still feels very soft and also feels a little thicker. (For that reason, I wonder if this would be too heavy for fine hair. In that case, perhaps you'd rather try the Shampoo for Dry Hair, which should be a lighter formula.) The pleasing scent is just another plus.

Retail Price: app. $5.00 (at drugstores everywhere)

DeLush Rating:

What They Say:

• AG's instant, spray-in detangler
• Leave-in mist conditions and detangles in wet or dry hair
• Lightweight and versatile for all hair types, especially children's hair
• Contain silk protein, keratin and wheat to improve moisture, strength, elasticity, and shine
• Detangles, moisturizes and protects hair without weighing it down

Jamie's Thoughts: This product pulls double, even triple duty. As a curly girl, I love it when I can use a spray conditioner to refresh my curls on a "skip" day (i.e. when I don't wash my hair). This product really is lightweight enough to use for that purpose - there's no icky buildup later on, no weird residue, and my hair doesn't seem heavier afterwards.

I also really like this on damp hair - it definitely makes my hair easier to comb (since the only time a brush or comb hits this head is when my hair is wet - maybe once a day). I also like that I can use this before my normal styling products without looking like I have multiple products in my hair - it's light as water, and plays well with pomades, waxes, mousses, etc.

The company also suggests on their website that this can be used as a facial spritzer - a quick pick-me-up refreshing moisturizer. I have an overseas vacation coming up, so I'll pour some into a trial-size spray bottle and give it a try. The dry, canned air on planes really takes a toll on my combination skin.

The scent is nice but not too strong, and the bottle is large. I anticipate this one will last me all summer, and into the fall. Well played, AG Hair Cosmetics!

Retail Price: $14USD, $14.50CAD (see www.aghaircosmetics.com for a list of retailers)

Delush Rating: (Totally Delush!)

What They Say: "Contains a potent blend of naturally occurring moisture binders, amino acids and proteins and is formulated to gently cleanse, re-hydrate and restore moisture-depleted hair. Xtramoist is the ideal cleanser to accompany AG Ultramoist moisture treatment to instantly revitalize dull dry hair."

Melissa Says: My hair is very porous and is also color-treated, so oftentimes I battle with dryness, especially on the bottom few inches. I hoped this may be a godsend for my stressed ends, but I just didn't notice a dramatic difference while using this shampoo. Of course, it was a decent cleanser, but I didn't particularly care for the scent, which was reminiscent of cotton candy or bubblegum. It didn't linger after I had dried my hair, but it didn't improve the experience while using it.

This was a decent shampoo, but as a treatment-specific formula, it didn't quite deliver on its touted benefits. Since there are several very good moisture-rich shampoos on the market, this wouldn't be what I would purchase to address the problem.

Retail Price: $13.50 USD (available in salons in the U.S. and Canada - find a location here)

DeLush Rating:

About the Shampoo: "Infuses fine limp hair with incredible long lasting volume and body. Gently cleanses while volumizing formula plumps the hair fibres to maintain fullness."

About the Conditioner: "Builds long lasting volume and body while improving condition and shine to fine limp hair. A unique volumizing formula plumps up hair fibres to maintain fullness."

Jen's Experience: With my fine hair, I'm always wary of things that say that they're going to make my hair thicker. My experience has been that things that texturize make my hair easy to style, things that say they give body give me some lift at the roots, but things that thicken turn my hair into a flat, greasy mess. But I have to change my way of thinking when it comes to this shampoo and conditioner set from AG Hair Cosmetics. My hair really does seem a lot thicker when I use it, even when I don't add in any other texturizing or bodifying products into my routine. Even better, my hair doesn't even look like a greasy mess the second day. Oh, and they smell delicious. The shampoo has kind of a fruity smell, and the conditioner is more of a coconut. I wish the smells would last longer just so I could sniff my hair all day. For those of you with fine hair who want to add a nice boost, this is absolutely something to try.

Retail Prices: Shampoo - $14.00, Conditioner - $15.00 (Check AGHairCosmetics.com for a salon near you.)

Rating:

About the Shampoo: "Cleanses away anything that gets in volume's way to build body, shape and movement into hair. Hair is left textured, voluminously sexy and shiny. Safe for color-treated hair."

About the Conditioner: "Adds incredible body oomph and lift to accentuate voluminous contours. Perks up shine as light moisturizers tame and detangle with frizz control. Safe for color-treated hair. Follow with Vavoom styling and finishing for big, glamorous results."

Jen's Experience: When I first got this shampoo and conditioner, I wasn't impressed. Where is this "bust-out" body they speak of? But after a few weeks of use, I became more and more impressed. It really does wash away all the build-up so you can use it every single day without your hair becoming dry or limp. Plus, I've had no trouble with my blonde color becoming too washed out or brassy with continued use. As far as the body goes, it doesn't exactly deliver knockout results on it's own, but it does make my hair look thicker while remaining extra soft. It also seems to cut down on the frizzies that I get from living with high humidity. And all that volume can be achieved, as they recommend, with the various styling products Vavoom has to offer.

Retail Price: $14.00 each (go to Matrix.com to find a salon near you)

Rating:

What They Say:

"Pure Volume Conditioner is a natural conditioning treatment for fine, limp hair. Body Building botanicals combined with neutral henna and seaweed extract help add volume, smooth and deeply hydrate lifeless hair while controlling static and adding shine. Volume therapy allows this conditioner to actually increase the diameter of hair adding thickness, fullness and texture. 100% vegan, healthy pH, sulfate and dye free."

Alissa's Opinion: This conditioner really delivers in the volume department. My normally fine hair definitely felt thicker smoother even with my regular styling routine. The product itself is very interesting. It's full of natural ingredients, vitamins and proteins and has a light, pleasant citrus scent. It looks like a milky shampoo and it rinses a lot cleaner than most conditioners. This does mean that there are less moisturizing properties, so I wouldn't recommend it for those who need a heavier conditioner. My mother borrowed it during a visit and found that it left her mane full of static. This product would be best for those with fine hair that is not dry or damaged.

Retail Price: $14.99 (Visit AbbaHaircare.com to find a salon near you)

Rating:

About the conditioner: "Sunsilk™ will pick you up with Anti-Flat Conditioner. Formulated with Collagen-C, it detangles and cares for your hair so it can go from blah to full of body and bounce."

About the volumizing cream: "Your genie is in this bottle. Sunsilk™ Anti-Flat Weightless Volumizing Creme is not a conditioner, and it's not a mousse. It combines the best of both in a lightweight concoction to give you visible oomph without that stiff look or that crunchy feel."

Jen's Experience: Trying hair products is sometimes a risky proposition for me, especially those of the drugstore variety. My fine, thin hair is hard to please and is easily damaged. And once my hair is out of whack, it seems to take a long time to get back into shape.

I say this as a prelude to my review, because unlike other hair products that I've tested that I have generally given about a month or so to test, I stopped using these products from SunSilk after about 10 days. In that time, my hair went from having bounce and looking healthy to looking flat and downright greasy. I thought maybe it was just one or the other, so I replaced the conditioner for a few days and just used the volumizing cream (which didn't help at all) and then just used the conditioner and removed the volumizing cream from my routine (which helped somewhat, but not a lot). Was it just weather conditions? After a week or so back with the MATRIX shampoo and conditioner I've been using, I gave each product another shot, with no luck. Do they have some redeeming factors? Well, the conditioner does a great job detangling and it leaves my hair soft, and the volumizing cream does smell pretty good. Other than that, these are all miss and no hit. These may be some of the most inexpensive options on the market, but the results I got were just not worth the bargain.

Retail Prices: $3.26 each (Drugstore.com)

Ratings:

What They Say: Conditioner"Moisturizes, shapes and revitalizes curls. Contains Lemon Grass and Orange Peel Oil to add luster and sheen to hair. 100% vegan, 100% free of synthetic dyes, DEA and cruelty free."

Prep "A moisturizing, curl enhancing tonic that utilizes a cocktail of herbal extracts to restore shine andd curl pattern to dry, lackluster locks. No chemical preservatives, cruelty-free, 100% free of synthetic dyes."

Finish "A versatile organic acidifier that locks in curls and colors, enhances styling support, and shields against environmental damage. Low pH formula seals instantly, ensuring dazzling shine and manageability. Light balancing aromatherapy fragrance ripe with Japanese flower essence."

Jamie's Thoughts: I have gotten the wonderful opportunity to review some earth and animal friendly products here at Delush, for which I am so grateful. Abba is one of the brands of which I would have never otherwise been aware, let alone purchase for my own use. Without touching too heavily on personal politics, I will simply say that I very much appreciate Abba's commitment to purity - both in their approach and ingredient lists.

That being said, I wholeheartedly endorse this grouping of products for curly haired folks. These three fantastic offerings smell AMAZING - crisp, fresh, and perfectly suited for both women and men. The scent perks up your morning routine without being cloying or oppressive. The conditioner combed easily through my ratty bedhead, rinsed cleanly, and moisturized well. My hair was bouncy, shiny, and looked lovely. Potential buyers should note that this is designed as a daily conditioner - it has the ideal texture, weight, and effect for daily use. I would not recommend it for deep conditioning.

As for the prep tonic, my feelings are mixed. I initially used it only in combination with the other Abba products, and didn't think it had enough hold for my natural curls. To ensure that I wasn't blaming a fault of the hairspray on the tonic, I started using it on a solo basis and I have to admit it works better by itself. It's okay within the manufacturer-suggested lineup, but I like it better as a "refresh" spray on dry hair - something to perk up this morning's curls before a night out (or a late morning when there's no time to shower and reset my curls).

The finish spray is great. It smells fantastic (but doesn't linger or distract) and does an above average job at holding my finely textured frizzies in place. I usually use a pomade to style, so it took a week or so of continuous Abba usage before I got comfortable with my bigger, softer curls. After I gave up the heavier approach, I really learned to appreciate the lighter hold. I'm not sure it would be enough in the humid summer months, but while it's cold and dry outside, this works just fine.

Overall, I would recommend all three products - especially the conditioner.

Retail Prices: All three products are $17.00 (available online at www.pureabba.com)

Delush Ratings:
Conditioner
Prep
Finish

What They Say: "Intensive reconstructing treatment that revitalizes hair. Protects color and completely rejuvenates hair. Leaves hair glowing with a renewed radiance. Formulated with Enzymetherapy - The Science of Skincare for Hair™ and infused with Seasilk®, Age-Control Complex™ and Color Hold™"

Jen's Experience: I absolutely love Alterna's Caviar Shampoo and Conditioner, so I was thrilled to get to try their new hair treatment, a masque under the Caviar product line. My hair is dry all year, but in the winter it gets even worse, so I need to use something like this at least once a week. After using this product weekly over the last several weeks, I've definitely had some fabulous hair days that I attribute (at least partly) to this masque. My ends look more healthy, and my hair has a lot more soft volume than it does normally.

I have noticed that when I use it at the end of my shower, I do experience a little bit of limpness until I wash my hair again, and then for the rest of the week my hair looks great. Recently, I started using this masque at the start of my shower, and that's totally fixed the issue. For those with dry hair and especially those who are fans of the Caviar line, I think you'll be impressed with this offering from Alterna.

Retail Price: $40.00 (Check 4Alterna.com for salon locations)

Rating:

What They Say: "New! Promote vibrant color and shine with this specially formulated Bilberry Color Protect Shampoo. UV filters and natural antioxidants help protect hair from color fade and damage caused by sun, pollution, sea and chlorine water.

Bilberry in a multi-fruit complex - Helps to smooth the hair cuticle and add gloss.
Organic soya oil - Is very rich in essential fatty acids that help to repair the skin's moisture barrier, thus helping to restore moisture, smoothness and suppleness. Also helps a group of around 500 farmers maintain their organic agriculture."

Melissa Says: While I appreciate that this shampoo takes measure to provide a level of protection for my color, what I didn't appreciate quite as much was how tangly my hair each time I tried rinsing it out. I also thought my hair was a bit more tangled when I tried to comb it out prior to blowdrying (even after enlisting the help of conditioner), than normally. Other than this, I didn't notice any negatives regarding the product itself. The bottle, however, is another story. It was really difficult to get the shampoo out because of how stiff and not easy to squeeze the bottle is. I took the lid off in attempt to make this easier, but I still am wondering how I would get the product out (which is quite thick), as it gets lower and lower toward the bottom of the bottle.

Retail Price: $9.50 (at thebodyshop.com or at a retail location near you)

DeLush Rating:

What They Say: "Frizz Not. Fear Not. Honey nectar and ginseng hydrate, define and enhance curl shape in even the most humid of conditions.

Kit includes:
4 oz Luscious Curls® Shampoo - Renews elasticity & restores bounce
4 oz Luscious Curls® Conditioner - Defrizzes & detangles curls
2 oz Luscious Curls® Cream - smoothes, controls & defines curl shape"

Jamie's Thoughts: I nearly jumped for joy when I found out I'd be reviewing this product. The products that comprise the trio kit need no introduction; really, the name and buzz alone would indicate that I was in for a fantastic experience.

The scent is great - a creamy citrus, kind of like one of those push pops that we all loved getting from the ice cream truck. The shampoo lathers up nicely, and the conditioner is a smooth, moisturizing dream. The combination of the two left my naturally curly hair lightly hydrated, very soft, and feeling fresh.

The smoothing cream leaves a bit to be desired, however. When used as directed, it's not strong enough to adequately contain my curls. (As a point of reference, my hair is very similar to Keri Russell's - naturally very curly, but the waves aren't necessarily uniform in shape, or size) There simply wasn't enough structure in it to keep my hair smooth when applied to damp hair and allowed to air dry. Surprisingly, I had better results with the smoothing cream when I used it as a defrizzing balm on dry, curly hair.

All in all, this is definitely a combo worthy of the Frederic Fekkai name and cult following, and the smaller sized bottles in this set are great for a 1-month test run (or a treat on a long vacation). I definitely recommend this to any curly girl looking for a solid product regime.

Retail Price: $29.00 (at bathandbodyworks.com and in stores)

DeLush Ratings:
Shampoo -
Conditioner -
Smoothing Cream -

What They Say: "Indulge your dry, tresses in our rich deep conditioner for softness on even the most unruly hair! Experience instantly hydrated healthy, shiny looking hair with this magical treatment that has been created for all hair types seeking moisture! Excellent thermal conditioning treatment as well."

Melissa Says: I get excited about smaller boutique-type cosmetic and beauty product businesses, because you never know what hidden gem you'll find. Also, I love the idea that someone could possibly making the next great product in their kitchen somewhere at this moment!

Honestly, this didn't completely blow me away, though. The scent is truly yummy, which is a plus, and the product felt thick and rich in the jar; but once on my hair I didn't feel like it was really soaking in. You know that "ahh" feeling you get when you apply a conditioner and you can feel that magical transformation to soft, supple and conditioned? Seeing as this is supposed to be a deep conditioner, I really wanted to feel that, but I didn't. I left it on a few minutes before rinsing, but when I rinsed I felt like my hair was tangly. Same when I blow dried.

I will say one other positive thing: my hair felt very thick after using this. And while it was shiny afterward and not hard to manage once it was dry, this still fell short of what I expect from a deep conditioner.

Retail Price: $20.00 (at BodySoFine.biz)

DeLush Rating:

What They Say: "An intensive, invigorating treatment to revitalize and restore your hair to its natural beauty. Paul Penders Natural Organic Intensive Hair Repair Therapy contains essential fatty acids together with plant extracts and essential oils to restore balance and life to dry, damaged, permed or color-treated hair, leaving it glowing, manageable and beautifully healthy. May be used daily on extremely dry hair or as a weekly treatment for normal hair. Targets and repairs split ends."

Jamie's Thoughts: Are you addicted to your heat-based styling tools? (I know I cannot be the only styling junkie out there that is addicted to the satisfaction of a smooth, straight hairdo) In dry weather, I confess that I regularly set my ceramic flat iron to the maximum temperature and straighten away like a madwoman. Sound familiar?

Take heart, heat addicts. Paul Penders' intensive conditioning treatment will reverse just about any of the damage you may have done to your distressed locks. And the best part? The product ingredients are things that I actually recognize. Lemon balm, yarrow, and jojoba oil, oh my! This rich conditioner is also certified organic, animal-friendly, vegan, and kosher/halal formulated. You know I love a product with good karma.

The consistency is reassuringly thick (a balm, almost, as opposed to a cream), and the scent is very lightly medicinal - but don't worry, the smell won't linger in your hair. Because this product rinses out so cleanly and thoroughly, I would even recommend it to anyone with very fine, or thinning hair. Simply said, this stuff makes my hair look shiny and gorgeous. I would even recommend it to any men out there looking for a no-fuss, effective, intensive treatment conditioner.

Retail Price: $21.50/5 fl. oz. (available at paulpenders.com)

DeLush Rating:

What They Say: "Now, the icy freshness of cucumber and intoxicating green tea fragrance you love for face and body leave hair fresh, clean and beautiful. Dove Cool Moisture is revitalizing for all hair types."

Melissa Says: I know the Cool Moisture scent from Dove has been fairly popular in its previous forms, but honestly I didn't especially love it in these products. Personally, I found it really intense while using, and afterward I kept thinking "why do I smell laundry?". I don't know, for some reason that's what it reminded me of. Still, my hair was very soft, manageable and shiny while using it, so I really can't give it a bad rap. My husband didn't seem to find the scent bothersome when I asked him about it, so feel free to test it out for yourself. At least you'll get great-looking hair out of it.

Retail Price: $3.99 each (at drugstores & superstores)

DeLush Rating:

About the Shampoo:  "Paul Penders Natural Organic Time Release Low-Suds Shampoo- GENTLE adds volume and texture to fine, limp hair and restores shine to dry or damaged hair.With 22 organic-grown herbs, Italian-sourced olive oil, vitamins, minerals and fine essential oils, Time Release Low-Suds ShampooGENTLE makes your hair shiny and manageable, without stripping your hair's natural oils. Leaves the scalp healthy and clear."

About the Conditioner: "Paul Penders Natural Organic RinseGENTLE untangles hair leaving it shiny, silky and never weighed down. Coconut oil and Aloe Vera work to correct dryness and promote extra body, while Lemon Oil imparts an exquisite fragrance. This unique herbal mixture with added organic apple cider leaves the hair and scalp feeling fresh and clean by eliminating buildup and restoring proper pH levels. Use after ShampooGENTLE to aid in restoring vibrancy and manageability."

Jen's Experience: Ordinarily, I am a huge friend of organic or natural products, but my first impression of this product was, frankly, not so good. The shampoo is designed to be low suds -- it doesn't have all those harsh detergents, so while it's better for your hair, it's hard to get all my hair lathered up. Instead of being soft, it pulls a lot, and until I use the conditioner, it's incredibly tangly. While it's not so fun to use, I find that when I incorporate it into my routine once per week, it really leaves my hair extra clean, shiny, and bouncy. And begrudingly, it's becoming a permanent fixture in my shower. So I'm giving this a mid-grade rating; I don't like using it, but I love the results.

Retail Price: $21.50 each (PaulPenders.com)

Rating:

About the Shampoo:"Signature ingredient: Our certified organic herbal infusion of green tea, meadowsweet, rosemary and certified organic aloe vera infuses limp, fine hair with volumizing moisture and shine.

Product description: Gently cleanses, strengthens and volumizes with essential moisture, pro-vitamins and unique plant proteins for lightweight body, manageability and shine.

Features and benefits: Our Very Emollient Volumizing Shampoo gives fine hair volume and luster without adding excess weight or oiliness. A certified organic herbal infusion of antioxidant rich green tea, meadowsweet for its beta hydroxy acids, and panthenol B-5 from rice husks, brings texture and shine to fine hair.

Who should use this product? For fine hair."

About the Conditioner: Signature ingredient: Our certified organic herbal infusion of chamomile, lemon balm, wild thyme, jojoba and aloe vera delivers a soothing balm of plant proteins, minerals and emollients.

Product description: The perfect balance for everyday conditioning. Pro-vitamins and unique plant proteins add strength and shine, without buildup.

Features and benefits: Our Very Emollient Daily Rinse Conditioner delivers the healing power of beta carotene, soothing chamomile, nourishing vitamin B from nuts and grains, and clarifying lemon balm to hair. This herbal infusion creates manageable volume and lusterous shine without buildup or oiliness.

Who should use this product? For all hair types."

Jen's Experience: Now that it's officially boiling outside I thought it might be time to shelve my ultra-moisturizing shampoos and conditioners and bring in some volumizing products. My hair tends to get flat when it's warm and humid outside, and this year it has been setting new records. I picked up this set of mid-priced shampoo and conditioner from my local Whole Foods, and I couldn't be more pleased with the turnaround in my hair. The scent of the products is wonderful, but what makes them winners is that my hair looks great with just a blow-dry -- no mousse, texturizer, or styling creams to make my hair do what I ask.

Two notes of caution: I was very surprised by the tangles I get when I shampoo. I'm sure that means I'm just getting my hair good and clean, and the tangles come out easily with a good dollop of the conditioner, but I have definitely been less enthusiastic about piling my hair on top of my head and lathering. I also have found that my hair stays healthier looking when I mix in a moisturing shampoo or a hair mask on the weekends to replenish some of the moisture. My hair tends to be really dry even in the summer, and I found the shampoo to be a bit drying. Overall though, I am quite pleased and I think this is an excellent choice for those with fine hair who are looking for something to pump up the volume.

Retail Price: $8.95 each (Whole Foods or AlbaBotanica.com)

Rating:

What They Say: “Illuminate and protect hair color with Graham Webb's Halo Smoothing Shampoo, which controls frizz and helps soften texture for a luxuriously soft, smooth, sleek finish. The technologically advanced formula in this smoothing shampoo balances porosity and closes the cuticle to lock in color and create a smooth, sleek strand of hair from scalp to ends. The gentle formula in Halo's Smoothing Shampoo envelops each strand in a smoothing, protective layer to prevent frizz. Lush surfactants gently cleanse while protecting moisture balance.”

Alissa’s Opinion: I love most of the Halo line, so I wasn’t surprised when I ended up replacing my regular daily shampoo with this one. The difference can be felt as soon as I rinse it out; my locks feel smooth and conditioned. My hair is always soft after washing with this, yet it isn’t weighed down. I like to use Halo Smoothing Shampoo whether I am straightening my hair or wearing it wavy because it stands up nicely to humidity. Of course it smells yummy too!

Retail Price: $13.99/10 oz. (See HaloHairCare.com for salon locations)

DeLush Rating:

What They Say: “Logics is the highest expression of pure tone, calibrated haircolor and lavish color maintenance products to customize and preserve the true identity of salon color. “

“Color Nourishing Shampoo is a rich, full-bodied formula that gently cleanses hair and protects color’s brilliance. UV filters help color stay vibrant and true.”

What Lisa Says: Upon receiving this shampoo to test, I immediately had my color touched up so I could see how well this shampoo would live up to its promise.

I am more than 50% grey and my color is a medium to dark brown that fades fairly easily in the sun and with repeated washes. For that reason, I do not shampoo every day but every 3rd day or so. I did shampoo more frequently with Logics Color DNA System and wasn’t disappointed. Not only did my color not fade, but also it stayed dark and true until it was time to re-touch the roots again. In fact, I was really surprised at how much more my roots did show since I had no fading.

As far as texture, without conditioner, my hair had that processed, squeaky kind of dry feeling but I didn’t have that “straw-like” feeling or look that processed hair sometimes has after coloring. It was clean and, after conditioning with my current conditioner, was manageable and I was very happy with how my hair looked and felt. I was certainly happy with how long my color stayed true.

Retail Price: $12.99 /8.5 fl oz. (at select salons and distributors - go here to find a salon near you)

DeLush Rating:

What They Say: "Dual-Action UV Filters and Anti-Oxidants replenish porous hair shafts with moisture for healtheir hair that keep color longer.
(about the Shampoo)
Replenishes moisture so hair is soft and supple. Seals in color vibrancy. Fights free radicals to help protect color.

(about the Conditioner)
Conditions and detangles dry hair. Replenishes moisture so hair is soft and supple. Ignites intense shine."

Melissa Says:
(about the Shampoo)

• Very mild sudsing action; you can tell it is cleansing gently.
  
• Hair even feels a little "conditioned" after rinsing
  
• Pleasant scent
  
• Great price

(about the Conditioner)

• Super-creamy formula
  
• Not gloppy or overly thick
  
• Rinses with incredibly soft feeling remaining
  
• Leaves hair smoother and softer
  
• Pleasant scent
  
• Great price

Retail Prices: $4.99 each (at drugstores and superstores everywhere)

DeLush Rating: for both

What They Say: "This creamy, sulfate free cleanser is gentle enough to use daily and moisturizing enough to use alone! Ideal cleanser for chemically altered and color treated hair. Perfect for active women! This rich and creamy sulfate free cleanser gently cleanses your curls, hydrates, and conditions the hair all in one step! Infused with carrot seed oil, horse chestnut, sage leaf and arnica Montana flower extract. Perfect cleanser for relaxed, chemically altered, and/or color treated hair."

Toya's Take: As usual, I found that all the Curls products work well together or separately. I like the Curlicious cleanser a lot. It has a luscious scent, sort of like buttercream frosting, if you ask me. It's quite rich and creamy to the touch and I feel it does the job of cleaning gently, yet thoroughly. When used in combination with the rest of the Curls regimen, my hair feels soft, moisturized and is easily detangled, not to mention that it smells great. Another great product from the Curls line!

Retail Price: $13/8 oz. (Curls.biz)

Rating:

What They Say: "This concentrated treatment penetrates quickly to renew and repair all hair types for unprecedented results. Infused with African Cacao Extract, Hyaluronic Acid, Caviar Age Control Complex, Photozyme Complex with Color Hold, White Truffle Oil, Champagne Grape Seed Oil, Bulgarian Evening Primrose, Arabian Frankincense, Moroccan Quillaia Bark, and Arnica Flower."

Jen's Experience: Usually when I use a hair treatment or a mask, I do it on Sunday morning so that I don't have to go to work or major social events with a head of overly moisturized hair that's hard to style. With this one, I actually have started using it before I go to events. It does seem to weigh my hair down a bit (easily remedied with a little texturizer and rollers), but it makes my hair so soft and shiny, but with no trace of that greasy look that I normally associate with hair masques. Even if I skip a day of washing after I use this product, my hair looks great and super-healthy. This is a product that I've definitely made part of my weekly routine.

Retail Price: $55.00 (check 4alterna.com for salon locations)

Rating:

What They Say: "Senses are indulged as hair is treated to a beneficial blend proven to maintain healthy hair. Gentle cleansers, detangling conditioners and protective antioxidants keep hair soft, shiny and in perfect balance."

Alissa's Opinion: This pair of products has so many cushy ingredients that I expected it to treat my hair very nicely. In addition to green tea, it contains shea butter and echinacea to moisturize and silicones to enhance shine. It definitely lived up to my expectations and gave me a soft and shiny mane. The shampoo produced a nice thick lather and the conditioner felt thick and luxurious, yet it rinsed out easily. My only complaint is that the scent isn't very appealing, something I wouldn't expect from Back to Basics. It smells faintly medicinal but not offensive. This is a nice everyday product.

Retail Price: $9.95-31.95 for 11.5oz size up to 1/2 gallon size (at salons and select distributors - go here to find one near you)

Delush Rating:

What They Say: "Neutrogena Triple Moisture® Deep Recovery Hair Mask rehabilitates extra dry or over-processed hair with intense moisturization.

This weekly treatment is so concentrated, just a small amount is needed for hair to become soft, lustrous and shining in minutes. Three naturally derived extracts work on the hair strand to defy dryness. Olive penetrates to the center, Meadowfoam Seed helps moisturize the middle and Sweet Almond wraps the surface. Treat your hair to intense moisture with this once-a-week conditioning mask.

Neutrogena Triple Moisture® provides specialized care for extra dry hair.

• Salon approved
  
• Non-waxy
  
• Freshly fragranced

How To Use: Use weekly or as often as needed. After shampooing, apply a small amount of mask to wet hair, concentrating on the ends. Let it penetrate for 3 to 5 minutes. Rinse well. Style as usual."

Melissa Says: I really was hoping for a lot here. I mean, that description sounds pretty impressive, no? Well, I wish I could say that my expectations were completely met. Don't get me wrong, my hair really was softened, but I have used products that produce more noticeable results. However, for the price I think this does an admirable job without any greasy feel. My hair has gone through a LOT of coloring over the past couple of years, and I've worked hard at keeping it healthy....but toward my ends I have dryness that is pretty persistent without conditioning aids. With this, I didn't notice an increase in shine as promised, but in addition to the softness I did think my hair felt more full. Overall, the conditioned and very touchable results may please many of you who are looking for an easily-accessible treatment for dried out locks.

Retail Price: app. $7.00 (at drugstores and superstores everywhere)

DeLush Rating:

What They Say: "Can't get that comb to glide through your hair? Well, KNOT TODAY!

A creamy herbal conditioner and detangler designed to smooth the cuticle and remove knots, snarls and tangles from kinky textured hair. Apply generously and work the wide tooth comb slowly through troubled areas. Our new thicker, richer formula can be used as a regular rinse out conditioner and also as a leave-in.

Contains extracts of wild cherry bark, marshmallow root and horsetail."

Toya's Take: I have fallen in love with Kinky-Curly products! Of course, I am always on the hunt for the perfect products to use on my "kinky curly" hair. I think I have found them. They are the perfect products to loosen my curls and soften them, without using any chemical processes. Knot Today is part of a system of products designed to work together to achieve maximum curl length, looseness, shine, and frizz reduction. The Knot Today is odorless, which is nice - it won't be offensive to those who have smell sensitivities. I have to apply it quite liberally - I goop a lot on to my hair and then comb it through. It detangles my hair easily, without lots of pulling and effort on my part. Love it! My only problem is that the bottle isn't very big and I have to use a lot to detangle my mass of hair, so I feel like I went through half the bottle already! Kinky Curly, make bigger bottles of this stuff!

Retail Price: $12 for 8 ozs. (at kinky-curly.com or scroll to the bottom of the shopping page to see a retail location near you)

DeLush Rating:

What They Say: "This magical Asian Hair Tea conditioner combines exotic extracts and vitamin packed botanicals with natural emollients to moisturize, condition, strengthen and protect your over worked curls. If you have dry, coarse, chemically treated and/or damaged your hair...this conditioner is a must have!"

Toya's Take: According to the Curls website, the Ecstasy Asian Hair Tea Conditioner is the stuff to use when you have "dry, damaged, chemically processed, overly stressed" hair. It's supposed to be useful as a regular conditioner, a leave-in or as a deep treatment with heat. I tried it as both a regular conditioner and a deep treatment. I have to say that I like the product, but not any more than the Coconut Sublime Moisture Max Conditioner. I really couldn't tell the difference. My hair did feel nicely moisturized and easily detangled, but it feels that way every time I use Curls products. So, I have nothing bad to say about this product. I like it a lot. But I have to say that I think this is duplication of effort for the product line. You can get equally good results from the other conditioner offered.

Retail Price: $19 for 16 ozs. www.curls.biz)

DeLush Rating:

About the Shampoo: "Matrix Amplify Shampoo leaves hair looking and feeling thicker. A weightless cleansing complex works beneath the surface of the hair fiber to add fullness. Matrix Amplify Shampoo actually generates volume with each use. Especially formulated for volumizing. Good on all hair types. Safe on chemically treated hair."

About the conditioner: "Matrix Amplify Conditioner provides weightless conditioning that hydrates and protects hair's strength while it gives hair more volume and thickness. Hair is manageable and shinier. Matrix Amplify Conditioner is especially formulated for volumizing. Good on all hair types. Safe on chemically treated hair."

Jen's Experience: I recently decided to dye my hair darker (kind of a medium brown) for fashion week. My hairdresser recommended this shampoo and conditioner combo in particular to give my newly colored hair some volume and protect it from fading. My hair looked great when I left the salon, but when I started using this shampoo, it just went down hill. It's fine when I first get out of the shower, but throughout the day it looks greasier and greasier. As a result, I end up having to wash it every single day. With all the washing, my color faded away in just weeks. Not so good for chemically treated hair after all, I guess. I originally thought that perhaps the color infusion had made my hair more moisturized and that was why my hair looked so greasy. But switching to another shampoo and conditioner pair immediately improved the appearance of my hair. So, basically, I'm not impressed.

Retail Price: $11.95 each (visit Matrix.com to find a local salon)

Rating:

What They Say: "Senses are indulged as hair is treated to a beneficial blend proven to soften thick, coarse hair. Gentle cleansers, detangling conditioners and rich emollients keep hair controlled, conditioned and rich with moisture.

Coconut: Extremely hydrating conditioning fruit quenches dehydrated hair. Smoothes rough cuticle layer into a glossy finish. Softens coarse, thick or wiry hair for added control.

Mango: Significant source of Vitamins A, B and C to promote a shiny surface, and protect from heat and styling stress.

Jojoba: Moisturizing conditioner instantly penetrates rehydrating the cortex. Ensures hair is always strong, always healthy, always bouncy.

• Added UV protection guards against fadage.
• Moisturizers and bodifiers balance the formulas resulting in resilient styling.
• Naturally derived surfactants carefully remove impurities with a sensuous, billowy lather.
• Color safe formula is gentle for all color treated hair."

Melissa's DeLush Downlow: Okay, this was a pair I definitely wanted to try, as I've for years been dealing with my often unruly, half-wiry hair with talented juggling of various hair products and styling techniques. Mostly, my problem is typically the first 8-12 hours after washing my hair. If the water isn't JUST soft enough, or if the product isn't QUITE right, or if I blowdry for too long or for too little and in the wrong direction, my hair without product can be - quite frankly - poofy and dry as straw. This is part of the reason (aside from the fact that it's healthier for my hair) that I only wash it every 3-4 days.

I've found several products and some shampoos and conditioners that really make those first few hours much more pleasant to look at. But I'm also glad to find more.

The shampoo smells SO GOOD. It's like a coconut/creamsicle scent, and the lather is velvety soft. When you rinse, the hair still feels soft and not stripped. The conditioner does not smell quite as incredible...there's some other component to it which makes the scent different, but it is still pleasant. I wouldn't call this an intense conditioner by any means, either. It does the job along with the shampoo but isn't heavy.

Overall, this duo did its job creating a mood-lifting, pampering experience and did in fact leave my hair more soft and touchable. It also didn't look dry right after blowdrying, either - even without the aid of any other styling product. I was pleased.

Retail Price: $9.95-31.95, depending on size (go to backtobasics.com to find a salon retailer near you)

DeLush Rating: (the Shampoo)
(the Conditioner)

What They Say: "Soothe and replenish dry, damaged hair. Each packet contains one 8" X 8" single-treatment sheet infused with a unique amino complex, wild orchid extract and natural plant aroma to add moisture, strength and elasticity to your hair. Hair feels silky, soft, renewed and replenished. Just massage hair sheet over dry hair for overnight or all-day-long rejuvenation. 5 sheets."

Jen's Experience: Always a fan of anything that will make my dry hair look healthy and lively, this seemed like an easy way to give an extra conditioning treatment to my hair every now and then. The sheets remind me a lot of the Oil of Olay cleansing towelettes, only these smell less of soap and more of infused olive oil. I was a little surprised that the towelettes weren't more drenched in liquid; they were just a little moist. I massaged them into my hair, as recommended, from tips to roots about twice a week at bedtime. Did I notice any great change in my hair? Well, not really. My hair did feel more moisturized, but it didn't really seem to affect the appearance of my hair or make it any easier to style. If you're in the market for a deep conditioner for your hair, I think I'd try something a little richer or one that is applied in the shower before investing in this product.

Retail Price: $35.00 (Saks Fifth Avenue)

Rating:

What They Say: "A pH3 formulation that combines NexxuSphere® technology with Nature’s finest conditioning Botanicals to promote incredibly smooth, tangle free hair.

Benefits: The formula with Grapefruit, Aloe, Geranium, Comfrey, Avocado Oil, Protein, and time released Nutrients improves hair strength, elasticity, and manageability. COLOR ENSURE may be used on all hair types to help eliminate split ends and static electricity, leaving hair full of body with remarkable sheen. Also acts as an excellent color additive to enhance depth of color."

Jen's Experience: I've been spending a whole lot of time lately trying to make my hair have more volume and body and look healthy overall, but in the meantime, my hair (perhaps just from a bad dye job) started looking, well, a little lackluster. I decided to go a shade darker and cooler, but I also picked up this conditioner to help my color stay where I want it.

As far as a detangler goes, I think it does its job. It doesn't make the tangles just fall right out, but it does make the job of combing through just a bit easier once I'm out of the shower. And I suppose it helps my color last, too, but that's hard to measure. What I'm really disappointed about but should have expected, I guess, after reading the description is just how much it would weigh my hair down. There's pretty much no texturizer powerful enough to give my hair some bounce when I use this. It also looks a little greasy on day two, which is not something that usually happens in the winter. Nexxus has been good to me so far, but I think I'm going to stick to conditioners that specialize in volume from now on.

Retail Price: $9.32/5 oz. (Drugstore.com)

Rating:

What They Say: "Replenish dry, stressed hair with a dose of intense moisture. Infused with a complex of algae and aloe vera to help restore hair's moisture balance. Hydrating Shampoo, Conditioning Balm and Cera-Repair® treatment nourish hair for superior softness, shine and manageability."

Jen's Experience: I have dry hair year-round, but in the winter it's really dry, so it's always nice to have a product like this on hand. I found this conditioning balm to be extremely effective; so much so, I don't even have to use it on a daily basis. It cleans up my ends so nicely that I don't feel my usual compulsion to curl or flatiron my hair. I will have to say, I found that using it too often did weight down my hair a bit. I have started using it just about every other time I wash, and I try to avoid using it when I'm trying for high volume. That said, my hair is thankful for this product now that cooler weather is here.

Retail Price: $14.95 (click here to locate a salon near you)

Rating:

What They Say: “Phyto Phytosesame is a fast-acting hydrating conditioner that provides dry hair with the essential elements it needs. Brimming with nourishing ingredients – sesame, jojoba, and castor plant oils, and cocoa and shea butter – Phytosesame Express Hydrating Conditioner ensures deep-down nourishment and helps rebuild the hair’s protective film to restore optimum moisture levels. Hibiscus Flower Extract with toning properties and Tocopherol (Vitamin E), an antioxidant, work to reinforce the hair’s resistance and provide protection from external stress factors. Rapeseed oil derivative makes hair instantly easier to detangle without weighing it down. From the very first application, hair visibly regains strength, shine, and suppleness.”

Toya’s Take: I was slightly irritated that it felt like it took forever to pump enough product out of the container, but whatever. I do feel that it added some moisture to my hair and made it easier to detangle. I don’t know that it lives up to all its claims, but it wasn’t bad. However, for that price, you could find better.

Retail: $26.00 (Sephora)

Rating:

What They Say: "Developed by dermatologists, this botanically-based shampoo protects the natural balance of your hair and scalp. Gentle enough for daily use, this mild formula will not strip natural oils or irritate scalp as soap-based shampoos can. Helps maintain the intrinsic structural integrity of your hair, enhancing sheen and leaving hair soft and healthy looking."

Jen's Experience: The first time I used this shampoo, I thought, "Wow, my hair looks as good with this as it does with my Aveda Pure Abundance! Awesome!" It was soft and shiny, had volume and styled well. But that was the only that I got such good results out of this shampoo. Over the past 2 or 3 week or so, my hair has lost its shine and just doesn't have the same body that it did that first time. Since I'm using the same styling products and the same conditioner with it each time I shampoo, I'm blaming the shampoo. My hair does feel soft and well-moisturized, but the dullness and the lack of body makes this a product that I just can't use...or recommend.

Retail Price: $12.36 (SebaMedUsa.com)

Rating:

What They Say: "Senses are indulged as hair is treated to a beneficial blend proven to infuse hair with maximum volume. Vitamin B5 helps each strand to enhance hair's overall body and fullness. Gentle cleansers and detangling conditioners leave hair shiny, silky, and volumized."

Apple
Contains natural emulsifiers that help thicken hair, boosting volume. Damaging free-radicals are countered with Vitamins A and C.

Ginseng
Increases volume and thickness, infusing fine hair with energy.

Vitamin B5
Penetrates deep within the hair shaft to plump up each individual strand, making hair look and feel thicker and fuller.

Jen's Experience: I am always a sucker for the latest volumizing shampoo and conditioner combo, and the ones I've tried usually fall into two categories: ones that add volume through texturizing, and ones that clean really well and inject vitamins and moisture to boost the actual thickness of the hair. This one is very much in the "soft volume" category.

I've been spoiled after using the Aveda Pure Abundance shampoo and conditioner, expecting to just blow dry my hair and walk out the door. When I use this shampoo and conditioner, my hair does seem to appear thicker than it would be with more general products, but it doesn't have the same volume and the roots and the body that I would like to see.

On the positive side, it cleans my hair as well as any clarifying or detoxifying shampoo, so I can use it everyday without any build-up. It does a really good job of cleaning off all of the other products I put in my hair.

Overall, this is a good pick for those with fine hair if you're willing to use some extra products once you're out of the shower. I've been following a tip from one of our readers, mixing a styling gel (I am using my Halo Bodifying Gel) with the Aveda Pure Abundance hair powder. And that adds just enough texture to my hair to give it the extra body I was hoping for.

Retail Price: $9.95 shampoo/11.5 oz, $10.95 conditioner/11.5 oz (Visit BacktoBasics.com for Salon locations)

Rating:

What They Say: "Lifts fine hair up and fills it out. Hair looks fuller, feels thicker, stays more abundant."

Jen's Experience: My hairdresser talked me into this shampoo and conditioner after my last haircut (after recommending their hair powder). She told me that I could return it with 2 weeks if it didn't work for me, so what did I have to lose?

Turns out, not much to lose, and a whole lot to gain. This shampoo and conditioner really live up to their promise of making my hair look fuller and thicker. One thing that they don't mention that I find really noticable is the amount of shine that they lend to my hair. Even when I'm wearing hair powder, the shine comes through. Unfortunately, the shine plus my hair's natural oils sometimes lend to greasy hair the next day. After using the hair powder, I can generally get two days of wear out of a shampoo with the Pure Abundance products.

My favorite part about these products? I thought it was just my new haircut, but after trying various products on my hair, I find that my style just falls into place when I use this set. I can actually blow-dry my hair and walk out the door. For me, this is a true time-saver, since I generally use a curling iron or rollers every day.

So, needless to say, I won't be returning these products. In fact, I think they'll keep a spot on my shower shelves for a long time to come.

Retail Price: $14.00 for each product, 6.7 oz (Aveda)

Rating:

What They Say: (about the Curl Refreshing Shampoo & Conditioner) Senses are indulged as hair is treated to a beneficial blend proven to activate and define curl. Gentle cleansers and detangling conditioners in these moisturizing, anti-frizz formulas keep curls smooth and separated, soft and shiny.

(about the Curl Activating Gel) Formulated with a natural blend proven to activate, define and separate curls. Moisturizing, anti-frizz formula keeps curl smooth and shiny throughout the day.

Jamie's Review: Hello, my name is Jamie, and I have high maintenance hair.

(in chorus) Hello, Jamie.

Despite several very solid DeLush reviews on the Back to Basics line of products, I was skeptical about this one. I second guess any product that claims to have any control whatsoever over my naturally curly hair. Do these so-called "curly hair only" products actually do what they say they will?

Well, yes. And no.

The shampoo is predictable, nothing special happening there. It rinsed out quickly and completely, which I always appreciate. The conditioner, on the other hand, is phenomenal. It was very creamy upon application and especially rinsing - it had an instant softening effect on my hair. When I stepped out of the shower, I was able to run my fingers through my hair without physical pain. Usually, I need 4-5 spritzes of detangler before that can occur. Hallelujah! Graham Webb, I love you, wherever you are. After a quick brush, it was onto the gel. It went on very goopy but distributed nicely in the end. The "golden rule of hair gel" definitely applies here - the more gel you use, the crunchier your hair will be. It also did not control the strange, frizzy waves I have on the back of my head at all.

A note on the scent: Holy jasmine, Batman! I found the scent (a very thick, heady floral mix) completely overwhelming, and not necessarily in a good way. If you're like me and prefer a lighter, fresh, citrus scent, do not purchase this product. The scent lasts all day and well into the evening, which is fantastic, if you like the way it smells.

Overall results of the "curl refresher" suite of products? Average at best, save the conditioner. If they made the conditioner in citrus, I would use it everyday!

Retail Prices: (the shampoo & conditioner) $9.95 - 31.95 each in a range of three sizes (the gel) $9.95 (available at salons and select distributors - find a location near you here)

DeLush Ratings: Back to Basics "Curl Refreshing" Shampoo
Back to Basics "Curl Refreshing" Conditioner
Back to Basics "Curl Activating" Gel

What They Say: "This shampoo bar is for hard water areas. Wash with hard to get rid of the calcium residue, now a bright pink bar studded with cocoa butter conditioner, and your hair will be soft, shiny and perfumed with flowers."

Melissa's DeLush Downlow: I've tried one of LUSH's shampoo bars before, so I was used to the bar shampoo concept. They're actually quite handy, especially when it comes to travel.

This one has a distinct fragrance in the tin - very fresh, a little flowery, and perhaps a bit strong. I wasn't too sure about that when I went to use it. However, I like the result when I apply it to my hair (I rub it into my hair a bit as well as sudsing it in my hands to apply); it feels incredibly moisturizing and gentle. Rinsing it out I at first thought perhaps my hair was a little TOO squeaky clean (if you know what I mean by that feeling) so I used just the tiniest bit of conditioner (I wanted to get the full picture of how the shampoo worked in my hard water).

I have to say that after blowdrying, my hair is incredibly soft and manageable and the scent that is strong inside that tin becomes a really pleasing and uplifting smell that not only will make you happy but just might make the person next to you say "Hey, what shampoo do you use? It smells so good!"

Retail Price: $7.95 (at lushusa.com or go here for store locations near you - international readers go here to find your LUSH online store)
*Or buy it in the DeLush Delights store now!

DeLush Rating:

What They Say: "If you can't tell her age by a glance at her face, why should the condition of her hair give it away? Proper care for tresses should be as important as skin care, especially with the deteriorating effects of coloring, chemical processing and heat styling. Restore locks back to original condition in one step with easy-to-use Graham Webb Silk Repair Leave in Conditioner, which protects locks for years to come while leaving it soft and supple. Silk Repair Leave in Conditioner contains our exclusive Thermacore Complex, an anti-aging regimen containing essential elements such as hydrolized silk, natural humectants and emollients for manageability and rebuilding of hair follicle by using heat as a conditioning treatment.

Hydrolyzed Silk is unique in that it acts like a typcical protein to strengthen the hair, but is also a natural humectant - capable of attracting and binding 10,000 times its own weight in moisture within the hair shaft. Thermacore Complex, found in all Graham Webb products, becomes activewith the application of heat over 98 degrees - from hot water, blow dryers and styling tools - to act a sa beneficial conditioning treatment, repairing and protecting the hair frmo the inside out. Another bonus? This daily leave-in conditioner and reconstructor seals in moisture, replacing the need for a rinse-out conditioner while comgining the conditioning effects of natural humectants and emmolients to eliminate tangles and static for easy mangageability."

Melissa's DeLush Downlow: That's a lot of information, but as far as I'm concerned here's all you need to know. This stuff will add softness and a bit of shine but NO weight. I was thinking of all the leave-ins I tried when I was younger and they always had a greasy residue. Not so here. (Don't confuse this with the feeling of a deep conditioner either.) I have the same amount of body, more manageability and softness, and I find myself running my fingers through my hair more because it's SO easy to do, and feels so healthy.

Retail Price: $12.95 (exclusively through premier salons and distributors across the globe - call 800-456-WEBB for locations or visit grahamwebb.com)

DeLush Rating:

What They Say:
(about the Shampoo) "Conditioning sugar foam gives hair body. White tea, papaya, and pomegranate extracts blended with Rosemary/Sage Essential Water™ gently purify hair while sweet almond protein helps strengthen. Anti-oxidant rich botanical UV filters shield hair from damage and color fade."

(about the Serum) "The sugar conditioner softens brittle, unruly hair. Lemongrass Essential Water™ adds shine. Body-building, conditioning extracts of almond, white ginger and watercress blended with sweet almond protein help improve the look of weak, damaged hair. For curly or straight styles, smooth styling polymer controls frizz - even in high humidity. Contains a potent, botanical anti-oxidant blend to help maintain healthy hair."

Melissa's DeLush Downlow:
(about the Shampoo) This is a very interesting product. I've never felt a shampoo do this to my hair while washing before. What am I talking about? That weird somewhat dry feeling (while wet!), with very little sudsing (which is not a bad thing) and not necessarily a feeling that my hair was getting "dirty", but not that it was getting clean as we normally like it to feel. It was a little tangly and wiry feeling in the water, as if I'd added something to it that made it change greatly in texture. It felt "roughed up" in a way. I definitely was in a hurry to add a mild conditioner to ease that tangling, which disappeared immediately. (Good thing, because I really was nervous about the state of my hair's knottiness up to that moment.)

It did seem that my hair had in fact gotten quite clean while I combed it out, but it also felt a bit more textured still. After blowdrying my hair had more volume, though not extremely drastic, with no extra weight AT ALL.

(about the Serum) This is perhaps one of my favorite serums among all I've ever tried up to this point. It's not very greasy-feeling when you dispense it and warm in your hand, and when you apply it you aren't made suddenly aware that you've may have accidentally made some very vital clump of hair near your face FAR too slick. You know, how lots of anti-frizz serums have a TEENY TINY line between the right amount and EW YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO WASH THIS GREASY MESS AGAIN TOMORROW? This one didn't do that. It soaked into my hair nicely (I used a little less than 2 dime-sized amounts on my not-quite-reaching-my-shoulders length hair). I of course made sure to concentrate it some on my ends and the ends of each layer, because that's where the hairs start to flip up and go crazy in humidity.

Let me just say this: You know how humid it's been in the Midwest and just about everywhere else, right? (If you don't relate please don't tell me. We don't want to hear about your fabulous temperate climate. It will only make us curse the humidity that much more.) Well, my hair stayed smooth but full of body when I was out and about on a particularly sticky day. And I had just washed my hair before heading out. Normally the first 8 hours after I do my hair is the most frizz-a-licious time until my natural oils kick back in and I've slept on it.

So, in other words? I loved it.

BONUS: For those of you interested, Jonathan products are vegan.

Retail Prices: Serious Volume Shampoo $20.00
Create Smooth Anti-Frizz Volumizing Serum $26.00 (go to jonathathanproduct.com and click "Where To Buy" to find online and local retail locations)

DeLush Ratings: Serious Volume Shampoo
Create Smooth Anti-Frizz Volumizing Serum

About the shampoo: "Hawaiian white ginger and papaya extracts blended with Rosemary/Sage Essential Water to gently cleanse as sweet almond protein helps to improve the appearance of dry, damaged hair. An antioxidant-rich botanical blend and UV filters nourish hair from damage and help prevent color from fading. Even over-processed hair is left feeling soft, silky, and completely renewed. Sulfate-free and 100 percent vegan.

'My JONATHAN|product' sulfate-free shampoos are very different from regular shampoos that contain detergents. I do not use any hair-stripping, high foaming agents which give lots of lather but dry-out hair and fade hair color.

I use an extremely gentle, sugar foam in both shampoos which is rich and creamy -- never squeeky and bubbly. And the shampoos are very concentrated, so you do not have to use a lot, but it is important to thoroughly wet your hair under warm running water prior to applying. This opens the cuticle and allows the sugar foam to gently cleanse. And it is a two step process so my conditioners are formulated to work in combination with shampoos to leave hair healthy and protected.' - Jonathan"

Jen's Experience: I frequently use moisturizing shampoos on my hair. I have to -- it's dry from everyday styling and color treatments. In the summer, though, it's tricky because my hair's natural tendency is to become greasy and flat as soon as I walk out the door. Sometimes the extra moisture is just too much. With a product like Nexxus Therappe, my hair does really well, but I have to say, I did wasn't able to get the same amount of volume in my hair when I used this shampoo, with or without Jonathan Serious Volume Conditioner. It did make my hair look healthy and shiny. Just not enough oomph. I also wasn't crazy about the scent, but they definitely make up for it in other products in their line. I am putting this in my cabinet until winter, and I'll update you if the extra moisture is just what my hair needs in the dry, cold weather.

About the conditioner: "Limp, lifeless hair prone to static electricity, or hair needing a light, hydrating boost of moisture will be revived with this conditioner. Body-building Basil Essential Water combined with nutritive plant and sea extracts renew hair as sweet almond protein helps to strengthen, and essential oils and exotic butters like almond and mango help to condition. Antioxidant-rich botanicals, and thermal and UV filters shield hair from damage and help prevent color from fading. The results? Shine, softness, and superb manageability. Conditioner is 100 percent vegan."

Jen's Experience: I very rarely buy new conditioners. I've been using the same liter bottle of Sap Moss for at least two years, off and on. No matter which shampoo I use (most recently the Nexxus), it's worked for me. With this Jonathan conditioner, I've finally found a conditioner that I can use with a variety of shampoos to get even better results. It smells great when I'm using it, but when I'm out of the shower, I notice that my hair styles more easily and holds the style throughout the day. Plus, my hair doesn't feel as dry when I've been using it. I am curious now to try the Serious Volume shampoo to round out the set!

Retail Price: $20.00 shampoo / $22.00 conditioner (Sephora)

Ratings:
(Shampoo)
(Conditioner)

What They Say: "Formulated with comfrey and kelp, herbal blend #24 delivers strength and protection in a nutrient-rich, leave-in conditioning treatment. Aloe vera acts as a conditioner and detangler, but most importantly, comfrey, kelp and honey together act as a primer. When you work the treatment throughout the hair, you are setting a base by filling in all of those divots and split ends. This protective barrier is good for all hair types and textures. Apply on damp hair after cleansing and conditioning."

Melissa's DeLush Downlow: Per the bottle instructions, you should be fairly conservative with how much of this you put in your hair, and stay away from roots. Comb it through to spread evenly. I find it does add a very touchable softness and a nice fresh scent, but I struggle to find a definite distinction in how it benefits my hair as a "primer". Readers, any thoughts? Still, I like the added softness without the weight.

Retail Price: $19.00 (find locations for purchase at priveproducts.com or call 866-351-1193)

DeLush Rating:

What They Say: (about the shampoo & conditioner) "A beneficial blend of bamboo, ivy, avocado oil and panthenol. The shampoo's color-safe formula acts as a humidity barrier to keep straight hair soft, shiny and frizz-free."
(about the crème) Effectively smoothes curls, waves, and frizz without leaving any buildup, so hair stay touchable and soft. Also, adds an additional layer of protection against thermal tools. Just apply evenly on damp hair and blow dry straight."

Melissa's DeLush Downlow: (about the shampoo & conditioner) I have to come right out with it. Frankly, I'm thrilled with this formula. The clear shampoo alone makes my hair feel soft when it's rinsed out. Then the conditioner, which is more gel-like than cream-like, finishes off the super-soft feeling. After blowdrying, I don't notice any weighing-down, but instead very frizz-tamed and soft locks. I also feel like my hair has more swing and it even looks healthier. Now, my hair is very thick, but the strands are fine and prone to waves and frizz. If you struggle with thin or limp hair, you may want to be careful and perhaps even find out if your stylist thinks this will work for you (maybe they can use it on you at your next appointment). I tend to think because of the products' lack of buildup during my experience that it won't be a problem. (Readers with fine or thin hair who've used this already - please go ahead and leave a comment to let us know how it worked for you!).

(about the straightening crème) Stick to applying this a few inches away from your roots, comb it through, and blowdry - and you'll have sleeker heat-styled hair. I think this combined with the Bamboo Straightening Shampoo & Conditioner really makes a difference, especially when you do a blowout or use a straightening iron. If you aren't really going to use a heat styling method, this likely is not necessary if you just use the shampoo & conditioner alone.

Retail Prices: $9.95 for the shampoo, $10.95 for the conditioner, $10.95 for the crème (exclusively through premier salons and distributors across North America...to find a salon or distributor near you, please call 800-456-9322 or go to www.backtobasics.com)

DeLush Ratings:
Bamboo Straightening Shampoo & Conditioner
Straightening Crème:

What They Say: "Encapsulated Lipids, Avocado Oil, and Polysaccharides attach to hair to bind moisture and provide time released hydration. Lively whipped bubbles along with a nourishing Botanical blend of Allantoin, Chamomile, Rosemary, Nettle, and Nature's own gentle cleanser, Soapbark, adds incredible softness. These unique ingredients and lubricating Emollients linger in the hair long after the super rich lather is gone. You will notice the difference in just one shampoo."

Jen's Experience: I bought this shampoo at the same time that I purchased their Diametress shampoo, thinking that this was a conditioner. But I liked the Diametress so much, I decided to keep this one to see how it worked. I loved the Diametress shampoo for the amount of volume and the shininess it lent to my hair, but the Therappe shampoo has taken my hair to an all new level.

My hair looked a lot healthier after the first time that I used it. Granted, I don't get the same level of volume out of this shampoo that I have with other shampoos, including their Diametress. And if I use a conditioner with this every time, my hair often gets weighed down. But I've found that with the use of body-building products like volumizing mousses and light hold hairspray, my hair looks thick and beautiful, like it would stepping out of a salon. It holds its style, and looks great for 2 or 3 days on one blow-dry.

For those of you currently using Alterna Caviar products (another of my all-time favorites) or considering purchasing them, I find that I have very similar results with Nexxus Therappe, for a much lower price.

Jen's Tips: Be sure to rinse this shampoo out thoroughly. Leaving any residue will weigh down hair excessivly. If you have hair that tangles easily like I do, use a leave-in detangler on the ends only rather than using a regular conditioner for best results.

Retail Price: $8.99 (Drugstores)

Rating:

What They Say: "A light conditioner that moisturizes and imparts shine without weighing hair down, leaving the hair pliable and texturized. Excellent for curly hair to enhance curl and shine, or for straight hair to reduce frizz and add luster."

Jen's Experience: I tend to have dry hair, and my hair is also color-treated, so I am a prime candidate for a product like this. When I opened the container, I was totally wowed by the delicious scent of this leave-in conditioner. I picked up a about a teaspoon of it and massaged it into the ends of my hair. It feels really luxurious, like a high-end moisturizer (good moisturizers generally make excellent leave ins for your ends if you hair is dry). Everything was perfect until I dried my hair. Sadly, it looked a little greasy, and was definitely weighed down. I tried using less of it, but I have yet to find an amount that works as a conditioner and that doesn't leave my hair looking really limp.

However, I have a couple of excellent uses for this product, which keeps this product in rotation for me. This product makes an excellent hair mask if your hair is feeling dry, over-styled or just overly frizzy. I apply this in the evening during an extended bubble bath and leave it on overnight, and then shampoo my hair as normal the next morning. My hair retains the shine and softness from the overnight treatment.

Additionally, I like to use this product before going to the beach or the swimming pool. I wet my hair and apply a thick layer of this product and put my hair up in a bun or a clip. My hair is protected from the elements and when I shower later, my hair is easy to comb out and wash clean.

This product certainly earns its keep in my house despite the fact that it doesn't make a very good leave-in conditioner for every day use. I am very happy with it as a hair mask, however. Still, unless your hair is extremely dry, this is not a product I would recommend for general use.

Retail Price: $22/4 oz. (Sephora)

Rating:

What They Say: "Nexxus Diametress shampoo is enriched with Panthenol (Vitamin B-5), Proteins, and ionically charged NexxuSpheres® to build thickness and body into every strand. These remarkable ingredients combine to increase the diameter of the hairshaft, adding fullness to any hair type. Proteins and time-released Vegetable Ceramides give your hair strength and increased sheen. Expect sensational results even when used on baby fine, limp, or thin hair."

Jen's Experience: It seems like everywhere I go -- the drugstore, the grocery store, the mall -- I've been seeing Nexxus products. I'm not sure if the drugstores are supposed to be selling these products or if Nexxus has changed their direction to go more for mass-market retailers, but either way, I'm thankful, because without the extra exposure, I may never have tried this really fantastic shampoo.

I read that it was for fine or limp hair, and thought (sadly), "hey, that's me!" From day one, I love how much body it gives to my hair without drying it out or making it greasy. In fact, my hair looks good for a couple of days after I wash with this shampoo. Sometimes, I use conditioner with it (Aveda Sap Moss usually), but many times I simply spritz on some detangler when I get out of the shower. Either way, may hair is shiny and bouncy, and, well, healthy looking.

I usually steer clear of hair products I find in the drugstore, but this is one product that I am glad I tried!

Retail Price: $8.99 (Walgreens)

Rating:

About the shampoo: "This shampoo is formulated with naturally derived olive oil extract and is the perfect remedy for dull, lifeless hair. It provides a luxurious lather to gently cleanse and nourish, leaving hair with a vivid gloss and lasting shine."

About the conditioner: "For extra luster, try Glosssing Conditioner, formulated with natural olive oil. Its lightweight formula delivers the enhancing benefits of olive oil without weighing the hair down. The result, is glossy, vibrant, radiant locks that make you shine."

Jen's Experience: I really thought this shampoo and conditioner would be a slam dunk. I've always had terrific results with Frederic Fekkai products and the Glossing Styling Cream remains one of my favorite beauty products of all time. Further, I thought this product would give my a little shininess to my hair, which, since it's colored and always somewhat dry, could use the help. Sadly, the glossiness it imparts looks greasy to me. In fact, after an 8 hour workday, I look like I need a shower. And since I tried it in the winter, I can't even imagine what disastrous results would occur if I used it in the summer. Perhaps if my hair was thicker, or even more dry, it would be great, but as it is, this is not a product I can recommend.

Retail Price: $20 ea/8 oz. bottles (Sephora)

Rating:

What They Say: "Senses are indulged as hair is treated to a beneficial blend proven to restore hair's moisture balance. Gentle cleansers and detangling conditioners hydrate and smooth for soft, silky, shiny hair.
• Tames split ends and static indicative of dry hair.
• Increases flexibility of dehydrated hair resulting in responsive styling.
• Naturally derived surfactants carefully remove impurities with a sensuous, billowy lather.
• Color safe formula is gentle for all color treated hair."

Melissa's DeLush Downlow: If the incredible scent (fresh, light, and luscious) doesn't get you interested in this shampoo and conditioner, then perhaps the fact that hair is transformed into strong, soft, and shiny locks WILL. The shampoo is clear and very gentle (my color has not faded while using it), and the conditioner creates a softness not often achieved with anything less than a deep conditioner. This has by far been my favorite cleansing and conditioning duo recently.

These formulas are specifically made for normal to dry hair. If you have a problem with oiliness, you may need to try a more specifically-engineered formula for your hair type. However, if you DO purchase these two, it is always best to get them at an actual salon to ensure you are getting the highest quality product.

Retail Price: $9.95-31.95 (both are available in three sizes) at salons (go here to find a salon near you)

DeLush Rating:

Jeannette has always struggled with finding products that can help her feel in control of her natural curls, which are not super-tight spirals, but more difficult-to-style waves and flips with frizzy tendencies. So we asked her to try this line by Halo to find out if it is a curly-haired girl's dream come true.

What They Say
(about the shampoo): "Mild cleansing and foaming ingredients gently cleanse without robbing hair of vital moisture. Panthenol prevents thermal damage to scalp and hair, while promoting body and moisture. Jojoba conditions and moisturizes for intesified body and spring. Wheat proteins subdue static and frizz. Improves combability of curly hair. Humectants help curls retain moisture and spring."
(about the conditioner): "Protective, shielding forming agents surround each hair shaft for increased combability and silky feel. Lightweight silicones deliver a soft, sleek feel without buildup. Wheat proteins condition and reduce static. Softens and unties tangles in rough, curly hair."
(about the curling crème): "Sensual emollients assist with softness and in reducing flyaways. Jojoba proteins condition hair with added moisture leaving hair with improved body, shine and feel. Humectants attract added moisture to promote additional and even curl formation. Silky texture slips through damp hair for quick, easy distribution in salon and at home."

Jeanette's Reviews
(about the shampoo): It cleanses gently and is moisturizing, also the hair shaft seemed to feel stronger after using it. I truly feel it saved my hair from breakage when our water softener went out and our water was terrible. In the past, I've had to get my hair trimmed to take off the damage when dealing with hard water. However, while using this shampoo I felt like my hair stayed healthy and strong which was a hugely noticeable benefit.

(about the conditioner): This conditioner is really nice, however my hair is fine and curly, so less was the key here. While it didn't weigh my hair down, if I used more than a tiny bit my hair was actually TOO soft to manage. If you have more coarse hair, this conditioner may be something that really helps you with your hair texture.

(about the curling crème): This product greatly reduced flyaways for me, which has ALWAYS been an issue. This actually is the first product I've ever used that made that much of a difference. I still felt that less was best for my fine hair.

Overall, I think these products are worth the investment because of how much healthier my hair has become while using it. For those with very thick, coarse hair it should work well, too. If you have fine curly hair like myself, just be careful about the amount of conditioner or curling crème you use. I used this while styling my hair curly as well as straightened with a flat iron, and the most significant benefit no matter what the style method was the reduction of flyaways and increased strength.

Retail Prices: Shampoo & Conditioner $16/each, Curling Crème $18 (the complete Halo Curl collection is available exclusively through premier salons and distributors across the Unites States and Canada. For more information on salon and distributor locations, call 800-456-9322 or visit www.halohaircare.com)

DeLush Rating:

About the Shampoo: "Morning Mint Shampoo contains fresh Mint, Wheat and Milk Proteins, and Vitamin E to leave hair clean, shiny, and manageable."

About the conditioner: "Morning Mint Conditioner contains fresh Mint, Wheat and Milk Proteins, and Vitamin E to leave hair silky smooth and managable. This gentle conditioner is excellent for dry and/or chemically treated hair."

Jen's Experience: Generally, I'm a shampoo and conditioner snob. My hair is super picky, and wilts or gets oily if I choose the wrong product. I have liked everything I've ever purchased from Archipelago Botanicals, so I thought I was safe with this pair. Turns out I was right!

If you're thinking this is a total rip-off of Aveda's Rosemary Mint, you're probably right when it comes to the scent. I have had a bit of a problem in the past with Aveda's product stripping my hair though, and I definitely haven't experienced that problem with this shampoo and conditioner. My hair is shiny and full of body, even on day 2. I love the way it really lathers, and the yummy smell makes me not want to rinse it away. I think, especially for the price, that is is a hard product to beat, and one I would definitely recommend.

Retail Price: $12 each (Beauty Exclusives)

Rating:

What They Say: "Gentle enough to use everyday, this honey-infused formula adds volume, improves texture, as it hydrates the hair without weighing it down. Tested on actresses, not on animals."

Jen's Experience: When I received this product, I nearly jumped for joy. My hair is really dry, especially when it's cold and dry outside, but when I use anything that hydrates too much, it weighs my fine hair down. Based on their description, it's exactly what I needed.

The directions say to "lather well", but the Hamadi formula doesn't really lather so much as coat my hair. I massaged it throughout my hair for several minutes and rinsed it clean. I was about to use some of my conditioner, but when I felt my hair, it felt really clean and wasn't tangled at all.

When I use this, my hair looks so healthy and shiny without looking greasy. I never have to use any conditioner or detangler, so it is less weighed-down than when I use some other products. I do have to use my hair detoxifier once a week or so to remove the residues from my hair, but overall, I am so impressed with this product. Hamadi Beauty has found a new fan.

Retail Price: $18.00/4 oz (Sephora)

Rating:

What They Say: "Treat Elite is an instant detangler, a light conditioner, and a finishing rinse. It may be left in the hair for maximum benefits or rinsed off fine limp hair.

Conditioning with Treat Elite enable you to obtain excellent styling performance and flexibility by closing the cuticle layer and eliminating static electricity. Ideal for dry ends."

Jen's Experience: When the air turns cold and dry, it's not just my skin that suffers from dryness. My hair also tends to lose its luster and tangle easily unless I really pamper it. So when my hairstylist recommended Paul Brown's leave in conditioner to help with my dry hair, I decided to take her suggestion.

I was worried that this product would weigh down my fine hair, but it turns out to work exactly as described. As soon as I get out of the shower (after shampooing and conditioning as usual), I spray this on the ends of my hair and comb it through. It moisturizes my hair just enough to prevent tangling and damage from my hair dryer, but as long as I continue to use volumizer on the roots, I don't lose the body in my hair even when I don't wash it every day. My hair is ultra-shiny and healthy looking. And a bonus? This conditioner has an absolutely wonderful tropical aroma. The scent won't linger in your hair, but when you're blow-drying, it just smells delicious.

If your hair suffers in winter-time like mine, I highly recommend this addition to your arsenal of hair products.

Retail Price: $9.00 (at salons)

Rating:

What They Say: "Has summer taken its toll on your hair leaving you with split ends, breakage and weak lifeless styles? Well, Mother Nature has come to the rescue. Back to Basics Vanilla Plum Fortifying Shampoo is designed to infuse strength and vitality into damaged, weak hair using our unique Vanilla Plum Fortifying Complex. The complex contains a revitalizing blend of vanilla, plum and natural proteins that together help strengthen, improve texture, restore elasticity and protect hair, promoting overall health and shine.

[It] features a delicious fragrance which begins with a juicy top of black and red plums combines with rich black currant. Its accents are bursting with zesty citrus notes of lemon, key lime, and bergamot. The undertones are an absolute vanilla white musk to balance the overall fruity tone of the fragrance."

Melissa's DeLush Downlow: I could try to tell you how good this smells, but no matter how well I describe it, you're still going to open it up yourself and give a surprised "Ooooooooh!" It's honestly THAT good. My husband even made the Oooooooh noise when he smelled it. And I think he wanted to use it first, but I wouldn't let him! I can't really say I've noticed a huge difference in hair texture, though I have noticed more shine and that is always a good thing. If you've got more damaged or more stressed hair, you may see a more notable difference. I do know it doesn't weigh my hair down at all, and since it cleanses gently and smells so wonderful, it's definitely worth a try!

Retail Price: $8.95 (go to backtobasics.com for salons or call 800.456.9322)

DeLush Rating:

What They Say: "Scented with the sensuous Flying Fox fragrance of jasmine, ylang ylang, cypress, and palmarossa oil and chock full of macadamia nut oil, shea butter, and coconut oil, this shampoo and conditioner in one will leave dry hair rejuvenated and smelling beautiful. Works especially well on long and dry hair."

Melissa's DeLush Downlow: Yes, my dears, I DID find this as strange a concept as you may be finding it right about now. How intriguing...and then I opened up the little tin mine came in. Um, yeah. Wow. It was actually pretty strong; it really took me (and my husband!) by surprise. In fact, he kind of looked at me like "you're going to use that?" It wasn't a BAD smell, just shockingly strong right out of the container. But being the brave soldier that I am, I forged on to try it out for you guys.

And here's the kicker. I really like it! Much to my surprise, I truly thought this did a fair job of cleaning my hair; and while it didn't quite smooth to the same degree that some of my typical conditioners do, my hair definitely didn't feel like straw. In fact, my hair came out quite soft. A bit more flyaway than usual, but this can be remedied with some product after-the-fact. While I was using it, I was concerned that the lack of much sudsing foretold of a horrendous greasy-because-it's not-clean outcome. I was also proved wrong there, as my hair actually felt VERY fresh and clean afterward.

And the ending result of that surprising scent? I LOVE it. Much more toned down than you think, but you'll catch the smallest draft of the natural, flowery-but-woodsy-sweet scent (yes, it IS that hard to describe!) throughout the day, and it just makes you feel happy and pretty.

I really enjoy this shampoo quite a bit. I don't know if I would use it for every shampoo (even though I believe some of you probably could if you do have fairly manageable and/or wash-and-go type hair to begin with), but for in-between or as a completely portable travel shampoo, you just might enjoy this. Overall, this was a great intro for me into LUSH's solid shampoos.

Retail Price: $7.35 (lushusa.com)

DeLush Rating:

Alterna Caviar Shampoo and Conditioner were my first love when it comes to making my hair look shiny and healthy, but eventually, my bottles were empty and I had to search for something new.  It is so rare that I find shampoos and conditioners that I really, truly love, so I expected the worst.  I've had tremendously good results with the other Frederic Fekkai products I have tried, so I decided to give them a try!

About the shampoo: "The ideal shampoo that goes beyond gently cleansing, by giving hair that extra lift. Naturally based, plant-derived volumizers add fullness and body. Yarrow, oak root, kukui, and cherry bark nourish the hair so that it looks and feels thicker, fuller, and more manageable. Hair will be infused with volume, yet totally controllable."

About the conditioner: "Impart a smooth sheen to the hair with this lightweight gel-based conditioner that adds volume, and never weighs hair down."

Jen's Experience:  My first experience with this product wasn't even my own.  I bought my shampoo and conditioner when one of my friends was visiting from out of town.  When she went to take a shower at my house, I suggested she try out my new products.  Now, her hair is much, much thicker than mine and not fine like mine either, but I really wasn't expecting the results to be all that dramatic.  But oh, wow.  She blow-dried her hair, and it had so much volume, so much body that she nearly looked like a comic book character.

Since I only have 5 baby-fine strands (okay, 10), I was excited about seeing what this product would do for me.  My initial impressions were that it smelled great; it made my hair smell like I just stepped out of a high-end salon.  And while my hair didn't have any obvious tangles, it definitely didn't feel like it was coated and weighed down at all when I emerged from the shower.

When I blow-dried my hair, I was amazed.  The body in my hair was amazing.  It has a lot more volume, almost as though I put mousse or a volumizer in my hair.   What also amazed me is that it doesn't appear to cause buildup.  I have great hair days even when I am using this every day for 3 weeks straight.   

My only complaint is that these products seem to strip shine away from my hair.  This is very easily remedied by using Frederic Fekkai's Glossing Cream or their Technician's Glaze, but this product is expensive enough that it is discouraging to have to buy yet another product to make your hair look as healthy as possible.

That aside (since I tend to use the Glossing cream daily anyway), I am really in love with this shampoo and conditioner.   If you've got baby fine or thin hair like mine, this is something you should definitely check out.

Retail Price: $18.50 shampoo/$20 conditioner (Sephora)

Rating:

What They Say: (about the shampoo) "Garnier Fructis Sleek & Shine Fortifying Shampoo nourishes and smoothes hair, even with moisture in the air. Nutritive Micro-Oils provide extra conditioning benefits to nourish straight, wavy or curly hair and give long lasting smoothness and frizz control. Helps makes hair 5x smoother and 5x stronger and so much shinier*. Adds manageability and improves texture for all hair types without weighing hair down." (about the conditioner) "With Nutritive Micro-Oils, Garnier Fructis Sleek & Shine Fortifying Deep Conditioner helps tame frizz and flyaways. It nourishes straight, wavy or curly hair and helps makes hair 5x smoother and 5x stronger and so much shinier*. This 3-minute masque improves texture and manageability for all hair types without weighing it down."

Melissa's DeLush Downlow: Straight to the point (no pun intended): I LOVE this line. It's inexpensive, smells amazing, and makes my hair feel soft and look great. My hair really is significantly smoother when I use this, especially when I also use the deep conditioner, which doesn't weigh my hair down. I have very coarse, randomly frizzy hair, so anything that can help tame it is a winner in my book. Especially when it doesn't take a huge chunk out of my wallet.

Retail Price: $3.99 each (at drugstores everywhere)

DeLush Rating:

So, remember how I was all in love with my Alterna Caviar Shampoo?  Well, I still am, and it is still my primary shampoo, but I am sad to say that it does cause build-up in my hair that causes my hair to look a little weighted down after a while.

Enter Aveda's Detoxifying Shampoo: "Formulated with certified organic aloe—to help maintain hair's natural moisture—while detoxifying.  Contains no synthetic reducing agents or ingredients that can damage the hair shaft.

Recommended use: daily for swimmers; once or twice a week for ordinary build-up. "

Jen's Experience:  I chose Wednesdays as my hair detoxifying day.  I think I am going to move it to the weekend, though, because the day I use this stuff and for a few days after, my hair is absolutely full of life.  It doesn't get weighted down from all the other products I am testing.  It seems to hold its style longer.  My hair just looks healthier.  This is an essential product for anyone who uses conditioning shampoos or heavy conditioners.   

Tips:  I was told by my Aveda salesperson that I should only use this product once a week, any more and my hair would become damaged.  Also, I use Aveda's sap moss conditioner with this shampoo, which I believe aids in re-moisturizing my hair.

Retail Price: $9.00/8 oz. (Aveda)

Rating:

What They Say: "This uniquely concentrated, versatile hair rejuvenator contains 100 percent Ojon palm nut oil to improve the condition of damaged, color-treated, or processed hair without weighing it down. Fortifying, rebuilding, and nourishing, it leaves hair extraordinarily shiny, silky, and manageable.

To use:
As a Deep Conditioning Treatment: Warm ½ teaspoon full in the palms of your hands (more for longer hair) and distribute onto to dry hair from scalp to ends, leave on for 10-20 minutes, and shampoo well.

As a Leave-In Conditioner: Warm a small amount in the palms of your hands until it becomes a lightweight oil, and distribute thoroughly through towel-dried hair. Style as usual.

As a Shine Enhancer: Heat a very small amount in the palms of your hands and smooth over the surface of dry-styled hair."

Melissa's DeLush Downlow: Oh. My. ...Where to begin? When I first got this I thought, "how the heck do I do this?" Upon opening the container, I saw a little comb for spreading through the hair, a mini foldout sheet with info, and a lip to put inside the jar to seal it under the lid once you've broken the plastic inner seal (because of the product's consistency, it's very important to retain its moisture and keep its temperature average - though they say if it gets too warm and liquefies, you can put it in the refrigerator to get it back to its original texture).

The product is semi-solid, brown and soft in texture, and quickly turns to a golden oil as soon as you warm it between your palms. I apply it with my hands and use about 2 1/2 finger-scoops for my semi-short hair. Then I use the supplied comb to spread it evenly throughout. After the waiting time, I shampoo it out.

I was afraid that this might really weigh my hair down and/or make it look extremely greasy. NOT SO. I was thoroughly ecstatic to get soft, shiny, and non-flyaway hair after using it. Now, keep in mind that I have semi-coarse, thick hair. So try to take that into consideration as you try this out on fine hair - perhaps just use a little less of the product. All I can tell you is that my hair didn't get weighed down at all, and I hadn't had a hair day that good for a few months. It has a wonderful earthy, clean scent (don't worry, it does tone down a little after you rinse it out) which stays in your hair for a few days. It kind of makes me feel like some sort of tropical princess.

I am addicted.

P.S. - Word has it that the hairstylist from "The O.C." uses this on the cast and crew.

Retail Price: $55.00 (available at Sephora.com)
Get more info about Ojon at www.ojonhaircare.com.

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A few weeks ago I raved about this product, but I'd only tried it a couple of times.  Now I am back to tell you how it held up in every day use. 

A little background on this one: The reason that I wanted to use this product in the first place is that InStyle Magazine said in their January issue that it was Jennifer Anniston's shampoo.  Magazines such as "People" had claimed previously that she used another of Alterna's products, the White Truffle Oil Shampoo, which is a pricy $78 per bottle.  Once I saw that she was using the more affordable option, well, I had to try it.

Alterna's Description of the Caviar Shampoo: "Alterna's CAVIAR SHAMPOO WITH AGE-CONTROL COMPLEX is a color safe, ultra rich daily shampoo that gently cleanses without stripping the hair."

And the Caviar Conditioner: "Alterna's CAVIAR CONDITIONER WITH AGE-CONTROL COMPLEX is a color safe, daily conditioner that rebalances moisture levels leaving hair extra soft and silky."

My Experience:  After the first day, I was thrilled with this product.  My hair looked fabulous and healthy and held its style all day even to the next morning.  Not every day has been as great as that first one, but my hair has consistently been shinier with more body and more life every day that I have used it.  Even if I don't wash my hair the next day, it still has shine and bounce and isn't too greasy.  It's like I've had a hair transplant.  I highly recommend it.

Tips:  I used to not wash my hair on a daily basis so that it would build up some natural oils.  With this shampoo and conditioner, I find that it works best if I use it daily.  The conditioner bottle recommends keeping it on the hair for two minutes, but that length of time may be unecessary.  Try a shorter amount of time with your hair to tweak the amount of time the conditioner needs to set.

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Reviewed By: Jen

This week I will be writing to you about my beauty goals for the new year.  Because who doesn't want to look stunning in 2005?

Now, I think my natural hair color (last time it was natural, which was like 1992 maybe) is dirty blonde.  However, I have been dying it or highlighting it so that it is light blonde ever since high school.  It might be black under there.  I just don't want to know.

What I do know is that when I use cheap hair products, my highlights turn really brassy really fast.  My last hair stylist in Atlanta, GA recommended using two of Aveda's products to prevent that from happening. 

I use Blue Malva shampoo on my hair to strip off whatever it is that makes my hair turn brassy.  If you have any gray hair strands, this will actually turn them white with continued use.  It does not seem to be harsh to my hair or scalp, yet doesn't cause my hair to be extra greasy.

For conditioner, I currently use Sap Moss.  It is pretty thick, and may be overkill if you don't have really dry hair.  If I am washing my hair daily, I tend to use a very small amount and apply it only to the ends, which really need the extra detangling power that Sap Moss provides.

The biggest drawback of both of these products is that they don't smell very good.  (In fact, they may be the only things Aveda makes that I don't want to eat.)  Luckily though, the smell doesn't persist in my hair throughout the day.

Last year I went off of these products twice, both times with bad results: one bad haircolor experience and one scalp allergy.  My new year's resolution is to take care of my hair.

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Reviewed By: Jen

What They Say:
All Soft Shampoo cleans with an ultra-rich formula that leaves hair soft and smooth.
All Soft Conditioner smooths, detangles, nourishes and controls frizz for shiny, touchable hair.

Melissa's DeLush Downlow: I used to think that since I color my hair, the smartest thing for me was to use a shampoo and conditioner designed to preserve my color. Well, that's all fine and dandy except for the fact that that did not especially pamper my hair type all that well (at least what I was using). So I thought, heck, if my hair is dry and dull-looking, who cares if my color is still all there? So, I tossed all my old thinking aside and did one of the best things I could do for my coarse, thick hair: this shampoo and conditioner not only smell wonderful and fresh, they also have helped improve the feel and manageability of my hair.

*Both available at salons.

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