As you lovely folks already know, spa-ing is what we do best. If we aren't luxuriating in a bubbling froth-fest of deliciously warm water on a more-than-regular basis then we get withdrawal symptoms. In our opinion, a life without diving, dipping, drenching and dousing would be dire!
Our hair, however, may disagree with us. Slipping in and out of pools, gyms, saunas and steam rooms; enjoying oily head massages and opulent masks, creams, lotions and potions can leave our hair a little lacklustre.
But, if we were going to let a little thing like lifeless locks stand between us and our need to spa, what kind of spa bunnies would we be?! Instead, we have been on a mission to find a shampoo and conditioner that will save our curls from the chlorine and save us from sauna-induced split-ends.
Salubrious Spy has been busy spa-ing of late, and has taken along with her Aubrey's Organic Swimmer's Normalizing Shampoo and Conditioner for Active Lifestyles to try and tame her tired tresses.
"The shampoo smells strongly of marzipan and lathers up more than most eco-friendly shampoos I’ve tried. I've also used it on my kids and they didn't complain about getting it in their eyes. The shampoo claims to naturally remove "chlorine, minerals and other impurities to neutralize odor, prevent discoloration and leave hair soft, rebalanced and revitalized". I can’t vouch for the rebalancing and revitalisation claims but it left my grown-out-highlighted hair feeling soft and relatively frizz-free.
The conditioner is light and a little pearlesque. The fortifying amino acids seem to have done the job and left my hair feeling really soft and easy to comb through.
I would buy this range again; they're a good price and do what they say they will. However, what they gain in effectiveness, they lose in looks. The packaging is definitely more eco than elegant, and the icons look more than a little dated. I like the product, but with a little re-branding I think I'd grow to love it!"
Even though it's not technically a swimmer's shampoo, I was recommended Herbal Essences Beautiful Ends range for dealing with chlorine, so I took it along to my regular swimming sessions.
I got on with the Herbal Essences Beautiful Ends shampoo very well. My daughter, partner and I all used it after swimming, and found a little went a long way. It lathers like an explosion in a bubble factory, and smells sweet without being sickly (I put that down to the raspberry extract). I certainly felt my hair was soft, and noticed my daughter's hair looked particularly shiny.
When it came to the conditioner, I have mixed feelings. It looks great, smells even better, but I found the conditioner hard to dispense and, personally, it left my hair feeling more weighed-down than weightless.
So, generally we were impressed with our finds. Some sexier packaging and a lighter conditioner would be perfect for our two reviewees, but overall we were pleased to be able to slink to the swimming pool without sacrificing our shine.
Shy Spy
19th March 2014
Spy Likes:
Instant results; jasmine and frangipani scents; hot steam rooms; a good selection of magazines; modernist decor.
Spy Dislikes:
Whale noises (on CD, not in the pool hopefully); hard massage beds; tiny toilet cubicles; being spoken to like a child; lukewarm pools.
