Hair Masks - Inspired Living SA

The Victorian Garden, a South African, organic skin care company, recently re-launched their hair masks and I was fortunate to receive one to try out. After going very blonde last year, which I must admit I have loved, my hair is soooo dry! This is probably largely because I heat style my hair – usually everyday, naughty I know. This is a habit I am trying hard to break!

I have been testing quite a few different hair masks and treatments and was keen to try out The Victorian Garden Hair Mask. I am currently using their Mango and Vanilla Exfoliating Salt Body Scrub, which I love.

There are two hair masks in The Victorian Garden range: a Rosemary & Jojoba Hair Masque, with Peppermint and a Cocoa & Mafura Butter Hair Masque, with Orange & Rosemary.

I received the Rosemary & Jojoba Hair Masque, with Peppermint to review. The mask is recommended as an extra nourishing treatment for dry or damaged hair, to help repair, moisturise and protect the hair shaft for smoother, shinier hair with less frizz. The formula combines Jojoba wax, Shea Butter and Avocado to deeply penetrate the hair and plant proteins to build strength and manageability. Rosemary and Lime essential oils assist in root health, soothing a dry and itchy scalp, while revitalising Peppermint balances pH and promotes hair growth.

I must admit I am always hesitant when trying new hair care products, as many of them leave my super fine hair unmanageable but I was keen to see if this masque could work its magic on my hair!

You do need a bit of time when using a hair mask – so for me the evenings or weekend mornings work best. The mask has a pleasant botanical fragrance, which smells quite strongly of rosemary but I did not find the smell lingered in my hair after rinsing. To use, apply the mask after shampooing from mid-lengths to ends of hair. You do need to leave it on for 5-10 minutes and then rinse well.

Tip: For a deep treatment, apply mask to damp hair and wrap head in a towel for 20 minutes or overnight. Rinse well after use.

I was initially quite surprised after rinsing my hair,as it felt quite dry and not as silky smooth as it has using other masks or treatments. After combing through and applying my everyday heat protection and styling products to my hair, I dried it as per normal. My hair was definitely easier to manage when styling it and not as “fly-away” as it usually is. My initial reaction was completely forgotten because my hair looked awesome – it had much more body and a great healthy shine to it. I was even asked later that day, whether I had gone to the hair dresser because my hair looked so amazing 🙂

Needless to say this product is a winner – well for me anyway! I recommend that you give it a try, especially if you have dry, over-processed hair.

To find out more about these and other products please visit The Victorian Garden website.

A few weeks back I received the Pantene Moisture Renewal Range, of hair care products, to try out and review. Pantene is not the range of products I normally use but I have been struggling with dry ends, so I was keen to see if these products would help.

Much like our skin, our hair requires devoted loving care, nutrients and most importantly, conditioning, especially during the dryer months of the year. The weather can play havoc with your hair, especially the extremely cold winter weather but there are other factors, which can contribute to dry and lifeless hair.

I thought I would include some hair-care advice in this review, from Dr John Gray, who is an expert medical practitioner and internationally acclaimed trichologist. He explains that temperature is not necessarily a leading factor for caring for dry hair, but rather a combination of the following habits:

• How processed is your hair?
• How many times a week do you wash and heat style your hair?
• How often do you condition and add a moisture treatment to your hair care regime?
• How often do you make an appointment with a professional stylist, to keep split ends trimmed and your hair shaped in an attractive and easy to maintain style?

My hair is in fairly good condition and not over processed but I do heat-dry it on a daily basis hence the dry ends. I find it vital to condition my hair each time I wash it but because my hair is extremely fine, I cannot use products which are too moisturising and leave my hair feeling oily.

The Pantene Daily Moisture Renewal collection works to re-hydrate and replenish the driest of dry hair, with targeted micro-moisturisers. By supporting the control of moisture movement, the hairs’ natural lipid layers are protected, which ensures your mane looks and feels silky smooth, glossy and radiant, for up to 24 hours.

These are a few tips from Dr Gray to banish dry unmanageable hair:

“Condition, condition, condition! Hair must be conditioned after every wash. Protection against moisture loss works best after working a conditioning cure or masque treatment through the hair such as the Pantene Intensive Moisturising Masque.
“Wash ‘n rinse: Many of us subject our heads of hair to rigorous washing and styling on a daily basis. Through our devoted attention, we lose precious moisture, which ultimately leads to damage.”
“After using a rich shampoo such as Pantene’s Moisture Renewal Shampoo with micro-moisturisers, which targets the driest areas of hair to help protect the natural lipid layer, towel-dry your hair. This is an important step before completing the drying and styling process because a hairdryer, by way of example, can boil the water in your hair because it delivers dry heat temperatures of around 140°C.”
“Ensure you pay regular visits to a professional hair stylist. With over 100,000 strands of hair on the average human head, two centimeters of split ends, actually equates to two kilometers of damaged tips. By maintaining the right length of hair, your style will be easy to control and maintain, and ultimately, your hair will be enabled to hold its moisture content.”

My Pantene Moisture Renewal Review:

Moisture Renewal Revitalising Shampoo and Conditioner:

After our recent trip to Thailand I have really been struggling to get my hair back to its natural soft silky state and have tried various different products to add more moisture. I must admit that I was a bit skeptical at first, when I was offered these products to review but I have really enjoyed using both the Shampoo and Conditioner. These products are not over moisuturising and do not weigh your hair down at all. I found my hair soft but not fly-away, which tends to happen to my hair. My hair was manageable and easy to comb through making styling it a pleasure.

2 Minutes Intensive Moisturizing Mask:

This is an awesome treatment but because my hair tends to become oily quite easily, I have only been using it once a week. It is light and does not weigh your hair down or make it tacky after using it. My daughter who has curly hair, which tends to dry out, has also been using the treatment but twice a week. You can apply it after you have washed your hair and leave on for two minutes, while you shave your legs or use your body scrub. Then rinse as per normal, it is super quick and easy to use and is definitely a product I would buy!

Deep Moisture Soufflé:

Last but certainly not least, the Deep Moisture Soufflé, leave in treatment, which looks like pipped meringue, is truly amazing. It is a blend of four moisturises, which help protect your hair against heat damage. It looks a bit like regular styling mousse but it does not have the same sticky texture that mousse does. You only need to apply a small amount to towel dried hair before you style it, for perfectly silky tresses!

*Disclaimer – The Pantene Products were sent to me for review purposes but the views and opinions are my own.

About Dr John Gray:

John qualified in Medicine from St George’s Hospital in London. He ran a family-based primary care practice and trichology clinic before moving to South Africa in 2010.
As well as being a senior consultant to P&G, John is a member of the European Academy of Dermatology, the Royal College of General Practitioners, the European and North American Hair Research Societies, the Royal Society of Medicine and the Institute of Trichology.