Well, I’ve done it. And I’m proud. That’s right – I’ve used a silicone product on my hair, and it’s made my hair so freakin’ silky and manageable I can barely believe it. I received samples of Kerastase Cristalliste Cristal Sculpt, $47 (a serum for long unruly hair) and Masque Cristal, $58 ( a conditioning mask for long hair). Well, I love ’em both. I’ll talk more about the Masque Cristal in another post, but I can sure tell you how much I love the Cristal Sculpt! It appears that the Cristalliste line is designed primarily for long hair, but even shorter hair that tends to misbehave and is unruly or dry would benefit from these products.

Yes, it’s a serum. Yes, it has silicone. But it is such a beautifully balanced formula that it avoids the issues one can get from silicone-heavy hair serums. It is also literally balanced in that it is two formulas that come together when you pump the cap. It took a little priming to get the products out simultaneously. Each formula serves a different purpose – one treats and conditions the hair, and the other adds shine and a silky texture. It also seems to be particularly beneficial for long unruly hair. From Kerastase:

This product’s unique characteristic is its dual-action  effectiveness: a serum to repair the hair and a gloss to make it beautifully shiny.
– The serum formula is enriched with AHA: This molecule, often better known for its skin care benefits, helps to strengthen the interior of the hair fibre
– The mirror-like texture of the gloss acts as a light reflector by smoothing the fibre while Ceramide fills in fissures to perfect the surface of the hair. Its second-skin texture is permissive, making easier all the hairstyles.

It’s kind of vague ingredient-wise, but when a product delivers the results I got from Kerastase Cristal Sculpt, it’s enough for me. It’s the high quality of the raw materials in this serum that set it apart from others I’ve tried. It’s such a perfectly diluted silicone that it never weighs the hair down, and just leaves it perfectly smooth and silky. I’ve been “test driving” Cristal Sculpt in hot summer temperatures around 40 degrees C, high humidity and in a convertible. At the end of the day, I barely need to brush my hair, and can just run my fingers through it for a soft style. In these photos (taken at the end of that hot, cabrio driving day) I used the Cristal Sculpt on wet hair, and then combed it through. I added a bit of ICON Protein Gel (perfect for soft waves, btw) and then used a small barrelled round brush to dry 5 pieces of hair on my crown. I let the rest air dry. I’m pretty happy with the results. It has a very soft sweet fruity scent that I actually love. It doesn’t last at all in the hair, so it won’t interfere with your perfume.

To keep hair bouncy and soft when you’re using a silicone product, using a shampoo that will remove build up and clarify the hair from the time to time is a must. I’m pretty sure most of the silicones in Cristal Sculpt are water soluble so that also adds to it’s luxe and light texutre. Cristal Sculpt add shin Verdict? Love. Can’t imagine not having this around, and my wallet is already hiding because I want the Bain Cristal shampoo for thick hair ($37) that goes with this line. You can find Kérastase products at authorized salons, check here for Canadian salons. You can find Kerastase international locations here.