Last week I decided to finally take the Living Proof No Frizz Shampoo & Conditioner for a test drive. I have been really skeptical, as I made what I now know was the mistake of using only the styling cream without the shampoo and conditioner. Which I had been told, but I tend to think that is hype so I had purchased a tiny bottle of the Wave/Curl Cream for Thick/Coarse hair only to be disappointed. After going through the Brazilian Blow Dry mania I thought I would at least make an effort to smooth and control my mane with products as opposed to a very expensive semi permanent treatment.
Color me SOLD on Living Proof. I have been making a concerted effort to rid my hair and my styling routine of sulfates, which strip and dry out the hair, and of silicones, which coat and weigh down hair. Sulfates have a place in my routine as a bi-weekly clarifying treatment but the fact is 90% of shampoos contain these chemicals. They offer a lovely lather that people seem to need to feel clean, but other than that they are far too harsh for our hair. I have long thick hair that is highlighted so dry ends are a reality for me. Sulfates exacerbate this condition. So in an attempt to calm and smooth my stripped and dry ends, I would apply silicone products to my hair to coat and smooth. Now it’s true that the first few times we use silicone it seems miraculous. We get silky smooth flowing hair….for awhile. Then, the silicone builds up and our expensive favourite conditioners cannot even touch our hair let alone be effective. So the cycle begins…sulfates to strip, then deep condition, then smooth with silicone because even the deep conditioner doesn’t work on your poor hair that has been stripped dry of every ounce of healthy shine and bounce. Living Proof touts a miracle ingredient that coats the hair that is a teeny molecule hardly visible when compared to silicone. I am no scientist but you can learn more about it here.
So I have purged my shower of sulfates except for one clarifying product to be used sparingly. I only use conditioner without silicone, spray on/leave in conditioner without (yes silicone is in almost every conditioner out there) and I use a smoothing and curling product without silicone (yes…it is everywhere). But still, there was the frizz, the pouf , the flyaways. I would have to coat my hair with conditioner after shampooing and leave it in….it was ok but let’s just say there were a lot of steps. My path to low maintenance hair was fraught with obstacles…
Enter Living Proof No-Frizz. All I can say is OH MY GOD. Trust me when I say I have spent thousands of dollars on products and treatments to smooth my hair over the years. And all it took was one shampoo, one conditioner, and one styling product? They do have a scent, so if you like scent free, these are not. But it is a benign soft citrus woody scent that does not smell like plastic fruit or candy, which is my issue with most hair care products. And it doesn’t last long at all so it won’t interfere with your perfume- key for me as my friends will attest. I did one thorough shampoo and then used a wide tooth comb to distribute the conditioner throughout my hair and left it on for a few minutes. Wow. For the first time in memory, after I used the shampoo and conditioner, I did not need a spray on detangler to comb my hair after I took it out of the towel. I combed it out, applied the Living Proof Wave/Curl Cream for my hair type (thick to coarse). Coarse might be applying to the ahem, few greys that are scattered throughout my hair. I gently combed and scrunched the curl cream to distribute it well. I let it air dry while I applied my moisturizers, lotions and potions, and make up. I then lightly diffused and blew dry a few sections on the top to give a slightly styled feel to my curls and stood there amazed. Smooth silky hair. But that is not the best part. The best part is waking up the next day with the same smooth waves. And the next day. I read somewhere that the miracle ingredient in Living Proof somehow repels oil and dirt and I can attest to this. Here is the kicker. Day 6 of my test drive was in Toronto where for some freakish reason the weather was 34 degrees with gusts of 80km/hour winds. And guess what? My hair, after I combed it (that wind!) was perfect. No frizz!
So. If you are frizz challenged, run, don’t walk, to Sephora and get thee some Living Proof. You can also purchase from their website and The Shopping Channel. You can get nifty little trial kits for your hair type, which is what I got. I plan to reuse the little bottles for travel because I have purchased the big bottles. SOLD!
Stay tuned for my review of the Living Proof No Frizz Straight Styling Cream. I’m still dubious that any one product will be able to achieve a straight smooth frizz free finish on my hair, but, after my experience with Living Proof so far, I am willing to try!
Hair courtesy of Living Proof, and my No Make Up Make Up look 🙂
Hair courtesy of Living Proof, and my No Make Up Make Up look 🙂
disclosure: all products used in this review were purchased by me