Hello my friends!
It's been a long time since I've done any sort of self-care routine updates!
I actually have never done a hair care routine in the past because I have never really come across several hair care products that WOWed me enough to want to write a full review on them.
But here I am, this has been about a year in the making! I REALLY wanted to make sure I loved these products before sending them your way (or I was just a tad bit lazy... hehe).
As you may know, I dye my hair blonde quite often (about every 3-5 months). I am naturally dark blonde so I do damage my hair a bit going lighter.
So with that in mind, here is what has been my holy grail for hair care products!
FOR SHAMPOO
Authentic Beauty Concept
Replenish Cleanser (off-white bottle) ** Free from parabens & silicones
This is a weak start to the blog post because this is the ONE product on the list I do not 100% recommend... I know, I'm sorry for starting it off like this, but I felt the need to add it as I do not have a shampoo I am head over heels with YET!
"Why is this on the list?" you ask... Well not only does it smell phenomenal, I also have become crazy for their other products from this line (will chat more about those later).
Their site describes the scent as:
"A high care and premium fragrance, based on a luxury oriental woody accord, unveiling soft and luminous waves of solar frangipani blossom and milky jasmine petals wrapped in the sweet sensuality of maple syrup, black sandalwood and pecan nut."
And they aren't kidding. If I were to describe this scent in one word it would be "luxury". And nothing sucks me in more than sandalwood (and rose, as you guys have probably read in other blog posts of mine) so for those two reasons alone I can't ever see myself leaving the REPLENISH hair care line.
"Then why did you say you wouldn't 100% recommend this product?" you ask... Great question!
Since I only wash my hair every third day (at the most) I felt like it took a LOT of product to suds up my hair and get it clean. I felt like it was only clean after the second (or sometimes third) round of washing it. This wouldn't be much of a bummer if the product wasn't so pricey.
Now that being said, I know the word "pricey" varies based on the point of view of the reader. I wish I had the price but for some reason I can't find the pricing listed on Authentic Beauty Concept's website or Marios Company Hair's website (that is one of the only South African hair salons that carries it).
But just to give you an idea, it didn't break the bank. If I felt like spoiling myself, I'd get it, but it definitely wasn't as affordable as your usual drug store shampoos, which is what I've been using most regularly. And then, when I feel like giving myself a spa day, I break out the REPLENISH CLEANSER as a spoil to myself.
FOR CONDITIONER
Authentic Beauty Concept
Replenish Mask (off-white tub) ** Free from parabens & silicones
Now this is my holy grail! I was instructed to use this about 2-3 times a week and since I only wash my hair every third day (at the most) I use this in place of conditioner. I have so many good things to say about this product!
It smells orgasmic (yes, I know I already mentioned that but I can't have you leave this blog post thinking it was an understatement!)
A little goes a LONG way. One tub lasts me about 4-6 months. I know, 4-6 months is a bit of a difference, but two factors played a role in my last two purchases of this product: hair length and COVID19 lockdown... I'm not going to lie... sometimes I went a week... even pushed two weeks without washing my hair so that definitely allowed me to go the extra 2 months with the second tub).
I really feel it helps my hair! I feel a noticeable difference from when I mask versus when I use a basic conditioner. The mask leaves my hair less frizzy, more hydrated and super soft. Especially paired with the next product I'm about to mention....
What's great about this mask is I found I didn't need to leave it in for an excessive amount of time. I could put it in, shave my legs, and in that amount of time it has done its job!
I've seen influencers recommend leaving it in overnight... I've personally tried this several times to see what the rave was all about, but honestly I thought it made my hair feel weird and like there was product left in it even after shampooing thoroughly.
I found the most effective way was to leave it in as long as you can while showering or when taking a bath.
** PRO TIP: Brush your hair out thoroughly before rinsing out the product.
FOR POST-SHOWER
Authentic Beauty Concept
Replenish Balm (off-white tube) ** Free from parabens & silicones
** You would think I was sponsored by this company because of how many products I'm pressing here lolz - but the truth is this blog post is 100% not sponsored! Pinky promise.
When I originally got this balm I thought I was just being boujee and spoiling myself. Marios from Marios Company Hair recommended it to me, and since he is a hair genius I of course listened and gave it a try.
So firstly, I'm not sure if I've mentioned this before but the scent of the REPLENISH line is just euphoric... so to have this paired with the other 3 products from this line just leaves my hair smelling bangin' for days.
Nextly (I know it's not a word), I feel that it makes my hair detangle nicely and adds an extra layer of softness to my hair! I don't use this product every time I get out of the shower, only the times that I know I'm going to style it. The main purpose of this product is to strengthen damaged hair and protect it from blow-dry damage.
Although I don't blow dry my hair much, I do straighten it quite often, so I use this as an extra protectant, and I LOVE that it keeps my hair from getting frizzy!
For the past 11 years I was using Garnier Fructis Sleek & Shine not particularly because I loved it but because my hair has always needed a frizzy control product. I have always been hesitant to spend a bunch of money on pricey hair products that may not work so I stuck to the cheap stuff... So while I don't have much to compare this REPLENISH BALM product to other than to this cheap Garnier product, I can say there is a huge difference in quality and in how it helps my hair. So for that reason, I can't see the Authentic Beauty balm being replaced in my routine any time soon!
TIGI Rockaholic
My mom originally bought this from a salon probably about 8-10 years ago, but now I struggle to find it anywhere but Amazon.
I have loved it since the moment it touched my hair! It smells like cotton candy goodness (there is definitely a trend going on here), and it's the perfect textured serum for my hair!
There are two separate scenarios in which I would use this serum:
Straight out of the shower (damp hair)
After styling (dry hair)
You'll have to use it and see where you find it fits best in your hair routine. For me personally I have it down to a science, but when I go to explain it right here, it just sounds confusing and doesn't make much sense. So I'm going to spare you the brain freeze hehe!
FOR STYLING
Kevin Murphy
If I could sum up this product in one phrase it would be, "TAKE MY MONEY PLS!"
Honestly, it's over-priced... but I can't stop buying it. IT JUST SMELLS SO GOOD! If I could wear this as a perfume I would... actually I pretty much do. The days I wear it, I avoid wearing any other scents because I just want this scent to be the main attraction.
As I'm sitting here smelling the bottle till I reach a borderline high trying to pinpoint a relatable note or way of describing this scent, I just can't, so I tried to cheat by reading reviews on Amazon and well... that wasn't much help either, BUT I did see many comments saying it has a strong perfume smell (which was a benefit to many and some not so much).
So my recommendation is, before dropping a pretty penny on this product, give it a smell test at your local salon and see if it's your cup of tea. And if it is, come back to this blog post and purchase through my Amazon affiliate link so your girl can treat herself to a coffee hehe thanks babe! x
I'm on my second bottle of this (each bottle lasts me about a year), but I use it sparingly! I usually don't need to use it on day one after using the ROCK OUT SHINE BLASTER since that gives me enough shine, but come day 2 and 3 when I need a bit of a shine booster, I spray this on and it does the trick. Even though it says "shimmer" I have never noticed a shimmery/glitter effect on my hair (which I prefer not having). It leaves it with a super natural shine, and for me it usually covers up any natural oily hair smells, which is a huge win for me when I'm trying to wash my hair less!
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Wow, I finally did it! I finally shared my hair product must haves on the blog! If you follow me on Instagram, you would have heard of these products several times. I'm always sharing my go-to products, new products, products that catch my interest... I even share products I haven't had the best experiences with. So if you aren't following me on Instagram, make sure to head over there and say hello for more up-to-date reviews!
I hope you guys got something useful from this read! I'll keep this space updated so feel free to refer back to it every so often!
And if you have any recommendations I am always open to trying new things, so please reach out to me via email or DM's!
