Most shampoos, hair conditioners, and toothpastes have sulfates (or listed as sodium laureth sulfate), which is a cleansing agent that gives such products a rich lather. It has gotten a bad rap in the past few years due to rumors of it causing cancer and other skin maladies, but according to my research, the worst it can do is irritate sensitive skin or give you diarrhea if you ingest it. There's not much difference between using products with and without sulfates - except for the slightly higher price tag since the alternative ingredients cost more. Oh and less suds!

"Sulfate-free" does not necessarily beget a better hair product, however, if you have sensitive skin like I do then it may be a safer choice. :) My current hair buddies are the L'Oreal EverStrong Hydrate Shampoo and Conditioner (P449 each), and true enough they haven't given me any breakouts or dandruff. I finally decided to use them after I had my hair colored!

The EverStrong line is 100% sulfate-free, 100% vegan, has no harsh salts, and contains natural botanicals (whatever that means). Okay even if I sound cranky I swear I love them. :P They smell like rosemary, quite herby and aromatic! The shampoo has a rosemary and juniper fragrance, while the conditioner has mint. It even feels cool on the scalp.

A "holy grail" beauty product is something that is irreplaceable - at least, as far as you know. It's something that you use all the time, finish off, replace, even hoard. It makes you feel beautiful. The word "love" is loosely thrown around in beauty writing, but it approaches the truth when you love your ultimate HG find.

My holy grail hair conditioning and styling product is the Kérastase Elixir Ultime. I won't go into the nitty gritty because I've reviewed it already, but to summarize all that: it's the best thing that ever happened to my hair. It keeps my locks shiny, soft, smooth, and bouncy all day. It's also economical as I've had my bottle since last May and I'm only less than halfway through. Take note, I use it every single time I go out!

Now the success of the Elixir Ultime led Kérastase to bring in three new variants in the line. The Grand Crus Collection is composed of scented serums that target specific needs - the Millenium Rose (fine sensitized hair), Imperial Tea (color-treated hair), and Immortal Moringa (damaged hair).

This is where I start talking about some of the events that I've attended these past few weeks. This blog doesn't exist in a vacuum after all! :P One of the parties I've been to lately is the launch of the reformulated Kerastase Chroma Captive Line. It was held at The Goose Station in The Fort, where the dreamy Chef Rob Pengson prepared a special three-course meal for the guests.

Here are pictures and information about Chroma Captive (must-try if you have colored hair)!

Chef Rob 

Sophie, me, Rowena, Nikki, Kim, and Jen. Always nice to see everyone!

Something with a name like "hair heroes" better live up to it! Snoe Beauty's Hair Heroes with Intense Argan Oil (P499) is a cleansing conditioner that's designed to "save you from a bad hair day" - and it does. It revives dry hair and transforms it into a silky miracle only after one use. Too good to be true? Well, it's true, but the product is not perfect.

Hair Heroes can be used several ways: as a cleansing product (that is, no need to apply shampoo), a separate hair conditioner after your shampoo, a deep treatment mask (wait for 15 to 20 mins before washing off), and as a leave-on treatment.

What I love about the product

• One wash. That's all it takes for you to see a major difference in your hair! Hair feels A LOT smoother, silkier, and moisturized. Must be the famous argan oil!
• Smells like coconut cream. I like it, a bit strong but it doesn't stay like that for long.

Let me tell you about my hair care routine before! I shampoo and then...that's it. I normally don't wear conditioner unless my hair is feeling dry (maybe once a month?). As for styling products, I just use serum and then mousse when I'm going somewhere important.

I make a conscious effort to keep my hair low-maintenance because my scalp is very sensitive, and besides, all the hair care products I've used in the past simply don't do much for my unruly, curly hair. But! All that changed when I started using the Bed Head Tigi Styleshots Hi-Def Curls Shampoo and Conditioner. 

Bed Head had an event for bloggers at Basement Salon a few weeks ago, which is where I first experienced their products. Allow me to tell you why I LOVE my Styleshots Hi-Def Curls set. I have photos to prove it, too.

What I love about the product

• As promised, the shampoo and conditioner defined my curls and lessened frizz. My hair also feels smooth, soft, and bouncy instantly after I use them. Like I just came from the salon.
• Smells phenomenal! Hi-Def Curls has this sort of fruity candy scent that really stays until I wash it off.

Last July 14, Avon introduced its Advance Techniques hair care line to the press. The event happened at the plush Marriott Hotel, where the whole ballroom was transformed into a salon supervised by Lourd Ramos, makeup counter with pro MUAs, and a studio where Jay Tablante took everyone's photos. It was a beauty addict's paradise!

Everyone got a wash and blow dry - of course, all products used were from the Avon Advance Techniques line

Jay Tablante doing his magic

The svelte and style savvy Theresa Herrera hosted the program. Avon Director Ashley Ferguson flew in to introduce the star of the show, Lotus Shield, while Sen Yang, a Senior Manager at Avon's Global Research Center, went on a video conference call to talk about the technology behind Lotus Shield.

I had very high hopes about the Human Heart Nature Natural Moisturizing Shampoo (P44.75) and Conditioner (P49.75). Just a couple of washes using both products left my hair feeling soft, shiny, and less frizzy. Of course, the fact that these two are completely natural and safe to use (no pthalates, parabens, SLS/ SLES, formaldehyde, and other toxic stuff) added to the appeal.

I also loved the texture of both products - the shampoo was delightfully foamy while the conditioner was creamy and smooth on my hair. I only had to use a little to do the job.

As much as I want to really love these products though, I got quite a few pimples while using them.

What does this photo make you think of?

Floating before my eyes are apparitions of sticky sweet pudding, icing on top of cupcakes, whipped cream, ice cream, flavored yogurt - you get the idea! Now I want dessert! Anyway, seriously now. The good-looking stuff on top can't actually be eaten (sadly) since they're for your hair.

Lorys Hair Cream just landed on the shelves of Watsons two months ago. It's big in Brazil, which is what compelled the Filipino distributors to bring it to the Philippines. They contacted me and asked me to try Lorys.

So what is it exactly? It's a product that you can use for a quick n' cheap hair spa at home. You can use it two ways: as a conditioner and as a treatment (hot oil). The five variants (Ceramidas, Duo Chocolate, Snake Oil, Shea Butter, and Fruit Cocktail) are designed to target specific hair problems. I only tried one that seemed the most applicable to my topmost hair concern -  Shea Butter, which is supposed to nourish and shine curly, dry hair.

What I love about the product

• As promised, it really moisturized my curly hair. It's more bouncy and soft to the touch.
• The texture is very creamy. Half a handful is enough for my whole head of hair.

A couple of months ago I read about Sunsilk giving away free packs of their Damage Repair line. Naturally I got curious, and hey, "free" is good! So I texted 10DAYS to 2600 and got a confirmation that someone will call me to verify my details. No one called, so I thought that the whole thing was just a gimmick. I got spam messages afterward about the Sarah Geronimo commercials they're running now.

However, a few days ago, I found this on my doorstep: