Review: Alterna Bamboo Luminous Shine Shampoo

Alterna Bamboo Luminous Shine Shampoo 250ml MYR  73.00

My quest for a shampoo of 'Holy Grail' status has been a tedious search. Just when I thought I have finally found 'The One', it starts to play havoc to my scalp and hair after 2 weeks.  Is it just me or everyone feels the same when it comes to finding the right shampoo? Personally, searching for the right shampoo seems more difficult than finding the right skincare. 

Anyhow, I've heard much about Alterna Bamboo through bloggers and I was so intrigued about it that I finally bought it when I was shopping at Sephora.

What it says?

This gentle sulfate-free cleanser combines strenghtening eco-certified Bamboo Extract & shine-amplifying Indian Gooseberry for healthy radiance. Freshly cleansed hair is left moisturized, shiny and brilliantly glossy. Formulated with Colour Hold technology. Safe for colour treated hair. Free of: Sulfates, Parabens, Gluten, Sodium Chloride, Phthalates and Synthetic Colour.

My Experience

Shampoo is of a clear gel and quite fragrantly fragranced, a bit too sweet for my liking though. The shampoo foams very minimally, which is a good indicator of minimal or zero harsh surfactants. 

During my first try, my hair was super oily at the scalp and I need to do a second wash, just to make sure that it is clear at the sebum. However, after rinsing, my hair feels awfully squeaky clean and straw-y. Not a nice feeling at all. My normal hair conditioner helped a bit to detangle my hair but I don't feel that my hair was nice to touch. Blow drying actually made my hair look and feel worse with this shampoo.

The second trial was a bit better. I skip the second wash and instead of using my normal conditioner, I proceed with my hair mask. And...it made a LOT of difference to my hair. Not only does my hair looked tamed, it gives me a nice body, volume and feel to it. 

After using this alternatively with another regular shampoo, I personally find that this shampoo helps to balance my hair and scalp. I experienced less flake and itchiness and ironically, it manages to control the oil secretion of my hair. Very weird indeed.

Overall

This shampoo is not suitable for everyday use, as it tends to make my hair squeaky and straw-y looking. Ironically, it worked fantastically well when paired with my hair mask and manages to control my oil secretion when used alternately with another regular shampoo. Funnily, this is the only shampoo that gives me a nice volume and body to my hair.

This item was purchased by me for my personal purposes. This review is based on my honest and personal experience with this product and is not influenced by any parties.

Review: Phytopanama Daily Balancing Shampoo ( Oily Scalp )

Phytopanama Daily Balancing Shampoo ( Oily Scalp ) 200ml MYR 88.00

A couple of months back, I was told by a hairdresser that my scalp is prone to oiliness and that is one of the main causes of my 'on off ' dandruff affair. This new revelation has taken me aback because all the while, I thought my scalp was normal! Anyway, I was advised to use a shampoo, specifically for oily hair, and use it alternately with my normal shampoo.

I have decided to go back to Phyto, since their Phytoapaisant Soothing Treatment Shampoo did quite good for me.

Product Description

Rich in quillaja bark extract, PHYTOPANAMA helps regulate excess sebum production. Quillaja bark is rich in saponins and known for its oil absorbing qualities. Recommended to refresh and purify an oily scalp. PHYTOPANAMA is gentle enough for everyday use. Hair is left fuller and softer.

Ingredients
Quillaja saponaria bark extract, water, disodium laureth cocoamphodiacetate, sodium lauryl sarcosinate, disodium ricinoleamido mea-sulfocuccinate, potassium undecylenoyl hydrolyzed soy protein, cocamidopropyl betaine, zanthoxylum alatum fruit extract, xylitol, junipers communis fruit oil, lactitol, polyquaternium-7, glycerin, fragrance, methychloroisothiazolinone, methylisothiazolinone citric acid.

Review: Aveda Shampure

Aveda Shampure 1 litre MYR 129

The brand Aveda has been in the market for a fairly long time and though I have heard many great things about this brand, I have never tried any of it's products until recently. Well, the reason I bought this shampoo was because they were having some in-store discounts. Yes, the price is pretty steep but I am willing to try it cos the ingredients are fabulous! 

Shampoos can be a on-off love affair and personally, I find that finding the right shampoo is tough. You can easily fell in love with a shampoo during the first week but hate it the following week. I am not sure if you  guys have the same experience as I do. Read on to see if this shampoo is a long term love affair for me....or not....

Review: Phyto Phytoapaisant Soothing Treatment Shampoo

Phyto Phytoapaisant Soothing Treatment Shampoo 200ml MYR 80.00

I am one that have those 'on off ' dandruff issues and I guess I am not alone in this category. I have tried many shampoos, though I am more reliant to natural based ones. Though I love the Paul Pender's Jasmine Shampoo, I thought it might be a good idea to use it alternately with a treatment shampoo...and this is how I came across this shampoo in one of my shopping days at Sephora.

I am quite familiar with this brand as I have used their dandruff shampoo ages ago. I remembered it gave me good results except that I didn't enjoy it being too 'foam-less'. ( Yes, I was naive then as I did not know that foam-less means it is good for the hair ). 

Review: Paul Penders Products

A few months ago, I was given an opportunity to try out some products from Paul Penders. I have heard of Paul Penders two years ago and was rather intrigued but never really gotten the chance to try out their products. Now that these products were sent to me for review purposes, boy, I was glad!

Now, a little background about Paul Penders taken from their site:

Paul Penders skin care solutions combine the purest ingredients from Mother Nature to restore balance, health and vitality to your skin. Each skin care solution contains ourLevensESSENTIE Gold^®, an extract of 22 herbs from the East and West, a traditional recipe passed down from Paul's grandmother. Paul Penders skin care solutions are cold-processed in small batches to preserve the active properties of carefully selected herbal ingredients.

It is safe to know that their products are never tested on animals and their products are made with certified organic ingredients.

Review: Moogoo Milk Shampoo

MooGoo Milk Shampoo 500ml MYR 59.90

I have irritated, oily and flaky scalp and it makes it very hard for me to find the right shampoo. After the Esmeria shampoo failed on me ( gave me oily scalp ), I decided to venture out to my fave local drugstore to look for an alternative. I was torn between Sukin and Moogoo, and decided to chose the latter since I've got positive results from using items from the brand. Moreover, at the front of the bottle, it says " Scalp & Hair Friendly-No Itchy Scalp, No Dandruff, Natural Cleansers".

Let's see if this performs.....

Are you washing your hair the proper way?

( Image source from web )

I am sure many of you would say "Hey, that's easy peesy. Just squirt a good amount of shampoo to the hair, add some water and wash away...". The more it lathers, the cleaner your hair will be, right? Errr...well, more suds doesn't mean it's good for you. The greater it foams means the greater SLS agents are in the products.

Ever since I started switching to more organic or natural based products, one thing I noticed is it does not lather as much as normal drug store ones. Drug store brands typically include more "bubble making" agents to create lather because we all like lathers. Foams or lathers somehow give us an assurance that all the dirt and grime are washed away.

Review: EO Everyday Shampoo and EO Soothing Shower Gel

EO Everyday Shampoo French Lavender 250ml SGD 18.50 / RM 46.80

Sample EO Soothing Shower Gel French Lavender

I just adore the smell of lavender and any product which carries the scent of lavender, will be the first to be picked up by me. This scent really puts me in a calming and relaxing mode, which I am so in need of those these days.

I picked up this shampoo during my July haul from Milagro Trading as I have heard some pretty good reviews about this product. I was also interested in trying their shower gel and was pretty happy that Milagro Trading managed to give me a sample of this for me to try.

I am pretty new to EO, though they have been around for 16 years and hails from Marin County, CA of USA. EO is a family owned and operated, Certified Organic Manufacturer of personal care products using the highest grade of natural and certified organic ingredients. To learn more about their story, click HERE.

EO products certainly sounds pretty impressive and does their product worked well for me?

My July Haul-EO Shampoo, Burt's Bees Radiance Cleanser and Pure Lavender Essential Oil



I made a lot of hauls recently...and I did another haul this week too :) My hubby thinks I am nuts for making so much purchases online and my reasoning is that products are cheaper by 20%  if made online. Really it is! I find it hard sometimes to purchase an item that I like in Malaysia because the price is fairly high and I would only purchase if they have a sale or a promotion. ( I am sure most ladies who are residing here would agree with me ) 

Another reason that I prefer online purchasing is that I wish to try some products that are not made available here in Malaysia. It is fairly hard to find good natural or organic products here, much less reputable brands. The only way for me to go is to purchase online.

Of course there are many online websites that you can purchase from, but one have to wise to purchase from a reputable online shop with good shipping charges and good shipping track records too. It also helps that they have good customer services ( especially to international customers ) and that their products are reasonably priced after conversion.

Review: Burt's Bee Baby Bee Shampoo and Wash

Burt's Bee Baby Bee Shampoo and Wash 350ml RM 62.60

( Bought this during their threesome promo ( Buy 2 free 1 ) Promo Price RM 41.60 )

Many of us in Malaysia are quite familiar with brands like The Body Shop, L'occitane, Kiehl's but Burt's Bees? This brand is still relatively new in our land despite that they have been operating for more than a year now. I've heard of this brand over the internet but never really went into their shop ( at the Curve ) to browse their stuff..until recently. My Madara Cleansing Milk is used up and I am eager to look for a replacement. I have heard mixed reviews but relatively good comments about their Radiance Facial Cleanser and decided to hit to the store and check it out. To my dismay, their cleanser is out of stock! Anyway, left my details with them so they would call me once it's in ( to date, I haven't received the call ) but they sms me saying they are having the buy 2 free 1 promo. So I made my research over the net, went to the store with my list and made a small haul..only on the baby range.

Experiencing Itchy, Flaky and Oily Scalp?

( Picture taken from bakingwithbuttermilk )

Many of us are plagued with this increasingly common problem and I used to experience that too. Thankfully now...as I am writing this post..I can safely say that this IFO ( Itchy, Flaky and Oily ) syndrome is under control. Whew! Even though this problem is kept at bay, I was curious to know how it started and what are the contributing factors that leads to my IFO syndrome. And you wanna know what helped me?

Review Esmeria Organics Butterfly & Aloe Vera Shampoo

Esmeria Organics Butterfly Bush & Aloe Vera Frequent Use Shampoo 250ml RM39.90

I have been using Lakme K.Therapy Peeling Shampoo a few months back ( read review HERE ), which left me with dry hair and dry hands. However, it did solve my dandruff problems though. So, I set out again to find another replacement and I came across Esmeria's shampoo, since the price is pretty decent for a product with an organic background. 

Ingredients: Aqua, decyl glucoside, aloe barbadensis (aloe vera) leaf juice, sodium cocoyl glutamate, sodium benzoate, potassium sorbate, xanthan gum, tocopherol, helianthus annuus (sunflower) seed oil, citrus dulcis (sweet orange) oil, glycerin, buddleja davidii (butterfly bush) extract, thymus vulgaris (thyme) extract, coco glucoside, glyceryl oleate

My Experience:

The shampoo smells pretty nice and soothing. The liquid is transparent and funnily, I feel the texture is almost identical to the Bud's Lavender Shower Gel which I am using now. It didn't really lather well but once you massage it on your hair for a few minutes, it foams up and thickens as you continue. I do experience that the longer the time that you leave it on your hair, my hair would become somewhat become 'heavier' and well conditioned. It may have to do with some of the ingredients of this shampoo. After rinsing, the scalp really feels clean. I didn't buy their conditioner as I usually use my leave on conditioner before I blow dry my hair.

I usually wash my hair on alternate days( I know, it's bad ) and with my experience with this shampoo, I can't do that. On the 3rd day, my hair becomes itchy and very oily on the scalp. So I have decided to change my regime. I will wash my hair everyday to see how it goes. Now I am in my 3rd week, I am hooked on washing my hair everyday. My hair does feel cleaner, fresher, not oily at the scalp and my itching stops! I also noticed that my hair drop less than before. I am not saying that this shampoo is the miracle worker here, I would say the combination of frequent washing with this shampoo helps my condition. It certainly does and I am satisfied with this new regime.

Overall:

I give this shampoo a rating of 4 over 5. This shampoo does a pretty decent job and my hair does feel rather managable and clean. This is an ideal shampoo for everyday washing that helps to control my oily and itchy scalp.  Plus, this shampoo is kind to my frequent dry hands. However, the downside of this product is that it weighs down your hair a little. Mind you, I have lots of hair and on a thicker side. I also find that the shampoo becomes 'runny', not at a medium consistency, after placing it in the bathroom for long. It may be due to the humidity level in the bath so I need to place it in a normal room condition. Other than that, if you are looking for a frequent use shampoo, this product might be good for you.

This item was purchased by me for my personal purposes. This review is based on my honest and personal experience with this product and is not influenced by any parties.

Review: LAKME k.therapy peeling shampoo

Lakme K.Therapy Peeling Shampoo 300ml RM 66

As you age, your body will start sending you signs to tell you that you are going through changes. In this case, it's my scalp! My scalp have decided to retaliate by giving me dandruff and started to get oily. My hair condition has always been healthy, thick, strong, full of volume and a balance mix of black and few white strands( age is catching up..yes ). I have always been using salon shampoos and conditioners until I decided to switch to more natural based products. I was persuaded by a lovely sales person to try this product as I was looking solutions for my scalp. Yes, I fell for it and decided to give it a try. I was recommended to use PEELING SHAMPOO OILY, as I need to tackle the oily part too. I got the leaflet too for their products and all sounds promising. Part of it says:

The entire K.THERAPY has been formulated with water from Zermatt glacier, containing minerals and oligoelements with natural properties that soften and protect the skin, as part of its active ingredients. This water, with its unique combination of minerals, is encapsulated in lecithin liposomes so that they can be released into the deepest layers of the skin and so increase its moisturising power.

What is Dandruff or Desquamation?

Dandruff is irregular flaking of the outer corneum stratum of the scalp, accompanied by light itching without signs of inflammation. There are many possible causes for this problem, but the most common is an abnormal imbalance in microbial flora.

The main components and active ingredients are:

• OCTOPIROX, a molecule of proven efficiency against dandruff together with the purifying properties of rosemary extract and sandalwood extract, which clean and tone the scalp at the same time as removing the dandruff flakes and preventing their reappearance.
• Sweet-scented fragrance with essential oil of rosemary.
• Water from the Zermatt glacier
• Tested under dermatological control

My experience:

I have been using this shampoo for almost a month now and think it's about the right time to give a review. The shampoo is in mid consistency, with slight tinge of pink. I only use about the size of 50cents and it lathers rather quickly once I use it on my hair. ( Please note that should your shampoo lathers a lot, it means the product do contain sodium laureth sulfate which falls under the category of surfactant,

cleansing agent or emulsifying agent ). I find that my hair is rather harsh after rinsing and decided to add my own conditioner at my hair ends to calm it. Upon towelling it dry, my hair is still dry, squeky clean..or very very harsh. I have decided to add another coat of my leave on conditioner to see what happens. It tamed a bit though. Other than the harshness, I like the smell. It smells therapeutic-ly Rosemary! It's been almost a month now and I do noticed that my dandruff problem have been reduced but no change to my oily scalp. On top of it, the shampoo makes my hands very dry and I dun like this one bit.

Overall:

I will rate this 3 out of 5. It did work on my dandruff and I like the therapeutic smell but it didn't work for my oily scalp, harsh hair and my hands. I will probably look for another shampoo once I've finished using this.