Borghese Shampoo and Conditioner Review: Super Hydration in an Everyday Hair Duo

I have somewhat dry hair, likely my own fault as I like to color it and subject it to heated styling a few times a week. So, when a new hydrating shampoo and conditioner set from Borghese showed up on my doorstep, you know it went right in my shower.

This duo has a light perfumed scent that I liked, but it quickly dissipates once rinsed out. The shampoo has a nice lather and rinses out easily, while the conditioner is definitely creamy and a bit thicker. I did find it a bit hard to get out of the bottle due to the thickness, but it wasn't horrible. It rinsed out well also.

I've been testing this set for quite a while now, because it's actually taken me a while to figure out how it works best for me. Why? Because this stuff is crazy super hydrating.

Yup. It's the most hydrating "everyday" shampoo and conditioner duo that I've ever used. It's taken me a while to figure out how much I should use lest I weigh down my hair and lose all volume. For me, with my slightly dry hair, I need about 1 1/2 quarter sized amounts of shampoo (which isn't much for me, I have a lot of hair), and then about 1/2 that amount of conditioner. The conditioner needs to be kept to the distal 1/3 of my hair shaft, any higher and I'll lose volume. The conditioner stays in my hair about 2 minutes. When rinsing out the conditioner, I do bring the ends up and scrunch so very watery conditioner coats the rest of my hair (and then quickly gets rinsed out), that seems to be enough for that bit of hair. I can use this duo about 2x a week.

Using this duo is almost like doing a deep conditioning treatment for me. My hair is definitely softer and looks healthier after using it, and once I found the correct balance for me I did still have good volume. It's going to stay in my shower for a while!


Voluming Hair Gel
I also tried out the Voluming Hair Gel, and I've been sneaking it in to my routine here and there. I admit that I'm not entirely certain how a gel can be volumizing, but it definitely gets the job done with good hold and doesn't turn crunchy. When using it on my hair for Beachwaver days it holds those curls all day long and never feels sticky or heavy. (I guess that's how it is volumizing? It is so light weight it doesn't pull stuff down?) Borghese says that it has "superior humidity resistance", but I've only tried it mid-shaft and below, so I haven't really tested it for that.

I'm throwing this one into my "keep" drawer for hair styling products, which is a pretty rare occurrence. If you need some serious hold but don't want to feel like you have heavy and sticky gel in your hair this is worth picking up.


Shampoo




Conditioner




Volumizing Gel





The line is available at retailers nationwide such as CVS/Pharmacy, Walgreen’s, and Duane Reade.
Borghese

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Suave Scalp Solutions: Fight Dandruff without the Smell!

I fully admit that around the time of year that the weather is turning cold (or is cold), I get a dry, itchy scalp. If I leave it alone for too long I can even turn flaky. So, about once a week, I use a dandruff shampoo. The problem is that they usually smell horrible. As in, I can't stand to use them alone, follow them up with a yummy smelling shampoo. Which I'll usually use twice.

Well, this shampoo isn't one of those. Suave's newest shampoo and conditioner duo promises to fix this problem. They smell soooo good! Not really coconut, but definitely tropical and a little bit sweet as well. I really love it.

The shampoo has a nice lather, rinses easily and there isn't really any smell left behind. The conditioner is a bit richer than many others and it also contains the active ingredient (Pyrithione zinc), and the directions do say to apply the conditioner to your scalp as well. I did this the first time I used the products and it was just too much for my hair. I was over conditioned, flat and just.... blah. Good thing I didn't have to go anywhere that day! Since then I've been using it like a traditional conditioner and have found that just the shampoo is more than enough for me.

So, overall this duo worked great for me without the gross smell. I was itch free and my hair was still easy to style. I've been using it with my "normal" routine of once a week now for a few weeks and it is a great replacement for my old smelly stuff in a blue bottle. I've found a new staple!

Note that I had planned to write a little post about dandruff and what to do about it, and then Dr. Bailey published a very helpful post about how to treat dandruff! It's much more comprehensive than anything I would have written, so run over there to check it out.

Suave

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5 Years of Favorite Products: Kerastase Shampoo and Conditioner

This is a good hair day in a bottle(s). Seriously, using Kerastase Shampoo and Conditioner 100% guarantees that my hair will be shiny, frizz free and style perfectly. For at least 2 days.

Now, if only if it was a little bit less expensive...

Kerastase Shampoo and Conditioner

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The 10 Best Dry Shampoos

Yesterday I shared with you how to use dry shampoo, and today I'm sharing my favorite dry shampoos!

I've tried about 25-30, and while no dry shampoo is absolutely perfect, some of them are really amazing! I've only shared the best of the best here. These are the ones that work great for me and I'm more than willing to pay money to use them again. All of these do the job. They suck up the oil, give me volume and don't leave a white cast to my hair. They all will last a good 12 hours as well!

While there are 4 products featured here, this is really 3 products, with an alternative form that I think works a tad better for curly hair. These are products that should be easy for pretty much any one to buy at a big box store near you. I bought the Suave at my local Target, the TRESemmé has been at my Walmart, etc.

Batiste Dry Shampoo: Look for this one at ULTA. It comes in 2 scents, I've only used the "Blush" which is a light floral scent. I smell it during application, nothing lingers.

Suave Professionals Dry Shampoo: This stuff works great but can be hard to track down. At least near me. It's constantly sold out! Maybe it's a sign?

TRESemmé Dry Shampoo: There are a lot of options for the TRESemmé dry shampoos. Volumizing or not? Foam or spray? It should be easy to find one that might provide a little side benefit for your hair. I'd stick with the spray unless you're curly, I found that the foam is easier to use than a spray on days I'm curly. Why? Because I need to use a natural bristle brush to get rid of all the white-ish cast left behind by a dry shampoo, which is a nightmare with curls. The foam doesn't need this step, though it usually isn't quite enough to sop up my oily hair on straight days.


In case you feel the need to splurge a bit on your dry shampoo, I do have 2 favorites.

Ojon Full Detox: This has a nice fresh scent and I thought it was one of the easiest to apply without a white cast to my hair.

Oliver Ifergan: Full confession.... this is the dry shampoo that lives on my bathroom counter and that I reach for about 95% of the time. I love this stuff. It sucks everything up, gives just enough (but not too much) volume and I barely even have to zjoos my fingers through my hair to remove the white. I'll be sad when I finish the can.


If you'd prefer to sprinkle over shake and spray, I found some options, though they're all over the $10 price tag.

Finley Hair Powder: Finley comes in different colors, which is great for avoiding the white cast if you have darker hair. But use a very light touch! Too much and you can make your hair look like hair plugs. Really! (I did it.) A small sprinkle, zjoos and zjoos a bit more and you're done.

Keratin Complex: I can't actually find my Keratin Complex dry shampoo (I believe it is hiding out in my bathroom somewhere), so instead you get to look at my box with the refill. This is my favorite of the powder products. It is released through the brush! Just shake a little, and brush onto hair. It is so easy to get a well distributed application and no overdo it! Oh, and it comes with a free refill!

Oscar Blandi Dry Shampoo: This is a classic, mentioned on almost every dry shampoo best of list. It just works. I like that the application tip is little, I put it in my part and slightly squeeze the bottle. (I don't know if this is what you're meant to do, but it is how I use it.)


Redken Powder Grip: This isn't really a "dry shampoo" so much as a texturizer, volumizer and dry shampoo all rolled into one. If you want to achieve volume, reach only for the Powder Grip 03. This stuff seriously puts all of the other products to shame. A small amount and your hair feels a bit tacky. You can move it anywhere. Put your hair up and I swear you will need fewer bobby pins. This is a must buy for prom and wedding season!




Some of these products I bought, some were sent to me.

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How to Use Dry Shampoo Without a White Mess

Wow, I can't believe it is Sunday already! Things have been a bit... crazy? Around my parts? There's a major family illness, my baby has the stomach flu, which she thoughtfully shared with Daddy.... yeah... Things are still ongoing.

In apologies for my absence, I have 2 things for you. First, head over to Pammy Blogs Beauty, because I've been obsessively revamping her blog this week, rather than posting over here. Things are still a bit of a work in progress (some buttons, that background, etc) but most of it is done.

Next, here is one of the 2 posts I had planned for Friday. Yes, 2 days ago Friday. I've been obsessed with dry shampoo since my daughter was born, and I'm finally posting about it! Tomorrow I'll share my favorite Dry Shampoo picks and maybe I'll manage to post a pic of my manicure! I have the new Zoyas and China Glazes- to die for!

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A Guaranteed Good Hair Day: Kerastase Shampoo & Conditioner

I can not believe that I haven't posted about this shampoo and conditioner duo yet. I feel like I've started this post so many times, didn't I finish and publish it once upon a time? Apparently, no, I did not.

This duo is the answer to an amazing hair day for me. If I use them, my hair with be shiny, it will cooperate with all styling and it will be perfect for at least 2 days. Yes, really. I've never experienced such amazing hair. I started using it when my daughter was only a few months old, and I posted a picture of us together on Facebook. Instead of oohing and aahhhing over the cute baby in the pic, friends from high school, work and all over my life started talking about how shiny my hair was. The power to distract from a cute baby??? Seriously???

So yes, I love this duo. They both have a light floral scent, though I can't pick it up on my hair later. The shampoo has a great lather and the conditioner is nice and thick. They both rinse out easily without the dreaded squeaky clean that means you've stripped your hair of all the oils.

I've been hoarding this duo for "good" days. I used up the last of it this morning. Maybe if I'm a good girl Santa will bring me more for Christmas!








Kerastase

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Pantene Breakage to Strength: Can Your Hair Suddenly Become Stronger?

Another day, another type of Pantene. Truly, I think this company makes products for pretty much every conceivable hair type/condition/problem. While I've tried out Pantene for Colored Hair in the past, I was recently asked to try out another form as well. I went for Medium-Thick, since that is my hair type. I was sent the Breakage to Strength products to try out.

The basic idea is that that fine hair likes to lie there aligned with itself, not really moving as much or rubbing. Medium/Thick hair is different. The cuticle is more likely to not be fully down, and then the hair shafts are also more prone to rubbing together with every little movement of your head. The end result isn't great: the damage to those little cuticle scales really can add up and the result is weaker hair that isn't as shiny and breaks much more easily.

To help combat this issue, Pantene created this duo. They contain "Anti-Breakage Complex to help moisturize and strengthen hair against damage from root to tip. The formula reduces the friction by smoothing out the cuticle edges. Hair is revitalized and left strong against future damage." So, basically there is something that coats your hair, protecting your cuticles from being damaged from all of this friction. Therefore, hair is protected, cuticles are actually present, hair breaks less and looks more healthy because it actually is more healthy. See how that works?

Overall, the experience of using this duo isn't all that different from other Pantene products that I've used. There's a good lather with the shampoo. Both products have a nice floral, perfume scent that I love in the shower but doesn't linger all day to mess up my perfume. They both rinse off easily without that squeeky clean thing that makes me cringe (I just imagine that my hair is turning to straw since everything has been stripped off, not a good feeling).

The end result is that my hair feels very hydrated. I have to be careful to only put the conditioner on the very ends of my hair, any higher than the distal 1/3 and everything is weighed down and flat. If I keep the conditioner to those bits, everything is soft, shiny and looks great! Styling my hair is easy and I have noticed few split ends. Is it the Pantene? I'm not sure, but it could be.

Pantene

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