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My Hair Diaries – July 2012

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This month’s hair!!

As I had mentioned in my last month entry that I am discontinuing the treatment I was on and going through the same routine using over-the-counter products. Lets see how did it go?

When I looked at the above snap, my initial thought was that my hair is not looking that bad but when I compare it with my during-treatment hair, I was shocked!! And, felt a sharp pang of disappointment and exhilaration too. Disappointment that I left the treatment and exhilaration that the money was worth it 🙂 Yay!! Oh btw, I need to go for trimming as well.

Changes in my Hair
  • I can definitely see difference in my hair volume, especially, on the bald spots (not exactly bald but really less hair and I guess its genetic) on the two sides of the head. Thanks to this oiling routine so I do recommend this to everyone facing hair fall and don’t have good hair growth!!
  • Since I have left the treatment products, hair is definitely less on shine!!So, yeah, that’s definitely not encouraging 🙁
  • I need an SLS free shampoo!! Probably would give Soulflower or organic surge a try!! Let’s see. 
  • Similarly, have to get rid of the stock of conditioners. Any ideas??? Nah, can’t put them on sale coz most of them are PR products or I got them for free and they are all tubs mostly so hygiene issues as well!!! Btw, if anyone in Hyderabad is interested, drop me a mail 🙂
  • I have not been following the oiling routine since like two weeks!!! Have to start following it again. Also, I can say that it is different from the regular oiling even though it takes a lot of time comparatively because using cotton stimulates the scalp better and also, the cotton method applies oil to the hair and scalp in a good quantity so the hair is softer and deep conditioned every time I oil my hair.  
  • Before I forget, I did face or rather saw many hairs falling during this month. Its due to the monsoons. Rainy season always causes hair fall so don’t really worry about it and check out this post on hair care tips for rainy season. But, that’s not exactly serious and will be fine within a month or two. Also, the major hair fall I saw was when I ignored washing my hair. 

    Dove Color Rescue Shampoo and Conditioner {Product Review}

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    Shampoo

    Price: Rs 130 for 200ml
    Ingredients

    Pros
    – not very harsh on hair
    – does clean the hair really well in even one go
    Cons
    – has SLS
    – can be drying for dry hair types
    My Experience
    The product is pearly white and cleanses very nicely. It removes all the oil in almost one go unless your hair is dripping with oil. Its not exactly harsh on hair and I found it to be less drying than Dove Nourishing Oil shampoo. What else should I say?  
    Conditioner
    Price: Rs 72 for 90ml
    Ingredients

    Pros
    – very light so doesn’t weigh down the hair
    – makes the hair soft
    – adds a bit of shine
    Cons
    – probably doesn’t really do anything for the hair except for making it shiny
    My Experience
    As I mentioned above, the consistency of the product is light and very creamy so it spreads easily on wet hair. If you keep it less than a minute. it doesn’t really do anything for the hair but around even a minutes is enough to make the hair soft and shiny. 
    Don’t know how much it does for the colored hair coz its not exactly a deep conditioning or damage repair product (colored hair is dry and might be damaged in some cases). Also, I don’t think it really made my year old colored hair glowing or soft. 
    Overall Verdict
    But, then, to do justice to the product, my hair color is pretty old and I have done a lot of things to my hair since then as part of various treatments. Overall, the range is worth a try.
    PS: Product sent as a part of Indiblogger promotion.
    Other products from Dove:

    Aloe Veda Herbal Hair Oil {Product Review}

    · · 24 Comments

    Price: Rs 125 for 200ml (pretty decent)
    Ingredients
    Absolutely love the ingredients!!! Sesame oil is one of my fav oils for hair as its not very thick and heavy and is extremely nourishing and also prevents gray hair. A little information about Allantoin:
    Allantoin is also used in medications for dermatological conditions including acne, impetigo, eczema, and psoriasis. Allantoin is moisturizing and keratolytic, meaning that it causes keratin in the skin to soften. This property helps skin to heal more quickly and to bind moisture more effectively, making products containing allantoin useful for dry skin and for healing wounds, burns, and scars. It is also effective against sunburn, chapped lips, cold sores, diaper rash, and similar skin irritations. (Source)
    Pros
    – made of amazing ingredients
    – gives a bit of shine to the hair
    – isn’t a heavy hair oil
    Cons
    – smells too sweet for my nose
    – has some green color added to it perhaps
    My Experience
    I have been using this hair oil since almost a month after I have left the treatment. I have talked about this in my June hair diary. So, to start with its a green colored oil which has a really sweet smell. I am not a fan of strong smells and I am not a fan of this either.
    Moving on, I have applied this with the help of cotton as well as I have mentioned here. Incidentally, the usage on the website talks about the same method.
    For best results, oil your hair with Aloe Veda’s Herbal Hair Oil at least twice in a week. The best time to oil your hair is in the night. Leave the oil overnight and wash it next morning as this allows deeper penetration. If possible use heated oil as hot oil penetrates scalp better and carries the active ingredients to the hair roots. If done appropriately using a cotton ball directly on scalp this can give amazing results. To ensure that you do not damage the properties of the hair oil place the bowl over boiling water to heat the oil. It is advisable to apply oil in the night and leave your hair oiled overnight. Massage your scalp for few minutes even while shampooing and finish off with a light conditioner. Regular application stimulates the scalp and activates the hair follicles which leads to better hair growth.
    it comes in a flip top bottle
    So, I can say that yes, it does give shine to the hair. But, to be honest, the shine is less compared to the treatment I was on which really strengthened my belief in the treatment. I did not face any major hair fall or any other problem while using this oil.
    One thing which I would say is that it seems to have some green color added to the oil. Why? I apply the oil from a silver bowl so there is always some quantity of oil which remains in the bowl and I don’t wash it unless I apply the ginger tonic as well (which is generally next morning, I apply oil at night). And, I always noticed some green color spots on the place where oil was present.
    As to how much it helps with hair growth, I am not really sure coz its too early to say something like that. Overall, I found it to be a decent hair oil which gets washed off easily and doesn’t weigh down the hair!!! It leaves the hair shinier and softer if you haven’t used a better product than that.
    Availability

    PS: Product sent by brand for consideration. 

    Other products from Aloe Veda: