My Mane Addiction

Ah, the sweetness of a good hair day.  Hair that shines as it flows with the wind…soft and smooth as it brushes the face…and then falls perfectly back to place. 

I am blessed with naturally straight hair.  It has fine smooth texture and silky softness.  Since I was a kid, people had always noticed my hair.  In fact, it is one of the first things that people notice in me up to this day.  While other women spend a thousand and more on hair treatments, I can settle on a daily shampoo-and-conditioner routine.  I have long realized that I have big savings when it comes to my hair.  That gives me so much freedom to splurge on whatever shampoo, conditioner and other hair products that suit to my liking.

Oh yeah, I will admit.  I’m a little vain when it comes to my hair.  I have tried a lot of local and imported shampoo and conditioner brands.  And although my hair has its natural sheen, I also used to buy a high-end shine serum but the brand is now phased out from the local market.  But I don’t regret my hair vanity because wherever I go, people compliment my hair.  Some officemates tell me not to cut my nice long hair.  A guy told me I could be a shampoo endorser.  Another guy once asked me where my show was.  Once, I was window-shopping in a mall in Makati and a Japanese beauty expert at Kanebo said I have nice long hair that’s like a waterfall.  It’s fun to keep an archive of little compliments in your memory.  You can always pluck one if you need an inspiration booster.

There are bad hair days though, any lady is not spared from this lackluster condition.  So, I redeem that great hair over my shoulder by waking up earlier than usual, take a leisure bath with my favorite shampoo and conditioner tandem, blow-dry my hair and perfect the ends with Vidal Sassoon mini hair iron.  Then I'm ready to face the world!

Out of the myriad of hair products that I have used time and again, some were just money drainers, but some were outstandingly true to their promise.  They deliver the expected results.  I have been surprised that most of the effective hair products on Asian hair are also Asian-made.   Well, I have analyzed that effect and concluded that most probably it’s because the raw materials used are sourced and made in the local environment and are therefore compatible with the nature of Asian hair. 

Some of my favorite local and imported hair products:

THEN:

Johnson's Baby Shampoo Classic & Honey

Johnson’s Baby Shampoo.  This was my daily shampoo when I was in high school.  It made my then shoulder- length hair really shiny and smooth-- typical girl next door hair.  And I loved the scent of baby shampoo on my hair.  Baby shampoo though is just good for high school hair.

Sunny Drop by Wella.  When I deviated from baby shampoo in high school, I used this brand and it garnered me lots of compliments from my classmates.  They say that my hair sways when I walk.  This shampoo had a fresh citrusy scent I really loved!  It’s now phased out.

Clinique Shampoo.  I used this when I was a college freshman and it made my hair soft, smooth, manageable and tingly clean!  Like Johnson’s Baby Shampoo, it has a golden color.  This is no longer available in the local market.

Strawberry Parfait Shampoo by Avon.  Oh, the delicious scent of this shampoo.  One of my college shampoos too.  It falls a little short though on manageability.  It’s now phased out.

Vidal Sassoon.  This is a superbly great shampoo!   It’s on top of my list.  It gave my hair star quality softness, smoothness and manageability without the need for conditioner.  Regret that it is now phased out.

NOW:

Sunsilk Weather Defense Shampoo & Conditioner

Sunsilk Co-Creations Shampoos.  Almost all of the variants are good on my hair in terms of smoothness and softness.  My initial favorite was Yuko Yamashita’s Smooth & Manageable (pink bottle).  Then I tried the Soft & Smooth (yellow bottle) by Thomas Taw.  My current favorite is the Weather Defense (aquamarine bottle) by Teddy Charles.  

Aromavitality with Rose Petals

Palmolive Shampoo & Conditioner.  I really like the Aromavitality shampoo and conditioner with rose petals (fuchsia bottle).  The sexy scent lasts through the day, until evening even, and it makes my hair super soft and smooth! 

L’Oreal Shampoo and Conditioner.  I like the one in the pink bottle that gives your hair cashmere-like softness. Also the one in white bottle that guards against 5 signs of hair damage.  I also like the conditioners of said variants. They make my hair sooo smooth.

Pantene Conditioner from Japan.  I love the softness and smoothness that this conditioner gives my hair.  Believe me, my hair sways even when wet!  And when it’s time to re-groom during the day, I just comb my fingers through my hair.  I love the classy scent too that lasts until evening.  This is Limited Edition.  And out of stock by now.  I was lucky to find 2 tubs of the brand's hair mask at Watson's Harrison Plaza today. 

Clairol Herbal Essences Long-Term Relationship Shampoo for Long Hair.  I love the witty statement of this shampoo.  I adore its satiny pink color when I pour it onto my palm from its red bottle, it’s like liquid rose quartz.  And I love the sweet raspberry scent!  It’s soft and smooth on the hair while shampooing but leaves tangles after rinse so I have to aid it with my other brand of conditioner. 

Swiss O Par Honig-Milch Shampoo & Spulung.  Aside from Swarovski crystals, my sister brought me this shampoo from Austria.  I could only guess the meaning of the bottle label that’s written in German, but there’s a picture of honey and milk, so I supposed this is a honey-milk shampoo.  And it smells like other honey products I’ve tried.  This shampoo is soft on my hair though I have to aid it with my local brand of conditioner since it leaves tangles after rinse.  The redeeming value of this shampoo is that it gives my hair mirror-like shine, especially when blow-dried.

Of course, anything that comes naturally from the genes may fade if you don’t take care of it.  That is why I see to it that I nourish my hair, not only with the best hair products, but also with proper diet like protein-rich foods.  I live on omelet!  I don’t comb my hair a hundred times but I ensure that I use a clean comb to groom my hair.  And I have 6 kinds of combs and brushes for variety.  Through the years, my signature hairstyle has been the classic long-layered cut that’s clean and sleek.  No stranger would get a clue of a hidden vanity behind the locks that look effortless.  That recaps my mane addiction. Beyond the addiction though is an affirmation, that a good head over your shoulder is always better than a nice hair over your shoulder.