Bed Head

I'm so incensed by my purchase today that I'm starting a new category: Product Reviews. I wouldn't call myself overly finicky when it comes to certain things, but I do know I'm sick of spending my hard-earned money on crap. So I'm on a mission to weed out the crap.

Today's Review: Tresemme Flawless Curls Extra Hold Mousse

Before I offer my opinion, let me start with a bit of back story:

It's a well known fact that when it comes to haircare, I'm a total product whore. I'll try anything - from the junk in the drugstores to the stuff in salons. Until a couple of weeks ago, my products of choice were Matrix Biolage Hydrating Shampoo and Conditioning Balm (the balm that you're supposed to use once a week - yea, I used it every day... damn my long, thick, color-infested hair), Rusk Sheer Brilliance, and either Matrix Sleek Look Styling Creme or Rusk CurlSilk, depending on whether I was styling my hair straight or wavy.

The last time I was at the salon, I bought Pureology Hydrate System shampoo and conditioner. Sweet bleeding Jesus, why have I never seen this stuff before? The smell is divine (the conditioner has a wonderful mint smell, and the more I work it through my hair, the more minty it smells), my color really is staying brighter longer, and it makes my hair wonderfully soft. I also don't get that ooky feeling I get after rinsing some other conditioners out of my hair when I'm in the shower - that feeling where I think I need to wash again because I have a thick film of conditioner covering my back. Bleh.

My hair is naturally wavy, bordering on a bit curly, but usually I like to style it smooth and straight. Because it's thick and tending towards waves, it's an involved process of blow drying, applying more styling creme to smooth out the waves, more blow drying, flat ironing, and sealing it up with a waterproof finisher. Frankly it's too much crap to do every day. Ideally, unless I really want to straighten my hair, I'd love to get out of the shower, comb the tangles out, put a product or two in, and let it air dry - sans frizz.

So that's why I tried the Rusk CurlSilk - I would totally go wavy if I could find something that calms the frizz, and doesn't make my hair weighed down. If I use the right amount of CurlSilk, it doesn't do a bad job - there's a little bit of frizz... but if I don't get the right amount my hair ends up feeling heavy and greasy.

So, on to my purchase today - since my bottle of CurlSilk was empty, I was browsing the shelves at the drugstore and I remembered that Tresemme ad I saw on TV about the smooth curls and all that crap, so I grabbed a bottle of Flawless Curls extra hold mousse. Yea, doesn't really make sense that I'm using bottles of shampoo and conditioner that cost $26 each on my head then use a $3.99 bottle of mousse, but I decided to give it a whirl anyway.

The bottle says:
"Sets curls so they behave come rain or shine. Curly hair craves hydration, and this mousse's conditioning formula - which includes keratin, gelatin, and proteins - quenches curls' thirst. This silky smooth mousse enhances your natural waves, adding definition without clumping."

Well, the chick's hair in the commercial (as she stood looking into the salon window laughing at a friend getting salon curls for much more money) looked lovely. After using this, my guess is that there's no way they used it to style that woman's curls in the commercial. What a load of junk. My hair has never felt less hydrated - it's almost a sticky, course sandpapery feel - it's frizzy, and I have absolutely no definition to any waves or curls in my hair. I feel like I have straw on my head. Well, that's $3.99 down the tubes.

I'm presently debating washing my hair again because of how crappy it feels.

I've decided tomorrow I'm heading back to the salon (even though I have another appointment next week) to try out Pureology's RealCurl Creme. I'd rather pay $20 for 5.1oz. of a Pureology product than the $3.99 for the 10.5oz. of junk. In my opinion, there's a clear line between cheap and inexpensive.

The Tresemme Flawless Curls Mousse? Cheap.