After admiring the trending stacked A-line curly bobs with a fringe, I decided to take the plunge. With a newly-sheared style, the opportunity to make my lazy summer routine even easier presented itself. I had a goal of replacing some of my wash days (which are comprised 1-2 conditioning treatments and a vigorous shampoo”> with one step: a co-wash. Easy, right? The problem is that summer in the Southern California desert region where I live it is dry and hot, and we have hard water that can leave hair crispy and lifeless. I save my cleansing conditioners for the winter months when the air indoors is dry, but there are a lot of rainy days. However, short hair can take you on new adventures and mine led me to finding the Pura d’or line of products. The cleansing conditioner is Curly Girl friendly, vegan and cruelty-free, and without common allergens including gluten. It does contain many curl-strengthening and nourishing ingredients including:
- Aloe to provide hydration and sheen. Aloe soothes the scalp, and smooths the hair shaft
- Argan Oil to make your curls look and feel healthier and smoother. It reduces flyaways and split ends.
- Apple Fruit Extract to minimize hair loss and encourage hair growth.
- Oat bran extract to optimize scalp heath.
- Coconut oil to add shine and strength to curls.
- Behentrimonium Chloride for cleansing and conditioning.
- Lavender and geranium oils for fragrance. They are also antifungal and antimicrobial to help with scalp flaking and dandruff.
First, there are a few things I really love about this cleansing conditioner, including the following:
- It cleanses well without leaving a residue. My hair felt clean after one application, and when it dried, it had a lot of bounce and body.
- It has a wonderful scent, thanks to the essential oils and orange peel extract.
- It really soothes the scalp and reduces tension.
However, I cannot really say that this is the once and done product I was looking for. It does not have good slip for detangling, nor did it completely moisturize my hair. Both of these issues were easily remedied with leave-ins, though. Since I always use a leave-in, even after deep-conditioning, this was not a deal breaker.
Another thing I would note is that the instructions provided probably would not work for most curlies. The label states that you should massage it in, let it sit on the scalp, comb through, and then rinse.
Because of the afore-mentioned lack of slip, I recommend rinsing out the product, and then detangling with a cream-based leave-in.
Lastly, this has been a great product to use as a base for a rosemary scalp massage. Rosemary essential oil can help improve hair growth in part by increasing circulation to the scalp. When combined with the cleansing conditioner, it can turn your wash day into a spa day.
Rosemary Scalp Massage
Materials
- a bayalage board and a hair color brush
- 3-4 drops rosemary essential oil
- 3-4 pumps Pura d’or Moisture Protect Cleansing Conditioner
Method
- Place the cleansing conditioner on the bayalage board, and then sprinkle the rosemary oil over it.
- Mix the two together with the hair color brush.
- Fully saturate your hair and scalp with water, and apply the cleansing conditioner mixture to your scalp using the brush.
- Massage the mixture into your entire scalp for five minutes, and then wait five minutes before rinsing it out. You can then apply a leave-in or a light daily conditioner, and then detangle.
What new products have you tried this summer? Let us know in the comments. For more about rosemary, click here.