Disclaimer: My hair rarely, if ever, behaves. It may look pretty tame on this blog (especially with my new 'do) but that's mostly to do with creative cropping and spritzes of water. More often than not it looks like this:
Or this:
Only without the wind.
I have a LOT of hair, on the coarse side for an Asian, and often frizzy and wavy. For years it was wild, savage. Now it's calm, shiny, mostly straight; enough to elicit questions about the hair products I use. (Speaking of reader questions, drop me a line at my ask.fm anytime!) I tell you, it's not hair treatments, it's not straightening procedures that helped me in the long term. The most effective way I tamed my hair was with the right conditioner. You can be more flexible with shampoos, but it's the conditioner that makes the hair. Right now I owe the sleek appearance of my ~raven tresses to Organix Hair Care, which boasts an "award-winning" collection of shampoos, conditioners and styling/treatment products, which "have been met with rave reviews by retailers and consumers alike." Marketing spiel aside (I have no idea about these awards they speak of), all I know is that Organix works for me.
The brand has a ton of varieties, and from experience they all tame my hair to different degrees so when choosing a new flavor to try I really just go by smell. Read on for impressions of the four varieties I've tried.
I didn't keep the bottles for these, so I'm ashamed to say we will have to rely on stock photos from the website.
Coconut Milk (nourishing)
An exclusive blend of coconut milk to nourish your hair, while ultra whipped egg white proteins add strength and elasticity, along with weightless coconut oils to add hydration and balance. The luxuriously creamy, foaming, hydrating formula leaves your hair feeling clean, glowing, softly scented and super soft.
The bottle descriptions are pretty accurate. I tried sample sizes of these mildly gata-scented babies and was pleasantly surprised by their effect. Sumusunod talaga yung buhok. Super soft too!
Brazilian Keratin Therapy (ever-straight)An alluring blend of antioxidant rich coconut oil along with lush keratin proteins to strengthen and soften the hair, while avocado oil and cocoa butter smooth the cuticle for straight, strong, tresses, adding a brilliant glow and luminescent shine. This rich, sulfate free formula smooths and strengthens your curly or wavy tresses.
This one has a stronger Hawaiian coconut smell that was pleasantly reminiscent of tropical summers when I was in the States, but quickly turned cloyingly sweet in the heat of the Philippines. It does what it says though: keeps hair straight and shiny. The conditioner is creamier than the other varieties, holding its shape even when outside the bottle. This is something I've noticed in deep conditioners and straightening balms. It can get pretty heavy if you apply too much, but it's great for dry and damaged hair.
Keratin Oil (anti-breakage)Indulge in rich, fortifying keratin proteins that reinforce each strand, increasing elasticity to resist breakage caused by brushing and styling, while argan oil conditions and smoothes creating a luminescent shine. Strands are strengthened from within and nourished throughout for longer, stronger hair.
This one is my most recent acquisition, which I got for my split ends and fried curls before I cut my hair. It does the same thing as the Brazilian Keratin Therapy but is lighter in texture, so you don't lose volume. It smells faintly floral, but has enough musk for it to be suitable for guys as well.
Awapuhi Ginger (repairing)Indulge in a lavishing and creamy formula infused with the Hawaiian beauty secret of awapuhi ginger. Instantly mend and soften dry, coarse hair while stimulating the scalp for freshness. Rich keratin proteins fortify each strand, creating restored, softened and strengthened hair from roots to tips.
This is my FAVE! It smells deliciously fruity-feminine like our local Palmolive shampoos, such that a US-based Filipino MD asked me if I'd gotten my shampoo from the Philippines because it reminded him so much of home. It's great for both straight hair and curls and makes my hair soft and shiny, without losing the volume.
The sizes are pretty generous, with one bottle lasting me 2-3 months for medium-length hair. I'm no longer an ingredient-Nazi, but for those who are concerned these products are made without phthalates and parabens. They're also sulfate-free and should be safe for color-treated hair. Below are sample ingredients from Awapuhi Ginger.
I would say Organix conditioners are comparable to our local Snoe Hair Heroes, which I also love. Difference is that the heavier Hair Heroes is meant as a more of a treatment you use every few days, while the lighter Organix conditioners can be used daily. Both retail for PhP 499 locally (quite a step up from $3-8 USD price Stateside) but you get a slightly better deal with Organix at 385 ml, versus Snoe's 250 ml. Organix products are available at Landmark and SM Department Stores in the Philippines, and in major drugstores (Walgreens, Walmart, CVS, Rite Aid, Target) in the US.
