Friday, May 15, 2009

Fragrance Bouquet Loves… Ironless Straightening Balm by Fekkai

There are a number of perfumes and perfume samples on my tray, all lined up for review. Unfortunately I am currently suffering a tyrannical cold which has eclipsed my sense of smell and has left my stomach feeling like a battlefield. At least I no longer feel faint and exhausted all the time, meaning I can actually write about something (and goodness, how good does it feel to be able to think again, instead of living in a haze). So let’s take a look at one of my favorite products, shall we?

I simply adore Fekkai hair products, swear by them in fact, and by all means my whole Fekkai routine deserves its own “Fragrance Bouquet Loves…” post, but today I want to focus on my latest addi(c)tion, the Ironless Straightening Balm from the Coiff Controle line of styling products. My hair is really long, highlighted and has issues: it is dry and extremely prone to frizz, due to the fact that it is a crazy mixture of straight and wavy. Not wavy enough to create a sexy tousled look with styling products OR a diffuser, mind, and not straight enough to actually look beautifully straight without help. Having tried just about every straightening/anti-frizz balm, serum and cream on the planet to no avail can make a girl rather cynical, skeptical and disillusioned. I received a sample of this in Douglas when purchasing my usual Fekkai shampoo, conditioner and mask some months ago however and decided to give it ago. Right from the first use I declared this a miracle product and rushed out to buy a full bottle.

The Ironless Straightening Balm is a non-chemical (very important to us hair freaks concerned with damage) straightening remedy for hair that fights frizz and fly-aways. It works like this: When hair is still damp, you work the product through the hair from roots to ends and then blow dry helping the process along by keeping the brush straight. The results are amazing – I’ve never achieved such straight hair without the help of a professional blow-out! Most importantly, the effect lasts. Now, this might not give you the same sleekness and ultra-straight result a professional blow-out or iron would, but both of these options are extremely damaging to the hair. I do not want split ends and dry, damaged hair, so I avoid blow-outs as much as possible, only resorting to them when I have to attend an event or a big party. But this balm has made my every-day look so much better I am filled with gratitude. It makes hair manageable and sleek, reducing frizz and keeping it straight. I’ll take that. I’ve never experienced anything better, and my poor wallet knows I’ve tried everything throughout the years

Now for the best part? If you, like me, are serious about keeping hair split-end/damage free, you probably loathe using the blow-dryer and any other source of heat close to your hair. Well guess what? This product does miracles even if you don’t blow-dry. Simply work it through damp hair, brush well and let it air dry. You will still get amazing results with no damage incurred. The result will not be as sleek as with the blow-dryer, but it will still look gorgeous and frizz-free.

Despite seeming rather expensive (23.50 Euro around here), this product is actually very economical. I used my sample twice before it was finished and only need 1-2 pumps from the actual bottle for my very long hair. Use a light hand when using it for the first time, until you find what amount works best for you. Even though this won’t make hair oily or weigh it down if you use more than you should, the finish is much more touchable and glossy when the right amount is used.


Click here to see other reviews of this product on TotalBeauty.com


5 comments:

Ines said...

Divina, I know exactly how difficult it is to manage hair that is neither wavy nor straight and mine is very dense. I never ever made it look straight by myself. Now, I no longer have that problem though, it's too short for those types of problems and I absolutely love it. :)
Seems short hair is the look for me. ;)

Divina said...

Hey Ines! How short is your hair? Mine is really long and with this texture it is important to keep it looking groomed... This product is a savior when I want straight hair without the hussle of a blow out.

Ines said...

Dear D, I'd say my hair at the longest parts is no longer than 3cm. It is really short. :) For someone who used to have long blonde hair, this is quite a change (but it came about slowly) and it seems this is it. It feels right and still needs all those lovely hair products out there ;)

carpediem said...

hey,

So I bought this product about 2 days ago and have it in my hair right now. I am a freak when it comes to heat; I want to keep it as far away from my hair as possible. I have thick very black wavy hair, but what bothers me is the frizz. Wavy or straight, as long as my hair is "calm" I'm happy.

So now I just put it in my hair and am letting it air dry. Wish me luck. Hope it works.

And I agree, although expensive ($25 in USA), if it does the job, I guess buying it once every 1-2 months isn't so bad.

*Fingers Crossed*!

Divina said...

Hey Carpediem! Did it work out? :) Let us know!