little white truths

From memory we received this from The Parcel sometime last year and I had to put it away for a while because I had too much haircare in backlog, even though John Frieda is one of my favourite haircare brands and I was looking forward to using it.

I did crack it open last year but quickly worked out that it just didn't agree with my hair - which I wasn't expecting because it's John Frieda and it says 'Frizz Ease' right there in the title - so what I decided to do was put it away and bring it back out in a different season and when I was using different shampoo/conditioner products, just in case these things had something to do with it (because sometimes they do). 

I'm sorry to say that I can now confirm this product doesn't work for me whatever the season and whatever else I'm using, which is unfortunate because now I've got another haircare product destined for Project Pan - just when I thought I'd got the last dud on to my list! Eh, you can't win 'em all.

John Frieda claims/product details:

• Experience a new generation of innovative haircare 
• Set the foundation for a long-lasting, frizz-resistant style
• A revolution in frizz immunity is here
• With ground-breaking Frizz Immunity Complex, this leave-in primer realigns the structure of your hair - strand by strand - to strengthen hair’s immunity for complete frizz elimination with every use
• A targeted humidity-resistant blend of pure coconut oil and glycerides help to fight the onset of frizz from the inside out, to improve your hair’s texture and manageability, for noticeably smoother hair
• The lightweight texture absorbs quickly into wet hair to ensure a silky-smooth, weightless style with a natural softness as your hair dries, while offering essential heat protection
• Expertly designed for medium-thick and wavy-curly hair types, but suitable for all levels of frizzy hair types, including colour-treated hair
• RRP $16.99 AUD for 100ml, but do shop around

Verdict

I read a bunch of reviews of this product last year when I was first testing it, just in case any of them could shed light on what kinds of hair it was best-suited for (other than those mentioned by John Frieda in the product claims section above) or whether it was best-used in a particular way.

I remember seeing that the reviews were split down the middle - some loved it, while others really didn't - and no particular hair type was common/different in any of them, but I also recall seeing one lass note that it did not work for her at all but performed beautifully on her daughter's normal hair, so let's assume this is one of those products that only works with specific types of hair and doesn't work at all for others (which is not what the product claims).

It's a white, lightweight product that's like a cream/gel hybrid in texture and it has a faint, chemical scent that reminds me of hairspray. I'm barely aware of the scent when I use it so it shouldn't bother most people who don't like fragrance in haircare.

The directions say to apply one pump to wet hair and to only use it from the mid-shafts down to the ends of your hair. This is good advice and I definitely wouldn't apply it anywhere near your scalp (more on why in a sec), although I have tried it on both wet and dry hair and I couldn't see any difference in performance when used on dry hair so I suppose you could do that if you've forgotten to apply it when your hair's wet (as I sometimes do).

Once applied, it feels super heavy and tacky on my hair (which is dry, frizzy, wavy and prone to split ends). I'd hoped this would change as the product 'dried down' but unfortunately it never did, so I'm always aware of the product when it's on - both in terms of how my hair looks and how it feels to the touch.

And I'm sorry to say it, but this product completely weighs my hair down and renders it dull and lifeless, plus it coats it in a way that makes it feel dirty and in need of a wash.

I've tried applying less and more; I've tried it on wet and dry hair; and I've tried it with different shampoo/conditioner combos and in different seasons. 

In every case, the result is the same: it makes my hair look and feel awful - and to add insult to injury, it does nothing for my frizz and serves only to reduce the time between washes, which isn't what I need at all.

So in sum, this product just doesn't work for me and it definitely doesn't meet its claims. Indeed, I'd be interested in knowing whom it works for considering you'd think my locks fit the exact 'hair profile' that this product is geared towards.

Do let me know if you've used this product and what you think of it if so. If it works for you, please do share any usage tips in case that may help others find some way to use it.

For me, this has been earmarked for Project Pan for use as either a pre-wash treatment or even a foot cream (because I've used some dud hair products that way in the past) and unfortunately I don't have much to say about it other than that.

Foo. Sad face.