If you’re looking to make your hair more manageable, then the answer lies in a good hair regimen. But above all this, the one essential product for making hair easier to deal with is conditioner. In fact, if I were to pick out the three products that I can’t do without, conditioner would definitely be at the top of that list.
I usually tell people that I don’t necessarily see the need to detangle my hair, and they think I’m crazy. Why? Partly because I’m too lazy to pick out my hair strand by strand. Secondly, because I haven’t quite mastered the art. Finger detangling is too time-consuming, and detangling with a comb is too rough on my hair and causes breakage. Of course, there’s a need to get rid of falling hairs, and I usually do that as I wash my hair. Conditioner is great for creating the slip to separate these knots and pick out these hanging hairs.
I had heard about the Alberto Balsam conditioner for years but I never really got my hands on it. I don’t particularly lean towards any specific products. I like to try out different products every so often. So this time when I was replenishing my hair products I landed on the Alberto Balsam mandarin and papaya hair conditioner, and I decided to give it a try.
Manufacturer’s Claims
Detangles and smoothes improve manageability and strengthen with pro-vitamin B5. It restores shine and adds softness leaving your hair feeling fabulous.
This product is for normal or dry hair, so you would expect it to be super moisturising. I am not complaining because it does moisturise the hair to a certain extent. However, given that the product is glorified for this particular characteristic, I don’t think it was as moisturising.
As for the restoration of shine, I can personally vouch for this product. You would expect that immediately after washing your hair it looks a little dry and dull, but that’s not the case here. In fact, this would probably be my number one reason for purchasing it over and over again.
Lastly, I must also praise this product for the amount of softness that I achieved with it, alongside other products. My hair was shiny and soft.
Scent
I cannot emphasise how good this product smells. It’s heavenly. It smells fruity, but then the scent is not overpowering. It’s just enough. It’s such a refreshing scent that you’re almost tempted not to rinse it out. So if you’re a person who goes for good scents, then this is highly recommendable.
Slip
The point of a conditioner, on top of its moisturizing power, is to allow for the hair shaft to separate so that it’s easier to detangle and comb through. I would say that this product does a good job of doing so. It also restores the curls of the hair and gives it elasticity. However, I must also add that I have used conditioners with better slip than this. Yes, it does give slip, but if you’re looking for a product that specifically has great slip, then this might not be it.
Price
It uses most of the ingredients that you’ll find in higher-priced brands, but at a great price, meaning you can afford to look gorgeous every day.
This product goes for about 250 Kenya shillings for the 350ml bottle. This is a huge bargain. In fact, when I saw it I thought that there must be some sort of mistake, or that the quality isn’t as good. However, after reading the claims on the bottle, and having seen some good reviews, I bought it. It is enough for about 6-7 uses depending on the amount of product you use on your hair. I, for one, use a lot of products to make my process easier. So for me this is a great deal.
Ingredients
When you’re looking out for new products, it is important that you research the ingredients in that product. For one, a product whose first ingredient is aqua (water) is a great indicator because it means that it is moisturising. This product had that.
Aside from this, it also contains cetyl alcohol which is emollient and known to soften your skin and hair. It also provides slip allowing us to detangle our hair better.
Stearamidopropyl Dimethylamine is another ingredient listed on the product. It is is one of the leading ‘replacements’ for silicones in hair conditioners. It helps blend the water and oil-based ingredients found in conditioners. As you may know, silicones aren’t good because they are not water-soluble and thus cause build-up that weighs your curls down, diminishing definition. So this particular ingredient is a great alternative.
Another listed product is Amodimethicone which is a different kind of silicone that is chemically modified to stick to your hair better. It coats the hair, providing great shine and conditioning to hair. It’s one of the ‘good silicones’ that does not do much damage to the hair.
Lastly, another major ingredient is Benzophenone-4. This product does not penetrate the skin to a large degree but allows for other ingredients to do so. It allows the product to gain absorbing power.
Overall verdict
I will definitely be purchasing the Alberto Balsam Mandarin and Papaya Revitalising Conditioner in the near future, particularly because of its affordability and great scent.
Pros
- Affordable
- Restores shine on the hair
- Available in many stores locally
Cons
- Doesn’t necessarily give the best slip, and therefore not the best hair detangler
Liked this article? Read the review for the Mega Growth Deep Conditioner
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