September 12, 2008

Review: L'Oreal Elseve (Elvive?) Nutri Gloss Intensive Shine Mask

I'll be first to admit that I'm no great expert in hair masks. Five years ago, I attended a press conference on the launch of the L'Oreal Elseve (Malaysia) Elvive (Europe) Nutri Gloss range of products, and came away with this mask. Funny thing is, all across Europe and even after trying Umberto Gianni's Hair Mask, Boots Botanics Hair Mask, and James Brown's Hair Mask, I kept coming back to this.

It must be doing something right.


Even within the L'Oreal family, the damage repairing mask (yellow), didn't measure up to this baby. So, I guess it's past time I introduce you to it.

The mask comes in a totally inconvenient embarassingly pink jar. In the shower, you have to find a place to balance it while scooping some out, holding the lid and not letting too much water in. Impossible I tell you! Make a TUBE L'Oreal!!

That aside, it is a thick white cream that I apply lavishly (it's cheap!) to my locks after cleansing them with a clarifying or plain baby shampoo. Then I bundle my hair up in a clip and go about the rest of my bathtime ritual.

When I rinse it out my hair feels like watered silk. A tiny amount of conditioner rubbed in and rinsed out to seal it in, and I'm done!

And the results? Soft manageable hair that isn't greasy. Plus it SHINES. And when teamed up with the all-time favourite John Frieda Brilliant Brunette range, my hair gets even SHINIER. So shiny that I once sat in a bar between two men, each fingering my hair with dazzled eyes and cooing "Ooh... SHIIIINYYYYY".

Alright, so perhaps there is such a thing as too much shine.

I also find it good to use in the middle of the week, just on my ends to keep them happy.

Now this wonderfully cheap treatment costs only £3.99 and I'm guessing (I have to guess because wretched Malaysian pharmacies are STILL not online) that it costs under RM20 in Malaysia. I'll check up on it next time I swing by Guardian.

6 comments:

Syen said...

Kahani: Use a teaspoon to scoop it out prior? =P

That aside, I think I should get this when I'm done with my hair mask. OR I can just pop by your place whenever I'm in need of a hair-pick-me-up. LOL.

Kahani said...

Come by this weekend. I need a map to carcosa! =P

AskMeWhats said...

thanks for this, I may give this a test myself, I have just used the shampoo and conditioner combo but not this, well after reading your post, I have to try this too!

Syen said...

Just as an update, the price of this baby is around RM27 a tub. I now know because I was looking it at very coverteously in Guardian over the weekend. =P

Oh noo.. Not another lemming!

Petra said...

why do you need a hair mask?

and am i posting too much?

Kahani said...

Pet: ahahah you can't post too much dear. Only, you might want to keep it to 5 otherwise I can't see it on my recent comments list.

Hair masks are good for weekly maintenance of the hair. Just as you clarify your hair once a week, it's good to give it a little extra pep with a mask. It's not necessary, but I honestly believe it helps.