When it comes to hair care products, I’ll have to admit that I’ve become a bit of a snob of late. These days I pretty much only use professional hair care and hair styling products, but because I know not everyone can afford high-end products, I like to try something new (and more affordable) every now and again. As I’ve mentioned numerous times here on the blog: Just because something is inexpensive, doesn’t mean it’s below average in terms of quality. My last hair care review was a rather spendy one, so I thought it was high time I started testing a more budget-friendly brand. I’ve never really heard of HASK before a couple of months ago, so it was perfect timing when they kindly gave me the opportunity to review some of their products (and offer a fab hamper giveaway). They sent over their Monoi Oil and Argan Oil ranges and I immediately started testing all the products.
HASK hair care products are very affordable and are packed full of impressive ingredients, plus they are 100% cruelty free. Their products are formulated without parabens, sulfates, phthalates, gluten, alcohol or artificial colours – that means it will not strip your hair of any moisture. Today I’ll be reviewing both ranges and if you stick around, there’s a HASK Hamper giveaway at the end of this blog post.
For the sake of this review, I’ll quickly explain the current state of my hair. Normally my hair is quite dry & frizzy, while lacking volume at the roots and being a bit frazzled at the ends. I can see you rolling your eyes over there… The only reason why my hair looks soft, shiny and healthy in videos and photos, is because I heat style it (a curling iron or curling wand is my weapon of choice). Plus, I always finish off with a good post-styling oil. But we all know, heat styling is only a temporary solution and more often than not, it makes the problem worse.
If you are interested in seeing how I style my hair, take a look at this video.
NOURISHING MONOI OIL:
What exactly is Monoi oil? Don’t feel bad if you don’t know, a couple of weeks ago I had no idea either. So basically Monoi oil is a type of oil that has been used for thousands of years by Polynesian women to pamper and protect their hair from the harsh effects of the sun, wind and sea. It is a pure coconut oil infused with Tahitian gardenias – trust me, it smells every bit as exotic as you are imagining it to be right now.
Clearly this oil is my spirit animal, as I have quite the obsession with all coconutty products.
Here’s what HASK says about their Monoi oil range: The super moisturising Monoi oil restores softness and elasticity by creating a barrier seal, without weighing hair down. This barrier helps protect hair against cellular damage caused by colour-treating, heat-styling, chemical straightening, and sun exposure.
What do I think of the HASK Monoi oil range? I’ve been using this range for the past couple of weeks (I alternated between the Monoi oil range and the Argan oil range to give both a proper testing before writing this review) and I must say, I LOVE it. It smells like a fruity coconut cocktail and leaves my hair feeling very soft and easy to manage. Sometimes coconut oil-based hair products can weigh down the hair, especially if you have fine hair like me, but I have found this range gives me the perfect amount of hydration and nourishment.
Monoi Oil Nourishing Shampoo ♥ R 115,95 – This shampoo has a ‘take-me-to-Seychelles-now’ coconut scent, so good! The moisturising formula also soothes dry, itchy scalps and leaves hair smelling like a tropical vacay. It is infused with coconut oil, bilberry fruit extract, shea butter and linseed oil to hydrate and strengthen the hair. What I like about this shampoo is that even though it’s sulfate-free, it still lathers up quite nicely. Sulfates are what adds bubbles and lather to a product (body wash, hand soap, shampoo etc) but it is also know to strip the hair of moisture and fade colour faster. That’s why it’s always good to look out for a shampoo that is free of sulfates. One draw-back of using certain sulfate-free shampoos is that usually they don’t create a nice foaming lather, and I do love a good bubbly lather. It’s probably all in my mind, but I just feel my hair is cleaner if I use a shampoo that creates a good amount of lather. Anyway, as I mentioned this one creates an impressive amount of lather even though it contains no sulfates.
Monoi Oil Nourishing Conditioner ♥ R 115,95 – Infused with a blend of softening coconut oil and Tahitian gardenias, this conditioner helps to strengthen and protect hair against damage. It is suitable for all hair types and leaves my rather lifeless locks feeling soft, smooth with a certain ‘flow’ to them. Even though this hydrating conditioner has a lightweight formula, it still packs a surprisingly moisturising punch to keep hair shiny, strong and manageable.
Monoi Oil Nourishing Shine Hair Oil ♥ R 49,95 - This lightweight, alcohol-free (yay!) oil instantly absorbs to provide beautiful shine with absolutely no oily residue. A little goes a very long way, all you need is a tiny pea-sized amount to bring a bit of life to your hair. This can be used as a pre- or post-styling product with an added benefit of protecting your hair against heat damage and taming fly-aways.
Monoi Oil Nourishing Deep Conditioning Treatment Sachet ♥ R 49,95 – I like to use this once a week or once every other week as a deep conditioning treatment, anything more with be too heavy for my fine hair. The sachet contains enough product for 2 uses, applied to the lower half of medium to long hair (if you have short hair, then you will probably get 3 uses). I love that this treatment rinses out quite easily and doesn’t leave my hair feeling too slick or slippery. The no-fuss sachet packaging makes this the perfect travel companion, you won’t have to worry about any leaks.
REPAIRING ARGAN OIL:
Why Argan oil? Argan oil has been all the rage for quite a number of years now. When I first discovered the magic of Argan oil, there was no turning back. Argan oil is known to be one of the rarest, hence most expensive oil in the world. Argan oil is proven to make hair softer and shinier, plus it combats frizz like no other hair oil on the market. It is ideal for dull and frazzled hair, and can even help to treat split ends and tame those pesky fly-aways.
Here’s what HASK says about their Argan oil range: Infused with high-absorbing, moisturising and repairing qualities, Argan oil penetrates the hair shaft to leave even the most rebellious locks frizz-free and super glossy. Virgin Argan oil, used in this HASK range, is rich in phytosterols, Omega 3, Omega 7 fatty acids and natural antioxidants such as Vitamin E. Phytosterols impart a lustrous shine while Omega-3 and Omega-7 fatty acids provide softness, help mend split-ends and improve manageability. Vitamin-E and other natural antioxidants treat and repair chemically- or colour treated hair.
What do I think of the HASK Argan oil range? It smells rather exotic – a subtle nutty aroma with a citrusy twist. This range has been infused with orange blossom extract to help restore the natural shine and suppleness of your hair (is suppleness even a word?). The repairing shampoo and conditioner complement each other so well – the shampoo is a rich formula that lathers well and leaves the hair feeling instantly soft, and the thick conditioner didn’t weigh down my hair at all. This range is ideal for dry, damaged or colour-treated hair.
Argan Oil Repairing Shampoo ♥ R 115,95 – This contains coconut oil, olive oil, shea butter and keratin amino acids which gently cleanse and soften hair. I love the shampoo, and would never have guessed it is sulfate free. It cleanses the hair without stripping away essential natural oils, and creates a luxurious lather that smells like freshly squeezed orange juice. Don’t worry, though, the scent doesn’t last very long and won’t interfere with your daily perfume.
Argan Oil Repairing Conditioner ♥ R 115,95 – The conditioner feels lightweight, but is still very moisturising. It effectively smoothes hair without weighing it down, while preventing frizz and fly-aways. As with all my conditioners, I don’t apply this all the way up to my roots because the new & healthy hair up there doesn’t really need it. It leaves my hair looking super shiny, soft to the touch and with no knots or tangles. I’ve read that the plastic bottle packaging is a bit of an issue for some people because of the thickness of the plastic (making it difficult to squeeze). I don’t know if HASK has recently updated their packaging because I’ve had no trouble giving my bottles a good squeeze – I don’t find it hard or difficult at all.
Argan Oil Repairing Shine Hair Oil ♥ R 49,95 - This reparing oil contains Argan oil, grape seed, orange oil and vitamin E to nurse your strands back to health by restoring damage done by heat tools, and taming excess frizz. Unlike most hair serums, which are usually a mixture of silicones and oils, this one also contains keratin protein to repair and strengthen the hair. I use it very sparingly, as mentioned earlier a little goes a long way, to give your hair a boost of shine. The vial may look small, but trust me, it’s going to last you a very long time. I prefer when hair oils are packaged in small sizes like this one because it gives you the opportunity to test the different ranges in a shorter amount of time. It can be used on both wet and dry hair, and really helps to control frizz and add shine. If your hair gets frizzy during the hot & humid Summer months, then this range is going to be perfect for you! I am very happy to see that the HASK oils are stored in dark amber packaging. Light breaks down the oil’s best properties and keeping it inside something dark is the best way to store Argan oil.
Argan Oil Repairing Deep Conditioning Treatment Sachet ♥ R 49,95 – I don’t think I’ve ever seen such an impressive ingredients list in a drugstore hair treatment! It is packed with proteins, collagen, vitamins and even silk amino acids to combat breakage, reduce static and nourish the hair. My hair looks sleek and shiny after I’ve used this intensive hair treatment, which is very surprising since it doesn’t contain any silicones.
All in all, Hask has definitely quelled the myth that inexpensive hair care products can’t be highly effective and luxurious. With 5 unique ranges of hair care products, HASK provides easily accessible and affordable shampoos, conditioners, oils, and deep conditioners. I’ve said this at least twice in this blog post – a little goes a very long way with all these products. The very first time I used the Monoi oil shampoo and conditioner I used way too much, and it left my hair feeling a bit weighed down. Less is more, ladies – which means you get a bang for your buck! I have really enjoyed using these 2 ranges from HASK (with the Monoi Oil range being my favourite), and I’m definitely keen to give their Macadamia Oil and brand new Mint Almond Oil ranges a go! HASK hair care products are sold exclusively at Clicks.
GIVEAWAY time! For this giveaway, it’s all about YOU and your bestie – I have TWO fabulous HASK hair care hampers to give away to a lucky Pink Peonies blog reader and her best friend. The hamper contains the following products:
♥ Monoi Oil Nourishing Shampoo
♥ Monoi Oil Nourishing Conditioner
♥ Monoi Oil Nourishing Shine Hair Oil
♥ Monoi Oil Nourishing Deep Conditioning Treatment
♥ Argan Oil Repairing Shampoo
♥ Argan Oil Repairing Conditioner
♥ Argan Oil Repairing Shine Hair Oil
♥ Argan Oil Repairing Deep Conditioning Treatment
That means each of you will receive a hamper containing ALL of the above products. HASK and I want to spoil 2 special ladies this Women’s Month, and what better way to get those locks into tip-top shape for Summer!
Here’s how you can enter to win 2 x HASK hampers (but remember to enter through the Rafflecopter widget, otherwise your entries won’t be valid):
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Please remember: You don’t HAVE to do all of the above – if you’d only like to leave a comment below, then your entry will still be valid. The other ones are there so that you can gain more entries for the giveaway.
The giveaway is open to South African residents only.
HASK is responsible for delivery of the prizes.
A winner will be chosen on the 28th of August 2015 & I will announce the winner on Twitter, Facebook and on the Rafflecopter widget.
Good luck!
The post Review – HASK Monoi Oil & Argan Oil + GIVEAWAY appeared first on Pink Peonies.