alterna hair care Archives - Reviews and Other Stuff

alterna hair care

Rahua Hydration Shampoo + Conditioner Review

November 27, 2019 / FASHION & BEAUTY / 0 comments

Hi everyone. Advance Happy Thanksgiving! I can’t believe we’re approaching the holiday season pretty soon. Time goes by so fast. Anyway, let’s discuss this haircare brand that I’ve seen a lot on Instagram lately. The Rahua brand of haircare has been popping out of several folks’ Instas and I must admit, the packaging has really caught my eye. I find its interesting bottles/design to be not quite the typical ones I’ve seen in most haircare products, not to mention its overall color and presentation. I honestly had no idea what this brand was all about, but I’ve read that its name is pronounced as Ra-Wa, a haircare brand based on the benefits derived from the Amazon. One of its main ingredients is Rahua oil, which is packed with omega-9 fatty acids that have long been used by indigenous women in the area. So the brand is all about sustainability, being vegan, gluten-free, cruelty-free, organic and plant-derived.

For this review, I decided to try the Rahua Hydration Shampoo and Conditioner, which are both winners of the Allure Best of Beauty 2019.

Hydration Shampoo (9.3 oz: 34 USD)

The main ingredients for this shampoo are the following: Morete Oil for conditioning and hydration, Sacha Inchi Oil for sun damage protection, Rahua Oil for strand strengthening/hydration, and also Mango sugars to facilitate more hydration. It is good for all hair types, and as you can see, it’s a shampoo that is meant to deliver hydration and moisture, thus, preventing frizz and adding softness and shine.

Now, for my experience, I find this shampoo to have a very pleasing sweet scent. For some, you may find this to be cloying, but I don’t. Something about the scent of this made me nostalgic about smelling some overripe tropical fruits (mangoes, guavas, etc) even including wild berries and burnt candies – a life reminiscent of being in a tropical island. Also, it’s the kind of scent that you may find at the spa, the type that may make you curious and wonder as to what that is. Anyhow, the texture of this shampoo is very light and you can tell that it’s all-natural just by feeling the clumps of its ingredients on your hands as you slather it all over your hair. I wouldn’t say that this is very creamy, it’s actually more like thick and whipped. It foams well, but not as foaming as most shampoos. It cleanses well too, but if your hair is oily, you may want to do two washes with this. After rinsing, this gives an overall clean feel on the hair, which doesn’t leave any residue but it’s not super moisturizing as well. In fact, this does seem to have a tiny bit of drying effect on my hair. I can understand why people say this leaves their hair dry as opposed to being moisturized because this is a natural shampoo and is very very light. So, this left my hair quite volumized actually. A similar product to this would be the Briogeo Blossom & Bloom Ginseng + Biotin Volumizing Shampoo, seen HERE, which I also like. But if you’re looking for a really moisturizing shampoo, this may not be the one. I suggest you try the Kerastase Discipline Sulfate-Free Smoothing Shampoo, or the Alterna Caviar Anti-Aging Replenishing Moisture Shampoo, and also the Bumble & Bumble Hairdresser’s Invisible Oil Shampoo (high-end), and the L’oreal Evercreme Deep Nourish Shampoo (drugstore) for the ultimate hair hydration.

FYI, I also have another shampoo+conditioner brand that I will be reviewing soon, and those seem to be quite very hydrating, so, stay tuned for that.

SHOP THIS POST

Hydration Conditioner (9.3 oz: 36 USD)

This conditioner contains the same ingredients as the Rahua Hydration Shampoo above, only that the scent and the texture of this are slightly different. First of all, the scent is not that sweet compared to the hydrating shampoo, and second, the texture is more smooth and creamy.

This is a conditioner for all hair types and it’s doesn’t weigh down the hair. I love that this definitely adds moisture but it still keeps the hair light and clean. Also, this definitely prevents frizz while it also adds softness and healthy-looking shine. I would say that I like this more than the shampoo above because it doesn’t make my hair oily and heavy, however, the perfect combination of both this conditioner and the Rahua shampoo above actually made my hair look nice.

So, bottom line, if you want an interesting haircare that is based on sustainability and is made of clean ingredients, with the effects of thorough hair cleansing (clean/volumized), and with a unique blend of tropical scents, though not necessarily very hydrating, then you will enjoy this Rahua haircare line. I do think that this is more of a Summer type of haircare, not just because of the scent, but also for its volumizing effect. For me, personally, I love the effect that this does to my hair, and since I tend to have oily strands, my hair looks very clean, volumized, bouncy, frizz-free and definitely lively with this one.

The Rahua Hydration Shampoo+Conditioner are currently available at Sephora, Nordstrom, Bloomingdale’s, Space NK, Net-A-Porter, Barneys New York, Harrods, and Dermstore

Have you tried this brand already? What are your latest haircare finds?

SHOP THIS POST

Samples of The Week

July 12, 2018 / FASHION & BEAUTY / 0 comments

Hi There! I have another set of randomly accumulated samples which I’m gonna feature in today’s post. I don’t exactly have a criterion as to which type of samples I plan to review, I just sorta pick and choose which ones made me curious or I felt like trying, and from then on I’d pay close attention to which products might seem promising and are worth buying in the regular size. So, let’s start this review, shall we?

The first thing that caught my eye is a sample set of the Guerlain La Petite Robe Noire Deliciously Shiny Lipstick (0.09 oz: $32) that I found in my stash. It’s got two colors in it which you can see below. This lipstick truly smells delicious and has a bit of a floral scent as well. I love how the colors have that balmy oily feel, which also is kinda similar to the YSL Rouge Volupte Shine Lipsticks (swatched HERE) or the Tint-in-Balms, reviewed below. It has a shiny effect on the lips and the coverage is medium sheer. It’s also very comforting and has a good lasting power for about 3 to 4 hours.

002 Pink Tie – barbie-pink

003 Red Heels – bright red

This Yves Saint Laurent Volupté Tint-in-Balm in No. 3 Call Me Rose (0.12 oz: $34) is one the latest releases in YSL lip products and it has that signature YSL lipstick fruity scent. It’s so hydrating and really comfortable on the lips even though the No.3 shade is way too light for me. I’m thinking of getting some slightly darker shades of this lipstick soon since I really love the formula but the color on the sample is just not the right fit for my skintone.

Then let’s talk a bit about haircare for a moment. The Alterna Haircare Caviar Anti-Aging Anti-Frizz Blowout Butter (5 oz: $34) is my favorite styling cream at the moment. I’ve been testing this and I really love how I only put a pea-size on my hand and it melts easily giving my hair complete coverage and protection against heat styling, and it works great to tame my frizzies and flyaways even without blow drying or without using a flat iron. For the complete review of the Alterna Caviar Anti-Frizz line (Shampoo & Conditioner), please read it HERE.

I have some Bite Beauty minis that I received as a birthday freebie from Sephora. The packaging looks really cute and though the products are small, they’re still worth trying.

Agave Lip Balm (0.15 oz: $18) – This is so hydrating and it feels a lot thicker compared to most lip balms and because of that, it’s kinda hard to apply and spread it on the lips, so for practicality reasons, I feel like I could skip on this one. I’ve also heard some issues about its packaging as well.

Agave Sugar Lip Scrub (0.26 oz: $18) – This has a vanilla scent with sugar bits on it for exfoliating the lips. I like this product a lot but I feel like the sugar particles are too large to scrub it on my lips and it can hurt. Also, you need to know how to use this product, which basically requires you to add water while you scrub this on the lips. Using this alone without water is just impossible.

Matte Crème Lip Crayon in Glace (0.05 oz: $24) – Further swatched and reviewed HERE. This is my most favorite shade of the Matte Creme Lip Crayon line simply because it’s the most wearable shade for me.

Amuse Bouche Lipstick in Chai (0.15 oz: $26) – The Amuse Bouche Lipstick by Bite Beauty has one of the best range of wearable colors for a lipstick in my opinion, and I would love to have them all. I own some already, but I feel like now my favorite shade among them is this mauve-brown Chai color. A subtle reminiscent of the 90’s lipstick color trend.

Boscia – There are two very promising Boscia skincare products lately that’s certified Clean by Sephora.

Cactus Water Moisturizer (1.61 oz: $38) – This moisturizer has a mild green scent and it feels like a light cooling gel on the skin. But don’t underestimate its lightness because it packs a punch in hydration. Truly, this is so moisturizing without feeling heavy on the face but you need to be careful not to put a lot because it has a tendency to peel. It’ll also take a bit of time for it to be absorbed by the skin, so you’re gonna have to wait a little bit more before you put on your makeup. Other than that, this moisturizer is almost perfect and it’s even more perfect for oily skin.

Matcha Magic Super-Antioxidant Mask (2.6 oz:$38) – If you don’t mind looking like “Shrek” whenever you use this mask, then this is the face mask for you. It’s rich in antioxidants because of the matcha green tea component. I love how this mask hydrates my face even though it’s quite a challenge to rinse it off since this is really creamy and thick. It reminds me a bit of the Tatcha Violet-C Radiance Mask (reviewed HERE) in terms of its scent and consistency.

I’ve always wanted to purchase this Sunday Riley C.E.O. C + E antiOXIDANT Protect + Repair Moisturizer (0.5 – 1.7 oz: $22-65) in its regular size, but for some reason, I just needed that “push” so I can really make up my mind. With this mini, I feel like I can now pull the trigger and really add this cream as one of my skincare staples. What I like about this cream are the vitamins and antioxidants that it contains which is really a necessity for skin nourishment. Also, the scent of this cream is TDF.

I had mixed emotions when I first tried this It Cosmetics Bye Bye Under Eye Eye Cream Smooths, Brightens, Depuffs (0.5 oz: $48). I wasn’t used to its cushiony texture at first and I thought that it’s kinda hard to apply, but as I keep trying it, I really enjoyed it. It keeps my undereye looking hydrated and it seemed to depuff it as well. My dark circles are still there but there’s never gonna be a perfect cream for it, however, I’m glad that this eye cream made some difference on my undereye issues.

Overall, I love this batch of samples. They’re so useful and they gave me an idea as to which product I should look out for especially when I’ll have some specific skincare and beauty needs.

Have you tried these products yet?

x.x

Alterna Caviar Anti-Aging Replenishing Moisture And Anti-Frizz Shampoo + Conditioner Review

April 27, 2018 / FASHION & BEAUTY / 0 comments

Hey guys! I’ve got a new haircare brand to love and I’m excited to tell you about it. I’ve known about Alterna Haircare for quite some time since you always see their products being displayed in one of Sephora’s or Ulta’s counters. But for some reason, I just didn’t bother to explore this brand at all. I thought it might be just another one of those fad haircare brands that are pricey and will probably just fade away after a couple of years, only to be replaced by another fad haircare brand. Oh well, my point of view changed when I got a sample of their Caviar Anti-Aging Replenishing Shampoo and Conditioner which was inside my Sephora Play! Box and it was love at first wash. LOL.

I know I raved about my other two favorite haircare products before: The Living Proof No Frizz Haircare Line and the Kerastase Aura Botanica, both which I still use even to this day. However, I’d like to expand my choices and also look for some other alternatives just in case Sephora or Ulta will run out or stop carrying one of my favorite haircare products. Speaking of these two favorite hair products, as you notice, both of them are sulfate-free, paraben-free, phthalates-free, and I like my shampoo and conditioner that way. I like them with clean and natural ingredients that won’t weigh the hair down. I also love a hair product that works to tame those horrible frizzies. My hair tends to get oily fairly easily, so I prefer something that cleanses well and adds bounce. I’ve tried looking for a cheaper alternative before, like the L’oreal Everpure Sulfate-Free line but I couldn’t seem to love those. They made my hair really oily and heavy the next day and my hair didn’t look as shiny compared to using the stuff from Living Proof and Kerastase. Another thing I wanna point out is that it’s very important for me to have an easy access or easy reordering of my favorite haircare products, but that has been quite a challenge lately especially with Kerastase. If I don’t plan to reorder them on their website ahead of time, I would typically get them at my local hair salons. Oh well, that proved to be quite annoying because some salons will try to sell you some other stuff that you don’t really need, and I don’t like being bothered like that. I just want my favorite Kerastase stuff. Ya know what I mean? So yeah, I need to look for some other alternative haircare holy grails.

Ever since I stumbled into Alterna’s Caviar Haircare line, I feel like OMG, this is it! The smell and feel of their shampoo and conditioner kinda remind me of Kerastase and Living Proof, but they have a very interesting bunch of ingredients. First of all, they have caviar extracts from France and vitamins A, C, and D which they infused in this particular line, thus the name “Caviar Anti-Aging”. They also added a blend of seasilk to moisturize the hair. Second, their product’s style of packaging is really pretty and unique with an easy to twist bottle, although there’s one caveat with it which I’m gonna talk about in the next few paragraphs towards the end of this review. Lastly, you can find the Alterna Caviar line in just about any Sephora or Ulta locations everywhere, and lately, they added their new Anti-Frizz collection to this line as well.

Replenishing Moisture

Replenishing Moisture Shampoo (mini/1.35 oz: $10, 8.5 oz: $34, value size/16.5 oz: $52) – This shampoo doesn’t feel too thick and not too thin either, yet it seems very concentrated. It doesn’t lather immediately upon application and it needs to be mixed well with water, but once it starts to foam, then it cleanses thoroughly. You may need to rewash with this if your hair is extra oily or if it’s on the oily type. Personally, I find this to be a moisturizing shampoo and I like that it makes my hair smell fresh and clean without making it heavy.

Replenishing Moisture Conditioner (mini/1.35 oz: $10, 8.5 oz: $34, value/16.5 oz: $52) – This conditioner feels a bit thicker than most regular conditioners and it has a light sort of vinegar scent that washes off immediately and won’t really bother your nostrils. What I love about this conditioner is that I don’t need to use a lot of it and it keeps my hair feeling moisturized and relaxed. Unlike most regular conditioners where my hair tends to look and feel dry after a couple of hours and oily the next day, this particular Caviar Anti-Aging Conditioner from Alterna keeps my hair looking hydrated, healthy, and silky. It even keeps it that way the following day without looking like I drenched my hair in oil.

Anti-Frizz

Anti-Frizz Shampoo (8.5 oz: $34) – This particular shampoo feels a bit thicker than the Replenishing Moisture Shampoo above, and it lathers pretty well at first use. It also feels to be a lot more moisturizing and has a fruitier scent than the Anti-Aging shampoo above. I like this a lot and I also love the way it keeps moisture on my oily-prone hair, which actually didn’t get so oily lately because this particular shampoo sorta regulated it.

Anti-Frizz Conditioner (8.5 oz: $34) – This feels really thick, even a lot thicker than the Anti-Aging Replenishing Conditioner above and it’s pretty obvious why. This conditioner is meant to tame frizzies, combat hair dryness, and restore moisture not just for people with fine hair, but also for those with medium to thick hair. You don’t need a lot to actually use this product and it works really well so far. As we’re approaching the summer heat and humidity, I’ve noticed that I haven’t had any frizzy strands somehow, and mind you, my biggest hair problem is fighting those annoying frizzies. I will continue to use this as we dip into the coming high temperatures and see if this Anti-Frizz haircare line will live up to its promise. So far, I’m really loving this not just for its anti-frizz benefit, but also, I love the way my hair looks. It’s as if I straightened it and it looks really healthy and shiny. I have yet to try their Anti Frizz Blowout Butter which seems really good, but it’s on my wishlist so that hopefully I could put it to the test and update you guys soon.

I truly recommend that you give these Caviar Anti-Aging and Anti-Frizz Shampoo + Conditioner a try. I think they’re awesome, even though they can be pricey, but they also come in a travel size. The only thing that bothers me about these is their packaging. I appreciate their unique twist and squeeze type of bottle which looks luxe, pretty, and almost spill-proof, but for that same reason, they’re also a challenge to dispense, especially for the conditioners because they have such thick consistency. So halfway throughout your usage, you’re basically going to be squeezing and squeezing the bottle until it releases the product. Then imagine doing that with slippery foamy hands. It can be quite annoying. What I usually do is, I just keep the bottle close and turn it upside down – ready for the next use. Oh well, I hope Alterna will improve their packaging soon.

To sum it up. I think the Anti-Aging Replenishing Moisture line is great for anyone who needs to restore or keep moisture in their hair and for those who tends to have oily hair that needs to be regulated. They’re great as everyday hydrating haircare products. On the other hand, the Anti-Frizz collection is great for those hot and humid months when you want your hair to behave, and it’ll work for just about any hair type, not just for medium to thick hair.

Have you tried these already? What are your favorite hair care products? Any recs for frizzies?

The Alterna Haircare is currently available at Sephora, Dermstore, Ulta, Nordstrom, QVC, Zulily and Saks Fifth Avenue