I just
realised I have four leave in conditioners boasting of having SPF properties
standing around.
Time to do
a comparison!
I found a
very nice site for analysing ingredients.
You simply
copy + paste the ingredient list and it spits out a partial analysis of the
product. It lists the function of each ingredient in the product, if the
ingredient has a SPF effect, if the ingredient has any acne or irritant-issues
and if the ingredient has any safety issues from agencies or studies.
I haven’t
entirely figured out how the “acne” and “irritant” is graded though.
The general
“safety” is on a simple scale of five.
The UV
factor also seems to have some sort of grading system: A pie-chart looking kind
of marker for UVA and UVB. I guess the important thing is if it contains SPF or
not.
Anyways. I
like the site. My lack of understanding of it aside, it’s a whole lot easier
than to look up the ingredients one by one and sorting through the information.
Schwarzkopf Bonacure Hairtherapy Sun Protect Soft Ends Fluid
Looks and image
Nice and handy little tube bottle. Brown and orange “sunny”
colours.
Scent
Sort of warm and nice.
Touch
Very thick, almost butter-like consistency. I think this is the first time I felt a product was too thick and it was slightly irritating to distribute in my hair.
Rinse ability
Had no problems getting this off my hands again.
Usability
Very good hold.
Price and value
75 ml.
Bought for 39 SEK at lyko.com.
0,52 SEK per 1 ml
Ingredients
Aqua, dimethicone, polyquaternium-37, distearoylethyl
hydroxyethylmonium methyosulfate, cetearyl alcohol, phenoxyethanol, mica, parfum,
quaternium-91, panthenol, isomyl p-methoxycinnamate, methylparaben, tocopheryl
acetate, cetrimonium methosulfate, lactic acid, linalool, limonene,
citronellol, benzyl salicylate, alpha-isomethyl ionone, hydrolyzed keratin,
elaeis guineensis oil, CI 77891.
Ingredient breakdown
23 ingredients.
Acne: 2 ingredients has a marker (8%)
Irritant: 1 ingredient has a marker (4%)
Full green: 2 (8%)
Part green: 9 (39%)
Yellow: 10 (43%)
Part red: 0
Full red: 0
2 ingredients without safety-markers
Almost half the ingredients with safety-markers are in yellow. The other half is in green.
Looking at the screenshot, you can easily tell how many yellow markers are on the list.
The SPF is the very last ingredient on the list. Hmm! I wonder how much that adds up to? Close to nothing?
Conclusion
Honestly, how much SPF could possibly be in this? Not cool. I know SPF contents in hair products isn't regulated, but still? You would expect it to have an actual effect, right?
Matrix Biolage Sunsorials UV Sparkling Lotion
Looks and image
Tube bottle. Clean white and orange colours.
Scent
Clean and warm scent. Reminds me of some sunscreen I used once.
Touch
This had a thick, almost Jello-like consistency when I squeezed it out, but it was still easy to distribute. I could see the "sparkle" in the product when I squeezed it out but it disappeared when I put it in my hair.
Didn't get weird or sticky or anything during the day.
Rinse ability
Good. My hands were clean again after just rinsing with water.
Usability
Good hold.
Price and value
150 ml.
Bought for 69 SEK at lyko.com.
0,46 SEK per 1 ml
Best value of all 4, but barely.
Ingredients
Aqua/water, cyclopentasiloxane, dimethiconol, propylene
glycol, PEG-40 hydrogenated castor oil, polyquaternium-37, PVP, phenoxyethanol,
propylene glycol dicaprylate/dicaprate, PEG-150/steryl alcohol/SMDI copolymer,
parfum/fragrance, methylparaben, mica, helianthus anuus seed oil/sunflower seed
oil, PPG-1 trideceth-6, limonene, CI 77491/iron oxides, alpha-isomethyl ionone,
geraniol, benzyl benzoate, hydroxycitronellal (F.I.L. D43924/1)
Okay, here is the big glaring, obvious problem: This "UV sparkling lotion" containss no sunscreen ingredients. None.
Matrix, no. Just... No.
No. No. Bad company. Much misleading. Very fail!
Just no.
Ingredient breakdown
21 ingredients.
Acne: 1 ingredient has a marker (4%)
Irritant: 0
Full green: 3 (13%)
Part green: 7 (30%)
Yellow: 9 (39%)
Part red: 1 (4%)
Full red: 0
1 ingredient without safety-marker
Approximately half the ingredients are in green or part green, the other is in yellow or red.
Looking at the screenshot, you can easily tell how many yellow markers are on the list.
Conclusion
Let me just repeat again: This "UV sparkling lotion" has no sunscreen ingredients. Totally uncool.
Approximately half the ingredients are in green or part green, the other is in yellow or red.
L'Oréal Paris Elvital Extraordinary Oil, Coloured Hair
Looks and image
Heavy glass pump bottle. Obviously trying to look luxurious
with the real glass. I dislike the glass bottle immensely: It seems very unsafe
and impractical in a bathroom that could be damp, when using it in
combination with wet hair.
This product is still all over in the media. The ads are
quite difficult to avoid if you read anything remotely “girly” actually. The
ads have greatly annoyed me: They seem to be the textbook example of “fluffy
jargon” about the luxurious and exotic oils it contains.
Scent
Has a sort of sharp ,alcoholic smell but it disappears once
I put it in my hair. It reminds me of a perfume, but I can’t remember the name.
Touch
Very thin and runny, waterlike product.
Rinse ability
I needed soap to wash this one off and even then I felt I
had residue left. Definitely wouldn't recommend using this alone and undiluted.
Usability
The heavy glass bottle is such a minus. I’m seriously waiting
for myself to just watch this thing slip out of my hands and shatter on the
bathroom floor.
The shine is a bit too heavy for me with this.
It has no hold, which is a big minus for me: I like my leave
in products to offer some hold.
Price and value
100 ml.
I bought it for 65 DKK in a supermarket in Denmark, so 81 SEK.
0,65 SEK per 1 ml.
Worst value of the 4.
Ingredients
Cyclopentasiloxane, Alcohol Denat, Phenyl Trimethicone,
Dimethiconol,iC12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Chamomilla
Recutita Extract/MatricaralFlower Extract, CocoslNucifera Oil /Coconut
Oil, Ethylhexyll Methoxcinnamate, Nelumbium Specosum Extract / Nelumbium
Speciosum Flower Extract, Benzyl Alcohol, Cinnamal, Linalool, Linum
Usitatissimum Flower Extract, Caprylic/CapriiTriglyceride, Gardenia
TahitensislFlower Extract, RosalCanina Flower Extract, Bisabolol Glycine
SojalOil/Soybean Oil, Parfum/Fragrance.
Ingredient breakdown
18 ingredients.
Acne: 2 ingredients have a marker (11%)
Irritant: 2 ingredients have a marker (11%)
Full green: 3 (16%)
Part green: 4 (22%)
Yellow: 3 (16%)
Part red: 2 (11%)
Full red: 0
4 ingredients without safety-markers
The SPF ingredient is number 8 on the list. Not too bad actually.
The ingredient breakdown has the safety markers quite a bit all over the place.
It has 3 ingredients in total that are known for having acne or irritant-issues. For me personally, any coconut oil is a quick way to get my skin to be irritated and break out.
2 ingredients are also in red.
This product seems to be cones, cones, and then comes the oils.
Conclusion
What use is this product aimed for? Glossing up dull hair to make it appear healthier?
I would never use this product alone as it offers no hold. Diluted in a creamy leave in conditioner, I guess it would function as a gloss-booster for me, but nothing else.
Schwarzkopf Gliss Hair repair color protect
Looks and image
Pump style bottle. Dark red colour.
Scent
Sort of warm and nice.
Touch
A little thick and slimy, but still easy to distribute in my hair.
Rinse ability
Pretty easy to get off my hands again.
Usability
The pump action was pretty irritating. I found I wanted a little extra product in my hair after the first dose, but with wet and slimy hands it was pretty irritating to work. Especially when the little bottle is wet and slippery. I would want to empty it into my usual Sunsilk bottles. At least then I can get exactly as much product as I want out of it.
Price and value
100 ml
I bought it for 39 DKK in a supermarket in Denmark, so 49 SEK.
0,49 SEK per 1 ml.
Ingredients
Aqua, polyquaternium-37, propylene glycol
dicaprylate/dicaprate, dimethicone, prunus armeniaca kernel oil, benzopenone-4,
quartz, panthenol, cocodimonium hydroxypropyl hydrolyzed keratin, hydrolyzed
keratin, amodimethicone, mica, phenoxyethanol, parfum, PPG-1 tridecth-6, sodium
methylparaben, polyquaternium-10, citric acid, polyquaternium-11, propylene
glycol, trideceth-12, linalool, limonene, geraniol, coumarin, CI 77491, CI
77891.
Ingredient breakdown
27 ingredients.
Acne: 3 ingredients have a marker (11%)
Irritant: 0
Full green: 3 (11%)
Part green: 13 (48%)
Yellow: 6 (22%)
Part red: 2 (7%)
Full red: 1 (3%)
1 ingredient without safety-marker
The SPF ingredients are number 6 and 27 on the list. Not bad at all.
The ingredient breakdown has the safety markers quite a bit all over the place.
Contains some oil, sun screen, panthenol and keratin, which is surprisingly good ingredients.
Conclusion
It offered a good thickness of the product and good ingredients in it, but the little pump-bottle is a bit annoying. Otherwise, I think this is my favourite product out of the 4...
