Hello Chicas!!
The past few days has been so cold where i live that all i wana do is curl up in my bed, drink hot coffee and watch T.V. ! Anyway, i dragged myself from bed and to do this review that i had been longing to do. Today im reviewing Matrix Biolage Scaltherapie Normalizing Shampoo (jeez such a long name).
As i have mentioned in my earlier posts i have great difficulty dealing with my hair issues. I have fine hair with very oily scalp and extremely dry ends. So when i use shampoo's for oily scalp, the ends of my hair bear the brunt and become all the more dry and frizzy. To combat my dry and frizzy ends when i use a hydrating/moisturising shampoo, my scalp goes crazy and starts pumping out oil by the bucket. This is one battle i will never be able to win... sigh!!
So lets get on with the review, shall we?!
Claims of the shampoo
Matrix Biolage Scalptherapie Normalizing Shampoo balances normal to oily hair. Formulated with a Botanical Complex of Ginkgo Biloba, Lemongrass, Pollen and Sage fused with special purifiers which deeply cleanses the scalp without drying the hair.
Sounded like just what i needed.
Packaging (Price $14.40 for 250 ml or Rs.888/-)
I first thing i noticed about the shampoo was the pricing and i did not understand it. While 200ml of any Matrix Biolage Shampoo's never ever cost more than Rs.195/- in India i don't know why this particular shampoo was so highly priced in BeautyBay.com . I tried finding this shampoo in India everywhere, in and out, but for some reason it is not available here. I had no option but to order it from BeautyBay.com for 8 times the price...sigh!!
The shampoo comes in this regular plastic flip top bottle..... we all have seen the Matrix Shampoo's at some point of our lives right! Nothing special to write about.
Ingredients
Here is a snap shot of the list of ingredients in the shampoo.
Water, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Cocamide MEA, Sodium Chloride, Parfum/Fragrance, Sodium Benzoate, Linoleamidopropyl PG Dimonium Chloride Phosphate, Propylene Glycol, Salicylic Acid, Coco-Betaine, Disodium EDTA, Citric Acid, Limonene, Hexyl Cinnamal, Tocopheryl Acetate, Coumarin, Linalool, Butylphenyl Methlyproprional, Benzyl Alcohol, Hydroxycitronellal, Amyl Cinnamal, Salvia Officinalis Extract / Sage Leaf xtract, Cucumis Sativus Juice / Cucumber Fruit Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Extract/ Matricaria Flower Extract.
SLS is definitely there but then there are a few ingredients that looked interesting like Salicylic Acid, as we all know that Salicylic Acid is a beta-hydroxy acid that helps with oiliness.
Product
The shampoo itself is a clear gel with a thicker consistency than the usual shampoos. I liked the fact that it was clear because it meant no build-up that would weigh my hair down.
The shampoo has a nice, mild floral smell but sadly the wonderful scent doesn't last very long. Not a major problem though. It lathers pretty well and only a small amount of product is required.
To be honest, in the first few applications, i was rather disappointed with the shampoo. It didn't seem to help my oily scalp at all and just a day after washing my hair, i would wake up with greasy hair begging to be washed.
At this point, i normally chuck the shampoo in my dustbin but for some weird reason i decided to continue using it (divine intervention!!??) and boy did i make a good choice. After around 3 weekes of usuage, i suddenly noticed that my hair was softer shinier and healthier.... and I'm talking about my dry and unhealthy ends. As for my scalp, its virtually oil-free and as fresh as it could get on the second day of the wash. On the third day, there is a tiny amount of oil but nothing that a wee bit of baby powder cannot take care. By the fourth day however, washing the hair becomes necessary.
About a month back, i could not have imagined that it was possible to not wash your hair for 3 days.
Im glad that i don't have to wash my hair everyday and strip it off its natural oils. Before i started using this shampoo i washed my hair around 4-5 times a week. Now i just need 2 washes and my hair has never felt this good.
Final Verdict
I had tried Matrix Biolage Shampoo's earlier but they were all a disaster. I did not have high hopes from this one too, but im so glad it proved me wrong. By far this shampoo has been the most effective at keeping my oily scalp under control and nourishing my dry ends as well.
As for the price, yes its expensive as compared to the other Matrix Biolage Shampoo's (im still yet to slove the mystery why??) but its totally worth it. Considering the fact that i wont have to wash my hair everyday and a little goes a long way, this shampoo is definitely a winner for me. RECOMMENDED!!
