Have you ever wondered how two rival haircare products would fare in a head-to-head battle? Well, you've come to the right place! This week's Haircare Face-Off! features two volumizing gels, made to be used on damp hair prior to blowdrying. Here's a brief look at the competitors:
Lagoom Jam, from Goldwell's StyleSign collection, is described as an instant effect gel for volume styling and unlimited looks, while offering color and sun protection. Big Sexy Hair Blow Dry Volumizing Gel also promises to deliver volume and fullness, while providing a medium level of hold. Both brands are popular with salon clients, and both products have been on the market for quite some time. Today we will discover which of these volumizing gels is the best, so let's get this party started!
As always, each product will be scored on a 1-10 scale in the following categories: performance, ingredients, sensory appeal/packaging, and value. Each product has been tested on actual salon clients for one week, on a variety of hair types and for a variety of styles, from classic contemporary to modern and edgy.
Performance: It didn't take long for me to realize that this was going to be a close contest. Yet, after a few days, I decided that the Goldwell product was better suited for adding volume to normal hair types, while the Big Sexy Hair gel was better suited for finer hair types. Both products did indeed add volume, but the Goldwell Lagoom Jam is thicker, heavier, and offers a higher level of hold. It's like hair gel on steroids! Big Sexy Hair Blow Dry Volumizing Gel is ideal for performing ordinary blowouts of medium-length styles, but didn't perform as well on shorter styles, or "unconventional" styles. I enjoyed both gels, but I recommend Lagoom Jam for trendier fashion-forward looks and Big Sexy Hair for everyday conventional looks. Since each product delivered as promised, this round is a tie. (Goldwell: 9 Big Sexy Hair: 9)
Ingredients: If you're looking for eco-friendly organic or botanical ingredients, you'll be very disappointed. Like most gels, these two products are chemical cocktails which rely on science to deliver results, rather than nature. Big Sexy Hair Blow Dry Volumizing Gel contains: Water, Carbomer, VP/VA Copolymer, PVP, Propylene Glycol, Triethanolamine, Polyquaternium-11, PEG-12 Dimethicone, DMDM Hydantoin, Polysorbate 20, methylchloroisothiazolinone, Methylisothiazolinone, Fragrance, and Benzyl Salicylate. Goldwell Lagoom Jam contains: Water, Acrylate 3 Copolymer, Sodium Hydroxide, Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Phenoxyethanol, Panthenol, Methylparaben, Tetrasodium EDTA, Propylene Glycol, Benzophenone 4, Polysilicone 9, bamboo extract, Sorbitol, Propylparaben, Ethylparaben, Butylparaben, and fragrance.
While Lagoom Jam does contain castor oil, bamboo extract, and panthenol (pro-vitamin B5), it seems chock full of parabens and also contains sodium hydroxide Lye), a caustic chemical used in hair relaxers and drain cleaners. Big Sexy Hair Blow Dry Volumizing Gel, being paraben-free and lye-free, wins this round. (Big Sexy Hair: 7 Goldwell: 5)
Sensory Appeal: I love the fragrance of the Lagoon Jam, and it has a rather strange jelly-like feel, but does not leave the hands feeling sticky, greasy, or oily. The Big Sexy Hair gel doesn't smell as nice, and it tends to feel sticky on the hands. In terms of bottle design, the Goldwell jar is attractively designed, but one must dip into the jar with the fingers in order to get to the product. Big Sexy Hair, on the other hand, comes in a bottle with a pump, making it easier to dispense. While I find most Big Sexy Hair products to look tacky, the volumizing gel's packaging and labeling doesn't look too bad. Goldwell earns points for fragrance and texture, but loses points on the shape of the container. (Goldwell: 7 Big Sexy Hair: 6)
Value: Big Sexy Hair Blow Dry Volumizing Gel retails between 10.00 and 15.00 for an 8.5-ounce container. Goldwell Lagoom Jam, available only in a 5-ounce jar, retails between 15.00 and 20.00, depending on the source. No matter where you purchase these products, Big Sexy Hair represents the more cost-effective volumizing gel. (Big Sexy Hair: 9 Goldwell: 6)
And the winner is.....
Big Sexy Hair Blow Dry Volumizing Gel. Although both products work well, the Big Sexy Hair gel is the best buy. Lagoom Jam is better for more cutting edge styles, but if you have a common type of cut and style, like shoulder-length layered hair or fine short hair, you'll definitely get more bang for the buck with Big Sexy Hair. (Final Score: Big Sexy Hair- 31 Goldwell- 28)
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