Matrix Design Pulse Messy Couture vs. Alterna Modeling Clay

Welcome to another exciting edition of Haircare Face-Off!, the only online beauty battle in which two similar products square off in an intense head-to-head battle, judged by a an award-winning professional stylist.  This edition features two popular molding pastes designed for all types of textured, spiky, and messy styles.  Let's take a closer look at our competitors.

Messy Couture is part of the Vavoom Design Pulse line manufactured by Matrix, the beauty behemoth who introduced the world to Biolage, Amplify, and Vavoom.  Messy Couture Molding Paste is a firm but smooth yellow paste which claims to separate hair in order to create texture and controlled movement.  According to the Matrix website, Messy Couture has a medium hold that is reworkable for limitless looks and is designed for short, choppy, fringed cuts or to exaggerate the ends of long layers.

Alterna's Hemp Seed Modeling Clay is a firm hold product which provides a touchable, semi-matte finish.  It is designed for dramatic styles which demand long-lasting hold.  Like Messy Couture, this product is also a firm yellow paste that can create texture and separation. 

Let the beauty battle begin!

As always, each product will be scored 1-10 in each of the following categories: Performance, Ingredients, Sensory Appeal and Packaging, and Value.  However, with this competition Haircare Face-Off! will introduce a brand new feature, a "Report Card" which will grade how each product performed on specific hairstyles!

Performance:  The most noticeable difference between the two products is how they emusify in the hands.  Messy Couture is a soft solid in the container, but once emulsified it has a smooth buttery texture which is easy to apply to the hair.  Alterna Modeling Clay, on the other hand, has a slick texture after it is emulsified in the hands.  Messy Couture, although it is labeled medium hold, is a little sticky while the Alterna product is not.  Both products are excellent on medium hair types, Alterna performed better on thick and coarse hair, while Matrix performed better on thin and fine hair.  Alterna Modeling Clay did provide a slight natural-looking shine, while the Messy Couture produces a completely matte finish.  This round is a tie.  To see how each product performed on various hair types and styles, see the report card below. (Alterna: 9 Matrix: 9)

Report Card:
Pixie:    Alterna (A)  Matrix (A+)
Shag:    Alterna (A-)  Matrix (B)
Bob:     Alterna (B)  Matrix (B+)
Med. Layers: Alterna (A-)  Matrix (C)
Long Layers: Alterna (B+)  Matrix (D)
Curly Hair:  Alterna (B+)  Matrix (D)
Men's/short:  Alterna (C+)  Matrix (A-)
Men's/med.:  Alterna (B-)  Matrix (B+)

Ingredients:  Matrix Messy Couture's primary ingredients are water, beeswax, paraffin, mineral oil, propylene glycol, castor oil, and other ingredients commonly found in pomades and pastes.  Although Messy Couture doesn't contain any "bad" chemicals, it doesn't contain any beneficial botanical ingredients either.  Alterna Modeling Clay's primary ingredients are water, vinyl caprolactam, dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate copolymer, and avocado oil.  The Alterna product also contains hemp seed oil, amino acids, and fennel extract.  Because of Alterna's inclusion of conditioning ingredients, Modeling Clay wins this round.  (Alterna: 8  Matrix:7)

Sensory Appeal/Packaging:  When it comes to fragrance, Alterna Modeling Clay just may be one of the best-smelling haircare products of all time- it has an irresistibly fresh cucumber-melon scent.  Messy Couture's scent isn't bad, either- it has a faint floral fragrance which isn't the least bit overpowering.  My opinion is that Matrix should have gone with a more unisex fragrance, because Messy Couture worked amazingly well on men's styles.  Both products are tastefully packaged in round plastic containers, but Alterna's clear green container is definitely more eye-catching. (Alterna: 10  Matrix: 8)

Value:  Alterna Hemp Seed Modeling Clay comes in a 2-ounce container and retails for around $17.95, which translates into 8.96 per ounce.  Matrix Design Pulse Messy Couture Molding Paste comes in a slightly-smaller 1.7-ounce container and retails for around $15.00, or 8.82 per ounce.  Although both products are affordable, Matrix wins this round. (Matrix: 9  Alterna: 8)

And the winner is.......

Alterna Modeling Clay!  By defeating Messy Couture, Alterna products are still undefeated in Haircare Face-Off! competition, with a perfect 3-0 record.  Alterna may have won this battle, but it was very close.  Both products delivered results as promised, and in some cases Messy Couture managed to outperform Alterna.  Ultimately, Alterna came away with the victory because of it's awesome fragrance, attractive packaging, and use of certified organic botanical ingredients.  (Final Score: Alterna- 35  Matrix- 33)       
  

Matrix Biolage Finishing Spritz vs. Bumble and bumble Extra Strength Holding Spray

This edition of Haircare Face-Off! features two non-aerosol sprays which claim to offer firm hold.  One is found in exclusive upscale salons, the other can be found in virtually every salon from Anchorage to Zimbabwe.  Can the budget-priced spray compete with its higher-priced counterpart, or will the higher price tag equate into better quality?  Let's find out.

Here are this week's combatants:

Bumble and bumble is a brand so exclusive that they don't even need to capitalize the second B in their name.  One of the top-selling products from this manufacturer is Extra Strength Holding Spray, a must-have product for most of the world's runway and editorial hairstylists.

In an industry where new haircare products come on the market nearly every day, Matrix Biolage Finishing Spritz has been around for over a decade, a testament to Biolage's loyal fans.  Biolage Finishing Spritz is beloved by old ladies who want hurricane-proof hold, but can it please this stylist's discerning clientele?

The rules are simple.  Each product will be rated 1-10 on its performance, ingredients, sensory appeal, and value.  Let the battle begin!

Performance: The name of the game is hold, so I'm not looking for a product that leaves the hair feeling natural, I'm looking for stiff-as-a-board results.  That's why I decided to use these sprays on styles which demand long-lasting hold: updos and formal styles.  Both products delivered the goods, but neither spray dried as quickly as I would have liked (but that's to be expected with non-aerosol sprays).  The Bumble and bumble spray seemed to dry a little faster and hold a little better and even added a respectable amount of shine, but the Biolage spray was more reliable, its nozzle didn't clog up like its rival.  However, when it came time to shampoo the hair, I discovered that the Bumble and bumble spray washed out with only one shampoo.  Most of the Biolage clients needed two.  A valiant effort by Biolage, but this round goes to Bumble and bumble. (Bumble and bumble:9 Biolage:6)

Ingredients: Biolage products are known for containing botanical ingredients, so it was no surprise to see extracts of hops and hibiscus listed as ingredients.  Biolage Finishing Spritz also contains sunscreen to protect the hair from sun damage.  Bumble and bumble Extra Strength Holding Spray's ingredients read like a chemistry textbook, containing heavy-duty ingredients like vinyl copolymers and acrylamides, but the product does contain pro-vitamin B5.  The lack of sunscreen and use of fewer beneficial ingredients gives this round to Biolage. (Biolage:8 Bumble and bumble:5)

Sensory Appeal: Biolage Finishing Spritz comes in a slender bottle that is easy to hold, with a reliable nozzle.  The packaging looks a little dated, however, and I couldn't get past the definite "old lady smell".  Bumble and bumble's packaging is visually more appealing, but the shape of the bottle isn't as practical and the nozzle is prone to clogging.  Since the shape and design of the bottles cancel each other other out, the deciding factor was fragrance. (Bumble and bumble:8 Biolage:6)

Value: Bumble and bumble Extra Strength Holding Spray is sold in an 8-ounce size, and retails for 21.00 on bumbleandbumble.com, which translates into $2.63 per ounce.  Biolage Finishing Spritz is available in a 13.5-ounce bottle and retails for 19.49 in most salons, which is $1.44 per ounce.  Biolage wins this round easily. (Biolage:9 Bumble and bumble:6)

And the winner is....

Upset alert!  In this David-against-Goliath battle, the underdog proved victorious.  Even though the Bumble and bumble spray provided better results, the results weren't enough to overcome Biolage's use of botanical ingredients.  Biolage was able to deliver respectable results at a budget price, which ultimately won the day.  Since top session stylists care more about results and less about value, Bumble and bumble will continue to reign supreme on the catwalk.  But when it comes to everyday style, Biolage proves to be the smarter choice. (Final Score: Matrix Biolage Finishing Spritz-29, Bumble and bumble Extra Strength Holding Spray-28)