Rusk Thickr Hair Spray vs. Phytovolume Actif Volumizing Spray

Once again it's time for another exciting Haircare Face-Off!  In this battle, two popular volumizing hairsprays will be put to the test in a fierce head-to-head competition in order to determine which is the superior product.  As always, each product will be scored on a 1-10 scale in each of the following categories: Performance, Ingredients, Sensory Appeal/Packaging, and Value.

Let's take a closer look at the competitors.

Thickr is manufactured by Rusk, the company founded by legendary Scottish hairdresser Irvine Rusk and his wife Louise.  Although the duo sold their namesake line in 2003, the company is still going strong.  Thickr Hair Spray is an extra-hold spray that offers powerful texture and shine with added UV blockers to protect color-treated or highlighted hair.  According to Rusk, this hairspray is infused with lusterizers, conditioners, and moisturizers that provide body, texture, and supple touchable hold.

Phytovolume Actif Volumizing Spray is manufactured by Phyto, the company founded by Parisian hairdresser Patrick Ales in 1956.  According to Phyto, this product is a weightless spray that lifts hair at the roots and holds voluminous styles throughout the day. The addition of wheat proteins and amino acids plumps the diameter of each hair to impart body, creating fullness and bounce that’s never stiff.

Two thickening hairsprays manufactured by companies founded by two iconic stylists, one from Glasgow and one from Paris.  This should be quite an interesting edition of Haircare Face-Off!  So let's get this beauty battle under way!

Performance:  The Rusk spray delivered consistent results and did not disappoint.  I was very impressed that such a lightweight product could deliver such a firm amount of hold.  Thickr worked well on most hair types, but really excelled on medium-length fine hair.  Phytovolume is virtually weightless, as the manufacturer claims, but it definitely could've provides a little more "oomph".  It worked well on extremely fine hair, but it was a disappointment on every other hair type.  Phytovolume may be wonderful if you're on your way to going bald, but most women will find that this product just doesn't deliver the all-day volume as promised.  (Rusk: 9  Phyto: 6)

Ingredients:  The Rusk spray contains SD alcohol 40-B, which may sound scary, but it is a specially denatured alcohol which won't damage or dry out the hair.  Other major ingredients include phenyl trimethicone, panthenol (pro-vitamin B5), dimethicone meadowfoamate, and benzophenonone-4, which is a powerful sunscreen.  Phytovolume Actif spray contains denatured alcohol, rosemary leaf water, nasturtium flower extract, wheat protein, dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate copolymer, and hydrolyzed keratin.  Unfortunately, the Phyto spray doesn't contain a sunscreen, and the wheat protein may not be a good idea for those with gluten allergies, but since Phytovolume does include botanical ingredients, this round will be scored as a draw. (Rusk: 7  Phyto: 7)

Sensory Appeal/Packaging:  Both sprays have a light and pleasant fragrance, although I found the Rusk fragrance to be more appealing.  In terms of packaging, both sprays were easy to dispense, with containers that fit comfortably in the hand.  When it comes to visual impact, however, the Rusk product is far and away the more attractive of the two.  Despite being a rather expensive product, the Phyto packaging looks cheap, tacky, and outdated- reminiscent of an anti-fungal foot spray you'd find in an old lady's medicine cabinet. (Rusk: 9  Phyto: 5)

Value:  The Phytovolume Actif spray is available in a 4.22 ounce can which retails for around $29.48, while the Rusk Thickr spray comes in a 10.6 ounce can, with a manufacturer's suggested retail price of $15.00.  The cost-per-ounce of the Rusk spray is roughly $1.41, while the cost-per-ounce of the Phyto spray is a whopping $6.98.  (Rusk: 10 Phyto: 2)

And the winner is....

Rusk Thickr, by a wide margin.  This one wasn't even close, folks.  Rusk Thickr works better, smells better, looks better, and costs about five times less than it's rival.  The result is a 35-20 victory for Rusk.  Rusk wins its Haircare face-Off! debut, while Phyto products fall to 0-3. 

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)       
  

AG Re:coil Curl Activator vs. Moroccanoil Curl Defining Cream

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 round features two popular cream-based styling products designed for curly hair.  Let's take a closer look at our competitors.

Re:coil Curl Activator is one of the top-selling products manufactured by AG Hair Cosmetics, the Canadian-based company founded by renowned stylist John Davis in 1989.  Today, AG products are sold in over 12,000 salons across North America and the company's growth shows no signs of slowing down, because AG products are salt, paraben, gluten, PABA, and DEA free.  AG's Re:coil Curl Activator promotes soft, casual waves even in high-humidity conditions.

Moroccanoil Curl Control Cream is manufactured by the company which started the whole argan oil craze- a craze which has spawned dozens of copycat products which include this "miracle ingredient".  Today, Moroccanoil is a company with a full range of haircare and skincare products.  Curl Defining Cream is designed with advanced heat-activated technology that provides intense conditioning and promises to keep hair bouncy and frizz-free for hours. 

Which curl cream deserves to be called the best?  That's what Haircare Face-Off! intends to find out, with a unique scoring system which rates each product on a 1-10 scale in the following categories: Performance, Ingredients, Sensory Appeal/Packaging, and Value.  Each product is used on actual salon clients for one week, on a wide variety of hair types and textures. 

Let the battle begin!

Performance: After the first day of testing I knew that this was going to be a hard round to score, because both products excelled and failed in various scenarios.  Both creams are on the heavier side, and neither performed as well as I would have liked on fine hair, although AG Re:coil did the job better.  On dark hair, both products will leave behind a whitish residue if too much product is applied.  The AG cream provided a matte finish, while the Moroccanoil cream managed to impart shine.  Unfortunately, this shine doesn't look natural, it's more like a greasy type of sheen.  Moroccanoil Curl Defining Cream was a better match for Hispanic, African-American, and mixed ethnicity hair, while the AG cream was a better match for Caucasian hair types, and worked very well on permed clients.  Ultimately, the Moroccanoil cream lost points because it tends to leave the hair sticky and greasy.  Also, some clients with allergies found the scent of the Moroccanoil product to be unbearable.  This round goes to AG. (AG Re:coil Curl Activator: 8 Moroccanoil Curl Defining Cream: 5)

Ingredients:  The only ingredient worth mentioning in the Moroccanoil Curl Defining Cream is argan oil.  The other ingredients are: Cetearyl Alcohol, Polyquaternium 11, Glycol Stearate, Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein PG-Propyl Silanetriol, Polyquaternium 72, Fragrance, Dimethicone, Behentrimonium Methosulfate and C10-40, Isoalkylamidopropylethyldimonium Ethosulfate and Cetyl Alcohol, Ceteareth-20, DMDM Hydantoin, and Lactic Acid.  The AG Re:coil Curl Activator, on the other hand, contains several beneficial natural ingredients, such as sage, nettle, chamomile, hops, rosemary, and wild cherry extracts.  While both products do contain alcohol, the alcohol content of the Moroccanoil cream is much greater.  Argan oil may be a "miracle ingredient", but is wasn't enough to win this round.  (AG Re:coil Curl Activator: 9 Moroccanoil Curl Defining Cream: 4)

Sensory Appeal/Packaging:  AG Re:coil has a light but wonderful fragrance, while the Moroccanoil Curl Defining Cream has an overpowering, almost "medicinal" fragrance, which some clients likened to men's aftershave.  In terms of packaging, the AG cream comes in a tube while the Moroccanoil cream comes in pump bottle, so both products are easy to dispense into the hand.  However, I prefer the AG tube because it make it easier to get the last bit of product out of the container.  When it comes to labeling and design, AG's presentation is sleek, simple, and modern.  The Moroccanoil bottle features the company's signature blue-green label with an orange letter M- not the prettiest packaging, but certainly distinctive.  But fragrance was the deciding factor in this round.  Many clients responded favorably to the AG fragrance, and no one responded favorably to the Moroccanoil fragrance.  In fact, if you suffer from allergies, the Moroccanoil cream may be downright aggravating. (AG Re:coil Curl Activator: 9 Moroccanoil Curl Defining Cream: 4)

Value: The AG product is available in a 6 ounce tube for around 15.00 at most reputable online stores, which equals 2.50 per ounce.  Moroccanoil Curl Defining Cream is available in an 8.5 ounce bottle, and sells for 25.00 at most reputable online stores.  The cost-per-ounce is $2.94; nearly half a dollar more than the AG product.  Since the Moroccanoil brand is very popular, their products have been known to be counterfeited, so it is a bad idea to purchase a Moroccanoil product for a price that seems too good to be true.  (AG Re:coil Curl Activator: 8 Moroccanoil Curl Defining Cream: 5)

And the winner is......

AG Re:coil Curl Activator, by one of the widest margins of victory in Haircare Face-Off! history.  My opinion is that Moroccanoil should've quit while they were ahead.  The original argan oil treatment was a truly revolutionary product, but unfortunately the rest of Moroccanoil's product line leaves a lot to be desired.  Putting a few drops of a "miracle ingredient" into an otherwise inferior product does not make it a great product.  The funny thing is, the original Moroccanoil argan oil treatment probably makes curls look better than the Moroccanoil Curl Defining Cream.  AG took Moroccanoil to school in this battle, handily winning every single round.  (Final Score: AG Re:coil Curl Activator- 34 Moroccanoil Curl Defining Cream- 18)

Vidal Sassoon Dead At 84, But Legacy Continues To Live On

Those of us in the beauty industry have lost a legend today with the passing of Vidal Sassoon, the pioneer who single-handedly brought the art of hair out of the dark ages.  Sassoon, who was 84, died of natural causes in his home in Los Angeles, surrounded by family.  Sassoon devoted seven decades of his life to the industry and became a household name so recognizable that some people may be surprised to learn that he was a real human being, and not some advertising icon like Aunt Jemima or Betty Crocker.  This just shows how iconic Vidal was- millions of people around the world know the name, even if they didn't know the man.

Those of us who did know Sassoon, either directly or indirectly, realize that the world has lost an artist on par with the likes of Andy Warhol or Jackson Pollock.  Vidal revolutionized the art of hairstyling to such an extent that we may not even have the world "hairstylist" in our lexicon without his contributions.  Before Sassoon, the concept of "wash and wear" hair did not exist.  He was the visionary who turned hairstyling into a distinctive and separate art form from hairdressing, which is an art characterized by elaborate swirls and bobby pins and rollers and teasing and lacquering the hair with spray.  Sassoon's work was a radical departure from the age-old art of hairdressing; Sassoon taught the world about short geometric cuts, performed with such incredible precision that the hair would fall perfectly into place, without the need for "hairdressing" tools like irons and pins.  This transition is no less significant (and perhaps even more so) than the abstract expressionism or pop art movements, which also took place during Sassoon's prime.

Sassoon's contributions may have had an even greater impact than the contributions made by Warhol or Pollock.  In the 1960s, Americans changed their perception about women as more and more females assumed control of their lives by entering the workforce.  This shift in gender equality demanded hairstyles which would not require a two-hour visit to a beauty salon.  Vidal Sassoon was there to liberate women from the "oppressive" hairstyles of the past by perfecting the types of styles which we've come to know as "wash and wear"- many of these Sassoon-inspired looks are still among the most popular hairstyles requested today, nearly half a century after Sassoon created them!

In other words, every woman who doesn't spend an ungodly amount of time in the bathroom every morning primping and styling owes a tremendous debt of gratitude to Vidal Sassoon.  Every hairstylist who designs haircuts based on a woman's facial features and bone structure owes a debt of gratitude to Vidal Sassoon as well, because he was the pioneer who taught us how to customize a look for a client, rather than pinning up the hair in a bland French twist or a generic beehive, as most of his contemporaries did.  And every stylist who prides himself on cutting hair with laser-like precision owes a debt of gratitude to Sassoon, because his techniques are still being taught to cosmetology students today.

Sassoon was also a driving force when it came to the consumer aspect of hairstyling, which is not surprising since most of us first heard of his name through blowdryers, shampoo, hairspray, and other beauty products which bore his name on the label.  Up until the 1980s, very few hairstylists were known by name outside of the beauty industry, and even fewer had their names emblazoned on products which could be bought in virtually any drugstore or supermarket.  The company's slogan, "If you don't look good, we don't look good", became almost as iconic as Vidal himself.  Prior to the 1980s, it was nearly impossible for a woman to walk into a store and purchase a blowdryer or curling iron right from the shelf, or buy a shampoo which was formulated to be "salon-inspired".  Before Sassoon, the typical woman would have to go to the local beauty parlor to have her hair dried with a blowdryer, or to buy a shampoo that wasn't Breck or Prell or Suave.  Vidal Sassoon paved the way for Jose Eber, Nick Arrojo, Chaz Dean, and other "superstar stylists" whose names grace various haircare products.

Today, we erroneously credit Vidal Sassoon as being the inventor of iconic shorter-length cuts such as the bob or the pixie.  Although Sassoon didn't invent these cuts, many of us think he did, and this is a tribute to his influence, much the way we tend to think that McDonald's invented the hamburger or that Coca-Cola invented soda pop.  The bob was invented in the early 20th century and by the 1920s it was the go-to look for flappers and actresses- in fact, the fashion correspondent of The Times stated, in 1922, that bobbed hair was passé.  It was Vidal Sassoon who resurrected this old-time hairstyle and re-invented it for a new generation.  Nearly all modern bobs resemble the variations developed by Sassoon, rather than the bob that was popular in the Roaring Twenties.  Sassoon is also given credit for developing the pixie, which he designed for Mia Farrow in the 1960s.  However, barbers in Italy had been performing this cut on women since the early 1950s (Remember the 1953 Audrey Hepburn film Roman Holiday?).  Sassoon may not have invented these particular styles, but he sure as hell perfected them to such an extent that we assume he was the originator.  That, my friends, is proof of his genius and ability.

Rest in peace, Vidal.  We will miss you.

Goldwell Lagoom Jam vs. Big Sexy Hair Blow Dry Volumizing Gel

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)

Brocato Swell Volume Full Body Serum vs. Bumble and bumble Styling Creme

Welcome to another exciting edition of Haircare Face-Off!, the only online beauty battle in which two similar products, tested on actual salon clients, square off in a fierce head-to-head competition. This battle features two products which claim to thicken the hair, but which one is best for pumping up the volume? That's what we intend to find out. Let's take a closer look at the competitors.

Bumble and bumble's Styling Creme is one of the most versatile products available; it can be used to add body to the hair, and it can also be used to create slick looks or to define curls. Named one of InStyle's Best Beauty Buys in 2011, this cream is a favorite among top stylists, celebrities, and those who demand top performance. Brocato's Swell Volume Full Body Serum is part of the product line created by legendary stylist Sam Brocato, whose name has been among the hairdressing elite since he opened his first salon in 1976.

Both products have been created and tested by some of the top stylists in the industry, but only one thickener can be victorious. This will be accomplished by rating each product on a 1-10 scale in each of the following categories: performance, ingredients, sensory appeal, and value.

Let the battle begin!

Performance: Brocato's Swell Volume serum promises "huge, big, over-the-top results" thanks to hybrid proteins and specific particle size clays (whatever the hell that means). While this product did manage to add volume to the hair of one of my finest-haired clients, the results weren't any more spectacular than many other salon-quality thickening products. After two weeks of using this product I was content with the results, but I can't report seeing any results which could be described as "huge, big, or over-the-top". One thing that did catch my attention, however, was the warning on the label: Do not use or store near heat, and do not smoke until hair is completely dry. Geez, is this a hair balm or a hair bomb?

On the other hand, Bumble and bumble Styling Creme delivered better volumizing results on all types of hair, from stick-straight to wavy and curly. Unlike the Brocato serum, this product didn't leave any residue, stickiness, or gunkiness on my hands or on the hair. Best of all, I didn't have to be afraid of the product causing an explosion. Even if the Brocato Swell Volume Full Body Serum delivered "over-the-top" results (which it didn't), I'd be reluctant to purchase any haircare product which could explode when exposed to heat...especially if that product was designed to be used before blowdrying. Styling Creme wins the opening round with ease. (Bumble and bumble: 10 Brocato: 2)

Ingredients: The Brocato serum contains a few beneficial ingredients such as keratin amino acids and sunflower seed extract, but these ingredients appear in further down the list than most of the other ingredients. The main ingredients, after water, are butylene glycol (which is used as an industrial solvent), cyclopentasiloxane (which isn't as scary as it sounds; it's an emollient found in many cosmetics), and alcohol. Bumble and bumble Styling Creme ingredients may vary depending on the age of the product; the Styling Creme was re-formulated in 2007 in order to comply with new California Environmental Protection Agency regulations. While the "new" Styling Creme isn't quite as miraculous as the old formula (at least in my opinion), it's still one of the best creams on the market. Styling Creme's key ingredients are amodimethicone (an emollient), benzophenone-4 (a sunscreen), and glycerin. (Bumble and bumble: 7 Brocato: 4)

Sensory Appeal: While I prefer the fragrance of the Brocato serum, neither product's fragrance is anything to write home about. They both smell like, well, haircare products. Styling Creme has a silkier texture and seems to absorb into the hair, while Swell Volume Full Body Serum tends to leave the hands feeling slightly greasy. The packaging of both products is attractive, and will appeal to more discerning clients. I prefer the slender shape of the Brocato bottle, which is easier to hold and dispense than the short squat bottle of Bumble and bumble Styling Creme. This round is too close to call. (Brocato: 8 Bumble and bumble: 8)

Value: Bumble and bumble Styling Creme, in the 8 ounce bottle, retails for 25.00, which equates into 3.12 per ounce. Brocato Swell Volume Full Body Serum, in the 8.5-ounce size, has a salon retail price of 17.95, or roughly one dollar less per ounce. (Brocato: 8 Bumble and bumble: 7)

And the winner is....

Bumble and bumble Styling Creme. This battle was close when it came to sensory appeal and value, but when it came down to performance and ingredients, it was no competition. Science has endowed us with a virtually endless supply of chemicals, many of which are not flammable. Why a haircare line started by one of the world's most prolific stylists decided to create a product which can double as an explosive is beyond me. (Final Score: Bumble and bumble- 32 Brocato- 22)

2011 in Review: My Favorite Mousses

For decades, styling mousse has been a favorite product for those looking to add body and volume to hair. Derived from a French word meaning "foam", mousse is exactly that: a foamy lightweight product which is applied to damp hair prior to blowdrying. Mousses work best on those with fine or limp hair, and best results are achieved by applying the mousse to the root area of the hair.

As a professional stylist and salon owner with over a decade of experience, I have tried just about every mousse on the market. Here, in my opinion, are some of the best mousses currently available.

1. Davines Universal Mattering Mousse. Davines is a manufacturer of luxury haircare products which are found in only the best salons. This styling essential provides volume with a natural un-sticky finish. Hydrolized wheat proteins and panthenol moisturize and protect the hair, leaving it shiny and soft. Davines mousse provides a medium hold, perfect for almost any style.



2. Alterna Caviar Anti-Aging Mousse. This is one of the more popular products in Alterna's highly-touted Caviar line, which contains ingredients designed to combat the effects of aging on the hair, making it an ideal choice for those with fine and thinning hair.



3. Goldwell Flexi-Whip Mousse. I hate the way this product smells, and I hate the packaging. However, I love the way it performs. This may very well be the Subaru Outback of haircare products- not much to look at, but it's reliable and gets the job done. Goldwell Flexi Whip Mousse is a rich and thick foam with slightly more hold than its competitors. At under twenty dollars for a large bottle, this mousse gives you the most bang for your buck.


4. Zerran Radiant Finish Mousse. This wonder peppermint-scented mousse is made by a tiny company that manufactures some of the greatest haircare products in the world. Radiant Finish Mousse is a non-aerosol mousse made with natural ingredients that add just the right amount of hold and body.



5. TIGI Catwalk Extra Strong Mousse. The problem with many mousses is that they are great on fine hair, but fall flat when used on thicker hair textures. This product is especially designed for those with thick hair. It is also safe to use on hair that has been chemically processed.


After trying out hundreds of mousses in my career, these are five products I would gladly recommend to any client looking for volume and body.