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.
Showing posts with label TIGI. Show all posts
Showing posts with label TIGI. Show all posts
Thursday, January 12, 2012
Monday, December 26, 2011
Kenra Texturizing Taffy vs. TIGI Bedhead Manipulator
These sticky stylers are ideal for creating a wide variety of hairstyles, from textured and choppy layered looks to short and sassy pixies. They're also terrific for many men's styles as well. This Face-Off pits two leading taffy-like products against each other in what should be an exciting battle, since I have used both of these products extensively for several years but have never judged them in a head-to-head battle...until now.
As always, each product will be judged on a 1-10 scale in the following categories: performance, ingredients, sensory appeal and packaging, and value. Now let's take a look at the competitors.
Kenra's Texturizing Taffy is a mainstay in their Platinum series of products. As one of the oldest manufacturers of professional haircare products, Kenra has experience on its side. Platinum Texturizing Taffy is designed to offer flexible styling without stiffness, providing a pliable hold that does not dry stiff or crunchy.
TIGI's Manipulator is one of history's best-selling styling products and is also one of the mainstays of their Bedhead line of products. This legendary fiber-forming cream can be applied to damp or dry hair for a wide variety of textured styles. Like Kenra's Texturizing Taffy, TIGI Bedhead Manipulator also provides style without stiffness. Both products provide a matte finish.
Buckle up, folks, this should be a terrific battle!
Performance: Both products performed as advertised, but neither product is ideal for super-fine hair. TIGI Manipulator tackled men's hair as easily as women's hair, but the Kenra product didn't seem to excel when it came to men's styling. Manipulator is definitely the more unisex of the products, and it provides a little more "stickiness" than Kenra Texturizing Taffy. In the end, I decided that Manipulator was a better match for highly-textured cuts and styles, whereas the Kenra product was best-suited for less extreme and more conservative styles. Close round, but Manipulator's edge in strength and its ability to style men's hair with ease gives TIGI an early lead. (TIGI:10 Kenra:9)
Ingredients: TIGI Manipulator contains nothing in the way of natural botanical ingredients (propylene glycol, ozokerite, PVP/VA copolymer, petrolatum, oleth-20, mineral oil, oleth-3, oleth-5, PEG-150 pentaerithritol tetrastearate), but it also doesn't contain anything that would present any health concerns. Kenra Texturizing Taffy contains the same main ingredients, but also contains phosphates and parabens, which aren't the greatest things in the world. (TIGI:7 Kenra:5)
Sensory Appeal: TIGI Manipulator has a pleasant fruity fragrance that still manages to be unisex. Kenra Texturizing Taffy has a very 'perfumey' smell. However, the packaging of the Kenra product is some of the best-designed packaging I've ever seen on a haircare product. Very elegant and refined, you'll probably want to keep the container long after the product inside runs out. But Kenra does lose a point on fragrance. (Kenra:9 TIGI:8)
Value: According to the Kenra website, the suggested salon retail price for Texturizing Taffy is $21.00, but I've seen it sell for as low as 12.00 online. Texturizing Taffy comes in a 2-ounce size, which translates into 10.50 per ounce when purchased in a salon. TIGI Manipulator also comes in a 2-ounce size, and prices vary between 5.00 and 20.00. The low-priced Manipulator seems to be sold in very old packaging, which suggests that it has been sitting on a warehouse shelf for several years, so I'd be very cautious when buying any container of Manipulator for under 10.00. Overall, both products are similar in price, so this round is a draw. (TIGI:8 Kenra:8)
And the winner is....
TIGI Bedhead Manipulator, in a very close competition. Ultimately, Manipulator pulled ahead because of its unisex appeal and slightly stronger hold, but both products are high-quality styling taffies that have their place in the beauty world. Manipulator is best for younger clients with edgier styles, and Texturizing Taffy is better-suited for mature women who still want to look modern and stylish. (Final Score: TIGI Bedhead Manipulator-33 Kenra Platinum Texturizing Taffy-31)
As always, each product will be judged on a 1-10 scale in the following categories: performance, ingredients, sensory appeal and packaging, and value. Now let's take a look at the competitors.
Kenra's Texturizing Taffy is a mainstay in their Platinum series of products. As one of the oldest manufacturers of professional haircare products, Kenra has experience on its side. Platinum Texturizing Taffy is designed to offer flexible styling without stiffness, providing a pliable hold that does not dry stiff or crunchy.
TIGI's Manipulator is one of history's best-selling styling products and is also one of the mainstays of their Bedhead line of products. This legendary fiber-forming cream can be applied to damp or dry hair for a wide variety of textured styles. Like Kenra's Texturizing Taffy, TIGI Bedhead Manipulator also provides style without stiffness. Both products provide a matte finish.
Buckle up, folks, this should be a terrific battle!
Performance: Both products performed as advertised, but neither product is ideal for super-fine hair. TIGI Manipulator tackled men's hair as easily as women's hair, but the Kenra product didn't seem to excel when it came to men's styling. Manipulator is definitely the more unisex of the products, and it provides a little more "stickiness" than Kenra Texturizing Taffy. In the end, I decided that Manipulator was a better match for highly-textured cuts and styles, whereas the Kenra product was best-suited for less extreme and more conservative styles. Close round, but Manipulator's edge in strength and its ability to style men's hair with ease gives TIGI an early lead. (TIGI:10 Kenra:9)
Ingredients: TIGI Manipulator contains nothing in the way of natural botanical ingredients (propylene glycol, ozokerite, PVP/VA copolymer, petrolatum, oleth-20, mineral oil, oleth-3, oleth-5, PEG-150 pentaerithritol tetrastearate), but it also doesn't contain anything that would present any health concerns. Kenra Texturizing Taffy contains the same main ingredients, but also contains phosphates and parabens, which aren't the greatest things in the world. (TIGI:7 Kenra:5)
Sensory Appeal: TIGI Manipulator has a pleasant fruity fragrance that still manages to be unisex. Kenra Texturizing Taffy has a very 'perfumey' smell. However, the packaging of the Kenra product is some of the best-designed packaging I've ever seen on a haircare product. Very elegant and refined, you'll probably want to keep the container long after the product inside runs out. But Kenra does lose a point on fragrance. (Kenra:9 TIGI:8)
Value: According to the Kenra website, the suggested salon retail price for Texturizing Taffy is $21.00, but I've seen it sell for as low as 12.00 online. Texturizing Taffy comes in a 2-ounce size, which translates into 10.50 per ounce when purchased in a salon. TIGI Manipulator also comes in a 2-ounce size, and prices vary between 5.00 and 20.00. The low-priced Manipulator seems to be sold in very old packaging, which suggests that it has been sitting on a warehouse shelf for several years, so I'd be very cautious when buying any container of Manipulator for under 10.00. Overall, both products are similar in price, so this round is a draw. (TIGI:8 Kenra:8)
And the winner is....
TIGI Bedhead Manipulator, in a very close competition. Ultimately, Manipulator pulled ahead because of its unisex appeal and slightly stronger hold, but both products are high-quality styling taffies that have their place in the beauty world. Manipulator is best for younger clients with edgier styles, and Texturizing Taffy is better-suited for mature women who still want to look modern and stylish. (Final Score: TIGI Bedhead Manipulator-33 Kenra Platinum Texturizing Taffy-31)
Friday, December 16, 2011
Redken Spray Starch vs. TIGI S-Factor Seriously Straight
This week's face-off will feature two popular salon products that can be used for flat-iron styling. These two products will be scored on a variety of criteria, including: Performance, Ingredients, Sensory Appeal (fragrance, packaging convenience and design), and Value. To ensure precise results, I will be using the "gold standard" in flat irons, the CHI Original.
Now, let's meet the competitors.
Redken Spray Starch is a non-aerosol spray designed to protect hair from heat while using a potato-derived starch to hold the style in place, much like using a starch spray when ironing laundry. Since human hair can technically be categorized as a fabric, it makes sense. TIGI's S-Factor Seriously Straight is a maximum-strength aerosol spray which is designed to straighten, tame frizz, and protect the hair from heat.
Let the competition begin!
Performance: When TIGI refers to their Seriously Straight spray as maximum-strength, they are not joking. This is some heavy-duty stuff. This product had no trouble straightening the hair of my ethnic and multi-cultural clients when applied to the hair prior to ironing. However, this product is way too heavy to use on those with fine hair. It is very easy to over-apply the spray, which may leave the hair feeling greasy, and it will make your floor quite slippery (as one unfortunate client found out the hard way). But when used correctly, Seriously Straight can tame even the kinkiest and frizziest hair. Redken Spray Starch delivered awesome results, but only on those with fine to medium hair. This product just wasn't strong or heavy enough for those with ethnic hair types. It is, however, one of the few flat-iron sprays that can be used on those with super-fine hair. Since both products delivered the results they promised (albeit on different hair types), this round is a tie. (Redken Spray Starch: 8, Seriously Straight: 8)
Ingredients: Redken Spray Starch utilizes an exclusive Bonding System which transports potato starch extract to the hair to protect against heat damage and cuticle damage. Unlike most heat-protection products, Spray Starch leaves hair feeling clean and residue-free. TIGI Seriously Straight contains fewer eco-friendly ingredients, and gets its results from propylene glycol, cyclopentasiloxane, and dimethicone. Although none of these ingredients are particularly harmful, this round goes to Redken for their novel use of the common potato. (Redken Spray Starch: 8, Seriously Straight: 6)
Sensory Appeal: Redken's product smells like fresh laundry, and I mean that as a compliment. It's a light pleasant fragrance that is not overpowering or overly-feminine. Redken's packaging has changed a zillion times over the past decade, but they hit on a winner with the red plastic bottles for all of their heat-protection products. Like most other products made by TIGI, the Seriously Straight has a strong fruity smell which is sickeningly sweet and a bit too overpowering for my tastes. The sleek silver can is very trendy and modern in design, however. (Redken Spray Starch: 10, Seriously Straight: 8)
Value: Redken Spray Starch is available in five-ounce bottles, and shopping online can be tricky because the prices range from 10.00 to over 25.00. If purchasing online, make sure you choose the new packaging (red bottle), since some of the products for sale feature the very old white bottles, and the somewhat newer silver bottles. You're not really getting a deal if you pay for a product that is half a decade old. Expect to pay around $12.99 if purchased from a reputable seller. TIGI S-Factor Seriously Straight is available in 6.31-ounce cans, and online prices also range from 10.00 to over 25.00. A reputable online seller might offer this product for around $14.99. Because of the wide gap in online prices for both products, and because the salon price is virtually the same per ounce, this round is a tie. Both products do earn a full 10 points for being affordably priced compared to other similar products. (Redken Spray Starch: 10, Seriously Straight: 10)
And this week's winner is: Redken Spray Starch. Even though TIGI S-Factor Seriously Straight performed better on super-curly and frizzy hair, it does leave a slight residue on the hair, the floor, and the flat iron. While Redken Spray Starch is not as strong, it does have a pleasant unisex fragrance while leaving the hair feeling clean and soft. Ultimately, both products do work, and both are affordable. Use Spray Starch for fine to medium hair, and use Seriously Straight for thick, coarse, and super-curly hair. (Final Score: Redken Spray Starch- 36, S-Factor Seriously Straight- 32)
Now, let's meet the competitors.
Redken Spray Starch is a non-aerosol spray designed to protect hair from heat while using a potato-derived starch to hold the style in place, much like using a starch spray when ironing laundry. Since human hair can technically be categorized as a fabric, it makes sense. TIGI's S-Factor Seriously Straight is a maximum-strength aerosol spray which is designed to straighten, tame frizz, and protect the hair from heat.
Let the competition begin!
Performance: When TIGI refers to their Seriously Straight spray as maximum-strength, they are not joking. This is some heavy-duty stuff. This product had no trouble straightening the hair of my ethnic and multi-cultural clients when applied to the hair prior to ironing. However, this product is way too heavy to use on those with fine hair. It is very easy to over-apply the spray, which may leave the hair feeling greasy, and it will make your floor quite slippery (as one unfortunate client found out the hard way). But when used correctly, Seriously Straight can tame even the kinkiest and frizziest hair. Redken Spray Starch delivered awesome results, but only on those with fine to medium hair. This product just wasn't strong or heavy enough for those with ethnic hair types. It is, however, one of the few flat-iron sprays that can be used on those with super-fine hair. Since both products delivered the results they promised (albeit on different hair types), this round is a tie. (Redken Spray Starch: 8, Seriously Straight: 8)
Ingredients: Redken Spray Starch utilizes an exclusive Bonding System which transports potato starch extract to the hair to protect against heat damage and cuticle damage. Unlike most heat-protection products, Spray Starch leaves hair feeling clean and residue-free. TIGI Seriously Straight contains fewer eco-friendly ingredients, and gets its results from propylene glycol, cyclopentasiloxane, and dimethicone. Although none of these ingredients are particularly harmful, this round goes to Redken for their novel use of the common potato. (Redken Spray Starch: 8, Seriously Straight: 6)
Sensory Appeal: Redken's product smells like fresh laundry, and I mean that as a compliment. It's a light pleasant fragrance that is not overpowering or overly-feminine. Redken's packaging has changed a zillion times over the past decade, but they hit on a winner with the red plastic bottles for all of their heat-protection products. Like most other products made by TIGI, the Seriously Straight has a strong fruity smell which is sickeningly sweet and a bit too overpowering for my tastes. The sleek silver can is very trendy and modern in design, however. (Redken Spray Starch: 10, Seriously Straight: 8)
Value: Redken Spray Starch is available in five-ounce bottles, and shopping online can be tricky because the prices range from 10.00 to over 25.00. If purchasing online, make sure you choose the new packaging (red bottle), since some of the products for sale feature the very old white bottles, and the somewhat newer silver bottles. You're not really getting a deal if you pay for a product that is half a decade old. Expect to pay around $12.99 if purchased from a reputable seller. TIGI S-Factor Seriously Straight is available in 6.31-ounce cans, and online prices also range from 10.00 to over 25.00. A reputable online seller might offer this product for around $14.99. Because of the wide gap in online prices for both products, and because the salon price is virtually the same per ounce, this round is a tie. Both products do earn a full 10 points for being affordably priced compared to other similar products. (Redken Spray Starch: 10, Seriously Straight: 10)
And this week's winner is: Redken Spray Starch. Even though TIGI S-Factor Seriously Straight performed better on super-curly and frizzy hair, it does leave a slight residue on the hair, the floor, and the flat iron. While Redken Spray Starch is not as strong, it does have a pleasant unisex fragrance while leaving the hair feeling clean and soft. Ultimately, both products do work, and both are affordable. Use Spray Starch for fine to medium hair, and use Seriously Straight for thick, coarse, and super-curly hair. (Final Score: Redken Spray Starch- 36, S-Factor Seriously Straight- 32)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)