Among the many repercussions of severe fragrance addiction is that eventually, your critical eye (nose?) is cast upon everyday functional products you used to enjoy. I find this especially true with haircare products, which tend to be heavily, and often unfortunately, scented. The banana aroma of Joico's Intensive Moisture Treatment conditioner, which I don't think I used to even notice, now nauseates me, and the smell of another longtime favorite, L'Oreal Nature's Therapy Mega Moisture Nurturing Creme, became so unbearable I had to give it up entirely.
So back in December, when I was formatting the article on Perfume: The Best of 2007 and I saw that Kevin had included a jasmine shampoo by Oscar Blandi in his list of favorites, I sat up and took notice. At the time, I just so happened to have another browser window open on drugstore.com, and my cart was already so full that I'd qualified for free shipping. And, I just so happened to have $18 in "drugstore dollars" accrued from past purchases, and they just so happened to have a "La Jasminetta" set from Oscar Blandi featuring little 2-oz travel bottles of Shampoo di Jasmine Smoothing Shampoo, Balsamo di Jasmine Smoothing Conditioner and Proteine di Jasmine restyling aid. The set was $28, which seemed like an awful lot for 3 little travel bottles, but after deducting the "drugstore dollars" the set was so very nearly free that I would have been a fool not to buy it — right?
As it turns out, I couldn't be more pleased with the purchase. The shampoo and conditioner both have a wonderful jasmine-y floral aroma, juicy and bright, sweet but not too sweet. It isn't Serge Lutens A La Nuit, mind you, but then, I'm not sure I could take an A La Nuit shampoo first thing in the morning. A tiny bit of the fragrance lingers after I've blow-dried my hair — enough to smell nice, but not so much as to annoy me or compete with my perfume of the day.
As for the smoothing, yes, there is smoothing (and I have "bad" hair, so I notice). As with most smoothing products, the magic is worked largely by silicone derivatives. I already know from long experience that silicone-based smoothing products are going to leave my hair beautifully soft and smooth the first few times, after which they're going to build up on my hair and turn it to something like straw if I don't use a clarifying shampoo* every so often. And, although the Shampoo di Jasmine doesn't lather up a storm, it does contain sulfates. As I rotate hair products anyway, I can live with all of that just for the smell.
I can't say much about the Proteine di Jasmine "restyling aid"; I didn't really need a protein & silicone styling spray and I've only used it twice. I guess it is fine for its purpose, and the scent is about the same as the shampoo and conditioner. If you don't mind tons of silicone, there is also an Olio di Jasmine Hair Serum that gets high marks at MakeupAlley.
Oscar Blandi products can be found at drugstore.com or sephora; you can read more about the line at oscarblandi.
*I was very fond of Sebastian's Stark Naked for a clarifying shampoo, but I understand it's been discontinued. If anyone knows a great clarifying shampoo, do comment!
Oh, I'm totally going through the same thing with my shampoos and lotions. I can only bear them if they are unscented, or a light unoffensive citrus at the most. I often go sniffing around the drugstore for a new shampoo, and the scents literally knock me over. Who can stand that Herbal Essence stuff at 6:30 in the morning?
Maybe it's the drugstore that's my problem. High-end things almost always smell lovely, but I just can't bring myself to pay $25 for 8 oz of shampoo.
S, the regular full sized bottle of the OB is $20 for 8 1/2 oz, still very expensive, but not so silly as buying the travel set, I guess. I just wanted to try both the shampoo & the conditioner and couldn't bring myself to lay out $40. Unfortunately, haven't seen any OB products at discount haircare places.
I got a sample of the jasmine Hair Serum from Sephora, and I LOVE it! A ittle goes a long way, and it makes my hair super shiny and smooth, and smell beautiful. I'm not sure that I'd buy a bottle of it, because I have other products that basically do the same thing, but the jasmine is really nice.
For shampoo and conditioner I use Pureology Nanoworks, and those are THE BEST smelling (and quality) hair products I've ever experienced, and I'm a beauty product junkie so I've smelled alot! Yes, it's expensive, but for me it's worth it: all of their products are vegan and they don't test on animals, which is the utmost of importance to me for any kind of hair and cosmetic products. And they are literally the best there is IMO……
Sorry, I don't mean to sound like an advertisement!
–Molly 🙂
OUCH — $50 for the Pureology shampoo! They do seem to like it at the MUA hair board though. Can you tell me what it smells like?
On the serum — one silicone serum has got to be pretty much the same as another, I would think, although it would be nice to have one that smelled like jasmine. I buy a very cheap one at Sally Beauty Supply (Beyond the Zone Smooth Shot, has a kind of yucko chocolate smell), but I try not to use silicone treatments very often.
Ewwww, $50??? What size is that? Hopefully that's a big bottle! Or is that for both the shampoo and conditioner?
I will admit, now I have a hairstylist friend who gets me big bottles at cost, but that's only a recent thing.
The Nanoworks is their most expensive one I think, although none of them are cheap. It smells to me almost like a deep red wine. That's really the best that I can describe it..
I started using it because some colorist really destroyed the condition of my hair, and I had heard that the Nanoworks would be a good product to get. And it has been. But I suspect that if you don't have dry and/or damaged hair you'd need to use a clarifying shampoo periodically to remove any buildup. A little goes a long way with that stuff…
Thanks to a very generous friend, I had the chance to try these products recently as well! Not sure I love what they do for my hair, but the scent is intriguing and lingers enough that every so often during the day I catch myself thinking 'something smells good!' and realizing it's my hair.
If I could afford the brand I love the most–with a very subtle smell–I would go for the Kerastase products by L'Oreal.
Otherwise, I find Modern Organic Products shampoos and conditioners to smell quite lovely and natural….and almost affordable….they seemed to be priced higher than drugstore but lower than Kerastate, Pureology et al. Esp love the Mixed Greens conditioner.
Hi Pia,
I've heard the Modern Organic Products are great, too. I'm going to have to try them.
Thanks!
The shampoo is $50 for 10 oz, conditioner $50 for 8.5 oz (at drugstore.com). Sounds like they have lots of protein, so yes, I'd have to use a very moisturizing conditioner and eventually a clarifying shampoo or my hair would end up very brittle. Not sure it matters — $40 for the 2 OB products would already be a huge splurge on my part, but unless my financial status changes drastically, the Nanoworks are not in my near future 🙂
But will see if I can find them to smell anyway, a deep red wine sounds nice!
I hear you on the smell of haircare products, it's disgusting. If anyone knows of any good styling products lines that don't smell very much at all I'd love to hear about it, I'm so sick of my hair smelling like fruit soda if I want it to lay smoothly..
Hey Pia! The Mixed Greens sounds lovely, and just checked, $12.50 for the conditoner is a price I can live with, LOL…
Unscented hair care does not seem to be a big category right now! Some of the Kiehls styling products qualify as barely scented, though, and I'm sure there are many others I don't know about.
That is way overpriced–when I first got it, I got it at a salon and it wasn't anywhere near that! $50–for each…..that's crazy! I can be bad about not looking at how much something is if I'm buying it at a salon (I have no idea why that is…I guess I assume something wouldn't possibly be that much!), but I think I would've noticed that! Wow…
I probably ought to get some clarifying shampoo too. Aveda's got a good one that I used to use.
Hi R: I love the Oscar Blandi so much I usually only buy and use it on vacations…I never want it to become “every day” to me. As for clarifying shampoos..I've found the least expensive they are the better they work, but I have VERY short hair and never even have to condition it. To take away grime every so often I use Giovanni Tea Tree Triple Treat Shampoo or EO Clarifying French Lavender Shampoo — they smell great and are organic/vegan I believe…. As for the MOP products…buy a small travel bottle first; so many people I know have had break-outs or irritation after using some of their shampoos/conditioners.
K, I don't get enough vacations to save it just for that, LOL…or perhaps it is more accurate to say that every day is a vacation? Anyway, I'm using it once or twice a week, but when my travel bottles run out, it will have to wait until I've accrued lots more “drugstore dollars”.
Have not tried either of those shampoos, but luckily don't like the smell of either tea tree or lavender — you've already cost me enough in the hair care department 😉
At the Aveda retail stores, they have create-your-own hair products to which you can add fragrance and color. If you wanted totally unscented, you could use those without adding anything to them.
Or you could go in the opposite direction from fruit soda scents, and use their Sap Moss line, which smells just like dirt. That is one of the luxuries that I've been priced out of since having kids . . . I really miss my $60 dirt shampoo!
R. Maybe you will like Frederic Fekkai 'Apple Cider Clarifying Shampoo'. I am a big fan of Kerastase shampoos and conditioners. Kerastase will probaly have a clarifying shampoo.
I have used Kerastase Oleum-relax shampoo for a long period of time and that one costs abt 16 Euro per 250 ml bottle. The smell is good and luxurious but not overpowering.
Thanks, I didn't know that! My main complaint with the Aveda hair care things is that the smell lasts *too* long. I love the smell of the sap moss, but it annoys me by the end of the day!
Thanks M, I'll have to try the FF. The Kerastase products are too expensive here, and haven't liked the ones I've tried enough to cough up the $$.
My best clarifying shampoo is Terax Shamp Latte. Very mild milky aroma. I also just started using Nick Arrojo (from Not What to Wear) Shampoo and conditioner, he has his own website but it is also available on QVC. I alternate with Redkin Color Extend. Nick's shampoo has a wonderful smell and leaves my hair very smooth.
I second (third?) Kerastasse and recommend Redken Clarifying Cream Shampoo that thoroughly cleanses silicone build-up and leaves hair with a natural shine. 'tis meant to be alternated w/ your regular shampoo and I've noticed that it gives my hair mory body since it cleans literally every strand. The price is steep, though, I believe around 16-17 €.
Hi Dusan,
Do you know if that Redken clarifying shampoo is safe for color-treated hair?
Thanks!
Molly
Mmmm I love the smell of their Sap Moss products!
I also like the smell of their Clove Shampoo and Camomile Shampoo. And they don't seem to cause build-up either.
Molly, just checked and the website (redken dot com) says nothing about it being unsafe for colored hair. The shampoo, which actually is called Cleansing (not Clarifying) Cream Shampoo, is designed for all hair types. Hope that helps!
Thanks, I used to use Terax Crema but haven't used any of their other products, and hadn't heard of Nick Arrojo.
Thanks Dusan — I am starting to wonder if Kerastase is way cheaper overseas? It must be.
Thank you, Dusan!
Try L'Occitane's lavendar clarifying shampp- Ihave the same problem, and this works for me! The OB line is lovely, but my SO hates the smell – says it smells like an Glades air freshener! Sob…
For fragranced hair products, I tend to favour the Lush range – their Godiva shampoo bar smells astonishing and does a good job with my hair.
For fragrance-free, I read somewhere that Phillip KIngsley, the famous trichologist, has just added a fragrance and colour-free shampoo to his range. His products aren't heavily fragranced anyway.
Hey, if Glade smelled that good, I'd buy it 😉
I wish I had a Lush near me. I hear they're going to start selling at some Macy's stores, so perhaps I will eventually!
Recently, I picked up a tub of Lush Big Hair clarifying shampoo for limp & fine hair after seeing it on someone's Top 10 list. It has sea salt for really effective cleaning. It works well. A small amount is all that's needed, so the fragrance is rather mild.
Thanks, will keep my fingers crossed for a local Lush store!
To Everyone: I'm soooo glad I'm not the only one spending INSANE amounts of time in the shampoo and/or deodorant isle sniffing away, dry-heaving… and leaving with empty hands and a splitting headache. What is it with all these fragrances that are supposed to be fruity, but no fruit on earth smells that overwhelmingly bad? Thank you for taking the time to type out the ones that are bearable and even enjoyable! I have Lush products where I live, so will be checking that out soon! xo
The Lush things aren't cheap, but I keep hearing how great the hair products are — if you find a great one, let us know!
Check online…Lush was having a huge sale but maybe it was only in the stores…I saw a girl come in and get 2 huge things of Big for the price of one. Everything was 2 for 1 or 3 for 1 after Xmas.
I use Bumble and Bumble Sunday shampoo once a week to get my hair squeaky clean, but when I swam everyday I used Suave clarifying shampoo daily and it kept my hair in great condition. Smelled good, too, very nonobtrusive. Sometimes super cheap works just as well.
Aha, I'll look for the Suave, many thanks!