So, you know how I always complain about my greasy/oily hair? When someone from Osmo contacted me after I replied to a Tweet of theirs I was hesitant when they asked if I wanted to review some travel minis from their Berber Oil collection called Little Luxuries. However, they seemed pretty sure that it would still work for me as their products are for all hair types, so I figured I’d give it a go. And besides, I thought, if it all goes wrong? People say I don’t do enough negative reviews.
Well. If you’re looking for that negative review you’re in the wrong place – mostly.
The travel kit I received contained mini tubes of their Berber Oil Shampoo, Berber Oil Mask and Berber Oil.
The Berber Oil collection’s products all contain a mix of luxury oils, most notably avocado oil and argan oils, but if you click on one of the pictures below can see the ingredients to all of the products.
First I tried the shampoo. It’s a beautiful, golden honey-like colour, that smells like sweet spices. You know the scented candles you can get around Christmas time? It smells like that. That, and mulled wine. It’s a nice smell. The shampoo is meant to have good cleansing effects, which is handy for my hair, and it did leave it squeaky clean – literally. As I wrung the water out of my hair before putting conditioner on, it squeaked. It wasn’t a very pleasant sound, but at least I knew my hair was clean. I was a little worried that it might strip all of the natural oils (not the excess ones, they can go,) out of my hair, but I followed up with the deep conditioning mask.
I used the mask for about 10 minutes, even though it says 5 minutes because I felt like it. This was the one I was worried about though when it came to the oily aftermath. But again, I was pleasantly surprised when I realised just how soft my hair was when I washed the mask out.
I’ve been using this combo for a few days now at night before I sleep. Considering I’m waking up at 5:15am in order to walk/bus to my placement and then spend 7.5 hours with patients in an inpatient mental health environment, my hair usually looks like crap by the time I get home. If I’m honest, by the time I get home, even if I use this shampoo/conditioner combo, my hair still looks like crap. But it doesn’t help that I’ve been walking home in the wind/rain for the last few days. And when I’m at placement I have to have my hair tied up (ugh,) so my hair gets a bit messed up.
I would say that if I used the mask in the mornings I would have much better luck, but as it is, because I sleep after washing my hair (I am not having a bath at 4:30am or something stupid, then I’d have to dry my hair with a hairdryer and I hate using that kinda stuff on my hair, I’m a natural girl,) Sorry, lost track… Oh yeah. Because I sleep after washing my hair I guess all the lovely smoothness has settled by the time I actually get to work and get home. On the positive side, it’s still smooth by the morning which makes it incredibly easy to tie my hair up and sort it out, and as I have to do it so early in the morning any help is a blessing. In that respect, the shampoo/mask combo does have results.
They’re better than my Tresemme, but not quite as good as Percy & Reed, but Osmo are about half the price of the Percy & Reed products, so a much more purse-friendly alternative, especially if you’re someone who has to shampoo/condition their hair daily.
For that, I’d give both the shampoo and mask..
Rating: 7/10. I’d say that the shampoo and conditioner sit nicely as a middle of the range product. Better than stuff you’ll pick up in Tescos for sure, but not quite as good as Percy & Reed (they’re the only more luxury haircare brand I have to reference at the moment, not intending to keep pushing them.) However, the price also reflects that and at approximately £6 for a full size bottle of their shampoo I’d say that Osmo gives pretty good value for money.
If you hair isn’t quite as oily as mine then you’d probably have longer-lasting results. As it is at the moment, the products do leave my hair nice, soft and definitely very clean, but due to my specific hair type it just doesn’t protect me as long as I’d like.
As for the Berber Oil itself, I thought I’d rate this one separately.
The product smells like fizzy strawberry laces crossed with a candle shop and has now made me crave fizzy strawberry laces REALLY badly. Damn. Aside from that, the product just doesn’t work for me. It’s a hair oil designed to use while the hair is dry to promote shine or wet to promote movement. For me? It just makes my hair greasy.
However, there is a but.
I gave this product to my Mum instead.
My Mum and I are polar opposites, she’s tall and thin, has dry skin and dry hair, I’m.. Well, the opposite. We don’t share the same interests, have completely different styles, you wouldn’t even know we were related. So when products don’t work for me I usually give them to her to use and report back to me with.
My Mum really likes it. She says it tames her hair when there’s flyaways, because she sometimes gets a bit of frizz going (she blow-dries, dyes and straightens her hair, I do none of those things.) She uses it dry and hasn’t had a chance to use it wet yet, but so far so good. She says it’s non-sticky (which is true,) and just leaves her hair feeling extremely soft. Not much shinier than normal, but definitely a nice little product.
(My rating) Rating: 3/10. I have oily hair. Add oil = bad.
(My Mum’s) Rating: 8/10. She has dry hair. Add oil = good! Smooth, smells nice and a little goes a long way, she says.
You can get your own 10ml sample of the oil here. (Don’t worry, it’s not an affiliate link, if you’re paranoid visit their home page and just click on the big image that says “Order your FREE 10ml sample now.”) If you want to try it yourself.
In fairness, I did know that I was getting oil products (the name, duh,) but the shampoo and conditioners did surprise me with how they came out on my hair. I’ve almost completely used the conditioner up, because I’ve been using it as not only a mask but as a regular conditioner too. I think my plan will be to buy the full sized bottle and use it only as a deep mask, then use my other shampoo and conditioners as normal. I’ve been looking for a good deep conditioning mask lately but have been too busy to go shopping for one, so I think I’ll order myself a full sized Osmo mask, mainly because I’m lazy and when I find something I actually like I can’t be bothered to search for a better one in case I waste my time and end up with a worse one :P
*Products kindly received as a PR sample for consideration. Opinions are – as always – honest and unchanged regardless of the product’s source. I have not been asked or paid to write this review in return for these products.
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