My Aveda Botanical Repair Intensive Strengthening Masque Review.
As I mentioned, I'm a hair mask aficionado so that's the product I was most intrigued to try.
There's a lot to unpack here, so I've broken my review of the light hair mask down into a few categories.
The Packaging:
First of all, I like that this mask comes in a tube.
While hair mask pots look pretty on your bathroom shelf, having to screw open the lid in the shower with slippery fingers gets tedious after a while. It’s nice to just have a tube you can pop open easily. Plus, I think it makes it easier not to overuse product and prevent wastage.
The Texture:
Guys, this mask is thick in the best way possible.
Silky and creamy, the texture of this hair mask isn't too heavy but feels more nourishing than your regular conditioner.
I have below shoulder-length hair and I used a dollop the size of a 20 cent piece to coat my strands.
The Ingredients:
I love a hair mask that’s got a few nourishing oils included and this one has heaps - avocado oil, sunflower seed oil, sancha inchi seed oil, green tea seed oil and meadowfoam seed oil. To me, these are what really hydrate the hair and help give it that silky smooth feeling we’re all after.
In traditional hair care products, a synthetic silicone would give you that silkiness. But if you colour your hair regularly, it’s best to avoid products with silicone because they create a protective layer around the hair, meaning it can be tricky for colour and intense treatment products to properly penetrate the hair shaft.
I love that these natural oils are hydrating my hair, rather than lab-made silicone.
The Scent:
Everyone's talking about the scent of Aveda's Botanical Repair range. Some are loving the floral, herbal fragrance created by the inclusion of ylang-ylang flower, rose and marjoram essential oils. Others might find it a bit earthy.
It’s quite a distinct scent, but to be honest, you can only really smell it if you stick your nose right up into the tube... which, of course, I did.
It’s certainly not overpowering and I didn’t notice it actually made my hair smell any different.
The Results:
If I don’t use an intense hair mask or hydrating product in the shower after shampooing, my hair feels dry, like straw. It’s not cute.
This mask left my hair feeling soft, silky and strong. My colour also looked vibrant, which is always a plus. Oh, and I didn't need to use any heat tools for a frizz-free finish.
Pop it through your mid-lengths and ends for a few minutes after shampooing, and your hair should instantly feel softer and more nourished.
The Final Verdict...
I dig this hair mask, a lot.
But even more importantly, this Botanical Repair range is great for someone who has been hunting around for good quality vegan or natural hair care that A) doesn’t contain any animal or human proteins and B) puts the environment and sustainability practices first.
It's also pretty cool to see how far hair bond technology has come. In 2020, we can have nourished, strong hair while caring about the planet, too.
Love that for us.
