In case you missed the memo, cleansing oils are in.
If the thought of putting oils on your scalp terrifies you, don’t feel bad. I used to be like that too. When it comes to my hair, I have the worst of both worlds: greasy roots and dry ends. I wouldn’t even let conditioner go near my roots, let alone oil. I also was afraid that oils would weigh my ultra-fine, straight locks down. In other words…I basically steered clear of any hair-related products with the word “oil”.
But with the emergence of so many oil-based hair products on the market, I figured there must be a benefit to using them.
Turns out, the best way to fight oil is…well…with oil! Cleansing oils work to balance the hair’s natural oil levels by gently clearing the scalp of impurities and build-up. The result? Soft, supple, and brilliantly shiny hair…or so they say.
L’Oréal Professionel recently launched new products from their ever-popular Mythic Oil
collection: Mythic Oil Souffle D’Or. Infused with argan oil, safflower oil, and real gold particles that leave hair “shiny with an airy touch”, the shampoo and conditioner duo promises brilliant, supple and divine-smelling hair that “myths are made of.”
“Souffle D’Or is not better or worse than the original Mythic Oil,” explains Matthew Collins, celebrity hairstylist, co-owner of Brennen Demelo Studios in Toronto, and ID artist for L’Oréal Professionel. “It’s meant to add brilliance to otherwise drab hair, whereas the original Mythic Oil is meant for hydration.”
Souffle D’Or and Mythic Oil can be used interchangeably – depending on the effect you’d like on your hair (ie. if your hair needs some brilliance, but still requires extra hydration, opt for the Souffle D’Or shampoo and L’Oréal Mythic Oil Noursishin Conditioner
). As Collins put it, think of it as the lipgloss you put over your lipstick, but only with hair. It can be used on all hair types, and is paraben, silicone, and sulfate-free.
Since my hair had become rather damaged and blah over the summer, I decided to give Souffle D’Or a test drive to see if it would really give me that shine and brilliance.
Here are my findings:
Souffle D’Or Sparkling Shampoo
Collins suggests for best results to shampoo twice to get the “grit and dirt” off. For the first shampoo, apply a quarter or nickle-sized amount to your scalp. Scrub hair when it’s wet, and don’t panic when it doesn’t lather. For the second shampoo, use an even smaller amount. The product should begin to lather. Collins also notes to not miss the spot at the back of your head – an area often overlooked by many.
Using Collins’ tips, I applied a minimal amount of Souffle D’Or Sparkling Shampoo to my scalp (back of head included). Luckily he gave warning of the “no-lather” during the first shampoo, otherwise I would have piled on tons more product. The second shampoo didn’t give me as much lather as I would have liked (was it because my hair was extra oily? Was there too much debris? Did I not scrub enough the first time? I still don’t know…), so I ended up doing 2.5 shampoos (in other words, I added more product during the second round).
The shampoo definitely had a strong “salon” smell to it…I guess that’s what you get when you use a “professional” product. I wasn’t a fan of the scent and didn’t like how it stayed with me over the next few days.
I was a little bit anxious about the gold flecks (I had visions of my hair in the ‘90s after using copious amounts of glitter spray), but thankfully, it rinsed out easily, and didn’t cause a mess in my shower.
Souffle D’Or Sparkling Conditioner
The Souffle D’Or conditioner is a gel formula. I was apprehensive about how nourishing it would be, but I followed the instructions (apply to towel dried hair, leave on three minutes, rinse). I didn’t apply it to my roots (maybe that fear hasn’t completely gone away), and instead put it on the middle of my strands and worked my way towards the ends. After rinsing it out, my hair didn’t feel as soft as I would have liked. I learned after a few uses however, that it helps to detangle your hair while the conditioner is still covering your strands.
The Results
The first few times I used the Souffle D’Or collection, I felt that my hair became oily faster than usual. Maybe it was paranoia, or maybe it was because I couldn’t stop running my fingers through my uber-smooth locks, but it almost made me stop using the product completely. However, after a few more uses, everything seemed to even out, and I was able to get away with a few days without washing, with the help of some dry shampoo.
As I said earlier, the scent was a bit overpowering for my liking, though I did receive lots of compliments on how great it smelled after using the Souffle D’Or range. To make sure you like the smell, be sure to give it a good whiff before buying.
My hair definitely looked much more radiant and shiny and I was pleasantly surprised at how light and bouncy it was. I had also just recently lightened my locks, and the Souffle D’Or range gave it some extra oomph and depth, and really brought out the lighter strands beautifully. However, since the conditioner wasn’t nourishing enough for my damaged ends, I feel as though the “brilliant” effect was lost when it came to the bottom of my tresses.
Would I use the product again? Yes, but not on the regular. For every day, I personally prefer a more texturized, messy look to my hair, but I would definitely use the Souffle D’Or shampoo for special occasions when I want my hair to have that “supermodel” shine and radiance. As my ends are super dry, I actually prefer the original Mythic Oil conditioner as opposed to the Souffle D’Or version, but I did quite like using the Souffle D’Or as a detangler.
L’Oréal Professionel Mythic Oil Souffle D’Or Sparkling Shampoo and Conditioner are available at salons.
*I was not financially compensated by L’Oréal for this post. I received complimentary product samples from a Souffle D’Or launch event. The opinions are completely my own based on my experience.
