Phillip Kingsley Smooth & Shiny Review

You might remember my post last week on how dry my skin on my body had been…well my hair had been feeling quite similar as well. Ever seem I came back from holiday, it has just felt a bit dry and coarse. I think it was caused by all the lovely sunshine and salty water…. not complaining about that but my hair was definitely in desperate need of a fix.

So I picked up the Phillip Kingsley Smooth and Shiny trial pack whilst I was in the M&S beauty hall on Oxford Street recently. A little off topic but have you been in there? If not you really should check it out. They have done such a great job and have a nice range of brands/products.

Now onto the review. It’s no secret that I have a love affair with the Phillip Kingsley Elasticizer and have written about it in the past. I used to use it back when my hair was relaxed. If you don’t know about the brand, you definitely need to check them out.  Phillip Kingsley is one of the most renowned trichologists and has over 55 years of trichological experience. The retail brand is a trichologically driven hair and scalp range and has won numerous awards. The Elasticizer itself was originally created for the legendary Audrey Hepburn and is a hero product for many people.  However since going natural I have been trying a whole range of new products and thought it might be good to see how an old faithful would perform on my now curly afro hair.

#28 Hair Ye, Hair Ye: Phillip Kingsley’s Elasticizer Review

So over the last few weeks I have been trying out Phillip Kingsley’s Elasticizer- an intensive super moisturising treatment.

They say it’s a highly concentrated moisturising treatment that’s suitable for all hair types and helps to improve suppleness, stretch ability, bounce and shine.
You are meant to use it before shampooing by applying it to wet hair and covering it with a shower cap for 10-20minutes before washing.

Now what’s quite interesting, is it seems to have received mixed reviews – with some people saying they didn’t really notice any difference to their hair's condition or they actually felt like their hair came out coarser afterwards! Personally I loved, loved, and loved it! I think one of the reasons their hair came out coarser was because, wait for it – they just didn’t follow the instructions. You will have noticed that it mentioned leaving it on for 10-20 minutes, well several people were writing about leaving it for 45 minutes, 2 hours and even overnight.

Now the only reason I can be so smug is not because I always follow instructions (I have been known to strut around the house with conditioner + shower cap in my hair for hours much to the distress of Mr Lotions & Potions – who feels this wasn’t part of our marriage contract) but because when I bought my Elasticizer, I bought it in a salon and was lucky enough to be advised to follow the timing instructions carefully. This is because apparently the product works to strengthen your hair and return it to its natural healthier state prior to any damage. Now with this warning ringing in my head and with visions flashing of me washing it out and seeing my relaxed hair revert to its afro state – trust me I was watching my clock with precision.

My hair came out softer (its in the I need to be relaxed state again so this was a big deal), more manageable, silky and with continued use it seems much stronger as well.

You can buy Elasticizer from most salons and it’s also available at www.hqhair.com/ for £23.50