Keep it in the family

Have you ever been told by a professional who is rendering service to you that you need to use the entire family of products to achieve a synergistic effect? I have, quite a few times. Let me tell you why they are mistaken.

This is old news, sort of a sales pitch/wives tale invented by some marketing genius to get you to spend more with their company. Almost all of the different families of products contain somewhat similar ingredients and the are also manufactured by one of the few major manufacturing facilities that exist in the USA. Let me rephrase it this way, same general ingredients, same manufacturers, different labeling and packaging.

No all products don't contain the same ingredients for example, there are good ingredients and there are cheap ingredients. Companies like Suave and Pantene use cheaper, harsher and more abrasive ingredients in their products to produce their $3 shampoo. The results you get from these cheap ingredients can be dryer hair and skin, breakouts along your hairline, a waxy build-up in your hair (ehhhm Pantene) or severe drying of your skin. Companies like Alterna and Kevin.Murphy use more costly ingredients which results in a refined product. They tend to eliminate synthetic preservatives (parabens) and GMO (soy, corn) so your body and our environment doesn't have to pay they price. So if you use a Suave shampoo it will not make you Alterna conditioner any less effective, but trust me that Suave shampoo is making your color fade way faster and isn't benefiting the health of your hair and scalp at all. 

So when you are out choosing products just keep in mind what options are the most important to you. Is it cost? Is it the quality of the ingredients? Are you looking for a targeted result (stiff, soft, color protecting) Is it the design of the product (how it fits in your hand, stays upright in your shower, dispenses easily) Whatever decision you make know that your product is working despite the fact that you haven't purchased it's companion or two or three. I personally like to try 1 to 2 items in a line before I will commit to purchasing any more. Suit yourself.

Overnight Hair Rescue, Caviar Anti-Aging by Alterna

This product is amazing in so many ways, I'll just start with a few reasons why I love it​

• You apply it at night and leave it in your hair, no bother with waiting 20-30 minutes to rinse and then dry.
• It is not greasy, sticky or tacky so when you apply it to your hair at night you can instantly go to bed and you won't have grease stains on your pillow​
• The effects are cumulative so the more you apply the healthier your hair becomes, unlike masks and deep conditioners which just temporarily boost the moisture.​
• Even with consistent use it 1 bottle lasts a long time, which is good because I think it retails somewhere in the $50-60 range​
• Everyone can benefit from it, if you're a blonde who wants to protect your dry, brittle or over-processed hair. If you are a brunette who wants more shine and happy hair. If you are trying to grow your hair out it will prevent split ends and boost elasticity. If you wear your hair short it will keep it healthy and prevent it from drying out. If you color your hair it will immediately boost the shine. If you wear your natural color it will make you feel like you are really spoiling yourself and it will additionally make your hair shiny like its been colored.​
• ​You shampoo it out in the morning, or whenever you get around to shampooing your hair, you'll never know it's in there if you skip the shampoo until next time. 

​Alterna Overnight Hair Rescue

Overnight Hair Rescue works by penetrating deeply into the hair, delivering vital nutrients for transformational results while you sleep. It helps to seal split ends, and strengthen hair from root to tips​, while simultaneously restoring shine and improving elasticity.

To apply: Dispense a dime sized amount of product into the palm of your hand, emulsify the product between your two palms (like your going to wash your palms) and apply to the roots of your hair. Dispense an additional dime to nickle sized amount, emulsify again and apply to mid shaft and ends. Viola, you're all done. Wasn't that easy? Now braid your hair, cuz it's cute and go to bed. Below is a video with a more detailed explanation of the process. Michael Sean Corby gives the demonstration, I love him! I've had the opportunity to meet him 3 times because he has family in Nampa (poor guy). I think you might enjoy it. ​