Hair Care Challenge: Ojon vs. Giovanni

I don’t spend as much time or money on makeup as I used to, and I have settled into a skin care routine that I like, but the one thing I continue to experiment with is my hair. It’s been long, short, layered, bobbed, colored and straightened, but the one thing that never changes is the frizz. Boy, do I hate that frizz! For probably 3-4 months I have been consistently using Giovanni Smooth as Silk Shampoo ($7.99 for 8.5oz) and Smooth as Silk Conditioner ($7.99 for 8.5oz), and for the most part I have been happy. The pair deal pretty well with my frizz, the ingredients are more on the natural side (which I really like), and they are readily available at the New Seasons Market where I buy my groceries. I have to admit I was pining for something a little more luxurious and pampering, and somehow I found myself at Sephora one day looking at hair care.

I explained to the saleswoman what I was looking for, and she enthusiastically escorted me to Ojon Shine & Protect Shampoo ($22 for 8.4oz) and Shine & Protect Conditioner ($24 for 8.4 oz). She swore that Ojon is amazing, that she uses the products herself, and so on and so on. I think they must be paid to say that stuff. I was compelled by the promise of super shiny and frizz-free hair, so I bought them both.

After about two months using Ojon, I have to say that the difference between my hair on Ojon and my hair on Giovanni was not all that noticeable. I also blew through the Ojon conditioner, as it is lighter and more fluid than the Giovanni. At $24 a bottle, I hoped it would last longer. I still have a ton of shampoo (you only need a little), so I continue to use it but I pair it with the Giovanni conditioner, which I now buy in bulk at the store for $8.99 per pound! I guess this is the best of both worlds, but once the Ojon shampoo is gone, I will be refilling my empty bottle with bulk Giovanni shampoo. Ojon was fun to try, but for the price and what it does for my hair, I am sticking with Giovanni.

- Heather
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Greet summer with something fresh and new

Sweet Grass Farm, a New Hampshire based manufacturer of all-natural soaps and herbal body products, has something new that you need to try: Farmhouse Triple Milled Soap ($5.95). Following in the 19th century French tradition of hard milled soaps, these are made from olive oil and infused with shea butter, vitamins and moisturizers. You get a thick, frothy lather, perfect for the shower, and it’s a nice big bar that lasts, rather than melting away after a week or so like so many other natural soaps. My personal favorite is Fresh White Lilac – LOVE lilac! – and it is also available in Lavender and Lemon Verbena.

Marissa’s Pick of the Week

I’m starting my tanning early, thanks to Guerlain’s new Guerlain Terracotta Sunless Smoothing Self-Tanning Emulsion. This self-tanner is tinted and absorbs into your skin fast, and I do mean fast. I tried it for the first time at Saks, in the middle of the day. I put some of it on the back of my hand to smooth onto my face. Not even thirty seconds later, I had a dark mark on my hand and I had to use an exfoliating scrub to get it off. Anything that works that fast is right on for me! But even more than a great self-tanner, this product also serves as a moisturizer. There is no SPF in this self-tanner (so make sure you use one every day!), but this is a great triple duty product: instant color, moisturizer and self-tanner!

- Marissa
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