Like any good makeup "junkie", I am always searching for products that are different, useful, or just plain cool. I recently discovered a line of hair care that truly has a unique niche - hemp seed oil! No, it's not what you're thinking. Alterna salon hair care with hemp seed oil is completely drug-free and contains only the oil from the plant seed, which has fatty acids that are excellent at conditioning and preventing moisture loss. Sounds good to me! Have a look at a few of the products I tried:

Hemp Seed Shampoo ($12.75 for 10.1 ounces)
First of all, I have to comment on the shapes of the packaging of these products - very retro looking long neck bottles in reds, yellows, and greens. You'll be thinking lava lamps and bell bottoms in no time :) This is a great all-purpose, everyday shampoo for any type of hair. The hemp seed oil does lightly moisturize, but I also like to use the daily conditioner (mentioned below) for the best results.

Weekly Clarifying Shampoo ($12.75 for 10.1 ounces)
Although this shampoo does contain an extra cleansing ingredient, and does not contain any hemp seed oil, I can't say it works wonders in the "build-up removal" department. For someone with slightly oily hair, it could be a nice choice as a daily shampoo. If you are looking for more effective deep cleaning, try Origins No Deposit or ABBA Molasses Purifier instead.

Hemp Seed Restorative Conditioner ($14.75 for 10.1 ounces)
I liked this conditioner very much, especially together with the hemp seed oil shampoo. It smooths and softens the hair without a heavy build-up. The bottle is pretty cool, too :)

Volumizing Spray/Leave-in Conditioner ($11.75 for 8.5 ounces)
If you have fine hair, prefer a spray conditioner, or just need a little extra moisture, this multi-purpose product is a great cross between treatment and styling aid. For fine hair, spray it directly on the roots, then comb it through for the best results. One little note: the very long-necked bottle takes a little getting used to (can be tricky to hold onto while spraying).

Styling & Nutritive Creme Gel ($10.75 for 5.1 ounces)
For quick and easy styling, this product is great if you like light control. A quarter-sized dab worked through the hair is just right for lightweight control and smoothing. You can use it on every type of hair - wet or dry, curly or straight, long or short.

Hemp Seed Shine & Texturizing Catalyst ($10.75 for 3.4 ounces)
Of all the Alterna products, this is my favorite. Use a dime size amount for short/medium hair, or about a quarter size for longer hair for amazing shine and manageability. I like to use it on my damp hair just before blowdrying - it smooths my frizz-prone ends, adds shine, and gives just the right amount of light, natural control without being sticky, crunchy, or oily like some gels or mousses.

Alterna won't eliminate bad hair days or give you the movie star style you've always dreamed of, but it is a fun and effective line of products that are nicely moisturizing. I give them two thumbs up! For more information about Alterna, visit their website at http://www.4alterna.com, or check a salon near you.