Brilliant Farmgirl's Beauty Secrets™

I rarely speak of hair care products and tips- most likely because it’s been a sore spot of mine as I rarely take care of my hair. I haven’t stepped foot into a salon for over 4 years as I’ve been cutting my own hair and I’ve been known to reinvent skincare products to double as “hair care” (See Farmgirl Beauty Secret #17).

My hair routine consists of: brushing once a day (if I remember), washing, conditioning and blow-drying. I have the greasiest hair known to man so I HAVE to wash it everyday. Conventional conditioners on the market are simply not strong enough to counter the drying effects of daily shampooing and my ends suffer the consequences. I was also testing various “natural” conditioners” in an effort to go green for my shampoos/conditioners and while I’ve had luck with shampoos, natural conditioners just lack pizzazz. They leave my unruly hair drier, poofier and they strip my hair of shine.

And yes, I am Asian. Isn’t beautiful, glossy hair a trait bestowed upon all Asian women? Where’s my gorgeous Asian hair?! I found the answer within my question- If I want Asian hair, I need Asian hair care. So a few months back, I picked up the famed Shiseido Tsubaki Conditioner (white-gold bottle) at my local Japanese grocery store. No, the ingredients are not as clean as I like it to be. If anything, the ingredient list reads like a pretty typical conditioner, which I was kind of bummed about. But I’ve had much experience with true Japanese skincare products (manufactured in Japan using ingredients from Japanese suppliers), I swear they use different grades of ingredients than they do in the states. For example, “Mineral oil” used in Japanese products feels and works better than “mineral oil” formulas in the states, and that applies to many ingredients. It’s the strangest phenomenon and really challenges what I know to be true about ingredients.

Shiseido Tsubaki ingredients (english, but not a complete list- hate it when they do that!):

Shiseido Tsubaki ingredients in Japanese:

Anyways, I gave Shiseido Tsubaki a shot. I’m so glad I did. Upon first use, my hair was softer than it had been in ages. I need only the tiniest bit to condition my long hair- about 2/3 less than what I need with conventional conditioners, to be exact. It really hydrates and softens my hair, but I still felt like something was missing- what does a girl have to do to get hair that swings and bounces like it’s in a Pantene commercial?

I had to look further than the Pantene hair care aisle, that’s for sure. I started researching hair care and found an awesomely clever haircare line, Living Proof., created by couple of geniuses from M.I.T. Instead of making products with run-of-the-mill ingredients, they have a team of scientists inventing new formulations with ingredients never before used by other companies. The result: not only did it Living Proof. No Frizz Conditioner de-frizz my mane, it completely improved the overall texture of my hair. You know how frizzy, dry hair tends to possess a gravity-defying quality? Well, this made my hair healthier and more substantial while giving my hair a sleek appearance.

Living Proof. No Frizz ingredients:

I feel like I’m on to something here. By alternating between these 2 conditioners, my hair is improving steadily. It provides the benefits of both conditioners but it doesn’t cost more than using 1 conditioner at a time. Do you alternate between conditioners? Which are your favorites?