Ok let’s take a little wellness Wednesday time and discuss the “importance” of CLEAN ̶e̶a̶t̶i̶n̶g̶, ahem, CLEAN ‘producting’. By that we mean clean, naturally based products that have ingredients you can actually understand (read/pronounce). From a wellness standpoint, clean eating is included in everything related to diet and fitness these days, and we wonder if the same thing truly translates in the world of hair care, or if it really matters at all…
By ‘matters at all’ we mean if you are using a product that claims to be plant based or naturally based, does that honestly really matter or does it perform any better (or worse) than a product that was formulated using synthetic ingredients by technicality.
Case study starts here – we came across Biolage’s R.A.W. (Real. Authentic. Wholesome.) line recently and have some interesting things to say about it…read more…
First things first – when we took a look at Biolage’s R.A.W. line, we wondered if the products were also edible?! The bottles of shampoo and conditioner have a slight resemblance to fresh made juice bottles that you’d find at your local health food or grocery store. Even the consistency/opaquness of the product appears to look like it is food, not ‘soap’ so to speak.
Just look at the photo of their ‘Nourish’ shampoo and conditioner – does it not look like some sort of delicious honey goodness?
Now on to the products we tried. The Colour Care Shampoo and Conditioner is forumulated with coconut milk & meadowfoam and is Biolage R.A.W.’s ‘most caring, natural-origin formula’ yet. It helps protect color-treated hair, leaving it soft and shiny with lasting color vibrancy. The formula is decent and if you like the smell of coconut then you’ll be in to all of these products in general. It definitely leaves a shine to your hair (your first day hair) and is lightweight but still delivers enough conditioning effects.
We also tried the Re-Hab Clay Mask because hey who doesn’t love a little more boost in their conditioning treatments? Again the mask looks like something edible – imagine cool whip and buttercream vanilla frosting came together to create something decadent for your hair to binge on. On bleached or damaged hair this mask will work wonders. If you already have healthy hair, it may give it a boost or slight improvement. Either way, the mask conditions but also washes/rinses out properly, not sticking around and weighing your hair down. 
Finally we tried the Heat Styling Primer before blow drying and styling – the product offers heat protection for up to 450 degrees F. Generally speaking for prep products there is rarely a wow factor, these are like add-ons to your more specific performance products like a volumizing or texturizing spray. However, if you’re going to use any, ANY product on your hair prior to heat, you MUST use a heat protectant. That, we mean, is hair care 101, right? We liked the consistency of the formula, a little goes a long way. It didn’t leave our hair feeling greasy or weighed down and it is a no-brainer to use anytime you’re picking up a blow dryer on wet hair.
So HAIR’S the RAW deal here folks – while we appreciate brands moving towards a more natural approach in their formulations, we still have a stick up our ass about whether or not the products are going to PERFORM. Biolage’s RAW line is a meld of naturally based formulas with thought behind them too in regards to not just being a bottle of coconut oil and calling it a day. If you’re looking for an option that adheres to both performance and natural ingredients, this is a line to try for sure.