As my final installment in the Aveda Smooth Infusion series I wanted to review the products that make up the range and share with your my experiences in testing these out over the last four weeks.
Before I get into too much detail let me give you my overall impression. The Aveda Smooth Infusion range sets out to protect hair from humidity and banish frizz. On my wavy/ curly frizz prone hair I noticed a marked difference while using these products. Firstly, my hair was much smoother and had less texture and curl when left to dry naturally. Personally I prefer a little volume, and though I wouldn't say that these products weighed my hair down, they definitely made it more sleek. When used in conjunction with heat styling I noticed that (despite my best efforts) my hair didn't frizz as much as it normally would, however if I left my hair to air dry there were still quite a few flyaways to be found. Therefore, I think these products would be best suited to someone with frizz-prone hair who wants their sleek look to last a few hours longer, without having to worry about humidity. If you are someone who religiously straightens their hair this would be the perfect range as it will reduce the time needed for styling, protect from heat damage and ensure your style lasts!
The Shampoo contains an exclusive plant infusion—a blend derived from organic aloe, maize and guar bea to create a smooth new hair surface. Not only does this shampoo smell fantastic (herbal yet fresh) it gives a really lovely soft lather that feels moisturising and in no way strips the hair. As with most Aveda products this is great for use on a sensitive scalp, or dry, colour treated hair as it cleanses effectively while being gentle.
The Conditioner has a slightly stronger, more spicy smell than the shampoo, which is in-keeping with the range. Its rich texture makes it easy to use as both an everyday and a leave in conditioner. I tend to overdo it with conditioners, so the narrow nozzle made it easier to control the amount I was getting as you really don't need very much.
The Style-Prep Smoother contains hydrolized wheat protein to protect against surface damage from heat styling and organic tapioca to defend against humidity for up to 12 hours. I use 3-5 pumps of this (as I have quite a lot of hair) and spread it throughout the ponytail section of my hair. The formulation of this is very smooth, and not at all sticky, so it spreads easily and evenly throughout the hair. Since I am pretty lazy when it comes to hair, especially as I mostly wash it just before bed, I like the fact that this is a multi-functional product that tames, battles frizz and protects against heat styling damage.
The Glossing Straightener, as all other products in this range, smells lovely - a fresh yet spicy citrus-floral blend with rose oil and certified organic bergamot, palmarosa and Australian sandalwood. It contains natural cellulose to deliver long-lasting hold and maintain a straight style all day. However, as I rarely straighten my hair I have had less use of this product. The few times that I have straightened my hair with a flat iron I have noticed that my hair looked a little more shiny, though I can't be sure if this is due to the straightener, or the whole combination! I have however tried this on the ends of dry hair for a little 'pick me up' and it works well at defining sections, or applied sparingly throughout to reduce frizz.
I hope this review is helpful to some of my wild hair beauties - I will definitely be using these products in future when I am going for a straight style. Usually when I straighten my hair I leave it for 3 days before washing and it has always been a stretch. However, the Smooth Infusion range has really helped my style last longer, and anything that saves time on two work mornings deserves praise from me! If you missed my 'results' post with before and after photos you can check it out
here.
Let me know your thoughts on any of these products... I have been impressed by Aveda and am keen to try their range for curly hair next!
*This post was sponsored by Aveda as part of a month long challenge to see how the products perform*
