haircare

Haircare Review: Profound Beauty

by PJ on Friday, October 26, 2007

in haircare

(image from profoundbeauty.com)


It is always a delight when I find something that really works, in this case, for my hair. I usually need haircare products that bring deep moisture to my hair and styling products that give weight and texture to tame my unruly ends. Among the products I have tried from Profound Beauty, there are many great finds.

Profound Beauty is an extensive salon haircare and hair-styling line that caters to a wide range of hair types and styling needs.

(60/40 Shampoo & 05/95 Conditioner)

60/40 Shampoo is a very efficient hair cleansing product for me. I wear hair-styling products very often and I sometimes have to wash my hair twice to make sure there is no residue of any styling product. With this shampoo, one wash is enough. Even though it is designed for dry hair, It can still be a little drying for me (since it is a very efficient cleanser). But the 05/95 Conditioner complements it extremely well, leaving my hair smooth and silky.

(The numbers in the product names indicate how moisturizing they are. The shampoos come in 95/05, 90/10, 80/20, and 60/40, while the conditioners come in 40/60, 20/80, 10/90, and 05/95. The higher the second number of the pair, the more moisturizing the product is.)

(Linear Serum & Frizz Zero Cream)


Both Frizz Zero Cream and Linear Serum combat frizzy hair effectively. Frizz Zero Cream is essentially a leave-in conditioner. Even though the texture of the cream is very light, it works superbly well in bringing some weight and taming my fluffy ends, leaving the hair fresh and well-conditioned. Linear Serum is a simple silicone-based serum that has a very light watery texture and doesn’t leave hair greasy. (But, in this case, I’d personally prefer something more concentrated and heavy-duty, like John Frieda Frizz-Ease Hair Serum Extra Strength.)

(Stucco & Arctic Chill)


Arctic Chill and Stucco are very different styling products, but both work well for my hair and have individual strengths. Usually, I don’t use a hair mousse because it gives me unnecessary volume. But Arctic Chill is a mousse that gives a glossy and sleek finish and takes away volume instantly. Stucco is a thick paste-like cream that has a completely matte finish and effectively gives texture and effortless definition.

Overall I am very pleased with what I have tried, especially the Frizz Zero Cream and the two styling products. Among the three, I have not used anything that performs quite like Arctic Chill, which is a particularly good find for me.

Other Haircare Reviews:

Dove Cool Moisture Shampoo & Conditioner

James Brown London (featuring Kate Moss)

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James Brown London Haircare Review

by PJ on Friday, October 19, 2007

in haircare

(Kate Moss for James Brown London)
(image from www.jamesbrownlondon.com/)

James Brown, a noted British hairdresser and session stylist, launched his own haircare range on October 1.

The James Brown London haircare range is a collaboration between James Brown and his long-term friend (and once housemate) Kate Moss. James Brown is in charge of the formulation while Kate Moss has input in packaging, fragrance, and marketing (as the model).

(James Brown London haircare range)
(From left: Dry Hair Conditioner
Styling Balm, and Dry Hair Shampoo)


I do like the packaging, in terms of both aesthetics and practicality. The minimal and sophisticated packaging looks great on bathroom shelves. (If all my products in my bathroom look like these, the shelves will appear much less cluttered.)

I also like the design of the shampoo and conditioner dispensers. The swivel caps (seen below) make it very easy to dispense the product. No fiddling when your hands are wet in the shower. Also, the tube design means there is very little waste at the end.

(the swivel caps)

Performance-wise, Dry Hair Shampoo cleanses gently and doesn’t strip the hair. It also foams exceptionally well so I need less per use than usual. In a way, it justifies the cost. (All James Brown items are sold at 5.99 pounds. They are affordable but are still more expensive than many other haircare ranges.)

The main selling point of Dry Hair Conditioner is that it is silicone-free. If you don’t like any silicone derivatives in your conditioner, then this one might be worth considering. But it is slightly too weak for my liking. I personally don’t mind a little bit of silicone on my hair and I would like my conditioner to be more heavy-duty and more emollient.

As for Styling Balm, I have been enjoying using it. The very balmy and waxy texture keeps my unruly ends at bay. The scent is very subtle, so it is particularly good if I am wearing any fragrance.

(the Styling Balm)


Overall, Styling Balm is my favorite among the three, followed by Dry Hair Shampoo. As for Dry Hair Conditioner, it would not be hard for me to find other products that suit my hair a lot better.

Currently, the James Brown London range is sold exclusively in Boots stores in the UK.

Related Post:

Dove Haircare Review

(where you can also see a profile of my hair if you’d like to know the criteria of my haircare reviews)

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(Dove Cool Moisture Shampoo (right)
and Cool Moisture Conditioner)

Since it is my first time to review haircare products, I think I will begin by giving you a profile of my own hair and my haircare needs.

I have short-length and naturally wavy hair. Volume is never something I need to boost up, since I have a lot of hair. But my hair can be on the puffy and unruly side, so I use hair products (cleansing, conditioning, and styling) that tend to de-volumize my hair and make it look flatter, sleeker, and more groomed.

I use styling products (mostly gel and spray) regularly so I wash my hair daily. I have slightly oily scalp but my hair can be a little dry. I almost never use any electronic product that generates heat (I very rarely blow-dry my hair), and I only color-treated my hair once many years ago. My hairdressers often say I seem to be doing everything right to care for my hair and that my hair is very healthy, which I am always pleased to hear.

Okay…this should set the background for my review.

The best thing about the Dove Cool Moisture line is that these two products work very well together. Designed for all hair types, the shampoo cleanses effectively and the conditioner complements it very well. Used alone, the shampoo is a bit drying on my hair and reminds me slightly of deep-cleansing shampoos that I have used (that I only use once a week). so I do feel the need to use the conditioner right after shampooing.

Some shampoos I have used can leave my hair itchy. This one doesn’t. The conditioner is light and doesn’t leave the hair lumpy.

The bottles say that they have “a touch of cucumber and green tea fragrance“, but to me, they smell like sweet melons. But I do like the smell, which is actually quite long-lasting…

Overall, as products for all hair types, they perform well. But I would personally prefer products that give my hair a bit more moisture and conditioning.

There are a couple more haircare posts coming up in October. So do stay tuned!

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