March Birchbox - Macadamia Healing Oil Treatment

This is, honest to goodness, my first time trying hair oils. So take this review with that in mind, since I have absolutely zero basis for comparison. But as I have said, Birchbox is a great means to try new things. To step out of one's comfort zone and perhaps find something wonderful.

And that's exactly what happened!

This little miracle in a bottle is awesome!

First and foremost, a little goes a long (loooooooong) way. I only need a couple of drops for each of the three sections of my hair. And I have a lot of hair.

Second, the smell is fabulous. Clean, subtle, kind of beachy. But really, it smells like vacation. Like relaxation and calm happiness. I know, I know. Talk about abstract. But it really does make me feel happier with my existence.

Now, on the Birchbox website, it mentions that it shortens the dry time of your hair by pushing out excess water. I can't speak much to that, because I literally threw this in my hair, combed it through, and then put my hair into a bun.

What I can say is that when I took my bun down after a long day of work, my hair was gorgeous! Soft, silky, shiny, luxurious. It felt healed and supple for the first time in a long time this winter. I even made sure to leave a few days between this Macadamia product and the masque I reviewed a couple of days ago, just to be sure that I would get an honest opinion of each item on its own.

This stuff has blown me away. Really, it has.

I'm super excited to have found something new that can help with severely damaged hair. Now I have something I can strongly recommend to everyone I know. Because it honestly works!

Happy day! Thanks for reading!

March Birchbox - Macadamia Masque

I have a love/hate relationships with masques. I always have.

I very rarely use them, but that's mainly because every time I have used a hair masque, my hair has come out the other side greasy, smelly, and oddly textured. In fact, I recently purchased a hair masque from Sally's Beauty because I got one for free with the renewal of my membership. And you remember in the beginning, how I said sometimes it's great when you get something cheap or free because it sucks?

This was one of those times. The masque I bought left my hair so oily, that even after two washes later in the day, it still looked like I hadn't showered in a week. And now that dirt cheap product is sitting in my shower, languishing away because I refuse to use it.

So when I saw this Macadamia Oil Deep Repair Masque in my box, I was tentative. But I figured that it deserved a shot. Everything deserves a shot.

And I'm so glad I gave this stuff a chance!

This is made with macadamia and tea tree oil. I'm sure we all know the benefits of tea tree oil, but the macadamia is still a bit of a mystery for me.

Right out of the sample packet, this product is different from every other masque that I've tried. It was thick and felt kind of similar to room temperature coconut oil, but it didn't leave a greasy feeling on my hands. That's always a bonus.

It smelled nice. Clean, natural, nothing too overpowering. And it spread out nicely.

Now, on the Birchbox directions, they recommended rinsing it out with cool water. But I always use my masques when I'm in the shower, mainly so that I don't have to hop in and out over and over again, or lean awkwardly over the tub to rinse out my hair. 

So I did what I do with all conditioners (and you should do, too), and rinsed with lukewarm water. It helps seal your follicles to keep your hair looking cleaner, longer. And it seemed to suffice for this masque just fine. 

After my hair had dried, I noticed that it did seem pretty calm. Normally, winter for my hair is spent entirely up in a ponytail because the dry air makes it frizzy and unmanageable. But this product seemed to limit that. It kept it shiny and relatively free of flyaways all day long. 

But it was the next day where my hair truly shined! I only wash my hair every other day, so when I woke up to see that my hair looked soft, smooth, shiny, and flaw free, I about died. None of my usual lumps and bumps from a long night of restless sleeping. Just straight, calm hair. 

So yeah, I have to say, this product is pretty impressive. If I had more money, I would probably commit to the full size. My recommendation, though: put it in at night, rinse it out, then pull your hair into a loose top knot or sock bun to let it dry. I can guarantee you this will give you the best waves and curls ever. And no heat's needed!

If you try it, let me know how it works out for you!

Thanks for reading.