I think all of us curly ladies and gents understand the emotional journey of searching for our perfect hair products: a treasure hunt that can lead to either a new holy grail product or a head full of frizz. It can be overwhelming to sort through the thousands of products out there, trying to identify the quality of the ingredients and how the products might interact with our hair. And then once we make our choices, the nail-biting experience of bringing home our haul of products and praying that we didn’t just waste half a paycheck as we wait for our hair to dry into (hopefully!) angelic curls. I feel ya. I hear ya. And I’m here to help you out.
At Statusphere we are launching a line of reviews on hair products in order to save you time, money, and (hopefully) some stress. For each product we will give a run down on the ingredients, experience using the product, and how the product affected our hair! Today we’re talking about Noughty Wave Hello Curl Defining Shampoo and Conditioner.
Good for your hair, good for the environment
One thing I love about Noughty products is that they are all 97% natural. According to the website, the other 3% is “made up of the preservative system, which stops the product from going off after opening, emulsifying agents, which are necessary to stop ingredients from separating, and some lovely fragrances to make your hair smell delicious.” Also, the products are never tested on animals, and they are all vegetarian- and vegan-friendly, meaning they leave out common animal by-products like lanolin and keratin from their haircare products.
Ingredients, and why they’re important
Like I’ve already mentioned, the ingredients used in Noughty products are primarily natural, and are gentle on your hair. The company as a whole does not use sulfates, silicones, parabens, and petrochemicals, and the Wave Hello Curl Defining Shampoo and Conditioner is also free from non-natural oils, drying alcohols, meaning that it’s safe for those who follow the Curly Girl Method, like yours truly! For those who are not following the Curly Girl Method, what this all means is that the shampoo and conditioner is full of good-for-your-hair moisturizing ingredients and free from ingredients that will damage your lovely curls and waves.
Shampoo ingredients: Aqua/Water/Eau, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate, Glycerin, Sodium Lauroyl Methyl Isethionate, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Benzoate, Parfum (Fragrance), Potassium Sorbate, Polyquaternium-6, Coco-Glucoside, Glycol Distearate, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Sodium Phytate, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (Orange) Peel Oil, Pelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil, Chondrus Crispus (Carrageenan) Extract, Citric Acid, Persea Gratissima (Avocado) Oil, Laminaria Digitata Extract, Crithmum Maritimum Extract, Benzyl Salicylate, Linalool, Butylphenyl Methylpropional.
Conditioner ingredients: Aqua/Water/Eau, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil, Glyceryl Stearate, Cetrimonium Chloride, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter, Coco-Caprylate, Glycerin, Olea Europaea (Olive) Fruit Oil, Parfum (Fragrance), Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Benzoate, Citric Acid, Persea Gratissima (Avocado) Oil, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Phytate, Chondrus Crispus (Carrageenan) Extract, Laminaria Digitata Extract, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (Orange) Peel Oil, Pelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil, Crithmum Maritimum Extract, Potassium Sorbate, Benzyl Salicylate, Linalool, Butylphenyl Methylpropional.
Experience using the shampoo: wave hello to the ocean!
The first thing I will say is that the shampoo has a fairly strong scent. It’s a nice smell – sort of like a seaside spa – but it was stronger than I expected. It dissipated pretty quickly, but if you are sensitive to smells this is something to consider. The shampoo itself is shimmery, which is fun! I lathered the shampoo into the roots and top couple of inches of my hair, massaging it vigorously into the scalp with my fingertips. The lather was actually quite nice for a sulphate-free shampoo, but it doesn’t last super long. I actually grabbed a little more shampoo halfway through to reinvigorate the lather, but you certainly wouldn’t have to. For those of you who are used to traditional shampoos with sulfates, I want to prepare you that the lather won’t be as much as you’re used to, as sulfates are the ingredients in traditional shampoos that cause the most of the lather. Rest assured, your hair will still get clean! The shampoo makes use of gentler cleansers that lather less than traditional shampoos, but still do the job. After I rinsed my hair, it felt clean but not stripped of it’s natural moisture. I was ready for conditioner!
Experience using the conditioner
The conditioner had a similar scent as the shampoo, so the same notes apply. The conditioner itself was a very thick, creamy texture which I love , but if you prefer a lighter, milkier conditioner this is something to consider. Heavy conditioners like this one often take a little more work to get them to absorb into the hair, so I mixed it with a little bit of water before applying to my hair all over. I made a point to vigorously squish it into my hair and allowed it to sit in the hair for about 10 minutes. I rinsed out about 70% of the conditioner to allow it to also operate as a leave-in conditioner.
Results: Hello, frizz-free curls!
After using the shampoo and conditioner my hair felt clean but well moisturized. My hair felt manageable as I styled it, and after my styling was done (a process involving leave-in conditioner, gel, and a diffuser), my hair felt soft and looked defined. I really liked the results I got – my curls had lots of life and volume, plus I knew I was nourishing my strands as well as caring for the environment!
Quick look:
- Price: Good value for a product with such high-quality ingredients – ~$10 for 8oz.
- Scent: A little strong but dissipates quickly; reminds me of a seaside spa.
- Curly Girl Method Safe? Yes! Please note that the conditioner has coconut ingredients and glycerin if your hair is sensitive to either of these.
- Ingredients: 97% natural, vegan- and vegetarian-friendly, free from sulfates, parabens, silicones, waxes, non-natural oils, petrochemicals, and drying alcohols
- Bottom Line Recommendation: I would recommend this product to my curly and wavy friends who are looking for a sulfate-free shampoo and a nice, creamy conditioner.
