Bondi Boost HG Shampoo Review: Does It Really Work?
I bought Bondi Boost HG Shampoo on a whim one day, on my lunch break. It was kind of expensive and promised to clean my hair and help it grow faster at the same time. But does it really work and it worth the price tag?
I have been using Bondi Boost HG Shampoo for years. It’s a bit on the expensive side but I find myself going back to it time and time again. This is why.
I bought Bondi Boost HG (hair growth) shampoo on a whim one day, on my lunch break, because I saw a pharmacy and couldn’t find a reason not to get it. I had been wanting to try it for a while but kept putting it off because the bottles are kind of pricey for the size. That day at the pharmacy, I caved. It was a moment of weakness, but I’m actually really glad I did.
I have fine hair that errs on the side of dry, but my hair usually also needs a product that foams. Without that, my scalp just doesn’t feel clean and my hair doesn’t sit right on my head. Honestly, day two hair starts looking like day four hair. It’s a real pain. So I’m cautious about what products I use. The issue with that is, a lot of shampoo that lathers has sulphate in it. And we don’t like that because it strips your hair of natural oils. We’re after hydrated curls and waves and a fresh scalp. Bondi Boost shampoo is good because, not only is it vegan and cruelty-free, it’s sulphate-free but somehow it actually foams and cleans your hair without drying out your hair completely. That’s a win, in my books.
Part of the selling point for this product is that it promotes hair growth. That’s not why I bought it, but it’s a bonus if it works.
Before
Before I started with Bondi Boost, I was mostly using Shea Moisture Castor Oil shampoo, which was great but my hair gets sick of products quite quickly, so I need a few on rotation. If I keep using the same one, my hair ends up looking knotty and generally terrible. So I like to try new ones. My hair was getting really tired of Shea Moisture (which is nothing on the brand, I love their products) so Bondi Boost seemed to be a good alternative to test out.
Review
The instructions say to use a small amount on wet hair, lather and rinse, so that’s what’s I did. The first thing I noticed was that the product is almost transparent and smells like overwhelmingly peppermint — a unique choice for shampoo, but I rolled with it.
As per the directions on the bottle, I rubbed a small amount between my fingers and worked it into my scalp only. It lathered immediately. A little went a long way.
I used a bit more for the back of my scalp, made sure it was properly dispersed — it was really easy to work into my scalp — then rinsed it out. It came out easily and I didn’t notice any residue leftover. My hair felt clean, but not squeaky clean, and smelled mildly of peppermint.
I followed up with conditioner, but that’s for another review. Watch this space!
Result
My hair felt clean, my scalp felt cleansed, and my hair sat pretty well on my head. That is to say, it didn’t feel oily or part in weird places like it does on day four, for example. It didn’t tangle more easily than usual, and it didn’t create extra frizz. My hair looked hydrated and voluminous.
My hair also didn’t get sick of Bondi Boost for a while. I would actually say it took a few weeks before my hair decided it had enough, which is a pretty good run. It’s now a permanent feature in my rotation of shampoos, and I find myself going back to it time and time again. I feel like it really cleans my scalp in a way a lot of natural shampoos don’t — they often leave residue, or an oily sheen because they don’t have sulphate, so Bondi Boost is a good reset and removes build-up.
One thing I will say is that it can make my hair feel quite dry if I use it for too long. It doesn’t have sulphate, but whatever else they put in it to make it lather the way it does is a little drying. Having said that, I do rotate shampoos so it’s not a huge problem for me.
verdict
On the whole, Bondi Boost is pretty expensive. At $34 for 250ml, it’s a lot for the average person to drop on a single product. However, a little does go a long way and I had my bottle for months before it ran out. I have repurchased this one, and I’ll probably do it again once my current one runs out.
I did not notice more hair growth. That’s honestly not why I bought it so I wasn’t paying too much attention to that, but I would have noticed if my hair grew faster than usual and it didn’t.
Have you tried Bondi Boost? Let me know in the comments below!
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Does K Republiq Glass Skin Really Work: A Review
As with a lot of products on this site, I came across K Republic Glass Skin on social media and decided I had to try it out. I’m always so curious to see if new products and fads work — at the moment, it feels like every second ad on Instagram is for a new product promising to give me Korean-style glass skin. Does it really work? This is what happened.
Does K Republiq Glass Skin actually reduce the size of your pores and create a smooth complexion? I tried it out so you don’t have to.
As with a lot of products on this site, I came across K Republic Glass Skin on social media and decided I had to try it out. I’m always so curious to see if new products and fads work — at the moment, it feels like every second ad on Instagram is for a new product promising to give me Korean-style glass skin.
I decided to splash out on K Republiq because the products were created with extreme hydration in mind, which is what ultimately gives you that glass-like look. It’s basically advertised as a glass skin routine. The ingredients list is packed with polyglutamic acid which holds ten times more moisture in your skin than hyaluronic acid. Bakuchiol helps reduce fine lines without drying your skin like retinol, niacinamide helps smooth pores, and vitamin C and squalene help illuminate and plump the skin. I was basically using all these products anyway, but now they’d be concentrated in single product line.
The ads feature women age 20 to 60 with pretty convincing before and after photos. Usually, models for these products are in their 20s with flawless skin, which doesn’t really show how well the products work for everyone. I’m in my 30s, which isn’t old, but my skin isn’t like it was in my 20s. I’m pasty pale, I live in a hot climate, I am very photosensitive, I have sun damage, mild rosacea, and fine lines. The product is marketed for people of for all ages and apparently it’s ten times more moisturising than hyaluronic acid.
K Republiq Glass Skin: A Review
I bought a kit with three pieces: Glass Skin Glazing Essence, Glass Skin Serum and Glass Skin Finishing Glaze.
Shipping was super fast and I had my kit within about three days. It also came with a free Gua Sha. I was happy to find the bottles were large and full to the top with product. They’re pink, bulky and hard to lose. The essence is a spray, the serum is a pump bottle, and the glaze is in an airless pump vacuum bottle — you push the lid down and product comes out the top.
I was going out one the evening I got the package so immediately washed my makeup off so I could use my new products underneath. Deep down, I was kind of hoping my skin would immediately transform into youthful radiance like it seemed to in the ads. Obviously that didn’t happen, but I think it did look a bit shinier…sort of glass-like, you could say.
According to the website, you’re supposed to spritz your face with essence and let it sink in before using about two pumps of the finishing glaze. My skin did feel a bit smoother with the glaze — it felt kind of tight on my face, but not in an uncomfortable way. Make up went smoothly over the top.
I was ready for the night routine when I got home. I washed the make up off, used the essence and a pump of the serum. The serum was pearly-white and went on very easily with my fingers. It dried pretty quickly before I used the glaze. Again, the glaze had the tight-ish feeling on my skin.
What happened
I repeated this routine for weeks, replacing all my products — hyaluronic acid, niacinamide, lactic acid, retinol, and agrilene — with K Republiq. I used the essence and glaze morning and night, adding the serum only in the evening. My skin felt noticeably smoother on the first day and the feeling never went away. Months later, my skin still feels really smooth.
By the end of the month, I was running low and decided to make the most of Black Friday sales. This time, I bought two kits which included the Magic Balm. The mask is a very thick, pearly pink wax-like product that is very thick and melts in your fingers. I put way too much on the first time. A little goes a long way, it even says that on the packaging, but I can’t stress that enough — a little goes a long way. I put it on at night instead of the glaze, because it’s way too thick to go under makeup, and my skin is super smooth by morning.
Pros
Three products replace about seven, the products are packed with moisturizing and hydrating ingredients, and they’re vegan. When I asked my partner if the difference was visible, he said it did. My pores were smaller, mild redness had lessened, and it had a dewy glow about it. My skin didn’t get sick of it, I didn’t develop an allergy or intolerance to it, and I have noticed fine lines aren’t as visible.
Cons
The products are expensive. They’re large bottles that last a while, and you can also get some pretty decent deals on the site, but it’s still significantly more than The Ordinary, which costs about $12 a bottle. I initially paid $99 for the Glass Skin Glazing Essence, the Glass Skin Serum and the Glass Skin Finishing Glaze. I didn’t have to get the pack of three, but the finishing glaze on its own costs about $79, so it was better value to get the pack. I also decided the only way to find out whether the products really worked was to buy the whole routine. I went back about a month later to check out the Black Friday specials and the price was jacked to $119…go figure.
One thing I really didn’t like was the airless pump vacuum bottle the glaze comes in — it pumps well the first few times and then it’s impossible to get anything out of it. The jar does unscrew really easily so you can get every last bit of product out, but you shouldn’t have to do that. The pump function is as much to do with ease as it to do with portion control. The jar instructs you to use two pumps morning and night, and that’s not possible when the pump function doesn’t work. It’s a small problem, but worth mentioning.
Verdict
Krebuliq products really do work and I bought them again. Do I have flawless and glass-like skin? No. Do I still feel the need to wear makeup when I leave the house? Yes. It did not completely even out my skin tone, nor did it fix rosacea. I do not look like the women in the ads, even the ones who are twice my age. But it did help with my skin problems and I do feel as though it’s good for my skin. It looks healthy and vibrant, and it feels great.
Want me to review something else? Let me know in the comments below!
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Hairstory New Wash Review: Is it worth the hype?
New Wash promises to replace all your normal products — it cleanses, conditions, and works as a styler. It’s also formulated without detergents or foams which can damage your hair. It’s eco-friendly and cruelty-free. But does it work? Read on for my in-depth review.
Wondering whether to splash out and try New Wash by Hairstory? I tried it out so you don’t have to. Here’s what happened.
I’ve become a bit of a sucker for Instagram ads. Some are ridiculous, but others…well, I feel seen. So when I saw a woman on Instagram with very long and curly hair started talking about how New Wash was the best thing she’s ever tried, I watched that ad until the end. She said her whole family has swapped out their shampoos, conditioners, and styling products for this all-in-one miracle. Of course it’s an ad so I took it with a few grains of salt, but then I looked it up and there were thousands of really good, genuine reviews. I was sold.
My concern with every new product is that my hair will hate it, or my hair will feel amazing after the first wash and then decide it hates it from the second wash onward. It’s a constant battle, but I’ll always try something new hoping it’ll be my new holy grail. Cue: New Wash.
I was hesitant to give it a crack because, at $70 for an 8oz package — which the smallest package available — it’s really expensive. I subscribed to get the cost down by 10%, and because it came with free shipping and a free silicone scalp massager which I had never used before. It seemed like a good deal, all things considered. For that price, I wanted phenomenal results.
New Wash: A Review
According to the New Wash website, it’s not a co-wash because it has cleansing properties, but it has the consistency of a conditioner and you use it like you would co-wash. It’s supposed to replace all your normal products — it cleanses, conditions, and works as a styler. It’s also formulated without detergents or foams which can damage your hair. It’s eco-friendly and cruelty-free.
There are three versions — ‘original’ for all hair types, ‘rich’ for dry hair, and ‘deep’ for oily hair. I have a lot of hair but it’s very fine, wavy on top with coils at the bottom, and about forearm-length. It’s prone to dryness at the ends and tangles easily. I use a hair mask as my regular conditioner, but I can’t use products that are too conditioning because my hair gets over-conditioned and falls flat there’s no volume at all. That’s one of the reasons I don’t use co-washes, another is that I find they don’t cleanse my hair properly at the root and my hair feels oily and doesn’t fall right beyond day one.
For all those reasons, I was a bit skeptical about New Wash and really wanted to make sure I tried to right version. I had thought I might go with ‘original’ because any deeper conditioner at the roots could mean my hair was over-moisturised and flat. On the flip side, my hair could end up a dry mess if ‘original’ wasn’t conditioning enough. The struggle was real. Luckily, there was a very helpful quiz on the Hairstory website which helped me work out that I should probably get ‘rich’.
(Ingredients: Rich, deep, original)
Wash
New Wash comes in a bag, rather than a bottle, and smells like lavender. The product is thick and white and the instructions say to use as much of it as you would normally use of shampoo and conditioner combined. So that’s what I did.
As someone who doesn’t use co-wash, it felt pretty strange putting this thick product all over my scalp and raking it down my hair — it felt counterintuitive, really, but I stuck with it. I focused on my scalp to begin with and used the silicone scalp massager to make sure my head was cleansed. I then used a bit more product and applied it to the length, as I would with conditioner.
I was able to detangle my hair with relative ease with my fingers, before I finished it off with a brush. I then scrunched the product into my hair, like I normally would, but that step didn’t feel necessary. My hair was completely saturated with product — to the point where I probably used too much product. It felt quite heavy in my hair — a bit stiff, even, and I hoped that would go away once it was all washed out.
Some of the reviews I read suggested the product was quite difficult to wash out, and even the instructions on the packaging said to wash it out really, really well. So that’s what I did. I used the scalp massager to make sure it was all off my head, before I used my hards to really squeeze it out of my hair. Personally, I didn’t find it difficult to wash out.
Styling
I would normally apply a styling cream immediately after washing my hair, but I wanted to see if — like the woman in the ad — I could get away without additional products. She insisted that New Wash meant her hair was in perfect coils every morning. I was very skeptical, but gave it a shot.
I flipped my soaking-wet hair upside-down, as normal, and gently ran a comb through it to detangle. It was a bit harder without additional product in it for more slip, but I managed. I scrunched it and plopped with a microfibre towel. My hair still had the heavy and stiff texture that it had before I washed the product out.
I took the towel off about ten minutes later, shook my hair a bit and parted it like I normally would (I realise not everyone parts their hair after washing it, but mine doesn’t sit right if I don’t). The ease with which I can part my hair after washing is usually a pretty good indicator of how cleansed my hair is. If it’s not cleansed properly, it’s pretty difficult to part and clumps together. If it’s properly clean, this doesn’t happen and it separates at the part very easily. I didn’t find parting my hair difficult after New Wash. I scrunched my hair again, it still felt a bit heavy but I ignored it and got on with my day.
drying
My hair usually takes a few hours to air dry completely. I found plopping as usual after New Wash didn’t completely get the drip out of my hair, it really held on to the water, so my shoulders were a bit damp by the time I got to work. I find that can happen with thicker products. The smell of lavender was also quite strong when my hair was wet, but it disappeared once dry.
It probably took an extra hour to dry completely, which I didn’t really mind.
Result
The first time round, I was pretty happy with the result. That stiff and heavy feeling did disappear once my hair dried, which was a relief. My hair felt soft and mousturised, my scalp felt clean, and my hair still had volume. I wasn’t sure what to expect in the volume department so I was pretty impressed with that.
What I didn’t like was that my hair looked a bit frizzy at the ends, which I put down to not using a styling product. As a whole, I would say my hair did look a bit curlier than usual, and I think it held its curl for a bit longer than usual — into the next day. It looked okay on day two and three, but nothing amazing. It looked as I would normally expect day two and three hair to look, with a bit more curl on day two. For a product that replaced shampoo and conditioner, I was relatively pleased.
Second and third wash
This is where things went downhill. Sometimes, my hair likes a product one day and hates it the next. This is basically what happened with New Wash.
For the second go, I used less product than I did the first time and my hair detangled as easily as it had before. It still had that stiff feeling, but I knew it would go away so I wasn’t concerned. I did add a curl cream this time, and that really helped stop the frizz at the ends. My hair looked fine on day one, but it wouldn’t sit right on my scalp the following day, or the day after that. It felt a bit heavy, it lost some of its curls and waves and looked quite flat by the time I had to wash it again.
Nevertheless, I persisted and used New Wash again for a third time. Attempt three was a bit of a disaster. I repeated the process, using styling cream, and my hair did not like it. My hair wouldn’t sit on my scalp properly — it wouldn’t sit right along the crown in the way oily hair doesn’t sit right, but my hair wasn’t oily at all in this instance. The curls fell flat by day two and no amount of zhooshing would fix the way it sat on my scalp. The ends were tangled like steel wool and the knots started quite high up. Basically, I had to wash it again on day two because it looked and felt terrible. I washed it with shampoo and my usual Shea Moisture conditioner and the problem went away.
Verdict
I didn’t try it again after attempt three because I don’t want that to happen again. I probably will use it here and there, but only because I don’t want to waste it, and not on consecutive washes. Just because this did not work for me in the end, doesn’t mean it won’t work for you — it does have thousands of great reviews. My hair is very temperamental and I think that is partly to blame.
However, what I really struggle to understand is the cost.
Without the 10% subscription discount, the 8oz package costs AU$69, the 20oz package costs $155, and the 32oz package costs $236. I imagine it’s priced that way because it’s supposed to replace two other products — maybe that’s the amount you’d spend on shampoo, conditioner and stylers combined. But if the cost works out to be the same, what’s the point in replacing three products with one? Unless, of course, New Wash really worked for you and the results were significantly better than the products you would normally use.
I just feel, for that price, you’d want it to work miracles on your hair, walk the dog and do the dishes. If you had long and thick hair that required a lot of product, you’d spend a fortune.
I should say, there is is a $20 trial kit that I couldn’t access because I’m in Australia. I tested out a few countries on the website, including New Zealand, Canada, the UK, and various places in Europe and it appears this very affordable trial kit is only available for US customers…even though Hairstory ships to 34 other countries. If the trial was available to me, I definitely would have chosen it rather than a full-size package.
Have you tried New Wash? Let me know in the comments below!
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Are Bkr Water Bottles Worth It?
Looking for a durable and reusable glass water bottle that won’t leak? A Bkr water bottle is the answer. I have had my pink Bkr bottle for about five years now, which means I got it before it became a designer bottle. Yes, you read that correctly - ‘designer’ water receptacle. But having had one for so long, I can absolutely see why they became so popular.
Looking for a durable and reusable glass water bottle that won’t leak? A Bkr water bottle is the answer.
I have had my pink Bkr bottle for about five years now, which means I got it before it became a designer bottle. Yes, you read that correctly - ‘designer’ water receptacle. But having had one for so long, I can absolutely see why they became so popular. They don’t leak or break, the mouthpiece is the size a mouthpiece should be and not one of those ridiculously large ones that slosh water all over your face, and they look great. If anything happened to mine, I would literally spent the cash to get another. Here’s why.
The lid is a revelation
The lid screws on tight in one rotation. One rotation! And it doesn’t leak, ever. I have had so many water bottles leak in my bag it’s ridiculous, so the fact that this doesn’t leak and screws up really easily is a big plus for me. It’s also designed to be carried with a ring, so you could tie it to your bag if you wanted, or just loop it around your finger and off you go.
A weird design feature Bkr came up with within the last five years is a lid that fits a (vegan) lip balm in it. Of course, it specifically fits the Bkr Water Balm which, at $35, is more expensive than the lid itself, but I guess it would look nifty with the balm clipped in.
It (probably) won’t break
The bottle is smooth grass wrapped in a silicone cover that’s reinforced at the bottom, which adds a layer of protection if you’re a bit clumsy like me and drop things.
I have dropped mine a couple of times, but the worst was when it fell top-down and the lid cracked where the loop is. That’s not a design flaw - I don’t think anything could have survived that. The lid is made of quite a thick plastic and is not easy to break. It still functioned normally and I was able to close it without any trouble, but the glass has remained unbroken. You can buy replacement lids separately, so that is what I did.
Handy Sizes
Bkr comes in three sizes - one litre, 500ml and 250ml. I have the smaller one because I don’t carry around huge bags and I like to be able to slip it in a handbag while traipse to the supermarket or around the world, but there are definitely times where I’ve seen the benefits of a larger one, like when I’m working out.
Having said that, the litre bottle would probably be quite heavy. The bottle is made of glass, which adds to the weight, so keep that in mind when choosing.
Easy Cleaning
A few reviews say the Bkr bottle is hard to clean, but I’ve never really found that - you can put the whole thing in the dishwasher, or take the silicone slip off and wash that separately. The only thing to watch out for is don’t take the small silicone ring wedged inside the lid out - it’s what stops the bottle from leaking. I took it out once to clean it thinking I was being thorough, and it never really fit back in properly and it was a pain, and I’m kind of glad the lid broke so I could get a new one. That was not a design fault, that was just me taking things apart when I shouldn’t have.
Change the colour to match your outfit
The coloured silicone sleeves are also sold separately and are interchangeable, so you get a different colour for every day of the week. Not strictly essential, but a pretty cool feature nonetheless that makes this brand stand out. You can also get different kinds of sleeves, like spiky ones and smooth ones in different colours to suit your vibe.
Water tastes better from glass
I know that sounds subjective, but it’s true - the water tastes fresher and cleaner than out of a plastic bottle. Once you start drinking from glass, it’s really hard to go back to plastic. Chemicals from plastics also leak into your water bottle over time, which means you’re ingesting a hell of a lot more than water at the end of the day, which is kind of terrifying when you think about it. Whether you get a Bkr bottle or not, plastic bottles should be a thing of the past.
Water tastes better from glass
I know that sounds subjective, but it’s true - the water tastes fresher and cleaner than out of a plastic bottle. Once you start drinking from glass, it’s really hard to go back to plastic. Chemicals from plastics also leak into your water bottle over time, which means you’re ingesting a hell of a lot more than water at the end of the day, which is kind of terrifying when you think about it. Whether you get a Bkr bottle or not, plastic bottles should be a thing of the past.
vegan and cruelty-free
It seems odd for a water bottle to be vegan, but animal products make their way into the strangest things so it’s definitely worth noting. I make an effort to promote companies that are clean and ethical, and Bkr definitely fits that category - even the lip balm is vegan. Winner!
Cons
The one con I can think of is that you can’t fit ice into the bottle. That’s not a huge problem for me but, from what I understand, people from the US love having ice in their drinks and, unless you have an ice tray that makes tiny cubes, the Bkr bottle doesn’t cater for that. You would think ice would be more of a deal in hot Australia, buuuuut it’s not ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
What’s your favourite glass bottle? Let me know in the comments below!
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Vegan Hair Dye Review: Biokap vs Clairol Natural Instincts
Looking for a vegan, cruelty-free and curly gurl friendly hair dye that causes minimal damage to your hair? I compared Clairol and Biokap. Here’s what I found.
Looking for a vegan hair dye that causes minimal damage to your hair? I compared Clairol and Biokap. Here’s what I found.
I’ve been avoiding dying my hair with box dye for a loooong time, but with Henna taking upwards of two hours per month and not lasting a super long time, I needed to find an alternative that wouldn’t damage my very sensitive hair.
I know there are a lot of extra dyes that you can import from other countries, but when I look for a hair dye, I want something I can quickly grab off the shelf. I don’t want to have to plan my order months in advance, or worry that I don’t have any left for an event, or pay $50 in delivery fees. Don’t get me wrong, I would love to try some of the box dyes from other nations that are supposed to be amazing for your hair, but they cost a lot, shipping always takes forever, and they’re just not accessible for everyone. I want something affordable, that everyone can have a crack at. I got mine from Priceline.
After trying to research the hair dye brands available in Australia (options were limited, as always) and trying to find the vegan brands that were least likely to destroy my dye-sensitive hair (that aren’t henna - you can read my henna reviews here and here) I narrowed it down to two - Clairol Natural Instincts and Biokap.
Ingredients
Biokap is a small company that also makes cosmetics, and everything is vegan and cruelty-free. They use a lot of natural botanicals and proteins that strengthen your hair.
Clairol Natural Instincts is vegan, but being from a massive company that also makes non-vegan products, I don’t think they can call themselves cruelty-free. I also didn’t quite trust Clairol because it’s a very mainstream company, and - it felt like they were trying to turn a profit just by having a vegan range. I also didn’t trust them not to put terrible things in the product because they don’t hesitate with their non-vegan range - terrible things can still be vegan.
Both dyes are ammonia-free. Ammonia is toxic, and it’s the component in normal hair dyes that burns your eyes. It breaks the hair cuticle apart to allow color in. So on one hand you end up with a more vibrant result if you use ammonia, but if your hair is fine like mine, it will end up in terrible condition. Even if your hair is in good condition and takes hair dye well, ammonia will damage it over time. So that was a win for both products.
Clairol Natural Instincts comes with globes, developer, colour and conditioner
Biokap comes with gloves, developer, colour, conditioner and a cape
Sustainability
Biopkap is owned by Bios Line - a company founded in Italy in the ‘80s - dedicated to the creation of natural and environmentally-friendly products.
Biokap has a fleshed-out an environmental commitment on its website. The company brand is part of a zero impact scheme, aims to use recyclable packaging, uses solar panels to generate energy to power its factories, uses papers and cardboards from environmentally sustainable and certified plantations, pledges to never test on animals and supports a FRAME - a company developing alternatives to animal testing, with the goal of eliminating it in the cosmetics industry entirely.
Clairol is owned by Coty - an international company, founded in Germany in the early 1900s, that specializes in beauty products from big brands, including Burberry, Adidas, Calvin Klein, Rimmel…you get the idea. There is a sustainability statement on its website that basically says it has some 10-year goals going all the way to 2031. Which is great, but I also think big companies are expected to have an environmental statement these days to show they’re not behind the times. Nevertheless, the statement does say the company is trying to reduce emissions by 30% and energy consumption by 25% by 2030, along with switching to 100% renewable energy within that same time period. Considering how large the company is, those goals are fairly substantial.
The Clairol website is missing an environmental statement. The only mention of anything along that vein is the vegan hair dye range, which literally just says ‘vegan’.
Coty has some impressive goals and I don’t want to diminish the effort, but Bios Line was founded with goal towards sustainability so is has the upper hand in that department.
Are they Curly Girl-Friendly?
Strictly speaking, hair dye in general isn’t CG-friendly, but there are things you can do to ensure your dye isn’t going to kill off your curls.
I couldn’t find much online about whether Biokap and Clairol Natural Insticts are curly girl friendly, so I did my own research and punched the ingredients of both into Curlsbot - literally a bot that will analyze the ingredients in your favorite hair products and let you know what will dry your hair out, what is curly girl approved (click here if you don’t know what I’m talking about) and what harsh chemicals you should avoid entirely.
The screenshots below are pretty revealing.
Curlsbot results for Clairol Natural Instincts
Clairol Natural Instincts had red flags all over it. Along with weird silicones and sulfates, it had five different kinds of alcohol (they’re not drying alcohols, but five at once? Really?) and a tongue-twister mineral that stops your hair from absorbing moisture. Curlsbot ultimately recommended against Clairol.
Curlsbot results for Biokap
The Biokap ingredients were inconclusive because there was only one alcohol the bot couldn’t determine - phenetyl alcohol. From my own research, it’s an alcohol that occurs naturally in plants and has a rose-like scent. It can cause skin irritation, but it’s been tested on humans and a reaction is unlikely. If in doubt, test the dye on a small patch of skin first. It does exist in other cosmetics from other companies that are also deemed clean and vegan. That doesn’t mean it is, of course, but there were no red flags that I could see.
Aside from the one unknown, there were three approved alcohols, one approved cleaner and no red flags in Biokap.
Coverage
Henna does not have coverage that lasts a long time. This is because it’s a stain and doesn’t actually dye the star and - it coats it. Since I was supremely unlucky and started getting grey hair quite early (24, to be exact), I really wanted something to cover it up. I don’t have an issue with grey hair at all, but I my hair is naturally very dark and I just don’t think light colors suit my skin. I will probably embrace the grey when I’m older, but for now, I plan to cover it up.
I think most dyes these days have pretty decent coverage, but grey is the hardest color to cover because it has no pigment. Clairol claims to cover greys and, according to the review, it does a pretty good job.
Biokap also has good reviews in the coverage department so the competition there was fairly even.
Price
For box dyes, the difference is pretty substantial. Clairol is about $11 and Biokap is $25 - when you have to re-apply every six weeks, the costs do add up, but going to a salon every six weeks would be significantly more expensive. About $250 more, per session. Salon dyes are supposed to be better quality than box dyes, and I would say they are 9 times out of 10, but you still never really know - you basically have to trust whatever the colorist tells you.
I also believe you get what you pay for. I don’t want to spend $300 and three hours of my life in a salon chair every six weeks, but I would much rather pay an extra $14 for the box dye with better ingredients every six weeks if it mean’s my hair will be healthier in the long run.
Verdict
Unless you’re using henna, hair dye will damage your hair at the end of the day. The best thing you can do is avoid dye entirely, but there are steps you can take to ensure your hair doesn’t get as damaged as it could.
I ended up going with Biokap for a range of reasons - the main one being that Clairol has a bunch of harmful ingredients in it. I didn’t spend so long testing out henna to ruin my hair with one cheap box dye, so Biokap really won the competition on that front.
And (SPOILERS!) I did try out Biokap and my hair does feel a little different, but it doesn’t feel damaged so I do think I made the right choice.
Want to read my tried and tested Biokap review? Watch this space!
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Vegan Skincare: NueBar Face Wash & Body Wash Bars
I’d been looking for a vegan face wash and body wash that doesn’t use harsh detergents for a long time without any luck, until I came across NueBar - the tiny Australian zero waste beauty and skincare company. Here’s what happened.
I’d been looking for a vegan and ethical skincare brand that doesn’t use harsh detergents for a long time without any luck, until I came across NueBar - the tiny Australian beauty and skincare company.
I generally struggle when buying soap and face wash. I hate the dry, stretched feeling that comes after using soap on my skin - it feels as though my skin will shrivel unless I moisturise immediately, and I just don’t think skin is meant to feel that way.
When one of my readers commented on my Caring for Natural Hair post asking for a vegan shampoo bar recommendation, I came across NueBar and realised it basically had everything I was looking for.
NueBar has a full range of vegan, cruelty-free, CG-friendly (more on that later) and natural beauty products, and everything has been formulated by the owner Katie, who also happens to be a naturopath. All shampoo bars, conditioner bars, body washes and face wash bars are handmade in Australia, all packaging materials are plastic-free and recyclable, and the ingredients are natural, organic and Fair Trade.
I didn’t think it was possible to incorporate all those things, but omgosh it’s the dream.
I am very grateful to have been gifted these products to try, but I am not being paid to write this and I am under no obligation to give them a good review. This is my honest opinion. SO, let’s get to it.
(Note: This post has affiliate links but clicking on them doesn’t cost you anything extra - you just get some super karma points :) )
NueBar Vegan Face Wash Bar
I opted for the Normal Skin bar because my skin tends to err on the side of dry if anything, but you can get different bars for oily or acne-prone skin, mature or dry skin, or fragrance-free bars if you’re sensitive to scents. If fragrance is not a problem for you, I do recommend choosing the scented option - it smells phenomenal.
The first thing I noticed when I took the square face wash bar out of the box was how light and ever so slightly textured it felt. Not grainy, but definitely a natural surface compared with the impossibly smooth feel of mass-produced soaps.
I could feel the essential oils lightly on my fingers when I held the dry bar, but it didn’t dent when I touched it - a good first indicator as to how quickly it will disintegrate in water, and how long it will last.
On top of all that, NueBar say their wash bars are soap-free, which basically means that they don’t use lye to make them (this is what makes soap alkaline, definitely not the correct pH for skin which has a mildly acidic pH). NueBar also don't use harsh sulfate based detergents so the wash gentle and good for skin health, and have managed to achieve it all without the use of palm oil - which is great because it destroys rainforests - which is a pretty big achievement, given how much hidden palm oil is found in hair and skin products.
Before
I workout six days a week, which means I sweat six days a week and my face doesn’t like it. I tend to break out along my hairline and around my chin where natural oils build up.
I have tried a few different products over the last six months, including natural scrubs, gentle foamy cleansers and a charcoal face wash bar, and none of them really got rid of the problem, so I figured breaking out was likely a byproduct of working out, and I would have to live with it.
Test one: Without Make up
After the gym, I wet my face with warm water and smoothed it over my cheeks and forehead. I find this easier than rubbing the soap in my hands first, and I’m the only one using the bar sooo it doesn’t matter. Despite the bar’s textured feel, the product was smooth on my skin and didn’t feel grainy at all. It also didn’t foam much, or start to soften or disintegrate in my hand.
When I thought I had enough on, I used my fingers to gently move the product over the rest of my face, the way I usually would to cleanse it. It felt light and smooth, and smelled amazing - not overpoweringly so, it was nice and subtle. I rinsed it off, dried my face and noticed I didn’t get that dry and stretched feeling on my skin, but it definitely felt clean. I moisturised like I normally would, with coconut oil, and that was it.
Test two: with make up
I wear sunscreen, primer and foundation if I’m leaving the house for any reason other than to go grocery shopping or to the gym, so cleansing products I use need to be able to get it all off. After a day of wearing a full face of cosmetics, I basically followed the steps above, but I made sure to rub a little more product on my face this time, and spent more time using my fingers to really make sure it was lifting the cosmetics off.
Because it doesn’t really foam, it doesn’t really feel like it’s getting everything off so I was a little skeptical as to how it would go in the make up department. Once I thought I’d rubbed it all away, I rinsed my face, dried it, and got a clean make up removal pad with some toner to see if there was any residual make up left on my skin.
It was clean.
result
My skin hasn’t broken out in almost three weeks, which is a first since I started working out profusely. I found that surprising because it honestly doesn’t really feel like NueBar is doing anything better than other products while you’re using it, but the results are noticeably better. Not only have I not broken out at all, but my skin feels hydrated, cleansed and fresh.
The bar itself hasn’t disintegrated at all, and I use it once a day - so that’s almost 14 uses and it barely looks touched - the big F on the top has shown no signs of fading. Other bars I’ve used have become slimy and/or noticeably smaller after just a few uses, which ultimately means you’ll have to buy a new one sooner.
NueBar recommend letting each bar dry after use to avoid further disintegration, so I pop mine to the side, outside the shower, when I’m not using it.
Verdict
Given the positive results, I would definitely continue using the NueBar face wash. The bar dries well and doesn’t feel sticky after use so you can take it travelling or on holidays without worrying about it getting squished in your bag. At $16 for months worth of product, it’s very well priced and I would say a worthwhile purchase.
NueBar Vegan Body Wash Bar
There are a lot of similarities between the NueBar face wash and body wash in terms of texture and scent, but the body wash bar is larger, foams quite a lot, and designed for full-body use.
As a soap-free bar, the body wash is meant to help retain the moisture in the skin. It also has ghassoul clay - a brown clay from the Atlas mountains of Morocco - to draw away impurities.
It’s also probably worth noting that this particular product was a finalist in the 2020 Australian non-toxic awards for sustainable products.
The other thing I love about NueBar is the ‘bit bags’ (see pic below) that you can get for body wash, shampoo and conditioner bars. You know how soap eventually gets small, flimsy and breaks into a couple of pieces when it gets too small and you start abandoning those pieces because they’re just too small. Queue bit bag. Pop all those extra bits into the bag, secure it with the draw string, and wet the whole bag to use up those last bits of bar. Each bag is labelled with a W (body wash), C (conditioner) and S (shampoo) so you don’t get them mixed up.
The Bar
The first thing I noticed was how light-weight it was, and how much I didn’t realise how great the smell of orange and cocoa butter would be. Unlike the face bar, I submerged the wash bar in water before use, before I lathered it in my hands. It foams nicely and has a smooth feel on skin. It didn’t start to shink in my hands from the first use and holds its shape very well.
Like the face bar, it doesn’t feel like it’s doing much at the time, but again the proof is in the results. My skin didn’t feel all tight and stretched like with regular soap, but cleansed and hydrated. It has now been about two weeks exclusively using the NueBar body wash and my skin still feels fresh and clean.
Verdict
I have now been using the body wash every day for about three weeks and the W has only just started to fade, so I expect it to last quite a long time. And at $23 a bar, that’s what you want. It’s not cheap, but given that the ingredients are all natural, fair trade, vegan and cruelty-free, and the bar is hand-made and will last quite a long time, I would say it’s a worthwhile spend if you have the money to spare.
I would definitely get it again because I just love the ethos of the company, the product is clean and good for my skin, and I love knowing I’m supporting small local businesses.
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Australian Pink Clay Mask Review: What Happened When I Tried Hurtig Lane
Australian pink clay is having a moment right now - featuring in loads of skin care products all over the joint which promise to make your face sparkle vampirically. The mask by Hurtig Lane is the latest on the market, but does it work?
Australian pink clay is having a moment right now - featuring in loads of skin care products all over the joint which promise to make your face sparkle vampirically.
The mask by Hurtig Lane is the latest on the market, but does it work?
I consider a lot of factors when I’m picking skincare products - are they cruelty-free and vegan? Is the packing reusable? Is the product full of words I can’t pronounce or is it as natural as possible? Is it affordable? And more importantly, does it work? I was lucky enough to try a sample of the Hurtig Lane mask before it was on sale and, IMO, it comes super-freaking-close to ticking all those boxes.
As I’ve said in a couple of other reviews, my pasty skin has been exposed to the Australian sun for a touch too long and I have mild discolouration. My nose and the apples of my cheeks have always been slightly red and my skin tone is basically just a tad uneven. To combat these things, I started trying pink clay masks that promise to draw out toxins, impurities and reduce the sizes pores while locking in moisture to give you a spritely glow.
Here’s what happened when I gave Hurtig Lane a whirl.
Hurtig Lane Australian Pink Clay Review
There are all sorts of clays used in skin products all over the world - white clays, yellow, green and red - but pink clays have unique properties that do wonders for your complexion. Pink clay specifically contains silicia - a natural ingredient that helps with skin regeneration and collagen production - along with zinc and magnesium that are natural anti-inflammatories and can help rejuvenate damaged skin.
All pink clay masks promise to help with dryness, discolouration, uneven skin tone and give wearers a nice glowy look. While the active ingredient in all pink clay masks is, well, pink clay, not all masks are made equally. Hurtig Lane’s mask claims to use a significantly greater percentage of pink clay, along with an infusion of aloe vera, rose extract and - my skin care holy grail - coconut oil.
The Product
The standard package includes:
1 x Australian Pink Clay Face Mask, 120ml
1 x Brush applicator
The standard package costs $83 AUD, the double package (which includes two mask pots and brushes) is $149 and the triple package (which includes three of everything) is $211.
You can also use my promo code GLOBALSHUFFLE when you check out for a discount.
It may look pricey at first glance, but this mask is actually a lot cheaper than other masks. Sand And Sky, for example, costs $15 less than Hurtig Lane, but the pot only contains 60ml - half the amount.
The packaging is also made from high quality and sustainable materials. The product, which arrives in a recyclable cardboard box, sits in a Pyrex glass jar with an acacia wood lid - both of which are totally washable and reusable - and the application brush is made of sustainable bamboo. Winner.
Application
Hurtig Lane recommends using the mask after washing your face with warm water and a gentle cleanser, so that’s what I did.
After drying my face, I applied a thin layer of the mask - avoiding my mouth, eyes and hairline. The product is a dusty pink colour and has a creamy whipped-like texture. It applies smoothly and was easy to distribute evenly over my skin, and it smells great.
The directions say to leave it on for 10 minutes, but I got distracted and I’m pretty sure mine was on for more like 20. In any case, it was definitely dry by the time I arrived back at the sink. The clay became almost translucent around my nose, which means there were more ‘impurities’ there for the mask to draw out, but overall - like competitor masks - my face looked like a cracked shade of pinkish-white.
To remove the mask, Hurtig Lane says to use warm water and ‘gently massage in circular motions to boost circulation’. I did that for a while until I felt like my circulation was sufficiently boosted, before going all in with warm water and rinsing the remaining product off, which was super easy to do.
I followed it up with my usual moisturiser combo of coconut oil and black castor oil and my skin felt, well, pretty hydrated.
Result
My skin felt smoother immediately after washing the clay off.
The mask definitely hydrated my skin and evened out the tone and discolouration right from the very first application. It worked so well I didn’t feel the need to apply make up before taking a few snaps afterwards with no make up (like the one below), and I never take pictures without make up, so that was a nice surprise.
I did notice a brightness to my face in a way that no one else would, but that has been my experience with face masks in general. There are loads of Instagrammers who seem to use face masks, and BAM, they glow, buuuuut I am yet to use a face mask that has that kind of effect. Nevertheless, I am more than happy knowing I can see the glow, because that’s what matters.
My skin texture stayed smooth over the next few days even after going to gym a few times and wearing a full face of make up, so I’ll definitely finish the pot.
Is It Worth it?
While Hurtig Lane’s Australian Pink Clay Mask may seem expensive at $83 a jar, it does have features other brands lack.
For example, I could not find how much actual pink clay is in other masks by competitors such as Sand and Sky and Alya, so I can’t do a comparison, but each pot of Hurtig Lane’s mask is said to contain 55% of OG Aussie clay. The remaining 45% is full of natural oils and extracts that combine to make the clay something you want to put on your face - any more than that would be like sticking your face into a solid pile of mud, so we can probably all agree that 55% is quite a high ratio.
Along with possibly more benefits of Australian pink clay with the higher percentage (refining pores, detoxifying skin, removing impurities, reducing redness, I could go on), Hurtig Lane are strong on the ethical products front - I think that’s really what sets them apart.
Based in Barcelona, the company has a range vegan make up brushes, jewellery and vegan leather-free straps. All products are PETA-approved, and the company is really in to paying manufacturers properly and maintaining an equal-opportunity work environment for men and women of all nationalities. While a lot of other brands are vegan and PETA-approved, the packaging materials generally aren’t sustainable or reusable, and the companies haven’t necessarily made it their mission to be as ethical as possible.
At the end of the day, I think if you have the money to spend on taking care of your body with high-quality and natural products, it’s cash well spent, and Hurtig Lane’s pink clay mask is definitely worth a shot.
Promo code for 15% off: GLOBALSHUFFLE
Have you tried Hurtig Lane, or is there another mask you love? Let me know in the comments below!
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Ultra Violette Sunscreen: An Honest Review
Looking for a vegan and cruelty-free face sunscreen that is actually good for your skin? I tried Ultra Violette aaand it’s the bomb. Here’s why.
Looking for a vegan and cruelty-free face sunscreen that is actually good for your skin? I tried Ultra Violette aaand it’s the bomb. Here’s why.
(this post contains affiliate links, which just means I’ll get a small commission if you use them. Don’t worry, it won’t cost you anything extra :)
As someone whose great, great grandparents lived in all places cold, my Frosty The Snowman-esque skin is unable to deal with the harsh Australian rays.
I get burnt. Easily. I once got burnt in the window seat on a plane. It’s real sunny up there and no one was more surprised than me, so now I always wear sunscreen on airplane…and just about everywhere else since I was 19 because, yo, the sun can be great in small doses but over time it ages you and makes you look all leathery and gives you cancer and, as someone who can see the damage it has done, I just think everyone should be wearing sunscreen.
I’ve been on a quest it find a really good one vegan sunscreen for my face for while. I used to use a brand I will not name with SPF 30, which was really quite good for a long time, but I had no idea if it was cruelty-free or vegan, and I eventually realized I was putting it on my face with absolutely no idea what was in it. For all I knew, it could have been aging my skin more than the sun.
I was in Sephora one day and told my boyfriend what I was looking for. He went off looking and came back with Ultra Violette Queen Screen, which I had somehow missed while scanning the store. I looked it up and not only was it vegan and cruelty-free, it was SPF 50 and made by a small Australian company - and if anyone knows how to make good sunscreen, it’s Australians.
I was sold.
I’ve now been using it for about six months and I believe I’ve found the holy grail.
Ultra Violette Vegan Sunscreen
When I look for a face sunscreen, I need something light and non-greasy that will go smoothly and undetected under a full face of foundation.
Not only does Ultra Violette protect your skin from UV rays - according to the bottle - the product is full of antioxidants and will actually help your skin live its best life.
The company has a few different kinds of sunscreen, and I do want to try the waterproof ones, but for now I want to stress that I am only reviewing the Luminising Sun Serum. This is largely because it’s the one Chris found on the day, it had this cool eye-dropper thing and promised to ‘illuminate’ my skin. I would like to try the Supreme Screen Hydrating Facial Sunscreen, but we’re sticking with the serum for today.
Review
The Ultra Violette Queen Screen Luminising Sun Serum comes in a blue glass bottle with a white eye-dropper lid. It’s aesthetically pleasing, the glass means it’s not really light in weight - you wouldn’t just chuck it in your bag, the eye-dropper is smooth and rubbery and everything it should be - it’s quite soft and easy to squeeze and doesn’t feel like it’s going to crack. You can also see the product through the bottle and there is a light sparkle to the serum that shines through. Getting the product out is as easy filling the eye-dropper by squeezing it in the bottle, and then again on to your hand. I don’t know how easy that will be once I start nearing the end, but it’s been about six months and I’m only about halfway through, so I still have quite some time before that happens.
The product is white and it does appear to have tiny flecks of sparkle in it, which I guess is the ‘luminising’ property. I wasn’t crazy about that part because, while it can look great when you’re 19, as you age sparkles like that can make you look older, so I really hoped it would not be too visible under make up.
ingredients
You know how I said earlier that Ultra Violette has ingredients that benefit your skin more than just shielding it from the sun? Well, here it is.
Kakadu Plum: This Australian plum has 50 times more vitamin C in it than an orange and has generally been hailed as an all-round excellent thing to put on your skin. It’s in a bunch of really fancy skin serums and I was kind of stoked to find it was in my sunscreen.
Dragosine Plus: This one apparently keeps your skin feeling bouncy and protects it from the entire solar spectrum. It’s also a powerful anti-aging agent.
There is also a lot of hydrating glycerine to make sure your skin doesn’t dry out. Winner.
Application
The sunscreen feels very smooth to touch and glides easily over skin, spreading smoothly and quickly. Ultra Violette says you should use three eye-droppers worth of product with each application. THREE. I mean, sure, but about half an eye-dropper was more than enough to coat my face…so…that’s a thing.
The serum has a rose scent which you immediately notice, but it doesn’t smell like sunscreen which is excellent. Chris put it on once and said, ‘oh, I smell botanical’ - I think that’s the best way to describe it. Botanical, rose-like, but not overpoweringly so.
Appearance
You are left with a light sparkle to you face after application. It’s not like OMG MY FACE IS COVERED IN GLITTER, but it’s definitely there. Again, not crazy about that part.
When I put make up on, I could not see the sparkle anymore - which is what I wanted. It does mean that if went make up-free I would have a sparkle to my face, buuut I guess that’s fine for now.
The other thing I want to mention is that people of colour often have problems with sunscreens leaving a white cast over their skin. I can’t speak on that issue personally, but from everything I’ve seen and read, apparently Ultra Violette does not leave a white cast, and there seem to be quite a few people with darker skin tones who use the product.
Sooo shimmery
My hand doesn’t usually glow like that
does it work?
Yes! I have not been burnt on my face since using Ultra Violette, besides that one time I went to the beach. Guys, it’s not waterproof. But it doesn’t pretend to be so that was my own fault. I mean, I didn’t use three eye-droppers full that day either, but actually in that instance maybe I should have. The company does have a waterproof sunscreen - the Extreme Screen which is water resistant for 4 hours - and that’s really what I should have used when going to the beach. For everyday use, under make up when not in the water, Queen Screen shields you from the UV rays.
Verdict
At $47 for 50ml, it’s on the pricy end. The company’s suggestion to use three eye-droppers of the stuff every day would definitely mean you’d go through product a lot faster than I do using half an eye-dropper (I’ve had mine for six months and I’m barely halfway through), but I also think it’s for the overall health of your skin so it’s worth it in that respect. The product is also vegan and cruelty-free and Australian-made, so I do think it’s worth supporting a company that values those things.
Along with bonus properties, like Kakadu plum, that help your skin, I think Ultra Violette is actually committed to making quality products.
What’s your favorite sunscreen? Let me know in the comments below!
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