circa 1989
I can’t lie; my 21st birthday was over a decade ago. Yes, it’s been a little weird for me to see teenagers wearing stuff I wore 15 years ago and to see makeup trends get recycled, but so far getting older has been pretty cool. I can eat brownies for breakfast if I want (which I did this morning); I’m better at real-life problem solving because of various experiences with work, people and life in general; and I understand myself much more than I did as a young lass of 21.
And although I still feel very young (a big YAY for both immature behavior and years of dedicated sunscreen use), I’ve noticed subtle changes year after year. My skin is a little dryer, there’s an occasional white hair on the top of my head and my hands look different.
So lately I’ve been exploring the world of anti-aging products.
If you’ve spent any time in a drugstore or a department store you may have noticed that everyone and their momma is selling something to tighten this, erase that, etc. etc. Although I try lots of products, I don’t always feel comfortable writing about it on the blog because I find it really hard to quantify the results. I don’t have a lot of wrinkles to start with and it’s often hard to see a real difference after only few weeks.
When I evaluate anti-aging products I think about the packaging, the texture and scent, what the active ingredients are and the price. It’s really hard to determine efficacy, and what works for me may not work for you, so please take it all in with a grain o’ salt. Now let’s get to the good stuff!
Hair Product Reviews – Phytodensium Anti-Aging Shampoo and Serum
Products: Pytodensium Anti-Aging Shampoo and Anti-Aging Serum
Price: $24 for the shampoo, $32 for the serum
Use: to strengthen weak and fragile aging hair
Makeup and Beauty Blog Rating: A
If you’ve been reading this blog for a while you probably already know that I’m extremely picky about my hair because it’s hard to manage. I figure, we wear our hair every day, so I can justify spending a bit more on hair products that I like.
Phyto is a brand I’ve been using for years. The love affair started in 2001, when I got my first tube of Phytodefrisant and a bottle of their Phytonectar shampoo for dry hair. I like that the products don’t have heavy silicones, are full of botanicals, and don’t strip my dry, colored hair. They recently released an anti-aging shampoo and serum, which I couldn’t wait to get my hands on.
What it does
Phytodensium is an anti-aging shampoo and serum that targets aging hair, and claims to help restore strength into weak and fragile hair.
Active ingredients include:
– Gatuline age-defense (derived from walnet extracts) to protect against free radicals
– Black currant seed oil as a source of oemga-3 and omega-6 fatty acids to regenerate hair
– Botanical protein complex to increase hair’s elasticity
What I liked about it
I shampoo just once or twice a week (the rest of the time I wash with conditioner…there’s a bunch of weird things you have to do with wavy hair to keep it happy) so I’m extremely picky. I like the product to be moisturizing, to not contain any heavy silicones, and to not strip my color.
Phytodensium shampoo delivers on all three of these demands. It cleans without being harsh, and leaves me hair and scalp feeling refreshed. It has a light, slightly floral scent that’s very pretty and it doesn’t leave my hair smelling too perfume-y, which I can’t stand.
The serum is a light, thin, non-oily liquid that I first apply into my palms with the dropper. I rub my palms together and then massage the product into my scalp and hair before styling. It has the same floral scent.
What I found interesting about this combo is that using both products relaxes the wave in my hair. It goes from a one-inch s wave to a one and half inch wave. I like the look or relaxed, beachy waves (think Giselle’s, long flowy locks) so I loved this nice side effect. And the effect is consistent, too, which is a minor miracle when you have hard-to-tame hair.
What I didn’t like about it
I can’t tell if these products are really helping to assist my hair in the anti-aging department. They smell great and give me a beautiful loose waves, but I can’t say for sure if my hair has become stronger or younger-looking.
The final word
I loved this shampoo and serum combo, and I would definitely buy it over and over again, but mostly for the gentleness in cleansing and the wonderful after-effect of loose waves rather than for the anti-aging claims. If you’re trying to avoid silicones, or are looking for products that loosen your curl, then it is definitely worth a try.
You might need anti-aging products if…
– You didn’t get an e-mail account until you took a class that required you to get one…in college.
– You own a mix tape that you made off of the local hip hop station; extra points if either Salt & Pepa’s “Push It” or MC Hammer’s “Can’t Touch This” is on it.
– You remember when girls did not talk about waxing or tweezing their eyebrows.
– Your O.G. “skinny jeans” were of the Bongo or Guess variety, and they were so tight that after lunch you could barely breathe as you sat in history class.
– You had or knew someone who had a spiral perm gone wrong.
– Your bullshit-o-meter is so finely tuned because you’ve heard it all before.
How are you feeling today? I’m a little on the emotionally exhauasted side. I love watching movies and last night I saw a fantastic documentary called God Grew Tired of Us, which follows three of Sudan’s “lost boys.” The lost boys were the 20,000 children who were orphaned during the Second Sudanese Civil War. The story follows three refugees, John, Daniel and Panther, who find their way to America, where they experience electricity, running water and supermarkets for the first time. The film is so touching and well made (it even won an award at the 2006 Sundance Film Festival) and I was teary through most of it. I thought about it as I was falling asleep last night and I’m still thinking about it this morning.
Watching it made me think what sort of impact that we can make on other people. I know that this lil’ beauty blog isn’t going to stop any wars or make any large scale global changes, but I hope that every once in a while I get to help you, even if it’s just to to make you laugh out loud during your day.
Have a wonderful Wednesday, friends.
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
I didn’t even know they made anti-aging products for hair. Hell, I didn’t really think hair could age to a point where someone would notice a difference.
Oh, girl, you know you help me get through the morning everyday! It’s too bad you don’t post twice on Wednesday, because I have a lot of school ahead of me, and I’d like to stay awake!
I have wavy hair, too, and I am very interested to try these products (whether they fight aging or not!) I always appreciate first hand info on new products. Thanks!
Yeah, me too. I want an anti-aging serum that helps me ebb my increasing crankiness, ha ha ha.
Stay awake in class, young lady! Think of all the MAC on your doorstep, anxiously awaiting your brushes.
And don’t I wish I could post all day long. Someday, perhaps soon. You never know.
Hey MJ!
Ahhh…wavy hair, so you feel my pain. Yeah, the “loosening” side effect was really cool. And my hair was softer, too. I am wearing it down today without any product and I barely had to do anything to it.
Do you have any holy grail hair products that I need to know about? Wavy hair can be such a pain in the ass sometimes, I swear.
I’d like an anti-grumpy pill personally!
I’m trying, I’m trying. It’s rough, I tell you. Two and a half more hours…
I wish, I hope, oh please let there be a huge box of MAC at my doorstep upon my arrival!
Seriously, Crackberry me the minute you get it. If you get home before me I can live vicariously through you …
I’d LOVE an anti-grumpy pill. Something I could take once a day, right after coffee. We could make a jillion dollars!
I will, I will! Same goes to you, I need to know!!
Ahh, and right after we come up with the anti-grumpy pill, we can get started on the anti-aging pill; maybe even conquer the weight loss market!
Hey, babe. I went home for lunch, and there was a package at the front door with your name on it. I think it’s from some guy named MAC. Are you having an affair? =O
OMG I BETTER HAVE MY MAC PACKAGE TOO!!!
How cute that he alerts you to MAC goodness!
YAY YAY YAAAAAAAAY!More makeup, because you know I *need* it.
And no lovie, I’m not having an affair. It’s just Christian Bale keeps calling and even though I gently remind him that we got married he’s always asking me out. I dunno. Can’t quite figure it out.
You better have yours! ARRGGGHH!
It’ll be a plushlash kinda afternoon…
Oh, god, right? It would be awful if I didn’t get mine! I’ll be so sad and pouty. And my boyfriend will get angry because I’m pouty, and it will be a big ol’ mess.
COME ON FEDEX I LOVE YOU, DON’T YOU KNOW?!
Have fun with it all! Mattene, oh how I await to try you.
I know! Picture time, picture time! Yay! But I can’t do FOTDS yet though until I get rid of some excess facial hair (the bane of my existence.)
I hope you get the hot pink shadow.
I’ve been anxious to get to work on my all-matte FOTDs!
Haha! I hope to see you USE the hot pink shadow 😀
I didn’t know there were anti-aging products for hair, either. The big question I have is, when do you start using the anti-aging products? Do you wait till you start seeing a difference? Or in a preventative way, should you start at like, again 10? 😛
Um, that hot pink shadow is questionable. Pretty, but really? Where does one wear that?
I bet your all matte FOTDs are going to be super cool! Aww, it’s like your going to travel back in time to my era…
Hey Julieah,
I know, right? I still feel like the best form of anti-aging is religious use of sunscreen. I started paying more attention to stuff like retinals and ahas and bhas when i got to my late 20s. That’s when I noticed my skin was starting to change.
And for all you ladies that haven’t hit your late 20s…enjoy eating everything in sight while you can! Believe me, sh*t hits the fan at 26-28.
Just for you, I used it in my first Matte2 FOTD. BTW, you gotta share with me the primo base to use with these guys. Seriously, this has always been a pitfall for me when it comes to getting a truly matte look. I tried Painterly – poo; tried a regular eye base (Cinema Secrets or something) – poo. Finally I gave up and picked Provence, my least shimmery pigment!
Can’t wait to see yours and read your comments.
Oh, and I pulled out Immodest for fun 😉
Hope dance class was fun!
LOL! You totally just made me laugh.
I have a weird jones for eyeshadow bases. I have *several* non-sparkly ones: Laura Mercier, UDPP, Benefit, Lola. In a pinch if I don’t want sparkel I use concealer. Have you tried that, or does it slide off you?
How do you use a pigment as base? Do you wet it?
Dance class was interesting. My teacher was doing all this low-to the ground booty stuff and I think I pulled a muscle. And then some shirtless surfer dude came up and started watching through the windows and he yelled, “You guys are HOT!” It was very, very strange.
One of these days I’ll get you to go in with me 😮 C’mon! It’s a good workout!
You know, I had UDPP, and I didn’t feel like it did crap for me (or at least not more than my pigment-as-bases). I might need to try it again. I guess I’ll take a look at some bases at Sephora next time I’m there!
Or maybe they have a matte CCB, I find those weren’t so bad. Sigh, I just felt like nothing picked up the mattes well! I’ll have to see what you use.
OMG, pigment as a base, my god, that’s the way! 99% of the time that’s what I use. I take water-based mixing medium (MAC makes it, available only at PRO stores, but I use a homemade version), put a droplet or two on my brush, pick up pigment, and voila. Base that won’t budge through tears!
Sounds fun 😉 Too bad I’m awful at dancing. I have no rhythm, it’s so sad.
Yeah, I don’t quite understand the UDPP hype. I find it really hard to blend and chalky.
I never quite understood the feverish devotion to the pigments either. I never knew you could use them as a base…
I missed the boat on it.
I pretty much only use pigments as bases. I don’t really use them as eyeshadows – occasionally I’ll use them as a highlighter or add a touch to lipstick/lipgloss.
But seriously, I swear by them as bases.
I am STILL trying to find a Phyto distributor so I can carry it on my website. Here in the midwest, it is nowhere to be found! Thanks for teaching me about this product line. I’ve had many requests for it lately!
:)Sherri
Hi Sherri,
Phyto is one of my favorite hair lines. I’ll be doing another post on some more of my favorite products from the line soon (hopefully this week!) Check back soon.
Oh – and send me an e-mail. I can help connect you with someone who might be able to help you find a distributor.
Have a good one! 🙂
I read Sherri’s post and we are in the same boat. We have quite a few people that want Phyto but we are having a hard time getting it. We have located a distributor but they aren’t very steady in getting product. We love the line from what we have tried. Thanks for the info. Great blog!