amika

 The Protector Color Protect + Strengthen Conditioner

Most Helpful Positive Review

A Pleasant Surprise for a Hair-Care Snob

[I received this product in exchange for my honest review] I'll admit it. I had never heard of Amika before being offered the opportunity to try this shampoo, conditioner, and heat protectant. Growing up with parents who owned a hair salon, I was surrounded by professional-grade products from an e...arly age. As a result, I've become a bit of a hair-care snob and rarely venture outside the brands I already know and trust. That made this trio an unexpected surprise. The first thing I noticed was the fragrance. All three products share the same delicate scent — light, floral, and fresh without being overpowering. It's the kind of fragrance you notice but that doesn't linger so heavily that it competes with your perfume. The shampoo has a pearlescent appearance, while the conditioner is a creamy white. Both have a consistency that feels just right — not watery, yet not overly thick either. They distribute easily through the hair and rinse cleanly without leaving a heavy residue. One of my biggest concerns whenever I try a new hair product is how my skin will react. I typically have to use products formulated for sensitive skin because many shampoos eventually leave me with an itchy scalp or dry skin. So far, I've experienced no irritation whatsoever. That said, I've learned from experience that reactions sometimes don't appear until I've used a product for a week or two, so I'll continue paying attention. Even if that ultimately happens, I've enjoyed these products enough that I'd gladly rotate them with my regular sensitive-skin products to continue enjoying their benefits. The styling results are what impressed me most. My hair is extremely fine and naturally lacks volume unless I use styling products like mousse. Wanting to see how these products really performed, I tried them three different ways: 1) Shampoo and conditioner followed only by the heat protectant before blow-drying and curling. 2) Shampoo, conditioner, mousse, then the heat protectant. 3) Shampoo, conditioner, heat protectant first, followed by mousse. Honestly I expected noticeable differences depending on the order — or, at least, that I'd need my mousse for the best results. I was wrong. Each time, my hair dried with beautiful body, held its curl exceptionally well, and had noticeably more volume than I anticipated. The biggest surprise was that when I skipped my mousse altogether and relied only the heat protectant, I still achieved impressive lift and lasting curls. That's not something I can say about many styling products I've tried. After several uses, my hair consistently felt soft, looked healthy, and never became weighed down — a commmon problem for those of us with fine hair. Amika may not have been on my radar before this review, but it certainly is now. For someone who tends to stick with tried-and-true salon brands, that's probably the highest compliment I can give. If these products continue to agree with my sensitive skin over the coming weeks, they'll earn a permanent place in my hair-care rotation.