My Experience with Kamini Aunty

Well, you would all be wondering who the hell is "Kamini aunty"??? I came to know about her from Mehak's blog and on my recent trip to Delhi, I went to this lady who is supposed to be a miracle for hair. She can cure any hair problem apparently. She runs her hair clinic from her house in Safdarjung enclave. And, the clinic is just like a home parlour.

Oil and Ginger Tonic

I went to her with my mommy. "Kamini aunty" looked at my hair and declared that its thin and she didn't really say much about my hair. I got her to check my mom's hair too and she declared that my mom has very dry scalp. And, she instructed the girl on what to use for our hairs and off we went in for the treatment. It consists of 3 things basically:

• Oiling - She has variety of oils of probably different grades. The girl attending me gave me instructions about how to go about my routine. And, she applied really a LOTTT of oil to my hair (around half a cup). It is supposed to have lots of herbs.

• Ginger Tonic - After the oiling was done, this was applied to my scalp only. Its basically ginger powder infused in vinegar. This is for aiding the hair growth since ginger stimulates hair follicles.Well, I do think other herbs might also have been there. It has to be left on for 30 minutes.  

• Hair Pack - After the ginger tonic, a hair pack is applied on the scalp and the ends of the hair and then, the hair is covered with a shower cap. This is made from many pulses and other ingredients and it smells strongly of dhania and it smells really warm. It also has to be left on for 30 minutes.

And, then, I am left for 30 minutes for the treatment to soak into the scalp. Meanwhile, I watch the whole procedure being followed on my mom and this is the first time she is getting any kind of a hair treatment so I was obviously enjoying it a lot :D And, then, I was taken for a hair wash which includes a shampoo and conditioner free of chemicals. Finally, my hair is blow-dried and my hair really felt so soft.

Shampoo and Conditioner

So, what's the treatment?
We are prescribed a shampoo, conditioner, hair oil and the ginger tonic. The treatment has to be done everyday for the first week in the same order as I have described above. And, after the first week, it has to be done on alternate days till you see the desired results. The hair pack has to be applied weekly once. I was told that I would see the new growth in two months.

How much does it cost?
Yes, it is expensive. Not overtly but still it is. Frankly, I wasn't prepared for the bill presented to me but my mom had already anticipated it. The shampoo and conditioner cost about 400, the tonic is around 800, hair pack is 600 and the hair oil is around 2500. To be just, even my dad said that the quantity given was good enough.

How am I liking it?
I went to her on 18th April. I have used the products around 5 times till now. Yes, I wasn't regular as I should have been in the first week and neither was I in the second but I hope I shall be from now on. But, strictly speaking, I would say that the treatment has brought out shine in my hair. And, it has definitely become more manageable with less flyaways.

Also, I love the shampoo a lot. Its free of chemicals and it smells nice and it seems to be a concoction of reetha and shikakai with orange fragrance. Its watery enough but not entirely watery and lathers well enough but not exactly generously but cleanses my hair nicely. And, I like the conditioner too. It lathers a lot and doesn't weigh down my hair.

Of course, none of the products ingredients are written as they are supposed to be a secret. And, whether I'll have a head full of hair, only time will tell. But, being a cynic, I do have a small doubt. If I follow the very same routine with regular products in the same time frame, will it yield results??? Of course, taking into consideration that I choose a SLS free shampoo and silicone free conditioner. What do you say??

Liz Earle Botanical Shine Treatment {Product Review}

Price: 14 Pounds (around Rs 1200) for 150ml

Ingredients
It has a huge list and the pic was really not very clear.

Aqua (water), Aloe barbadensis (aloe vera) leaf juice, Cetearyl alcohol, Calodendrum capense (yangu) seed oil, Glyceryl stearate, Glycerin, Vitellaria paradoxa (shea butter), Rhus succedanea (sumac) fruit wax, Parfum (fragrance), Citrus aurantium dulcis (orange) fruit extract, Kappaphycus alvarezii (red algae) extract, Pyrus malus (apple) fruit extract, Tocopherol (vitamin E), Crambe maritima (blue seakale) leaf extract, Gossypium herbaceum (cotton) flower extract, Behentrimonium methosulfate, Cetrimonium chloride, Panthenol, Butylene glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Limonene, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Linalool, Benzoic acid, Phytantriol, Maris aqua (sea water), Dehydroacetic acid, Sodium hydroxide, Fructose, Glucose, Inositol, Sucrose, Trehalose, Isomaltulose, Trehalulose, Citric acid, Sodium citrate. 

My Experience

The ingredient list is pretty impressive anyways. So, I was obviously very excited to try out the product and wanting it to really work. Btw, my hair is not very coarse or dry and this product is meant for very rough hair and my hair is in fact fine but yes, it is dry to an extent and I can definitely use some softening and shine.

The product has to be applied like a conditioner and kept for minimum of 10 minutes after shampooing. And, for extra boost, 30 minutes is the stipulated time. To be frank, I am always in a hurry and staying patiently doing nothing for 10 minutes is a little difficult for me coz I do not proceed with my shower before washing off my conditioner.

Anyways, keeping that aside, somehow I do manage to keep it for 10-15 minutes on my hair after shampooing. Results? My hair wash extremely soft and manageable. The frizziness was definitely tamed to an extent and I would say that the shine is very subtle and natural, not like the serum shine or anything. It didn't weigh my hair down too. Since I have not used their shampoo and conditioner, I have no idea how well it complements the botanical range.

The texture of the is very light and gets easily applied on the hair. And, it also smells really wonderful but some might not like it. That's my gut instinct. The smell stays on the hair after the conditioner is washed off. But, it is very subtle and doesn't bother your head or nose. But, of course, it doesn't do anything to the split ends. And, you have to follow with a leave-in for better results.

Availability

Online - Liz Earle Website

PS: Product provided by the brand.

Other reviews from Liz Earle: 

Liz Earle Brightening Treatment Mask

Liz Earle Deep Cleansing Mask
Liz Earle Sheer Skin Tint - Beige
Update on Liz Earle Instant Boost Skin Tonic
Liz Earle Skin Repair Moisturizer
Liz Earle Instant Boost Skin Tonic
Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser

Hydration for Hair {Hair Care}

Rule 1 for Hair Care: Constantly hydrate your hair. 

One of the very basic principle of hair care is to keep your hydrated at all times. Dry hair is prone to damage and same goes with excessively oily hair. Oily hair is just excess in oil which is also harmful for the hair as it might cause excess buildup on the scalp and hair and of course, you need to wash your hair regularly to get rid of the grease. So, let us return to hydration of hair. If you want to keep your hair in optimal health, go for regular hydrating treatments. A hair spa is a good indulgence which will bring a lot of life to your hair too. And, whipping up various home remedies is also not such a bad option. Make it a routine to treat your hair at least once a week to a hydrating treatment whether its a hair mask from the brands or a homemade one.