REVIEW: KIRSTEN ESS

Kirstin Ess is a celebrity hairstylist who has created her own haircare range that features light weight, buildable formula's that are easy to use. The range is COLOR + KERATIN SAFE | VEGAN | CRUELTY FREE | FREE OF SULFATES, PARABENS, PHTHALATES + SILICONES. Keep reading below for my full review on the curl range.

"Kristin Ess Hair began with a simple idea: create an affordable collection of luxury haircare and styling products that would give everyone the chance to create modern, perfectly-imperfect hair."

FIRST IMPRESSIONS

Before we get started can we just chat about the packaging because I am IN LOVE with it. So simple and so striking! The bottle colours are beautiful and so soft to touch with almost a velvet-like feel to them. There are subtle details, like the lid which just finish it all off so well.

SCENT

I was really surprised by the scent of this range. I was expecting quite a light but floral/feminine scent but instead, it's something completely different! It's quite hard to pinpoint what it smells like, it almost has a bit of a plastic type smell to it, but not in a bad way. It's quite a strong smell, so if you're sensitive to smells, then this range might not be for you.

1. CURL SHAMPOO

I haven't tried the shampoo yet, but check back soon as i'll be updating this post once i've tried a few of the other products.

(CURLY GIRL METHOD APPROVED).

Price: R240 / $12

Ingredients:

WATER, SODIUM C14-16 OLEFIN SULFONATE, COCAMIDOPROPYL BETAINE, PROPANEDIOL, GLYCOL DISTEARATE, PHENOXYETHANOL, BUTYROSPERMUM PARKII (SHEA) BUTTER, ALANINE, ARGININE, ASPARTIC ACID, GLYCINE, HISTIDINE, ISOLEUCINE, PHENYLALANINE, PROLINE, SERINE, SODIUM PCA, PCA, SODIUM LACTATE, THREONINE, VALINE, CITRIC ACID, DISODIUM EDTA, GLYCINE SOJA (SOYBEAN) OIL, GLYCINE SOJA (SOYBEAN) STEROLS, GLYCOLIPIDS, GUAR HYDROXYPROPYLTRIMONIUM CHLORIDE, HYDROXYETHYLCELLULOSE, HYDROXYACETOPHENONE, LAURYL LACTYL LACTATE, PEG-150 DISTEARATE, PHOSPHOLIPIDS, RICINUS COMMUNIS (CASTOR) SEED OIL, FRAGRANCE.

2. CURL CONDITIONER:

The first time I used the conditioner, my first reaction was 'WOW, my hair feels so soft'. The conditioner is so hydrating and detangled any knots that I had really easily. My hair truly felt like silk afterwards.

(NOT CURLY GIRL METHOD APPROVED).

Price: R240 / $12

Ingredients:

WATER, CETEARYL ALCOHOL, CETYL ALCOHOL, GLYCERIN, BEHENTRIMONIUM CHLORIDE, FRAGRANCE, PHENOXYETHANOL, CETRIMONIUM CHLORIDE, ISOPROPYL ALCOHOL, GUAR HYDROXYPROPYLTRIMONIUM CHLORIDE, ISOPROPYL PALMITATE, PANTHENOL, CAPRYLYL GLYCOL, ETHYLHEXYLGLYCERIN, CETEARAMIDOETHYLDIETHONIUM SUCCINOYL HYDROLYZED PEA PROTEIN, HYPNEA MUSCIFORMIS EXTRACT, SARGASSUM FILIPENDULA EXTRACT, CITRIC ACID, CAPRYLIC/CAPRIC TRIGLYCERIDE, SODIUM CHLORIDE, SORBITOL, RICINUS COMMUNIS (CASTOR) SEED OIL, MANGIFERA INDICA (MANGO) SEED BUTTER, CHAMOMILLA RECUTITA (MATRICARIA) FLOWER EXTRACT, PERSEA GRATISSIMA (AVOCADO) OIL, HELIANTHUS ANNUUS (SUNFLOWER) SEED OIL, SODIUM HYDROXIDE, COCO-GLUCOSIDE, SODIUM PCA, SODIUM LACTATE, HYDROLYZED LINSEED SEED, GELIDIELLA ACEROSA EXTRACT, ARGININE, ASPARTIC ACID, ALGIN, SORBITAN OLEATE, CHITOSAN, CARRAGEENAN, TOCOPHEROL, XANTHAN GUM, PCA, GLYCINE, ALANINE, SERINE, BENZYL ALCOHOL, VALINE, THREONINE, PROLINE, ISOLEUCINE, POTASSIUM SORBATE, PHENYLALANINE, HISTIDINE, SODIUM BENZOATE.

3. CURL LEAVE IN CREAM

The curl leave in cream comes in a spray bottle. I personally prefer a leave in cream that I can rub into my hair. I just find it easier to distribute throughout my hair. However, I will say that this spray bottle works pretty well and distributes nicely. I also just sprayed a couple times into my hand and then rubbed that into my hair like I would a curl cream. I didn't find this to be the most moisturising and i'm not sure i'd repurchase it for every day use. I think it would be great for refreshing and on-the-go styling or maybe come in handy in summer for beach/pool days.

(NOT CURLY GIRL METHOD APPROVED).

Price: R240 / $10

Ingredients:

WATER (AQUA/EAU), FRAGRANCE (PARFUM), POLYSORBATE 80, COCOS NUCIFERA (COCONUT) OIL, PHENOXYETHANOL, C20-22 ALKYL PHOSPHATE, CETRIMONIUM CHLORIDE, BUTYROSPERMUM PARKII (SHEA) BUTTER, C20-22 ALCOHOLS, HYDROXYETHYL ACRYLATE/SODIUM ACRYLOYLDIMETHYL TAURATE COPOLYMER, ISOHEXADECANE, PRUNUS AMYGDALUS DULCIS (SWEET ALMOND) OIL, AMINOMETHYL PROPANOL, SODIUM PCA, SODIUM LACTATE, POLYSORBATE 60, TOCOPHERYL ACETATE, ARGININE, ASPARTIC ACID, PCA, GLYCINE, ALANINE, SERINE, VALINE, ISOLEUCINE, PROLINE, THREONINE, PHENYLALANINE, HISTIDINE, BENZYL SALICYLATE.

4. CURL DEFINING JELLY

I hate sticky gels and thankfully this one is not sticky at all. It's very lightweight and almost has a bit of a watery feel to it. It gives a decent amount of hold but nothing too strong. It didn't leave a cast in my hair and left my hair feeling very soft afterwards. I would purchase this again, it's a great light weight product for soft curls.

(CURLY GIRL METHOD APPROVED).

Price: R260 / $14

Ingredients:

WATER, POLYQUATERNIUM-37, PHENOXYETHANOL, POLYSORBATE 20, FRAGRANCE, CETRIMONIUM CHLORIDE, GLYCOLIC ACID, ETHYLHEXYLGLYCERIN, AMINOMETHYL PROPANOL, POLYQUATERNIUM-7, SODIUM PCA, SODIUM LACTATE, ARGININE, ASPARTIC ACID, PCA, GLYCINE, ALANINE, SERINE, VALINE, PROLINE, THREONINE, HISTIDINE, ISOLEUCINE, PERSEA GRATISSIMA (AVOCADO) OIL, PHENYLALANINE, HELIANTHUS ANNUUS (SUNFLOWER) SEED OIL, RICINUS COMMUNIS (CASTOR) SEED OIL, MANGIFERA INDICA (MANGO) SEED BUTTER, CHAMOMILLA RECUTITA (MATRICARIA) FLOWER EXTRACT, CAPRYLIC/CAPRIC TRIGLYCERIDE, COCO-GLUCOSIDE, CARRAGEENAN, GUAR HYDROXYPROPYLTRIMONIUM CHLORIDE, ALGIN, SORBITAN OLEATE, CHITOSAN, XANTHAN GUM.

My overall impression of the range is 8/10 :)

S x