A typical morning looks like this for me: at 7.30am, I get to the gym and smash out a workout. Then I hop into the shower, and I have about 20 minutes (and that’s being generous) to get ready, before I need to head off for work. And in the past, when I was truly under a time crunch, I would brush out my wavy hair and hope that the air would quickly dry my hair as much as possible before I got to the office. This happens more than I’d like to admit, especially because my gym’s hairdryers don’t come with curly hair-friendly diffusers. Not my proudest moment as a beauty writer, but we do what we have to do.
But believe me when I say that Oribe’s Hair Alchemy Heatless Styling Balm has been a game changer for me. Keep on reading to see how this one product has completely changing my morning hair routine.
The Details And The Method
Firstly, I love me a heatless styling product. Anything that saves me the 15 minutes it takes me to blow-dry my hair in the morning already has one point in its favour; time is not a luxury I can afford on typical work mornings. This balm works to protect and style at the same time. After applying it, you’re welcome to continue with your usual heatless styling routine to play up the effects of the balm. For me, that’s twirling in sections and scrunching my hair into itself for maximum curl output.
One more thing: the texture. The balm, at least to me, feels more cream than balm. It’s rich and luscious, but it doesn’t weigh down my light waves when I use it. It’s easy to work in, and doesn’t clump in my strands.
When it comes to the fragrance, the styling product is very lightly scented. The scent is not too overwhelming but there’s definitely a sweetness there, which is a nice touch. I get a slight whiff of it as I walk, but it doesn’t come across too overpowering, so I don’t need to worry too much about it clashing with my perfume of the day.
The Effect
Even while my hair is drying as I leave the gym, I can see how each lock of hair looks (and feels) more defined. If I leave my hair to air dry without any product, I’ve noticed that my natural curls don’t always show up enough, especially since the process of combing it out usually flattens out my hair’s natural texture. But with this styling balm, I can almost feel a cast around my curls. They’re not crunchy or too rough, but my hair just appears bouncier. And the best part? The cast lasts all day.
In terms of frizz, I find that my hair is much more manageable after using the heatless styling balm. One of the biggest problems with curly or wavy hair is that the hair looks out-of-control, but this fixes most of the stray hairs that I normally find tricky to manage.
The Ingredients
Small but mighty, the Oribe Hair Alchemy Heatless Styling Balm is packed with ingredients to revitalise droopy locks and target each strand from the inside out. The brand’s special Curative Blend of chia seed, bio-fermented bamboo leaf and plant-based proteins helps to protect the hair from external aggressors and prevent breakage. Thanks to chickpea extract—upcycled, by the way—and tomato fruit ferment, my hair felt stronger and more nourished. With curly or wavy hair, dehydration is a perpetual issue. Superficial hair issues stand no chance against this delicious cocktail of nourishing ingredients—just ask my hair.
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