Random Product Review! Brilliantine Cream from Lathers & Lights

By Unknown

Purchased

Do you have a hard time preventing your hair from drying out?

My haircare needs are not very exotic. Limp, thin, baby-fine hair obviously has different challenges compared to hair that is very curly, or perhaps brittle and too frizzy. Just like skin, everyone's hair responds positively to different things. However, also like skin, I think all hair needs some pampering moisture to keep things from drying out. The Brilliantine Cream from Lathers & Lights is one indie conditioner I've been experimenting with.

Brilliantine Cream

Hair conditioning and shaving cream - 2.3oz at $5.50 / 4.6oz at $9.25 / 9oz at $15.50

 Our new Brilliantine Cream is a superbly thick, yet unbelievably light, conditioning cream for hair. Brilliantine Cream nourishes the hair and scalp with botanical infusions and cocoa butter without weighing hair down or leaving it greasy. Simply apply a small amount to freshly shampooed hair and rinse your way to bright, shiny, bouncy tresses!

Back in August last year I sang high praises for Lathers & Lights Brilliantine Cream:

This stuff is crazy - granted it's mostly ceterayl alcohol, but just a dime sized amount gently worked into your hair with a little wait time before rinsing out and suddenly every single knot and snarl is completely gone, leaving my hair silky and shimmery. Even though I have a smaller jar, I can see it lasting a long time!

So it has been a while, how are things going?

Ehhh.

This is still a great product, but it has a caveat for me - it only seems to work well when coupled with the Olive and Honey shampoo from L&L. I've been experimenting with other, non-indie shampoos, namely Shea Moisture's "Yucca and Baobab Thickening Shampoo" and "Big Sexy Hair Extra Volumizing Shampoo." These are nice products that work well for me and are much more readily available than indie alternatives. However, I remember really enjoying the Brilliantine Cream and figured I'd integrate it with my current routine!

I think it's so neat that they found the formula while trying to put together a shaving cream:

 Since Brilliantine Cream was discovered while developing a shaving product, this thick, buttery cream also pulls double duty as a shaving cream! The same conditioning agents used to soften the hair on the scalp also help soften body hair and allow the razor to glide over skin with no dragging. For best results, step from under shower spray and whisk away excess water. Smooth a small amount over skin and shave. Rinse with warm water and rejoice in smooth, hair-free skin!

This is all very lovely, but how's it actually work? A quick look at the ingredients list on Cosdna shows that the fatty chain alcohols do most of the heavy lifting for this product. I'm not going to dip too deep into the chemistry (especially since there are others out there who are way better at this stuff than me!) but my basic understanding is that the shorter chain alcohols evaporate faster, leaving you dried out, but fatty alcohols have longer chains. This is why it's practically impossible to not find conditioners without any. So this is a proven, well-known ingredient. L&L also boasts that this formula is protein, sulfate and paraben free, so if those are of importance to you, rest easy. Lastly, it's always nice being able to customize your product with one of many, many scents from the stock list!

Brilliantine Cream has a waxy appearance upon application, and even after wetting it down my skin is shiny

 This is a tricky product to work with, especially if your hair is NOT struggling with frizz. A tiny amount truly goes a long way, and it's best when massaged into the ends of your hair. When I was pairing it with my Olive and Honey shampoo, this stuff was really incredible. The shampoo alone cleaned my hair perfectly and lifted any buildup or residue, but it also made my scalp feel a bit dry.

My hair would also get super tangled, and the Brilliantine Cream was like an exotic snake charmer, singing songs of fatty alcohols to untwine my snaky hair. It was worth powering through the strange sort-of-reminiscent-of-crayons fragrance that mingled with my own custom-selected scent (mangosteen, of course).

So what happened?

I'm not sure if it's because the new shampoos I'm using have such different formulas or what, but pairing the Brilliantine Cream is a disappointment. I need to measure out such a precise amount. If I lean a bit too heavy I feel like I've encased my head in a heavy waxy helmet, and if I don't use enough my hair feels dried out. I have no clue what's going on, but I'm pretty bummed.

I suspect my Brilliantine Cream will not see much use unless I pair it up with my L&L shampoo. It worked so complimentary with it, so I don't think it's a bad product! But as with any sort of hair or skin product, your mileage may vary. Are there other indie conditioners you've dabbled with?