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As a beauty writer, I’ve covered haircare products for nearly a decade and, in that time, have tried dozens upon dozens of shampoos and conditioners. While some barely got the job done, others worked wonders, reviving my ultra-dry strands with a dose of much-needed moisture. With that said, nothing quite compares to how one shampoo and conditioner completely transformed my hair this year.
Despite having relatively fine hair, I actually have a lot of it, which I love. However, the weight of my long hair has caused my natural waves to all but give up, resulting in nearly straight strands. Mix in the chronic dryness that my hair (and my skin for that matter) often fall victim to and the once natural beach waves I was born with are a distant memory. That is, until I tried the Amika Hydro Rush shampoo and conditioner duo, which is like hyaluronic acid serum for your strands.
Hydro Rush Intense Moisture Shampoo with Hyaluronic Acid — $26.00
Good For: Cleansing the scalp and strands, and providing a hydration boost while washing.
Infused with hyaluronic acid and squalane, the Amika Hydro Rush Intense Moisture Shampoo was made for lifting away dirt and debris and leaving behind lasting moisture. Also called HA, hyaluronic acid is a molecule made naturally in the body that is responsible for hydrating hair, skin, muscle tissue, and more. That said, age and environmental aggressors—think pollution—can wreak havoc on the body’s HA reserves, which is why supplementing with hyaluronic acid skin and haircare can make a difference in moisturizing efforts. Squalane is another natural ingredient and is actually a component of sebum, aka the body’s natural moisturizer. When added into haircare products, it can soften strands and coat them in moisture.
When I first tried the Amika Hydro Rush Intense Moisture Shampoo, I could tell that it was different right away. The consistency felt like a liquid soap, but I could feel its moisturizing properties between my fingers. It was also super easy to apply, and a little bit went a long way—which is always appreciated when you have hair down to your waist. While I think the conditioner is the standout product (more on that below), the shampoo left the top of my strands and scalp (two areas I don’t apply conditioner) feeling nourished and hydrated in one wash.
Hydro Rush Intense Moisture Conditioner with Hyaluronic Acid — $26.00
Good For: Deep nourishment and hydration, and revitalizing hair health.
When you have chronic dry hair, conditioner is the hero product—and the Amika Hydro Rush Intense Moisture Conditioner boasts a ton of wow factor. Infused with squalane and hyaluronic acid, along with polyglutamic acid, coconut water, blue algae, and sea buckthorn, this is the most hydrating conditioner I have ever tried. Similar to hyaluronic acid and squalane, polyglutamic acid is a moisturizing ingredient that actually locks in moisture and, as a result, can protect against further dehydration.
Coconut water also packs a punch with lots of hydrating properties along with the ability to strengthen the hair, reduce dandruff, and create softer and silkier strands. Blue algae is rich in vitamins and minerals that can refresh and revitalize the hair with its fatty acids, vitamin A, and amino acids. Sea buckthorn is another impressive all-natural ingredient that can benefit the hair. It’s one of the only plant-based sources of fatty-acid omega 7, which promoted moisturized hair, and has 15 times more vitamin C than an orange. All of these ingredients combined create a cocktail of magical moisture.
What I like about the Amika Hydro Rush Conditioner is that, despite all of its impressive hydrating ingredients, it’s not super thick. Yet, its results were comparable to some of the heavy-duty hair masks I’ve tried. Because of this, it was easy to apply to my hair from the shaft down, without missing a single strand. Upon rinsing it out, I could immediately feel the difference in my ends. They felt soft-to-the-touch, hydrated, and bouncier than usual. And, after towel-drying my hair and combing it out, I could see my strands begin to form their beach-y waves in a way that, for the last few years, has required scrunching.
Once air-dried, my hair looked like I ran a waver through parts of it to enhance my natural waves—only these were my natural waves. And, moreover, my hair felt so hydrated and soft for days after testing out the shampoo and conditioner, which is not the norm as my hair is constantly subjected to a dry climate in Los Angeles.
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