Kao Essential Damage Care Hair Treatment

i bought this conditioning treatment when i was in singapore earlier this year because i didn't want to use the conditioner from my hotel. during the time when i was there, KAO was advertising their new Essential line at almost all of the subway stations in singapore. i guess their marketing efforts worked because i bought it! not only was it well advertised, it was cheap! (approx $7 SG, which is roughly $5 USD.) and guess what ladies (and gents), this thing works!



what i liked about this product was that it completely untangled my hair in the shower (that's what its supposed to do, however) and it made my hair soft and manageable out of the shower. i felt like it infused and coated my damaged hair. it also smelled good; you may think this isn't a selling point, but it is. i've tried KAO's Asience treatment before (recommended by a hairstylists) and it smelled yuck! the Essential treatment works just as well as the Asience, and smells better!

there is a shampoo and conditioner that goes along w/ the treatment, but i think the treatment is more worth it if you're not going to buy the whole set. (read miss eki's review on the shampoo and conditioner -- she likes it!) my hair usually does fine w/ certain drugstore brands for shampoo/conditioner (and in asia, this IS a drugstore brand), but if i want to buy an affordable treatment for my chemically treated hair, this would be towards the top of my list.

let me clarify -- this isn't the best-ever hair treatment (and i haven't yet found one that is), but its just as good as the other good treatments i've tried. if you want to start taking better care of your hair, or if you want to find a cheaper alternative to your current hair treatment, it's definitely worth a try. =)

Price: $5 USD in asia, $11-12 in US
Where to Buy: amazon.com, japanese markets
Overall Rating: 5/5 stars
Tip: try it if you're overspending on other treatments (like pureology)!

**coming soon - what NOT to get for your hair**