Jennifer Aniston and “good hair” have been synonymous for decades. Remember in the mid-’90s when everyone and their mom asked their stylist to do “Rachel”? Not only did she create some iconic looks during her time on Friends, but she also had hair care She served as a spokesperson for the brand Living Proof and continued to own a portion of it (she parted ways with the company in 2012).
Earlier this year, the A-lister launched her own hair care brand, LolaVie, with the goal of combining clean, naturally derived ingredients with high-performance formulas. The brand started with “Glossing Detangler”. It is advertised as something that will be a common element for all future products. It’s LolaVie Bond Technology, a chia seed-based complex that helps repair existing damage and prevent future damage. This one is also unique. Rather than using water, it relies on bamboo essence, a fortifying ingredient that also helps make the product more sustainable. Other key properties include yeast extract, which helps form a thermal protective shield for hair, and lemon extract and botanical ceramides, which provide smoothness and shine. (It’s worth mentioning that this formula is 99% naturally derived, vegan, cruelty-free, and free of parabens, silicones, and sulfates.)
And now comes the million dollar question. Does the product work? In short, it does. By the way, my hair care method is incredibly simple. My hair is long, but very fine and fine, so if I use too much product it gets heavy and oily quickly. Most days, all I do is shampoo, condition, and use some kind of detangling spray. Blow drying is optional. The point is, I was excited to try this because it was exactly the type of product I was drawn to. (And ironically, my favorite so far is the detangling spray from Aniston’s previous business, Living Proof.)
I loved the packaging from the beginning. The bottle has a chic, simple black and white design, paying homage to Aniston’s classic aesthetic. More importantly, it’s not bulky, easy to hold, and easy to spray. I don’t like scents and won’t use anything that doesn’t have a nice scent, but I also don’t like scents that are too strong. This is just the right balance. It has a slight citrusy scent from the lemon, but other than that it smells fresh and spa-like.
I followed the instructions and sprayed it all over my clean, towel-dried hair and brushed it out. I used it both before air drying and before blow drying. In both cases, it definitely made combing my tangle-prone hair easier, but I noticed a difference more when I used it before blow-drying. My hair felt softer and lighter, had less flyaways, and looked shinier and healthier overall. It was also nice to know that it was protected from heat so I didn’t have to worry about using additional heat protectants when styling.
The newest addition to the brand is Perfecting Leave-In. This joins our list of best leave-in conditioners. Like Glossing Detangler, this one also includes plant-based bonding technology and heat shields, as well as a few other unique ingredients. Unlike detangler, which is a spray, this is a light cream that provides plenty of hydration. Rose of Jericho is also, you guessed it, a plant-based ingredient that moisturizes and smoothes your hair. It also uses bamboo to give it a hold that’s not as strong as hairspray or gel, but still enough to set the style.
It has the same sleek packaging and scent as the Detangler, but is definitely a heavier product. The cream is light, but a little goes a long way. It is intended to be used only from the mid-lengths to the tips of the hair. For my long hair, I only needed a dime-sized amount. Again, the instructions said to apply to wet hair and style as usual, so I tried both before letting my hair air dry and before blow-drying. In the first instance, my hair felt smoother, softer, and less frizzy, but it did leave a bit of a residue when dry. However, similar to the detangler, I found it to be much more effective as a preparatory step before blow drying. It didn’t weigh my hair down at all, but it created a great foundation for a bouncy blowout thanks to a very subtle amount of hold.
FYI, the brand says both products can be used together. First, spray Glossing Detangler all over your hair, followed by Perfecting Leave-in from mid-lengths to ends. But if I had to choose just one, I would vote for the detangler. Because I tend to prefer light products that can be sprayed over creamy ones that I have to apply by hand. (And, to be completely honest, I feel like there’s so much overlap in their benefits that I could easily stick to one.) Still, I’m thoroughly impressed with both. We’re anxiously waiting to see what LolaVie releases next. . I’m trying to find shampoo and conditioner…
Go Shopping: Grossing Detangler, Perfecting Leave-in
