IN the ‘80s, one of the biggest innovations in hair – apart from the scarily oversized ‘dos – was Vidal Sasssoon’s Wash n Go (a handy shampoo and conditioner combo designed for the time-poor executive of that decade). Since that contrary era of Thatcherism, miserablist music, synth powerpop and shoulder pads and powerdressing innovations in haircare have also moved on.
One of the latest being the no shampoo (sometimes called “no ‘poo”, a name which conjures up unpleasant connotations – for me at least, so best avoided) or co-washing or (conditioner-washing) movement. Although these combine washing and conditioning much like the Wash n Go this is where the comparison ends. Today’s lotions are much more sophisticated offering often being detergent, sulphate- (foaming), silicone-(giving hair shine but creating build-up and ultimately weighing it down) and paraben (preservatives which have been linked with breast cancer and reproductive issues)-free hair products that both cleanse and moisture hair and which are much milder to the scalp as well as hair.
Sachajuan Hair Cleansing Cream
Noted cult Swedish haircare brand Sachajuan has launched its own hair cleansing cream, which in its own non-flashy way is also something of a pioneer. The company was set up in 2004 by eponymous founders Sacha Mitic and Juan Rosenlind, two internationally celebrated hairdressers who started their salon in 1997 in Stockholm and espouse a brand philosophy of creating simple, effective, high quality, natural and stylish products (all presented in very elegant minimalistic packaging which are inspired by traditional medicine bottles).
Realising that many people prefer their hair not the first day it’s been washed – as it’s too fluffy and flyaway but the day after, when it has settled down a bit, Sachajuan set out to create a product that thoroughly cleaned the hair and scalp and was also gentle, made of natural ingredients, and gave great sheen, body and texture. Their Cleansing Cream is lather and silicone-free, and contains the brand’s unique Ocean Silk Technology (from algae-extracts) for shine and and Wax Technology to combat grease and product build-up while cleaning the hair without stripping the hair of its own protective oils.
My poor hair has borne many years of colouring – covering up the roots and the occasional highlights – and over time, this has taken its toll on its condition and has left it very dry and often unmanageable. And once washed, it is a matted mass of tangles which now only heavy duty conditioning can make it anywhere near comb-able. How could one product sort all this out?
The instructions for the cream tell you to wet your hair first with warm water, then generously pump out the product, massage it into your scalp and over your hair, all the way along the strands, leave for a minute, then rinse. After following these, and despite my initial apprehension, I was delighted to find after using the cleansing cream, that I could easily brush and style my hair when wet (this is a feat achieved normally by treating it first with lots of conditioning creams). And once dry, not only was my hair feel very clean, it looked shiny and not fluffy and flyaway, and the texture was excellent – smooth and silky – like it had been deeply conditioned. I am now a convert. This is hair nirvana.
by Caroline Simpson
Sachajuan Hair Cleansing Cream (500ml)retails at £28 from Escentual, John Lewis and Barneys