beauty
VonChelsea Candelario
Posted on March 8, 2023
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Looking for moisturizing hair care? OVegamour HYDR-8 Collectioncould be the answer to making your strands look and feel hydrated. The brand is already known for its popular GRO collection, which includes vibrant products like theGRO-Essential-KitEGRO+ Advanced Gums. However, her latest collection focuses on dry and damaged strands. Three editors with different hair types tried out the HYDR-8 line to see if it really lived up to its claims. Read our honest thoughts on whether it's worth adding to your laundry routine.
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Meet the testers:
- Olivia Kappleris a trade editor for PureWow. Kappler has fine, dry hair and an oily scalp.
- Destinee Scottis Associate Sales and Business Editor for PureWow. Scott has dry, wavy, thick hair.
- Chelsea Candelariois Associate Editor of PureWow. Candelario has highly porous, curly and colored hair.
To begin with, it took us a few tries to realize that we had to twist the cap off to access the product. Once we figured that out, we all appreciated how this delivery method ensured we got just the right amount of product without messing up the shower or slipping a shampoo cap off our fingers while washing. We also praise the gentle formula that overcomesCarmatina(the brand's vegan silk alternative to keratin and silicone), magnolia bark extract andaloe vera, which helps to clean, hydrate and calm the hair. However, the results left us quite divided. While Dubyak liked the rich lather and how it didn't weigh down her hair, Scott and Candelario felt that it was drying their hair a bit.forvery.
Dubyak:I love how I can use a small amount of product and still get a heavy, foamy lather. However, the smell was overpowering and not my favorite. It has an overpowering floral smell which doesn't work for me. I am also undecided on the design of the bottles as it is not the most efficient. It has a twist opening that prevents spills, but it's counterintuitive for first-time users.
Scott:I laughed at myself for trying to unscrew the cap over and over until I realized that all I had to do was twist the cap to squeeze out the shampoo. By the way, I loved this feature, especially since I've never used a shampoo cap like this before. The shampoo reminded me of themOlaplex No.4C Bond Maintenance Shampoofor the way it dried my hair instantly. The shampoo immediately dried out my hair, making it difficult to style the curls. And while it removed residue and dirt from my scalp, I was disappointed that it didn't deliver moisture, which is said to be the line's biggest selling point.
Calendar:I loved the design of the shampoo and thought it was super smartButI'm not a big fan of the shampoo itself. My hair felt super dry. I also have to agree with Destinee that parting and prepping my hair for the conditioner was difficult. Although it did a good job of cleaning the scalp, I still felt like there was some buildup after rinsing. Suffice it to say, the shampoo wasn't my favorite product from the collection.
On the other hand, the conditioner maintains the main accessories of hydration without overloading all our hair types. All three editors liked how the product moisturized and detangled their hair. The formula contains Karmatin to strengthen strands, Marula Oil to condition and Murumuru Seed Oil to reduce frizz and add shine. Scott credits it with reforming his dry hair. Meanwhile, Dubyak points out that the gentle formula didn't weigh down her fine hair.
Dubyak:I loved the buttery consistency of the conditioner. I have used it from roots to ends and found that my hair does not feel greasy or weighed down afterwards. It also helped detangle and moisturize my hair. Again, the packaging is frustrating as it is made the same as the shampoo. It also has a shampoo-like smell, which I don't like.
Scott:I loved the ease of application of the conditioner on the hair. This stuff is so smooth, it practically glided over my strands. I was able to style my curls with ease, which isn't always easy with other products. It was a total of 180 from the shampoo. The conditioner brought it back to life and increased the moisture tremendously. It felt silky smooth when I ran my fingers across it, and that's usually a good indicator of my experience over the years.
Calendar:The conditioner really got my hopes back up for the collection. It made up for what the shampoo did to my hair, and I was able to coat my strands and detangle my curls without running the brush (or fingers) too often. After rinsing my hair felt softer and smoother. I also had less frizz and more definition.
HYDR-8 Deep Moisture Repair Mask
Vegamour
Dubyak:I love that with this mask, a little goes a long way. It has a slippery yet thick texture that applies well and rinses off easily. I can't say much about what I didn't like about this mask, as I really, really liked it. I just want to reiterate that the scent is not my favorite.
Scott:When I went to wash this mask off, I didn't notice much of a difference in what the conditioner was doing. However, I'm not a hairdresser so I can't confirm whether or not it took care of my split ends, but I have to say that I got a lot of compliments on how healthy, strong and smooth my hair looked. I usually cut my hair myself, so it sucks half the time, but after using this collection for a month, my hair felt like "I just went to a salon".
Calendar:I'm a sucker forhair masks, so I was pumped to use this one. This one had similar properties to the conditioner. Although the instructions say to leave it on for a few minutes, I found it more beneficial to leave it in the hair longer (up to 30 minutes). The product made a huge difference after I rinsed it off. My hair felt softer and more hydrated, but I also saw similar results with the conditioner. Overall, I think it's a great addition to use interchangeably with conditioner.
The collection as a whole
Vegamour
So is the collection worth it? If you have dry and/or damaged hair, it doesn't hurt to give this trio a try. After a few weeks of trying, we can already notice small changes in our hair. Our favorite product is the conditioner as it is the most hydrating of our strands. On the other hand, the shampoo received mixed reviews. (After further testing, it might work better on those with finer curls than thick or curly hair.)
Olivia Kappler/PureWow
Kappler:If you can get past the strong floral scent, I'd say the collection is worth buying, especially if you have dry hair. It's not a huge bottle of product or anything, but the clean ingredients and moisturizing factor are a huge selling point for me as I'm always trying to avoid breakage and dryness. The shampoo and conditioner packaging isn't the best, but I can overlook that considering I like the products themselves.
Destinee Scott/PureWow
Scott:I think the collection is worth it, although I have mixed feelings about the shampoo. I have noticed that my hair feels nourished and silky (and MUCH less frizzy). In fact, my hair has never been so straight. I keep running my fingers through it, so impressed with what the collection was able to do with my yarn. My ends look really good and my hair has a perfect shine. I don't even need to apply oil like I usually do. Basically, my hair looks and feels healthier than before. I think my favorite products might have some competition right now because although my hair is already looking much better, I imagine it will only get better with time.
Chelsea Candelario/PureWow
Calendar:I think the collection is worth it. I was nervous at first because the shampoo was so dry on my hair, but the conditioner and mask more than made up for it in the end. My curls felt softer and felt more defined. I was able to detangle my hair without making more knots or seeing too much brush fallout. I also noticed that I have less frizz which is really important for me.
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