HAIR CARE: NatureLab Tokyo Perfect Shine Shampoo & Conditioner
Well... 2020 was supposed to be the year that I cared about my hair... but then 2020 happened and that sort of went by the wayside for the better part of the year. However, as we've started to settle into the madness I've gone back to really thinking about my hair (with some surprising revelations, which I'll get into in a later post.) What sort of restarted my hair care focus was that for about the past month, I've been lucky enough to have had the opportunity to try out the NatureLab Tokyo Perfect Shine Shampoo & Conditioner* and I've really, really been loving both the experience and the results.
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Before we get into the review, can we just take a moment to enjoy these bottles? Shaped like beakers (really leaning into the whole Lab thing), these have a truly unique and modern feel and I really, really love having them in my shower. Admittedly, the festival of various products that I tend to keep in my shower don't exactly have a ton of esthetic appeal, but since I've been trying these it has definitely inspired me to want my shower to have the sleek, modern feel that these bottles bring.
These bottles are actually really practical though, as well. Sometimes I find that pump bottles, which tend to be enormous, are actually kind of a pain in the shower because they're so bulky and awkward and can be tricky to pump if you also need to hold it in your hand. With this one, that slim neck really allows me to hold and pump with the same hand, leaving my other one available to be pumped into. I know, it's kind of a random thing to be really into, but I think it's one of those little things that really makes the experience of using these products just that extra bit more enjoyable.
They also have eco-friendly refill pouches for their Repair, Smooth and Volume product lines and I'd love to see them add refills of the Shine line as well, because that would definitely be my preferred way to repurchase.
NatureLab TOKYO Perfect Shine Shampoo*
Let your inner light shine through with a Platinum Fiber-infused shampoo that reveals hair’s natural reflective properties. Antioxidant-rich Stem Cells from Grape regenerate scalp papilla cells and revitalize shine. Hyaluronic acid seals in moisture while Pearl Extract stimulates enzymes for an iridescent finish. Shine on.
Immediately the first time I used this, I fell completely in love with the scent. For me, washing my hair has always been a sensory experience and I've been known to pick up a shampoo based entirely on how it smells (with mixed results.) I was trying to figure out how to explain this scent (which is a thing I am entirely terrible at) but according to the NatureLab website, it's apparently notes of violet and almond - which absolutely explains why I fell so completely in love with it, since almond is absolutely my favorite scent. This also, to me, smells like a high quality, salon type of product. Even though "salon smelling" can have a lot of different scents, there's a quality to the scents that I think calls to that, and this product definitely, definitely has that.
Can we just take a moment and love that they say "Follow with your favorite conditioner" rather than pimping out their own?
When it comes to the actual performance of the shampoo, I'm really impressed. I find that it lathers up fairly well to a sort of medium loose lather and works into the hair pretty easily without having to use much product, even on my fairly long hair. I do find that I have to lather it a fair bit at the roots and really work it in to make sure that my hair really gets clean, but I actually think that's because this is being much more gentle on my hair and isn't stripping it. Once I rinse, my hair doesn't feel dry (in the way that wet hair feels dry, you know what I mean...) but it does feel clean. I also think this does a good job of removing product buildup, of which I've had a lot recently, and take out the dullness that can be left behind when you're using a lot of product in your hair to really leave you with that promised shine.
NatureLab Tokyo Perfect Shine Conditioner*
Elevate shine to mega-watt status with a Platinum Fiber-infused conditioning treatment that delivers a weightless, glossy finish. Antioxidant-rich Stem Cells from Grape work behind the scenes to guard against oxidative damage and regenerate scalp papilla cells. Hyaluronic acid seals in moisture while Pearl Extract provides an iridescent luster. Shine on.
In case you're wondering, yes, this does have the same violet and almond gorgeous amazing scent as the shampoo - as it should. After using both of these products, I find that my hair smells really nice, but it's quite soft and I don't think that it'll bother anyone around me who might have a scent sensitivity. What I actually really, really love about this conditioner is the texture. It's incredibly rich and thick, like to the point that when I pump it into my hand it just stays the way it pumped out until I actually move it. This is no lotiony feeling conditioner, it's rich and luxurious feeling and really clings to the hair.
I've recently changed the way that I condition my hair by adding a brush to the mix, and I find that this conditioner really works beautifully for that. I first work it through my hair with my fingers to make sure I've gotten good coverage, focusing on lower half of my hair but being sure to also get all the way to the root, and then I go in with my brush and gently brush through my hair to make sure every strand is coated. What makes this formula great for that technique is that because it has that really rich texture and cling to the hair, it doesn't just get brushed out. What I'm left with after I rinse this product out is really soft, silky, manageable hair. It doesn't leave behind any residue and rinses out really easily, which is always key for me.
Honestly, this pairing has been really, really great for my hair. It absolutely does what it promises and leaves my hair visibly shiny while also providing a thorough but gentle cleanse and that restorative moisture and nourishment to keep it feeling and behaving like I want it to. And... of course, one can't forget that the sensory experience is just so gorgeous and the bottles are well designed from both esthetic and functional purposes. I honestly can't say enough good things about these products and I'm very interested in trying out more from the brand.
NatureLab Tokyo Hair Care products are available for purchase from Ulta and CultBeauty. For more information about the brand, their formulas, and their philosophy, check out their website NatureLab.com!
Thanks for reading!
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