Review on CHI Haircare and Styling Trial/Travel-size Set

Hi Everyone!

Today I am reviewing a travel size set of hair products from CHI. I was not buying it to travel with but more to try out the products to find out if I liked them or not before buying the full sizes!

This set cost me $15 at TJ-Max. There were 4 products in the package including a description manual that was wayyy too long and detailed for my eyes. =P

-CHI infra shampoo (
Directions: apply a nickle size into wet hair and work evenly from scalp to hair ends, rinse and repeate if desired
-CHI infra treatment 
Directions: after shampooing, apply a generous amount into wet hair evenly, leave on hair for 2-5 minutes and rinse thoroughly
-CHI silk infusion
Directions: apply a small amount and work through hair evenly, leave in a proceed with styling
-CHI 44 iron guard spray
Directions: section hair and spray evenly over dry hair and then follow with your desired heat tool

What do I think of these products?
CHI infra shampoo and CHI infra treatment
So I tried these two product in conjunction with each other, because it is recommended. Unfortunately I had to stop only after 2 days of use because I got an allergic skin reaction from using them. =(
But first, before talking about the skin problem, let's talk about the product. The CHI infra shampoo is said to gently cleanse the hair and correct the moisture balance of the hair and scalp. It is fortified with proteins to strengthen the hair.
Even though I only used these products for 2 days. The infra shampoo felt like an average normal shampoo with no special benefits. Yes, it cleaned my hair but I didn't feel anything unique or special from it.
After I used this shampoo, I used the infra treatment, which is said to moisturize the hair, reconstruction the inner structure of the hair and improve the hair's strength and elasticity. So after using it for a couple of days, I felt it did not moisturize my hair much. It tends to make my hair a little sticky and I feel that it makes my hair more tangled after showering when I brush my hair. O_o....
So about the allergic reaction, after using both of these products for a couple of days (and not using anything else different or new), my scalp started to feel itchy. And soon the itchiness spread to the back of my neck, my shoulders, my upper back and also I got slightly painful, itchy and swollen hands. Be aware that these areas are the areas where my skin is in contact with the infra shampoo and infra treatment on my hair. So, I think I can reasonably assume that my skin reaction was from one of these or both of these products.
Sorry for writing a review of these products that I only used for 2 days, but I did not want to use it afterwards, and even after stopping for a few days, I am still itchy and still on antihistamines. =/

CHI silk infusion
So I have actually already written a review on this product and you can click on this link for a more complete and detailed review.
Overall, I love this product. I like to use it as my heat protectant on dry hair before I straighten or curl my hair. It does not irritate my skin, smells wonderful, and makes my hair silky, shiny, and smooth!!
I always buy and use the travel size because this is a very intense stay on hair oil/conditioner and I only need less than a quarter-size amount for my long hair.
Also, I recommend that you use this only on the ends or lower half of your hair. Applying it on your head can give your hair an oily appearance, especially if you tend to product a lot of oils like me.

CHI 44 iron guard spray
So, to be honest I have not used or tried this product. The reason I have not is because I have used it on others when I do their hair (because they own the product) and I do not like it.
I actually have doubts if this actually protects hair from heat tools. I realize that if I spray too much by section, it tends to make the hair very sticky and easily tangled. However, if I don't spray enough, it does not protect the hair from heat, and the hair will still get dried out.
Also, I do not like the smell of this product. It smells kind of sharp and painful to me.
If you are going to use this product, don't spray a lot and maybe don't spray onto very dry hair, have it barely damp, spray, and brush out evenly, and maybe it won't make your hair sticky or tangled.

Do I recommend any of these products?
So, of all the products, I only highly recommend CHI silk infusion. This product I know will help protect hair from hot tools, and help make your hair silky, shiny, and soft.
The three other products, I am unsure about, especially since I do not think that they do much for the hair or have significant improvement, and that they might possibly make your hair more tangled and sticky. (I have heard a variety of reviews on the infra shampoo and infra treatment and people either hate it or love it, and even though it is said to work for all hair types, this does not seem the case) Therefore I do not recommend CHI infra shampoo, infra treatment, and the 44 iron guard spray and I think you can find something better.

I hope that you found this review helpful! Thank you for being patient and staying with me, I know that I have not be as up to date with my blogging as I usually am, but I will speed up once the mcat is done!
If you have any questions or comments, feel free to write in the comment box below.
Thank you for reading and have a great day! =D

Review on Chi Silk Infusion vs Shiseido Repair Essence!

Hi Everyone!
Today I will be reviewing 2 hair are products: CHI Silk Infusion and Shiseido Repair Essence!
Both of these products act as stay-in conditioners for hair. They are both intensely moisturizing products.

CHI Silk Infusion

This product can be found online, at drugstores or at beauty and makeup salons like Ulta. I own the smaller travel size bottle and it costs $8-$9. It contains 2 fluid oz or 59mL of product.
Directions: Apply a small amount to hands and work evenly throughout the hair.

What do I think of this product?
I first used this product when Bubzbeauty used in in her early/very old youtube videos as a heat protectant when styling hair. I really really love the smell of this product! I don't know how to describe it but it smells really really good! XD It comes out in a thick golden liquid, like honey. Like many strong stay in conditioners it feels oily on the hands, which isn't a problem, it's supposed to be that way! To moisturize my hair I just pour in increments of about the size of a dime into the palm of my hands, rub my hands together and evenly spread the product throughout my hair, using more increments when necessary. Then I get a brush to further spread the product in my hair, concentrating on the lower half of my hair. This product makes my hair glossy, shiny, and smooth! It is great to use after my hair is dry because my hair gets kind of fluffy and scraggly, which I don't like.
However, it is important to know that if you are using this as a stay-in conditioner that you don't put too much in your hair, otherwise it will look and become oily and greasy. Which is what you don't want.
I also use this product as a heat protectant when style my hair with hair curlers or straighteners. This time I use more than just a dime size, probably a nickle to a quarter size, really emphasizing on the ends of my hair and then the lower half of my hair. When I do this, my hair does get a bit oily, but after using heat on it, half of the product evaporates and my hair isn't oily anymore. This is an excellent heat protectant, and it has really helped preserve the health and moisture of my hair when I style it with heat!
This product is great for moisturizing hair, giving it shine, acting has a heat protectant and you don't need a lot of it. I bought mine about a year ago and I still have the same bottle!
The only problem that may bother some people is that the container and dispenser are a little hard to use. The container isn't very soft, so I'm not sure what to do when I get to the last bit of product. Unscrewing it could get messy. Also, the dispenser is like a shampoo dispenser, it's a snap open and close dispenser, which can be a little messy when you close it because some product will come out and you need to wipe it off. Personally I don't mind this, but just saying in case you do!

Do I recommend this product?
Yes! I recommend this product, especially if you have dry and damaged hair! If you are looking for a 2 in 1 product for conditioning and heat protecting, this is a great product to use! It may be a little pricy but you don't need to use a lot of it and a little can go a long way! Also, this product is easy to find in most drugstores, salons like Ulta and online in the US. Just make sure not to use too much and you'll be fine. =)

Shiseido Repair Essence

This product can be found at Mitsuwa or Marukai or online at Amazon. It costs about $14-$16. It contains 70mL of product.
Directions: Apply onto hair, no need to rinse.

What do I think of this product?
 I bought this product just to try it out, since I like Shiseido haircare. The smell is very nice, not as amazing as CHI but likes and dislikes depend on your preference, so =P. The product is creamy white in color. The consistency of this product is much thinner and runnier than CHI. This is nice because it is easier to spread out in the hair. Like most strong stay-in conditioners, it also is very oily on the hands, like CHI, but it's supposed to be that way.
The product is dispensed with a pump which is much cleaner and easier than the CHI bottle. However, because the product has such a thin consistency, make sure to not pump out too much or it can leak through your fingers. I dispense about half a pump into my hands, rub my palms together, and quickly and evenly spread it into the lower half of my hair, concentrating on the ends. You need to do it quickly because since the product is watery, you hair will absorb it faster so if your hands stay in some hair too long, that part of the hair will get oily quickly. Then, again, I brush my hair to spread out the product.
This product makes my hair shiny, and smooth! But it is doesn't make my hair as glossy or shiny looking as CHI. It is also great to use after my hair is dries so I don't look like a broom with the lower half of my hair fanning outwards. Also important to know that you don't put too much in your hair, otherwise it will look and become oily and greasy!
I'm sure you can also use us this product as a heat protectant but I have never tried and CHI was made for styling hair afterwards while this one doesn't say that.
The product is great for moisturizing hair, giving it a little less shine, and a little goes a long way! The dispenser is easy to use too.

Do I recommend this product?
If you are looking for a strong stay-in hair moisturizer/conditioner, then yes I recommend this product! This is also good for dry and damaged hair. If you also want a hair moisturizer that has a thinner consistency and gives a less shiny finish, then this is a good product to use as well. You might have to buy it online and I think it only comes in one size, so it is more expensive than the travel size CHI but because it has more product it will probably last longer.

Which product is better? Which one should I get?
Really, I think both of these products work very well. It really depends on what you're looking for and your preferences. Think about cost, and availability. Also, think about the kind of consistency you would like such a hair moisturizer/stay-in conditioner to be and take into account product dispension of the container. Also, it depends on your needs do you want a more shiny finish or a more matt finish? Do you enjoy styling your hair a lot and/or have dry damaged hair? So if you answer these questions, I'm sure you'll find the one that works for you! =D

I hope that this review/comparison was helpful to you if you are looking for a strong hair moisturizer/stay-in conditioner. If you have any questions or comments feel free to write in the comment box below!
Thank you for reading and I will see you later! =)