Brand Review: Goldwell

Quite a while ago I got a package with 5 Goldwell hair products* (link) and in order to give a fair review I've been trying them since then. Goldwell offers a huge variety salon quality hair care and hair coloring products. The brand has different lines of products to address specific needs (for frizzy, colored, curly hair, etc.).

I color my hair, so a good conditioner or a hair mask to hydrate the ends of my hair is a must whenever I wash my hair. I love that Intensive Smoothing Mask (link) comes with a spatula. I used this mask both as a conditioner (applying to the hair and washing right away) and as a mask (applying to the hair and leaving for a few minutes), and I like both ways equally. Just like with any such products, I apply it to the ends and halfway through my hair without going too high. It's really a salon quality mask where less is more, so don't apply too much as you'll waste the product. The mask makes hair extra smooth, soft and easy to brush. I consider my ends dry, but after using this mask I don't need any other hair product on my hair. I tried using my regular products after the mask and it was too much, hair felt unclean and overweight. The mask has a strong scent, which is not unpleasant, but I can smell it long after I wash my hair, so after a while it gets annoying.

      

Another product that I'm enjoying a lot is Restorative Balm (link). It's a leave-in product that can be applied on damp or dry hair. I'm not a fan of applying such products to dry hair in general, so I didn't use it that way. I always apply a couple pumps of this balm to towel dried hair concentrating on the ends and then going through all hair with whatever is left on my hands. Again, don't forget that a little goes a long way and you can always apply more if needed. The texture is light, lotion-like. The balm detangles my hair, makes it very soft and shiny. It is quite fragranced, but the smell doesn't irritate me and doesn't linger for too long (or my nose just doesn't detect it anymore).

    

Next I have two blow-dry sprays: Volume Blow-Dry Spray (link) and Color Protective Blow-Dry Spray (link). The Volume spray has a uniform texture, and Color Protective spray needs to be shaken before each use as the liquid separates. To tell the truth, I don't see much difference when using these two. They are ok sprays, but it's easy to overuse them and then the hair is left a sticky mess. I can use them if I spray just a little bit, but I don't see any magic and I get a feeling that my hair gets more greasy, worn, limp faster and there's no way I can go 2 days without washing my hair. In fact, I want to wash my hair the same afternoon/evening. I also don't like the scent of these sprays as they smell too chemical-y, like a cheap hair salon or old hairspray.

Lastly, I have Color Gentle Dry Shampoo (link). I'm not big on dry shampoos in general as I always prefer washing my hair the regular way. I will use dry shampoo once in a while on my second day hair to refresh it before braiding or putting it into a pony tail. I don't like the way most dry shampoos feel in my hair, and this was no exception. It sprays in a very tiny mist, it doesn't leave any white cast on the hair, but that's about all the good things that I have to say about it. The shampoo feels unnatural in the hair and it leaves residue. The hair is left feeling dry - it doesn't feel dry to the touch, but it is very unpleasant to touch or brush my hair. Besides, I really don't see any long lasting results. For a few minutes it seems like this dry shampoo did an awesome job, and then the hair goes flat and looks almost worse than it was before. The scent is too fragranced and clings around for too long.



* marks PR samples received complimentary