Reincarnate Your Hair and Attitude to Products (Lush Reincarnate Solid Shampoo)

Member Name: Rose Pink

Product:	Lush Reincarnate Solid Shampoo
Date:	18/10/07 (225 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Ethical, effective in the long-term, good value for moeny

Disadvantages: Fails to deliver as well as major branded shampoos

First Impressions

The idea of using a solid shampoo can seem rather novel to beginners. I must admit that I myself approached lush’s solid hair care range with high suspicion at first. We have spent of much of our lives squeezing liquid products that to discover alternatives is a bit of a shock to the system. Unfortunately Reincarnate’s appearance does little to inspire confidence in the buyer. It is a browny, yellowy colour and with its speckled appearance looks rather like weathered sandstone. The smell is a rather peculiar one. Supposedly it is similar to incense and spice but I cannot detect this. It is near impossible to describe its actual smell however, so I recommended that you smell it before purchase. The shampoo is sold in round discs of the solid shampoo and a Sales Assistant will cut you a slice of 100g and any higher multiple of this. Your chunk is then rather lovingly wrapped up in tissue paper, labelled and placed inside a bag. This service is fairly traditional, yet quirky and a refreshing change form the High Street shops. However one problem I have found is that the prices given to you for 100g of the product are generally not large enough. Cutting an exact 100g chunk proves to e difficult and with new members of staff fairly time-consuming. Usually the mark is missed by several grams and you actually buy a larger amount and consequently spend more. Its not usually a big deal but just something to bear in mind.

Use

To use a solid shampoo for the first time is rather a noteworthy event. Firstly the hair must be thoroughly drenched. Then simply take the bar and rub it in circular motions around your head. The shampoos are more natural than other brands and so lower in the chemicals that cause frothing. This is not bad thing as these chemicals can strip hair of oils. However it does render reincarnate a little tricky to use as you don’t really know for the first few times if you have used enough product. However on rinsing this problem is rectified. Beforehand massage the shampoo on your head into your scalp to stimulate blood flow and so t increase hair health. On rinsing the hair will squeak loudly when tugged gently,, to indicate that product has been removed. The shampoo actually has a shorter rinsing time that normal shampoos and so is brilliant for those always in a hurry.

Effects Vs Promises

Reincarnate is rather ambitious with its promises. It assures that you will receive a heqlthy scalp from the Rhassoul mud and condition and shine from sedra and gloss and colour from henna. After using the product my scalp did feel nourished and after several months of use my hair did begin to show red gleams dancing in sunlight. However this effect is fairly long-term and requires patience. The biggest failing of the product is that it leaves hair lifeless and abused. All oil is stripped from the cuticle, explaining the loud squeaking of the overly clean hair on rinsing. Even with a moisturising conditioner cannot undo the damage. The scent of the hair is not amazing either. I repeat the smell is weird, but not really in a nice quirky way. However using a scented conditioner completely masks it so I shall not slate it too much. I shall be especially kind because at the end of the day the product may not live up to its cosmetic promises, yet it lives up to its ethical ones. It requires less packaging than liquid shampoo and is preservative free. Furthermore it is not tested on animals ad is suitable for vegans. Therefore it deserves credit and I wonder how fair it is to compare I t to other products from ranges where animal and environmental exploitation are what contributes them to being better.

Value for Money

100g costs £2.95 and this makes reincarnate one of Lush’s cheapest solid shampoos. A single bar lasts for approximately three moths providing it is not left in the shower are and is allowed to dry out. This makes reincarnate incredibly good vale for money.

Ingredients

Reincarnate contains: Sodium Lauryl Sulfate , Stearic Acid , Red Henna (Lawsonia inermis) , Glyceryl Stearate & PEG 100 Stearate , Rosemary Infusion (Rosmarinus officinalis) , Fleeceflower Root Infusion (Polygonum multiflorum) , Nettle Leaf Infusion (Urtica dioica) , Cocamide DEA , Soya Lecithin , Rhassoul Mud , Labdanum Resinoid (Cistus labdanum) , Sedra Powder , Orange Oil (Citrus dulcis) , Irish Moss Powder (Chondrus crispus) , *Limonene , Perfume, so a collection of fairly natural ingredients.

Recommendations

The solid shampoo is one of Lush’s best. In the long-term I is good for creating subtle red highlights and can keep the scalp healthy yet only you can decides if it is worth it if slightly heavy hair is a consequence. For those who think it almost is the shampoo could be used every othjer wash and this would prevent build-up and so give hair some more vitality. Although it ahs its failings I do respect it for its morality and therefore endorse it to all, as an ethical alternative.

Summary: Love it ot hate it you should still respect it