Want shiny, healthy hair? (Toni & Guy Rapid Response Leave in Conditioner)

Member Name: sunmeilan

Product:	Toni & Guy Rapid Response Leave in Conditioner
Date:	03/02/09 (365 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Leaves hair shiny and well-conditioned

Disadvantages: Quite expensive

I've had shortish bobbed hair for most of my life, but once I realised I was heading towards my forties, I decided to have one last go at growing my hair. A couple of years later, it's down by my shoulder blades. I've always been one for washing and conditioning my hair, but recently I've realised that wasn't quite enough - my hair is generally in good condition, but the ends are quite dry and I was beginning to have difficulty in getting a brush throw to the ends of my hair. Having it trimmed helped, but I needed a boost to ensure the condition stayed this time.

I've never been a great fan of leave-in products, probably because I tried a leave-in conditioner years ago and found that it just weighed my hair down and left it looking greasy. In hindsight, that was probably because my hair was quite greasy at the time anyway. Nevertheless, it was with some trepidation that I approached the conditioner section in my local Boots. Not wanting to spend a lot of money on a product I may not use up, I was pleased to see a range of miniature Toni & Guy haircare products, which included the leave-in conditioner, for just £1.65 for 75ml. Pleased with this, I have since purchased the bigger version.

My hair type
Obviously everyone's hair is different and will react differently to this product. To give you more of an idea of whether this product might be suitable for you, my hair is down to my shoulder blades in length, thick, dyed and slightly wavy. It is prone to slight frizz, particularly in humid weather. It is generally in good condition; I don't blow dry it very often, nor do I use straightners or curling tongs. I tend to wash it every three days - it doesn't get greasy very quickly and the ends are dry.

The product
The conditioner itself is fairly boring. It is very thick, and it takes a lot of effort to get it out of the bottle - if knocked over, it probably wouldn't matter. There is very little smell to it, just a kind of clean smell that doesn't linger after application. The manufacturer's claim is that it is a moisture boosting conditioner, which will help to tame dry and frizzy hair, and to cut down on split ends, leaving hair healthy and rehydrated.

Packaging
It comes in a very plain white container, which isn't very inspiring to be honest. It certainly doesn't stand out on the shelf. The container opens at the top, which isn't a great idea - it would have been much easier to get the product out had it opened at the bottom, particularly as the product is so thick and it requires quite a lot of squeezing to get it out. However, as the container is easily stood upside down, it doesn't matter all that much.

Application
The instructions advise towel-drying hair, squeezing out a generous amount and rubbing between palms, then applying to the hair from mid-length downwards. I have found that I don't need to use all that much, about a 50p piece amount is enough for me. Comb through and then style as normal, without rinsing out. I still wash and condition as usual, before applying this product.

Results
I have been very pleased with the results. Once dry (I allow it to dry naturally), my hair is left beautifully shiny and healthy. I think it does help calm down the frizz a little, although people with really frizzy hair may not find it is strong enough. Certainly the ends of my hair are much less dry and split ends are few and far between - previously they were much more visible. There is no perfume left on the hair, which I like - although if you've used a nice-smelling shampoo/conditioner before applying this, you may be disappointed that it has masked the smell a little. I can still leave my hair for three days between washes, so the conditioner doesn't make my hair greasy, nor does it weigh it down.

Price
I paid £1.65 in Boots for the miniature version (75ml), which has lasted me a surprisingly long time - I estimate about ten conditions in all. I have since bought the larger 200ml version, which cost £5.86 from Boots. This is certainly more than I would usually pay for a conditioner, but as I'm expecting it to last a long time and it seems to do my hair so much good, I don't regret spending the money.

Conclusion
I have to admit that I haven't tried a leave-in conditioner for some time and so can't really compare this product to others in the market. However, I really can't imagine that another product is going to get my hair any more shiny and healthy than this product does. Best of all, it comes as a miniature, so you can try it out for not very much money. Obviously, everyone's hair is different, but for my hair type, I highly recommend this product.

Summary: Suits my hair very well