Review: Garnier Fructis Hydra Recharge, Part II (The Results)

Disclosure: I got this product free from BzzAgent. This post contains an affiliate link.

As I mentioned in Part I (on what to expect from hair care products like this, and the marketing claims from Garnier), I got three items to review from this line: the shampoo, conditioner, and treatment. I've tried them all now, so I'll tell you what I think. I guess the first piece of information that's useful is my hair type. I have medium-thickness, straight hair, that is oily at the roots and try at the ends. I guess I have combination hair, just like my skin. If I don't wash it every day, by the second day it's looking pretty gross and stringy, unless I use dry shampoo. So I want something that will hydrate without weighing my hair down, which is exactly what this stuff claims it will do.

How much can we really expect from hair care products?

I got some Garnier shampoo and conditioner free from BzzAgent to test and review. You might think I'd have been deterred by my last Garnier experiment, but oh no, not me. I do it for you. Besides, it's shampoo and conditioner. How badly can it really go wrong? Basically, I'll either like the way my hair looks and feels after I use it, or I won't. If I don't, I just wash it with something different the next time, and I'm good. 

This is the perfect opportunity for me to rant about people wasting money on shampoo and conditioner (this post is chock-full of informative links, so check those out, lest you think I'm talking out of my ass). This Garnier stuff is cheap, as it should be. There is nothing inherently better about "salon" shampoos and conditioners versus "drugstore" brands. Seriously, there are going to be some good and bad ones in both categories, and not necessarily more bad ones at the drugstore. The salon ones are just more expensive. 

Review: Garnier Fructis Triple Nutrition Miracle Dry Oil, Part II (The Results, with photos)

If you missed my post on the formula of this product and my expectations based on that, check it out here. This second post reveals the results I got using this product in a number of different ways.

Let me start by repeating the marketing claims made by Garnier about this Dry Oil, since that will the main basis on which I evaluate it:

According to the Garnier marketing materials, this is a combination of "three weightless oils - olive, avocado, and shea" that is mean to "transform hair and skin". It is "made for everyday use on your hair, body, and face" and "instantly absorbs in a touch with no oily residue". They claim that it is the first multiuse oil on the mass market, "making revolutionary hair and skin care affordable for everyone".

I'm also comparing this to other more basic oil products, such as olive oil and rosehip oil, which are inexpensive and readily available. I've used those and continue to use them, so I am familiar with the benefits of using oils and how to get good results with them.

So how did it work out?

Review: Garnier Fructis Triple Nutrition Miracle Dry Oil, Part I (The Formula)

How could I not try out some new products from the brand who brought us this hilarity? I'm not afraid. Well, not too afraid.

What it is:

According to the Garnier marketing materials, this is a combination of "three weightless oils - olive, avocado, and shea" (plus a lot of other stuff they don't mention; see below) that is mean to "transform hair and skin". It is "made for everyday use on your hair, body, and face" and "instantly absorbs in a touch with no oily residue". They claim that it is the first multiuse oil on the mass market, "making revolutionary hair and skin care affordable for everyone".

So, as usual, I will be evaluating this product against both the marketing claims and my own expectations. I have used, and continue to use, hair and face oils, rosehip oil in particular, so I'll be testing this to see how it stands up in comparison. I'd argue that multiuse oils are, in fact, already available for cheap - for instance, olive oil, which is included in this product. You can get a 17 oz bottle of extra virgin olive oil for about the same as the recommended price for 5 oz of this Garnier spray ($5.99), and there's no reason you can't use straight olive oil on your hair or skin. I'm pretty sure that they are expecting you to think of argan oil or maracuja oil or something, but there are lots of cheaper options out there. But of course, those aren't sprays, and they don't "instantly absorb". So let's see what the difference is here!

The first thing I did was do a little research on the ingredients.

Scary Hair Product

Okay, so apparently don't buy Garnier Fructis Style Sleek & Shine Blow Dry Perfector. But DO read this article about it, because it is hilarious.