Holy Cow! I checked out the Ouidad site and I was appalled by some of the prices. Now I`ll gladly pay big bucks for a truly unique product, but when I read the ingredient lists I couldn`t believe how identical they were to lower-priced alternatives (and no, ingredient manufacturers do not sell various "grades" of materials, so if the ingredients are the same in two products they are virtually identical.)
For example, the Deep Treatment goes for $30 for 4 oz and is very, very similar in make up to KMS`s AMP Volume Reconstructor, which sells for less than $10 for twice that size.
I`m not just ripping on Ouidad. So many hair, skin and cosmetic product companies engage in this markup mania. Some brands have a certain "prestige" and therefore decide to charge an equally high price for their goods. But unless the consumer is educated, he or she can really drop a wad on hair products that won`t perform any better than their cheaper cousins.
But anyway, I`m finished with that rant for now. In response to your question, Olivia, I haven`t used either of the two gels Ouidad makes. But I can tell you what`s in them. According to the company`s web site, Climate control heat & humidity gel contains water, tocopheryl acetate (vitamin E--which is good for skin but so far hasn`t been proven to be good for hair. Hair is dead and vitamins act as catalysts on *living* tissue.), retinyl palmitate (vitamin A) and then panthenol, which is the first ingredient listed that actually has a proven effect on hair. It coats the hair shaft, thus reducing the appearance of damage, creating a smooth feel and imparting body. Following that are various natural extracts; again, none of which have a proven benefit for your hair.
The other gel on the site is Tress f/x, which contains:water, Polyquaternium-11 (detangling conditioning agent), glycerin (good moisturizer), pectin (a polysaccharide from citrus peel...not sure what it`s doing in this product), wheat germ protein (coats the hair shaft for added strength/shine), panthenol, etc. The list goes on, but it`s really the first 4-5 ingredients you should be concerned about, since these comprise 70-90 percent of the product.
Although I haven`t tried the Ouidad line, I will say that judging by the ingredients these gels are nothing special. Of course you might try them and really love the results, but I think you could find equally respectable products for much less. Personally I love Tresemme European Slick Gel for combating frizz...works like a dream for $3. I hope this helps!
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Look for beauty, and you will find no intelligence. Look for intelligence and you will find both.Proud member of the Cult of All Soft
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