| Pantene Pro-V Flexible Hold Hair Spray |
| Maria Gerard |
| Date: 2/15/2000 |
Introduction I wrote email to Karen Shelton at The Hair Boutique asking her to include some hair product reviews that focused on hairsprays. She graciously replied that she would love to. Then she asked me if I would I be willing to provide a written review of my own fav products. Karen confessed that she rarely used hairspray and could not fairly comment on any of the current products on the market. I was flattered and put my pen to paper to craft this review of my current (and mostly) favorite hairspray. I personally discovered Pantene's Pro-V Flexible Hold Hair Spray right after it was announced and became an instant fan. (Photo of the Pantene product is taken from Drugstore.com). I grew up with the traditional "helmet head" type of hairsprays that made my hair sticky, icky and impossible to comb. After coughing and wheezing my way through the horrible aerosol applications I would endure my boyfriend's complaints that my hair was stiff and sticky. Once he told me I had "cotton candy hair". Although his comment hurt my feelings, he was right. My hair was all clumped and sticky and full of tangles. After that comment about my "candy hair" I gave up on hairsprays for awhile.  Unfortunately I love the short, layered looks that require the use of a curling iron and I need something to help hold my hair in place after I go to all the trouble to style it. I decided I need to try something and so I tried some of the Aveda hairsprays. They were nice but out of my price range for a hair product that I used a lot. I was complaining that I needed to find a softer hold product that didn't cost too much money when a friend recommended Pantene's Flexible Hold Hair Spray.
Traditional Or Non-Traditional I discovered that you can buy the product in either the traditional aerosol can or you can buy it in an environmentally friendly non-aerosol bottle. I first tried the non-aerosol and really liked it a lot. My friend who talked me into trying the Pantene product actually prefers the aerosol version. I tried a few squirts of her aerosol version and I was surprised to find the spray is very light and airy. I actually prefer to do my part for the environment, so I will stick with my non-aerosol flavor since it does a great job on my hair. It should be noted that both versions cost the same. The other amazing thing about the Pantene is that is has a great aroma. At first I had a hard time figuring out how to describe it but I would say that it is very light and airy. An important point is that this was nothing like the horrible sweet smells from my old products. The Pantene Flexible Hold Hair Spray product holds my carefully arranged curls in place but I don't feel like I have either helmet head or cotton candy head. My hair is touchable and soft, yet it holds in place. I love it. I guess maybe that is why they called it Flexible Hold Hair Spray. The price is great. I found it on the Net (Karen told me about Drugstore.com) for $2.99. I like the fact that Drugstore.com has styling suggestions with the product. That is a lot less than the $3.25 I was paying at my local drug chain. I really love the Drugstore.com site because I don't have to pay any taxes and the variety of products that they carry are mindblowing. Researching The Product Karen asked me to include the list of product ingredients with my review since many people like to be aware of what is in the product before they buy it. I did a little research about the hairspray and reviewed the ingredients. I also read that this hairspray uses a non-traditional, high-tech ingredient called elastesse. I have no idea what that means except that it is advertised to provide a very flexible hold that actually is like elastic. The product is designed to stretch and then return hair into place. My research also netted me the info that the elastesse acts as a type of conditioner which keeps the hair soft and easy to manage. It also contains panthenol which is a type of pro-vitamin formula.
Product Ingredients SD Alcohol 40, Water, Acrylates Crosspolymer, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Panthenol, Disobutyl Adipate, Isododecane, Sodium Hydroxide, Fragrance. |