Image: Showbit.com
I love using plant oils such as argan oil and coconut oil on my face and body for their skin-softening and anti-ageing benefits. So why not on my hair as well? As it turns out, new-in-town Spanish haircare brand Kin has an in-salon treatment, Kinessence ($240 for 90min), which uses products with not just one plant oil, but five – grapeseed, camellia, macadamia nut, argan and kukui nut oils.
#1 KUKUI NUT OIL is great for hydrating dry hair and scalps.
#2 MACADAMIA NUT OIL makes locks glossy and healthy-looking.
#3 GRAPESEED OIL is rich in linoleic acid, an omega-6 fatty acid that prevents moisture loss in hair.
#4 CAMELLIA OIL has been used in China and Japan for centuries to condition hair and make it look shinier.
#5 ARGAN OIL is packed with vitamin E and omega-3 fatty acids that are said to nourish hair.
I tried the three-step treatment at Koinonia Salon, which started with a double cleanse using a gentle, sulphate-free shampoo. This was followed by the application of a thick, creamy mask, which the stylist slathered on my hair from root to end; the mask was left on for 10 minutes to work its magic. According to the stylist, a steamer need not be used as the oils in the mask have tiny molecules that can easily penetrate the hair shaft. After the mask was rinsed off , she rubbed a 10-cent-coin-sized amount of an oil blend – this supposedly seals split ends and acts as a heat protectant – on my hair before blow-drying it. I loved the white floral scent of all the products used.
The treatment left my hair softer and the best bit was, the results lasted over several shampoos. After the treatment, I even got to take home the shampoo and the mask used (the cost of these products are included in the cost of the treatment) to maintain the glossy results.
Koinonia Salon is at #03-03 Pacific Plaza, tel: 6836-2696.
Images: Corbis, Dreamstime & Click Photos
This story was first published in Her World Magazine May 2015.