J.F. Lazartigue Sent Me A Present!

I LOVE getting things in the mail. Coming home and finding a package in my mailbox or at my doorstep brightens my day and makes an ordinary Monday feel like Christmas.

Being a beauty blogger has it's benefits and receiving goodies from beauty companies in the mail is one of them. My beauty blogger team from Beauty Collection and I were promised a special package from J.F. Lazartigue for all of our hard work and dedication and wow was it special!

Jean-Francois Lazartigue is known as one of the finest hair specialists in France. He began as a hairdresser and opened his first salon in Paris in 1963. By 1976 he had created his product line, focusing on hair problems that were otherwise ignored at the time, specializing in overprocessed hair from perms and heat styling. His goal was to nourish, repair and protect hair and his products are loved by French editors and he has a large celebrity following.

J.F. Lazartigue really hooked up the bloggers with a very generous gift. My package contained three FULL SIZE products made for normal hair. All of the products were from the company's Essential Orange Oil Collection created to work in harmony together. A hair mask, shampoo and leave in conditioner spray targeted towards hair that is natural or little sensitized. All are 100% botanical and are free of parabens and chemical preservatives. I will introduce you to the products first then share my experience with each one.

The Essential Oil Hair Mask ($50.00) repairs the keratin fiber and moisturizes hair. This formula contains Olive Butter, Wheat Germ Oil and Babassu Butter. (Babassu Walnut is derived from a Carribean and Brazilian tree).   Meant to be used first in the regime, you apply the mask to dry hair and leave on for 10 to 20 minutes. The product smells like oranges and has a very rich texture. It rinsed easily and left no residue on my hair. Next up, wash your hair with the shampoo.

Essential Orange Oil Shampoo ($45.00) moisturizes and protects hair and contains cleansing agents extracted from Oat, Apple and Babassu Walnut. After shaking the bottle (per the instructions) I poured some into my hand. The first thing I noticed was how liquid the formula is. Also, it did not lather at all. Which is a really odd thing when you are used to a super high lathering shampoo like I am. After massaging into my hair and rinsing I was really expecting my hair to still feel dirty due to the lack of lather. To my surprise my hair was just as squeaky clean as it normally is after washing. The scent is a very delicate orange, from the orange oil (duh), and it was a nice pick me up during my morning shower. All in all a very nice, effective shampoo. I have started to use this on my toddler for a few reasons. She has crazy curly hair. Regular shampoo makes it unruly and very poufy. (poofy?) When I started using this instead, like magic her hair turned into beautiful curls and is so much easier to handle. I also like that it is natural and I am not putting chemicals on her. So plus for all of that.

The final step is the Essential Orange Leave-In Conditioner ($48.00). This leave-in spray detangles hair and leaves the hair shaft moisturized. Fig and Cider Vinegars team with Hibiscus AHA and Wheat Protiens to make hair shiny and smooth. I was excited about this product since I blow dry my hair everyday and thought this would be a great way to repair some of the daily damage I inflict on my hair. But oh my the SMELL! It was unbearable. Since this contains vinegar, it smells like vinegar. I tried to push through and use it because I know how wonderful vinegar is for hair but I only lasted a few days. I started using this on my daughters as a detangler but they couldn't take the smell either. They freaked out and ran into another room until the scent was gone. So great product because my hair looked amazing after using it, but J.F. PLEASE do something about the scent!

Overall I really liked the products and could absolutely notice a difference in my hair. It was soft and bouncy which is not normal for me since I have dull, fine and flat hair on normal days. I love the hair mask and I think that it is the core of the collection. If you are on the fence about buying something from the line, start with the mask. I will continue to use the shampoo on my baby girl until it runs out but most likely will not purchase. I will however seek out cheaper alternatives for natural shampoo and if anyone has any suggestions please let me know in the comment section. The leave-in conditioner....sigh. It is a great product, if I hold my nose.