Working incessantly with beauty products on the daily has admittedly moulded me into becoming one of those people who actually take the time to read through labels at the back of bottles and jars before decoding the ingredient list. While I’m not necessarily iffy, zeroing in on everything that may be absorbed into my body keeps me feeling at ease.
As we are increasingly bombarded with new brands, it’s only inevitable that we become more cautious of the ingredients inside the products, or the processes of which these were manufactured. On an inferior note, you can avoid products with alcohol if you have dry skin, but more crucially, you could avoid supporting brands that test on animals. It really depends.
With that said, I was intrigued upon learning that popular Japanese botanical haircare brand BOTANIST was finally made available for purchase here in Malaysia via Sephora.my and Sephora stores. Not only are most BOTANIST products silicone-free, the haircare also harnesses the power of nature by incorporating 90% plant-derived ingredients.
I haven’t been able to get my hands on all of its offerings, but I’ve been using BOTANIST’s Botanical Shampoo (apricot and jasmine) and Botanical Treatment (apple and berry) for over two months now. Here’s my verdict:
https://www.instagram.com/p/BPMpCGejayN/?taken-by=botanist_official
Both the Shampoo and Treatment are scented differently, but all-in-all, they smell deliciously fruity and pleasant to use. I also found that you do not need a lot of product during each use, so a little does go a long way, which is of course a great plus point as each bottle would last a while in the bathroom.
The Shampoo itself doesn’t lather up into a bubbly foam like other typical shampoos do as it is sulfate-free, but I appreciate that knowing that the natural hair oils wouldn’t be stripped away. While the Shampoo works wonderfully on the hair, it did dry out my scalp and give me dandruff. I wouldn’t recommend this to anyone with a drier or flaky scalp as it is.
The Treatment on the other hand, which I use as a conditioner, I enjoyed, only to find that it does contain silicone. However, I cannot discount the fact that it really leaves my hair feeling soft and silky to the touch every time. Together, the Shampoo and Treatment gives me about three to four days in between washes before my scalp and hair gets greasy.
The BOTANIST Shampoo and Treatment doesn’t weigh the hair down, and they rarely leaves my thick mane tangled, but they do take a bit longer to wash off completely. Would I re-purchase these products? Yeap, I love the Treatment, not so much the Shampoo. Even then, I would value the Treatment more if it was also silicone-free.
Pros
- Smells wonderfully fruity
- Made with 90% natural plant-based ingredients
- No nasties, some products are free from silicones and sulfates
Cons
- Drying on the scalp
- More time-consuming to wash off
- A little on the higher price point
Rating – 3.5/5
BOTANIST’s Botanical Shampoo and Treatment both come in two variants each. Each product retails for RM78 per 490ml pump bottle on Sephora.my and in Sephora stores throughout Malaysia.
