Weighing In | Kérastase Chronologiste

With a new shampoo coming out what feels like every other week, I will say this: it’s important to know your hair’s needs, and salon bought shampoo is usually always better for your hair. Sorry if I’ve burst your bubble and you can’t manage life without your favourite Pantene product. There is science behind it and here’s why I make that claim …

(Before I make that claim, I will be using the word drugstore in my post. Even though in South Africa we don’t use that term, we don’t have a word to describe exactly what that word infers. Pharmacies, nope. Chemists, nope. Dis-Chems, nuh-uh. Clicks, no. Nothing really cuts it.)

Regular shampoo has a lot of ‘stuff’ in it. While you’ll often find the same ingredients in salon shampoos and store bought/drugstore shampoos you won’t find that the concentrations of these ingredients are the same. Drugstore bought shampoos have more water, sulphates and fillers with less vitamins, oils and minerals that are designed to keep your hair healthy. According to a master hairstylist, drugstore shampoos can coat your hair in wax that can physically be scraped off! That’s just gross.

Drugstore brands can have extremely high pH levels. A good shampoo would have a pH level between 5 and 7 (neutral). Store bought products have unsteady pH levels ranging from 4 to 9 while salon products are always within the safe 6 pH range. Also, if you spend a lot of money on hair colour, you need to use a professional product. A pH of 6 will not open the hair cuticle, making your colour last longer.

Your hair is precious stuff. Think about a cashmere scarf. As soon as you use a regular detergent on it, it will be ruined. The fibres become unruly and torn. You need to take special care of your special items and wash them with love and care and with a specialist detergent. This is the way you should treat your hair. With thought and care.

Armed with this knowledge, let’s move on to my thoughts on Kérastase Chronologiste …

When Kérastase was launched, it was labeled as their most luxurious offering yet, containing precious ingredients in the highest concentrations. I was confused as to why it was their most luxurious range, because, sure, it comes in sleek and beautiful black and silver packaging, but what does it actually do?

Well, it does a lot, and I find myself reaching for it more often than not, especially after I try a brand that my hair doesn’t really love.

First up, let’s chat about the shampoo. It’s a clear shampoo, which is pretty neat, because I already think ‘clarifying’ when I use it. It has quite a strong floral scent which I enjoy and it feels really good on my hair. I don’t have to use a whole bunch to get a good lather going on, which I also really like. In terms of results, my hair has been notably lighter and clearer – if that makes sense. You know how light and airy your hair feels after having visited your hairdresser? Yup. Same feeling. And the claims of soft, nourished, shiny hair? All true. My hair is bouncy and light and I have definitely noticed more shine.

Because shampoo would be nothing without conditioner, let’s move on to the Crème Chronologiste. Crème Chronologiste is a conditioning balm that is said to contain the largest amount of active ingredients in the highest concentration, delivering total hair and scalp renewal. According to claims, it delivers smoothness, shine, strengthens and regenerates the hair fibre and deeply nourishes the hair and scalp. This is all thanks to the core ingredients of Abyssine, a precious and powerful scalp regenerating molecule that boosts the hair fibre, a trio of Ceramides to strengthen and regenerate the hair fibre, as well as vitamins A & E to provide anti-oxidant, colour, and UV protection, leaving hair safe- guarded from extreme aggressions.

It has a pleasing creamy feel and a lighter floral scent than that of the shampoo. It smells lovely, and infuses your hair with a really wonderful scent. I usually shampoo, rinse, then apply the masque, while I get on with scrubbing and polishing and all other shower-time antics. For a boost, I sometimes put my shower cap on to intensify the process (the heat helps the product to penetrate and there’s less chance of getting it wet). I can really feel how calm and conditioned my hair is after I have used it and like I said earlier on, I reach for it before anything else in my shower. I am really loving it. My hair feels so soft and bouncy. One other thing that I like about this range is that it’s for ALL hair types.

The shampoo goes for R305 for 250ml and the balm for R875 for 200ml. I know it’s tres expensive, but if you want to pamper your locks and you’ve got some cash to burn, then go ahead and do so. Retailbox are selling the exfoliator, shampoo and balm at a discounted rate of R1 566.

If you don’t want to commit to products that you’ve never tried, and if you also want a gorgeous treatment for your hair, go and get pampered with the Chronologiste experience. What am I talking about? An in-salon facial (haircial maybe?) to rejuvenate and hydrate your hair.

Your hairstylist will do wonderful things to your hair, including exfoliating your hair and scalp, washing, conditioning and massaging your scalp. Heaven! The finishing touch is to add the fragrance oil to your hair for complete shine and brilliance.

It’s the last word in luxury for hair and as spring approaches, this is the perfect ritual to begin to get rid of your winter damage.

P.S. I dread the day that I forget my shampoo, forcing me to use the hotel branded stuff. You know what I’m talking about, right?