Ever wondered whether a new beauty launch or trending product is truly worth the hype? Good news—you’re in the right place. I Just Tried… is our regular beauty column where we test out everything from new formulations to cult classics to find out whether they’re really worth your money. Oh, and we’ll even answer the most-searched for questions so you don’t have to.
It takes a lot for me to get excited about a hair product. I’ve spoken previously about how totally inept I am at styling my own hair which means that, generally speaking, as long as it’s clean then I’m happy. Which is why when the L’Oréal Paris Elvive Wonder Water 8 Second Hair Treatment plopped through my letterbox last month, I simply put it to one side to test out later. Sure, the press release had me slightly intrigued—this is one of the best-selling hair treatments in the United States with one bottle selling every minute—but, like I said, I’m just not that that fussed about hair stuff.
However, all that changed when basically every beauty editor I know started raving about this hair treatment. As a collective, beauty editors are not that easy to impress. We try a lot of products so for one to come along that truly causes a stir is pretty rare. My Instagram feed was suddenly full of people singing the praises of this new launch—so I knew I had to try it immediately.
Ahead, I’ve got the full lowdown on everything you need to know about the L’Oréal Paris Wonder Water as well as my honest first impression.
Mica Ricketts before using the L’Oréal Paris Wonder Water. A little lowdown on my hair type before we get into my review: it’s generally wavy (although some strands are straighter or curlier than others), always dry (no matter how many hair masks I apply) and would traditionally be described as ‘frizzy’ although, if I’m being honest, I’ve always found that hairdressers are more bothered about slicking down my flyaways than I am. I’m actually quite fond of my natural hair texture and never feel quite myself when it’s too sleek. I took my ‘before’ photo on my second day post-hair wash. I had followed my usual routine of shampoo, conditioner, hair mask and serum before rough-drying and plaiting my hair before bed. (I find that this is the best way to get my hair into some kind of ‘style’ without having to spend hours messing around with curling tongs and straighteners in the morning.) . So, onto the results…
Mica Ricketts after using the L’Oréal Paris Wonder Water. I have to say, I am seriously impressed with this product. I used two doses of the product and found it really easy to use with none of the warmth or tingling effects that some people have reported feeling on their scalps. I skipped using both conditioner and serum afterwards, then rough-dried and plaited my hair as usual before bed. This was the result come morning. My hair felt so soft, shinier than it’s possibly ever been from an at-home treatment—trust me, my hair is pretty coarse in texture so never looks shiny—and I could actually glide my fingers through it. Bonus: it also smelt a-mazing. In fact, the Wonder Water actually smoothed my hair so much that I don’t think my hair had enough texture to keep my hair’s natural waves in place—things are definitely looking a little more flat in my ‘after’ photo, although not in a bad way. I think that L’Oréal recommend that you use this treatment two or three times a week but I have to be honest, I’ve used this every time I’ve washed my hair since I first testing it because I genuinely love how my hair feels after using it. Yes, I am slightly obsessed and can confirm that the L’Oréal Paris Wonder Water is definitely worth the hype. At just £10 a bottle I’ll be stocking up as I predict that this is going to be a sell-out.
What is L’Oréal Paris Elvive Dream Lengths Wonder Water 8 Second Hair Treatment? Put simply, the L’Oréal Paris Wonder Water is a liquid conditioner. Yes, unlike the creamy, viscous formulations that we’re all used to, this conditioner feels just like applying water to your hair. It promises to transform strands in just eight seconds, leaving hair ten times smoother than before. How does it work? This innovative hair treatment is powered by Lamellar Water Technology. Effectively, it’s a combination of moisturising agents and amino acids that specifically target dry and damaged areas of hair. Once located, it forms thin layers—called lamella—on those specific areas of damage to smooth the hair’s surface and lend it a silkier, shinier appearance. How do you use it? After shampooing your hair, use the nozzle tip to apply the product directly to the mid-lengths and ends of your hair. Massage it in for 8 seconds then rinse out. You can follow with your usual conditioner if you like. How much should you use? The L’Oréal Paris Wonder Water bottle comes marked with 20ml ‘doses so you know exactly how much to apply to your hair—something that I’m very much into. L’Oréal recommend one dose for fine to medium hair types, two to three doses for thick, curly or textured hair types and an extra dose if you have extra-long hair. Is lamellar water good for your hair? In a word: yes. It’s a rinse-out treatment so the lamella (those thin layers I mentioned earlier) only bond themselves to the areas of your hair that really need conditioning—so hair doesn’t feel weighted down. It’s silicone free and it works on all hair types from fine to curly. Basically, it makes your strands look and feel healthier.
Trust me—this is going to be one of the most popular beauty products of 2021.
This rinse-out treatment also uses lamellar water technology but is specially formulated for bleached hair.
A high shine finish is the name of the game with this rinse-out lamellar conditioner. Up next, these low-maintenance hair trends are going to dominate in 2021.
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