'Pretty' Review: Hana and CHI Shine Products for Hair

A while back I was asked by Misikko.com to review two hair products, Hana Shine Shield and CHI Silk Infusion. I'm a pretty good candidate for trialing any product that is meant to make hair more manageable and healthy looking as I've got long hair, about six inches from my waist. There's a lot of it but it's fine and can puff out if I've got even very long layers in the back, which I do right now. No one likes a bunch of pom-poms hanging from their head! I don't have the time or patience to section all of that hair so it all lies flat when I blow-dry it; I'm more the type to fire up the dryer, blow my hair all around on high speed, high heat, making a half-hearted attempt to brush it as I'm doing so. Whatever it looks llike after five minutes is what it looks like and that's how I go out of the house (at least I can't be accused of being vain!). It usually works fine but it really does bug me when the back puffs out, and I'm not going to use a straight-iron on it just to do the school run and work from home!

I was curious to see if these two products made my hair sleek enough to combat the problem, and most importantly, could they do it without weighing down my fine hair and making me look like I hadn't showered in a week? I hadn't found a product yet that delivered on this promise and I had given up buying any more. Hana Shine Shield ($29.99 for 6oz) is a thermal serum that promises lightweight, 'never greasy' conditioning that restores both hair and scalp from environmental and styling stress, with 'unparalled shine'. CHI Silk Infusion ($12.99 for 2oz) is an alcohol-free restructuring complex formulated for thermal styling and hair repair and also promises silky shine.

So, I tried them. I applied them to towel-dried clean hair and then blow-dried as I usually do. I can't tell the difference between the two products, they both give me the same results and they're good: my hair was sleeker and softer - no puffballs! - and you couldn't see the product at all, there was no greasiness even when I used it close to the roots in the front. And if I added more product I still couldn't see it, you still won't get a greasy look even if you use a generous amount, even on fine hair. As for the shine, I only colour my hair about once a year just to boost my natural colour so it's pretty shiny already after I wash and condition, but I think it does add some extra shimmer.

But the real test is whether you continue to use the product and will you miss it when it's gone? I've now been using them for months (I wanted to give a very honest and accurate review) and I don't blow-dry without them. And I will replace at least one of them when they're gone and I'm not sure which as they both do the job.

So I highly recommend either of these products. Who knew after years of wasting money that something would actually work?