Kérastase Elixir K Ultime Mask

How was your Christmas?

I'm sure most of my readers have gotten busy with either tonging, straightening, curling or uncurling, and decided it looked better before all of the work, or were completely happy about it.

So your hair will need some post-Xmas and pre-NYE pampering? That is why I step in for this mini review of the Késastase Elixir K Ultime Oléo-Complexe Beautifying mask:.

♫"GOLD, always believe in your soul" (Spandau Ballet)

Most of you will know the cult-status of Kérastase, and their hairoil Elixir Ultime. I have reviewed the Rose Millenaire and the Moringa Immortelle, and used 2 of the original Elixir Ultime too. Right now their oils are among my favourite hairoils.

information in various languages

Even though I use the Kerastase Elixir Ultime hairoils, I still suffer from straw-hair syndrom that I oftenly have complained about.  I know that Kérastase makes one of the most recommended hairmask Masquintense (reviews MUA here) but I am not completely sold about this: it's quite silicony that does the job for 1 day, and the frizzy/fuzzy bunch appears almost at midnight a la Cinderella. So no long-term healing for my hair.

I prefer L'óreal's cheaper variety of L'óreal Professionel, especially the Nature line. But curiosity often takes over me and I'm a beautyblogger so there's my excuse.

But how will this specific new Kérastase mask perform?

The promise:

1. All Hair types 
2. Beautifying
3. No Parabens
4. Corn Germ, Camelia Argan and Pracaxi Oils 

beautiful golden packaging

Sounds good: I'm really enthousiastic of the pure form of Camelia Oil, and Argan Oil. About Pracaxi I found this information:

• oil from a tree that growns in the Amazon (Brazil)
• Pracaxi oil has one of the highest level of behenic acid among natural products.
  - promotes conditioning action to the hair;
  - promotes smooth feel to the hair and skin;
  - improves wet compatibility of hair and skin care products,
  
  - increases hair brightness
  source: organics-nature

Remember when a packaging says the ingredients are included: always look for the place where it is listed in the ingredients list. If it's one of the first ingredients there supposed to be plenty of it; if it last in range then there might be one micro-monocule embedded just for the sake of listing it.

 How did my mask work?

I always like the Ufo-shaped form of Kerastase Masks...Must be the Majan proficy

Golden particules are infused in the mask:

Verdict:

• Beautifying? Yes, the golden sparkles makes the (healthy/normal) parts of the hair appear more radiant and glossy
• That also means that on the dry and damaged parts the effect is less effective, but still smoothing.
• Luxurious feel: Packaging/product
• Scent: Delicious! Like an high end perfume that is the same as the original Kérastase Elixir Ultime oil.

• All Hair Types? perhaps, but in my opinion it's lacks extra moisture that suits dry to really dry hair or damaged hair
• Hence, suitable for normal, slightly dry, combination, and slightly greasy hair that needs a bit of extra glow.
• Similar as the other Kérastases: Cinderella effect on dry/damaged hair: the beautifying effect last 1 to 2 days until the straw-factor returns.
• In my opinion: no longterm reparation/cure of the hair
• Expensive

Conclusion:

This is a mask that I refer to as a Upper Manhattan mask that would suit the gorgeously impeccable Olivia Palermo and other superglossy maned beauties that just need the extra gloss to outgloss their other Uptown girlfriends. The luxury factor is really high with the golden packaging and the golden sparkled mask, and the scent is delicious. If your hair needs real healing, something that solves your dryness or frizziness, or a in-between fix between hair-trims to remove spit ends, go for another mask. There are cheaper and more effective options that deliver real moisture or locks in keratines.

Available: eg on feelunique (on sale for still-lotsa-cash)