I am such a tough critic when it comes to hair products. I have to be, I earned the right to be by being a licensed cosmetologist. Kérastase is a high end professional hair products line under the beauty giant L'Oreal.  I  had heard fantastic things about the line from both stylists and clients, but had never tried them before now.

I was sent the Kérastase Nutritive Bain Satin 2 & Masquintense Thick free for testing purposes from Kérastase and Influenster, but all opinions are my own. This line, and products, were handpicked for my hair needs via the Kérastase Diagnose My Hair. It is for normal to dry thick hair. It has some damage repairing and shine enhancing properties as well.  Read on to see if this Shampoo and Hair Mask combo gets the Glitterati Gold Stamp of Approval.

Packaging:

I have mixed feelings on the packaging. Both have these orange chunky twist off tops. Now I am glad that they are different and funky because they better not be a typical squeeze bottle for this price point. 

The Kérastase Bain Satin 2 shampoo stands pretty small for the full size. It is only 8.5 fl oz. I'd like it to be about 2 ounces bigger to not feel cheated. The Kérastase Nutritive Masquintense Thick mask is a great size but personally I think deep conditioning treatments in jar packaging is a pain to use. This is just me personally, but sometimes it's too slippery to open in the shower. Also jar packaging allows for beneficial ingredients to break down more rapidly- and that is not personal. 

I think the twist off caps are super inconvenient. Where do you put the lid while using it? Hold it in your hand while your other hand is trying to disperse the product into your already full holding the cap hand? Yeah. It is exactly as complicated as it sounds. I said I had mixed feelings on the packaging because it looks cool, but is not that user friendly at all. 

 Using It

Packaging difficulties aside, when actually using the Shampoo Nutritive Bain Satin 2, it lathers so nicely. You don't need too much product for your full head- and I have really thick long hair. It's one of those shampoos that as your lathering you really feel like it's getting in there and getting it all clean. The scent is very strong so if you are sensitive for fragrances, this is not the shampoo for you.  The scent is just generic perfumed product smell though and not unpleasant enough to not use over it. 

PRO TIP: Only shampoo your roots and leave your ends. Shampooing your ends will dry them out. They will get cleaned from the soapy run off as you rinse your hair. 

The Nutritive Masqueintense Thick on the other hand has a smell I really despise. It has that distinct smell of a generic cheap hotel bar hand soap. It is a very specific scent yes, but it is spot on and leaves your ends smelling that way too. That's pretty disappointing because I feeling like this mask may be one of the best performing deep conditioning treatment on the market. It makes my hair so soft, smooth, shiny, and de-tangled.

PRO TIP: Squeeze out as much water from your hair and ends as you can before application. Apply from mid-shaft to ends avoiding your roots. This product is too heavy and will leave your roots looking greasy if applied. Then take a wet brush and brush the treatment through to get the most even saturation, and maximum benefits. 

Results:

I used this product for a little over 3 weeks before making my mind up on how I felt about them.

Sometimes my hair would look clean, and other times it would look greasy upon drying after shampooing with the Kérastase Bain Satin 2. I also noticed I was developing what looked similar to dandruff (but not actually dandruff because that is caused by a fungus FYI.) Maybe I will alternate using this shampoo and another, instead of this full time. It's a small bottle so I will probably finish it soon anyways. 

The Nutritive Masqueintense Thick deep conditioning mask has incredible results. It has made my hair so much healthier feeling. I have way less frizz, more shine, softer, and more manageable than ever before. It just left the hotel bar soap scent on my ends until I put some styling product on top of it. 

Final Thoughts: 

I would not purchase the Kérastase Nutritive Bain Satin 2 shampoo when I run out. On top of that, the shampoo isn't sulfate free! This is supposed to be a high end professional product but still contains sulfates? Even most cheap drugstore level shampoos have transitioned over to sulfate free.  I have heard people have great experiences and results with this shampoo so therefore I will leave a link for you to check it out for yourself below. Just because it wasn't my cup of tea doesn't mean it's terrible. BUY IT HERE

I would definitely purchase the Kérastase Nutritive Masquintense Thick upon running out. This treatment is like magic I never knew I needed for my hair. The scent is not great to me, but the results outweigh the short time spent smelling it. (Also I sometimes do Apple Cider Vinegar Rinses on my hair so I can never complain about a scent knowing I subject myself to vinegar.) BUY IT HERE