With the Yves Rocher Radiance Rinsing Vinegar and Low ShamPoo you might change the way you wash your hair

I’m not very fussy about what I put on my hair, to be honest. I never have been. Yes, I like my luxury Kerastase and Sachajuan products, but I’m just as happy with something affordable like Pantene. I wash my hair daily, and I keep it short, so really, nothing fazes me, nor my hair LOL!

But one day, I received a package that promised me that the contents would change the way I wash my hair. Now, this is really how marketing should be done – it intrigued me and made me want to rip it open to see what was inside!

What was inside, were 2 very interesting items from affordable French brand, Yves Rocher. They were the Low ShamPoo Delicate Cleansing Cream and the Radiance Rinsing Vinegar. I’d heard of neither before this so naturally, I was quite intrigued!

Yves Rocher is a very affordable French brand of personal beauty products that I feel is quite underrated. So underrated that even I tend to overlook them! The primary reason is because locally, the brand isn’t very obvious. It isn’t sold in pharmacies and their counters and stores are a little obscure. Pity, because they sell good stuff – I just have to remember to look for them! I did just learn that they’re now available online, so perhaps I shall be paying them a little more attention! I love how quickly online shopping is picking up here – I can be a hermit now and just have everything delivered! LOL! 😀

But even hermits must wash their hair (or maybe not!) so onto these 2 interesting products 😀

Yves Rocher Low ShamPoo Delicate Cleansing Cream – RM48 | £6.80 | €3.50 for 200ml

I’m not entirely sure why Yves Rocher capitalised the P in shamPoo. All it does is make me think “poo” 😛 But the main reason is because this product was inspired by the “no-poo” method of washing your hair, which has nothing to do with poo, but is short for “no shampoo”. The idea behind this method was to wash your hair with alternative ingredients, not a conventional shampoo. So people would use things like baking soda because they felt that chemicals in shampoo damage their hair. So does colouring, but that’s a different story!

So, for those who’d rather not go the DIY method (me me!) Yves Rocher came up with their Low ShamPoo Delicate Cleansing Cream, which is a sulfate-free, silicone-free formula. The product squeezes out from the tube like creamy face wash and true to its claims, it does not lather, due to the lack of sulfates.

Does it feel strange? Well, yes initially. If you’re used to a head full of lather, then you will need to change your mindset. It’s the same thing when you first use a cream cleanser for your face. The lack of lather does make you pause, but you get used to it.

I read some people saying that you need more product for your hair, because it does not lather. I personally did not find this to be so after trying it for a while. It must be said that I have short hair, so I use the same amount that I would a normal shampoo i.e. not very much. Then, massage it through wet hair and into your scalp.

It has a slightly slippery feel, which isn’t siliconey, but more slippery than a regular shampoo. After rubbing it into your hair and scalp, rinse. It rinses out very easily and does not weigh hair down, nor does it leave any greasy residue on your hair or scalp.

The creamy formula means that it not only cleans your hair but conditions it as well, so a separate conditioner isn’t necessary. I think they should say so on the tube. I wasn’t sure what I should do after washing.

Ideally, with regular use, you should notice that your hair will look better and healthier. I wash my hair everyday. It’s just something I do and if you live where I live, you will probably do it too. Personally therefore, I found this to be a little drying over a long period, and my hair felt a little more stiff. Using the Rinsing Vinegar a few times a week helped it stay softer, but on its own, it was a little drying in the end.

Another interesting note. I can’t find the Low ShamPoo on Yves Rocher USA, which makes me wonder why this is so.

Yves Rocher Rinsing Vinegar Radiance Rinsing Vinegar – RM48 | £11.80 | €5.95 | US$9 for 150ml

Now this one was what caught my eye and made me curious to try it. Vinegar. Hair. Fascinating!

Allow me to be fascinated, because I know people have been using apple cider vinegar on their hair for ages. I just never bought into it, because you know what? ACV stinks 😛 And, I’m not fussy about hair, remember?

Vinegar has been used by people as a final rinse for your hair, and what this does is help clean your hair and scalp of product build up. It operates like a clarifying shampoo, if you use those things. If you use a lot of hair products, you will eventually feel that build up, when hair doesn’t look shiny and healthy anymore. Vinegar strips all that off, and allows your hair to give off a healthy shine again.

So, leveraging on that principle, we get the Yves Rocher Radiance Rinsing Vinegar, a silicone free formula, and they use raspberry vinegar, infused with a very sweet raspberry scent. I wish smell-o-vision was invented because you really have to smell this!

You know what it smells like? Ok, sweet, crushed berries – not like cough mixture, but like a sweet jam. Or Ribena LOL! 😀 Seriously! Everytime I use this, I think “Mmmm… I’d really like some ice cold Ribena right about NOW!” 😀

The thing is, I wasn’t sure how to use this product. When you open the cute cap, this is what you get. It is very much like a bottle of cooking vinegar, with the stopper that stops you from using too much in your cooking. I do think the label could have used with some basic directions, because I had to google it.

Some people decant this into a spray bottle, but you know, that’s just added hassle. What I do is to squirt this directly onto my scalp, on various parts of my head. Just about 3-4 squirts, careful not to get it in your eyes. Then, I rub it through my hair and scalp. I find that it feels a little slippery in my hands, almost like a light conditioner, and seems to bubble up a little so it actually spreads quite easily.

I have short hair, as many of you may know, so it’s really easy for me to spread it out nicely over my head. If you have long hair, it might be more of a challenge, so if you have long hair and have tried this, please share your tips how you use it in the comments! 🙂

You are supposed to use this as a final rinse, so if you use a hair mask or conditioner, use this just before you end your shower. I leave it on for a little while, then rinse it out just before I wash my face.

The thing is, this isn’t a conditioner in a true sense. It doesn’t detangle nor nourish. What it does is remove product build up on hair, and smoothen it, so it looks more shiny. So, does it work?

I can’t say! LOL! 😀 You see, with hair like mine, it’s so hard to tell if it’s shiny. It does make my head feel lighter and cleaner, that much I’d agree. It doesn’t make my hair feel dry, and it seems to make my hair lighter, so when I blow-dry, it dries more quickly.

Despite all this, will I repurchase? You know what? I might. I like how it makes my hair feel and I use it about 2 times a week, and my hair feels comfortable and clean and light. I like that! And then I end my day with an ice cold cup of Ribena LOL! 😀

IN A NUTSHELL

The Yves Rocher Radiance Rinsing Vinegar and Low ShamPoo are 2 interesting products available for those who want to adopt an approach to cleaning hair with less chemicals. The Low ShamPoo has a thick, creamy texture that is sulfate and silicone free and does not foam up. It operates both as shampoo and conditioner, so you technically only need 1 product. I do find that over prolonged use on its own, it leaves my hair feeling a little dry, so following up with a conditioner makes it feel more comfortable for me.

As for the Rinsing Vinegar, it leaves my hair feeling clean and clarified, and seems to let my hair dry more quickly. It smells very strongly of sweet berries which may linger a little even after you wash it out. Use it as a final rinse and it promises to leave your hair looking healthier and shinier. Personally I did not notice a lot of improved shine, but it’s hard to see on very short hair like mine.

PROS: Affordable, Sulfate free and silicone free does not weigh hair down nor dry out hair, Cleans and clarifies hair well, Smells pleasant

CONS: Insufficient instructions on how to use on label, Not easy to find physical stores locally but isn’t a problem in Europe

WHO WILL LIKE THIS: Anyone who wants sulfate-free and silicone-free hair care products, Anyone who wants a more natural range of hair care products

PRICE: Low ShamPoo – RM48 | £6.80 | €3.50 for 200ml, Radiance Rinsing Vinegar – RM48 | £11.80 | €5.95 for 150ml

AVAILABILITY: Yves Rocher stores and online (MY, USA, UK, FR just to name a few)

Here are the ingredient lists for the Low ShamPoo and Radiance Rinsing Vinegar

Have you tried either product? Are you into the no-poo movement?

No shamPOO of course, the other no-poo movement isn’t healthy LOL! 😀 As I said above, I don’t quite care either way. Did these change the way I wash my hair? Not really. But it certainly made me think a little more about alternatives and sulfate-free, silicone-free formulas and that’s a good thing! 😀 Now, what else should I get from Yves Rocher? 😀

Paris B