Product Review- ALTERNA- Caviar Anti-Aging: Smoothing Anti-Frizz Nourishing Oil
ALTERNA- Caviar Anti-Aging: Smoothing Anti-Frizz Nourishing Oil
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Reviewed at 4.1 Stars out of 5 (130 Reviews) on Sephora and 4.6 out of 5 stars (198 Reviews) on Amazon, this long-named product offers a powerful smoothing and moisturizing effect on hair, so much so that it has won an Allure Best of Beauty Award. What exactly is this product and, more importantly, will it benefit you if you add it to your haircare routine?
Simple Review
Pros:
Pleasant, light scent
Lightweight feel in hair
Hydrates and tames frizz very well
Cons:
Pricy
Some users found it did nothing for their hair
Long Review
My Experience
I've mentioned in my review of Moroccanoil's All-in-One Leave-in Conditioner that I used to colour my hair, which meant that I needed to add some moisture back into the strands as they were quite fried. During that time, I mostly experimented with hair oils as I had heard that hair oiling was a really good way to maintain healthy hair [1]. I had tried more budget-friendly products and found that they were good but not exactly what I had imagined. I was looking for a magical product that would make my hair super smooth and shiny. Then, one day I stumbled upon this product which seemed to be a high-end version of what I was already using, and I was curious enough to give it a try.
Positives
The first thing I really enjoy about this product is the scent, it is fresh and citrusy. I find it to be a light fragrance, so it isn't too in my face and kind of mellows out quickly. Fragrances can be irritating for me, both on my skin and just in a sensory way but this product seems to have hit the sweet spot of just the right amount.
In terms of how it performs in the hair, I find that it does provide noticeable smoothness and shine right away. The Nourishing Oil also feels very lightweight once applied and I find that it doesn't feel like I have an excessive amount of grease in my hair throughout the day, which is a big plus. Other oils that I have tried before would feel heavy and I would make my hair look very greasy, even if it was freshly washed! That may sound like what oil would do for the hair, but after trying the Caviar Nourishing Oil, my mind has definitely changed on that.
Out of the 130 reviews on Sephora, there are 18 five-star reviews that are not incentivized (as in the reviewer did not receive money or free product to write the review). These reviews applaud the product as "the only" product that has been able to help them tame frizz and make their hair smooth. On Amazon, 159 people rated the product as 5 stars while 9 left reviews about how well it worked on their hair, one stating they had medium/thick hair and another sharing they had fine and curly hair. Some find that a little goes a very long way and that this product is absolutely worth the higher price tag.
Negatives
The higher price tag... Currently, the Anti-Frizz Nourishing Oil is priced at $53 on Sephora, and to be honest, I purchase mine through Modern Beauty (since I am a professional stylist) and I get mine closer to $32. I am very mindful of this gap, and I am not too sure if I would pay $50+ for a hair product, no matter how amazing it works.
Negative reviews on Sephora (12 one-star reviews) share that the effects of the product do not last long enough, and will feel as if nothing has happened to the hair. Some share that they felt their hair being weighed down too much, even with very little, and that this product is a waste of money.
How to Use
The instructions for this product simply read, "Apply a small amount throughout damp or dry hair and style as usual."
However, I would suggest adding this as part of your regular haircare routine. For example, I would apply this product to my damp hair after shampooing and conditioning. The Nourishing Oil would then add a boost of hydration to my hair after it had been stripped of dirt and oils and replenished with conditioner. Another benefit of this is that my hair would not have that feeling of being too clean, which causes it to be very fluffy and hard to style. Though, I would shy away from styling my hair right after shampooing as I also want my hair and scalp to breathe without any heavy styling products sitting on the head, since the shampoo had just gotten rid of product build-up and I don't want to reverse all that hard work right away. Additionally, I always style with a blow dryer, but it is best to have a day or two in the week where you don't apply any heat so that your hair can recover from accumulated heat damage [2].
Summary
The Alterna Nourishing Oil is a great product for those that want a lightweight oil to hydrate the hair and give it an immediately smooth and shiny feel. I find it has helped me when my hair was very dry from a lot of colour processing and was able to bring some life back into my hair without weighing it down or causing it to look or feel greasy. I would recommend this product at the price point near $40, which may seem pricy to some, but the benefits are worth it. However, at a higher price point near $50, I am not too sure if I would suggest it as enthusiastically, especially seeing that there are some that the product may not work as well on.
Hope you found this helpful!
My name is Wesley, I am a Barber located in the city of Calgary helping my clients become more confident with all things related to their hair by providing customized haircuts that suit them best while demystifying all the complicated hair information out there!
