Welcome to my new series: SAVE vs SPLURGE! This is a post idea that you have requested non-stop. Remember my SAVE vs SPLURGE: Nordstrom Sale post? I also did another Nordstrom SAVE or SPLURGE in 2016 that you guys LOVED!, so I decided to turn it into an entire series. The plan is to post every other Wednesday (yes, I realize it is Thursday now), and the topics can be anything from fashion to travel to baby to beauty…whatever you guys want! HINT HINT: suggestions, please. So, are you looking for product reviews trying to decide whether to SAVE vs SPLURGE? You are in the right place! For my first SAVE vs SPLURGE post, I am focusing on blonde shampoo: Kevin Murphy Blonde Angel vs Clairol Shimmer Lights. Lastly, make sure you scroll to the end to enter to win a $500 gift card to Nordstrom!
SAVE VS SPLURGE: BLONDE SHAMPOO
Finding the right blonde shampoo has honestly become an obsession of mine. I CANNOT STAND when my hair gets brassy. So I took in all your feedback, my experience, and hairdressers’ suggestions in order to narrow it down to two products. Over the past few months, I have tested them both out extensively, and so I am ready to share my review.
BLONDE SHAMPOO: SAVE
I swear I had over 100 messages suggesting the Clairol Shimmer Lights. And I understand why. This line got my hair SUPER ashy and also removed all of the brass. Another positive? I literally didn’t have to wash my hair for 8 days. Here are my pros and cons:
PROS
- Straight out of the salon-toned hair. Not an ounce of brassiness remained!
- Team #nowash. My hair lasted 8 days and probably could have lasted another.
- THE PRICE! Holy moly, you can get a shampoo and conditioner duo for $23 on Amazon.
CONS
- It ain’t environmentally conscious. This is a big one for me. I don’t want parabens and sulfates and shit in my shampoo. To some people, this is a non-issue. For me, it’s a pretty big deal.
- The conditioner does not really condition. HOWEVER, I mixed it with some of my husband’s Rahua conditioner, and so it worked wonderfully.
- The smell. I mean this really does not matter in the grand scheme of things, but I just didn’t love the smell.
TIPS
- Shampoo hair TWICE. Let it sit in your hair for at least 5 minutes. Then condition and let sit in your hair for at least 5 minutes.
- If you have super thin or super dry hair, I wouldn’t leave it in your hair this long. And honestly, you may only want to use the shampoo OR conditioner. The “purple” is potent, and if your hair is thin, it will become very silvery. I love that look, but some people may not,
- Mix the conditioner with a regular conditioner to truly condition your hair while adding the ashy tones.
BLONDE SHAMPOO: SPLURGE
I honestly LOVE the Kevin Murphy Blonde Angel line. It is one of my all-time favorites, even beating out the Oribe Bright Blonde. In addition, I love the fact that it is socially conscious, cruelty-free, and oh so luxe. The drawback? The price.
PROS
- It doesn’t brighten QUITE as well as the Shimmer Lights. BUT, it really does give you the perfect ashy tone.
- My hair feels AMAZING after I wash it, and my wash lasts up to 7 days. You also don’t need to use a separate conditioner in addition to the Blonde Angel conditioner, which is nice,
- Again, it is environmentally conscious. It doesn’t contain harsh ingredients and isn’t tested on animals.
- Wide variety of product options. In fact, they actually have an entire line of blonde shampoos coming out with different tone options (ashy, golden, etc).
CONS
- The biggest con is the price, It ain’t cheap yall.
TIPS
- Shampoo hair TWICE. Then let it sit in your hair for at least 5 minutes. Condition and then let it sit in your hair for at least 5 minutes.
- The entire Kevin Murphy line is amazing, so you can also incorporate other shampoos and conditioners, such as the Young Again or the Repair Me.
SAVE vs SPLURGE: BLONDE SHAMPOO, THE VERDICT
So, for me, I will opt for the Kevin Murphy every single time, mainly because the cons of the Clairol are just too important to me. HOWEVER, if you are looking for a blonde shampoo that gives you the perfect tone and nothing else, then I absolutely recommend the Clairol Shimmer Lights. The price is great, and the results are even better. As my hair starts getting super brassy, I did use the Clairol instead of the Kevin Angel, simply because I knew it would knock it out.
SHOP THE POST
SAVE
Clairol Shimmer Lights Blonde Shampoo // Clairol Shimmer Lights Blonde Conditioner // Clairol Shimmer Lights
SPLURGE
Kevin Murphy Blonde Angel Wash // Kevin Murphy Blonde Angel Treatment // Kevin Murphy Blonde Angel Duo
FEEDBACK
Ok, guys, did you like this post? Was it helpful? I absolutely love sharing tricks, tips, and hacks with yall, so I am super excited about this series. If you have ideas or anything you want me to trial for you guys, please leave a comment below OR shoot me a DM on Instagram. I am super responsive there and love reading your sweet messages. Stay tuned for more SAVE vs SPLURGE!
GIVEAWAY: $500 NORDSTROM GIVEAWAY
| Hearts of Gold Blog | The Style Sauce | by Brittani Lauren | With Love Lily Rose | Polished Closets | Heart of Chic | Flaunt and Center | Belle by Laurelle | Life Lutzurious | Lizzie in Lace | Manic Style | Blush and Blooms | The Middle Page | Fashion And Frills | So Heather | Jeans and a Teacup | Simply Her Fav | The Sugared Lemon | Afternoon Espresso | L. Avenue | From the Family With Love | Blue Mountain Belle | Champagneista | Jaclyn De Leon Style | Tall Blonde Bell | Laura Jane Atelier | Dress Me Blonde | A Vintage Splendor | Isn’t That Charming | Street Style Squad |
This giveaway is brought to you by the beautiful blogger above! Enter by performing the actions below in the Rafflecopter for a chance to win a $500 Nordstrom Gift Card.
Make sure to do the actions in the Rafflecopter before marking they are done! Marking done doesn’t automatically perform the action.
(We do verify entries!)
*Please note: the easiest way to perform the “follow on LiketoKnow.it” actions is to download the LiketoKnow.it app->type in the name->follow.
Giveaway runs from Feb 12, 2018 to Feb 26, 2018 (concludes at 11:59 PM on the last day). Open to the US, UK and CAN. By entering you are agreeing that you are performing the actions in the Rafflecopter that you have marked as done and you understand you may be subscribed to hosts’ email lists. By entering you are agreeing that you agree to these newsletter subscriptions and all other terms & conditions of the giveaway. More giveaway details can be read in the terms & conditions in the Rafflecopter. Winner will be announced within 10 days of the conclusion of the giveaway and entries will be verified by the hosts. Thanks for participating, I can’t wait for you to go check out these talented bloggers!
