Review: Clear Scalp & Hair Therapy-Ultra Shea Shampoo

At the beginning of the summer I was sent some products for review.  When I agreed to give my feedback,  I was not aware of which products I would be receiving in the mail.  I was very happy to see that they were from the new Clear Scalp & Hair Therapy line.  I saw this line in stores and was wondering if the products would work for my scalp.

I have scalp psoriasis which tends to show up during the drier months (usually wintertime).  For some reason though, I started seeing a lot of flaking and irritation in the spring when I was on the tail end of my Curly Girl Method trial.  When the products arrived in the mail I was primed and ready for something to relieve me of my scalp woes.  I'll do the review in two parts for the shampoo and conditioner.  The other products were not used for long enough to make a difference in my scalps' condition therefore I do not have an opinion on them.




Ultra Shea Cleanse & Nourish Shampoo

Ingredients

Water (Aqua), Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Dimethiconol, Glycol Distearate, Sodium Chloride, Fragrance, Carbomer, Dimethicone, Sodium Lauroyl Isethionate, Zinc Pyrithione, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, DMDM Hydantoin, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Stearic Acid, Citric Acid, Tallow Acid or Palmitic Acid, Zinc Sulfate, TEA Dodecylbenzenesulfonate, Sodium Isethionate, Poloxamer 407, Laureth 23, Laureth 4, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter), Triticum Vulgare (Wheat) Germ Oil, Tocopheryl Acetate, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oil, PEG 9M, Hydrogenated Coconut Oil, Glycine Soja (Soybean) Oil, Elaeis Guineenis (Palm) Oil, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Xanthan Gum, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Methylisothiazolinone, Methylchloroisothiazolinone, Mica (CI 77019), Bismuth Oxychloride (CI 77163), Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Iron Oxides (CI 77491)  

Claims

• Proven to lock in moisture and provide long lasting nourishment for extra dry scalps
• Gently cleanses to remove product build-up and allow scalp to breathe
• Formulated with Nutrium 10™ Moisture Lock system, a rich blend of shea butter and natural oils, including vitamin E, sunflower, coconut, almond, soybean, argan, and palm

Upon first use I felt that the shampoo was heavenly.  The sulfate gave it a very rich, velvety lather.  My hair did not feel stripped like with other sulfate shampoos.  The sweet almond and vanilla scent reminded me of the Suave Professionals Almond and Shea products.  It did not linger on the hair although it was very fragrant while shampooing.  My initial reaction was that I would definitely think to use this product again whenever I needed to cleanse my hair and scalp.  After several washes, all weeks apart, I realized that the product was not doing anything to help with my itchy, flaky scalp.  My husband also has dry scalp but not to the same degree as my psoriasis.  He stated that he did notice some improvement while using the shampoo.  This led me to believe that the product may work for those who have mild scalp irritations.  Something like scalp psoriasis may require something stronger and more effective in treating scalp conditions.  

Overall, I do consider this a shampoo that works well with thicker textured hair like mine.  However, I did not notice any improvement with my dry scalp.   I am currently using milder shampoos that also provide cleansing without stripping.  I do not feel as if I will be purchasing this product in the future only because of the sulfate and silicones present in the ingredients list.   

Singin' in the Rain with Gotye at Red Rocks Ampitheatre

Red Rocks Ampitheatre in
Morrison, Colorado

Here in Colorado it is pretty much common knowledge that Red Rocks Ampitheatre is one of the best places to take in a live show.   This week the hubby and I made another trek up the winding ramp that leads to the open air venue surrounded by massive red rocks to see the musician, Gotye.  The weather was not the best but fun was had by all once the show started.

There were two opening acts before the much awaited headliner.  After warming the crowd up with a couple of tunes,  Gotye (a.k.a Wally) remarked, as most singers do, at how the altitude made singing a challenge.  Still,  he managed to hit all the notes in perfect pitch.  The show was full of beat driven tracks such as, "Easy Way Out," and, "Thanks for Your Time."

Prior to the show this week of course I kept thinking, "what am I gonna do with my hair?"  With the venue in mind it was a no brainer.  A Wash n' Go was pretty much my only option because there was the chance it might rain.  I decided this before realizing that I was completely out of my staple styler, Eco Gel.  That's when I remembered that I still had some Kinky Curly Curling Custard (KCCC) I bought a long time ago.  I couldn't remember all of the do's and dont's for using this product so I went online to check which leave-ins it paired well with.  I found a video on YouTube explaining how the Tresemme Naturals conditioner I love so much works as a leave-in under the KCCC.

On the way to the concert rockin' my curly fro-
So excited!

Before applying the products, I co-washed my hair with Suave Naturals in Coconut flavor.  Then, with my hair still dripping wet, I applied the Tresemme conditioner in sections. After that, I used very little of the gel on each of the sections and wet the hair before raking it through.  I noticed some crazy curl definition right away which usually means tons of shrinkage.  This was what I was going for though and was happy with the final result.  The next day (the morning of the concert) I re-wet my hair to reactive the curls.  I ended up with a coily afro that was a lot of fun to wear.



At the concert there was plenty of wind and rain throughout but I didn't have a care in the world because my curly fro held up just fine.  Which left me with plenty of headspace for remembering all the words to, "Heart's a Mess" and "Save Me," my two favorite Gotye songs.

Waiting for the show to begin

Red Rocks all around