Review: New Creme of Nature Argan Oil Gloss & Shine Polisher

There seem to be lots of argan oil options surfacing in the drugstore haircare aisle lately, but when I spotted this new product by Creme of Nature at Walgreens recently, I was instantly drawn to it because I've had good luck with Creme of Nature products in the past.

Back when I was on a serious sulfate-free shampoo kick in the early 2000s, Creme of Nature's shampoo (which has since been discontinued in favor of their newer organic line) was practically the ONLY sulfate-free shampoo available at the drugstore. Boy have things changed since 2000, huh? It seems like every other shampoo released these days is sulfate-free.

So anyway, based on my previous positive experience with Creme of Nature, I decided to purchase their new Argan Oil Gloss & Shine Polisher at Walgreens:

Creme of Nature Argan Oil Gloss & Shine Polisher

(retail: $8.49 at Walgreens, 4 oz)

Just a note: I had no idea until I visited the Creme of Nature website that Creme of Nature Argan Oil Gloss & Shine Polisher won a 2011 Essence Beauty Award.

The only other argan oil product I've ever used is the One 'n Only Argan Oil from Sally Beauty. That product retails for $9.49 for 3.4 oz, so the Creme of Nature Argan Oil is a better value cost-wise.

Ingredient-wise, it's always a good idea to check and see how far down on the ingredients list argan oil is actually listed, so you know exactly what you're paying for.  The ingredients list for the One 'n Only Argan Oil has argan oil pretty far down on the list:

Ingredients for ONE 'N ONLY ARGAN OIL:
Dimethicone, Cyclopentasiloxane, Dimethiconol, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Fragrance (Parfum), Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Yellow 11 (CI 47000), Red 17 (CI 26100)

But as you can see in the following pic, argan oil is the third ingredient in the Creme of Nature version:

I like that Creme of Nature Argan Oil Gloss & Shine Polisher also contains ingredients like olive oil, honey and aloe leaf extract. All things that my hair seems to love!

So how does this product work for me? I LOVE IT and here's why:

As many of you know, my hair is long, wavy and color-treated. It's fine in texture but I've got lots of it. My roots are oily and my ends are dry and damaged, and I'm also prone to frizz.  That said, I absolutely love that this product in no way contributes to my already-oily roots. In fact, I can skip a day of washing and not see any increased oiliness in my root area, which is a small miracle. Even though I take special care to only apply this product to the lower 75% of my hair (I never, ever apply oils or serums near my roots), that usually doesn't stop products like this from migrating toward my roots and making my hair a greasy mess. Not so with this product!

The texture of this oil is so light and easy to work with. The problem I had with the One 'n Only version was that it was so heavy, to the point of feeling tacky when I poured it into my palm. This oil is light, slick and  easy to distribute into my wet hair.

Another thing I love is the fragrance! To my nose, it smells like fresh (not toasted) marshmallows! I love that.

According to the directions, I've been applying this product to my hair right after my shower every day for the past two weeks. Because of the lighter texture, I find that I can even be a little heavy-handed and use more than a drop of two of this product and it doesn't weigh down my hair. I've been using about a nickle-size amount in my palm (remember, I have long hair) and that seems to be the magic amount to cover the lower 75% of my hair. 

According to the label, this oil "instantly shines, smoothes, strengthens and controls frizz." I would say that it definitely adds shine and smoothness, though I can't confirm that it's actually helped strengthen my hair at this point.  As for controlling frizz, I find that it helps with that more if I apply it to my hair when it's dry. My ideal method for using this product:

• Apply a nickle-size amount to the palm of my hand, rub my palms together and distribute through the lower 75% of my hair immediately after washing and conditioning.

• After my hair dries (I usually allow it to air-dry), if I noticed any frizzies, I put a drop or two in the palm of my hand, rub my palms together and work my hands through any frizzy areas of my hair.

This method seems to work beautifully for me, and it leaves my hair soft, silky, shiny and frizz-free throughout the day. It also makes my hair smell amazing and I have noticed that my hair doesn't tangle as much throughout the day, which is a nice added bonus.

FINAL VERDICT: If shine serums or other argan oils have weighed your hair down in the past, I think you might be pleasantly surprised by this product. Even with my fine hair, it doesn't weight it down like other oils do, yet its light texture does not seem to diminish its effectiveness. I love that I can use more than a few drops at a time and not risk having greasy, heavy hair, and I absolutely love how soft and silky my hair feels when I use this oil. The fragrance, the performance and the price make this one a new staple in my haircare routine. I will definitely repurchase.

Have you used Creme of Nature haircare products? Do you own anything from the new Argan Oil line? Do you think this oil sounds like something that might work for you and your haircare needs? I'd love to hear from you!

You can purchase Creme of Nature Argan Oil Gloss & Shine Polisher at Walgreens. To see the full Creme of Nature Argan Oil collection, click here.