Review: Suave Professionals Moroccan Infusion Shine Shampoo and Conditioner

Press Sample 

Longtime readers know that I'm a total Suave girl. I've been using Suave products for as far back as I can remember because HELLO! They're all about giving budget-conscious consumers products that actually work. A while back I received the new-for-2013 Moroccan Infusion line for review, and after testing both the shampoo and conditioner for almost two months now, I'm finally ready to share my thoughts with you.

Spoiler: a little while ago, I mentioned here on the blog that I was testing a shampoo and conditioner that were making my hair look so good that I was able to skip using any styling products. Surprise! Here they are:

Suave Moroccan Infusion Shine Shampoo and Conditioner

(retail: around $3.99 each, 12.6 oz)

From Suave:

SALON PROVEN TO ADD SHINE AS WELL AS MOROCCANOIL®* Shine System infused with Moroccan argan oil:Noticeable shineLong lasting conditioningLuxurious fragrance 

SHINE SHAMPOO WITH MOROCCAN ARGAN OIL This shine shampoo, infused with authentic Moroccan argan oil, gently cleanses while making hair brilliantly shiny. 

DIRECTIONS: Apply. Lather. Rinse. For best results, follow with Moroccan Infusion Shine Conditioner. 

SHINE CONDITIONER WITH MOROCCAN ARGAN OIL This shine conditioner, infused with authentic Moroccan argan oil, conditions hair while smoothing the cuticle to make hair shinier. 

DIRECTIONS: Apply after using Moroccan Infusion Shine Shampoo. Leave for 1-3 minutes. Rinse. 

*Shampoo & Conditioner system vs. Moroccanoil® Moisture Repair Shampoo & Conditioner

Moroccanoil® is a registered trademark of Moroccanoil Inc.

The Suave Moroccan Infusion line includes the Shine Shampoo and Conditioner and also a Color Care Shampoo and Conditioner, as well as some styling products. You can read more about these products here.

Shampoo ingredients: Water (Aqua), Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Sodium Chloride, Glycol Distearate, Dimethiconol, Glycerin, Fragrance (Parfum), Carbomer, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, TEA-Dodecylbenzenesulfonate, Citric Acid, PPG-9, Tetrasodium EDTA, DMDM Hydantoin, PEG-45M, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oil, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Hydrogenated Coconut Oil, Methylchloroisothiazolinone, Methylisothiazolinone, Red 33 (CI 17200), Yellow 5 (19140).

Conditioner ingredients: Water (Aqua), Cetearyl Alcohol, Dimethicone, Stearamidopropyl Dimethylamine, Hydrogenated Coconut Oil, Behentrimonium Chloride, Fragrance (Parfum), Mineral Oil, Lactic Acid, Amodimethicone, Potassium Chloride, Disodium EDTA, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oil, DMDM Hydantoin Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Methylchloroisothiazolinone, Methylisothiazolinone.

It's hard to see, but the shampoo is actually an opalescent, cream-gold color:

Notice that, according to the label, these products are for normal to dry hair. Most of you know by now that my hair is oily at the roots but dry at the ends and that my hair is long, naturally wavy, prone to frizz, fine in texture (but I've got a lot of it) and also color-treated. 

I didn't take any "before" photos because I pretty much always refer you to the following photo of how my hair looks on a bad hair day (I don't enjoy "recreating" this look so I that's why I always use this photo, which I hate, by the way!):

The photo above is what my hair looks like if I use a standard drugstore shampoo and conditioner and no styling products and allow it to air-dry. It's frizzy, fluffy and my curls don't fall in ringlets...they're just kind of there.

Here is what my hair looks like after using Suave Moroccan Infusion Shine Shampoo and Conditioner and no styling products:

As you can see, my curls look more uniform and they're nice and piece-y. My hair also has a nice amount of bounce, shine and softness (the shine is obliterated by my bathroom lighting--sorry about that). I also want to note that I don't normally use heat-styling, and the above photos were taken after air-drying my hair. I literally just got out of the shower, brushed my hair, gave it a few scrunches and let Mother Nature do her thing.

Application: This shampoo lathers quite easily and it's easy to distribute throughout my hair. The conditioner applies best when my hair is very damp. Sometimes I have better luck applying conditioners if I press out most of the water from my hair before applying, but this one's the opposite. I find it works best when my hair is very damp, and it's easier to distribute it throughout my hair that way. There is some slip to this conditioner but it's not one of those conditioners that instantly turns my hair into silk. It definitely makes my hair feel softer during application, but it's not a heavy-duty, detangling type of conditioner.

Rinse: This shampoo rinses cleanly, but it does leave a slight coating behind (it's not heavy or greasy-feeling though). The conditioner rinses easily and my hair feels a lot softer after rinsing  Like I mentioned above, this is not one of those conditioners that dramatically transforms my hair and cuts through tangles like a hot knife through butter, but my hair feels softer and more moisturized after rinsing, without feeling heavy or greasy.

Results: Like my photos illustrate, this shampoo and conditioner work very well for me. They don't make my curls flat or frizzy, and my hair has a very nice piecey-ness to it, as well as some nice bounce, body and shine. My preferred method for drying my hair is air-drying, and these products work beautifully that way. I've also used a hair dryer after using these products and they work just as well--especially when I straighten my hair. I feel like this shampoo and conditioner help make my hair look and feel extra smooth when I straighten it.

Next day results: Since I have oily skin, oily roots and side-swept bangs, I'm always afraid that, when I use products for normal-to-dry hair,  I won't even be able to make it through 24 hours before I get greasy-bangs-syndrome. I'm happy to report that, because these products don't feel heavy on the hair, I'm able to go a full day and about halfway through the next day before I start to see some slight oil in my bangs. I've noticed that by the afternoon of the next day, I could stand to use some dry shampoo, but it's not terrible (and probably only noticeable to me, since I'm practically a life-long bang-wearer and super sensitive to greasy bangs!).

Fragrance: I remember reading weheartthis's review on these products a while back and loving that the reviewer, Amanda, said that "If the feeling of cashmere had a smell, this would be it." She totally nailed it. There's a bit of clean musk, there's a bit of "Moroccan spice market" and an underlying sexy-yet-cozy fragrance going on here. The scent does stick around in my hair for the first half of the day, so it's probably not for those who are very sensitive to fragrance. Sidenote: Mr. G goes crazy whenever I use these products--he can't stop sniffing my hair. So be warned! These products can be a bit of a "man magnet."

FINAL VERDICT: Total love-match here. I find that both the shampoo and conditioner work extremely well for my particular hair type (I can skip styling products!), and I think that if you aren't looking for extreme hydration (or use a separate deep conditioner for that) and you have any of the same hair issues that I have, you might have luck with these products. Don't expect crazy detangling from this conditioner but, by the same token, it won't weight your hair down. For me personally, these products walk that fine line between not hydrating enough and too hydrating. They're perfectly in the middle, which makes my hair very happy. I say give 'em a try (and if you can, buy them at CVS, Rite Aid or Walgreens, which all allow you to return used beauty products with receipt). That way, you won't be stuck if they don't work for you (but I'm kind of betting they will). Fingers crossed!

A sample of this product was given to Nouveau Cheap for editorial purposes, either directly from the manufacturer or from the agency that works on behalf of the manufacturer. All reviews on NouveauCheap.Blogspot.com are the honest opinion of its author and editorial samples do not, in any way, affect the outcome of product reviews. For more information, click here.