Review: newly reformulated Sunsilk Hydra TLC and Captivating Curls products

(I got this image from the Sunsilk website, which is currently being updated)

Back in February I gave you a sneak-peek at the newly repackaged and reformulated Sunsilk line (in case you missed it, click here for all the details) and today I'd like to give you my thoughts on the actual products that I received for review.

Let's start with new Hydra TLC collection:

From left to right: Sunsilk Hydra TLC Shampoo, Hydra TLC Conditioner and Hydra TLC Styling Creme

As you can see, the bottles are a real departure from the old look, and I really like them not only in terms of aesthetics, but also in terms of functionality (I especially like the nice, big flip-top lid on the shampoo). Also, Sunsilk has enlisted celebrity stylist Teddy Charles to co-create the newly reformulated products:

I have to admit, Mr. Charles is pretty easy on the eyes!

So along with the help of Teddy Charles, Sunsilk has added ingredients such as milk protein into their new Hydra TLC line. How does it compare to the old Hydra TLC line? Unfortunately I can't answer that, since I have always used Captivating Curls due to the texture of my hair.

But what I can tell you is that the fragrance of the shampoo, conditioner and styling creme reminds me of coconut candy! It's a sweet, yummy coconut fragrance, and I actually sniffed a bottle of the old formula that I found at Rite Aid a while back and it smelled nothing like coconuts, so I'm fairly certain this is a change for the line.

Also, I can tell you that, for my hair, Hydra TLC made it a lot softer than usual, and I found that it didn't weight my hair down at all. I am really liking the Styling Creme because it acts very much like a leave-in conditioner on my hair. It helps with detangling and just generally makes my hair feel a lot softer and more sleek on the days when I choose to straighten it. (In case you're not a longtime reader of my blog, my hair is long and thin in texture, but I've got lots of it. It's naturally wavy and also color-treated. I have oily roots and dry ends.)

Next up, the new Sunsilk Captivating Curls Collection:

From left to right: Sunsilk Captivating Curls Shampoo, Captivating Curls Conditioner and Captivating Curls Styling Creme

(sorry this one's so blurry but my camera's acting up)

Now as you can see, Sunsilk has added chamomile to this formula, which apparently helps with curl and wave definition. I had never heard that before, so I was very anxious to see how this formula compared with my old, beloved Captivating Curls formula.

Right off the bat I noticed that the shampoo and conditioner themselves are no longer that lovely shade of pastel lime green. Of course the green-colored formula would no longer work with the look of the new bottles, so I understand the change (btw, all of the formulas I'm reviewing are white in color now). But the fragrance of the new Captivating Curls is still quite similar to the old formula (at least to my nose). I'm glad they didn't change it because it's a very clean, fresh, and slightly sweet fragrance, which I love. If anything, I might even say that this fragrance is more intense, which is fine by me!

So how did the shampoo, conditioner and styling creme stack up to the old formulas for me? Quite well! In fact, in all honesty, I don't detect much difference at all. And this is not a bad thing, because I love how the old formulas performed for my particular hair type. The new formulas are nearly identical in terms of the way they make my hair behave. My curls are more defined, my hair is softer and more springy, and everything just feels nice and soft and under control. Yay! Crisis averted!

So there you have it. My take on some of the newly-reformulated Sunsilk products. Do you have any favorites from Sunsilk? Are you excited to try the new formulations?

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.