Joyous Joico: Curly Hair Savior!

Author:Metric Jenn

Wow. Just...WOW. I am practically speechless in regards to this product. But I will do my best to explain that reaction.

I was in the middle of moving provinces (Canadian, remember?), and the packers had boxed everything in the bathroom before I could give them proper instructions, and grab the stuff I needed to live like a couch-surfing hippie for the next week and a half.  This, of course, necessitated a trip to the mall to grab “just the bare essentials”. It was my intention to purchase the Herbal Essences Totally Twisted for curly hair shampoo and conditioner that I’d settled on over 2 years ago, even though it didn’t really do the trick. It was *just* good enough, you know?

As I was on my way to the Shoppers Drug Mart (Another Canadian thing - I guess the American equivalent would be a hybrid of Walgreens and Target), I passed by a salon with a prominent display of Joico products, featuring the Smooth Cure Fight Frizz shampoo and conditioner. I stopped. I looked. I read the backs of the bottles. And then the sales girl saw me with a skeptical look on my face. One that read: “Yeah right, I’ve heard all this crap before. Is there an igloo you also wish to sell me?”

The girl gave me a smooth pitch, which highlighted the fact that it was sulfate-free and REALLY DID WORK. What can I say? I’m an easy sell. I bought the gift pack that it came in which included the shampoo, conditioner, a leave-in rescue treatment and a thermal styling protectant. The prices break down like so:                                                                                                                                  

Smooth Cure Shampoo 10.1 oz. / 300ml (Sulfate Free) ……...…………$11.95
Smooth Cure Conditioner 10.1 oz. / 300ml (Sulfate Free) …………….…..$13.95
Smooth Cure Leave-In Rescue Treatment 3.4 oz. / 100ml ………….…..$19.95
Smooth Cure Thermal Styling Protectant 5.1 oz. / 150ml ………………...$17.95

I used it that very night. Shampoo, Conditioner and Leave-In Rescue Treatment (I left out the Thermal Styling Protectant as that is specifically for when you're using a hair straightener). I let my hair air-dry rather than diffusing it as per usual. I then slept on it. This is HIGHLY irregular for me, as I am obsessed with having nice curls and sleeping on your damp hair pretty much guarantees a flat, gross mess. I woke up the next morning, and my hair was...for lack of a better description: The shiniest it’s ever been with not a frizzed-out strand to be seen. On my way out the door for work, I took my fingers, and shook out the curls a bit, and waltzed out the door looking like I stepped out of my hairdresser’s chair even though it’d been over 9 months since my last visit.

The product says it gives 24-hour high humidity protection and reduces frizz by 79%. I believe it. I’ve continued to use it for the past 5 weeks, and my hair thanks me by looking volumous and frizz-free. Check out the product descriptions and promises in their media release.

And now a drumroll for my final judgment: Absolutely 8 out of 8 tentacles. They had better NEVER discontinue this line, or I will commit a daring warehouse raid on elephant back to steal the remaining stock. The price is triple what I was paying for Herbal Essences, but I absolutely do not care. For a product that delivers what it promises, I will pay it with a smile on my face.

Rating: 8/8 tentacles