Shu Uemura Essence Absolue Nourishing Cleansing Milk, Nourishing Protective Oil, Cleansing Oil Shampoo and Cleansing Oil Conditioner.
I have been a fan of Shu Uemura’s luxurious range of beauty products ever since I splurged on the Essence Absolue Nourishing Protective Oil many years ago. I bought it for the amazing fragrance (smells influence a lot of my purchase decisions), and loved it for its rich velvety texture and the way it made my hair glossy and healthy. I was really excited to try more products in the Essence Absolute line – the shampoo, conditioner, protective oil and cleansing milk – to review for you. Everything smells absolutely divine and was as amazing as I expected them to be.
The Shu Uemura Cleansing Oil Shampoo is based on Mr. Shu Uemura’s philosophy that “oil removes oil”. It’s paraben and silicone free and turns to a foam when applied to wet hair. Both the shampoo and the conditioner contain Onsen-inspired ferments (an Onsen is a Japanese hot spring) drawn from volcanic sources. It has a floral scent that’s sweeter than the rest of the line. I like the scent but it doesn’t linger on my hair. It cleanses my hair without stripping it and feels very luxurious. The pump dispenser is fantastic – no need to fiddle with lids with slippery hands.
I expected the Shu Uemura Cleaning Oil Conditioner to be very rich, but it was surprisingly light and milky. I thought it was perfect for my fine hair and even though it felt light it was very effective. It made my hair soft and manageable. Again, I love that it comes with a pump dispenser. I’m guessing the leave-in Essence Absolue Oil-in-Cream conditioner is the richer conditioner in the line.
Essence Absolue Nourishing Protective Oil – This, I believe, is the hero product of the line. It contains camellia oil and is referred to in the industry as “liquid gold”. I believe nothing beats oils when it comes to hair treatments. A lot of people, including my hairdresser, have commented that I have healthy and soft hair. Given that I wash my hair every single day and blow dry it every single day, I attribute that to using a hair oil every day. Out of all the hair oils I’ve tried, the Shu Uemura Nourishing Protective Oil is the most luxurious one. It smells incredible, has a very rich texture, and gives my hair incredible shine and nourishment. I try to use just half a pump – a little goes a long long way. It’s expensive but it will last you a long time. I put it in my palms and distribute it to the ends of my hair sometimes before and sometimes after blow drying. I put whatever is remaining in my hands on my legs because it smells so good and I don’t want any of it to go to waste. It can also be used as a pre-shampooing treatment for extra conditioning, and I think it would be great to use before swimming to protect hair against harsh pool water chemicals. I’m going to recommend it to my mom who is addicted to aquafit.
Essence Absolute Nourishing Cleansing Milk – This was a surprise hit for me. I thought it might be too heavy for my fine hair but it wasn’t. I wouldn’t use it every day, but it’s fantastic to use once in a while for extra hydration. It’s also a great time saver since you don’t need to use conditioner afterwards.
The Shu Uemura Essence Absolue line is great. I recommend it if you have dry hair, frizzy hair, or if you just want softer and glossier hair. My favorite product in the line and one you must check out is the Nourishing Protective Oil but I also loved the cleansing oil shampoo, cleaning oil conditioner, and the surprisingly great Cleansing Milk.
Have you tried any products in this line?
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