Drugstore Beauty: Back to Basics!

Growing up – and in college, Herbal Essences was my absolute favorite brand. I remember specifically requesting it from my mom when she went to the drugstore before I could drive there myself… (and refusing to use the drugstore brand if she bought that.) She always listened and bought it for me, but in hindsight it’s funny that a twelve year old could be so brand loyal. I’m sure that my kids will be the same way, probably worse.

Over time I guess I forgot about the brand a little bit, getting attached to my fancy salon products (and constantly testing everything under the sun for this blog!) Recently, Herbal Essences reached back out… asking me to try the Wild Naturals line exclusively for one week, and document the experience here.

Herbal Essences’ Wild Naturals has three different categories: Detoxifying, Illuminating, and Rejuvenating. I opted to mix and match the shampoo and conditioner. I use the Detoxifying Shampoo and the Illuminating Conditioner. The reason I did this is because I don’t wash my hair very often, so when I do… it needs a detox. It’s also great because it gets your hair really clean… if you blow out your hair like I do, that will make your blowout last longer. All of that said, my hair is on the drier side, so I like the shine-boosting properties of the illuminating collection. And then after conditioning, I used the Intensive treatment on my ends (also from the Detoxifying collection.)

The first thing I will say pertains to the shower experience. It’s really true.. Herbal Essences’ products make for an incredible sensory experience in the shower. The lemon basil scent (from the Detoxifying collection) was my favorite as it was super refreshing and really woke me up – a great way to start the day. (As an aside… after testing the products for a week, Herbal Essences told me that 9 out of 10 American women agree that taking time to enjoy their morning shower transforms the rest of their day AND that it is one of the few times during the day where they get to truly “escape…”) It totally makes sense, but that statistic makes me a little sad… we need to do a better job at taking little moments throughout the day to pamper ourselves and indulge a little bit!

I shampooed, conditioned, and applied the Intensive Treatment (leave it on for a few extra minutes while you shave your legs or wash your face… it sinks in like magic.) This combination of products left my hair super clean (and ready to be blown out), but also very soft and hydrated.

Before blowing out my hair, I added a few pumps of the Rejuvenating Elixir (only to the ends) of my hair. This sealed them and left my hair feeling really healthy.

And lastly, I applied the Dry Oil Spray (from the Illuminating collection.) Okay, I love all of the products that I used… but this is my absolute favorite. It smells so, so good… and left my hair gleaming. It’s one of the best shine sprays I’ve ever tried (and I’m constantly searching + trying them all.) I have been using this every day… in the mornings, and then after work before going out to revitalize it and add a second boost of shine. I should note that the formula is also very light… it won’t weigh your hair down.

To recap my week long experience, I will say that I was really happy with all of the products I tried. I love that you can mix and match between the three lines to get a tailored formula for your hair… and you can not beat the scents. The in-shower experience sets you up for a great day ahead, leaving you feeling a little happier + more awake… and the product formulas really work. Consider me a convert (and go get that Dry Oil Spray… it’s the. best.)

Last but not least, there’s just one more product I wanted to tell you about: Herbal Essences All Whipped Up Conditioning Mousse! While not a part of the Wild Naturals line, I still wanted to mention it as it is the perfect mousse. Truly. Better than most of the salon brands I’ve tried, and it smells so, so good. What makes it better than most mousses I’ve tried is that it conditions and hydrates to tame frizz and define your waves, without leaving them sticky or crunchy. When I air dry my hair, I always use mousse… but I hate when it leaves your waves crunchy. Gross. Not the case with this one!

Update: I got a few questions about what I’m wearing! I’m wearing an IRO Sweatshirt with BaubleBar Necklace, Lele Sadoughi Pearl Cuff and two Vita Fede Mini Titan Bracelets.

Created in Partnership with Herbal Essences.

photography by Lydia Hudgens.