Venustas Essentials :Argan Oil Hair Masque

A hair masque is an ultra-conditioning treatment to add moisture, prevent frizz and breakage of the hair. Its consistency is generally much thicker than a deep conditioner, used once every week or two, hair masques nourish the scalp and hair roots, conceal damage, weakness, and other inconsistencies regarding the integrity of the hair. All natural handmade hair masques typically contain deeply conditioning and moisturizing ingredients including shea butter, avocado oil, botanical and fruit oils or extracts, and vitamins, among many others.

ABOUT THE BRAND

Learn more about Venustas Essentials HERE!

KEY INGREDIENTS & THEIR PROPERTIES

• Coffee Grounds: Has exfoliating and stimulating effects on the scalp, caffeine in the coffee grounds can help stimulate new hair growth (1).

• Coffee Beans Infused Almond Oil: Reduces hair shedding and is said to reduce excessive hair loss because of the antioxidants present in caffeine, increases hair growth since caffeine is a vasodilator, which means it increases blood flow to the scalp promoting hair growth (2). Caffeine is known to darken the hair and slowdown the early onset of grey hair (with frequent and consistent use) adding shine and dimension to the hair due to the darkening effect of the oil.

• African Shea Butter: Has the ability to stimulate hair growth, rejuvenate the scalp and the hair follicles, and generate healthy, thick, lustrous, and fast-growing hair (3). Rich in vitamins A & E, shea butter soothes dryness, repairs breakage and mends split ends while providing  moisture to dry, damaged hair from root to tips (4). Non-comedogenic in nature, the butter is quickly absorbed by the skin and eliminates dry skin by replenishing lost and missing moisture from the skin cells and hair follicles promoting cell and follicle repair and regeneration thus stimulating hair growth (3). Its anti-inflammatory properties heal damaged scalp and clear infections (4).

• Argan Oil: Rich stores of essential fatty acids, tocopherols, squalene, carotenes, sterols & phenolic antioxidants, argan oil supports the health and beauty of skin and hair . Repairs damaged hair, moisturizes instantly, and prevents split ends while restoring shine, increases hair growth and helps control, cure, and prevent dry and itchy scalp (5). Due to its anti-microbial properties, it keeps scalp healthy, free of dandruff and well nourished (5). It also keeps the roots of the hair hydrated, protected, and well nourished.

• Virgin Coconut Oil: The fatty acids in coconut oil penetrate human hair fibres, giving it more structural strength thereby protecting hair from damage, prevents hair damage from hygral fatigue, reduces/prevents protein loss from the hair fibre, helps retain moisture from inside the hair shaft, nourishes the scalp and helps treat dandruff and has antibacterial, antifungal and antiviral due to the presence of medium chain fatty acids, notably lauric acid (6). Coconut oil is a rich source of nutrients like vitamin E, vitamin K and iron: these nutrients are essential for maintaining hair’s shine and softness.

• Jojoba Oil: Bringing about a purely natural moisturizing effect is just one of the many benefits of Jojoba Oil. The oil has the ability to cleanse the follicles of sebum  & remove residues present in the scalp promoting hair growth and protecting strands from breakage and drying up (7). Jojoba oil is capable of moisturizing the hair without leaving any residues. Jojoba oil is capable of moisturizing the follicles of hair and helping hair cells to reproduce themselves at a rapid pace (7).

• Organic Aloe Vera: Aloe contains certain enzymes that prevent hair loss and promote hair growth. The proteolitic enzymes help eradicate dead skin cells on the scalp while its keratolic action breaks down the sebum and dead scalp cells too (8). It's has alkalizing properties balance the pH level of the scalp and hair and helps lock in moisture to improve the smoothness of hair, it tends to also work well as a detangler, too (9). The gel in aloe vera leaves has chemical composition similar to the protein keratin that penetrates easily into the hair shaft deep conditioning it (8). The amino acids are responsible for the strength and luster. Aloe lotion may help treat seborrheic dermatitis when applied to the scalp (10).

• Lavender Essential Oil: It helps balance natural scalp oils, which makes it valuable for all hair types. With its anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, and analgesic properties, lavender oil is a good treatment for dry, flaky scalp (11). It soothes and nourishes the scalp, providing relief from inflammatory scalp conditions. Regular massage with lavender oil is said to reduce hair loss and make the hair soft and shiny (11).

• Peppermint Essential Oil: Extremely rich in essential fatty acids and essential ingredients that are going to stimulate the scalp’s health, help getting rid of yeast colonies and also help the scalp remain “clean” from dandruff and inflammations, also an excellent coolant keeping the scalp refreshed (12).

• Rosemary Essential Oil: Packed with antioxidants which help scavenge free radicals – that are responsible for greying as well as hair thinning (12). This wonderful oil stimulates blood flow to the scalp and promotes strong and healthy hair growth. Rosemary oil is also effective for treating dandruff, itchiness, scalp irritation and oily skin (12).

The hair masque comes in a 100 gm plastic container with an inner protective lid and a screw on top. 

Brown in color due to the coffee, the  masque is creamy in texture and thick cream like consistency and has a gorgeous aroma of freshly brewed coffee.

To use, take the required amount, massage it gently to the scalp and apply to hair ends and leave it on for an hour for optimal results, shampoo/condition as usual.  

My thick and curly hair has been subjected to several chemical treatments over this past year alone. Needless to say I am always on the lookout for products that provide deep nourishment for my dry, rebellious, over-processed hair. 

I have tasted sweet results with Venustas Essential's argan hair oil so I was real excited to try this argan oil variant, which Seema sent over as a gift. 

The first thing I noticed was the addition of coffee grounds which was both novel and intriguing. The coffee grounds act as a gentle yet effective scalp exfoliant getting rid of accumulated spent skin cells. The masque renders the hair soft to touch, tangle free and provides considerable frizz control. 

Definitely an intensive deep conditioner that revitalizes and repairs damaged hair from the inside out.