Product Review: Rusk 2 Sensories Brilliance Leave in Color Protector

I'll say it boldly. I color my hair. In truth, I have no idea what my natural hair color would be if left untreated. Depending on personal finances, I've either colored my own hair or gone to the hair salon for the past 10 years.

We live on the beaches of South Carolina. We swim in salt water. We play in harsh sunshine. As you might imagine, my hair is fragile. The combination of salt water, scorching sun and chemical hair dye takes its toll on my naturally fine and thin hair.

A few years ago I had my hair colored at the salon. After the chemicals were rinsed off, my hairdresser sprayed something all over my still-damp tresses. The smell was delicious. In fact, the product smelled so good that I didn't care if it even worked. She told me that I needed to be especially careful with hair products and to avoid anything that would dry-out my already fine locks. She was using Rusk Grapefruit and Honey Leave-in Color Protector on my hair. After a lengthy discussion, she recommended that I continue to protect my hair and prolong my color with this product by spraying it all over my hair after every washing. I did not take her advice. Not then.

I began paying attention to how often my hair required color. During a particularly blazing South Carolina summer my hair was brittle and parched. This hot sun bleaches out hair color far too quickly. Not wanting to be a 'Connie Cotton-top', I had to find a way to protect my hair from the ravages of the surf and sun. Remembering my hairdresser's advice, I purchased Rusk Grapefruit and Honey Leave-in Color Protector. My hair color stayed truer longer, with the added benefit of a lustrous shine and an irresistibly fresh, citrusy fragrance.

Product Description

Rusk Sensories Brilliance Grapefruit and Honey Leave-in Color Protector really is a delight for the senses. The product smells delicious and it protects fine, fragile, color-treated hair.

A unique formula, Rusk Sensories Brilliance Leave-in Color Protector includes the anti-oxidant Vitamin C in the form of Grapefruit Extract, Vitamin E and Vitamin A. These powerful vitamins are supposed to assist in slowing down hair color loss. Additionally, Sunflower Extract, Sea Kelp and Panthenol help to improve hair strength which is important after color treatments. This leave-in color protector has all the properties to seal in hair color.

Recommended Product Use:

Cleanse with Brilliance color protect shampoo. Towel dry hair; mist hair thoroughly (because it's a compressed formula, the instructions recommend using 30-50% less product. Here on the coast, I've found that I must use more to combat the bleaching effects of the sun). Comb through gently. Do not rinse out.

Product Ingredients

According to the Rusk website, this product contains: Water, Dimethicone, Dimethicone Copolyol Phosphate, Panthenol (Pro vitamin B5), Grapefruit (Citrus Grandis) Extract, Sunflower (Helianthus Annuus) Extract, Kelp Extract (Macrocystis Pyrifera), Tocopheryl Acetate (Vitamin E), Retinyl Palmitate (Vitamin A), Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C), Honey, Polyquaternium 11, Fragrance, Tallowtrimonium Chloride, C11 15 Pareth 9, Propylene Glycol, DMDM Hydantoin, Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate, D&C Yellow 10, FD&C Yellow 5, FD&C Yellow 6

Rusk claims that all their 'Sensories' products feature a unique compressed formula technology to enhance the user's sensory experience. Apparently, this technology expands the formula when it comes in contact with water. Gentle manipulation further increases this expansion, releasing unique botanical aromas. Compressed formula technology achieves twice the performance using 30-50% less product. I have not found this to be true. In fact, for maximum results I use more product than expected.

Price and Availability

Rusk Sensories Brilliance Grapefruit and Honey Leave-in Color Protector is available online and in professional hair salons. Prices range from $9.00 to $14.00 for 8 fluid ounces.

Additional Consideration

With Rusk Sensories Brilliance Grapefruit and Honey Leave-in Color Protector you get the benefits of natural, botanical ingredients combined with an irresistible fragrance. This is a good product to use as a pampering treat; it increases shine and delivers on the promise to protect hair color.

This product works for anyone with fine, color-treated hair. It sprays on with a light mist, resembling the texture and weight of water. There is no problem with the product weighing hair down; you can't even feel it in your hair. After use, hair feels silky and soft. But this is not a volumizer, it's a color-protector. I use it in conjunction with a volumizing product.

Sources:
Personal experience
Rusk Hair Products packaging and website

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