STYLE
by: dhnshrtn
R
ight around Valentine’s Day, Kérastase released a new range of hair care products bottled in a light pink packaging. This range, called Cristalliste, is targeted specifically at young women to resolve the most common hair problems faced by the 1825 age group. It’s a basic four-step range which includes two different kinds of silicone-free shampoos (one for fine hair and another for thick hair), a conditioner, hair mask, and serum to address the two major hair issues: oily scalps and damaged ends. The first thing you notice from this line is the scent: it’s nothing like what Kérastase has released before, being so fresh and floral to the point of giddiness. I mean it’s a nice scent, but it also reminds me of glitter-infused body sprays, bubble gum, and all the Bath & Bodyworks products that appealed to me as an 18-yearold college freshman. So while the scent has definitely been fine-tuned for the younger set, it is perhaps a little too young for my taste. My personal favorite items out of the bunch have to be the Masque Cristal and Lumiere Liquide: the Masque Cristal is a lightweight mask formulated to be applied on towel-dried hair and left on for 5-10 minutes before being rinsed off. The Lumiere Liquide, meanwhile, is a hair serum meant t o be used as a finishing touch to add shine to dry ends. The texture is super light and non-greasy, similar to what you would experience with the L’Oreal Professionnel Mythic Oil. One pump is enough for my short, thick hair, and I keep a bottle of it on my desk for a quick touch-up on my tresses before running off to meeting or an event.
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The shampoo and conditioner didn’t do much for my hair — but then again, my hair is extremely thick and chemically processed (twice-bleached, colored, and highlighted). I can imagine it doing well on virgin hair, but you’re better off sticking to other Kérastase ranges for more specific issues. The price points are similar to other Kérastase products: the Bain Cristal shampoos (250 ml) retail for 259k, the Lait Cristal conditioner (125 ml) for 299k, Masque Cristal mask (500 ml) for 775k, and Serum Cristal (125 ml) for 319k. What I found interesting was how at the media gathering, Kérastase hammered home the point of Cristalliste being an entry-level range for young women who want to use Kérastase products for the first time; meanwhile on the internet, the Cristalliste range appears to be aimed more towards people with long hair. In other words, the Kérastase Cristalliste range is great for you if you fall under one of the following groups: between the ages of 18-25, have long hair, or have virgin hair. Interested in trying it out for yourself? Head out to your favorite Kérastase salons and find out if this range is right for you.