Review: Garnier Fructis Leave-In Conditioner, or The Post In Which I Eat My Words

If you asked me a week ago how I felt about Garnier Fructis, I would have trashed it relentlessly.  I used to use their shampoo and conditioner in high school because they smell great, and then I realized that they were completely trashing my hair and leaving a ton of build-up and I haven't gone near the brand since.


So last weekend (or last last weekend? Hm) I was at CVS looking for a new hair serum.  I have no loyalty when it comes to hair serums and creams, I really just want something that will condition my ends and keep them from being fried but also won't leak everywhere when I travel (such a pet peeve).  This stuff was on sale for like $2, which was so cheap that I got over my brand hatred and got it.  And I am so glad I did.  I think I tweeted a few days ago about how my hair was being weirdly shiny, and I realized that this is why.

So what this claims to do is use Acai berry and grape seed oil to condition your hair and then use UVA & UVB protectants (aka sunscreen) to keep your hair color from fading.  First off, I love, love, love that this has sunscreen in it.  Even though I have the biggest issues with fading on my roots, which is not a place that I'd put a serum, I like that my ends are getting some protection--and I feel like the sun can dry out your hair too, so maybe the sunscreen helps keep in moisture?  I really don't know.  My understanding of chemistry is amusingly limited.


The leave-in conditioner (it's really just a serum) itself is clear and has a really interesting texture.  It looks like it should feel oily, and it looks oily, but the texture itself is more lotiony.  It won't leave your hands oily, and it absorbs really quickly.  I really, really like it.  Also since it's not heavy, I think it will work nicely on thin hair textures too.  I use about a quarter sized amount on wet hair (and I have medium-long, VERY thick hair for reference), but you can also use it on dry hair.  It smells like generic tropical berries--nothing mindblowing, but it's yummy.


This stuff makes my hair so soft, even my fried ends!  I didn't buy this to make my hair shiny, as I just naturally have very shiny hair, but I think this stuff actually makes my hair shinier, which is difficult.  But it just really makes my hair feel so healthy and soft and easy to comb through.  I don't know if it's physically making my hair healthier, but it sure feels so much healthier.  I've gotten more compliments on my hair (including the smell!), and basically my hair loves this stuff.


I doubt that it's going to make my color last longer, but it definitely works as a leave-in conditioner, it smells yummy, and it was very, very cheap.  So overall, this is an A+ for me.  It's $6.99 at drugstore.com.



Image via drugstore.com.