Todays mask is not one for the face but for the hair.. and it's one I NEVER thought I'd be trialling again in a million years! Once upon a blog, way back when I reviewed the original Philip Kingsley Elasticizer after a rather harrowing hair damage drama and was left wanting, to say the least. It did absolutely nothing for me and after my negative review Phil contacted me (well maybe not HIM but someone who's probably never met him that is somehow involved in getting bloggers to only speak highly of his products) and was offered a tub of the Extreme version as well as some shampoo/conditioner etc to use alongside it. They genuinely thought I would change my mind and naive as I was back then that gave me some hope that the product would really work for me. They really can't believe I didn't see amazing results, I thought.. it must have been me, I thought.. I'll give it another go, I thought. It wasn't.

I've had multiple samples of this product over the years and have never thought it anything to write home about but last week I was sent a new sample to review as part of  a beauty awards panel so I thought it only fair to give it another shot and refresh my memory before I wrote it up. For those of you just tuning in I had pretty awfully damaged hair at the start of the year, it was snapping off into a rather attractive mullet and I was at the end of my rope. I had a set of bonded hair extensions applied, took my colour much closer to my natural shade and 6 months later I would LIKE to say it's made a miraculous recovery. It still needs some help but it's amazing what that break from colour/bleach did for the condition and when I used this pre-shampoo treatment last week I was stunned. Once dry my hair felt smoother, looked shinier.. I finally saw that improvement everyone raved about. It's an expensive product and I'm not sure I'd run out and purchase it once this runs out as there are so many others I like that are cheaper (coconut oil, I'm looking at you) but if you have the budget and the inclination to blow it on a £19.00 (for 75ml) pre shampoo treatment I can stand in your way no longer.

My experience tells me that this is NOT for those of you who've found this post in desperation, surrounded by clumps of hair. It's for those of you who have maybe coloured, maybe heat damaged hair that needs a little TLC but that's pretty happy where it is and isn't planning on deserting you any time soon. The bold claims and glowing reviews had my expectations way above where they should have been which led to years of me bad mouthing this to anyone who'd listen but now I look at it with fresh eyes and hair in pretty good nick I see a place for it.. perhaps that place is days/nights when the potential of coconut oil dripping down my face isn't quite so convenient.

PS. the original is actually £17.. so, y'know.. £2 saving. Every little helps!