L'Oreal EverPure and EverCreme Shampoo - Updated

For the most part, I believe that conditioner is more important than shampoo.  I have been lucky to find one that, even though expensive, works great on my hair.  And I love the coordinating shampoo but the price for the two of them is kind of ridiculous so I am always searching for a less expensive one.  In the past couple years, I go back to L'Oreal's EverPure moisturizing formula.  It is a creamy shampoo that gives a good lather (not necessary, of course, but nice) with a Rosemary Juniper scent that is refreshing and not overpowering.  After shampooing, my hair feels clean and it is very easy to comb my conditioner through.  I even gave some to a male friend with longer curly hair and he is hooked.  He says it makes his hair nicer than it has ever been.

It was only out of curiosity that I tried the new EverCreme.  Texturally it is even creamier than the EverPure.  The scent is called Camelina which is a flowering plant that produces oil.  It doesn't smell as good as the EverPure but it isn't bad.

The good thing about both these shampoos is that they are sulfate-free so they are good for color-treated hair and keratin treatments.  I'm not sure if I will go back to the EverPure after I finish the new one (I just saw the EverCreme has an "intense nourishing formula!) but both are excellent products are drugstore prices and availability.

Update:  After using the EverCreme for over a month, I've decided it doesn't seem to easily spread through my hair.  I always feel like I am missing spots.  I will finish this bottle and then buy more EverPure.

Pureology Super Smooth Shampoo

Note to self: do not ask for a shampoo recommendation from a new stylist.  They will just push on you whatever the salon is hawking that month.  That's how I discovered Pureology Super Smooth Shampoo.  I told her I was looking for a less expensive alternative to Alterna (Alterna alternative...hehe).  She recommended this for my hair type and I didn't ask about the price because I told her how much the Alterna costs ($32).  When they rang it up, it was $27!  I guess I should have been more specific that I was looking for a more significant reduction in cost. 

So, to the chase.  It is an ok shampoo although my hair did not seem any smoother.  The smell is a little strong for me and sort of smells like flowers only fake.  The worst part is that it made me break out terribly on my shoulders and back.  I have to be careful because I have issues with that but as long as I keep my hair off my back and shoulders until it is dry, I am usually ok.  Not so in this case.  I had all these painful bumps not to mention how bad it looked.  No one wants that but it is especially bad in the summer time.  I really wouldn't recommend this shampoo.  You can get something better in a drugstore for a quarter of the price.  I don't think I'd try any of their other products either.  Aside from this bad experience, their packaging is boring and doesn't catch the eye.  And sadly, it is that that usually gets me!

http://www.pureology.com/systems/super-smooth/shampoo

Sephora Collection Age Defy moisturizer and eye cream

I originally got the moisturizer as a sample when I was at the store.  I have a little bit of an issue with the Sephora brand considering they started out as a retailer for other beauty brands.  I feel like they could stock more variety in the stores if they took away their own products.  However, their products are usually cheaper than the others they sell (sometimes significantly) while keeping the quality of higher priced brands.

Although I love Oil of Olay, I still don't feel like I've found the moisturizer for me so I figured I'd give it a try.  I was very pleasantly surprised.  This is one of the first moisturizers I've ever used that showed an immediate difference.  And it was just moisture vs. non-moisture.  It really seemed to smooth away the fine wrinkles on my cheeks.  It's very thick and creamy but does not feel that way once you put it on.  It also has spf 15 which isn't really enough but better than nothing.

It worked so well I tried it on my biggest problem area, under my eye.  I have a bunch of small wrinkles which I just found out is called cross-hatching.  What?  Could we think of more insulting names for wrinkles?  Crows feet?  From here on out, I will only refer to them as fairy trails and sunbursts.  So, it did a really decent job on my undereye fairy trails but stung my eyes somewhat.  When I went to buy the full size, I saw they also had an eye cream and bought them as a duo hoping the eye cream would be gentler around the eye area.  Unfortunately, it is not.  I rub my eyes too much (probably explains the fairy trails) and they would sometimes start to sting and water for what seemed like no reason.  I can only think it is the eye cream.  So, even though it works better than anything I have tried so far, I can't use it.  But if you don't have sensitive eyes, it's definitely worth a shot.

I am sticking with the face moisturizer until it is empty but I will probably try other products when it runs out.  It works really well but I still don't think it is the ultimate moisturizer for me.

http://www.sephora.com/age-defy-moisture-cream-spf-15-P276328?skuId=1259894
http://www.sephora.com/age-defy-eye-cream-P276325