Like that extra glass of wine...L'Oreal Oleo Therapy Deep Recovery Mask Review

Here is what L'Oreal has to say about the deep recovery mask:

"Oleo Therapy Deep Recovery Mask is a sensorial restorative treatment formulated with a 6 flower oil blend. This new nourishing balm revives lifeless locks and restores hair's natural radiance. Leaves hair nourished and smoother."

If that statement alerts the bullshit policeman in you, don't fret. L'Oreal is a big liar, but so are all mass market beauty producers. We all know that the "6 flower oils" do nothing, and that hair cannot be "restored" with any permanence after damage. I try to look past the glossy advertising and fancy packaging that is sure to be reminiscent of Kerastase, a high end hair care brand also manufactured by L'Oreal. It's actually pretty genius advertising. The mask I bought looks very similar to a Kerastase Oleo Curl Masque I used eons ago:

Am I right?

I felt like I bought this product with an open mind. I did give it a fair shot. I used it three showers in a row (so, for about a week and a half). Still, there was something nagging me while I tried to write my "impartial" review:
Read on for my disclaimer, and a review!

My feelings in general about L'Oreal range from anger to apathy, but what I've found, in terms of haircare, is that no matter how much you like a product, you will regret using it later. Like that extra glass of wine you shouldn't have ordered, L'Oreal hair products are bound to cause hair hangovers.

With all the nasty stuff out of the way, I have to say I really liked this "mask" after my first shampoo. Here are the ingredients:

Aqua / Water / Eau Cetearyl Alcohol Glycerin Quaternium-87 Hydrogenated Polyisobutene Behentrimonium Chloride Cetyl Esters Parfum / Fragrance Propylene Glycol Phenoxyethanol Hydroxyethylcellulose Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride Isopropyl Alcohol Caprylyl Glycol Argania Spinosa Oil / Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil Cocos Nucifera Oil / Coconut Oil Hexyl Cinnamal Hydroxycitronellal Chamomilla Recutita Extract / Matricaria Flower Extract Citric Acid Isoeugenol Caramel Ci 19140 / Yellow 5 Gardenia Tahitensis Flower Extract Rosa Canina Flower Extract Nelumbium Speciosum Extract / Nelumbium Speciosum Flower Extract Linum Usitatissimum Flower Extract Ci 17200 / Red 33

My experience:

Texture: 

It's creamy and thick, but it doesn't "melt" as easily into my hair as some other conditioners. It feels a little bit difficult to distribute, but it's not too bad. I leave my conditioner in for about 3-5 min while I shave my legs. It got a bit more "slippery" after a few minutes, but it still didn't feel completely melted into my hair.

Scent: 

I am pleasantly surprised at how much I didn't notice the scent. I have not been able to use any products in the "Ever" line due to their strong fragrance. It literally hits you in the face and lingers until you shower. This masque is totally inoffensive in terms of fragrance, and I can not smell it my hair after applying leave in conditioner and styling products. Nice! A+ on that, L'Oreal.

Conditioning: 

My hair feels thicker after rinsing. It feels conditioned and smooth, although I don't feel the intense slip I get with other conditioners. I usually add a bit more to the ends of my hair after conditioning and then rinse quickly, not washing it out completely. 

What drew me to it: 

It has no silicones or mineral oil. L'Oreal's silicone free products have always caused buildup for me, as they always contain mineral oil. The conditioner from this line has mineral oil as an ingredient, but the mask doesn't.

Price: 

It's $9 at Target, but there are multiple coupons floating around for anything in this line. I think I paid $5.

Review:

Pros:

- Relatively inexpensive for a deep conditioner that doesn't contain mineral oil or silicone

- Scent is significantly less offensive than some other "Ever" L'Oreal products

- Decent conditioning factor, seems like it would work well for detangling

- Didn't seem to irritate my sensitive scalp

Cons:

- Built up (caused buildup) on my hair after 3 uses. I needed to clarify.

- Dust/dirt magnet. I could not achieve 2nd day hair with this product for that reason.

So, unfortunately, like that extra glass of wine, L'Oreal hair products still seem to end up "costing" more than they are worth in the long run. I think I'll skip another run in with the company for a while, for fear of another dreaded hair hangover. I'll stick with my Living Proof Frizz conditioner and alternate with my Trader Joe's cheapie for now. Sad trombone sound.

P.S. Shout out to Pink Sith for the sad trombone sound.