On this page:

• How we choose what we test
• How we test
• Test criteria explained
• Our test lab

A man will spend an average of five months of his life shaving, so it’s no wonder you’re looking for a shaver that’s easy to use and comfortable too.听

For our electric shaver reviews, we put each model through performance testing in our 糖心Vlog labs, and conducted a user trial to find out how easy they are to use.听

How we choose what we test

With so many models to choose from, what makes us choose one men’s shaver to test over another? As with most of our product testing, our aim is to test the most popular models on the market and what you’re most likely to see in the retailers.

We survey manufacturers to find out about their range of models. We check market sales information and we also check for any member requests to test specific models.

From this information we put together a final list that goes to our buyers. They then head out to the retailers and purchase each product, just as a normal consumer would. We do this so we can be sure the products are the same as any consumer would find them and not ‘tweaked’ in any way.

How we test

Lab component

Our tester conducts the following assessments for each shaver:

• Instruction quality and detail
• Ease of operating the controls
• Grip comfort and feel when wet and dry
• General trimmer performance
• Ease of changing and cleaning the unit, heads or blades
• Operating and charge times
• Six drop tests from a height of 80cm.

Expert trial

Four in-house experts conduct a user assessment of each electric shaver based on their existing shaving preferences (two rotary models, two foil models). They score and comment on ease of use, feel (comfort and vibration), battery duration, time required to finish their shaving routine, closeness and evenness of the shave and whether they experienced discomfort or irritation.

Test criteria explained

The overall score is made up of:

• Ease of use (50%)
• Skin feel (40%)
• Battery performance (10%)

Ease of use is made up of a combination of tester and expert user feedback, looking at:

• Changing heads/blades
• Charging
• Cleaning
• Control
• Grip
• Instructions (quality and detail)
• Trimmer performance
• Vibration and comfort

These are weighted equally.

Our test lab

Our test laboratory is up to date with the latest reference machines and calibrated measurement tools for our testers to bring you accurate results.

The post How we test electric shavers appeared first on 糖心Vlog.

On this page:

• What's the big deal about the Dyson Supersonic Nural?
• Curly hair: Alice
• Long, thick, wavy hair: Peter
• Fine, wavy hair: Jen
• Fine, straight hair: Harper
• Thick, straight hair: Pru

What about $750? (Yes, really.)听

That’s the price of Dyson’s latest hair dryer, the Supersonic Nural.听

It’s the next iteration of the Supersonic, which retails for $549 to $649.

At those prices, you could buy yourself a good coffee machine, flights to another city or maybe even just pay your power bill.

If you are in the market for a new hair dryer, though, and can justify the price, you’re probably wondering whether it’s worth the money.

To help you decide, four 糖心Vlog staff (plus one teenage child) test-drove the Nural to see how it compares to their usual method of hair drying.听

We chose people with quite different hair types so you can see how it works across the spectrum.

Here’s what you need to know, and what our triallists said about using the Nural.

What’s the big deal about the Dyson Supersonic Nural?

New Dyson products always attract attention, but there’s been quite a bit of excitement around the Nural.听

What does it have that other hair dryers don’t?

It’s got that sleek Dyson bladeless design, of course, and the features that made the original Dyson Supersonic so popular: fast and powerful drying, intelligent heat control, magnetic attachments and more.

The Nural takes things up a notch with ‘scalp protect mode’, which measures the distance between the dryer and your hair, reducing the heat as you move it closer to your scalp.听

The dryer can tell which attachment is connected and switches to preset airflow and heat settings. But then it goes further, using a fancy sensor to learn which settings you prefer with which attachment and switching to those each time you click in an attachment.Plus, there’s Pause detect: the dryer senses when you put it down and cuts the heat and airflow.

Like the Supersonic, the Nural comes with five attachments 鈥� gentle air attachment, styling concentrator, wide-tooth comb, flyaway attachment and diffuser.听

However, the diffuser has had a makeover and now separates into two components. ‘Diffuse mode’ looks like a regular diffuser and adds volume. Or you can unclip the front of the diffuser to use ‘Dome mode’ for more defined curls.

Curly hair: Alice

• Usual routine: co-wash with light conditioner, ‘squish to condish’ with heavy treatment conditioner, wrap in microfibre towel, scrunch through curly hair foam, air dry (occasionally blow dried with diffuser)
• Usual time to dry: Up to three hours (air dried); 15 minutes diffused to part-dry
• Usual tools: a 10+-year-old basic dryer with a cheap diffuser attachment bought on eBay

Confession time: I am exceptionally lazy when it comes to anything beauty related.听

If it’s expensive, time-consuming, complicated or overly laborious, I’m just not going to adopt it.

This approach actually suits curly hair: my curls prefer not to be brushed (in fact, I haven’t owned a hair brush in years) and only washed about once a week, which suits me just fine. I don’t do much in between washes: my bed hair doesn’t look too dissimilar to my styled hair!

I only really pull out the hair dryer if I have an event on and want my curls to be a bit extra. But even then, I only partially dry it 鈥� partly to avoid dryness and frizz, and partly because I’m too lazy to commit the time to drying it fully.

So if I’m going to invest time in an additional hair care step, it needs to be really worth it: give me curls to die for, or get out of my hair.

Did the Dyson Nural deliver? Yes and no.

(Also, note to self: next time you agree to trial a fancy hair dryer, make sure you don’t have shockingly bad regrowth.)

Using the Dyson Supersonic Nural dryer

There were some pros but plenty of cons.

The dryer was reasonably quiet and easy to handle, and I loved the way the attachments connect to the body magnetically, with a satisfying click. (I may have done this more times than was really necessary because I enjoyed it!)

I couldn’t figure out how to use the different modes, so I spent ages pressing buttons at random until I found the setting I wanted. (My laissez-faire approach to beauty also includes an aversion to instruction manuals and YouTube videos.)

I kept accidentally blocking the air intake when I held the dryer 鈥� why on earth would they put it on the handle?

When I used the cool shot button to set the style, the placement was awkward: it’s on the back of the handle, rather than the front, so I had to hold the dryer sort-of sideways to press it. And I kept accidentally pressing the power switch button because it’s in the spot I expected the cool shot button to be.

The attachments:

The Nural has not one but two curl attachments.听

(Such a treat for curly girls 鈥� we’re used to our hairstyling needs being something of an afterthought.)

The first looks like a regular diffuser. I found that it left my hair a bit frizzy and didn’t deliver particularly defined curls.听

The second attachment is what Dyson calls ‘dome mode’.听

You click the top part of the regular diffuser off and you’re left with what looks like a bowl.

Dyson says it’s best for creating more defined curls, and I found this to be true.

Dome mode also created curls with serious staying power.听

On the right is my hair six days after using the dome attachment.听

(Yes, I do go that long in between washes sometimes! My curls tend to get curlier the longer I leave them 鈥� up to a point, of course.)

The results

The Nural left my hair feeling softer than usual, and the dome diffuser helped create quite defined curls.

You can tell just from the length of my hair that the two Dyson attachments certainly helped my curls bounce up.听

But can you see a huge difference between the results? I can’t. And I certainly can’t see $700+ worth of difference.

Verdict: I don’t think the results were actually any better than air drying or using my own basic hair dryer. So, is it worth $750? Not for me.

Long, thick, wavy hair: Peter

• Usual routine: Shampoo, conditioner, hair dryer to remove excess moisture, then straighten
• Usual time to dry: 60鈥�90 minutes
• Time to dry using Nural: 15 minutes

Pete’s mane is legendary at 糖心Vlog. And you can see why: it’s glorious.

When we heard about the Nural, Pete’s flowing locks made him the obvious first choice to trial it.

As a dedicated metalhead, Pete’s hair gives him extra cred on the scene so it’s important that it looks the business. A $750 hair dryer is a good investment in ensuring the perfect ‘do for headbanging, right?

Yes and no.

Here are his thoughts about the Dyson Supersonic Nural:

I used the wide tooth comb attachment as its drying and styling claims best matched my usual routine.

I tried the smart modes that adjust heat and airflow to help maintain your heat, and they just felt inconsistent and irritating, so I turned off the auto adjust modes and anything that involved smart features.

It left my hair more voluminous than usual, and also quite clean and soft. The wide tooth comb attachment left it quite straight, but still fluffier and frizzier than using a straightener.听

The design wasn’t bad but had some shortcomings. The stunted nozzle meant it was awkward to use around the back of my head, and the air intake being located on the handle is annoying 鈥� I kept blocking it while holding the handle.

Also the buttons, while they look funky, aren’t intuitive. I had to keep pressing things randomly until the settings felt right (like Homer blindly stopping a nuclear meltdown).

This isn’t a plug-and-play dryer: it’s a high-end product with a range of settings and attachments so you’ll probably need to use it a few times to fully understand it. I think it’s fine to expect a bit of a learning curve to get the best results.

The price tag feels similar to high-end hi-fi gear. The core functions are well made and do a very good job, but Dyson has included a bunch of fancy features to justify the high cost. In practice, they don’t seem to offer any tangible benefits over standard settings and the right attachment for your hair.

If you’re the kind of person that has a long hair care routine but find yourself short on time one day, the Dyson will definitely do the job well. It may not match your ideal hair but it’ll get you most of the way there in a short space of time.

I also tried the Nural on diffuse mode to see what it would do to my wavy/curly hair.

I followed the instructions as per the , aside from using a curling cream as I don’t use one in my usual routine and didn’t have any available.

It did not deliver results as advertised. I don’t know if this is because I didn’t use it correctly or if it doesn’t work properly unless you have the skillset of a professional.

It made my hair frizzy and it was the same the next day, but it did have more volume.

Verdict: Would I use it? Yes. But at that price? No. It’s not worth $750.

Fine, wavy hair: Jen

• Usual routine: shampoo, condition, air dry (blow dry if I’m going out or into the office)
• Usual time to dry: 20 minutes air dry, 5鈥�10 minutes blow dry
• Time to dry using Nural: 5 minutes

I’m pretty low maintenance with my hair. I work a lot of the week at home, and when I’m there I generally use an air-dry approach.听

I do use a Parlux eco dryer if I’m heading out or going into work.

My hair is really fine, so basically any hair dryer works pretty quickly, so speed isn’t really a factor for me.

Because it’s so fine it’s really hard to get any volume and shape with the waves. I’ve used other hair dryers with diffusers, but this one seems to give it heaps of bounce.

I used the dome and found it really good at defining the waves, much more than my hair dryer, which was a pleasant surprise.

That said, it seems like they’ve invested in a lot of gimmicks (for example, the hair dryer going into rest mode when you put it down) that aren’t really that necessary.

It initially took me a few minutes to work out how to turn on the hairdryer 鈥� the button looks like a push mechanism, rather than a slide.

The coloured lights that indicate how hot the dryer is running only seem to be visible if you’re drying someone else’s hair or you’re in front of a mirror, so I can’t see how they’re particularly helpful.

Verdict: I actually went in thinking it would be a complete waste of money and am now thinking it really works for me. It’s not worth $750 though!

Fine, straight hair: Harper

• Usual routine: air dry after nightly shower
• Usual time to dry: 30鈥�40 minutes
• Time to dry using Nural: 10 minutes

Harper is Jen’s teenage daughter. She usually lets her hair air dry.听

“Harper won’t use a hair dryer because she worries about heat damage 鈥� she only agreed to use the Dyson because it supposedly protects your hair,” Jen says.

But how effective is the scalp protect mode? It’s hard to know unless you use the Nural over a longer period of time.

“I can see it dials the heat down a bit, but does that quantifiably help? My hair is pretty damaged already, so I don’t think it makes that much difference,” says Jen.

“Harper said the Nural was noticeably quieter than a regular hair dryer, which is pleasant to use,” says Jen.听

“Her hair dried really quickly 鈥� but then our hair always dries quickly because it’s so fine!”

Jen used the flyaway attachment on Harper’s hair 鈥� but it wasn’t all smooth sailing.听

“I realised I used it completely the wrong way on Harper after I went and watched the videos,” she said.

Once she figured it out, she trialled it on Harper’s hair. How did it go?

“It didn’t seem to make any difference to fly-aways on Harper’s fine hair.”听

Verdict: I can’t see this dryer being worth the cost if you have fine, straight hair.

Thick, straight hair: Pru

• Usual routine: shampoo, condition, blow dry and smooth with brush until dry
• Usual time to dry: 20 minutes
• Time to dry using Nural: 25 minutes

I’m pretty basic when it comes to my hair dryer needs, and I have extremely amateur blow drying skills.听

I also have dead straight hair and there’s a lot of it, so I just want something that’s going to get it dried efficiently with limited flyaways.听

I think all the fancy features and accessories on the Dyson are a bit wasted on me, and might be suited better to someone who blow dries their hair way more often or who has really curly or wavy hair (and a bigger budget!).听听

The Dyson did give a nice result, though. I used the concentrator attachment, and the blow dry felt like it lasted a bit longer.听

My hair felt a bit softer and lighter, but it did take slightly longer to dry than when using my usual hair dryer.听

I like how it’s relatively light and compact, considering its power. The bladeless design is also cool (and saves me worrying about getting any of my wispy hair inadvertently stuck in the motor, which, embarrassingly, has happened before).听

Verdict: The price tag is a bit much for me to justify 鈥� and I got pretty much the same results as I get from my five-year-old hair dryer that cost just a few hundred dollars.听

The post Should you buy the Dyson Supersonic Nural hair dryer? appeared first on 糖心Vlog.

On this page:

• How we choose what we test
• How we test hair dryers
• Test criteria explained
• Electrical safety assessment
• Our test lab

We put a range of hair dryers through performance testing in the 糖心Vlog labs and in a salon to give you an idea of how easy they are to use and how well they work.

How we choose what we test

With so many to choose from, what makes us choose one hair dryer to test over another? As with most of our product testing, our aim is to test the most popular models on the market, and what you’re most likely to find in stores.

We survey manufacturers to find out about their range of models. We also check market sales information, and we consider member requests to test specific models. From this information we put together a final list that goes to our buyers.听

They then head out to the retailers and purchase each product, just as a regular consumer would. We do this so we can be sure the product tested is the same as any consumer would find it, and not ‘tweaked’ in any way for better performance.

How we test hair dryers

Performance

We test the performance of hair dryers in our in-house lab by assessing the following.

Drying rate:听We measure how quickly each hair dryer will dry your hair. To do this, we position and direct each dryer 15cm away from a moist cloth, run them for 60 seconds, then weigh the cloth to determine how much moisture has been dried out of it.听

We repeat this test on the lowest and highest settings, three times each for a total of six drying rate tests per dryer.

Airflow speed:听We measure the airflow speeds at the lowest and highest settings, 15cm from the front of the air outlet.

Temperature range:听We measure the temperature at the lowest fan speed, lowest heat setting, and then at the highest fan speed, highest heat setting, 15cm from the front of the air outlet.

Noise level and annoyance volume in decibels (dBA):听We record at distances of 15, 30 and 100 centimetres and the results are then averaged out. A panel of three experts listens to each dryer to determine which ones produce an annoying sound during use. Pitch and volume are assessed, scored and commented on. We also publish noise measurements at 15cm in decibels.

Drop test:听This is a pass/fail assessment. Each hair dryer is dropped four times onto vinyl flooring affixed to a concrete slab from a distance of one metre. Models that remain intact and operational, or can be easily reassembled and remain operational (e.g. clipping the body back into place), receive a pass.

Ease of use

This covers the set-up and general operation of each hair dryer. We assess the thoroughness of each manual followed by ease of holding, ease of reading and understanding the labels, ease of operating controls and attaching/removing concentrator nozzles included with each hair dryer.

Expert salon assessment

A professional hairdresser assesses each hair dryer in a salon environment with human hair that’s below shoulder length, soft wave and medium texture. Scores and comments are provided in response to the following questions:

• How comfortable was the hair dryer to hold? Consider the dyer’s weight, balance, grip and the placement of the controls.
• How easy was it to use the controls? Consider whether they were intuitive or if you needed to refer to the user manual.
• How well did it dry the hair?
• Was it able to produce a combination of air speed and temperature that you were happy with?
• How useful did you find the concentrator attachment(s) and how easy are they to attach and detach?
• Are there any other general comments you have about the dryer?

This is not a blind trial. The salon expert is aware of the brands and models.

Test criteria explained

The 糖心Vlog Expert Rating, our overall score that determines which products we recommend, is made up of the following scores:

• performance (45%)
• ease of use (30%)
• salon expert assessment (25%).

Performance consists of scores for:

• drying rate (50%)
• temperature range (25%)
• airflow speed range (20%)
• noise (average of measured volume and noise annoyance) (5%).

Weightings are in brackets.

Electrical safety assessment

We check all models for required safety markings, including a risk of electrocution tag on the power lead and the . The latter certifies that a hair dryer has passed the safety requirements to be sold in Australia.

Relevant Australian standards: AS/NZS 60335.1 clause 7.1, AS/NZS 60335.2.23 clause 7.301.

Our test lab

Our test laboratory is up to date with the latest reference machines and calibrated measurement tools for our testers to bring you accurate results.

The post How we test hair dryers appeared first on 糖心Vlog.

On this page:

• The risks of laser beauty treatments
• Are home-use IPL hair removal devices safe?
• How to choose a good laser provider
• What should I do if I've been injured by laser or IPL?

There are multiple clinical treatments to choose from, such as laser hair removal, laser tattoo removal, carbon dioxide and erbium lasers, and intense pulsed light (IPL) treatments 鈥� the latter two are used to ‘rejuvenate’ skin and reduce wrinkles.听

But are these treatments safe? And how can you protect yourself?

The risks of laser beauty treatments

In the wrong hands, laser or IPL can cause a range of injuries.

“I see a lot of scars, burns and pigmentary changes; ‘stripes’ of white or brown,” says Sydney-based cosmetic and medical dermatologist Dr Ritu Gupta, from Platinum Dermatology, who’s also a media spokesperson for The Australasian College of Dermatologists.

“If people are treated at incorrect doses, it can also cause an increase in hair growth rather than a decrease. Or it might turn the hair white, so it will never respond to any form of laser or light therapy hair removal. That’s just the tip of the iceberg.”

Most lasers used in Australia are Class 3B or medical-grade Class 4, which puts them in the highest categories of risk to public health.听

IPL is not actually a ‘laser’ treatment: it produces a beam of broad-spectrum white light, most often used to treat skin pigmentation, broken capillaries and excess hair.

If used incorrectly, laser devices can cause disfigurement, permanent laser eye injuries, and infections. Laser treatment to remove moles may also mask signs of melanoma, delaying diagnosis and treatment.

“If people go to a a nurse, lesser qualified doctor, beautician or beauty therapist for these treatments, and an injury occurs, it’s dermatologists like me who are left to pick up the pieces,” adds Gupta.

Poorly regulated

Recent controversy over some cosmetic surgeons (such as ) has raised questions about how poorly regulated the industry is, especially in regards to practitioners who may call themselves cosmetic physicians (when they’re not trained physicians) or skin specialists (when they’re not trained as dermatologists).听

Dr Gupta says, “The public is potentially at risk, particularly as non-specialists may appear to be physicians, surgeons or skin specialists, when in fact they are not. True specialists need to be accredited by the Australian Medical Council, do entrance and exit exams, and have a minimum of four to five years of training just in their speciality.”

Complaints and injuries

In 2017, NSW Fair Trading received 287 complaints about beauty services, mainly regarding consumer dissatisfaction with the quality of the service.

And although more recent figures aren’t available, an anonymous survey in 2012 by the Radiation Health Committee identified 416 cases of injury over the preceding 12 months due to unsafe use of cosmetic lasers and IPLs.听

Of these cases, 268 of the injuries, including burns and scarring, were classified as severe, and there were 62 reported cases of skin cancer being delayed or missed (and in 22 of those cases, the cancer was identified as melanoma).

Are home-use IPL hair removal devices safe?

Studies reporting injuries from home-use (or at-home) devices are limited, says Dr Rick Tinker, director of assessment and advice at the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency (ARPANSA).

“[But] there is potential for harm to the eyes from exposure to these intense light sources, or skin injuries from inappropriate use,” he says. “ARPANSA’s health advice for consumers about lasers and IPL applies only to consumers seeking treatments in service provision settings 鈥� but the health risks associated with home-use devices may be similar to those detailed within our advice.”

Lack of independent assessment

At-home laser and IPL devices that are used for various cosmetic applications, including hair removal and skin rejuvenation, are readily available for consumers to buy.听

According to ARPANSA, there are no regulations around the import or marketing of home-use cosmetic devices that emit intense light. There is some evidence that such devices are generally less powerful, but this information is provided by manufacturers and is not independently assessed. At-home devices are also often lower cost and poorer build quality, with less robust safety features.

Gupta believes all laser and IPL devices 鈥� whether for use by a consumer or trained professional 鈥� need to be regulated, even if at-home devices are cheaper and less powerful.

“IPL hair removal devices work by a wavelength of light targeting the hair follicle, and because consumers aren’t trained to know what they’re doing or what they’re treating, you can potentially make [skin conditions] worse,” she says.

“Laser devices can cause the hair to become depigmented 鈥� it will lose its colour and will never respond to any laser or light. An IPL device can also cause hair growth. So I think if you’re serious about hair removal, you should go to a specialist practice.”

As Dr Gupta and Dr Tinker warn, the risks associated with at-home devices may be similar to those used in clinical settings. But if you still want to use one, we’ve tested a small number of IPL devices.听

An industry on the rise

In 2017, there were over 35,000 beauty therapists employed in Australia. The non-surgical cosmetic health services industry generates over $1 billion annually, according to figures from the .

Demand has led to laser services popping up everywhere 鈥� from the beautician who used to do your facials, to laser clinics conveniently located in local shopping centres. Many advertise discounts, loyalty cards and buy now, pay later platforms such as ZipPay and Afterpay credit payment schemes to draw customers in.

However, this rise in non-specialist laser providers is putting consumers at risk, warn experts.

What type of training is required to operate a laser?

Currently, there’s no standard for training 鈥� a beautician could do a one-day online course or weekend workshop to operate a laser. There are also concerns that many laser operators aren’t trained at all, or are operating cheap devices that ‘aren’t tunable’ and essentially have an ‘on and off switch’, according to Gupta.

“If you go to a specialist dermatologist, you’re getting someone with 16 to 18 years’ training,” she says. “What happens when you go to these non-specialists is that they’re not equipped to diagnose or treat [skin blemishes or conditions], and they don’t follow the proper duty of care. So much can go wrong.”

What if you suffer an injury?

You also need to consider what will happen if you sustain an injury, as non-medical therapists may not be able to cope with follow-up and care.

“Patients who’ve sustained an injury and returned to the clinic are often told it will ‘get better by itself’,” says Gupta. “And it won’t get better by itself. It needs to be treated, often with medicine, which requires writing a script. And these people aren’t doctors. They can’t write a script. And even if they could, they wouldn’t necessarily know what script to write.”

Don’t be fooled by a white coat

Another issue is the rise in commercial establishments over clinical ones, and laser operators being able to call themselves a ‘laser specialist’ or ‘skin specialist’ when they’re not accredited.

Personal injuries lawyer Kate Avery from Kare Lawyers in Brisbane has dealt with claims arising from laser treatment injuries. She believes the line between the business model and the medical model in cosmetic beauty services is becoming increasingly blurred.

“There’s this move towards what would be regarded as semi-medical procedures being carried out by people who don’t have medical qualifications, and the community doesn’t seem to recognise that difference,” she explains.听

“This is partly because of the way these clinics are marketing themselves and using the language of medical centres, which leaves consumers confused.”

Be aware of the risks from the start

Avery says she’s also seen injuries emerge from cosmetic surgery clinics.听

“From a consumer point of view, it’s important to remember that cosmetic surgeons aren’t qualified surgeons unless they have FRACS after the doctor’s name, so make sure you check this before any procedure,” she says.听

“Secondly, some cosmetic clinics appear to operate on the basis of the surgeon 鈥� even if they are qualified 鈥� flying in from interstate to do multiple surgical procedures, then flying out again. This leaves the postoperative care to nursing staff, which increases the risk to patients, many of whom don’t know about it in advance.”

She adds that it’s important to know well beforehand of all risks associated with the procedure.听

“Some cosmetic clinics provide information about the risks of the procedures on the day of the procedure,” says Avery, “when consumers don’t have time to consider them properly.”

Who regulates your local laser clinic?

It’s complicated. Queensland, Tasmania and WA have regulations in place for the use of lasers, while IPL is currently only regulated in Tasmania. In the other states and territories, there are no regulations in place at all, which means anyone could essentially ‘set up shop’.

Often the devices used for cosmetic treatments can be bought cheaply online, and aren’t necessarily approved by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) because their use for cosmetic purposes is not considered medical.

Still no national standards

In 2015, a by ARPANSA found that the industry would benefit from a system governing the use of lasers and IPLs for cosmetic treatments. But not enough information was given in submissions to support a national regulatory framework. ARPANSA is currently collaborating with Monash University to investigate the health burden of cosmetic laser and IPL treatments.

And the push for national standards continues, with a new initiative by the Committee on the Health Care Complaints Commission tabled in 2018, containing 16 recommendations to the NSW Government. These included the regulation of lasers and IPL devices used for hair removal, tattoos, pigmentation and skin rejuvenation 鈥� preferably at a national level, but at the very least in states and territories currently without regulation.

How to choose a good laser provider

Ask your GP for a referral to a cosmetic dermatologist or plastic surgeon. “Or look up dermatologists in your area,” says Gupta. “They’ll have the letters ‘FACD [Fellow of the Australasian College of Dermatologists]’ after their name 鈥� and phone to ask if they perform specific cosmetic services such as laser or IPL. If they don’t, they’ll refer you to someone who does.”

Also, be aware that cost isn’t necessarily an indication of expertise, as some laser clinics may well have untrained operators and charge hundreds for treatments you don’t need.

“In some cases I’ve seen, clients whose hormonal pigmentation was incorrectly diagnosed and treated as sun damage by laser or IPL was made much, much worse, when an inexpensive cream would have treated it,” says Gupta.

Another resource is ARPANSA’s and . “The consumer guidance offers advice on what quality service they should be looking for, the types of questions they should be asking a service provider, and where they should go if they want to make a complaint,” says ARPANSA’s Dr Rick Tinker.

What should I do if I’ve been injured by laser or IPL?

If you’ve suffered an injury at the hands of a non-medical laser or IPL operator, you should consult a medical professional as soon as possible and report your adverse reactions to the Health Care Complaints Commission in your state or territory. You can also lodge a complaint with the .

Getting legal advice may be another avenue. But Avery warns, “establishing negligence can be a bit of a hollow victory if these operators aren’t insured and have no money to pay compensation.

“Larger or more reputable providers are more likely to have insurance, so it’s really important to carefully consider whom you go to for treatment, both for quality assurance and insurance.

“If you do suffer an injury as a result of negligence on the part of a beautician, beauty therapist or laser clinic, you should consult a solicitor promptly about the possibility of recovering compensation, as there are time limits applicable in every state for lodging claims.”

The post Are clinical laser beauty treatments like IPL safe? appeared first on 糖心Vlog.

On this page:

• Pros and cons of home hair dye
• Price comparison
• How to dye your own hair
• What chemicals are in home hair dye?
• Will I have an allergic reaction to hair dye?
• Can hair dye cause cancer?

We tell you everything you need to know about home hair dye, including whether or not you should be worried about the chemicals you’re putting on your hair.听

Pros and cons of home hair dye

Pros

• Cost 鈥� home hair dye is significantly cheaper than a salon dye.
• Convenience 鈥� you can watch a movie or catch up on chores while the dye is developing.
• Creativity 鈥� it can be fun to experiment with different colours and looks.

Cons

• Mess 鈥� it’s easy to stain walls, basins and clothes.
• Limitations 鈥� you’re limited to what’s on the shelf, whereas salon colours are custom-mixed for you. Plus, it can be hard to create complex looks such as balayage and highlights with home dye.
• Risk of an unexpected result 鈥� lots of factors can affect how the colour develops, so your colour may not turn out the same as it looks on the box.

Price comparison

Box dye

Semi-permanent colours can cost as little as $5, while permanent colours can cost up to $25. If you have particularly long or thick hair, you may need to buy two boxes of dye. Most box kits will contain everything you need, but you can also buy application kits for about $10 that include an application brush, hair clips and colour bowl.

Salon colour

The price will depend on which salon you go to, the length and thickness of your hair, the level of experience of your stylist, and the type of colour application. You may also be charged for add-on services such as conditioning treatments or toner. Prices will usually range from about $100 for a simple all-over colour or a few face-framing highlights, all the way up to $300-$400 for a full head of blonde highlights. If you need a professional to fix your home-dye disaster, prices can range from $100 upwards depending on the steps needed to reach the outcome you want.

How to dye your own hair

L’Or茅al’s home hair colour expert Bronwyn Fraser shares her expert tips.

Decide if you can achieve the result you want with home dye

Home dye is best for covering grey, adding shine or retouching roots by means of an all-over colour. Some colour looks require a professional application technique and skill to achieve the result 鈥� for example, foiled highlights or dramatic colour changes.

Never try to apply lighter dye over a previously applied darker dye 鈥� it’s best to head to the salon when it comes to lightening pre-existing colour.

If you’ve dyed your hair with henna, you may get patchy results if you try to do a chemical dye over the top.

Choose your shade

Select a shade that’s within two shades of your natural colour, either lighter or darker. This ensures it will harmonise with your natural colouring and be easy to maintain. People with warm skin tones should choose gold, copper and red tones, whereas those with cold skin tones will look better with beige, ash and violet tones.

Apply the colour

• Read the instructions twice and do a skin patch test before you start.
• Wear an old t-shirt and keep an old towel handy to catch any drips.
• Apply petroleum jelly around your hairline to stop the dye staining your skin.
• Allow yourself plenty of time to apply, develop, rinse and style 鈥� about 1.5 hours in total.

Home hair dye disaster: Renee’s story

Renee experienced a box-dye disaster when she tried to go platinum blonde at home.

“I had box-dyed black hair at the time, so I bought the strongest blonde hair dye I could find and left it in my hair for longer than the recommended time,” she says.听

“My roots turned white, most of my hair went orange and the ends melted off completely. I hated the orange colour, so I applied blonde hair dye twice more in a period of two days. I ended up with yellowy-white, straw-like hair that was just a few centimetres long 鈥� all my ends had snapped off.”

Despite this disaster, Renee hasn’t been deterred from box dyeing her hair blonde, but she’s got a bit wiser.

“I recently went platinum blonde at home but I did things differently,” she says. “Firstly, I applied the dye on my natural, undyed hair. I also alternated between bleach washes and a less concentrated blonde dye application over a period of days to gently and gradually go blonde. I’m really happy with the result I achieved.”

Hair salon horror: Wendy’s story

Wendy has been dying her own hair with henna for the past eight years, ever since she had a bad experience at a salon during her uni days.

“It started out normal enough, hair dye on, tucked up under the heat with a trashy mag and a cup of tea,” she says. “But then the timer went off and no hairdresser appeared.

“She must have forgotten about me or didn’t hear the timer go off. I wasn’t sure if I should get up and try to find her and I was questioning myself: maybe the dye was supposed to be left on longer? Maybe my scalp was supposed to be burning?”听

Eventually, Wendy found someone to wash out the dye. But she was surprised that the hairdresser was treating the whole situation as though it were perfectly normal.听

“It amazes me that the hairdresser didn’t notice anything amiss when she dried and styled my hair (maybe she was hoping I wouldn’t notice),” says Wendy. “When wet, my hair was a slimy mess. When it was dry, it was frizzy and broke, my scalp peeled.听

“It took years to grow out the damaged hair, and all that time I looked like I had stepped out of the 1980s with a bad perm. That was my last salon-dye experience.”

Wendy says it’s easy to mix up a henna kit yourself and, although it takes longer to develop, the clean-up is less messy than with regular dye.听

“Thankfully my hair is in much better condition now and with henna I don’t have to worry about my hair melting off,” she says.

Home hair-dye subscription service

You can now get a subscription service for everything from underwear to fine wines, so why not hair dye too?

The Shade is a hair-dye subscription service that delivers dye to your door (from $24.95) every two, four, six, or eight weeks.听

Its hair dye is free from ammonia and PPD (it contains ethanolamine and TDS instead) and there are 30 permanent colours to choose from.听

The Shade also offers an online “colour consultation”, which asks you about your natural hair colour, your vein colour (to determine your skin undertone) and the colour change you’re looking for. Based on your answers, you get a colour recommendation 鈥� a useful service for those who want help choosing the right shade of DIY dye.

What chemicals are in home hair dye?

Home vs salon dye

According to Bronwyn Fraser, national education & projects manager at L’Or茅al’s Consumer Products Division, the active ingredients in home hair dye are the same as those found in salon dye, but the concentrations may differ.

“Our home hair dyes are designed to allow customers to achieve a natural-looking result that falls within two shades of their natural hair colour,” she says. “Salon colour can be mixed with developers of varying strengths, so the stylist can achieve more dramatic and customised results.”

Salon colours also contain the latest ingredients, such as conditioning and reconstructive agents to leave the hair in better condition.

Chemicals in hair dye

To colour the hair permanently, most hair dyes use a combination of ammonia and hydrogen peroxide, as well as a range of other chemicals, which vary depending on the brand and formulation.

Is natural hair dye better?

Hair-dye manufacturers have responded to increasing consumer concerns about chemicals in personal-care products by releasing hair-dye that’s marketed as ‘natural’, ‘gentle’ or ‘free’ of certain chemicals 鈥� but are these products actually any better?

Will I have an allergic reaction to hair dye?

According to dermatologist Dr Ritu Gupta, hair-dye allergies are relatively rare.

“If your skin reacts to hair dye, it can be either from a sensitivity or an allergy,” she says. “A sensitivity is just skin irritation, which is especially common in people with skin conditions like eczema and dermatitis.听

“An allergy is something that develops over time 鈥� in fact, an allergy won’t usually show the first time you are exposed, it can happen after using the same product for years with no issues.”听

How will I know if I’m allergic?

Dr Gupta says it’s almost impossible to know if you’re experiencing sensitivity or an allergic reaction to hair dye without consulting a dermatologist.

“Both allergy and sensitivity can present as a rash which is itchy, flaky, red or burning,” she says. “You might assume an allergic reaction is more severe, but that’s not necessarily the case.”

Dr Gupta says products on Australian shelves are relatively safe. But buying hair dye from overseas can be risky, as they may have undisclosed ingredients or unsafe concentrations of potentially allergy-inducing chemicals that are banned in Australia.

In a 糖心Vlog test of home hair dye from 2007, five of the 113 trialists reported reactions to the dyes such as an itchy or stinging scalp, an itchy rash on the sides of the face, and sensitivity to heat.听

Skin patch test for allergies

Products with these allergens carry warnings and recommend you do a skin sensitivity (patch) test, whereby you apply a small amount of dye to your forearm or behind your ear. If there’s no reaction within 48 hours, you can probably assume it’s safe to use.

That said, as the EU Scientific Committee on Consumer Products points out, this is no guarantee: there are many misleading and false-negative results, and it can take up to a week to react to the allergen, not 48 hours. The committee also points out that the patch test can actually sensitise people to the allergen, so when they apply the dye to their hair two days later, they then have an allergic reaction.

Although most people are unlikely ever to develop a hair-dye allergy, you can reduce your risk by making sure you don’t get any dye on your skin. Use gloves to apply the dye and don’t leave it on any longer than the recommended time.

Your options if you’re allergic

• If you’re allergic to PPD, you may also be allergic to PPD alternatives, because they’re similar chemicals. However, studies have found that it’s possible to be allergic to one but not to others. If you have a confirmed allergy to one, it could be worth trying a hair colour with the other 鈥� but do two patch tests a week apart, and only apply colour to hair a week after a second patch test that was all-clear. If you’ve suffered a severe reaction in the past, try this only after consulting your dermatologist.
• Choose a semi-permanent dye that contains no PPD or PPD alternatives.
• For mild allergies, ask the hairdresser for foils and specify that the dye mustn’t touch your scalp, or stick with highlights using a cap.
• If you’re allergic to hair dye, you may also be allergic to benzocaine, a topical anaesthetic used in some anti-itch creams, dental and medical ointments, and cough drops.

Can hair dye cause cancer?

In the past, there’s been some concern from health authorities that the chemicals in hair dye could lead to bladder and breast cancer. However, there isn’t much evidence to support this.

A 2005 review of the medical literature, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, found that using hair dye was not associated with an increased risk of cancer, including in people who dye their hair regularly.

But a US study in 2019 did find a link between using permanent hair dye and an increased risk of breast cancer in women 鈥� particularly African-American women 鈥� who had a sister with the disease. But although the results are interesting, they haven’t been replicated, and further research is needed before concluding that hair dye can cause breast cancer. 听

In Australia, the chemicals used in cosmetics are regulated by the National Chemicals Notification and Assessment Scheme. The NICNAS ensures they remain at safe levels and are clearly labelled for consumer safety.

But some of the ingredients found in hair dye 鈥� for example, resorcinol and parabens 鈥� are suspected to be endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs). EDCs interfere with the production, action and/or elimination of our naturally present hormones, and are linked to some cancers, reproductive abnormalities, and a range of other disorders and conditions. Find out more in our article about EDCs.

The post Should I use box dye to colour my hair at home? appeared first on 糖心Vlog.

Micellar water was the unofficial MVP (most valuable player) of the beauty product world through 2017 and 2018.听

Fans claim it can gently cleanse skin and remove makeup without water, making it perfect for anyone short on time or with sensitive skin.

It’s also been profitable. The global market for micellar water has grown from $123m in 2013 to $166m in 2017 and is expected to reach $272m by the end of 2023.

Now it’s set to blaze a similar path through the haircare market, with brands including Pantene, Redken, Herbal Essences and Essano releasing micellar shampoo products.听

But can they deliver on their promise of a fuss-free shampoo that’s gentle enough to use every day, on any hair type?

What is micellar shampoo?

Technically, all shampoo is micellar shampoo, as all shampoo contains micelles.

Micelles are clusters of molecules that are formed when surfactants are dispersed in water. They have a ‘water-loving head’ and a ‘water-hating tail’ and are claimed to lift dirt, debris and excess oil from your scalp, leaving your hair clean.

And all shampoos contain surfactants 鈥� a chemical with both hydrophilic (water-bonding) and lipophilic (oil-bonding) parts 鈥� says Megan Yabsley, president of the and Education Manager at De Lorenzo.

“Micelles have been used in shampoo formulations for decades 鈥� the focus on them in marketing materials and packaging is the only new thing about them,” she says.

Do micellar shampoo products work?

Some of the hype around micellar shampoos, which range in price from $2.75 per 100ml to $12 per 100ml, is true. They do clean your hair, they do contain micelles, and they’re gentle on your locks to varying degrees, depending on their formulation.听

That said, the word ‘micellar’ is pure marketing spin. And according to Yabsley, it’s far from the right reason to choose a shampoo.

The inclusion of the word on labelling can also be misleading, says Yabsley. A product only needs to include micelles to use the word 鈥� but this doesn’t mean there aren’t other, harsher ingredients in the formulation.

“We looked at the ingredients in some supermarket-brand micellar products and those in the more expensive professional brands,” she says.听

“As expected, the cheaper brand also included cheaper, harsher surfactants in their formulations.”

What the marketers say

Global market research company Mintel has found that micellar shampoos appeal to consumers who may be worried about shampoo damage.听

Also, more and more consumers are leaning towards products that are gentle on the environment, and phase two of micellar hair-care products will see a focus on no-rinse products (some have already landed on our shelves). In short, micellar hair care is a marketing dream.听

Key selling points are that it’s free from sulphates, silicone and parabens. And it’s marketed as working like a tiny magnet to remove dirt, oils and impurities, according to Mintel’s hair-care industry analyst Andrew McDougall.

He says this focus tunes in to the consumer preference for mild products to reduce irritation and flaking, while supposedly leaving hair soft and lightweight. And the sulphate-free claims are attractive to people who colour their hair, as this preserves colour for longer.听听

Many micellar shampoos are also marketed as gentle, and therefore suitable for daily use, says MacDougall.听

For example, Redken claims its micellar shampoos gently wash away dirt, grit, pollution, product build-up and excess oils without being too harsh.听

“Unlike a typical clarifying shampoo, micellar shampoos can be used each time you shampoo without harming your hair color or the integrity of your hair.”

Another manufacturer, Pantene, also claims its micellar shampoo is “gentle enough on hair for daily use” and that it “removes impurities while helping to protect your natural look”.

What the research says

As Yabsley acknowledges, micelles do promote a gentle cleanse that is good for people who want a shampoo they can use every day, and they do protect colour.听

But people need to make sure their shampoo contains only gentle surfactants, or the claims are meaningless.

Research shows that surfactants such as cocamidopropyl betaine and sodium cocoyl isethionate are indeed gentle on the hair, but that sodium lauryl and laureth sulphates are far harsher 鈥� and cheaper.听

What’s more, sulphate, phosphate and paraben-free products are a better choice for coloured hair because their relative gentleness means they don’t strip the colour at the same rate.听

That said, just because a micellar shampoo free from these harsher surfactants is a good choice for daily washing doesn’t necessarily mean it’s going to meet all the needs your hair type and lifestyle.

How to choose the right shampoo

Choosing a shampoo simply because it bears the micellar branding breaks the most important rule of getting the best product for your hair, says Yabsley.

“You should choose a formulation that’s designed for your hair type, how frequently you prefer to wash it, and what other products and treatments you use,” she advises.

“Someone with curly hair that likes to wash daily and blow dries it frequently using styling products has different needs to someone with oily, coloured hair that washes as infrequently as possible.”

Plus, Yabsley says that for people with particularly oily or dirty hair, a micellar shampoo generally isn’t powerful enough to clean it thoroughly. It’s also a poor choice for people who use styling products as it won’t remove them very well.

Looking for a gentle shampoo?

According to Yabsley, if you want to make sure you’re getting a shampoo that’s gentle on your hair, check the “support ingredients”.听

“Look for ingredients such as cocamidopropyl betaine and sodium cocoyl isethionate 鈥� these are surfactants which create micelles,” she says.听

“Conversely, products with sodium lauryl and laureth sulphates on the list are going to be harsher.”听

Dealing with dandruff

Gentle products are great for irritated or sensitive scalps. But when it comes to dealing with dandruff, they don’t treat any dandruff-related yeast on the scalp.听

“You’ll need a purpose-made product to treat it 鈥� again, professional quality will do the best job,” Yabsley says.

If in doubt, ask a professional

If you’re not sure what product is best for you, or even what your own hair type is (it’s surprising how many people get this wrong), the best person to ask is your hairdresser.听

“They know your hair, can ask about your lifestyle and hair-care habits and what is on the market, and can make suggestions based on your budget,” says Yabsley.

The post What are micellar shampoos and do they work? appeared first on 糖心Vlog.

The New Wash verdict: does it work?

Yes, and no. On the plus side, after using it for just three weeks an annoying patch of dermatitis at my hairline which I’d experienced off and on for years was gone. Unfortunately, that’s the only real piece of praise I can offer.听

On the negative side, my hair just didn’t feel clean, despite diligently following the instructions to vigorously massage during application and rinsing.听

I even varied the amount of the product I used, and the frequency with which I washed, and while there were a few days when my hair felt OK, I failed to experience the kind of hair epiphany that other users wrote about in their reviews.听

It also took me much longer to wash my hair than I was used to and as a time-poor working parent that was a definite downside.

All of that, coupled with the cost of the product and the fact that it has to be shipped from the US means I won’t be signing up to a subscription any time soon. However, it has made me curious to try other products that claim to be alternatives to detergent-based shampoos, many of which are a lot cheaper than New Wash and a lot easier to buy.听

New Wash and the ‘No Poo’ movement

As I’ve been washing my hair all by myself for several decades now I didn’t believe there could be much that was new to learn about the process.听

While the look of my hair may have changed a bit over the years 鈥� 80s perm, anyone? 鈥� the steps taken to keep it clean remained the same: wash-rinse-condition-rinse-done.听

Sure, sometimes I dabbled with conditioning treatments (I’m pretty sure there was a phase in the 90s where I regularly wrapped my hair in clingfilm for half an hour after applying conditioner) but for the most part the process and ingredients used were more or less static.

Then came the arrival of the ‘No Poo’ movement which claims shampoos are the cause of dry scalps, split ends and excessive oil production among other hair-related woes. Instead of shampoo, No Poo advocates clean their hair with water only, or perhaps with a mixture of apple cider vinegar and baking soda, or other homemade concoctions.听

Fans of the method claim that after a period of adjustment their hair is healthier, they’re putting less petrochemicals into the waterways and saving money to boot.

Unfortunately, the big downside to No Poo is that period of adjustment. This is often blamed on the idea that when we wash our hair with conventional shampoos the chemicals strip the natural oils from the scalp, which our scalp then helpfully compensates for with more oil production. When we stop using shampoo our scalp continues to produce the same amount of oil for a while, despite the fact it’s no longer needed.听

While there’s lots of anecdotal reports that reinforce this belief, scientists at McGill University in Canada who have studied the phenomenon say there’s no actual evidence that your scalp overproduces sebum after you stop using shampoo.听

Whatever the reason, it can take anywhere from two to six weeks for hair to adjust to the absence of shampoo, during which time your locks may look oily. Not surprisingly, this is a big turn off for many of those who might otherwise wholeheartedly embrace the chance to break their shampoo habit.

‘No Poo’ and ‘low poo’

New Wash is a product that, at first glance, seems to promise to do much the same thing that going without shampoo will do, boasting on its website that it will, over time, “revive hair abused by detergent, damaged by bleach and fried by heat styling”, adding that “troubled scalps become so much happier”. It claims to do all of this without detergents, instead using a blend of essential oils and “naturally derived saturated cleansers”.

Like No Poo it also comes with a period of adjustment. On their website New Wash say this can take “up to three weeks” and many of the users who leave positive reviews agree with this estimation.听

Unfortunately, many who expressed disappointment with the product claim that even after giving themselves up to a couple of months and carefully following the directions 鈥� which call for vigorous massaging after application and while rinsing 鈥� their hair simply didn’t feel clean.

How much does it cost?

That lengthy adjustment period wasn’t the only criticism levelled at the product by some unhappy users. Many expressed dissatisfaction with the cost.听

For Australian customers it’s $60 for a 236ml bottle for your first order and after that if you decide to keep using the product you can save a bit of money on the product with one of their subscription options 鈥� $135 for 590ml if you join their New Wash Club.听

The downside of this subscription model is that when you sign up the maximum time offered between deliveries is 12 weeks, which might be too frequent for some users.听

However, one user we spoke to says that after they contacted the company they were able to extend the time between deliveries to up to 48 weeks, and better still, some Australian salons are starting to stock New Wash, too. Finding them, however, will take some detective work as the New Wash website doesn’t list local stockists.

The post New Wash shampoo review appeared first on 糖心Vlog.

On this page:

• The test
• Down the drain
• 糖心Vlog verdict

Salon and supermarket shelves are stocked with ‘colour care’ products that make claims like “keeps colour looking vibrant”, “10 weeks’ colour protection” and “helps prevent colour fade” 鈥� but does using a colour care shampoo actually make any difference?

The test

We tested 28 colour care shampoos (listed in the table below) alongside Tresemm茅 Deep Cleansing Shampoo听 (a popular general shampoo for all hair types), Johnson’s Baby Shampoo, and washing just with water. Samples of blonde human hair were dyed using three red hair dyes 鈥� Schwarzkopf Brilliance 43 Red Passion and L’Or茅al Preference P67 Scarlet Intense Red, available from supermarkets, and Cosmo Service Personal Colour Intense Red Light Blonde, purchased from a salon warehouse.

The laboratory assessed:

• Effect of washing by subjecting each sample of hair to 12 washes with each shampoo. The colour intensity was measured using a spectrophotometer before and after washing.
• Effect of UV exposure by exposing a portion of each hair sample (after being washed 12 times) to the equivalent of six weeks’ exposure to summer daylight. The colour change of the exposed and unexposed sections was then compared. 听

Down the drain

In our test, washing hair with water caused the least colour change after 12 washes.听

When comparing shampoos, there’s no clear winner. Although we didn’t test these shampoos with their respective conditioners, the Nourish Coloured Hair Shampoo technically caused the least amount of colour change, while the Pantene Pro-V Colour Therapy was considered to have caused the most change. But can you pick it from the image?

Hair sample 1 is dyed with L’Or茅al Preference, pictured before any washing. The other samples show the colour change after 12 washes in the specified shampoo (or water).

1. Control – L’Or茅al Preference
2. Water
3. Nourish Naturals Coloured Hair Shampoo
4. Schwarzkopf Extra Care Hair Repair With Liquid Keratin Ultimate Colour Shampoo
5. Tresemme Deep Cleansing Shampoo (popular general shampoo for all hair types)
6. Ecostore Dry, Damaged, Coloured Shampoo
7. Pantene Pro-V Colour Therapy

Even when it comes to UV protection, none of the shampoos appear to offer any specific benefits. However, we did find that of the three hair dyes chosen, the Schwarzkopf Brilliance dye held the colour better than the L’Or茅al Preference, which had the most colour change. Statistically, the Cosmo salon dye wasn’t better or worse than the other two.

糖心Vlog verdict

These colour care shampoos can be pricier than standard formulations (the regular Tresemme and the baby shampoo both cost under $2 per 100mL), but spending more doesn’t mean you’ll get better results. You can pay anywhere from $0.88 to $13.60 per 100mL for the shampoos we tested. Whether stated or not, these products want us to believe that you can have the ‘just dyed’ look for longer, but this isn’t the case.听

Based on our results, investing in these types of shampoos won’t guarantee you the results you’re looking for. So if you really want a ‘colour care’ shampoo, you might as well just buy a cheap one. Alternatively, why not buy a good general shampoo the whole household can use?听

The post Shampoo for coloured hair appeared first on 糖心Vlog.

On this page:

• 糖心Vlog verdict
• Unique design
• How we test

糖心Vlog verdict

It all comes down to price. Are you willing to fork out $499 for the Dyson Supersonic hair dryer? At that price you can buy yourself a large appliance like a washing machine or dishwasher. But if you can afford it and your haircare regime warrants this type of investment we doubt you’ll be disappointed.

Unique design

Overall, we were impressed with its performance and ease of use. To see how it stacks up against the rest, take a look at our hair dryer review.

Apart from its price tag, the stylish and unique design of Dyson’s Supersonic hair dryer immediately sets it apart from everything else on the market. Also unique to this hair dryer is the fact that its filter and motor is built into the handle. This balances out the weight and shape of the dryer nicely, making it pleasant to hold.

It comes with three speed settings and four heat settings with LED indicators. It also has a cool shot function (a quick blast of cool air to help set your hair style) and three accessories 鈥� concentrator, smoothing nozzle and diffuser 鈥� which attach into place magnetically. The air filter has an easily removable cover and there are useful indicators to alert you when the filter needs cleaning or if there’s a fault with the hair dryer.

Interestingly, the words ionic, ceramic or tourmaline, which we hear so much about when it comes to hair dryers, aren’t mentioned when it comes to the Dyson. Instead, the technology behind it seems to be more about retaining the hair’s natural shine and preventing heat damage to your hair in the first place. It does this through a ‘glass bead thermistor’. This measures air temperature 20 times a second and reports it to a microprocessor that regulates the temperature.

How we test

Performance

We were eager to get our hands on on the Supersonic and we conducted three main tests to assess the performance of the hair dryer.

• Drying rate: We measure how quickly the hair dryer will dry your hair and found the Dyson to be very good for this.
• Airflow speed: We measure the range of airflow speeds at the lowest and highest speed settings, 15cm from the front of the dryer. We couldn’t fault the Dyson in this test and it received an excellent result.
• Temperature range: We measure the temperature range at the lowest and highest settings, 15cm from the front of the dryer 鈥� the Dyson was only OK for this test.

It’s among the lighter hair dryers we’ve tested and it’s the quietest.

Ease of use

We also loaned the hair dryer to a user panel of five 糖心Vlog staffers to rate its ease of use. The trialists found it very comfortable to hold with excellent markings that were easy to read and understand. Operating the air speed and temperature controls while using the hair dryer was more difficult – the electronic controls means you have to move the hair dryer away to see what setting you’re choosing. It also performed very well for styling.

The post Dyson Supersonic hair dryer review appeared first on 糖心Vlog.

On this page:

• Shopping around – is there a hard sell
• What does the process entail?
• What treatments are offered and how well are they explained?
• Calling a hairpiece a hairpiece
• Show me the evidence
• How much?
• Satisfaction guaranteed?
• Not happy?
• Compare the costs
• How we shopped

Enter your friendly hair loss clinic and its sciencey-sounding reassurances it can stop hair loss, restore your hair and give you a full, healthy looking head of hair and greater confidence. ‘Ninety-eight percent success rate!’ ‘Don’t delay, contact us for your free consultation now!’

Plenty of companies promise cutting edge technology to stop your hair marching back 鈥� but it often comes at a high price. Sometimes it works, but sometimes it doesn’t. So how can you tell whether a hair loss treatment program is smoke and mirrors or the genuine thing?

糖心Vlog decided to find out what really happens when men visit hair loss clinics for an initial consultation. We sent mystery shoppers to 15 hair loss clinics around Australia including Advanced Hair Studio and Ashley & Martin.

While some of the consultants were upfront and informative, others made claims that were thin on evidence or only told part of the story:

• One clinic used a video of Shane Warne to demonstrate the success of laser therapy, but didn’t explain that other treatments may have been used on Warne.
• One of the ‘prospective customers’ was told of the Strand by Strand treatment he was offered: “It’s not a wig, not a hairpiece, 100% not.” (It is.)
• One of our shoppers was told he’d get a discount of $600 if he would waive the company’s guarantee of results.

Shopping around – is there a hard sell

On the whole, our shoppers experienced no hard sell, and found the consultants friendly and informative, and felt under no pressure to sign up.

There were some exceptions:

• Two shoppers at Advanced Hair Studio clinics (one in Melbourne and one in Sydney), were told they should sign up immediately 鈥� because if they waited much longer (even two months) it would be too late. And a shopper at Advanced Hair Studio in Queensland was told if he signed up that day he’d save $350.
• At the other extreme, a consultant at one high-end Sydney clinic spent a lot of time explaining to our shopper why his apparent hair loss at the hairline shouldn’t be treated at this stage, and that he should wait for a few years for it to settle before deciding whether to seek treatment. (A different clinic, however, recommended $3000 worth of treatment to the same person).

At the time of writing, none of our shoppers had received high-pressure follow-up phone calls; a couple had received polite enquiries as to whether they were still interested in going ahead.

Tip: Take your time deciding on what treatment you want, and shop around for a price and service you’re comfortable with.

What does the process entail?

It’s important the consultant asks about your hair loss history, and also family history, to establish what kind of hair loss you’re suffering 鈥� it may be temporary or due to medication or illness, rather than the more long-term male or female pattern hair loss. They should also examine your scalp to determine the hair quality (looking for hair breakage rather than fallout, for example) and may even pull out a hair.

Our shadow shoppers experienced a range of inspections, including:

• having photos taken on iPads and digital cameras,
• magnifying cameras that displayed images on a screen
• visual inspections with no aids.

Then there was the shopper at Advanced Hair Studio: “The consultant did not come within two metres of my hair!”

Tip: Don’t be swayed by whiz-bang technology, but do be wary of consultations that don’t cover the basics.

What treatments are offered and how well are they explained?

If you’re recommended a hair loss medicine or supplement, it’s not unreasonable that you’d want to know what’s in it. You might want to find out more about it, what others’ experiences have been, and whether there are any side effects. You might also want to shop around for a better price.

But many of our shoppers were given very vague descriptions of a medicine, such as:

• “A liquid form medication specially made for me” (Hairlogica)
• “AO lotion” (Bioscor 鈥� according to its website it’s “specially formulated”)
• “101 [brand] Hair Formula tablets” (Aushair).

At a couple of Ashley & Martin clinics, our shoppers were told they’d get the proprietary RealGrowth products, but not what these were. At a third Ashley & Martin, however, our shopper was told exactly what he was getting: finasteride, saw palmetto, minoxidil and Nioxin shampoo were all specified.

Tip: If you don’t know what’s in it, ask.

Calling a hairpiece a hairpiece

When is a hairpiece not a hairpiece? When it’s a non-surgical hair replacement. Or a hair system. Or Strand by Strand. Or hair replication. Trouble is, whatever images these euphemisms bring to mind, they’re all actually hairpieces. For reasons unclear (perhaps because it’s evocative of poor-quality, unconvincing toup茅es), hair loss clinics seem reluctant to refer to them as such.

Take this description of the “Hairlogica replication procedure”, for example:

“This cosmetic Hairloss treatment takes 4 weeks, and does not require painful surgery. This Hair Loss process involves taking your hair samples from the back and sides of your head, the multiple strands of hair are then sent away for analysis and replication, the amount of hair that is replaced on a balding area depends on how much loss is experienced by the client.”

In other words, you get a hairpiece.

In 2013, Hair Science International was for misrepresenting hairpieces as “cosmetic follicle therapy” or “non-surgical hair transplanting”, which would regrow a person’s hair no matter what stage of hair loss that person had reached. Having paid $6000-8000, consumers complained they were fitted with a poor-quality hairpiece that needed to be re-attached regularly at additional cost each time.

Only two of our shadow shoppers were offered hairpieces:

• One, when offered Strand by Strand treatment in a Sydney Advanced Hair Studio clinic, was assured, “It’s not a wig, not a hair piece, 100% not”. The cost was quoted as “$5500 minimum, possibly higher”. No ongoing costs or maintenance costs were mentioned.
• By contrast, at another Advanced Hair Studio, in Qld, our shopper was clear he was getting a hairpiece, and the consultant was very thorough in explaining the process and care required, noting it would only be expected to last 6-12 months, though could last longer with better care. He also informed our shopper that he’d need to get it serviced and reattached every six weeks, with a fee of $79 each visit.

Tip: If hair replacement is described as non-surgical, it’s a hairpiece.

Show me the evidence

Most clinics provided ‘evidence’ of the effectiveness of their treatment in the form of before and after pictures 鈥� some of which were more convincing than others.

At one Advanced Hair Studio clinic, our shopper was shown a video of Shane Warne to demonstrate the success of laser therapy for hair regrowth. Yet according to the Advanced Hair Studio website, Warne also benefits from Strand by Strand hair replacement (i.e. a hairpiece) in addition to its laser, medications and shampoos. To suggest his hair “regrowth” is due to the laser and topical products alone could mislead clients who don’t know this.

By contrast, our shadow shopper at Ashley & Martin Chatswood was shown pictures of people who’d had some improvement, but “no miracles” 鈥� which is basically what the consultant said our shopper could expect.

Tip: Ask the consultant for the best case, worst case and likely case scenarios for your situation, not other people’s.

How much?

When you get a quote for the cost of services, make sure it lists which aspects of treatment are included (whether or not they’re costed separately), the time period that cost covers, and whether there are any additional expenses not included in the amount. It’s important to have a document you can hold the company to.听

The costs for the initial treatment period may be different to the ongoing costs, so ensure they’re also outlined.

We had some quotes which spelled out an itemised cost for each component, and others which listed all the items included in the overall cost. Some were merely verbal quotes; there were amounts written on the back of a business card; and one shopper at Advanced Hair Studio was told to write down the costs on a piece of paper himself.

Tip: Get a full quote in writing.

Satisfaction guaranteed?

Among the main problems with hair loss clinics taken to fair trading departments are disputes over guarantees and refunds. Consumer Protection WA told us of a couple of examples:

• The hair loss clinic kept pushing out the amount of time it would take to see regrowth results. Eventually the client was told his hair would not grow back and the money-back policy doesn’t apply to him.
• After treatment, the client was told that his skin type was not suitable for the treatment and a refund was refused, even though results were not as promised.

In our shadow shop, some guarantees were vague to the point of being meaningless, with our shoppers being told:

• “There are some rights to a refund if it isn’t right.” The “some rights” weren’t explained.
• “It’s 100% guaranteed.”

At least this guy was being honest:

• “No guarantee is ever possible.”

And one of our Ashley & Martin shoppers in WA was told he could get a discount 鈥� from $3780 down to $3100 鈥� if he agreed to waive the guarantee. However, he would still have rights under Australian Consumer Law.

One of the main issues with guarantees is determining how success is measured:

• “If you experience no improvement in hair growth 鈥� you will receive a refund of $___”. We don’t know what constitutes “improvement”: the opinion of the customer? The consultant? Photographic or other evidence?
• “Before and after photos are compared, and I’d get a refund if it wasn’t a success. However, she did not specify the criteria for success.”

But if “success” or “improvement” is defined, make sure it’s meaningful. One of our Melbourne Advanced Hair Studio shoppers was told that he’d see “at least 5%” regrowth, or he’d get his money back.

Dermatologist and hair loss expert Professor Rodney Sinclair tells us that 5% isn’t a lot, and it’s unlikely the client would be able to tell. It would also require very precise measurement, in the same place before and after.

“Your hair is more dense at the back of your head than on top, and by taking the hair count lower down, even just a small amount, you can get a greater number of hairs whether the treatment worked or not.”

Tip: Get the guarantee in writing, including how success is determined, the time frame and how much money will be refunded.

Not happy?

We asked consumer affairs departments in the five mainland states for statistics on hair loss clinic complaints over the last few years. The good news is that the number has decreased over time. Whether it’s due to greater consumer awareness of potential tricks and traps 鈥� internet hair loss forums are a great resource for this 鈥� or whether hair loss clinics have been cleaning up their act, is not clear.

But if you feel you have been misled, or you’re having trouble getting your money back under the company’s guarantee, a spokesperson for NSW Fair Trading points out that under Australian Consumer Law (ACL), goods and services bought from a trader come with automatic consumer guarantees.听

“These guarantees mean that goods and services must match any description given, must be of acceptable quality, and must not be misrepresented. Under the law, consumers are entitled to seek redress, such as a replacement or refund, if goods or services fail to meet these guarantees.”

Tip: Contact your state fair trading department for more advice.

Compare the costs

Many hair loss clinics offer treatments that work, but can be obtained for much less cost from your doctor or over-the-counter.

Typical hair loss services involve a combination of laser treatment plus topical hair regrowth solution, special shampoos and conditioners, medication and/or herbal supplements. These programs cost anywhere from $3000 to $6000 or more for up to one year. Ongoing costs, when they were mentioned, ranged from $1500 to $1820 per year.

Alternatively, you could get a prescription for听finasteride听from your doctor (if your doctor thinks it’s appropriate for you) for $390 per year and buy听minoxidil听from your pharmacy for $198 per year.

If you’re interested in trying laser (there’s still not a lot of evidence it works), you could throw in a handheld laser for a one-off cost of $395, and you’ll still come in under $1000 all up. Add in some thickening shampoo/conditioner, and find a decent hairstylist, and you’ll still pay less than half what some clinics are charging.

What about a hairpiece? If you look up wigs or hairpieces on the internet you’ll find several suppliers of hairpieces or systems, some of which can be ordered over the internet (you’ll need to send them a template of the area to be covered). These range in cost from around $600-$1000 鈥� the price depends on the base material and the type of hair used. This is a lot lower than the prices we were quoted in our shadow shop, which were over $2000 per piece (and ideally you’d have two).

How we shopped

We employed a company that specialises in mystery shopping to recruit men with hair loss, ranging from minor changes to the hairline to advanced hair loss (little hair left on top).听

Under the supervision of the mystery shopping company, the men visited 15 clinics around Australia: five Ashley & Martin clinics, five Advanced Hair Studio clinics (these are franchises) and five independent clinics. Some men went to more than one clinic, allowing us to compare advice given by different clinics.听

Each person attended an initial consultation and if information on our topics of interest wasn’t provided by the consultant, the shoppers asked directly.

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