Milkin’ It! — Shu Uemura Art of Hair Essence Absolue Nourishing Cleansing Milk
Anyone with color-treated hair will admit that maintaining a healthy-looking mane can feel like a Sisyphean task. One of the secrets I’ve discovered after years and years of trying every product on the market and experimenting with DIY remedies is that most shampoos will destroy your hair, not only fading that pricey salon dye job, but pillaging your strands of vital nutrients, moisture, and protein. The sulfates and parabens once commonly found in shampoos (and still present in some cheaper mass market formulations) are particularly harsh on strands but, truth be told, shampooing too frequently – even with the most gentle of products — will still have a harmful effect on your mane in the long-run. If your hair is color-treated and/or dry, I suggest shampooing no more than two times a week, concentrating on the roots when you do and opting for a sulfate- and paraben-free product with plenty of moisturizing ingredients. My newest obsession: the Shu Uemura Art of Hair Essence Absolue Nourishing Cleansing Milk ($58 at ShuUemuraArtofHair-USA.com), a cleansing conditioner that’s as mild as they come.
Packaged in a golden tube, a nod to the color of the brand’s best-selling and beloved Essence Absolue oil, this cleansing conditioner is meant to replace both shampoo and conditioner, granting you a simple, one-step washing routine. Unlike those 2-in-1 shampoos that became popular in the ’80s (largely thanks to Pantene) this cleansing conditioner won’t do a paltry job at removing dirt and debris while also leaving strands smooth, shiny, and soft. The key when using the Shu Uemura Art of Hair Essence Absolue Nourishing Cleansing Milk is to massage it onto damp hair, focusing on the roots and then working through the mid-lengths and ends, then leave it on for 5-10 minutes before rinsing. Also, keep in mind that the amount you’ll need to use will depend greatly on the length of your strands, their porosity level, their thickness, and their overall texture. When I first used the Cleansing Milk, I was frustrated because my strands didn’t feel as bouncy, smooth, and replenished as I’d hoped, and I found myself reaching for a leave-in conditioner to provide an additional moisture boost. Soon enough, however, I realized the problem was that I wasn’t using enough of the product since, after all, I have a lot of hair and it’s dry, damaged, and porous (the trifecta that spells trouble). Once I started applying more product — in my case, a silver dollar’s worth — I went from being on the fence about the Cleansing Milk to practically printing celebratory, praise-filled T-shirts with a pithy hashtag.
Now, after a month if relying solely on this product, my hair is probably the healthiest it’s ever looked. My color still looks vibrant, my mane feels soft, and my strands don’t appear brittle or my ends frayed. Also, I’ve noticed that even when I air dry my hair after using the Shu Uemura Art of Hair Essence Absolue Nourishing Cleansing Milk, there’s less of a propensity for frizz to rear its ugly head.
As with the Essence Absolue oil, the key ingredient in this cleansing conditioner is camellia oil, which is rich in essential lipids that nourish and replenish hair fibers, and which has been known to stimulate hair growth and help to give curls bounce and definition. Other ingredients include soybean oil, which is rich in vitamin E that protects against free radical damage and which is also effective in sealing the hair cuticle, preventing moisture loss and keeping strands smooth. So how does this product cleanse the hair? Well, through the use of some mild surfactants like sodium cocoamphopropionate and coco-betaine, which is derived from coconut oil, and which helps water mix with dirt and excess oil together so that the latter can be rinsed off safely — without stripping your hair of those natural oils, proteins, and minerals it needs.
As for the cleanser’s scent, it features grapefruit and green almond top notes; middle notes of fleur-de-lis and camellia petals; and velvety musk base notes. Despite the traditionally tiered aromatic composition, the only note I clearly detect is that of the camellia petals — not that I’m complaining! Unlike other heady florals and herbs, camellia oil has a feminine but lush and green quality, so that the aroma is never aggressive or overpowering.
Milk may do a body good, but the Shu Uemura Art of Hair Essence Absolue Nourishing Cleansing Milk does right by your hair.
