REVIEW: Dove Elixir Nourished Shine Hibiscus and Argan Oil

Dove Elixir Precious Hair Oils With Real Ingredients

Nourished Shine

Hibiscus and Argan Oil

Description (on the box): Elixir is a luxurious blend of precious oils by Dove. Infused with real ingredients, it nourishes your hair from root to tip. This potent blend of oils has the power of overnight oiling in 30 minutes (vs. coconut oil).

Dove Elixir - Nourished Shine is enriched with Argan oil to retain moisture in hair fiber every time you oil your hair. Blended with Hibiscus, it lends your hair a luminous and reflective shine shield. It absorbs instantly to help rejuvenate damaged hair caused by heat, styling & environmental damage.

Directions for use: Dove Elixir can be used before cleansing for deep nourishment. It can also be applied after cleansing as a finishing touch to help style and add shine. Keep away from direct sunlight and at room temperature. Clouding can happen at cooler temperatures which is reversible when product returns to room temperature.

Price INR 185

Net volume 90 ml

Shelf life 2 years

Ingredients :

This oil contains 16% w/w vegetable oil and 78% w/w Mineral oil. That means that there is very little nutritious ingredients for the hair to grow healthy and just a cheap filler in the form of mineral oil. Such oils come under the category of Hair oil (perfumed) Type 3.

Of the natural ingredients in there, some are pretty interesting like sesame oil, sweet almond oil, palm oil (which I have never seen in a hair oil in India before), and of course the hibiscus and argan oils. Amongst the natural oils that form the base of this oil are sesame, sunflower and coconut oils. Even with so many natural ingredients they are just 16% of the oil. 78% is mineral oil. Then the rest 6%  are a host of chemicals used to help the product deliver what it claims. All the benefits and uses of these ingredients are mentioned below.

Mineral oil - It is a cheaply sourced oil as it is a by product of petroleum. There is no real benefit of using this as it doesn't nourish the hair nor does it absorb into the shaft or the follicle of the hair. It just sits on top of the hair and as it is non greasy, it is preferred. It doesn't even moisturize. But it is water proof so it protects hair from frizz caused by humidity in the hair. That is the only benefit.

Sesame seeds oil - Strengthens hair.

Cetyl demethicone - It is a silicone and all that silicones do is coat the hair to gove a smooth, glossy, frizz free and shiny effect. But it does build up in the hair and is only dissolved in a sulfate based shampoo. It is double the damage as sulfates are world famous for causing havoc on hair. 

Sunflower seeds oil - It provides softness to the hair.

Coconut oil - It provides protein to the hair as it is the only oil that can absorb into the deepest layer of the hair.

Sweet almond oil - It provides softness to the hair making it more manageable.

Olive oil - It also softens the hair and provides shine.

Hibiscus oil - It makes thh hair so smooth and glossy.

Perfume - An overpowering fragrance.

BHT - Preservative.

Palm oil - It is very nourishing for the hair as it is rich in vitamin D and K which are not found in any other type of oil. 

Argan oil - It is the latest rage and it is also called "liquid gold" for its rich vitamin E content. A very little is enough to deeply moisturize the hair.

Ethylhexyl methoxycinnamate - Preservative

Tocopherol acetate - It is the cheap alternative to using vitamin E.

Rose flower petals - A teaspoonful of dried rose petals are in the oil and you can see them through the clear glass bottle that it comes in. they just add an exotic touch to the oil.

Review:

This is the first (if not, please correct me) oil that comes in a spray bottle in India. It is a glass bottle which is a very pretty shaped one and you can see dried rose petals in the bottom which is nothing short of prettiness in a bottle. Even the cap is glass, which is kinda scary because you break it then the game is over.

The oil is pretty light and doesn't feel heavier than even coconut oil. It spreads easily and almost sinks into the hair. My hair tends to drink up any oil that I put on it. It's so dry that it is thirsty for oil, I think. It is colorless. I somehow like colorless oils even though it means that they are processed. Natural vegetable or plant based oils tend to have at least a tint. The fragrance is Strong on the first use but I got de-sensitized to it fairly quickly. By the third time of use it didn't bother me much. The fragrance is the typical Dove shampoo one, multiplied by 10. It is non sticky, so good news for the picky oilers.

I was expecting a spray oil kind of thing. The kind that sprays mist. But this one squirts, not sprays. This was disappointing for me because it squirts little by little and if you are using it directly on your hair then it doesn't even fall on it evenly. Spray would have had a more even distribution on the hair. It squirts very, very little at a time like probably half an ml or something. Pumping a few squirts on the hand and then applying it on the hair won't work because then what is the use of it. I would rather pour out some oil in my hands and apply it. It is easier too. Spraying a little over random sections of hair seems like the only go, but it doesn't give an even application. So if you are trying to use this all over your hair then it is indeed cumbersome.

0

The product claims that it can be used after a hair wash too. This is best way to add some moisture back into hair while it is still a bit damp. Just take a tiny amount, like one or two pumps and work from the ends of the hair upward but not above your shoulders or near your head. This will help keep hair soft and also add a little nutrition. Just be sure to use very little depending on your hair length and thickness or you will look like you need shampoo again. My hair is waist length and I use just two pumps (about 1 ml). If you are not sure how much to use then just start with one pump and after applying it over your hair length, if you still feel the need for it then go for another pump. This tiny bit of oil doesn't interfere with hair styling like blow drying, straight ironing or curling.

I usually let my hair air dry and I notice that this oil makes my hair wavy. I have naturally wavy hair but this one just emphasizes my waves. So, I reckon it is great if you want to manage your naturally curly or wavy hair and give it some shape rather than looking all over the place. You know how wavy/ curly hair tends to behave like it belongs on a lion's head. It is so difficult to manage!

Image source: http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2014/08/07/article-2718970-205322B700000578-661_964x632.jpg

Do not under any circumstances use it on heat styled hair. For example, if you have just blow dried your hair or even straightened or curled it, using this oil or for that matter any oil will just undo the whole thing.


This oil also claims that it can be used prior to a hair wash. If you have to wash your hair that day but you initially never planned to but you are worried that shampoo will just make your hair look dull and lifeless then just use a generous amount of oil and this will take quite a lot of pumps depending on how much oil you like in your hair about 10 - 20 minutes before your shower. Oil is a natural conditioner and will help your hair not look stripped of its health.


The oil also claims that it can be used overnight and in that case it takes many a great pumps to sufficiently soak the hair in the oil. Like I said before that pumping some oil on the hands before applying it doesn't work for me, so I just pump it randomly all over my scalp and the lengths of my hair and then massage it in. I do this till I feel that all of my hair is coated with the oil and it takes its own sweet time. A minimum of a half hour goes into this hair oiling ritual. Then too, by the morning most of the oil has vanished. It's either transferred to my pillow or just evaporated if it is volatile. It looks weird, doesn't look like I spent that much time and oil on it. I definitely oil once again in the morning before washing.

I like it for every day use where I will typically take a pump full or two and concentrate near the ends of my hair. It just protects from split ends, I feel. As far as the shine is considered, hair looks like it has some oil in it. It is the oily kind of look or shine that it gives. Even after washing hair there is no miraculous shine. It does look healthier versus non oiled hair but that is it. I cannot call it a shine potion!

So, overall my experience with this one is lukewarm. I like its packaging and that I can use it regularly, even on a daily basis without getting overly oily. I don't like its squirt pump. I wish it would be a spray pump instead. I don't like the squirt because it doesn't evenly cover the hair and is too much of a hassle to work on longer and thicker hair. Its nourished shine claim is also not 100% true because there is nothing nourishing about a mineral oil and no shine to really boast about. I feel it is over priced for its ingredients and its effect too.