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Beauty Review: OGX Miracle Oil Line

Beauty Review: OGX Miracle Oil Line | Writing Between Pauses

Another day, another shampoo review.

A few months ago, I reviewed the OGX Coconut Oil Shampoo, which I quite liked. It did a lot to help my scalp, which was in pretty poor shape. As I wrote in my post about hair masks, I recently discovered that my scalp problems are mostly hormonal and my goal has become to soothe my scalp as much as I possibly can.

One thing I started noticing in the last 6 months had nothing to do with my scalp: split ends. I hadn’t had a hair cut in 3 years (it’s been 3 years ago this week actually!), when I was pregnant. It was just one of those things that got away from me. But since I don’t use heat styling, I don’t really get split ends as bad as I should. However, I was having a lot of breakage and split ends by the end of July. It just kept getting worse and while I knew the solution was to get a hair cut, I still kept putting it off. (But that’s really another story entirely, isn’t it?)

My hair started getting very dry during the summer. Not just my scalp, which was still flaring up occasionally, but my hair started to feel rather straw like. The problem really got bad when I was sent some shampoo to try and it absolutely destroyed my hair to the point where I had to email the company and cancel the sponsored post. It was bad, bad, bad! Just the absolute worst shampoo I’ve ever used on my hair. It made my hair dry and brittle, the ends seemed to start splitting at an alarming rate, and I was looking really ragged!

So at Target, I decided to treat myself to two pieces of the OGX Coconut Miracle Oil line because my hair needed it. I got the Coconut Miracle Oil shampoo and the Coconut Miracle Penetrating Oil. Here’s what the shampoo promises:

Create an island girl escape in your shower with this ultra-moisturizing formula for thick to coarse hair. Help repair, soften and revive damaged strands and discover silky, soft island-inspired hair.

And here’s what the Penetrating Oil promises:

This Penetrating Oil is the key to your island escape, to help revive your senses and your strands. This rich oil helps to calm frizz and tame flyaways, leaving hair silky soft and shiny.

Basically, both these products are intended to moisturize and help repair hair. Technically, they are both for hair types that are not mine (thick, wavy hair seems to be what they are advertised for), but since my hair was in such need of heavy repair… I knew I had to try something.

The shampoo especially is lovely. After one use, my hair was much less dry and brittle (from that awful shampoo!) and within a week or two, it was looking back to normal again.

The oil has become something I use daily: I apply it in the morning to help take impressions out of my hair (as my hair is so fine it often stays in a ponytail wave for a long time) and to help calm down visible breakage. It is also great for getting rid of static and frizziness when I do blow dry my hair. I have also noticed the oil helps my scalp when it is flaring up, feeling sore and flaky; I try not to apply it directly, but by moisturizing my hair, it does lend moisture to my scalp.

I have found both did a lot to help repair my hair from the damage I put it through, both from not getting a hair cut for my son’s entire life and from using a shampoo that really did a number on me. They are also both really affordable products, so if you’re hair needs a little TLC, they are absolutely a great option.

This line also include a dry shampoo, which I am very, very interested in trying. I rarely use dry shampoo, as I have found that it either leaves white marks in my dark hair or makes my scalp burn a bit (thanks sensitive scalp). However, I am really curious as this line is so moisturizing and lovely, I’m sure the dry shampoo is great too.

Beauty Review: OGX Coconut Milk Shampoo

Beauty Review: OGX Coconut Milk Shampoo | Writing Between Pauses

If you've been reading my blog for the last year or so, you know that I've been trying just about every shampoo under the sun to help my scalp.

Around November, I started developing some scalp dryness that left me feeling very itchy. Visits to the dermatologist confirmed that it wasn't dandruff or seborrheic dermatitis, or anything medical; I just had dry skin on my scalp. Which is so odd because I have very oily skin otherwise. How can one half of my head be oily and the other half barely produce any oil? 

I've tried every tea tree oil shampoo under the sun, alongside everything from Head & Shoulders to T-Sal. 

I went sulfate-free

I've reviewed a ton of shampoos

I realized the other day that this same thing happened the last time I had very long hair. I asked a few friends and some of them expressed the same thing. When my hair is short, my scalp doesn't get dry; when my hair is very long, it's as if my hair steals all the oil from my scalp, leaving it dry. That probably isn't scientifically accurate, but some long hair forums I've been reading suggest the same thing. 

I keep holding out for a Holy Grail product to come along. The closest thing I've found so far is the OGX Coconut Milk Shampoo. After my brief success with the Kristen Ess sulfate-free shampoo, I bought this on impulse at Target. It was sulfate-free, check; and it promised to moisturize, check. Here's what it promises: 

This deliciously creamy and nourishing blend, infused with coconut milk, whipped egg proteins and coconut oils, helps to strengthen and hydrate your hair, leaving it softly scented, super soft and glowing.

Upon first wash, it did help my scalp last 2 days before it got very dry and itchy. I'm going to have to give up my lofty dreams of only washing every 3 or 4 days, because I think that's the limit for my poor scalp! Here's the schedule I started following: 

  • In the evening, I apply a mix of coconut oil & jojoba oil to my scalp, then braid my hair. 
  • In the morning, wash my hair and let air dry. 
  • Repeat every 2 days. 

This seems to give me the most moisture for my buck. I added the OGX Coconut Milk Conditioner as well, and that has helped my hair's health a lot. Due to my scalp getting so dry, I found myself with a lot of split ends and hair damage; my hair just wasn't getting enough moisture. 

OGX does have a Coconut Weightless Hydrating Oil Mist, which I'm very interested to try. A friend suggested applying jojoba oil to my roots every day, which I do think would help--but it makes me hair super greasy as a result. Not a great look for going to work or running errands, honestly. I do think on my next trip to Target, I need to grab this just to see if it helps! 

So, what's my final verdict on the OGX Coconut Milk Shampoo? It's not really the Holy Grail that I'm looking for (I'm still searching), but it's definitely improved my scalp enough that I don't feel quite so down about it! There is nothing worse than having a problem you just can't find a solution for (besides cutting off all my hair). If you're struggling with dry skin on your scalp, definitely give this shampoo a try.