dishing on monat hair care

I am a shameless mainstream hair care type of gal. I usually select my shampoo based on which one smells the best. And although I love the idea of more natural products - the only all-organic shampoo I ever tried SUCKED, wouldn’t suds up and made my hair feel very straw-like when all was said and done. So, I wrote it off. And made up my mind that the 'natural' stuff didn’t work, and I would have to settle for a few chemicals and parabens here or there if I wanted shiny, healthy hair. So, needless to say, when I first heard about Monat from my hair-dresser-cousin, I was skeptical. Naturally-based hair care, sold through multi-level marketing, that cost a bit more than my typical Target go-to shampoos. My cousin sent me some samples to try it and to see if some of her favorite products could make me a believer. Well friends - I’ve been using Monat products for four solid months and I feel like I can now write an honest and well-informed review of my experience with them. These are my own opinions, based on my personal experience using these products. As with anything, everyones experience will vary.

I’m breaking down my review into a few categories to make it quick and easy to read.

Were the rumors true? When I first set out on my Monat exploration, people said two things: 1) It gives you a glorious mane of hair; and 2) it makes your hair fall out. Um scary! Especially considering I had just lost a ton of it due to post partum hair loss, post-Ava. So I’ll put the rumors to rest. No, it didn’t make all my hair fall out, and although I can’t say I have a new thick mane, I can say my hair feels like it’s getting back to its original glory.

Obsessed With: Replenish Hair Masque. Mmm this stuff makes my hair feel SO nice afterwards! Also LOVE the Restore Leave-In Conditioner. It made my hair super soft without making it heavy or greasy after I styled it.

Didn’t Like: The wash-and-repeat aspect of the shampoo. It felt like a lot of work to get a good lather and I didn’t really like the feel of my hair after the wash was complete. I know lots of shampoos require a rise-and-repeat step but I found myself longing for my old shampoo during these suds-less moments. Also note that when it does get sudsy (during the second wash), it creates very dense (almost sticky) suds which wasn’t a BAD thing, just something to get used to!

If I'm being honest, I didn't LOVE how my WET hair felt after washing. And it was a little tanglier after getting out of the shower, but after brushing through and blow-drying, it felt shiny soft and sleek - so just something to keep in mind! Made a Difference: Three months in, and I can say I have fewer strands falling out at the end of my showers (you know, when you squeeze out the extra water? Yes, this is my very scientific approach to calculate my hair loss). So YES - me thankfully getting out of the postpartum stage aside, I do think my hair regrowth has been given a jump start after using these products. My hair definitely feels denser at the roots, which gives me hope it will be restored to its former, ultra-thick and ultra-shiny glory.

Would buy again: The Revive Shampoo, Revitalize Conditioner, Intensive Repair Treatment and Replenish Hair Masque. Overall thoughts: I was pleasantly surprised with this hair care line. It helped with my hair regrowth after losing boatloads post-partum and left my hair looking great after blow drying and styling. If you want more info, Denise Ruiz (www.truehairblessings.com) is a total pro and my Monat contact. Happy styling!