When it comes to hair care, the dreaded F-word for many fellow curly-haired people is ‘frizz.’ For me, it’s also “flat” – as in scraggly, flattened-out curls.
I’ve always had a love-hate relationship with my hair. Growing up, I had full bouncy curls that were the envy of many of my friends. I considered myself lucky to have curls because my otherwise thin hair would look lifeless without that additional lift. However, the moment I entered my 30s, the texture changed dramatically. Gone was the bounce. Instead, my hair went from curly to wavy – and as anyone with thin, wavy hair knows, it flattens out pretty quickly the minute you pull it back in a ponytail or sleep on it.
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Last year, while scrolling through my Instagram feed during Ontario’s first pandemic lockdown, I came across a pic of a former colleague sporting a full head of wavy-curly hair. Her hair is similar to mine, but I’d never seen it with so much volume before. I quickly sent her a DM – inquiring minds want to know: how did she do? Her answer was LUS Brands, a Canadian curly hair company started by Toronto-based Sahar Saidi. LUS (which stands for Love Ur Self) was launched in 2017 and ships across Canada. Other products include elixir oils, curl combs and hair perfume.
LUS Brands: Is it worth the hype?
Before I ordered anything, I took LUS’ quick and easy Curl Quiz to determine which products were right for my hair type and then ordered the three-step shampoo-conditioner-all-in-one styling treatment combo. (The products are broken down by Wavy, Curly and Kinky-Coily. I opted for Wavy, based on the current state of my hair.)
It goes without saying that I went into this trial run with a fair amount of skepticism. Was it possible to revive my hair and return it to its glory days? The short answer is: (mostly) yes. I was pleasantly surprised by how well my hair took to the products – not only did it revitalize my curls, but it actually left my hair feeling smooth and tangle-free. My only qualm is that I would have liked a bit more definition. My curls still aren’t quite where they used to be (and that’s inevitable), but I’m debating forgoing the Wavy product next time to see if upgrading to Curly makes a difference. It might take new customers a test run or two to find the right combo for their hair.
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LUS Brands: The pros
The minute my package arrived (in a cute box that, thankfully, didn’t involve an excess of packaging or waste), I hopped into the shower to try the shampoo and conditioner. First impressions: I was obsessed with the smell. I’m an olfactory kind of gal and I’m a sucker for a sweet-smelling product. I’d literally get compliments when I’d walk past someone (OK so it was mainly my husband, but still!). As an FYI, there are also fragrance-free options available if perfume-y scents aren’t your jam.
The conditioner, in particular, was a highlight. It instantly smoothed out any little knots I had in my hair, resulting in an easy brush-through after my shower. It felt so good to be able to run my fingers through my hair without it getting tangled – a common curly hair issue.
The All-in-One styling treatment that you put in your wet hair after the shower requires a bit more attention. There’s a slew of how-to videos on the LUS website that break down the different ways you can tackle this part. Initially, I ignored the videos (check out the lessons learned section below), but watching them really does make a difference. They recommend wetting your hair even more than it already is (as in, sopping wet). While that took a bit of an adjustment, I was pretty happy with the end result. I always let me hair air dry because blow drying it always changes the shape of my curls – and not for the better. Unlike other hair products I’ve used in the past, the All-in-One isn’t sticky or greasy, so my hair looked fresh and beachy.
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LUS Brands: Lessons learned
Watch the how-to videos. It might seem a little odd to watch videos on how to wash and treat your hair, but it actually makes a big difference. My first time using LUS I went overboard, assuming I needed more product than I actually did. It was during my second round, after watching the video, that I finally saw the results. (Spoiler alert: you only need a dime-sized pump of the shampoo, conditioner and All-in-One unless you like your hair feeling crispy-crunchy.) I also appreciated that, because you don’t need a ton of product in your hair to see results, it lasts longer than the average bottle and you don’t need to rebuy the products as frequently. Who doesn’t love a budget-friendly beauty item?
