Recently there’s definitely been an influx of new haircare brands. While we’re used to new ranges popping up without knowing exactly who’s behind it, the latest wave of brand-launches are all from established hair professionals. From JVN’s nourishing line-up to colour maven Justin Anderson’s range finally landing in the U.K, our strands have truly been treated. But one of the standout ranges for me has to be Adam Reed’s Arkive Headcare.
This wash-day, after using the shampoo, conditioner primer and oil.
I’ve been a big Adam Reed fan for a long time, admiring his editorial flair, clear craft and the warmth of his personality, so I was expecting to like his products when they finally launched. However, I never expected to be so obsessed. Firstly, there’s something for everyone, from fine hair to thick locks, we are all catered to and the formulas are all vegan. The products really work (more on that later) and are affordable, starting at just £9. This is so important as a lot of the haircare we beauty journalists recommend are professional products to preserve the life of your colour or cut, but these are hairdresser-made, salon-quality products without the steep price-tag.
Plus, they smell heavenly. As an admitted exaggerator I often say things are ‘the best thing ever’ but I’m not exaggerating when I tell you these are some of the best smelling hair products I have ever used. You can tell that a lot of thought went into the sensorial experience of doing your hair and it made the products all the more fun to use. Here are my thoughts on the new range.
Perfect for naturally curly to coily hair. Personally, I’m not a fan of co-wash in general as I need a heavy-hitting shampoo to cleanse away product build-up. But this is a lovely, gentle cleanser and actually I found it perfect for when I had to wash my hair twice in one week- which I never normally do- and it didn’t strip my strands, instead my hair felt healthy and hydrated.
Yes, you can use this shampoo everyday if you wash your hair that regularly but I would use this as my weekly wash and it works fine for that too! It lathers well but isn’t drying when you rinse it out. I followed with the mask but my hair isn’t gasping for it.
This conditioner isn’t overly rich so works for fine-to-medium hair types best. The protein in the formula is great for delicate hair too.
A real treat for dry hair types, I prefer this in place of the conditioner so if you have thicker hair, you’ll probably prefer it too. It contains baobab oil and shea butter for great nourishment and made my hair feel easy to detangle too.
I’m not the biggest fan of physical scalp scrubs as I find them way too hard to rinse out but I gave this to a friend to test and she loved it. It contains a blend of oils, fruit enzymes, menthol for exfoliation and scalp health.
A great addition to your scalp care routine to soothe and hydrate. I applied the night before my hair wash and it was fine to sleep in.
This is my favourite product in the line-up. It preps your hair perfectly for heat styling, protects against super high heat and sets hair for hold and frizz protection without crunch.
If you like a bouncy blow-dry but find it drops and loses volume easily this is for you. Spritz in damp hair from root to tip and blow-dry. It gives freshly-washed hair some guts without being sticky or too drying.
I would say this is like an amped up version of the hair primer. It’s a non-aerosol so the formula is liquidy but can be set with heat. You don’t get the same hold you do with a can hairspray but you also don’t get the crispiness either.
This oil is a top tier finishing serum. Smooth through the lengths and ends to seal in your style and enhance shine. It’s not a hair care oil but a great styling product that is lightweight and concentrated. Next up, the it hairstyle for 2022.
