Bumble and Bumble Thickening Shampoo and Conditioner

RATING (out of 5 stars): 3.5 stars

COST: $25 for 8 ounces

THE SKINNY: Bumble and Bumble Thickening Shampoo and Conditioner did amazing things to my hair over the three days the sample lasted.

It turned my fine, don't-like-to-hold-a-style locks into healthy, voluminous, bouncy hair. Several people asked me if I'd gotten a trim and a new style.

It didn't matter if I paired the shampoo and conditioner with Bumble and Bumble's Thickening Hairspray or not. I got the same incredible result.

But I could only give this product 3.5 stars because it's harsh on my fine hair, making it feel stiff and brittle when it was wet. The conditioner was a requirement, not a bonus, to make my hair feel soft and almost normal again.

It makes me worry about the long-term effects of using this duo day in and day out.

KEEP OR TOSS: Keep, but I wouldn't use this product more than once or twice a week.

CHECK IT OUT: Bumble and Bumble's thickening line includes the hairspray and a leave-in conditioner.

-- Tested by Shay

Davines MoMo Shampoo and Conditioner

RATING (out of 5 stars): 4 stars

COST: $25 for the shampoo, $29 for the conditioner

THE SKINNY: Davines' MoMo shampoo and conditioner is made for dry and damaged hair and meant to be low-foam so it rinses away cleanly.

My hair isn't normally dry or damaged, but it still loved this shampoo and conditioner. Both left my fine hair silky smooth and shiny.

My hair was soft but still manageable. And I especially enjoyed the smell which was a luxurious cross between a vanilla and a peppermint.

KEEP OR TOSS: Keep. I used the whole sample over the course of a few weeks.

CHECK IT OUT: The MoMo line includes a shampoo, a conditioner and a hair potion (leave-in conditioner).

-- Tested by Shay

Uberliss Hydrating Shampoo and Conditioner

RATING (out of 5 stars): 3 stars

COST: $24 each

THE SKINNY: With a name like Uberliss, I just new this shampoo and conditioner due would be awesome when it arrived in a beauty box.

It was only average.

Neither product really did anything for my hair. They worked fine, they lathered and cleaned well, but generally did not do anything that made this product stand out from anything else.

And if you are going to get me to pay $24 for a bottle of shampoo, I need to really like it.

Sadly, my favorite thing was the design of the bottle. (That skinny little text on the purple container is uber cool.)

KEEP OR TOSS: Keep.

CHECK IT OUT: I had never heard of this brand. You can learn more from the Uberliss website if it's new to you as well.

-- Tested by Carrie

Living Proof Perfect Hair Day Shampoo, Conditioner and 5-in-1 Styling Treatment

RATING (out of 5 stars): 3 stars

COST: $10 to $26 each

THE SKINNY: If I had hair like Jennifer Aniston, I would love this product.

Perfect Hair Day relies on two things: A so-called "volumizing molecule" that attaches to each piece of hair to give body and bounce that lasts 48 hours and a "healthy hair molecule" that provides strength and shine.

In theory, it sounds wonderful.

But I don't have long, flowing hair. Mine is short, fine and doesn't hold a style for more than an hour. That's why I need more than Living Proof Perfect Hair Day's 5-in-1 Styling Treatment to help it look better. Instead, the 5-in-1 Styling Treatment left feeling thicker but still limp.

The shampoo and conditioner are good products. But the reality is I can get the same result from a drugstore brand at a fraction of the cost.

KEEP OR TOSS: I used all the samples, hoping for a better result each time.

CHECK IT OUT: Learn more about the trio of Perfect Hair Day products at the Living Proof website.

-- Tested by Shay

Bvlgari Conditioner

RATING (out of 5 stars): 3.5 stars

COST: $45 for 6.76 ounces

THE SKINNY: I love a conditioner that smells great and fights tangles. Bvlgari's conditioner does both.

But I just can't see myself ever paying $45 for it.

The scent is light and fresh -- what you would expect if you have ever used a Bvlgari fragrance -- and does not "stick" in hair too long. It smells great in the shower but is not overpowering after you style hair, so it won't compete with other scents that you might be using.

KEEP OR TOSS: Keep.

CHECK IT OUT: You can find this conditioner at department stores or get it direct from Bvlgari. There's also a matching shampoo.

-- Tested by Carrie

Briogeo Don’t Despair, Repair! Deep Conditioning Mask

RATING (out of 5 stars): 3 stars

COST: $26 for 5.25 ounces

THE SKINNY: Made with avocado, argan oil and rosehip, Don’t Despair, Repair! really is a deep conditioning hair mask that's easy to use and left my fine hair silky soft.

This stuff, from a recent Ipsy bag, smells heavenly, like something they'd use on my hair at the salon. Work it in. Leave it in for three to five minutes. Rinse it out.

I used it after on my color-treated hair after I spent a week at the beach being exposed to salt, wind and sun. The result? My hair felt much softer and had a lot of shine.

But my hair was too soft and wouldn't hold a style without adding in a lot of products (which seems to counter the results of the mask.)

The trade off? I could use it once every few weeks on a weekend to help keep hair healthy.

KEEP OR TOSS: I'm on the fence.

CHECK IT OUT: This mask gets great reviews on the Briogeo website.

-- Tested by Shay

Matrix Biolage Hydrasource shampoo and conditioner

RATING (out of 5 stars): 2.5 stars

COST: $18 each

THE SKINNY: Matrix Biolage Hydrasource shampoo and conditioner smells wonderfully classic. It's easy to use and rinses clean.

The shampoo itself makes my hair feel like straw when it’s wet and leaves my short hair feeling tangled and tough to comb out. I imagine if I had long hair it would have a lot of knots.

It does leave hair bouncy, moisturized and looking shiny and healthy. But this shampoo and conditioner leaves it too moisturized, so there isn't enough texture to create a style.

KEEP OR TOSS: Toss. I don’t like the texture when it’s wet or damp. And the knots? Forget it.

CHECK IT OUT: Matrix makes a shampoo, conditioner and hair mask in this line.

-- Tested by Shay

Dove Oxygen Moisture Shampoo and Conditioner

RATING (out of 5 stars): 3 stars

COST: $5.79 each

THE SKINNY: Don't you love it when companies make up words to describe what their products do? Dove uses "Oxyfusion Technology" to describe it's new Oxygen Moisture hair care line.

Translation: the shampoo and conditioner help moisturize and add volume to fine hair.

I have that kind of hair, and I've been pleased with the Oxygen Moisture Shampoo and Conditioner. It did leave my hair a little bouncy and a little soft.

This shampoo is thick, like all Dove shampoos tend to be. The smell is nice. And neither the shampoo nor the conditioner is heavy.

For me, this is a great improvement from the regular Dove hair care products, which generally left my hair limp and dull.

KEEP OR TOSS: Keep. It's a decent product.

CHECK IT OUT: Dove Oxygen Moisture also makes a leave-in conditioning foam and a root lifter.

-- Tested by Shay

Organix Coconut Milk Shampoo and Conditioner

RATING (out of 5 stars): 2.5 stars

COST: $5.79 each

THE SKINNY: I love the idea of most of Organix hair care products, but they rarely deliver what I expect. That holds true for the Coconut Milk Shampoo and Conditioner, bought on a whim at the drugstore.

They do smell fabulous and beachy. But they don't do fabulous things for my fine hair.

The shampoo and conditioner contain coconut products and egg white proteins that are supposed to hydrate and nourish.

By itself, the shampoo leaves my hair clean and shiny but feeling a little dry. I need to add the conditioner to get that hydrated and nourished feeling. And after continual use of using the conditioner, my head starts to itch because it's too much hydration for my scalp to take.

KEEP OR TOSS: Keep, because I do love the smell, but use sparingly. It's currently parked in the guest bathroom.

CHECK IT OUT: Organix has a whole line of products made with coconut milk.

-- Tested by Shay

Neutrogena Triple Repair Hair Care System

RATING (out of 5 stars): 4 stars

COST: $6.99 each

THE SKINNY: The complete Neutrogena Triple Repair Hair Care System came to mail mailbox via the BzzAgent program. (If you haven't heard of it, you "test" products and then share your thoughts and experiences.)

Overall, this shampoo, conditioner and leave-in treatment left my hair soft, silky and even a little curly without making my hair look greasy and without all that moisturizing stuff irritating my scalp.

The Triple Repair Fortifying Shampoo is formulated to fight split ends and make hair stronger. It's thick and almost greasy, like a conditioner. It doesn't work into much of a lather, but it did make my hair clean. This shampoo alone would leave my hair as soft as shampoo + conditioner.

Full disclosure: Split ends have never been a problem for me, but my fine hair is a little dried out from coloring.

The Triple Repair Fortifying Conditioner is a rich and creamy conditioner that adds extra softness without weight. It also doesn't leave my dark blonde hair looking dirty.

The Triple Repair Fortifying Leave-In Treatment is the one I was most worried about because my hair is pretty fine and gets weighed-down by products easily. The treatment isn't bad. It adds texture to my hair, for sure, but not enough to make it look greasy. Of the three, this is the one I would ditch first because I really don't need it. It does offer heat protection up to 400 degrees, so that's a bonus if you use a curling or straightening iron.

KEEP OR TOSS: Keep

CHECK IT OUT: You can find these Neutrogena products in just about any grocery store or drug store.

-- Tested by Shay

John Frieda Luxurious Volume Shampoo and Conditioner

RATING (out of 5 stars): 2 stars

COST: $5.19 each

THE SKINNY: John Frieda products can be pretty hit or miss. I didn't get any extra volume and a case of itchy scalp after using the Luxurious Volume Shampoo and Conditioner for a week. That's disappointing, to say the least.

The shampoo is supposed to be gentle as it cleans and detangles fine hair and then adds volume boosters. Paired with the conditioner, it's supposed to thicken strands, too, which adds more volume.

But my hair seemed a little flat and it only got worse with repeated uses.

KEEP OR TOSS: Toss.

CHECK IT OUT: John Frieda has a blow-out spray and a root booster in the Luxurious Volume line.

-- Tested by Shay

Sebastian Drench Conditioner

RATING (out of 5 stars): 3.5 stars

COST: $15.95 for 8.4 ounces

THE SKINNY: This is good stuff.

Sebastian Drench Conditioner is nice and thick but it does not take a lot of it to do the job. My sample pack actually made it through two uses.

The formula made my hair feel amazingly soft and it was completely tangle-free. Plus it is safe for color-treated hair.

The only real issue with this product is the price. At $15.95 it is hard to justify the expense.

KEEP OR TOSS: Keep.

CHECK IT OUT: Sebastian Drench Conditioner is available from retailers such as Ulta.

-- Tested by Carrie

Novex Brazilian Keratin Hair Treatment

RATING (out of 5 stars): 3 stars

COST: $4.99

THE SKINNY: It seems like Brazilian Keratin hair treatments are all you are hearing about these days. (Almost every salon seems to offer one.)

And more companies are marketing at-home treatments as well such as the Novex Brazilian Keratin Hair Treatment that came in a recent Glossybox.

The thick cream goes on hair to help replenish vitamins and give hair a healthier look. It applied well -- although it is thick and a little awkward to handle -- and was easy to rinse clean.

It made my hair soft -- as a deep conditioning treatment should -- but I can't say I noticed any other differences. And it seems a little too thick for regular use, as recommended on the jar.

KEEP OR TOSS: Keep. But I am not sure I will buy more.

CHECK IT OUT: You can find this treatment at Sally Beauty Supply stores.

-- Tested by Carrie 

Brazilian Blowout Acai Deep Conditioning Masque

RATING (out of 5 stars): 2 stars

COST: $40

THE SKINNY: Brazilian Blowout Acai Deep Conditioning Masque was not special in any way. (Not what I've come to expect from Glossybox at all.)

It went on creamy and smooth. But from there I did not know what else to do. I left it on for five minutes and rinsed. The packaging did not contain any type of instructions for use.

After doing a little web research, I found the company recommends leaving it in hair 10 to 20 minutes or overnight. I am not sure how the overnight thing would work; the texture is not something I would like to put on dry hair.

It had an average scent and did not make my hair look or feel any different. It was simply average.

KEEP OR TOSS: Keep. But I won't be buying any more.

CHECK IT OUT: Brazilian Blowout is available in salons.

-- Tested by Carrie

ColorProof SuperPlump Volumizing Shampoo and Conditioner

RATING (out of 5 stars): 3.5 stars

COST: $30 for 10.1 ounces

THE SKINNY: My hair stylist gave me samples of this shampoo and conditioner when her shop started carrying the line. As you would guess from the name, this is a line of hair products for color treated hair. (She says they're awesome at protecting reds.)

This is a rich shampoo that delivers a lot of shine and softness and a decent amount of volume to my fine hair. It's free of just about everything -- paraben, sulfates, gluten -- and completely vegan.

A little dab of shampoo and conditioner go a long way, so a bottle will last forever. Good thing, too, because these products are expensive.

I think it's done a decent job with the blonde highlights in my hair (both natural and artificial).

KEEP OR TOSS: Keep, but I might love it more if I was a redhead.

CHECK IT OUT: See all the products in line at the ColorProof website.

-- Tested by Shay

Philip B Light-Weight Deep Conditioning Creme Rinse

RATING (out of 5 stars): 4.5 stars

COST: $26 for 6 fluid ounces

THE SKINNY: I didn't think too much about this creme rinse when I used it the first time. It smelled nice. It rinsed out clean. My hair felt soft and silky.

I made it into work and within a hour, two people complimented me on my hair and asked what I was doing differently.

The only thing different was the conditioner.

So they said my hair looked well-styled, bouncy and shiny.

Philip B products are all made with pure botanicals and essential oils. This conditioner is made with shea butter, wheat germ and soy proteins to promote bounce and shine.

KEEP OR TOSS: Definitely keep.

CHECK IT OUT: The Philip B website sells a 2 ounce size for $10, if you want to try it.

-- Tested by Shay

Aveda Invati Exfoliating Shampoo and Thickening Conditioner

RATING (out of 5 stars): 2 stars

COST: $25 each

THE SKINNY: Aveda is great at making samples of its products available, such as this duo from its Invati line. This product is meant to fight breakage and make each strand of hair a little thicker.

The shampoo is exfoliating to remove excess build-up and leave hair healthier. Both also promote shine.

They did leave my hair shiny, but that's it. My hair was heavy and looked greasy halfway through the day. I tried skipping the conditioner, but I got the same result.

This is not for me. But it gets two stars for shine.

KEEP OR TOSS: Toss. I can't use shampoo that ultimately makes my hair look dirty.

CHECK IT OUT: The Invati line includes a scalp revitalizer.

-- Tested by Shay

Living Proof Restore Shampoo and Conditioner

RATING (out of 5 stars): 4.5 stars 

COST: $28 ($12 for 2-ounce travel size) 

THE SKINNY: I've bought a lot of shampoos and tried enough brands that I should be embarrassed. Living Proof is the best that I have seen in quite some time.

The Living Proof Restore shampoo and condition duo have made my hair look healthier and shinier than it has in ages. After use, you get the clean and fresh look that comes with using a stripping combo, but Living Proof works without stripping hair and does not contain sulfates -- detergents that can dry hair and take the luster away from color treatments.

The shampoo lathered nicely -- a must -- and both products rinsed clean. The smell was fresh but did not stick to my hair.

But the biggest bonus was the re-found healthiness my hair had. Even with color treatments, my hair was soft, shiny and looked great. My color seemed to hold better and there was no dryness (even in the winter) or flyaways.

KEEP OR TOSS: Keep.

CHECK IT OUT: You can buy Living Proof online, plus they offer free shipping and samples with every order.

-- Tested by Carrie 
 

L'Oreal Advanced Haircare Color Vibrancy Shampoo and Conditioner

RATING (out of 5 stars): 2.5 stars

COST: $4.99

THE SKINNY: The new line of L'Oreal shampoos and conditioners claims to keep hair color looking vibrant for eight weeks. My hairdresser would disagree.

L'Oreal Advanced Haircare Color Vibrancy Shampoo and Conditioner was just like most other comparable drugstore products. It cleaned my hair nicely. It smelled nice. But is was not spectacular in any way.

The shampoo did not seem to later all that well -- and I really like a good lather. 

And I just don't believe the color claim. There is more to good hair color than just a shampoo and conditioner. Even if it does make your color more vibrant, you would want to visit the stylist to avoid roots. So why does this matter so much?

Overall, this was just another average product. It's fine but nothing to drop everything and run to the store for.

KEEP OR TOSS: Keep. Shampoo and conditioner samples are always great for travel.

CHECK IT OUT: You can buy this L'Oreal combo almost anywhere and find out more about the line from the manufacturer.

-- Tested by Carrie 
 

Kerastase Nutritive Nectar Thermique - Protect

RATING (out of 5 stars): 4 stars

COST: $18 for 50 ml

THE SKINNY: Kerastase Nutritive Nectar Thermique - Protect leaves my fine hair silky soft. I assumed it was a conditioning masque, so I applied in the shower after shampooing, left it in for a few minutes and then rinsed it out. My hair was bouncy and soft afterward.

It wasn't until I sat down to write this review that I realized this is a leave-in conditioner meant to repair damage from chemical processing and protect hair from heat styling.

I giggled and tried again. Oops.

My verdict for my fine hair is that it works best as a wash-out mask. A tiny dollop does OK as a leave-in cream, but I get better volume when I wash it out.

Regardless, I love that this product includes heat protection, which means one less product applied to my hair.

Use it however you see fit for your hair type.

KEEP OR TOSS: Keep. Like Kerastase Age Premium shampoo and conditioner, this product makes my hair feel amazing.

CHECK IT OUT: Kerastase Nutritive Nectar Thermique does come in a conditioning masque, as well as a shampoo, conditioner and the leave-in treatment.

-- Tested by Shay