New from Paul Mitchell - MirrorShine and Marula Oil

Over a lovely dinner, bloggers and press were introduced to the latest launches from haircare brand Paul Mitchell a few weeks ago. I’ve been trying a lot of new haircare brands of late, but Paul Mitchell Awapuhi Ginger is my go-to haircare range.  So, I was thrilled to see one of the brand’s new launches was a new Awapuhi Ginger line – MirrorSmooth.

MirrorSmooth has all the Awapuhi goodness of the original line, with added KeraReflect, a blend made from Abyssinian oil for brilliant shine, awapuhi extract for that optimal moisture, strengthening keratin protein, and thermal protectors. The object of this range? To deal with frizz! Hallelujah!

Frizzy hair is a nightmare, and it happens to the best of us, no matter what condition our hair is in. This new range consists of three products (I am pretty sure more will follow) to deal with the frizz before it happens.

First up, MirrorSmooth Shampoo (from £18.50), gentle, sulfate-free, with rich foam which will help restore your hair’s optimal moisture balance and leave your locks silky smooth. Follow that with MirrorSmooth Conditioner (from £20.50) to hydrate, detangle, and create a shiny, reflective finish. And then, before styling, use MirrorSmooth High Gloss Primer (from £7.95). This product primes the surface cuticle of the hair for a smooth, shiny, polished look.

I tried all three last week, and whilst I did like using them, I think my hair (over-processed, in need of repair!) needs the original products more, which are all about the moisture. However, I did really like the High Gloss Primer. It has an interesting texture, very silky, and quite thick, and I felt it really did eliminate frizz, and help control the unruliness of the texture of my hair.

The other range we were shown was the new Marula Oil range. This is on the more upmarket side, and is the first from the brand not to feature the Paul Mitchell logo prominently.

Marula Oil comes from the fruit of the marula tree, a vital resource for the people of southern and eastern Africa. Brimming with powerful antioxidants, oleic acids, and a high concentration of nutrients, marula is not only a prized beauty ritual, it’s a sustainable source of income as well.

The marula fruit is wild-harvested by African women’s collectives who are educated on safe practices, provided traceability training and paid fair trade wages. Marula Oil helps create a sustainable economy for over 4000 women and their families, which is to be applauded.

The oil Paul Mitchell produces is so precious, the brand only uses the first extraction from the cold-press process, so it retains the maximum amount of those nutrients and oleic acids.  These are the ingredients that hydrate, replenish and protect hair and skin. Paul Mitchell manages every step of the process – from harvest to production, and doesn’t use any solvents, ensuring that the oil in their products is of the highest and purest quality possible.

A few Marula Oil Facts –
50% more protective antioxidants than Argan oil
High concentration of nutrients and minerals
Oleic acids help hydrate, repair and moisturise hair at the deepest levels
Ideal for dull, damaged, thick, coarse or unruly hair
Helps to seal split ends with immediate results

What’s not to love? So, the products. There are five in total – Shampoo, Conditioner, two Hair Oils, and a Hair Masque.

The Rare Oil Treatment and Rare Oil Treatment Light (£33.95) are for hair and skin (and beards!) and offer hydration, taming and softness. This stuff is miraculous. Use before shampooing as and enriching treatment, or on clean, damp hair before blow-drying. Add to dry ends to help with frizz and flyaways, pop on your skin, massage into beards.

It is highly concentrated, so start with just one drop, and add more if necessary. (If using pre-shampooing, add 4-6 drops and work up from ends to scalp).

Rare Oil Replenishing Shampoo (£21.95) nourishes and hydrates. It’s sulfate-free, and time-release MarulaSpheres adhere to the hair shaft and break open every time you brush or touch your hair, releasing fresh bursts of marula throughout the day, which ensure your hair is soft, hydrated and full of body. The Rare Oil Replenishing  Conditioner (£23.95) works in exactly the same way.

Finally, the Rare Oil Intensive Hair Masque (£31.95) which has all of the Marula oil benefits, and then some! Apply after shampooing, combing through and leave for 3-5 minutes, then rinse. For extra hydration, apply to clean damp hair, comb through and leave for 10-15 minutes and use heat for deeper penetration if you want. Then rinse and style.

The new Marula Oil range is available from salons now, as is the new MirrorSmooth line. For more info and stockists, visit paul-mitchell.co.uk