Finding Strength & Style with Garnier

Just like Jo, from the book Little Women, I have always felt that my hair is my one true beauty. It is long, it is thick, and it is unbelievably difficult to maintain. But the random comments that I get from both friends and strangers about how nice it looks and the satisfaction that I get when I'm having a good hair day keeps me motivated to keep my hair healthy and looking beautiful. To reach this goal, I am always looking to find just the right product that will help me keep my hair strong, smooth, healthy, and manageable while also keeping the sensitive skin of my scalp happy. It's hard to find a product that meets all these criteria, so when #Crowdtap and @GarnierUSA gave me an opportunity to try a couple of hair products to help strengthen my hair and a hairspray to help me tame my mane, I jumped at the chance.

Garnier claims that their Garnier Fructis Grow Strong fortifying shampoo and conditioner will make your hair healthier and 10X stronger than other shampoos and conditioners. I put this claim to the test and had mixed results. I really liked the shampoo. It seemed to do a satisfactory job cleaning my hair. The shampoo wasn't too heavy, it lathered well, and left my hair feeling clean after rinsing. I like how it made my hair feel, but it definitely needs a conditioner afterwards. I wasn't as impressed with the conditioner. It spread through my hair okay, but it rinsed out a little too clean, without leaving enough residue behind to help smooth and detangle my hair. Because of this, I had to add a leave-in conditioner to make my hair more manageable. Despite this, I haven't completely counted it out, because after using this combo twice, my hair does feel healthier. So, I would possibly consider purchasing a full-sized product to see what the effects of these products would be over time.

Having strong and healthy hair isn't always enough when it comes to styling your hair. Sometimes you need a little help to give your hair a special look, and getting the perfect hairstyle isn't always easy. It takes inspiration, coordination, and a way to keep it in place. That's where Garnier Fructis Sheer Set Ultra Strong Hold hairspray comes in. 

A nice little combination of two fishtail braids tied in a knot looks nice and simple, but getting it to stay in place can be a real pain in the neck. You can use a bunch of hairpins to get the look you want, but generally they wiggle out during the day and my hair is left looking wild and crazy.  I decided that this would be a great way to test my sample of Garnier Fructis Sheer Set Ultra Strong Hold hairspray. I styled my hair, sprayed it in place, and then went about my day. I noticed one thing immediately, my hair didn't look like it had been sprayed in place, and it didn't leave any sticky residue left behind. It ended up keeping my hair looking great all day long, and when I brushed it out before bed, it didn't feel like it had been sprayed. 

The next day, I tried another hairstyle. This time twists pulled back into a simple bun. I also got the rest of my hair damp and added some Garnier Fructis Sheer Set Ultra Strong Hold hairspray to see if it would help tame my crazy, wavy hair. I loved the result of this hairstyle and it helped keep my hair more manageable all day long.

The final test came on day three. I pulled my hair back into a pony tail, sprayed the top to reduce fly-aways, then braided my hair to keep it out the way. I liked this hair style just as much as the other two. By this time, I was definitely a fan of this new hairspray. I liked it's smell, it didn't leave a sticky residue behind, and I didn't have to wash my hair the next day before I could style it again. The Garnier Fructis Sheer Set Ultra Strong Hold hairspray has definitely become my go-to styling product.

**The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own. Product samples and program incentives were received as compensation for this product review. Product testing and review were performed in compliance with guidelines provided by Crowdtap and Garnier.**