My Conscience (henceforth referred to as just C) : I can’t believe it…how can a smart, sensible girl like you fall for all this marketing hype and lust after hair oil just because they put it in a pretty bottle and give it the exotic name of Elixir!!!
Me: Arre, haven’t you seen the TV and press ads and seen the hoardings? They say its made with real ingredients!
C: And so is the oil that you make yourself. You combine coconut, olive, almond and vitamin E oils…aren’t those real enough for you?
Me: Oh shut up, this one claims to have precious hair oils..you know, like Argan oil. But they’re still haven’t reached any chemist in our area. So I’ve told “family chemist” to order the Hair Fall Rescue one and he said “Bhabhi, wo kal mangaake ghar bhej deta hoon” (I’ll order it and send it home tomorrow.)
C: *scowls and sulks*
The next day…
Me: look, it’s come…the Dove Hair Elixir! Doesn’t it look pretty? Such a nice glass bottle, with a pump…oh and see, there are real rose petals floating in it!!!
C: What’s the big deal? You can also add those to your oil…and why just rose, add jasmine, mogra, hisbiscus, whichever flowers you like, add the petals. Anyway, what are the “precious oils” that make up this “elixir” (sarcastically stressing on those two words).
Me: (picking up carton to read ingredients) Oh….
C: What, what?
Me: (in a really small voice) The first ingredient is mineral oil, third ingredient is Cetyl Dimethicone which is a silicone. In fact, vegetable oil is just 16% w/w and mineral oil is 78%w/w!
C: (starts gloating)
Me: Well, but the jury’s still out whether mineral oil and silicones are good or bad for hair. I’ve read loads and loads about it online and there is no conclusive opinion on this.
C: Forget that, would YOU want a hair oil that is largely mineral oil???
Me: (grumpily) No…I would prefer my hair oil to be just pure vegetable oil. But I’m definitely going to use it a couple of times to test it now that I’ve bought it……
So, anyway, I used this oil four times for hair massage and each time, I left it on longer than an hour before shampooing, once even overnight. I did find it a bit difficult to shampoo and even after shampooing twice, I felt that I hadn’t managed to get all the oil out of the hair. I didn’t feel any softening or hydration of the hair that you normally feel after an oil massage. It didn’t make my hair feel any worse either, except a bit more greasy at the scalp since the oil didnt come out properly.
I really liked the pump though coz its quite a useful thing for getting out small quantities of oil. I even used the pump to squirt oil directly onto my scalp. The elixir also has a really lovely fragrance which is very different from all those other typical “scented oils”, which, to be honest, make me gag! Yes, I know the fragrance has been added in this oil, but its a very nice fragrance.
So, the bottom line is, I dont think i will continue using this elixir. Maybe it has to do with my personal aversion to mineral oil and silicones in my hair oil (they could work wonderfully for you though), but I think I would certainly prefer a blend of pure vegetable oils for my hair. I really don’t feel like letting this go waste though…I’ll probably decant this into another bottle and give it to my maid and fill my oil in this cute pump bottle.
Has any of you tried this elixir? What has been your experience with it?
PS – I don’t normally have conversations with myself in my head…well ok, sometimes…but then don’t we all 😉 ???
Sewing machine oit!! Well, I guess that oil must also be made of mineral oil. lol
A trifle late in the day to join in, but I hated this and gave it off to the maid who said the smell was good but the texture reminded her of sewing machine oil. She’s an expert, she makes different kinds of oils at her home including from dried coconut.
Mineral Oil is used to make these oils non sticky and light. So here’s a trade off between hair oil being non sticky or nourishing. I’d stick to natural, thicker oils. Dove Elixir is a total letdown, and so are other oils like Parachute Jasmine, also containing mineral oil.
My sentiments exactly,I too don’t want el-cheapo mineral oil in my hair,I’d much rather blend my own hair oil or use good old sweet almond oil.Dove elixir is a gimmick and I’m disappointed that I spent my money on slick advertisement
too good! n my god another hard hitting honest review! thank god the other day when I went to buy this and it wasn’t available, picked up matrix biolage deep smoothing serum instead..good thing i guess! phew!
🙂
OMG!!! Thats such a wonderfully written review Dollie! *Bow*
Am definitely not buying this at all! Agree each n every word mentioned in this post ..
Thank you Ruby 🙂
Loved the way you have reviewed… I totally agree, its not really as good as the way its been marketed.
Removal is just so hard.. I was terrified the first time when I had to use up so much shampoo… But isnt the packaging just too cute 🙂
I loved the bottle too…
But u know, dove’s campaigns are all about real women, real beauty so why not state real facts?
I have to say I LOVED this post because last night me and my C were having the same conversation, believe it or not, after reading so many reviews about mineral oil in the Dove product. I hope, really really hope that Dove sees your post out of all the reviews on this product because honest to God, this is the truth about a product that promises so much and delivers poorly after all the hype. i did not think mineral oil should have been used in this. great post 🙂
Thanks so much 🙂
this is the first time m writing n replying on sum review vry nicely writenn u r a eye opener, didnt knew bout the mineral oil part …hey reallly wanted to make my own oil ..any help ? vi
Glad you found it helpful Richa 🙂
I’ve written a post on making your own blend of hair oil. Just search in the search box on the right. Hope it helps you.
Thanks for the review.. I too was tempted thanks to the giant hoardings, one right outside my office. But I’m gonna skip this now. Like you when I buy oil, I want natural seed oils – not cheap mineral oil glamorous & sold at exorbitant prices.
So true…have to admit, their ads are very tempting.
very well written review. *applause*
*takes a bow* :p
Btw, luv ur profile pic…very pretty 🙂
Very detailed and nicely written.
fancy names are just to lure the customers and fool them into buying something which does not even capable of doing an average job and poor customers like us gets trapped.
i was thinking of buying the argan oil one but now i will skip.
Nice Post Dollie.
And they write things like precious oils, with real ingredients etc which isn’t a lie but isn’t the whole truth either.
Loved the way you’ve written this Dollie, not gonna buy it 🙂
Thanks 😀 …don’t think Dove is goin to love me tho 😉
lol thanks for reviewing it! I trust you completely. I wont be getting it! OOhhh but the bottle!! So pretty! Sigh
Lol…u want me to send u the empty bottle 😉 ?
hahaah :)) nice review…actually we all do that knowingly :((…had fun reading tho :)))…following you…kisses
Thanks Nickita…and welcome to my blog 🙂
Oh my… a very perfect review..
I didnt know that contains mineral oil.
Well,I didnt buy it.. guess im not gonna buy it too 🙂
Thanks for the review and the ingredients picture 🙂
Glad u liked it 🙂
nice review Dollie, thank god I stayed away from the hype 🙂
Very smart of you Kumkum…wish I hadn’t fallen for it.
Oh no…I ordered two of these 🙁
Oh! Well, hope it works for you. What’s ur personal viewpoint on mineral oil?
nice review…thanks for this..I am not going to but this as i am planning to but one after its good ads and marketing strategies!
Agree…Their ads r really tempting.
Rofl 😛 U r funny 😉 I do tat a lot! I speak wit myself all d tym even when I walk on d road 😛 I tend to think aloud as I tell ppl 😀 I was thinkin of gettin this after d claims of argan oil but mum wouldn’t hear it.Thank god!
Your mum’s really sensible 🙂
loved ur writeup:)
n im yet to try this oil … hmm lets see how it is, i kindof have high hopes frm all their marketing!!
-Poorva
So did I Poorva…their marketing has been amazing. But i really didnt expect 78% mineral oil 🙁
Thanks Chitra 😀 so glad you liked it, im happy, happy hearing this from you. Why dont you try making your own blend? I’ve done a post on it right at the start (just search hair oil). I think thats better than this.
u actually spoke my heart. How can someone smart like something that is mineral oil flavored with some other oil? Just for looks?? I am never going to get it. It can never be good in long run for the scalp. Its better to be used as serum only I guess.
I really read up loads online about the pros and cons of mineral oil and silicones in hair products but there’s too much for as well as against. Left me thoroughly confused but my conscience and common sense say to use it sparingly.
really like the style of writing (very apt for the product and your own experience with it)..was wondering if i should try this out..thanks to ur review, i won’t now