Rusk Review Series - The Video

Rusk Review Series: W8less Hair Spray

Here I am again, for my last installment of my Rusk Review Series. Thanks again to Beauty Stop Online* for generously providing the products so that I could test them and review them.

As you probably know if you watch my YouTube channel, I'm a huge fan of Elnett Stron Hold hairspray. I love it. I like hairsprays that don't make my hair super stiff. What I like best about my Elnett is that it brushes right out of my hair when I'm done and my hair is still soft and manageable.

This is what Rusk's W8less hairspray had to measure up to, in my book. After a few uses, here is what I think.

• I like how W8less is buildable. I can do a light spritz on my hair when I'm just leaving it down all day, and have it not feel like there is hairspray on it. I really don't like my hair to feel like armor on my head. If you want a stiffer hold (say you want to hold up some searious teasing) just add as you need it. Just try not to build it up too much, or it will stop being weightless. If you like a stiffer hold on the regular, try the Rusk W8less Xtra Hold variety since its for shaping.
• The price is much better than my Elnett, at least if you get it from Beauty Stop. Elnett retails at Target for $12.49 for 11 oz, while W8less costs $8.99 for 10 oz (that's about 36% off of retail cost, which is $14).
• When I use the spray on my hair after a blow out, mostly to keep my bangs in place, and just a light spritz over the rest of my hair, my hair stays manageable and has movement.

Ok, so how does it measure up to Elnett? Well, it's pretty close, though not entirely the same. See, it's missing one key component, at least for me, the ability to just brush it out. Now, don't get me wrong, you can brush this hairspray out, it just still leaves behind a bit of residue for my liking. It's not an abundant amount, by far less than your average hair spray, it just doesn't vanish as much as my Elnett. But other than that, it's a good hair spray. It does the trick, if you are looking for a lighter hold. For me, the scent was a bit strong. But a lot of people think Elnett smells too strong, and I don't mind either. I can't smell them throughout the day, just when I apply them. Rusk has a bit of a perfume-y smelll, that's as best as I can describe it. It could be worse, it could smell like chemicals. I don't think the scent is overpowering, but its certainly strong when you first use it. Afterwards, it's not really noticeable.

So, if you are seeking a light hair spray, give this a try. While I know it's not super cheap, it's much less than other similar hair sprays out there. For example, the Aveda line is $24. Considering this is a professional product, $8.99 is a good price. If you're the type of gal that doesn't really see the point of paying more than $1 and some change for your hair spray, then this is not for you. But, I've yet to find  one at that price point that doesn't give my hair the stiffies. Plus, for me 10 oz of hair spray lasts me a long time. I probaly buy hair spray once a year. So that comes out to less than a dollar a month.

Have you used W8less? Do you like it? Do you prefer this hair spray to L'Oreal's Elnett?

*Beauty Stop Online is a wholesale provider of professional beauty products and tools including: flat irons, curling irons, hair dryers, skin, hair and nail care, waxing and hair removal, salon and spa equipment, and more. They have partnerships with numerous manufacturers and vendors that make it possible for them to provide name brand products at affordable prices.



Beauty Stop Online offers free US shipping on purchases of $50 or more



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Rusk Review Series: Thickr Myst

*Press Sample*

After regaling you with my Rusk Thermal Shine Spray experience, my hair product testing continued. This time, I set out to determine the effectiveness of Rusk's Thickr Myst ($9.99 for 6 oz.), and Beauty Stop Online* was kind enough to make that possible, by providing me the product for the purpose of review.

Now that I've been using it for a few weeks, I feel like I have a pretty good grasp of how well the thickening mist works. But first, here is what the product claims (from the description on Beauty Stop Online):

Maximum thickness and volume for fine or thin hair. Rusk Designer Collection Thickr Myst with ThermaplexPlus gives fine, limp hair incredible body, volume and texture. Hydrolyzed wheat protein moisturizes hair and helps repair damaged ends. Thickr Thickening Products make up a unique system that adds thickness, strength, lift and texture. Naturally derived ingredients in ThermplexPlus dynamically bond to hair to build body and thickness in every strand. Hair is left silky, shiny and manageable.

This is how my experience measured up to those claims:

While I don't have fine hair, I do use my flat iron a lot, and am usually interested in volumizing products that will keep my hair from being too flat when using my flat iron. I know, I know, it's a bit of a contradiction, after all, a flat iron is supposed to flatten, as the name so plainly states. But, I do like a little body with my sleek hair. That being said, this product is made to be most effective when you blow dry. Nevertheless, I decided I still wanted to try and see how well it worked when both blow drying and flat ironing.

When used as instructed (with the blow dryer, using a brush to lift hair up at roots) this product worked really well at giving volume. I was especially pleased that my hair looked thicker without feeling sticky, or like I'd just put a bunch of hair spray in my hair (which is how my hair felt when I used Orlado Pita's  Elevate, a volumizing spray for use with the flat iron). While my hair had noticeably more lift at the roots, it didn't feel like I had a bunch of product in it, instead it felt soft and bouncy, much like the product promised.

Last night, when I first started writing this post, I was going to say that I couldn't really substantiate any claim that the product repaired damaged ends. But, I'd never really sprayed the mist on my ends. See, I'd foolishly used it like any other volumizing spray, I'd applied it only to my roots. So, I figured it wasn't fair to make such a statement without testing it. So I woke up early this morning, washed my hair, and applied the Thickr Myst to my roots, and then sprayed it throughout my hair. Then I proceeded to blow dry. I have to say, I was pretty impressed. Anytime I blow dry my hair, I feel that my ends don't look as sleek as when I flat iron. I always felt that the flat iron just did a better job at sealing my cuticle and giving me a more polished finish. But, I was pleasantly surprised. My hair looked pretty fab. I had volume, I had bounce and my ends nice and healthy. Best of all, the volume and body lasted all day long and all without the aid of hairspray. So I was pretty impressed.

Now, if only it also worked this well when used with my flat iron. I suppose I can't have one product do it all.  A girl can try though, right? And try I did, but the voluminous results just didn't translate with the flat iron. It's safe to say you'll want to stick to the directions if you want this product to deliver.

Normally, I prefer the flat iron to the blow dryer. Mostly because it takes longer to do a good blow out. But, I was so happy with the results, my blow dryer and I may become more closely acquainted. I'm thinking I'll give myself a blow out on the days I wash my hair, and turn to my flat iron on the in between days to do touch ups and keep my hair looking sleek and shiny.

Speaking of shine, I can't say Rusk's Thickr Myst offers the best shine results. Don't get me wrong, my hair certainly did not look dull, but I still felt the need to turn  to my Aveda Light Elements Smoothing Fluid, which is great for adding shine and taming some of the baby hair fly aways that like to stand on end at the top of my head. But if that's the biggest complaint I have then that's not bad at all.

But, if it's volume you're looking for, I think you'll be pleased with the Thickr Myst.

Beauty Stop Online carries Rusk Thickr Myst (6 oz) for $9.99, which it approximately 30 percent cheaper than retail price ($14). Now all I need to find is a volumizing product that works this well (read: delivers volume without leaving my hair sticky) when I use it with my flat iron. Have any of you had any luck with such a quest? Am I on the hunt for the equivalent of a hair product unicorn? I'm taking suggestions, so if you've found such a product tell me what it is in the comments.

Otherwise, let me know if you've tried out Rusk's Thickr Myst and whether your experience was anything like mine.

* Beauty Stop Online is a wholesale provider of professional beauty products and tools including: flat irons, curling irons, hair dryers, skin, hair and nail care, waxing and hair removal, salon and spa equipment, and more. They have partnerships with numerous manufacturers and vendors that make it possible for them to provide name brand products at affordable prices.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Rusk Review Series: Thermal Shine Spray

*Press Sample*

I recently tried out some new hair products by Rusk, and I plan to review them for you in a series. All of the products were sent to me by Beauty Stop Online* for the purpose of review. I am not being paid to review the products, and I intend to give you my honest feedback based on my experience with them. I will always provide my honest feedback on a product I've tried out, whether I've purchased it myself, won it in a contest, or received it from a company for the purpose of review.

The first product I tried out was the Rusk Thermal Shine Spray ($11.99). I am a heat-styling addict. I freely admit it. My hair is heat styled into submission any time I am leaving the house. Be it a quick touch up with my flat iron, or a full on blow out and/or flat iron treatment. Yep, my hair receives some serious heat-related abuse. And yet, I have to say, I manage to keep it from becoming too damaged (hey, I'm not totally immune to some split ends) or fried. I like to think this is due in part to my practically religious use of heat protectants. So, when I was given the opportunity to pick out some hair products, a heat protectant was definitely on my wish list.

Here is how the site described the product:

Rusk Designer Collection Thermal Shine Spray 4.2 oz [the website says 4.2 oz, but the bottle says 4.4] - A micro spray that adds body and shine with heat protection. Conditions and protects the hair internally and externally. UVA/UVB sunscreens, exclusive Thermplex hair protection combined with Ceramic Complex leaves hair smooth, silky-soft, sleek, and shiny. 

I liked the idea of a thermal protectant that also provides shine and has sunscreens in it. After all,  your hair and scalp also need protection from the suns damaging rays. Plus, the promise to condition was also a huge attraction. Soft, shiny, silky, sleek hair, who doesn't want that? I was ready to give this product a shot. So here is how my experience measured up against the products claims:

Rusk's thermal shine spray definitely delivers on its shine promise. Interestingly, I got different shine results depending on whether I used it with my flat iron or my blow dryer. But, I do have to say that whenever I flat iron my hair, I feel it looks shinier than when I blow dry. I have my theories on why this happens, but that's not why you are reading this post.

I also felt my hair was soft and silky after using the thermal shine spray, and I was particularly pleased with the micro spray's lightness. I especially like that the micro mist, when sprayed on dry hair, does not dampen the hair like my other heat protectants do because they are a liquids that are applied using a regular spray bottle. Have you ever run a flat iron over a damp strand of hair? Even when it's heat protectant that's dampened it, you hear that sizzling sound that just sounds damaging. You don't get that with the micro mist.

The product also has a relatively pleasant odor. It's a sweet smell, that reminds me of my Strawberry Shortcake doll and the strawberry scented "kisses" she'd blow if you squeezed her belly.  I don't mind it, but for anyone who isn't a fan of saccharine fruity scents, this product's odor might be considered a downfall. It's not an overpowering smell, but you certainly will notice it, at least immediately after you spray it. I don't notice the scent once I'm just walking around after doing my hair.

The only claim the product made that I can't really substantiate, is the claim that it will give your hair more body. To me, that means volume, and quite frankly, I didn't experience that. My hair was definitely shiny and soft, it wasn't weighed down, and had movement, but I wouldn't really say it had more body. I'd say, if you are looking to add volume, you might want to also use a volumizing product.

Other observations:

The bottle looks pretty small compared to my other heat protectants (my Aveda heat protectant is 8.5 oz). It's 4.4 oz, but I'd venture to guess that it will still last. The micro mist helps diffuse the product better, so you end up using less (unless of course you are heavy handed, in which case you may want to practice a bit more restraint).

If you are a die-hard Rusk fan, then you are probably happy to hear that you can get this product at Beauty Stop Online for about 25 percent less than its normal retail value of $16, and you don't have to wait for there to be a sale going on. If you have been curious to try Rusk products, this is one I would recommend since it lived up to most of its claims.

I like Rusk's Thermal Shine Spray, I plan to use it in conjunction with my regular heat protectant. Why? Because my current heat protectant also works as a detangler, which protects my wet hair from combing damage. So, Rusk will now become my heat protectant on days when I heat style my second- and third-day tresses. I don't wash my hair daily (as I've mentioned before) and I really like that this protects without dampening my hair when I use it (no more sizzling hair sounds for me!), and is so light it won't create a lot of product build up, helping my hair still look nice and fresh and feel silky and soft even a few days after washing.

Have you used Rusk's Thermal Shine Spray? What do you think? Have you been curious about trying Rusk products? Are you excited to find them at a discounted price?


* Beauty Stop Online is a wholesale provider of professional beauty products and tools including: flat irons, curling irons, hair dryers, skin, hair and nail care, waxing and hair removal, salon and spa equipment, and more. They have partnerships with numerous manufacturers and vendors that make it possible for them to provide name brand products at affordable prices. 


Beauty Stop Online offers free US shipping on purchases of $50 or more

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”