My makeup and skincare tastes can skew towards the pricier end of the spectrum, but for everyday shampoo and conditioner I've always been a drugstore gal—Pantene, specifically. I have straight-ish, thick Asian hair and it's fairly healthy, so achieving a wash-and-wear hairstyle is usually a matter of picking the right Pantene formula. When Beauty United asked if I'd like to switch things up and try a shampoo and conditioner from the Pantene Expert line—which boasts the most concentrated Pro-V formulas—my answer was a resounding yes.
Pantene Expert has a curated haircare collection for each hair concern: mature hair, colour-treated hair, fine hair, damaged hair, and so on. My locks may be thick, but they're also prone to dryness, coarseness, and frizz, which is why I've always done well with Pantene formulas that have the words "smooth," "sleek," "hydrating," "moisturizing," or "frizz-fighting" in the title. With that in mind, I chose Pantene Expert Pro-V Intense Shampoo ($8.99 at London Drugs) and Pantene Expert Pro-V Intense Smooth Conditioner ($8.99 at London Drugs) to test.
Pantene wasn't kidding around when they said these were concentrated formulas; I only needed about two-thirds of the amount of product I normally use. The shampoo created a lot of lather, while the butterscotch-coloured conditioner coated every strand and felt as richly indulgent as a hair mask. As always, I concentrated the shampoo at the roots and worked the suds from roots to ends quickly before rinsing off, then concentrated the conditioner on the ends of my hair. The formulas are scented, but the fragrance isn't overwhelming and doesn't stick around—just the way I like it.
Normally when I step out of the shower I apply an extra dab of frizz-fighting serum or creme into the ends to ensure maximum smoothness. Then I let my damp locks air-dry as much as possible before pointing the blow-dryer at my roots for a couple of minutes. (I told you I was wash-and-wear!) With Pantene Expert Pro-V Intense Smooth though, I was able to skip the extra frizz-fighting product and still achieve smooth, straight hair with less frizz than usual. And, of course, there's that signature Pantene shine.
Smoothing formulas usually weigh roots down and dull shine over time because of product build-up, so I can still see myself wanting to switch to a clarifying shampoo and deep-conditioning hair mask every 1-2 weeks. That being said, these Pantene Expert formulas are still pretty terrific for normal, everyday use.
Have you tried Pantene Expert? Which formula would be best for your hair type?
Disclosure: I am a #BeautyUnited blogger. As part of my affiliation with this group I receive products and special access to P&G events. The opinions on this blog are my own.
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