Dave Decker Reviews ARTec

Introduction

This is the second article that Dave Decker has graciously contributed to the Hair Boutique. Dave's first article provided some excellent and detailed steps for post shampoo detangling of long hair. What makes Dave's contributions so exceptional is the length and condition of his hair. As you can see from the photo below, Dave has very long, healthy and shiny hair that he cares for meticulously.

No one is more qualified than Dave to provide product reviews. The Hair Boutique is honored to provide Dave's excellent review of the ARTec Smoothing hair care line.

ARTec textureline product review by Dave Decker

Having heard so many great things about the use of ARTec textureline products from Karen and so many others who participate on the Hair Boutique's Hair Talk message board, I very much wanted to try these products for myself. It was with much anticipation that I awaited the arrival of my package of goodies from an online hair and beauty store.

Note: ARTec was sold to L'Oreal and slowly phased out.

On the day the package arrived, I eagerly ripped open the box to discover several

• smoothing shampoo
• smoothing conditioner
• texture creme

Upon flipping open each bottle, my first impression of each was very favorable -- an indescribably pleasant, light scent.

Ingredients - Smoothing Shampoo

One look at the ingredients labels of the products immediately proved why the product smelled so good.

The top ingredients in the smoothing shampoo are: water, kiwi fruit extract, chamomile, juniper extract, Chinese Angelica root extract. Sodium laureth sulfate is a distant sixth on this list. Other ingredients in the smoothing shampoo include ylang ylang (flower) oil, tea tree (leaves) oil, and aloe vera gel.

Ingredients - Smoothing Conditioner

Remarkably, the top five ingredients in the smoothing conditioner are the same as in the smoothing shampoo. Like the smoothing shampoo, it also contains ylang ylang (flower) oil, tea tree (leaves) oil, and aloe vera gel. Among other ingredients, it also contains elder flower extract, sweet almond oil, and hydrolyzed silk.

Ingredients - Texture Creme

Among other things, the texture creme also contains many of the by-now familiar ingredients: water, ylang ylang oil, kiwi fruit extract, chamomile extract, tea tree oil, juniper extract, and Chinese Angelica root extract.

ARTec versus Aveda

I was absolutely amazed that each of these products, which have obviously different effects, contain so many of the same ingredients. I was also very favorably impressed with the number and significance of natural ingredients in the formulation of these products. I put the bottles in my bathroom in anticipation of my next shower. Before then, whenever I walked into the bathroom, I was greeted by that light and pleasant scent. I could not wait to try these products! For the previous seven months, I have been a devotee of Aveda's Shampure and Curessence, which, for me, were the best haircare products that I had ever known. I wondered just how well the ARTec products would work for me.

So when the time came for my next shower, I carefully brushed, shampooed, conditioned and detangled my hair according to my tried-and-true method of Hair Boutique detangling tips.

Some of my descriptions of the ARTec products I will give are termed in comparison to Aveda Shampure and Aveda Curessence conditioner, since I have become so accustomed to them.

Observations Of The Product

Herewith, my observations from my first use of the ARTec textureline products:

The smoothing shampoo is very thick. It does not suds as readily as does Aveda (which I have come to believe is concentrated), so I used a fair bit more of the smoothing shampoo to feel that I had worked it around the roots of all of my hair.

Upon rinsing the shampoo, and later the conditioner, it seemed that my hair was somewhat more tangled than usual. This was confirmed after my shower when I combed out my hair, which took more time than usual. My hair also seemed to be a bit "un-smooth" when wet, a feeling to which I was not accustomed.

This first time using ARTec, I chose not to use the texture creme. I let my hair air dry, as I always do, and as it began to dry it still seemed a bit rough. But as it became nearly completely dry, I noticed that it felt quite smooth.

After it had completely dried, I gently brushed it out. One word describes my reaction -- WOW! My hair was soft, shiny, and smooth. I was very impressed -- and very happy with the results!

After using the smoothing shampoo and smoothing conditioner for the second time, I noticed that my hair still seemed to get a bit more tangled than usual (while using Aveda) -- but not as much as the time before.

It was at this time that I added the ARTec texture creme (a leave-in) to my regimen.

I love the texture creme because it not only enhanced the positive effects of the shampoo and conditioner, but because it made the dry hair near the ends very smooth, soft, and well-conditioned. It actually seemed to dramatically improve the condition of the ends of my hair!

I also noticed that since this time, my hair no longer tangled as it did the first two times I used the ARTec products, and my post-shampoo detangling effort is now a breeze again (as it was with Aveda).

As much as I love the ARTec texture creme, I decided to try one other ARTec product -- their smoothing serum. I regret to say that I am not quite as enthusiastic about this product as I am the other three ARTec products I have used.

When I first applied the smoothing serum, I noticed little sparkly golden glints in the palms of my hands, and a review of the list of ingredients indicates that the formulation includes mica, iron oxides, and titanium dioxide.

Later, when dry, my dark blond hair seemed to be a bit lighter in color. I also noticed that even after I had thoroughly wiped the smoothing serum off my hands and onto my damp hair, that my hands rubbed together were very slick, providing almost no friction. Very unusual -- and very promising -- yet this promise was not wholly realized on my hair.

The first time I used the smoothing serum, I didn't use enough of the product, so it didn't have a noticeable effect.. except on the top of my head, where it smoothed the always frizzy hairs. So the second time I used the smoothing serum, I used more of it (the directions recommend applying a generous amount).

The result? My hair is fuller, and it is *fairly* smooth and shiny -- though not as smooth and shiny as with the texture creme. After using the smoothing serum, and after my hair had dried, it tended to tangle a bit more readily, and the ends did not seem as soft and conditioned as with the texture creme.

Summary

The ends of my hair seem to have different needs (moisturizing) than do the newer hairs on the top of my head (smoothing).

Using the texture creme on the majority of my hair and a bit of smoothing serum on the top of my head was the best working combination of these two leave-in products.

For me, experimentation with these different products was the best way to find out how they could best help my hair.

I have now used the ARTec textureline smoothing shampoo and smoothing conditioner about a dozen times, and the more I use them, the more I like them. Especially when used in conjunction with the texture creme.

My hair is soft, shiny, full, and very, very smooth. For me, these three ARTec textureline products have fulfilled their promise and given me the smoothest hair I have ever known. Thank you, ARTec!

Note from Hair Boutique:

Thank you Dave for a very thorough and comprehensive review. If you would live to comment on this review, please post your comments on the Hair Talk Board.

Original Publication Date: 1998 - Revised Publication Date: 11/24/11

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