haircare

James Brown London Haircare Review

by PJ on Friday, October 19, 2007

in haircare

(Kate Moss for James Brown London)
(image from www.jamesbrownlondon.com/)

James Brown, a noted British hairdresser and session stylist, launched his own haircare range on October 1.

The James Brown London haircare range is a collaboration between James Brown and his long-term friend (and once housemate) Kate Moss. James Brown is in charge of the formulation while Kate Moss has input in packaging, fragrance, and marketing (as the model).

(James Brown London haircare range)
(From left: Dry Hair Conditioner
Styling Balm, and Dry Hair Shampoo)


I do like the packaging, in terms of both aesthetics and practicality. The minimal and sophisticated packaging looks great on bathroom shelves. (If all my products in my bathroom look like these, the shelves will appear much less cluttered.)

I also like the design of the shampoo and conditioner dispensers. The swivel caps (seen below) make it very easy to dispense the product. No fiddling when your hands are wet in the shower. Also, the tube design means there is very little waste at the end.

(the swivel caps)

Performance-wise, Dry Hair Shampoo cleanses gently and doesn’t strip the hair. It also foams exceptionally well so I need less per use than usual. In a way, it justifies the cost. (All James Brown items are sold at 5.99 pounds. They are affordable but are still more expensive than many other haircare ranges.)

The main selling point of Dry Hair Conditioner is that it is silicone-free. If you don’t like any silicone derivatives in your conditioner, then this one might be worth considering. But it is slightly too weak for my liking. I personally don’t mind a little bit of silicone on my hair and I would like my conditioner to be more heavy-duty and more emollient.

As for Styling Balm, I have been enjoying using it. The very balmy and waxy texture keeps my unruly ends at bay. The scent is very subtle, so it is particularly good if I am wearing any fragrance.

(the Styling Balm)


Overall, Styling Balm is my favorite among the three, followed by Dry Hair Shampoo. As for Dry Hair Conditioner, it would not be hard for me to find other products that suit my hair a lot better.

Currently, the James Brown London range is sold exclusively in Boots stores in the UK.

Related Post:

Dove Haircare Review

(where you can also see a profile of my hair if you’d like to know the criteria of my haircare reviews)

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(Dove Cool Moisture Shampoo (right)
and Cool Moisture Conditioner)

Since it is my first time to review haircare products, I think I will begin by giving you a profile of my own hair and my haircare needs.

I have short-length and naturally wavy hair. Volume is never something I need to boost up, since I have a lot of hair. But my hair can be on the puffy and unruly side, so I use hair products (cleansing, conditioning, and styling) that tend to de-volumize my hair and make it look flatter, sleeker, and more groomed.

I use styling products (mostly gel and spray) regularly so I wash my hair daily. I have slightly oily scalp but my hair can be a little dry. I almost never use any electronic product that generates heat (I very rarely blow-dry my hair), and I only color-treated my hair once many years ago. My hairdressers often say I seem to be doing everything right to care for my hair and that my hair is very healthy, which I am always pleased to hear.

Okay…this should set the background for my review.

The best thing about the Dove Cool Moisture line is that these two products work very well together. Designed for all hair types, the shampoo cleanses effectively and the conditioner complements it very well. Used alone, the shampoo is a bit drying on my hair and reminds me slightly of deep-cleansing shampoos that I have used (that I only use once a week). so I do feel the need to use the conditioner right after shampooing.

Some shampoos I have used can leave my hair itchy. This one doesn’t. The conditioner is light and doesn’t leave the hair lumpy.

The bottles say that they have “a touch of cucumber and green tea fragrance“, but to me, they smell like sweet melons. But I do like the smell, which is actually quite long-lasting…

Overall, as products for all hair types, they perform well. But I would personally prefer products that give my hair a bit more moisture and conditioning.

There are a couple more haircare posts coming up in October. So do stay tuned!

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