On and off for a good few years now I have dabbled with Lee Stafford's Hair Growth Treatment which essentially is a protein packed, thick somewhat conditioning cream treatment. The jury is still out on deciding if it does in fact encourage the hair to grow or if the power of suggestion is at play. My hair grows rather quickly naturally, I tend to use it to treat my scalp and lightly condition my bleached roots. The problem with Lee Stafford's Hair Growth Treatment is that it is forever out of stock and at £8.99 it can become a pricey habit when you have thick hair. While browsing Superdrug's website I noticed a similar product, at half the price no less from one of my favourite hair care brands Palmer's and decided to give it a whirl. Sadly in this instance it really is a case of what you get, is what you pay for.
Let me begin by saying that the Palmer's Olive Oil hair care line in general is nothing short of fantastic - deeply conditioning, reasonably priced and perhaps one of the best sulphate and paraben free lines I have ever used. I try to approach every product I try with an open mind and a "What is the worst that could happen" attitude but simply could not bring myself to smear the thick jelly substance that is Palmer's Olive Oil Formula Gro Therapy on my scalp, let alone my hair.
When you first open the tub you are greeted with what can only be described as green tinged Vaseline - both in appearance and texture. Being somewhat put off by the consistency, I scooped out a little, toyed around with it on the back of my hand and couldn't quite fathom how dry hair would cope with such a balm like product. Further intrigued, I quickly glanced at the ingredients list and was greeted by Petroleum, then Paraffin (essentially the wax form of Petroleum) and Lanolin. As a side note I have no issue Lanolin but see it as a heavy duty skin barrier come moisturiser as far as the beauty world is concerned - it is not something I would apply knowingly to my scalp. Yes Palmer's Olive Oil Formula Gro Therapy contains olive oil to condition along with protein elements to repair and encourage growth but in my opinion any benefits are cancelled out with the less than stellar reliance on Petroleum and Paraffin. Simply put this won't aid your hair/scalp in the growth and renewal process, it is more likely to result in greasy roots and after time I suspect blocked pores. Do yourself a favour and purchase a few of Palmer's Protein Packs, they will be far more beneficial.
Palmer's Olive Oil Formula Gro Therapy £4.59/250ml via Superdrug - link.
Palmer's Coconut Oil Formula Protein Pack £1.99 each via Superdrug - link.
I used a Palmer's Olive Oil hair treatment on my hair when visiting my aunt in Toronto about ten years ago. I'm not saying it was this hair treatment specifically, but it was Palmer's Olive Oil and it was in a tub. Anyway, it would. Not. Wash. Out.
ReplyDeleteI scrubbed it with every shampoo I could find in my aunt's bathroom and it wouldn't budge. Tried washing up liquid, but to no avail. My aunt had to take my to her hairdresser to get them to fix it. My hair looked black with grease and I was in hysterics. They washed my hair so many times over the space of a few hours and hopped to the shop next door to buy vinegar to pour through my hair. They did a fantastic job, but my hair looked like it needed washed for the rest of the holiday. I looked greasy in every photo taken the whole time I was there.
So to sum up - you have made a good call it not putting this stuff anywhere near your hair!
Oh my goodness! So sorry to hear that but thank you so much for taking the time to write the comment as it has more than cemented that this will not be going on my hair. I'm willing to bet the product you applied had petroleum jelly in it too. I hope your holiday wasn't ruined by the experience?
DeleteI was a wee fifteen year-old goth, so luckily greasy hair didn't massively detract from my image! But it was a fairly scarring experience.
DeleteWhat a shame! I'm so glad I read this and was tempted to pick it up, but I think I will try the protein packs instead :)
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ReplyDeletei buy lee stafford from boots, and always find it in stock instore, i feel like it has helped my hair grow but now it has plateaued, lol
Deletei'll check out palmers as its paraben free :-)
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ReplyDeleteThanks for the heads up! I'd be curious to know how this would work on lips as that's what the ingredients are saying to me.
ReplyDeleteI think I'll be picking up a Protein Pack! :)
Maeve // Thrift O'Clock
Oh dear, what a shame, the body care from palmers is excellent! xx
ReplyDeleteBeauty Soup || UK Beauty Blog
Great post, thanks for the warning!
ReplyDeleteABlogByPhilippa
Ah that's a shame! That type of consistency might be better suited to afro-textured hair though as it is usually dryer and moisture retaining but I definitely agree the thickness can be off-putting.
ReplyDeleteLove your blog and the fact you write your honest opinion - hard to come by sometimes!
Ivana @ Hope & Ramble x
I've been using the Lee Stafford Hair Growth range for about half a year and have found that the shampoo makes the most difference. I love the protein packs by Palmers they make my hair feel great and smell amazing!
ReplyDeletehttp://xxchloescloset.blogspot.co.uk/
I recently bought a Mane and Tail Herbal Gro and it sounds very similar to this. It has a Vaseline texture and I can't bring myself to use it. I read the bad reviews on amazon after I bought it and I think I've just wasted my money! Good job it was cheap!
ReplyDeleteVicky xo
describethesky.co.uk
I love how honest you are x
ReplyDeletehttp://my--socalledlife.blogspot.com.es/
Great post. I am always on the search for some new hair masks, I will be sure not to pick this up x
ReplyDeletepintsizedbeauty.blogspot.co.uk
I totally need this I get such dry scalp in the winter not to mention dry hair
ReplyDelete♥ Fancy Nancy’s YouTube