perfectprep's Full Review: Sleek Look Matrix Smoothing System Shampoo
About the Matrix Sleek.Look Smoothing System
"Sleek.Look" is a system of four products that are sold separately but that are designed to be used together in a specific sequence. The sequence consists of
All of these "Steps" are sold at exorbitant prices upwards of ten dollars apiece. Together, they cost me about $55, which is ridiculous pricing--that's half a hundred dollars. I figured it would only be worth it if my hair became the smoothest of the smooth. Though I was pleased with the results of the system, it is still difficult for me to justify the price, and I will try other similar products before buying this one again.
Matrix tries very hard to insist that you use every single one of the products. One of their taglines for the line is, "For sleekest results, never skip a step." The line also has 2 patents. One of the patents is for the styling creme, and the other patent is for the shampoo and conditioner when used together. The back of each bottle outlines the sequence of products. Basically, you are coerced into buying all four. Slightly annoying, but hey--it works.
The Styling Creme comes in two formulations. There is Light, which is for people who already have basically smooth hair and just need a little bit of shine and control. Extreme is designed for those with curly or coarse hair, who need heavy control. The salon I visited did not offer the Light formula, which is more appropriate for my hair, and so I bought the Extreme, which is the same price.
Matrix products claim to only be sold in salons, but if you look hard you might find them in drugstores sold in a sort of "black market". However if you buy them this way, they are not guaranteed by Matrix.
My Experience
The product line comes in matching bottles. Tall, sleek, shiny, and orange. I find the packaging very attractive. If you look closely at the writing on the back of the bottles, particularly the French translations, you will notice that they are slightly different on each bottle. Also, Step 3 "Smooth" is spelled "Smoothe" on the Conditioner bottle. It's kind of odd, but not a problem.
All of the products have basically the same smell. I am glad of that. It is a generic shampoo-ish smell; very fresh and clean, but not fruity or floral or anything. I have been told that my hair smells nice when I use this. The smell is very invigorating and is good for use in the morning shower, which is really when the product line is designed to be used, as opposed to in the night time.
The bottles provide very specific usage instruction.
First you use the shampoo as you would any other--lather, massage, rinse. I let the shampoo sit for about 30 seconds before rinsing, to let it "sink in" so to speak, and I don't repeat. For this price, I think repeating is really wasteful. Besides, it's not all that necessary.
After I rinsed the shampoo from my hair, it had a silky, VERY heavy and clean feel. This was promising.
The next step is the conditioner. The bottle instructs you to apply, massage, and rinse. I do let my conditioner sit at least 1 minute, and I always rinse in very cold water. I have found that a cold-water rinse makes my hair extra shiny. This works better in the bathtub--in the shower, it tends to freeze you. The conditioner left my hair feeling nice and silky.
Then you are supposed to towel dry your hair and rub in a little bit of the Styling Creme before blowdrying. This I did, and then let my hair air dry a bit. Then I hit the heater and found that I could easily put my hair into a beautiful sleek style after using these products. I use an ionic dryer, so that might have contributed.
In my first usage, I noticed that my hair was not really shiny after using these products. In fact, it was a bit dulled. In later usages I remedied that problem by adding my own tried and true products to the mix, especially Redken's Glass. Just a few drops of this restored a brilliant shine to my hair.
The final step is a misting of the lockdown spray, which is supposed to further repel humidity.
You really are supposed to use a blowdryer with this--I have tried air drying, but the results are not nearly as sleek. This mandates use in the morning--sleeping on "Sleeked" hair will most likely mess it up.
The first few tries with Sleek.Look, I wasn't able to create the look I craved. It did take practice--I really had to get used to the behavior of the products in my hair. After about 3 uses, I had finally mastered the technique. I figured out how to make my hair brilliantly smooth, straight, shiny, and un-frizzy--and keep it that way for almost the whole day.
One of the line's big claims is that it literally locks out humidity, therefore inhibiting frizz. This is fairly--but not entirely--true. I found that with Sleek.Look, my hair resisted the frizzies much better than it does without. On the weekends, I give my hair a break from Sleek.Look, and I immediately notice how much puffier and messier it is. However...Sleek.Look will not get you through a torrent or even a light rain. And on days with over 60-65% humidity, you will definitely need to touch up your hair at least once during the day--this will involve brushing it carefully, re-doing your part and the hairs around your face, and maybe adding a little more Lockdown Spray or redken Glass. This will render it almost as good as new.
I have fairly straight hair to begin with. My problem is that it is very frizzy. I have no idea regarding how this product will work with people who have coarse or curly hair. It isn't really extra-strength, so don't expect much, but the results are very nice on those with approximately my hair type.
I do consider the line worth $50. Firstly, the products last awhile. The exception is probably the Smoothing Creme, which I am almost out of. With a little effort, you can have pretty results that will get you compliments and that are gorgeous for special occasions. This kind of result does take time and moderate effort. I'd like to offer a few tips for those of you considering a purchase:
1) Hands off. Once you have rubbed the styling creme into your hair, do not touch it any more. Instead, use a rubber-based brush or wide comb when you need to move it. Touching your hair redistributes the oils and will mess up your "sleek" style quite quickly. Try to keep your hands off during the day, as well--you might want to tote a small brush or comb for convenience.
2) Unless your hair is very oily and prone to buildup, it's a good idea to invest in a shine-enhancing product--gloss drops of some sort. The best one I have used yet is Redken Glass, and I swear by it--check out the Epinions on it. Paul Mitchell makes a similar product which I do not reccommend as highly. At reflect.com you can design customized "Glisten Drops", which I have not tried, but they look excellent. Use your shine enhancing product sometime between the styling creme and the hair spray. Wet or dry--it's your choice. You may need to add a few additional drops after the spray.
3) Sleek.Look will add buildup to your hair, so you must use strategies to combat it. Be sure you wash your hair very thoroughly every day, and make an effort to rinse out every speck of shampoo and conditioner. I suggest that you give your hair a "day off" at least once a week. Use a clarifying shampoo--no need to invest in an expensive one; Suave brand is fine--to rid your hair of build-up, and a light spray on conditioner (I like Aveda Styling Curessence.) If your hair is very dry, you could also consider a hair masque or intensive treatment for your "day off".
4) Get a good brush. A round blowdryer brush is not your best bet here--something more along the lines of a paddle brush is better. Check out Scunci's new line of "Smooth and Straighten" and "Smooth and Shine" brushes. I have a small blue "Smooth and Straighten" brush, and it works perfectly with Sleek.Look products. Clean your brush at least once a week for maximum performance and minimum buildup.
5) For a sleek, polished finish, create a nice part. Parts off to the side a bit, rather than smack down the middle, are usually more flattering. A ruler-straight part looks perfect with Sleek.Look hair. I ues the Part Pizazz to create mine, but any thin sharp object can be used to draw a part--try a mechanical pencil with the lead removed. It's definitely more economical than a special part kit like mine.
6) Ionic tools, such as Sharper Image's Ionic Hair Wand and Ionic blowdryer, will refine the hair cuticle, adding to the effects of Sleek.Look.
Maybe this sounds like great lengths to go to for good hair, but it is worth it for me. I continue to recieve compliments on my new hair, and I actually enjoy the routine of getting it glossy and straight in the morning. Before I buy again, though, I'm going to look into other brands of smoothing products, like Pantene's smoothing line, and the Suave/CVS brand smoothing lines, all of which are much cheaper--because $50 really is a lot, smooth hair or not.
Matrix Sleek Look Smoothing System Shampoo contains unique patented formulas to help transform curly, frizzy, dry or coarse hair into a salon-smooth s...More at Folica.com
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