I'm all about lift and volume in my hair this season. A friend told me she liked Special Effects Power Lift so I ordered it for myself. I like it but it isn't better than other root lifters I have used. It's good for adding a little oomph to roots as well as layers and isn't sticky is used sparingly.

About the Product

Need a lift? If so, then Power lift is your new best friend. Power Lift energizes the roots of your hair so that each hair will stand up and be noticed. No more dumpy, frumpy hairstyles, just the latest and greatest to make you look your best.

Manufacturer's Info

Packaging

Special Effects Power Lift comes in a clear 6 ounce pump spray bottle. The product itself is a very light green color but doesn't leave any color on my hair. I don't have a clue why they would add color at all but it seems inert. The spray pumps out in a fine mist usually. Sometimes the top clogs and has to be flushed out with hot water in order it to not dribble or spray in a stream. The scent is decent. I barely notice it. It smells like typical hair products. Nothing special but not unpleasant.

My Experience

This spray is designed to be a root lifter but I have used it all over the underneath part of my hair. It can be used on wet or dry hair but I find it works better on dry hair. The spray bottle is non-aerosol and usually sprays a nice, fine mist but at times it clogs and I have to run the top under hot water to flush out the residue and get the pump working again.

I generally will either let my hair air dry if I am going for the wavy look or blow dry it if I am going for the straight look. Then, I lift up my roots and spray Special Effects Power Lift from about 10 inches away. I don't get much closer because it then makes my hair wet and sticky. From that distant, it only spritzes onto my hair.

At first, there is a little but of stickiness but that quickly goes away. The top of my hair looks less flat and has more volume. I also use this spray underneath my layers for a little added oomph and it works fine. Again, I have to use it sparingly to avoid stickiness or crunchy hair.

The volume at my roots lasts several hours but not all day or night. I can see my hair starting to get flatter as time goes on. It's very easy to touch up with Special Effects Power Lift . A quick spray to the underside of the roots will revive the volume and won't add buildup or residue.

I have only seen a bit of white residue when I overused the spray. In general, I can't see anything at all in my hair. I can comb through my hair but it's best to spray and fluff up the top and leave it rather than raking a comb or brush through it and dissipating the product.

I have used a number of root lifters and all seem to work about the same way. Special Effects Power Lift isn't overly special but it does what it claims to do and doesn't give me a hard time when I try to wash it out. It comes out easily and my hair doesn't have any residue after washing it.

My hair is heavy and I can't get it to do crazy things like people with fine or short hair could with this spray. I get a bit of lift and a little volume at the crown which is really all I want. I do wish the effect would last a bit longer so I don't have to carry the bottle with me but in all, I'm pretty happy with this spray.

Ingredients

These are the current ingredients in this product. they are subject to change without notice so please check the packaging before purchasing if you have allergies or sensitivities.

SD Alcohol 40, Deionized Water ,PVP/VA Copolymer, PVM/MA Copolymer, Dimethicone Copolyol, Silk Amino Acid, Fragrance, Methylparaben, Propylparaben, FD&C Blue #1, FD&C Yellow #6.

Buying Info

You can purchase Special Effects Power Lift at beauty supply stores and stores that sell hair care products. I think even Sears carries it. It is around $8.99 for the bottle which will last quite a while if just using it on the root area.

The Verdict

I like Special Effects Power Lift pretty well. It adds lift to my roots and even my under layers and, if I don't over apply, isn't sticky or crunchy. I am not thrilled that it has color in it for no reason but it doesn't affect my hair. Used sparingly, this product will give you some lift and volume but it does wear off faster than I had hoped. I am between a 3 and 4 star rating. I would rate it 3.5 but since I can't, I will go with 3 only because it wears off faster than some others and because the pump sprayer clogs a lot. It's still a good product and I recommend that you try it.

Recommended: Yes