The last time we spoke about hair, I told you about Neal’s Yard Remedies’ affordable haircare products, which I myself have been using for quite a while. However, there are other, more high-end haircare brands in the natural cosmetic market that are also used by professionals. One of these is the American brand Rahua.
Although I’ve been curious about Rahua’s products for some years now, it wasn’t until I began receiving requests for haircare posts that I actually gave them a try. I tested the normal version of the two shampoos available, as I suspect the gentleness of the Voluminous shampoo would make it too mild for me. I also tried out the rich and hydrating conditioner and the Voluminous Spray.
The products were given to me for testing by Rahua’s Finnish retailer, Candyshop.
An Ecuadorian Quechua native based in New York, renowned hairstylist Fabian Lliguin is the man behind Rahua. Women from the Quechua-Shuar tribe are known for their lustrous shiny hair, owing, they believe, to their use of Ungurahua oil. The men of the tribe collect the nuts from Ungurahua trees deep in the Amazonian rainforest, and those nuts are then made into a golden oil by the women. This is the secret behind Rahua’s products, with the name itself derived from the name of the nourishing and strengthening oil.
Just one wash with the products was enough to explain the hype; I have no trouble believing, as the Quechua-Shuar women claim, that the oil is the secret ingredient to their lovely locks.
Rahua’s products are 100% natural, and I give them top marks for that alone. They are also vegan, and many of their ingredients are organically grown. For me, the brand is golden, and who could help loving a brand with a picture of Eros (or perhaps a native? Let’s go with Eros) gracing their bottles?
I’ve certainly fallen for Rahua – so let’s have a look at their products!
Just the packaging of the shampoo is beautiful enough that it made me worry about whether the product itself would live up to it. Luckily, as I said, I was over the moon after the first wash. The formula is of the highest quality. Despite being sulphate free, the shampoo gives a lovely thick lather, and the washing strength is just perfect, leaving the hair clean but not rubbery. I think I will occasionally need to use a deep-cleansing shampoo along with Rahua’s, however.
Besides Ungurahua oil, the shampoo contains quinoa to hydrate the hair; shea butter and coconut to purify and nourish the scalp; purifying and nourishing sea salt; as well as Aloe Vera, green tea and rosemary, all of which likewise clean and provide hydration for the scalp. The shampoo has a coconut-y scent, with a hint of tangy green tea, and rosemary.
The true wonder product from Rahua, however, is the conditioner. It’s one of the best conditioners I’ve ever tested, and makes the hair glossy, smooth, and easy to comb through, without flattening it. It is very long lasting, and deliciously rich. You can also use it as a styling product on the hair ends.
The conditioner has the same lovely scent as the shampoo, and it leaves the hair lovely and fragrant even after it it’s dry. The ingredients are also more or less the same: green tea, Aloe Vera, rosemary, raspberry, and molasses. In addition to the Ungurahua oil, both products contain also rare Palo Santo oil, related to the frankincense tree, and also native of Ecuador. The smoothing effect of the conditioner is thanks to colza oil, a derivative of canola oil.
There are only a few hairstyling products available on the natural cosmetics market at the moment, and my experiences with them aren’t especially good. I’m a massive fan of synthetic dry shampoo, in fact, but I’m on the lookout for a natural alternative. As such, I was really curious about Rahua’s Voluminous Spray, which claims to provide lightness, volume, and even beachy waves. The spray forms a light layer on the hair, and will survive a quick shampoo wash, improving its effect with every usage. It can be applied to both wet and dry hair.
Salt sprays often make the hair feel coarse and lifeless, which is another reason for my interest in this product. It’s not as potent as dry shampoo, of course, but do like it a lot, and it does what it says and works perfectly for me. The spray gives my thick and heavy hair just enough volume and airiness, without flattening it. I’m currently using the spray together with dry shampoo, and it has allowed me to cut back on my usage of the latter, to where I’m only using it half as often as I used to. Let’s see if I get comfortable enough to ditch the dry shampoo entirely, one day.
The effectiveness of the product seems to be based on different kinds of plant extracts, like lemon peel, lemongrass, corn, sugar cane, cotton, and apple extract, as well as lavender oil, eucalyptus oil and a tiny bit of sea salt. The words aromatherapy is embossed on the side of the bottle, and with ingredients like these, it’s certainly true and the scent is gorgeous.
In Finland, Rahua’s products are available at Candyshop. From their packaging to their scent and their potency, these products are worth every penny, and I heartily recommend you try them out.
The following post in the series will be featuring another professional haircare brand.
Have a beautiful weekend, friends!
Wooden feathers and glass cover from Peroba
Photos Katja Kokko
Translation Katja Nikula
