Review: Kiehl's Sunflower Colour Preserving Conditioner

A short while after starting my new job about six months ago, I wandered down the Kings Road one lunch time, only to find a Kiehl's shop.  The lady in there took me round, showing me gorgeous products, and finished off by giving me a hand massage (free of charge).  So, you know, I felt compelled to buy something - and given my never ending obsession with silicone free conditioners, I ended up walking out with a tube of the Sunflower Colour Preserving Conditioner.

Not only is it free from silicone, it's also free from sulfates and parabens.  This virtuous conditioner contains apricot kernel oil and sunflower oil, and claims to "protect colour-treated hair from becoming dry and dull".  If you go back and read that sentence again, maybe you'll agree that the name of the conditioner - which puts the emphasis on preservation - doesn't really match up with the description, which talks about dryness and dullness.  Still, this doesn't really bother me, as I don't really believe that conditioners can help preserve colour all that much - in my mind, it's the shampoo that contributes to fading.

Anyway - the absolute best thing about this product is the scent.  Despite being named for the sunflower oil, it smells gloriously, intensely, freshly of apricots, in a way that takes me back to being a teenager, purchasing Aapri cleanser (which I thought was so expensive at around £4) and using it oh-so-slowly, whilst luxuriating in the scent.  It's a good thing that the instructions for this state that it should be left on the hair for a few minutes, as I very much enjoy relaxing for a short while, just inhaling the scent.  It lasts for around an hour after rinsing, and while it's a shame that it doesn't last longer, I suspect it would interfere with fragrance if it did.

The texture is thick, rich and creamy, and despite the lack of silicone, it does have a decent amount of slip, distributing through the hair easily.  After rinsing, my hair always feels soft, and thanks to the thickness of the product it clings to the hair well enough to help with stubborn tangles.

I've also found that a teeny tiny dab of this conditioner is effective as a leave in conditioner; despite the richness, it's pretty light in texture, and a drop or two doesn't overload the hair so long as it's kept close to the ends.  Added bonus is that the sumptuous fragrance sticks around a little longer, too.

Overall - I love this conditioner.  However, at a whopping £18 for 200ml, this isn't the kind of conditioner most people can afford to use on a regular basis.  For a special treat, though, it's gorgeous - mostly because of the scent.

If you'd like to try Kiehl's Sunflower Colour Preserving Conditioner for yourself, you'll find it in Kiehl's stores, department store counters, or online, where it will cost £18 for 200ml.

What do you think?  Would you buy a conditioner (or any product bar perfume!) purely for the scent?