By Erika, Fashion Expert
Over the last year or so, I have become more obsessed than ever with using the best ingredients to care for my skin, body and hair. Anyone who has followed along on the YCS Instagram account has, undoubtedly, seen me using my Andrelle’s Natural Skin Care, Kiehl’s, and The Body Shop products, or experimenting with my own concoctions in the InstaStories. Call it age, or maturity, or whatever, but lately, I’ve been more careful about the products I’m using on my body – making sure there is a measurable benefit and are all-natural when possible. That’s why I was particularly excited about the opportunity to review shampoo and scalp treatments from Kaff & Co.
Kaff & Co. is a Thai-based company that was started after the founder’s husband began to use Kaffir Lime Essential Oil to treat rashes and hair loss associated with a rheumatic condition. The company believes in “balance and harmony” and applies this concept throughout the entirety of its manufacturing and production process – from selecting the right natural ingredients – including kaffir lime, ginger rhizome, soap nut, Indian gooseberry, and pro-vitamin B5 – to managing the quantities and portions of each ingredient used. Each ingredient is selected because of their healing properties for the scalp and hair and all products have been lab-tested and verified by dermatologists for use.
Kaff & Co. offers two formulations each for shampoo – dry/normal scalp and oily – and scalp treatments – dandruff/itchy scalp and thinning/hair loss. Because I suffer from seborrheic dermatitis (a common skin condition that mainly affects your scalp and can cause scaly patches, red skin and stubborn dandruff), I chose the oily scalp and dandruff/itchy scalp formulations to try.
It seems counter intuitive to a lot of people for me to get a treatment for oily hair because many people think that the scaly patches and other signs of seborrheic dermatitis mean the scalp needs more oil. But the opposite is actually true as it is caused by an over production of oil (feel free to google seborrheic dermatitis if you want all of the details). At this point, I’ve had it for years and I’m able to keep it under control by trying manage my stress levels, water intake and diet, and using certain shampoos, conditioners and scalp treatments. However, other things that exacerbate the disease, like the weather, are beyond my control; therefore, with the seasons changing this was the perfect time for me to give Kaff & Co. a shot!
The Process & The Product
Using both products is simple enough. I mean, we all shampoo our hair regularly, right? Simply rinse your hair (I did my first treatment after a particularly grueling boot camp), use a few pumps of shampoo, lather and apply to your scalp. The key is to massage the shampoo into your hair AND scalp for about 30 seconds. I tend to do this anyway because of the way I treat my dermatitis, but it’s a helpful reminder for everybody! Rinse your hair and scalp and proceed as usual. I did two rounds of washing (I like the squeaky sound of clean hair and because it’s recommended for oily scalps) then skipped the conditioner. I read somewhere that this worked well even without conditioner and I really wanted to see if that was the case. Of course, you can use conditioner but, for the best results, it’s recommended that you avoid the scalp area with the conditioner.
The Ginger Rhizome & Kaffir Lime Shampoo is formulated to help remove excess sebum (the oil that causes seborrheic dermatitis), reduce hair fall, stimulate blood circulation and promote healthy hair growth. This is all thanks to the ginger rhizome – which can help supress an enzyme linked to hair loss and strengthen hair roots, among other things – and kaffir lime – which helps cleanse your hair and scalp of product residue, environmental pollutants, and sweat.
Next, I used the Kaffir Lime Essential Oil scalp treatment. This leave-on treatment helps improve scalp conditions and calm an irritated scalp; both of which I desperately needed given the extreme temperature swings in the weather lately. After towel drying my hair I added drops of the scalp oil directly to my scalp. I put a few extra drops in my known trouble spots, like my hairline and the back of my head, and then massaged it into my scalp. After that, I threw on my SLAP (another product review for another day) and went to bed. I would definitely recommend doing the scalp treatment at night as you’ll want to give it a chance to work its magic and it’s recommended that you avoid sunlight for a few hours after use. Bonus: my scalp got tingly (like, when you use tea tree oil, nothing scary!) after putting on the treatment. I always feel like something is working when I can feel it.
The Results
The next morning I brushed out my hair, blow dried a few damp spots (always on low, cool) and then flat ironed it. Much to my surprise, I felt the results almost immediately. I hadn’t needed any conditioner to soften my hair (I was worried about that since I’d skipped it) and only used a small amount of oil to flat iron my hair. Even sans conditioner, I could feel how soft my hair was. After just one use, I was really pleased with the product.
Since then, I’ve been using the scalp treatment every 2-3 nights and have also used the shampoo as a part of my regular wash cycle. I have noticed that even as the temperatures have dipped I haven’t had any dermatitis breakouts; I’m always on the look out at this time of year! I don’t normally use a ton of product in my hair and with this, I’ve been using even less. Just a little Vitamin E oil every few days and some edge control in the morning and I’m good to go!
I am very pleased with this product and would definitely recommend it – especially if you suffer from seborrheic dermatitis like me!
Where to Shop
For US-based customers, you can order Kaff & Co. products via Amazon! If you happen to be in Thailand, you can purchase the products on their website. Products range from about $15-$30.
Final Rating
(mostly because it’s just really hard to get 5 stars out of me for anything)
When you grab this product be sure to stop by YCS and let me know what you think!
XOXO,
Erika
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”