Nexxus City Shield Shampoo, Conditioner & Damage Defense Hair Crème Review

Back in June, I attended a Today's Parent-sponsored event at the Joe Fresh on Queen W. that gave me a 25% discount on my purchases, free wine and a swag bag. This wasn't an exclusive event, anyone could go, and because of that I didn't have high hopes for the swag bag. So I was quite surprised to discover that the bag contained, among other goodies, full-sized bottles of Nexxus' City Shield shampoo, conditioner and a leave-in product called Damage Defense Hair Crème.

Even better was discovering that this line is basically designed for me. According to Nexxus, this line "offers a reinvigorating veil of protection against the environment, controlling frizz, making your hair manageable and giving it a natural-looking healthy shine," with the Damage Defense Hair Crème having a "... Salon crafted formula (that) smoothes and defends fine to medium hair " As a city-dweller with frizz-prone fine hair, this line sounded perfect to me.

And it turns out that this trio is perfect for my hair. Shortly after I started using this line in late June, I noticed that my hair was noticeably less frizzy, despite it being hot and humid outside. It was also soft, shiny and manageable without being weighed down or greasy.  In other words, Nexxus' claims that the "anti-humidity shampoo helps protect hair from the elements" and "gently cleanses urban-stressed hair" while the conditioner, "... helps moisturize hair, improve manageability, and reduce frizz – and all while protecting your hair from external aggressors and retaining plenty of natural movement" were completely true in my case. Could my hair have been a bit more shiny? Sure but I'll take a little less shine if it means less frizz.

Further proof of this line's results came in the second half of July when I went away on vacation. Since I was using full-sized bottles, I left them in Toronto. I soon came to regret that decision even though I was in Alberta, the land humidity forgot. After a few days my frizz returned and my hair just didn't have the same spark and shine that it did while in Toronto. I've been home a week now and my hair still isn't quite back to where it was before my trip but I think we're getting there.

According to Nexxus, this line's great results are because contain wheat protein and Indian Lotus Extract as well as something called Phyto Protein Complex that "helps protect against urban pollutants" as well as "helps hair enjoy improved movement." The shampoo is also "Silicone and colourant free formula."

While so far I've only used all three products together, I will likely run out of the conditioner and shampoo before I finish the cream, a situation that will let me test out how well that product performs without the support of its line members. Hopefully it will continue to "help fine to medium hair stay smooth throughout the day." The cream also supposedly, "...provid(es) soft hold for your style" and "...leaves your style supple and adaptable" but since I don't really style my hair, I can't comment on those claims.

Scent-wise this line has a light, slightly sweet smell that I suspect will appeal to most people, particularly since it doesn't linger.

I think most people will also enjoy the simple, elegant and most importantly functional packaging this line comes it. Its price point is a bit higher than your typical drugstore line but I think it's worth every penny. The shampoo and conditioner retail for around $15/$16 while the cream is a touch more.

Would I buy these products: Yes, I just hope I can find it somewhere other than Well.ca (nothing against that site, I just prefer to shop in brick-and-mortar stores).

Should you buy these products: If your hair-enemy is frizz and you have fine-to-medium locks, this trio is for you.