I have wanted to try Colleen Rothschild’s Quench & Shine Restorative Mask for years. It seems to be a cult product that everyone loves and raves about, but I just can’t find it on sale in the UK.
In the end, I bit the bullet and decided to buy it directly from the US. I’ve been hit by exorbitant import charges before so I was wary, but still determined to get hold of it, whatever the price.
Unfortunately, the full-sized mask is nearly always out of stock. I found a way around that though and bought three Quench & Shine Trial & Travel Essentials kits for $54.00 each (which includes a 50ml tub of mask).
I’ve listed the exact costs if you were thinking of purchasing from the UK.
BREAKDOWN OF COSTS:
- 3 kits $54.00 each $162.00
- Shipping – To the UK $39.95
- Discount Coupon (-$48.60)
- Total price $153.35 UK £112.13 (which includes a £3.00 transfer fee)
NOTES:
See that whopping $48.00 discount? You can ALWAYS find a discount code/coupon for Colleen Rothschild products either online or via one of the many emails they bombard you with once you make a purchase.
Remember those tv shows where a ‘thrifty mom’ would get $700.00 of groceries for 6 cents? It’s a voucher paradise over there, and unlike the greedy UK, in some places, you can layer the coupons for multiple discounts. The discount covered the shipping cost so I was happy.
There was no import charge because the invoice amount declared the goods cost $30.00 which is exempt from taxes and below the declaration figure. I won’t lie, I was expecting a letter from USPS asking for money to release the products, but thankfully it never came.
The packages took about two and a half weeks to arrive.
IN EACH KIT:
QUENCH & SHINE RESTORATIVE SHAMPOO – 100 ml (3.3 fl oz)
An ultra-hydrating, colour-safe shampoo infused with Moringa Oil and Shea Butter to lock in moisture and add lustrous shine without weighing hair down. Biotin and Niacinamide deliver essential nourishment, leaving hair feeling restored, healthy and strong. Designed for everyday use and perfect for all hair types. Paraben-Free and Sulfate-Free.
QUENCH & SHINE RESTORATIVE MASK – 50 ml (1.7 fl oz)
A colour-safe conditioning treatment to soften, detangle and revive all hair types without weighing it down. An ultra-rich blend of Kokum, Shea, Cupuaçu and Bacuri Butters quenches thirsty strands, enriching hair with nourishment and hydration. Argan and Moringa Oils smooth unruly split-ends and deliver a healthy-looking shine. Improved hair elasticity and strength help reduce frizz and texture, resulting in supremely soft, irresistibly touchable hair. This mask can be used daily as a conditioner or as an intensive weekly treatment.
SMOOTH & SHINE HAIR SERUM – 30 ml (1 fl oz)
Helps banish frizz, tame flyaways and quench dry ends with the light-weight, transformative power of Cotton Seed Oil. Essential nutrients from Neem Oil and Hibiscus Oil help strengthen, protect and nourish hair so that it feels soft and looks amazing!
PROTECT & PERFECT STYLING CREAM – 30 ml (1 fl oz)
A lightweight, leave-in treatment, uses a blend of Shea and Cupuaçu Butter to help defend against heat and humidity, smoothing hair while maintaining body and movement. Argan and Moringa Oil help impart shine and tame flyaways without weighing hair down. Perfect before air-and-blow-drying.
MICROFIBRE WET HAIR SCRUNCHIE
Wet hair, don’t care! After a shower, workout or dip in the pool, secure your damp hair into this oversized, super-absorbent scrunchie.
HOW TO USE
Apply the shampoo to wet hair and scalp working into a rich, foaming lather. Rinse thoroughly until water runs clear. Repeat if necessary.
Follow with the mask to clean, damp hair. Massage from root to ends. Rinse. Can be used as a daily conditioner, or as an intensive weekly treatment.
Apply serum sparingly and evenly onto damp hair before heat-styling or smooth through dry hair for a terrific finish with added shine.
Apply styling cream evenly to towel-dried hair from roots to ends. Style as usual.
REVIEW (finally)
FRAGRANCE
I have to address this first because the scent is very strong and distinctive. A few people have complained about it and I have seen some people liken it to fly spray.
The thing is, I get that reference because there’s a brand of fly/wasp repellent (called RAID I think in a blue can) that does share a couple of notes of the fragrance. It’s not as crazy as you think, because I remember using the spray in the summer and thinking that’s a nice scent for such an unpleasant product. I’m super sensitive to fragrance, but even I think it’s absolutely fine, but be warned it is strong.
I was only ever interested in the mask but the rest of the products blew me away.
QUENCH & SHINE RESTORATIVE SHAMPOO
Having said all that, the shampoo is a different scent, slightly citrusy/floral, it’s very nice. If the rest of the line matched this, there would be no complaints.
I was surprised to read that it’s sulfate-free because I’ve never known a shampoo to foam up this way, the tiniest amount creates a huge volume of suds.
Then I read that the second ingredient after water, is Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate – which is best described as a distant cousin to sulfate, something to think about perhaps?
All I know is that it leaves my hair soft, shiny, and swishy and I’d be more than happy to purchase a full-size bottle.
PROTECT & PERFECT STYLING CREAM
The scent is a little stronger than the serum, but again, it’s a wonderful product and is to be used sparingly. I apply it to towel-dried hair (actually I don’t towel dry my hair, I pat it dry, takes ages). You can immediately feel a difference in the texture of your hair and it blow dries beautifully.
SMOOTH & SHINE HAIR SERUM
This reminds me of the best hair serum ever made, even better than the original John Frieda Frizz Ease (they relaunched it years ago and made a right cock-up, it’s all greasy now, I had to bin mine). I am, of course, talking about Kerastase serum in a small glass bottle, long discontinued, never beaten, and only remembered by me as no one else seems to have ever heard of it.
This is the closest match I’ve found. It’s non-greasy and like the rest of Colleen’s products, you need the smallest amount. The scent doesn’t linger and I apply it to dry hair for shine and to the ends to tame.
MICROFIBRE WET HAIR SCRUNCHIE
I’m sorry, I just can’t review the scrunchie because I cannot bear to touch it. If you ever wanted to torture me – although I don’t think the blog is that bad, then pass a microfibre cloth over my fingertips. Worse, rub it along a cracked heel – I’ll tell you everything.
All I can say is, it’s quite big and well made.
QUENCH & SHINE RESTORATIVE MASK
The star! I had to break into a second pot because I love it so much, I’m trying not to use it after every shampoo.
This is very highly scented and it does linger on your hair. It’s not so bad that someone would come up behind you and say, excuse me Madam Miss, are you wearing Eau de Fly spray? But it’s definitely there.
The mask itself is creamy coloured and very rich and thick. It has a sheen on it and looks like it could be too oily for your hair, it contains a blend of Shea, and Bacuri butters and Argan and Moringa oils. But there’s no greasy residue, it rinses out easily and you think perhaps it’s not doing much until you dry your hair which then looks and feels like a shiny salon blow-dry. I’m not surprised it’s constantly sold out. The hype is real and hair becomes noticeably softer as you continue to use it.
Let me know if you’ve used Colleen Rothschild hair products, I know there are a lot of readers in the US, I’d be interested to know your thoughts.
Colleen also has a skincare line, but I don’t know if skincare came before or after haircare. Was the line (which seems quite expensive) an add-on to the hair products or did it come first? The line has good reviews though.
SHOPPING INFO
Quench & Shine Trial & Travel Essentials * $54.00
FULL-SIZE PRODUCTS
Protect & Perfect Styling Cream 100ml * $28.00
Quench & Shine Restorative Shampoo 400ml * $28.00
Smooth & Shine Hair Serum 100ml * $28.00
*Affiliate links
