Being a typical beauty enthusiast, after coming to the end of my last bottle of hair serum, I decided to search for something even better and more amazing than any I've previously tried. Initialiste Hair & Scalp from Kerastase caught my eye. I've never sampled any of Kerastase's vast array of raved about products, so I thought that this concentrate would be a nice introduction to the brand. However, this is not your ordinary, run of the mill, hair serum.

Usually when it comes to hair serums, the less-is-more approach is adopted. You avoid adding the product anywhere near the roots of the hair at all costs, focusing on the drier lengths and ends. Not with this one. You put this into towel-dried hair and, instead, massage it into the scalp and run the excess through the rest of the hair, before moving on to other products and styling. It feels odd. The first few times I used this, I was cautious. Now that I know it won't leave me looking like I've been dunked, head-first, into a vat of oil, I'm a lot less tentative in my application. No matter how much I seem to use, my porous locks just can't get enough, drinking it up and refusing to be weighed down by it. For a serum, this is extremely light and runny in consistency, allowing it to spread easily, without drowning the hair. Hair isn't left feeling greasy, sticky or tacky, as it feels almost like water. Of course, that has a downside and means that it doesn't feel as nourishing or luxurious, compared to others I've sampled. As to be expected from a high-end haircare brand, Initialiste has a pleasant, fresh fragrance to it, which isn't at all offensive.

Using Initialiste isn't a walk in the park and does take some time getting used to. Rather then just quickly slapping some on, there is a specific process to follow, which is a bit of a faff in the busy mornings. Section by section, starting at the hairline, you drag the pipette through the hair, towards the back of the neck. As you do so, you distribute the serum onto the scalp, by gently squeezing out a little at a time and massaging it in with your fingers, as you go. In order to cover the majority of the scalp, you have to repeat the process across your head. Kerastase recommend dividing the serum between 2-3 sections of hair, if you have fine hair and 4-5, if you have thicker locks. Once done, you can use your fingers to really work the product onto the scalp and into the roots of the hair, to make sure everything is properly covered.

 I have very long hair and, to cover my scalp sufficiently, I find that I have to use 3-4 pipettes worth of serum per application, at least. A 60ml bottle isn't going to last me much longer and considering it isn't cheap, at £34, that does put me off sticking with it and repurchasing. In terms of packaging, the bottle is gorgeous for a hair product. The pipette is obviously necessary for the application process, but I wish all brand's serums/oils had one, to avoid any mess or waste. Being so luxurious has some downsides, though. Due to the opaque label, it's difficult to tell how much serum is left and the bottle weighs a tonne. Made from glass, it isn't practical for travelling and you can't just decant it into a smaller, lighter container, as the pipette is crucial to the use of it. Annoying!

AGB X