Zep Microwave Miracle Cleaner

I received this product complimentary from Zep and Crowdtap.

For those who follow this blog, all two of you out there (hi people!) you know my reviews are pretty positive. You may think I make up positive reviews because companies send me free items. Trust me when I say all of my reviews are honest - no matter what the outcome. And today should be proof of that.

I tried Zep products last year and was impressed with them, especially their degreaser. So when I was selected to receive their microwave cleaner I was really excited. If it worked anything like their other products, I'd be very happy. 

The instructions are easy enough. Spray thoroughly inside the microwave, turn the microwave on for 1-2 minutes, then let cool and wipe it off. No problem. Only, there is. The product turns into foam, and you can't really "spray" it. It just kind of foams out thinly near the nozzle. This made getting the foam to the top and back of my microwave extremely difficult, especially since I have an over-range microwave. 

I turned the microwave on and waited. When it was done, I let it cool for a few seconds and then wiped with a paper towel. It did look cleaner - but no cleaner than my usual products. In fact, I had to go back in with my regular cleaner and clean up the mess. Here is a before and after.

Before

After

Please note - in the second picture the glass tray has been removed.

Since I had to go back with my regular product, this made double work for me. I was so upset this product didn't live up to the rest of the Zep products I've tried.

Another very, VERY important note. Be really careful with this product. As I mentioned, my microwave is above my stove. When I first "sprayed" the product some of it fell on my stove. I wiped it up thoroughly. However, it ended up clogging my gas stove and long story short, the gas company had to be called because we smelled gas and feared a leak. Thankfully, it was not dangerous, but it definitely scared us. The technician's first question was if we had used a cleaning product on it. So...please take that into consideration when using.

Anyway, as much as I love the Zep family of products, I do not recommend their microwave cleaner.

DESSANGE Paris Oleo Miracle Replenishing System

I received these products complimentary from Influenster for testing purposes.

I received full-sized bottles of DESSANGE Paris Oleo Miracle Replenishing shampoo, conditioner, and oil from Influenster last week and tried the products over the weekend.

The pros - I absolutely LOVE the scent. It's difficult to explain, but it's a sweet, woodsy scent that smells natural - not soapy or perfumy. I also love the way it lathered, and especially how soft the lather was. It didn't feel harsh as some other shampoos do. It was very silky going on.

I let my hair air dry after using all three of the products, and after it was completely dry my hair felt very soft. It looked shiny too.

The cons - First of all, disclaimer - I have VERY thick hair, and a lot of it. What may not work for me may work for you if you have hair of a different texture and length. But this was my experience.

Even with using the conditioner and oil, I experienced many more flyaways than usual. More than I experienced in dry winter months. Even after using my straightener, they were still there, which I found very odd.

Next, the oil did indeed make my hair soft - but it also made the top part of my head look oily. Oddly enough, it didn't FEEL oily, but it looked like I hadn't even washed that part. I washed it a second day, using the shampoo and conditioner and skipping the oil, and though I still had the same amount of flyaways, the oily problem was gone.

The third issue I had was the price. As mentioned above, I received all the items for free. But each item, which can be found at Target, range from $9.99 to $11.99 (as of March 16, 2015). If you want the entire set, you will pay $31.97. Though pricey, it would be understandable if the bottles were larger. But at a little over 8 ounces for the shampoo, I just can't see myself spending that much for a product that doesn't properly manage my hair. I HAVE spent more on hair care, but I saw incredible results from those products.

If your main concern is dry hair, then I would definitely give this system a try. It could work for you. I wish it had worked better for me.

My hair after not using the oil. Shiny, but lots of flyaways.