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Original poster

Percy & Reed hair products - am I missing something??

26 replies

NotNowBono · 03/05/2015 19:59

Just caught sight of this on QVC, with Allison insisting that the editor of Vogue and le tout beauty industry raves about P&R products, especially the 'hair primer' (who knew??). Apparently it's award-winning, amazing, transformational, stocked in SpaceNK, etc.

I got a 'try me' pack in TKMaxx, and the thickening/boouffing range left my hair a sticky, brittle mess. Thinking it might just be that range, I picked up another moisturising 'try me' pack, with no-oil oil, finishing pomade, and so on, and... same. Sticky, brittle, itchy scalp mess.

Am I missing something? Is there a hero product that works, or is my hair (fine, long, coloured) just wrong for it?

OP posts:
maybemyrtle · 03/05/2015 20:41

I think they had some great PR when they launched but the products aren't all that, IMHO.

ChippyMinton · 03/05/2015 22:06

I had good results with a freebie serum that came with a magazine. However, when I splashed the cash on a full size one, the product inside was completely different and their customer service didn't want to know (I couldn't get back to the shop to return it).

Darkchocsprinkles · 03/05/2015 22:08

Total crap.

HTH Grin

southeastastra · 03/05/2015 22:18

wasn't impressed sold my spray conditioner on ebay

PrimalLass · 03/05/2015 22:23

The Finishing Polish is really good.

Original poster
NotNowBono · 03/05/2015 22:30

I've got to stop watching QVC. It puts me in some sort of weird trance state.

but thanks all - might do some tactical regifting...

OP posts:
starlight36 · 03/05/2015 22:31

I 'donated' my free bottle of shampoo from a magazine giveaway to my DH as it didn't do anything for my thick wavy hair. It certainly didn't feel like a premium salon brand.

Trills · 03/05/2015 22:37

Not everyone's hair is the same.

Clearly you don't get on with it.

I found Moroccanoil shit.

I didn't think "that's crap, everyone else is wrong" - I thought that the people who like it must have different hair to me.

Original poster
NotNowBono · 03/05/2015 23:46

Er, no? I posted because it didn't do a lot for my hair, despite choosing the line aimed at my fairly standard hair type, and asked, before I junked it, if maybe there was something I was missing since it had had amazing reviews. Liz Earle hair oil made my hair lank until someone suggested using it as a mask, rather than a finishing product.

Or, as I said in my OP, maybe it just doesn't suit me. Hmm

OP posts:
Bostonpj · 04/05/2015 08:25

I like the finishing polish. I only use a tiny bit otherwise it makes my hair look greasy but it sorts out the frizzy dry bits! Not tried anything else from the range though.

polyhymnia · 04/05/2015 11:24

No, I haven't been impressed with them either. Think it's much better to stick with well established professional salon range, eg Kerastase, Pureology, than to chase the latest celeb hairdressers' products.

MmeMorrible · 04/05/2015 11:31

I found the 'no oil hair oil' quite good, I even used up the whole bottle which is unusual for me with hair products. I did buy mine from the salon in Gt Portland Street though. I wonder if the salon products are different from the mass market products?

On a separate note I didn't rate P&R as a salon. All style and little substance, very poor cut and a colour service that was OK but not worth the price.

Avysome1 · 14/10/2022 01:26

Absolutely agree, worst product ever had better from the pound shop. Left my hair knotty, brittle and full of residue. That's just the shampoo and conditioner. Had a whole set - 100 qui

Avysome1 · 14/10/2022 01:30

Absolute rubbish. Better products from poundland: left my hair a sticky brittle knotty mess after shampoo an conditioner, paid 100 quid for a set, well going back

LearnerCook · 14/10/2022 06:48

I tried the products that were in the M & S beauty advent calendars and wasn't impressed at all. Sadly, I find that with a lot of these 'wonder' products.

NashvilleQueen · 14/10/2022 06:49

As a curly hair person I like the wonder balm

Subbaxeo · 14/10/2022 07:32

I tried the mousse and it was ok, nothing more. My true hair wonder product for my ageing, fine, coloured hair is Bumble and Bumble hair primer. Makes a massive difference and you need such a tiny amount it lasts months.

TowerblocksAndSunflowers · 14/10/2022 07:36

I like the no oil oil. The one for thin hair (they also do one for thick hair)
It calms without flattening. Lovely smell too.

Ratonastick · 14/10/2022 07:52

i absolutely love the shampoo and conditioner. They are pretty rich, which seem to suit my massively over processed hair but I can definitely see that they would be grim for most people. Having said that, the styling products are dreadful. I just end up in a sticky greasy mess with them.

sandytooth · 14/10/2022 08:15

I've tried a few things and not got on with them so I see them as a thing thats given away in boxes and with magazines etc.

ObviouslyNotAMandy · 14/10/2022 08:16

I cannot stand the smell, makes me feel nauseous. I think it was the wonder balm that was in the m&s advent calendar and it was all I could smell every day. Awful!

AlannaOfTrebond · 14/10/2022 09:07

I love the no oil oil, it's perfect for my fine but very plentiful hair.

GonnaGetGoingReturns · 14/10/2022 09:48

Whenever I've 'borrowed' products if I stay with relatives/friends I'm not impressed, but DB's MIL likes it.

Smileyoriley · 15/10/2022 07:02

I have tried several products from the range having been hooked in by the sales pitch and getting freebies in magazines etc. I've been underwhelmed by hair products in the past but this brand seems particularly over- inflated and have noticed negative reviews are stamped down on pretty hard.

dontgobaconmyheart · 15/10/2022 10:33

I'm sure that vogue do endorse a company who's owners they have worked and had a symbiotic relationship with as hairdressers and session stylists for a number of years.

QVC makes excellent background noise but it's never a good idea to get sucked in. I've never felt the products look particularly premium when I've seen them and I've tried samples here and there as they always seem to make an appearance in beauty boxes, magazine free gifts etc, mostly fine but forgettable.

As an aside some the blurb on their website is so gauche, it made me cringe -

"The entire Percy & Reed team is formed of leading hairdressers. We don’t like to name drop but they are backstage regulars at London Fashion Week, session stylists at fashion photoshoots and they work with musicians, tv and film stars"

They wanted to share their wealth of knowledge and tricks of the trade with everyone, not just the rich and famous. So, in 2007 the Percy & Reed salon was founded on Great Portland Street in London’s iconic West End. Since then the salon has been the talk of the town, attracting a host of who’s who.

So philanthropic of them to mass produce very average haircare products for plebs as well as their preferred and usual clientele!