Press samples
Back in my Tata Harper days, whenever I had a shift at Sephora Pacific Centre, the Tata Harper end cap was always close in proximity to the luxury haircare brand Alterna. I had never heard of the brand until a couple of years ago and when I started looking into it, I put it on my wishlist, but because of the price point I could never decide which products to try. Now, I am more willing to spend on haircare, but mainly on treatments and masks versus shampoos.
Last Fall, I was able to test a selection of Alterna Caviar products and I have been using them for 3 months in various ways to make sure I understood which combinations worked best for my hair. The Caviar collection is infused with pure caviar extract from non-endangered sustainably farmed sturgeon in France. Caviar extract is rich in Omega 3 fatty acids, proteins, minerals and vitamins A, C and D. According to Alterna, caviar extract restructures the lipid layer of the hair which reduces water loss at the surface level resulting in hair looking more hydrated. In addition, there is also a proprietary blend of “Sea Silk” and “Age Control Complex” to help combat physical, environmental, natural signs of aging and stress to eventually lead to brittle and dry hair.
Replenishing Moisture Shampoo
This shampoo focuses on restoring moisture to very dry and dull hair to improve texture, manageability, shine and softness. With how coarse and dry my hair is naturally from being colour-treated, I thought this shampoo would be my meal ticket to TV commercial hydrated hair, but it was actually TOO hydrating for my roots. I don’t have fine hair either, but perhaps because I don’t have a lot of hair to begin with (I fluff it up to make it look deceptively more voluminous), the extra hydration was just too intense. The caviar extract is found about halfway down the ingredients list and whether caviar extract truly does anything for the hair in this concentration I am not sure, but I do kind of enjoy knowing it’s in there! This shampoo will be going to my mom who I am sure will love it!
Multiplying Volume Shampoo
This shampoo worked so nicely for me that I will probably finish the bottle which says a lot as I always have shampoos to review! While the texture of this was very similar to the Replenishing Shampoo, in addition to all of caviar goodness, this shampoo contains a volume building “Marine Plumping Complex” (sea kelp and biotin) that gives hair lightweight volume. I actually get decent volume after blow-drying at my roots that lasts even if I skip a day of washing my hair. This shampoo also has the caviar extract listed much higher on the ingredients list so all in all THIS shampoo has been a fantastic addition to my haircare routine!
We can all relate to being in a shower and hating the idea of fiddling with caps so I LOVE the fact that these Alterna bottles are a “twist and squeeze”! Both the shampoo and conditioner formulas are on the thicker side so storing them upside down or just shaking them hard when you need to use them is what I do, but I love that there is no cap to worry about! I also think that in terms of packaging, it makes the product look super sleek and I am sure is part of the luxury price tag!
Replenishing Moisture Conditioner 
While the shampoo version did not work for me, the conditioner was great! The main change is the addition of dimethicone and also the fact that caviar extract is ingredient #8 which was nice to see!
Restructuring Bond Repair 3 in 1 Sealing Serum
THIS stuff. I could write an entire post dedicated to just this wonder product alone! This 3-in-1 product can be used on wet or dry hair and works to fill in cracks and fissures in the hair’s external structure, smooths and seals in the cuticle to provide protection and a smoother hair and works to maintain moisture and shine for up to 10 washes. In addition to caviar extract, the formula is said to consist of a biomimetic amino acid/lipid blend that mimics those naturally found in hair.
You can use this serum as a leave-in finisher on damp or dry hair, on wet hair for 3-5 minutes or as a repair mask mixed with any Alterna conditioner. Initially, I used this after my shower on damp hair and on freshly blow dried hair and just thought it felt like another silicone-like product that gave my hair some extra slip. It wasn’t until I looked at the back of the bottle and saw that I could use 2-3 pumps in the conditioner and THIS is when I saw and felt results in my hair! This serum made the texture of my hair so soft and smooth for days! I generally like my haircare routine to be done once I am out of the shower so being able to combine the serum with the conditioner worked so much better with my shower routine. The only thing is that taking off the cap in the shower while trying to pump serum into my other conditioner-containing palm has led to a few things dropping on occasion. I have not tried this serum with other brands of conditioner so it would be interesting to see how it does with just a regular drugstore brand! I’ll let you know!
Final verdict: Obviously, the 3-in-1 Sealing Serum is a must for me and odds are that once I use this up, I will buy it on my own, but whether I would buy it in conjunction with an Alterna conditioner is something I am not sure about yet. The Multiplying Shampoo was definitely one I enjoyed and I wonder if the matching conditioner would change the results of my hair much. Nonetheless, I feel like I have a better idea of what products Alterna has that would work for my hair and look forward to maybe picking up a hair masque at the next VIB Rouge event!
You can find the Alterna Caviar Anti-Aging Collection at www.sephora.com and at Sephora stores.
