REF Stockholm
When you’re a sucker for pretty packaging and branding like me, you’ll understand the power of attraction. I even have a Pinterest board where I collect all cool bottles, boxes and other packaging with pretty colours, prints and fonts. This story started with me falling for the minimal branding as well and when I learned a little more about REF Stockholm, it even got better!
Scandinavian heritage
REF Stockholm is an innovative Scandinavian brand, focussing on hair care. Not just another beauty brand with lousy promises, but one with the goal to offer products with a mix of the best of what nature has to offer. I like that!
Go all natural
Since I started to care more about my health, I learned more about what are the right choices for my body too. It starts with working out and eating healthy, which results in learning more about the benefits of natural ingredients. But when you see your body change for the better and you think about the effect of those ingredients on your skin, energy and hair, too it inspires to look a bit closer to your skin- and hair care as well.
100% Vegan and Cruelty Free
As REF Stockholm believes in a future where animals can live side by side with humans, they made sure the collection is cruelty free with a Care line that is 100% vegan. Next to that all products are naturally sulfate and paraben free.
The thing you really should know about sulfate…
You see it more and more on packaging in the beauty industry: ‘Sulfate Free’. And once you’ll learn about it, you don’t want any regular shampoo again. At least I didn’t, so using natural shampoo’s for a while now.
Sulfate is the collective name for cleaners with ingredients such as Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) and Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES). Those are used to dissolve oils. But the downside of that, is that it also dissolves natural oils on your scalp. This results in a dry, flaky and dehydrated skin, which will work only harder to produce more and new natural oils. This makes your hair quickly greasy again. So what do you do? You wash it again. And the circle continues. Now tell me.. are you gonna buy shampoo with sulfate ever again?
Quinoa Protein
Like quinoa? Then you might like what I’m about to tell.. Quinoa Protein is the key ingredient for all the products from REF Stockholm. Protein is a base element in getting a stronger body and muscle strength, but it is also the most important key to strengthen the hair. Quinoa is “the keratin of nature” and the perfect vegan option for hair care.
REF Stockholm Cool Silver Shampoo
Ok, that sounds all good and well. But you might be curious what my experience is with the products, right? So as I am a blonde with silver/grey tones (colored of course), I am always on the hunt for the perfect silver shampoo. And as I wrote about my last favorite silver shampoo over here, it wasn’t the perfect match concerning the care and condition of my hair. My hair has always been pretty dry, but easily greasy. And that shampoo didn’t make it any better.
Blueberries & Linseed Oil
So as talked about earlier in this post, the fact that the REF Stockholm Silver Shampoo is 100% sulfate and paraben free makes my skin already feel better and my hair less dry but greasy. Next to that I really like the story behind the ingredients, as blueberries and linseed oil are the most important ingredients. The linseed oil binds the violet pigment of the blueberries. This neutralizes the yellow and brassy tones in blonde hair.
The smell is good and pretty neutral, no added perfumes so that’s a winner as well. In comparison to other silver shampoo’s, I notice a huge difference in the hydration of my hair. It feels less dry! Next to that it keeps my blonde locks cool in colour. So very very pleased with this one!
REF Stockholm Colour Boost Mask
With good hair care, comes a good hair mask. I might admit that I wasn’t the most strict person when it comes to hair masks. Always got recommended to use one every week, especially with damaged and dry hair. I did look up some DIY hair masks several times, but didn’t take the effort to actually make one. Glad to try the Colour Boost ‘Ash Blonde’!
Care & Colour
The best part of this mask: it has a double function! The camelina oil and shea butter ensure hydration and restore the moisture balance. Alongside that, it’s also a color refresher. Used it several times now and might say that it actually brightens up the hair after just one wash! It also feels super soft, like like!
REF Stockholm Dry Shampoo
When working out a lot, you can’t live without a good dry shampoo. As told above, I have very dry but also quickly greasy hair. I used to wash it every single day, but oh that makes it even worse. This dry shampoo is perfect to freshen up in between washes and also adds volume and texture! No sulfates, parabens and 100% vegan. Big like about this dry shampoo, in comparison to others I’ve tried, is that it doesn’t leave a white residu or haze on your hair.
This post was created in collaboration with REF Stockholm NL. All content is made by me. I never accept products I wouldn’t consider buying myself. For more information and inspiration, visit their website here.
