Shu Uemura • Essence Absolue • Treatments

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parisbyrum19 on 2/27/2013 7:27:00 PM more reviews by parisbyrum19

Age: 19-24   Skin: Normal, Fair   Hair: Blond   Eyes: Brown    

I do plan on buying this again, when i have the balls to folk out £40 for it! it's a great oil, i usually use this and kerastase elixir ultime (not together) but i find this work's totally different to elixir ultime, its alot more lightweight and i find work's better on dry hair, as apposed to elixir ultime working better on damp hair. it gives outstanding shine, and keeps frizz at bay, very good for humid weather! overall i would say this oil is worth £40 as no matter how much you use on your hair it will never leave it looking greasy or limp.

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eky1 on 2/4/2013 3:41:00 PM more reviews by eky1

Age: Unknown   Skin: Other   Hair: Other   Eyes: Other    

I had been using moroccanoil and seriously didn't get the hype about it. It did nothing for my hair. When I asked the SA at Shu to recommend one thing from the hair section he said to get the Essence Absolu. I honestly cannot say how great my hair looks since using this. I have fine long frizz prone hair that is easily weighed down and can look greasy with even a little product. This stuff banishes frizz, doesn't weigh hair down, smells light and a little goes a long way! I only use this pre blowdrying and a little after on the ends. Very pricey but so worth it. Transformed my hair into glossy bouncy smooth tresses. Love it.

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*TOP REVIEWER* wickedcoolmama on 11/7/2012 2:57:00 PM more reviews by wickedcoolmama

Age: 30-35   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium, Neutral   Hair: Black   Eyes: Brown    

i love this protective hair oil! it gives my hair an incredibly healthy shine and make it feel so silky soft and it tames frizzy hair. it has a fresh scent that is not over powering and i love how this serum is not oily. i use it on damp hair and it works great as a heat protector too. i used to use josie maran argan oil on my hair prior to purchasing this and i can tell the difference since this is sprecially made for hair...it performs as it describes! little goes a long way so this bottle will last me a while. i am happy with this splurge.

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Lieln on 10/26/2012 10:22:00 AM more reviews by Lieln

Age: 36-43   Skin: Combination, Fair   Hair: Blond   Eyes: Blue    

I never thought I would ever find a treatment for my fine, blond hair better than Moroccanoil. Essense Absolue is way better. Why? It is lighter and absolutely non-greasy. I wish the smell stayed longer as is very nice but it evaporates almost immediately. Detangling is also no longer a problem for me. My hair looks healthy and silky. Moroccanoil gave my hair almost the same effect but my hair felt a bit greasy. I have fine hair which looks nice only when cleaned and immediately after brushing. Later it falls into small strands which makes it look as a bit dirty. Moroccanoil added to that effect. Essence Absolue had no such effect at all. I guess only people with fine hair can understand what I am trying to say:)

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daisyeyes on 10/13/2012 9:10:00 PM more reviews by daisyeyes

Age: 44-55   Skin: Sensitive, Fair   Hair: Red   Eyes: Green    

This is HG material if you have long, thick, coarse hair that needs some control! I waited a month before writing this review because I wanted to make sure the 'cones in this didn't build up and ruin my new-found good hair days. I'm thrilled to say I love this as much now as I did the first time I tried it! I use it as a heat protectant before blowdrying and for a second (and third) day treatment to control flyways and dry ends. My hair has never looked smoother and shinier. The trick is not to use it within about 4-5" of your roots and to work it in really well to get it evenly distributed. It has a mild, nondescript scent that won't drive you crazy all day. It is expensive, but I have been using it like a fiend and one bottle is going to last me at least 6 months at the present rate. It's too bad Shu isn't available stateside except online. Take a chance and order this or try it if you're elsewhere on the globe. I love it!

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aspasia1 on 9/22/2012 9:24:00 PM more reviews by aspasia1

Age: 25-29   Skin: Combination, Fair, Warm   Hair: Brunette, Wavy, Fine   Eyes: Brown    

This is the stuff hair dreams are made of! Cant wait to go back to my hometown and get another bottle of this. Will keep me from trimming the ends of my hair at least for another month, hehehe.

I got very fine hair, long, dyed several times, and Im now on the recovery period, havin gone back to my natural color and abstaining as much as i can from heat and styling. Trying to grow them longer! This is the "absolue" remedy, I have to say. Kerastase oils and other similar ones are ok but this one beats them, for sure. Dreamy!

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*TOP REVIEWER* lemonz4us on 8/22/2012 6:53:00 PM more reviews by lemonz4us

Age: 19-24   Skin: Sensitive, Fair-Medium, Neutral   Hair: Brown, Wavy, Fine   Eyes: Brown    

I agree with the top review that this shouldn't be anything special . It's just silicones blended with a little oil and fragrances. But it IS special! Something about it is just so.... Good! Idk what kind of witchcraft shu uemura does in the lab(lol) because in theory this should be so easy to dupe but it's not!
I use this as a finishing serum. I take a few drops of it , rub in my hands and spread it through my hair. I'm left with shiny silky hair , and I get UV protection from this oil as well. Thanks to the ethylhexyl methoxycinnamate (octinoxate) . It smells like sweet tea to me . I don't care for the scent as much as kerastase so I cocktail them together. But if I had to repurchase one it'd be this one due to the protection it gives (UV) . it's ridiculously expensive though. 1 star off for that. Oh and to those who want true camellia oil don't buy the Japanese one(oshima tsubaki oil). 20 bucks for 2oz? It's way cheaper from garden of wisdom. 4oz for about 12 bucks. The only reason im preferring this is for the UV protection, other than that it's over-priced


Update: lowering this to 3 stars, from 5 . Used it how I use all my silicone-oils , put some on damp hair for protection, blow dried, put some more then flat ironed. It didn't leave my hair as silky textured as moroccanoil . My hair does feel soft, but I have fly aways and it feels a little drier.
I'm keeping this as a leave in. It's ridiculously expensive to use how it's intended to use . but if i use it as a final leave-in, (literally a few drops, not even a pump) i could see this lasting well over 2 years. price is disgustingly expensive, like all of shu's products ( btw shu uemura is owned by l'oreal --food for thought)

Update 12/29/12 : lowering this down to 2 stars , why? I found a dupe. At a FRACTION of the price. Literally. Joico's hair oil . It contains UV filters to shield hair from UV damage just like shu but contains way more nourishing ingredients. It makes my hair feel silky too after blow drying but not dry.

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heartsinwonderland on 6/28/2012 7:19:00 PM more reviews by heartsinwonderland

Age: 19-24   Skin: Sensitive, Fair-Medium   Hair: Blond   Eyes: Blue    

I got a sample of this from my birchbox. I've dried it 5-6 times, and still have a little left. This is the most expensive serum I've ever tried. I must say that it's one of the thickest oils/serums I've ever used! I used it on both wet and dried hair. It really disappointed me. It made my hair shiny, but it didn't provide much heat protection, and it didn't really nourish my hair. I would recommend Elixir Ultime or Moroccanoil over this.

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*TOP REVIEWER* Kimberlyj33110 on 5/6/2012 12:25:00 PM more reviews by Kimberlyj33110

Age: 25-29   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium, Neutral   Hair: Brunette, Wavy, Medium   Eyes: Brown    

HG Of HG's! I use this on my damp hair before heat styling. ( I use Kerastase Oleo Relax on more humid/rainy days). I also smooth this on the ends of my hair when I am done styling. I also use it on my extensions to keep them in good condition and it works wonders. Love,love, love how silky it makes my hair, and the smell is to-die-for. It isn't cheap, but the price is very justifiable:

I compared the price with other popular oils and here is what I came up with:

Shu Essence Absolue-5oz $68
Alterna kendi oil- 1.7oz $24
Morrocan Oil (travel size) 1.7oz $26

Okay, so $68 isn't exactly cheap for a hair product, BUT when you look at price per ounce it is an EXTRAORDINARY value. I am no math whiz, but it comes out to $13.60 per ounce. MUST HAVE!!

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b1anne on 4/21/2012 7:02:00 PM more reviews by b1anne

Age: 36-43   Skin: Dry, Fair, Cool   Hair: Brunette, Coarse   Eyes: Hazel    

Good lord, I want to hate this product - at almost $70, it's ridiculously expensive. but no other serum has been as kind and as transformative to my hair.

I discovered it 2 years ago and have been addicted ever since - thankfully, I only have to buy 2 bottles a year, as you don't need much to get results. I have extremely thick, corase, dry shoulder length hair that has a texture my stylist can only describe as "one giant cowlick." the bottom portion of my scalp is super kinky-frizzy, the top sections are pretty flat. On top of that, I have foils, I flat iron and/or curling iron daily, and use the hottest setting known to man on my dryer to tame the beast. On the plus side, I only wash my hair 1-2 times a week.

I use about 5 pumps on wet hair only nad that alone is the only product I need to keep my hair straight, shiny and gorgeous. And don't think I'm a total snob - I'm a devotee to Sauve Almond and Shea butter conditioner. I really don't buy into the hype, but after months of searching for a new serum, I've decided this wil be one of my few splurges period. It's a HG for me!

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Dian90 on 2/8/2012 12:31:00 PM more reviews by Dian90

Age: 19-24   Skin: Combination, Medium, Warm   Hair: Blond, Wavy, Medium   Eyes: Brown    

I love this! I am a hair oil junkie. Because I have long hair extensions, good oils are important to keep the hair in the best condition possible. So far I own Orofluido, Macadamia natural oil, Agadir hair oil and Kerastase's elixir ultime (and moroccanoil is on its way haha!). I was hesitant to order the Essence Absolue because it only contains camellia oil, which the Elixir Ultime also has. But I am so glad I did! I use all my oils on different occasions, for the effect that I want.

As far as shine goes, the Essence Absolue and Macadamia natural oil are equals. But the EA is a much lighter oil. My hair just soaks it up. I have used it as a pre-wash on my ends and I love it both ways. Even though it is expensive, I will definitely order it again. My extensions are Indian and Maleisian (I have multiple colors) and it works on both perfectly, as well as my own Dutch hair. If you have very course, unruly hair, I would recommend you the Macadamia over this.

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biroqueen on 1/8/2012 6:22:00 PM more reviews by biroqueen

Age: 25-29   Skin: Combination, Fair   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Blue    

I bought this following the hype that was Everywhere about this being a miracle product, but am really disappointed. I have tried using it various ways but it is nothing more than expensive silicone serum and it's by far not the best serum I have ever used.
Definitely no 'spun silk' effect on my hair!! I really wanted to like it - the packaging was lovely, the smell is nice and I normally love Shu stuff, but sadly no. :-(

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*TOP REVIEWER* xtinahb on 9/9/2011 1:24:00 PM more reviews by xtinahb

Age: 30-35   Skin: Combination, Medium, Warm   Hair: Black, Straight, Fine   Eyes: Brown    

Leaves my hair silky and soft and prevents frizzies and flyaways at my roots. I have straight, fine, Asian hair with random fly-aways and overall leans slightly oily. One pump of this Essence rubbed between my hands and gently patting on my crown, then fingered through the rest of my hair leaves it silky and shiny and I LOVE the smell! Lightly floral and a touch sweet. I was lucky to receive this as a gift and I only use a half pump at most a day so it will seriously last at least 2 years. I adore it BUT it is just a fortune, $68 for 5 oz. I would not purchase only because while it seems "worth" it (worth and value is so personally defined!), I just cannot spend that much money on a hair product. I'd rather buy makeup, lol.

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redlipstick07 on 9/9/2011 9:08:00 AM more reviews by redlipstick07

Age: 19-24   Skin: Combination, Fair   Hair: Black   Eyes: Brown    

Love love love this product.

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beautyproductjunkie11 on 6/14/2011 3:31:00 PM more reviews by beautyproductjunkie11

Age: 25-29   Skin: Other   Hair: Other   Eyes: Other    

I can't live without this product. In the summer with the humidity my naturally wavy hair gets "fluffy" and frizzy in the evenings no matter how well I straighten it. However, since I started using essence absolue before blow-drying, my hair has stayed smooth and frizz-free. It's also helped my fine hair stay healthy, even though I straighten and bleach it. It's pricy at about $65 CAD but I bought a bottle about a year ago, use it every second day, and I still have about a 1/3 of the product left. Will definately re-purchase over and over!!

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BCarmassi on 6/2/2011 3:47:00 AM more reviews by BCarmassi

Age: 25-29   Skin: Normal, Fair   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Blue    

My haircutter suggested this to be used on my hair as a treatment. She told me to use this religiously every week, over night on the length ends of my hair. I always knew the Shu products for the hair were some of the best ~ but this was really amazing, I must say! I am doing my research to use their Shampoo and Conditioner. I love hair care & have tried most of the top selling lines such as Kerestase (Loreal), Kiehl's (Loreal), Pureology (Loreal), Phyto, Enjoy, Bumble & Bumble, J.F Lazartigue and so on... so I can honestly say this is a noticeably great product and if you want your hair to feel as if it just ate a healthy meal full of benefits than use this product. I usually go 3-4 days with out washing and every 2-3x I use this! Amazing!! I cannot wait to try more Shu products. I also want to try some Rene Furterer products as well as some Oribe for styling.

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camiireese on 4/25/2011 12:34:00 AM more reviews by camiireese

Age: 18 & Under   Skin: Dry, Olive   Hair: Brunette, Straight, Fine   Eyes: Brown    

First, you have to understand the state of my hair. After 3 straight years of practically daily flat-ironing, it was anything but pretty. My hair is mostly straight in back with waves in the front, fine, and thin, which made any frizzies and flyaways painfully obvious (which I had plenty of along with split ends). Any products I used in my hair left it greasy looking, until I found this. I used it slowly at first, worried about it weighing down my hair, making it look greasy, so on & so forth. Used it on special occasions on which I would want my hair to be a little silkier, softer, and more manageable, using very little on my roots. Now, I've used it every other day for the past week and my hair has never looked better. I can actually go out without straightening it, my hair looks nicely tousled instead of kinky in front and straight in back, and there's nary a frizz in sight. My flyaways are just baby hairs that stick straight up, runs in the family, so I just deal with them. I plan on using this until I run out, in which case I'll just buy another! This has really helped my hair recover from serious damage.

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nk223 on 4/8/2011 8:45:00 AM more reviews by nk223

Age: 30-35   Skin: Dry, Olive   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Brown    

This stuff is amazing. I have naturally dark asian hair that I have had highlighted to a Jennifer Lopez hue for about ten years now. I'm also pretty abusive towards my hair and straighten/ curl/ blow dry every time I wash it. The outcome of this is that it has always got a bit dry and straw like once it gets beyond a certian length and i've had to cut it to keep it looking healthy. Not any more!!! This stuff genuinely has fixed my hair - I've grown it the longest i've ever had it (to below breast line) and it has never looked healthier. My friends have definitely noticed

Great for damaged hair. It is pricey but I wash my hair twice a week and have had this for 3 months. I've used about 20% so it'll probably last all year. Definitely worth it!!!

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Natalya121 on 3/12/2011 12:04:00 PM more reviews by Natalya121

Age: 19-24   Skin: Very Oily, Fair   Hair: Blond   Eyes: Blue    

I purchased this product at feelunique.co.uk at a discounted price. I didn't expect it to work (have tried moroccan oil, original argan oil, almond oil etc) but I found that used as a styling product before and after blow drying it really helps my horribly damaged and dry hair become a sleek catwalk worthy swish. I use 2 pumps before I blow dry and a single pump before straightening to lock in the oil. It does not weigh my hair down and smells divine. If you don't like silicones then this product is not for you as the main ingredients are silicone based. Nevertheless I do like this product very much and have found nothing that compares to the level of gloss and softness this brings. I also use it as an overnight treatment. I warm it up first, then apply to my hair and sleep on it and in the morning my hair can either be washed or blow dried to get the product out but it leaves my hair very shiny and silky. Another oil I do like is the small bottles of almond oil that Holland and Barratt do, it isn't quite as good but is much cheaper.

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*TOP REVIEWER* alba75 on 3/1/2011 11:55:00 AM more reviews by alba75

Age: 30-35   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium   Hair: Black   Eyes: Brown    

Given all the hair oil I have used, I would say that it is an average product. I used it as a pre-wash treatment and soaked my hair in it. I did not notice any visible improvements

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