Marilyn by LUSH Product review: Part I

As I mentioned a few weeks ago, I'm testing Marilyn by LUSH this month for it's blondaliciousness. Here's what the website has to say about the stuff:

Marilyn Hair Treatment Hair Moisturizer
Moisturizing treatment to soften and brighten blonde hair

Chamomile, lemon and saffron brighten blonde hair. Use it regularly and get fairer hair. Linseed mucilage results in softer tresses and fresh, organic lemon juice adds a ton of shine. If you always wanted to be a "natural" blonde, here's how to go about it.

7.9 oz costs $18.55.

You can literally smell the LUSH shop before you see it as you walk down Newbury Street. Inside the store, the air is thickly perfumed by the candy flavored products that line the shelves. The LUSH sales-staff tend to be bubbly and outgoing and usually intent on working a sales pitch for at least one or two "featured" products as they say hello/check you out. I tend to find the entire experience of shopping there overwhelming, and try to duck in and out as quickly as possible to avoid olfactory overload. The products are worth every venture, which is why I keep coming shopping there, and when I discovered the Marilyn, I felt intrigued by its promise.

The sales girl who checked me out extolled the virtues of the product, which surprised me because she was a dark brunette. She gave me a quick run-down of how to use the stuff, instructing me to:

• Leave it in my hair for at least 20 minutes, preferably longer.
• Try slathering it on and sleeping with it in, to maximize effectiveness, or
• To apply it then blow-dry the hair, thereby activating the color-enhancing properties even more.

The notes on the website further instructed me to use a ton of the product per use -- "literally soaking the hair". They recommend that women with shorter cuts use 1/4 to 1/2 of the tub each use, and women with longer hair use 1/2 - an entire tub. And the stuff ain't cheap; I so I opt to use a quarter container.

The Marilyn has a gloopy consistency and smells like honey, lavender, chamomile, and, is also vaguely reminiscent of paste -- in a good way. I slather it on, throw a shower cap on my head, and tuck into bed. Nighty-night!

When I wake up in the morning and washed it Marilyn out, my hair feels soft, silky, and totally conditioned. I style it as usual (wrap it in rollers and let it dry for like a zillion years) and at the end of the entire, long process, my hair is bouncy, curly, and super vibrant. I can't say for sure that I think my hair looks any blonder, but the texture is luscious.

Perhaps the blonde-enhancing aspect of the cream is an aggregate thing? Like, maybe if I use it more frequently, it will be more effective? I will report back more once I've tried it again.

Stay tuned for Part II, where I test out the blow-dry method and determine, for once and for all, if the Marilyn makes it into the cadre of expensive products upon which I utterly depend.