REVIEW: Ichikami's Basic Hair Care and Rinse-off Treatment

For the last 2 weeks in December, I used Ichikami on my tresses. I first came across this brand when Japalang was having a warehouse sale and Fel helped me purchase the Hair Serum. It made my hair really soft and smooth so I was really happy to receive Ichikami's travel-sized kit for review. Thank you, Adeline from Starasia Singapore, for sending it to me! (:

Ichikami believes that in order for us to have smooth, silky, sleek, soft and shiny hair, we need to have healthy hair first. Using botanical essences, Ichikami seeks to repair and strengthen hair from within, eliminating damage and preventing future ones.

Here's the list of pure botanical essences that Ichikami uses in the products:

Rice Premium EX: Reduces friction and defends hair against damage.
Cherry Blossom Extract: Quenches damaged, dry hair so that it is left smooth and manageable.
Chinese Soapberry: Works into a fine lather which protects hair from damage that results from shampooing.
Black Rice Extract: Hydrates hair from within and prevents future damage.
Blackberry Lily: Puts the 'spring' in your hair and reduces damage during styling.
Walnut Oil: Replenishes shine to damaged hair.
Camellia: Repairs the surface of hair and adds a natural shine to it.
Sasanqua Oil: Repairs dry and rough hair, leaving it smooth.
White Sesame Oil: Intensively repairs damaged hair.
Black Soybean Extract: Conditions the surface of hair, leaving it smooth and silky.

The travel-sized kit which I received contained Ichikami's Basic Hair Care (Which is made up of the shampoo and the conditioner.) and a tube of the Rinse-off Treatment. Each had different light floral scents, which didn't linger long after washing it off. Do note that the white bottle is the shampoo and the black bottle, the conditioner.

During the 2 weeks that I was using Ichikami, my hair went from cascading curls to sleek and straight. And Ichikami was a different experience for each style. When I had my curls, the shampoo and conditioner provided just enough moisture for my hair. The shampoo left the hair feeling a tad dry but this feeling vanished after the conditioner was applied. I did add a styling cream after towel-drying my hair, just to keep the frizz in check and the curls defined.

After straightening my hair, I felt that the shampoo and conditioner were not enough for my hair. This could be because I had my hair permed only 2 months back and straightening it so quickly could have damaged my hair more than I expected. However, the application of the Rinse-off Treatment really helped and it left my hair feeling a lot smoother and healthier. But you certainly need more than 1 tube of it to maintain the health of your tresses. The Rinse-off Treatment actually comes in a pack of 5.

Besides the aforementioned products, Ichikami also has a Treatment Mask, Leave-on Treatment (Hair Essence and Hair Serum.) and Hair Wave Milk. These can be found in Watsons, BHG, John Little, Nisshino, Meidiya and Shins for under $20 each.