As we all have very different hair textures (and hair issues) here at The Amazing Blog, so we set about trying to find the latest natural haircare product to help to bring us stronger, tangle-free and glossy hair. We’d heard lots of good things about these two award-winning products by Khali Min, with The Rescue Oil, and the Clean Cream Conditioner which they very kindly sent to us to try.
Khali Min is a British haircare brand with its heritage roots in Egypt. This independent, women-led company began its journey in the challenging year of 2020 by founders Anda Marei and Vanessa Karlo. Anda grew up in Egypt, where beauty rituals are treated as occasions of social interaction. Anda has fond memories of rummaging through her mother's skincare fridge, reading the labels of her products, and testing them out on herself. Although she started in the editing and publishing industry, Anda has always been fascinated by different beauty ingredients and often found herself playing around with different oils, butters, and essences. Meanwhile, Vanessa's story began in New York, where she grew up. Vanessa felt influenced by her memories of her mother paying close attention to her magnificent head of hair. Vanessa's appreciation for craftsmanship played a significant role in her own interests in entrepreneurship, emerging markets, and sustainability. Both women took a leap of faith into the beauty industry to create an effective, sustainable, certified vegan, and cruelty-free brand. Their inspiration started when they met as magazine editors, then a few years later, Anda and Vanessa met again in London, where they discovered a passion for Egyptian beauty heritage and a fascination with Egyptian oils. They decided to combine British innovation with Egyptian roots to create a nourishing and revitalising haircare range, challenging the idea that haircare products should be categorised by type; as they believe that a hair formula should not be based soley on need, type or texture. The words ‘Khali Min’ mean 'free from' in Arabic, making this brand very appropriately named with their simple, natural, and transparent ingredients all of which are many harvested through renewable energy sources. All of Khali Min's products are sustainably packaged and supplied, this means that these are reusable, recyclable, or compostable. They also use FSC-certified paper stock and vegetable-based inks. Egypt’s limited water resources and arable land serve as a reminder for sustainability and motivates the brand’s ethos. Khali Min is proud to be awarded The Beauty Shortlist’s 2021 Wellbeing Editor’s Choice, Grazia’s Hair Award for Best Softening Oil, and recognised as a sustainable British brand with Selfridge’s Project Earth.
Khali Min’s debut product is the Rescue Oil, it’s a lightweight, multipurpose hair oil that works to repair and strengthen hair naturally. This hair oil can be used to help smooth hairs as a styling tool, revitalise the locks as a leave-in product to keep hair nourished all day, or used as an overnight treatment for the scalp and ends to be washed out in the morning. Any of these methods leave the hair feeling softer without the greasy texture that is sometimes associated with hair oils. The Rescue Oil uses many ingredients indigenous to Egypt to create its achieved results for dry and dull hair. A notable few include jojoba oil, macadamia oil, brocolli oil and avocado oil. Jojoba oil, which is harvested in the western desert of Egypt using solar energy, is rich in vitamins that nourish the hair, such as vitamin C, E, copper, and zinc. These vitamins help to strengthen and moisturise hair while promoting hair thickness and preventing dandruff. Macadamia oil is loaded with fatty acids and oleic acid oil, which are easily absorbable and perfect for dry hair. The macadamia oil is responsible for adding moisture back into dry and damaged hair. The broccoli seed oil here is for maximum hydration and silicone-free slip. Avocado oil has similar properties as macadamia oil, adding another dose of oleic acid, which helps retain hair moisture. However, avocado oil also has monounsaturated fats, which help to strengthen the hair shaft and prevent breakage. The Rescue Oil goes to work immediately to nourish the hair no matter whichever way it is used. We all agreed that our favourite way to use this was by massaging the oil into the scalp and ends, allowing it to be absorbed (they suggest 30 mins), and then washing our hair as usual. Using this as a pre-shampoo treatment left hair feeling glossy and bouncy. Our ends especially felt moisturised and looked remarkably healthy, and the slight scent of citrus was a lovely touch. On a personal note (I’m the one with fine long curl hair) this was brilliant to use with a few drops in the palms to smooth over to tame any stray flyaway hairs.
The second product we tried is their Clean Cream Conditioner. This leave-in conditioner aims to soften, hydrate, detangle, and protect against dryness and breakage without the use of silicone. The conditioner can be used in different ways depending on the condition of the hair. For dry hair, Khali Min recommends applying the cream from roots to tips while damp without rinsing (this is great for curly hair). For dull hair, they advise using a pea-sized amount from mid-lengths to ends without rinsing. For fine hair, they recommend applying from roots to ends, letting it sit to absorb and moisturise (we did this for about 5 mins), and then gently rinsing it out. Again what we loved about this Clean Cream with its unique formulas, is the versatility for all hair types. A few ingredients that assist in creating healthy hair are rosehip oil, aloe vera, and murumuru butter. Rosehip oil helps to nourish the hair through its fatty acid, lycopene, and vitamin C properties. The rosehip oil adds moisture to help strengthen the locks and prevent breakage. Aloe vera, known for centuries as the ‘plant of immortality’ in Egypt, helps to hydrate the hair. Aloe vera is full of fatty acids and amino acids that play a significant role in strengthening hair follicles. Murumuru butter is a unique ingredient that makes a great addition to hair conditioner, as it helps to lock in moisture given by other components and keeps hair looking shiny. Murumuru butter is known for restoring hair and maintaining elasticity, helping keep the hair smooth and bouncy. The leave-in conditioner absorbed in the hair without a trace and immediately left us with soft and shiny hair - we also found it gave weight to fine flyaway hair and offered protection against heated hair tools. We found that using the Rescue Oil as a pre-shampoo treatment and using the Clean Cream Conditioner as a post-shampoo nourishment, they worked beautifully together to revitalise the ends and left the scalp and roots hydrated and soft - plus suitable even on colour-treated hair. Did we have a favourite out of the two? Difficult to choose, but on balance I think it would have to be the Rescue Oil as it left our hair smelling beautifully fresh and fragrant with its zesty ingredients. What we particularly like about Khali Min is that they have a particular focus on scalp health, utilising these natural ingredients to address scalp concerns. If you’re looking for a luxurious, culturally diverse, and sustainable haircare range, that will take your hair care to the next level, then we think that these two Khali Min products will be for you. To purchase the Rescue Oil for £38, click here. To purchase the Clean Cream Conditioner for £25, click here.