I’ve used Aussie products for as long as I can remember. Well, actually, since I was around 18 or 19, because I still reminisce about their best ever conditioner, Curing Muddy, which was discontinued around that time (circa 2001). In a bid to find a few last bottles, when I went to Australia age 20, I was asking everywhere if they still had it – only to be told, eventually, that Aussie is an American brand. Doh.
Anyway, I never did find another bottle of Curing Muddy, but I did stay with Aussie shampoo and conditioner. I tend to flit between the Volume and Colour Mate ranges, using the 3 Minute Miracle Reconstructor as a mask once a week. When the gorgeous Olivia at Aussie sent me the limited edition Winter Miracle Collection (available until March), I was super excited to try it out and compare it to my favourite products. Sadly, Winter Miracle didn’t entirely win me over, which I guess is a good thing because if it had, well, we’d be back in the Curing Muddy situation thanks to its limited production span.
The Winter Miracle shampoo and conditioner both look really nice; creamy in texture and snowy white in colour (that’ll be the pearl powder), they fit the winter-edition bill perfectly. However, somehow the two products contain the same core ingredients but, in my opinion, are not equal. With its yummy scent and ginseng extract, the shampoo performs better than the conditioner, which seems to gloop a little and doesn’t distribute evenly in the hair. As for the limited edition winter 3 Minute Miracle conditioner, it’s better than the standard conditioner but it doesn’t compare to my regular Reconstructor, so this range didn’t work for me at all – especially when I consider how great my usual Aussie choices are. The Winter Miracle collection overall? Not a miracle. 3/5
However, all was not lost – Olivia also sent me a bottle of the 3 Minute Miracle Moisture conditioner, which launches this month in Boots. It’s part of the already popular Miracle Moist collection and I absolutely love it – it’s more like my Reconstructor, but it smells a lot prettier and feels much smoother when massaging the scalp. It leaves my hair soft and silky to touch, and much shinier than the Winter Miracle range did. I will definitely add 3 Minute Miracle Moisture to my basket next time I’m shopping, and I’d happily recommend it. It’s a great mask for anyone who has dry or colour treated hair. 5/5
Despite my disappointment with the limited edition winter range, I still adore Aussie products, having used them since I was a teenager many moons ago. I’ve always loved the flirty, fun personality of the brand – I love reading the descriptions of products on their bottles and – like I do with OPI nail polishes – I actually wish I was one of the Aussie copywriters/ideas people. It’s a brand that loves life and wants us to enjoy using the products, from the minute we browse in store to the minute we put them on the bathroom shelf. As I mentioned, the Volume, Colour Mate and Reconstructor collections are all top picks for my own bathroom cabinet, and I even use the Aussie dry shampoo on occasion – the only dry shampoo I’ve ever liked due to its lightness, fragrance and ability to refresh hair without leaving it tacky. Aussie the brand? A massive 5/5.
