THE PRODUCT
Charles Worthington London Big Waves Enhance Spray ($9.99 at Shoppers Drug Mart, PharmaPlus and London Drugs).
THE PROMISE
The back of the bottle makes three bold claims. That it 1) "tames frizz and fly-aways with conditioning agents," 2) "creates lasting definition and radiant finish" and 3) "transforms unruly hair into soft, beautiful waves."
HOW IT WORKS
If there is a key secret ingredient in this mix, it's staying that way. The "what's inside" list reads like that of most hair-care products: a mix of water, glycerin, oils, proteins and other things that are hard to pronounce. It's worth noting that the spray is identified as being for "wavy, textured, curly" locks - so don't expect miracles, straight-haired ladies.
HOW TO USE IT
"Spray generously on to small sections of the hair while scrunching to generate a wave pattern and dry as normal." Presumably, you're not supposed to do this all at once, since that would require at least three hands.
THE RESULTS
Well, the "big" part was definitely achieved. And there were waves. But they got lost amid the puffy frizziness. So much for that promise. (For the record, we used a blow dryer on low heat.)
THE BOTTOM LINE
This is a tough one to call. In our test, Big Waves got us three-quarters of the way to ideal hair. On a different length, or hair type, perhaps it would have completed its task. So, since it is less than $10 a bottle, we say give it a try and judge for yourself.