Mini-masochist: Kerastase Noctogenist

Last Thursday, in the spirit of the holiday, I decided to gain some independence of my own. Independence, that is, from split ends, blow-dry burn, and weak, straggly tresses. My hairstylist had been hinting for a while that my long blond locks weren’t so much locks as lank threads of over processed straw. And, after taking a few turns on the beer wheel at Bukowski’s—Bostonista’s happy hour dive of choice—I finally agreed.

A few hours later, duly shorn and sober, I left the salon with a Sienna Miller–esque shoulder-length ‘do. Did I miss my pony tail (which has now been replaced by what a co-worker aptly termed “the nub”)? Sure. But not over-much, considering I also left the salon with a preview sample of the newest yet-to-be-released hair “It” item from Kerastase.

The soon-to-debut Noctogenist series is, as you might have guessed, an overnight affair. My Voile Nuit Fins, or Fine, for the aforementioned limp hair, came in a midnight-blue spray bottle. The instructions tell users to spritz lightly over ends and lengths of hair and then hit the sack. As you sleep, the Kerastase fairies work their magic to “nourish, renew, and enrich dull, tired-looking hair.”

My spritzing session went well. I lightly coated my hair, doing my best to avoid the root area, as recommended. The moderately fruity smell took a bit of getting used to, but I eventually fell asleep. The whole premise behind the Voile Nuit is that it won’t weigh your hair down. It purportedly works as some sort of invisible, non-greasy hair mask that doesn’t goop your pillow or stipulate a morning shower.

I’m happy to report that the potion seemed to work. Or, at least, I didn’t wake up with a matted, oily mop. My hair looked pretty much the same as it did when I went to sleep, only softer. The jury’s still out on the nourishing, renewing, and enriching, but, as every beauty masochist knows, just finding a product that doesn’t stick to, stink up, encrust, or flake off hair is a coup in itself.

Kerastase Noctogenist, soon to be available in Boston salons where Kerastase is sold, such as Emerge, 275 Newbury St., Boston, 617-437-0006, emergespasalon.com.