Today, with the help of Isima, Shakira prefers to embrace her natural curls. “One of the things that I like about these products is that they give me the opportunity to wear my hair as it is naturally,” she says.
And when she’s on stage, that’s imperative. “When I’m performing, I need to feel natural. I can’t perform with wigs; I can’t perform with super high heels. I need to be as organic as possible,” says Shakira. “I just did 25 shows and we’re going to start my first stadium tour in America this month… and so far I’ve done it without extensions because I like to head bang and move my hair. So the products I use can’t leave my hair stiff or feeling too heavy.”
Though we Allure editors can’t report on how well the line holds up through two and a half hours of non-stop hip-shaking and 13 costume changes, we put the products to the test in our own way. And we were really, really impressed. Keep scrolling for our unfiltered thoughts on some of the standouts.
Isima Delicia Reparative Hair Oil, $36
Shakira told me that during those 13 costume changes, her hairstylist, Jhonatan Rendon, relies on Delicia Reparative Hair Oil to tame errant hairs. “I have just 60 seconds between songs,” she says. “Jhonatan puts this oil in and the flyaways are gone.”
I have ultra-fine hair and do not typically find myself headlining world tours, so I use this oil a little differently: I apply a pea-sized amount on the ends of my hair to smooth the frizziness that tends to appear a day or two after washing. Kiana Brown, a Los Angeles-based hairstylist who specializes in curls, likes raking it through her spirals to help hydrate and cut the crunch that can come from using gels and creams.
As for me, yes, I could probably use a haircut—but for now, this lightweight oil is helping me bide my time. I’d also be remiss not to mention its fragrance, which could best be described as juicy. I love the way the scent lingers on my hair throughout the day.
Isima Riquísima Hydrating Shampoo, $32
When Giancarlos Kunhardt, our associate visuals editor, shared this selfie, our team Slack channel was set ablaze with fire emojis. “CURLS!!!!!!!!!!” squealed one fellow editor. Giancarlos used Riquísima Hydrating Shampoo, which he says “has a rich lather and didn’t dry out my hair like most shampoos do.”
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“As I washed, my curls clumped just enough to let me run my fingers through without much tug,” he continues. “I have a lot of thick, unruly hair, so I need a shampoo that won’t make detangling a nightmare—and luckily, this one didn’t!” Plus, he adds, the brand gets bonus points for the easy-to-dispense pump bottle.
Isima Suavísima Hydrating Conditioner, $32
Kassidy Silva, Allure’s social director and a new mom, says she had to change her entire hair-care routine postpartum. She now seeks out strengthening formulas, which is what drew her to the hydrating shampoo as well as Suavísima Hydrating Conditioner.
After shampooing, she applied a quarter-sized dollop of conditioner on the ends of her long, thick hair and let the formula “marinate for about five minutes.” After rinsing it out, she jumped out of the shower and “hit my hair with a quick blow dry and my T3 curling iron,” she says. The result—sans other styling products—was this shiny, wavy look. For his part, Giancarlos says his curls prefer conditioners with a little more slip, which he finds helps with detangling.
Isima Súperbomba Triple Repair Peptide Mask, $38
If you only get one product from this line, make it Súperbomba Triple Repair Peptide Mask. The formula floored cosmetic chemist Marisal Mou, who had previously only seen its star ingredient—nanopeptide-3—used in skin care.