TIGI is brand that many of us are familiar with and is also a brand that is often associated with high quality and salon style results with easy-to-use simplicity and really great value for money. Because of this, the brand has gone from strength to strength over the years, building on a long line of successful products and great branding.
Due to the nature of my job, I tend to use a wide variety of different products over the course of a year, so I’ve managed to hone my senses somewhat. I can tell quite soon after using a product whether it’s suited to my skin or hair and whether I like it or would recommend it.
However, I have been using TIGI products for quite some time now, ever since a hairdresser friend lead me onto the brand a while ago and I can honestly say that since then, I’ve always kept at least one of their products in my bathroom for those nights out when you want to look like you’ve just come from the stylist.
In this article, I hope to shed some light on the origins of this amazing brand as well as give you a little bit of insight into the brands product catalogue (what’s hot and what’s not). I also hope to share my personal experiences with this brand and hopefully allow you to make up your mind as to whether or not you think TIGI is a brand that suited to you, your lifestyle and your hair. So keep reading!
Tigi Company Background Breakdown
The history of the TIGI brand (Toni International Guy International) is only really made clear to us once we understand the history and background of the founder, Anthony Mascolo. Mascolo and his family moved from Italy to London towards the end of the 1950s.
The family’s father was an experienced hair dresser and Anthony and his brothers would often spend a great deal of time in his salon, helping out around the store and learning how to cut hair.
After some years of training and few jobs, the two older brothers of the family went off to start their own salon known as TONI&GUY – a brand now synonymous with hair styling excellence. Young Anthony worked alongside his brothers, helping to grow and nurture the family business. The timing couldn’t have been better – the cultural revolution during 60s meant that fashion was changing and the TONI&GUY brand exploited this to their benefit.
By the late 80s, the brand had come a long way already. With multiple salons open around the UK and even in the US, a full-time educational facility and a range of products under the belt, business was looking good. While Anthony still worked for his brothers at TONI&GUY, he was already working out a way to create his own range of hair care products under a separate brand.
This all culminated in 2003 and he decided to launch his own brand – TIGI. The line was designed to cater for a variety of different hair types and styles and was aimed at providing users with salon-quality results at a much lower price.
The brand has seen quite a lot of success since being formed (as is to be expected with the Mascolo brothers by now) and is even distributed by Unilever. The TIGI brand is still closely related to TONI&GUY and you’re likely to find their products in TONI&GUY salons around the world.
What started off as a humble family salon in London over 50 years ago has now become a leading global brand in hair care products with critical acclaim to boot. If that doesn’t spell ‘success’ then I don’t know what does.
TIGI Products Breakdown
The TIGI line is quite comprehensive one and is definitely one of the largest lines I’ve seen in the hands of a private company like this. So, instead of going through every single product in their catalogue (which would take you hours to read), I’ll focus on giving you an explanation of how each line works within the range.
Once you’ve managed to narrow down what it is you’re looking for from this brand, it’s a lot easier to single out a single product in a line by yourself, than it is to go through the entire range trying to find one that works for you in particular.
The range is split up into 4 main categories, namely Bed Head, Catwalk, S-Factor and Bed Head for Men. It’s important to note that each category is an individual brand unto itself, with it’s own unique features and functionality.
Tigi Bed Head Explained
The Bed Head line is designed to be as functional and accessible as possible and is generally regarded as the more ‘everyday’ line under the brand. Bed Head products are therefore popular in both salons and at home.
The line consists of 30 products, each being designed to cater for a specific need or style. It includes everything from shampoos and conditioners, to mattes, masks, hairsprays and more! It’s a really fun and funky line and I think that if you’re unfamiliar with the brand, this is probably the best way to familiarize yourself with their products. Think everyday styling and hair care here.
Tigi Catwalk Explained
This line is heavily influenced by the creators work on the catwalk – and as any hairdresser will know, styling for the catwalk is like nothing else you’ve done before. There’s a lot of pressure to do amazing things in a short space of time (and under huge amounts of pressure).
So it stands to reason that you’d want products that don’t flop when the going get’s tough and can hold up under some pretty extreme conditions – without doing too much chemical damage to the hair as well – a very tricky balance to strike.
This is also the oldest product in the brands category and was released under the Toni&Guy brand as Catwalk during the early 90’s. The Catwalk line also consists of 30 products, although unlike the Bed Head line, these are specifically designed to perform better under the stresses of heat styling, multiple washes and the addition of various products to the hair (think fast-fashion or people who change their hairstyle or color often).
This is a definite must-have for anyone who is used to heat styling on a regular basis or who simply wants more protection for their hair, whilst maintaining that strong, supple look we all want for our hair.
Tigi S-Factor Explained
This is probably my favorite line in the TIGI range and it’s the one I would recommend for people with sensitive hair types – especially those who have naturally dry and frizzy hair. The line is designed to help nourish, moisturize and replenish nutrients and minerals that are lost during heat styling and dyeing for example.
The line consists of 30 products, each of which has it’s own, unique formula that is designed to replenish specific nutrients or minerals based on your hair’s needs and will leave your hair feeling soft, smooth and hydrated for days after use or styling.
The products in this line are generally fortified with natural ingredients like shea butter, Vitamin E and a few in the line (like ‘Diamond Dreams’ shampoo) contain exotic ingredients such as cashmere and champagne extracts, diamond dust, and crushed pearls!
The line is also sulfate-free, which means you’ll be putting less strain on your hair when using it. While it may be a little more costly than your average bottle of shampoo – I think it’s plain to see why! Good quality is always going to cost a little more, but the long-term benefits are definitely worth it.
Catwalk Curls Rock Review: My Before & After Results
I have thick curly hair and generally tend to struggle to find products that can cope with my locks. I’ve tried so many things to try to manage my hair – even turning to an acupuncturist at one point in time. I’m also the kind of person who likes to rock my curls, rather than using heat styling treatments of flat-irons to help keep it straight every day – simply because this is bad for your hair over time and as I said, I really like my curls.
The first time I used the Catwalk Curls Rock Amplifier I was amazed by the product’s effectiveness. My hairdresser at the time suggested that I buy a bottle for my own use and I’ve been using it ever since.
It’s a really powerful product, so a little goes a long way – I generally only use 2-3 pumps through my moist hair after shampooing and conditioning and then leave it in over the course of the day.
I would recommend that you comb your hair first and separate it into 3-4 individual sections. Then rub a pump’s worth of the amplifier into your palm, grab a curl and twist it, slowly running the product through your hair.
Do this until you have curled most of your hair and then use a diffuser (this is a must!) to gently dry your hair. Don’t be too hard or too soft with this, try and stick to a medium heat don’t use the diffuser for more than 15 minutes.
It may take a while (30-40 minutes in total), but this is definitely the best way to get the most out of your curls. Also note that you may want to re-apply a small amount of the amplifier to your curls the following day to keep them in place and moisturized – best to be on the safe side here.
I’ve been using this product for well over a year now and have only had great results so far. My hair loves it and I love it and I hope that after trying it out, you’ll love the Catwalk Curls Rock Amplifier as much as I do too!
TIGI Catwalk Curls Rock Ingredients Breakdown
While I really love the Catwalk line and have an especially soft-place for the Curls Rock Amplifier, there are a few issues I have with some of the ingredients that are contained in these products. Although I love the results that I get from them with every use, there are a few things I feel I should point out to potential customers when it comes to using this product.
Firstly though, here’s a list of all of the ingredients that are found in the product as they’re printed on the bottle:
Aqua (Water/Eau), VP/DMAPA Acrylates Copolymer, Cyclomethicone, Polyquaternium-11, Polyquaternium-372671, Styrene/Butadiene Copolymer, Parfum (Fragrance), Propylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate, PPG-1 Trideceth-6, Polysorbate 60, Cetearyl Alcohol, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Helianthus Annuus (Hybrid Sunflower) Oil, Panthenol, Chitosan, Butylene Glycol, Methylchloroisothiazolinone, Amyl Cinnamal, Geraniol, Butylphenyl Methylpropional, Linalool, Hexyl Cinnamal, Limonene.
While most of these ingredients are pretty common in hair care products and some of them are even natural, the benefits of these natural products are largely overshadowed by the addition of a few, potentially harmful chemical ingredients.
Ingredients such as PPG-1 Trideceth-6, Fragrance and Styrene/Butadiene Copolymer are all classified as mild endocrine disruptors, which means that over time, they can build up in our system and cause hormone imbalances, skin irritation and organ-system toxicity over time.
While TIGI is a brand that tends to stay away from using too many of these ingredients in their products, it is still something to take into account if you have naturally sensitive skin, any allergies to specific chemicals or have a weakened immune system.
I’ve been using the product for over a year now and haven’t had any issues as of yet. But I always feel that it’s best to know what you’re buying before you do in order to avoid any health complications or simply waste your money.
Is TIGI Cruelty-Free? Is TIGI Vegan?
This one is always something that makes me feel a bit bad for falling in love with this product and I don’t blame anyone for opting to stay away from TIGI products once they know that they are tested on animals. Ugh, this is such a disappointment! You finally find a brand that you love and then find out something like this.
So I did a little more research to find out exactly what’s going on here and what I found was quite interesting. Essentially, TIGI as a brand or company doesn’t actually test any of their products on animals at all. They’re quite open about this actually.
The issue arises due to the fact that the brand sells their products in China and China, by law, requires all personal care products to be tested on animals before they can be sold in the country.
So whether TIGI tests their products on animals, or a private company does – the fact still stands that this is not a truly ‘cruelty-free’ brand. Personally, I’m still okay with using the brand because I know that they don’t physically do any of the testing themselves.
But for some, the only other option would be to simply stop selling their products to China until the laws change, rather than support a brand that enables animal testing in any capacity. This obviously also means that the brand is not vegan.
Conclusion
While some may be disillusioned by the high costs of many salon-style brands or don’t think that they’re ‘hip enough’ to use them, TIGI is a brand that actively encourages people to experiment and try new things. Mascolo’s personal motto is that practice brings about progress and in turn, success.
So if you long for luscious locks and want that ‘salon’ feeling everyday – then look no further than TIGI. There wide range of products is suitable for all hair types and styles and each product will give you results that are well-worth the cost.
Once you’ve felt the difference between a conventional hair care product and a TIGI product – you’ll know what I’m talking about a bit better. Here’s to your hair health and sexy styling until next time!
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