AIRY FLOW Treatments Compared | Choosing Between "Unruly Hair" and "Thick, Unruly Hair"

SHISEIDO PROFESSIONAL "SUBLIMIC AIRY FLOW" is a series for people whose hair is hard to manage due to frizz or waves. The treatments and masks come in 2 types depending on how your hair gains volume.

Differences between the 2 types

SHISEIDO AIRY FLOW Treatment (UNRULY HAIR)
Tax incl. 250g ¥4,400SHISEIDO AIRY FLOW Treatment (THICK, UNRULY HAIR)
Tax incl. 250g ¥4,400

To tell them apart, look at the "width" after drying. Even if it's wavy, if it tends to lie flat along the shape of your head, choose the "Unruly Hair" type. If the sides by your ears and the back spread outward into a triangular silhouette, choose the "Thick, Unruly Hair" type. Even people with a lot of hair may find the former suits them if the strands are fine and the roots don't lift easily.

The idea of making heat work for you

The maker calls AIRY FLOW's mechanism the "Thermal Flow Motion System" and explains that care steps using the heat of the flat iron and hair dryer you use every day keep hair manageable for a long time. The main ingredients are as follows.

Because it is designed to smooth with heat, drying from the roots with a hair dryer makes better use of its qualities than air-drying. At our salons, we tell people to dry the roots first, then direct the air from above while lightly pulling the ends with their fingers. On days you use a flat iron, use it only after your hair is completely dry.

Treatment or mask

According to the maker's description, the hair shape repairing ingredients glyoxylic acid and glycolic acid are in the mask. You won't be unsure if you split them, for example using the treatment normally and the mask the night before rain or before a day you plan to use a flat iron. As a rule, match both to the same type.

Shampoo and leave-in items

We carry 1 shampoo, with no type distinction. The same series also has leave-in Sheer Oil and Refining Fluid. The scent is shared across the series, which the maker describes as "a sweet, fresh scent of blooming flowers and fruit, with a deep Earl Grey accent."

SHISEIDO AIRY FLOW Shampoo
Tax incl. 250ml ¥3,300SHISEIDO AIRY FLOW Sheer Oil
Tax incl. 100ml ¥3,850SHISEIDO AIRY FLOW Refining Fluid
Tax incl. 125ml ¥3,410

FAQ

Are there 2 types of shampoo too?

We carry 1 shampoo. It is the treatments and masks that come in 2 types.

What if my hair is very frizzy and thick?

If your hair gains volume easily, the "Thick, Unruly Hair" type fits the maker's classification.

Does the scent differ by type?

The maker introduces AIRY FLOW as having 1 scent.

Shampoos for frizzy hair in general are covered in How to Choose Shampoo for Frizzy, Wavy Hair, products to apply after drying in Leave-In Treatments for Frizzy Hair, and how frizz forms in What Causes Frizz and Waves.

Online store shipping is free for orders of ¥3,980 or more (tax incl.) to Honshu, Shikoku and Kyushu (¥440 for Hokkaido and Okinawa).

Source (SHISEIDO PROFESSIONAL official site): AIRY FLOW (SUBLIMIC home care)

*Results vary from person to person. If a product does not agree with your scalp or skin, stop using it and consult a dermatologist. Prices include tax and are as of the time of posting.