MANILA, Philippines ? I have dry hair, especially at the tips. After having my hair colored twice last year, I could say with certainty that it died. I used to think only an ancient ritual could resurrect it, but only if I could find the other half of the tablet so I could decode the symbols for instructions.

I don?t enjoy looking at the mirror; there are days when I look like a lion, my hair sticking out in tufts at the back. Sometimes they would ?wake up? ahead of me. Every day is a bad hair day.

I had tried everything to save my hair, from using coconut oil to doing the more expensive twice-a-month hair treatments, but my hair still looked as if an animal sat on my head to die.

Schwarzkopf Professional, which has been in the hair care industry for more than a century now?it produced the first liquid shampoo, cold wave perm, crème shampoo in a tube, alkali-free shampoo and hairspray?seems to me like the light at the end of the tunnel.
Its newest line, Essensity, is a full-range hair care line that uses the most carefully selected, plant-derived actives that are free from artificial fragrances, silicone, paraffin and mineral oils, and parabens. This follows its ?Free Form? philosophy?no damage-causing chemicals.

The high-quality natural ingredients used in the Essensity range are sourced from organic farms that practice sustainable methods. Product formulations are mostly biodegradable, and use 100- percent recyclable packaging materials. (Essensity also supports the reforestation of tropical rainforests to sustain and maintain the plants? natural habitats and provide employment in relevant areas.)

Robert Seoh, regional technical manager of Schwarzkopf Professional, analyzed the state of our hair and recommended treatment and shades to our assigned stylists.

The Philippines is the first country in Asia to launch the Essensity line. Aside from using mostly natural ingredients, he said Essensity is about performance.

He recommended Essensity Color in Dark Teak to even out my light streaks, and the Intense Curing Mask, a rinse-off treatment that should strengthen and repair my brittle hair. Because the products are mainly organic, there was no stinging or itchiness when they applied the hair color, unlike my experience with ordinary brands. It?s also ammonia and fragrance-free, so there?s no unpleasant smell.

Top hairstylists and Essensity Salon Ambassadors Nikki Bacay of Nikki Bacay Salon, Weng de Guzman of Fix Salon and Ino Amoyo of David?s Salon were on hand to give their expertise. Ino cut my hair to get rid of split-ends and for more definition. They gave my hair life again.

The line covers the wide range of hair care: care (hair maintenance and health), color (natural hair colorants), and styling. Essensity products are available in selected salons nationwide. (For more information, log on to http://www.schwarzkopf.com.)