'Adds softness and shine': One bottle of this wildly popular L'Oreal hair rinse sells every minute

So much of life is hard on the hair — styling with hot tools, color treatments, even dry heat warming your home in winter. If your hair is feeling dry and damaged, the first step, according to the American Academy of Dermatology Association, is to give it a rest from the usual stressors.

The next step is to restore that lost moisture. For this, there's L’Oreal Paris Elvive 8 Second Wonder Water Rinse, a cult favorite with more than 31,000 five-star fans on Amazon.

L’Oréal Paris

L’Oreal Paris Elvive 8 Second Wonder Water Lamellar

$10$12Save $2

The quickest leave-in treatment we've seen. Just 8 seconds, and you're done.

$10 at Amazon

Explore More Buying Options

$10 at Walmart$12 at Ulta Beauty

L'Oreal Paris Elvive Wonder Water Rinse is not a mask, an oil or a leave-in cream — it's simply a rinse. After shampooing and rinsing hair with water, you apply this product, leave it in for just eight seconds, then rinse again. (You can follow it up with your regular conditioner if needed, but chances are your hair will feel soft enough that you won't need to.)

According to the brand, Wonder Water Rinse uses something called lamellar technology, a liquid hair treatment that spreads through hair quickly and evenly, depositing moisturizing agents and an amino acid. It doesn't over-condition and make hair feel greasy or heavy. L'Oreal recommends using the rinse one to three times per week for best results.

You can snag this Wonder Water Rinse on Amazon for less than $10. Remarkably, it's still in stock. L'Oreal reports that a bottle of Wonder Water Rinse is sold every minute. Do the math, and that comes to at least 1,440 bottles sold per day!

I tried it — here are my thoughts:

I love how a hair mask makes my hair feel, but I don't like that I have to let it sit for 10 minutes. Most days, I just don't have the time! But 8 seconds? That's something I can get behind.

After using my regular shampoo, I applied a little less than the suggested dose into my hair. The back of the bottle has level markers that suggest a certain amount — 20ml — which actually was quite a lot for my shoulder-length hair; I was able to coat all my strands with less. The bottle contains up to seven treatments, so I figured using a little less could meant getting a couple of extra uses.

I left it on for eight seconds, then rinsed, and I skipped my conditioner. I'm happy to report it worked like a dream! I was able to comb my hair easily right after getting out of the shower, and after blow drying, I could really feel the difference in my hair. It felt smoother and looked shinier, and overall healthier. I get my hair highlighted every three months. I used the rinse a few weeks after my last hair appointment. It didn't damage or dull my color at all.

Since first trying it, I've used Wonder Water Rinse more than 10 times. I'm now on my second bottle! I use it once a week, or whenever my hair feels especially brittle and dry (more often now that it's winter).

What reviewers say:

"This is a magical potion!" writes one impressed shopper in the Amazon reviews. "I don't know what is in this, but it works. I have thin, fine, color-treated hair, and this smooths it out after washing like you wouldn't believe. It feels almost warm as I apply it, then lather it up, count to 10, and rinse it out. The markers on the side of the bottle to tell you how much to use are very helpful, and the scent is faint but pleasant. This is the only product from Amazon I have on subscribe and save, because I know I will always be using it."

Says another happy customer: "I can really tell the difference in my hair after using this product.... Always thought I had to look for the fancier products, but this product taught me a lesson. It works wonderfully on my long hair."

"This really adds softness and shine to my baby fine hair. I am older and also have thinning hair and this is strengthening my hair as well. Doesn’t weigh hair down and I love that it heats up. Definitely recommend.

"I liked the product itself. It definitely made my hair less tangled and shiny. It also had a pleasant scent and was easy to use," writes a four-star reviewer. "However, I will say it does not last long...especially for my long hair.... You only get about 5 treatments [per bottle] if you need to use more."

All that said, if you have damaged hair or you just think your strands need a conditioning boost, it's worth trying. For really damaged hair, check out the entire line of L'Oreal Paris Elvive products.

L’Oréal Paris

L’Oreal Paris Elvive 8 Second Wonder Water Lamellar

$10$12Save $2

The Amazon community has gone wild for this hair rinse. Use it one to three times a week, and watch what happens to your locks.

$10 at Amazon

Explore More Buying Options

$10 at Walmart$12 at Ulta Beauty

The reviews quoted above reflect the most recent versions at the time of publication.

If you have Amazon Prime, you’ll get free shipping, of course. Not yet a member? No problem. You can sign up for your free 30-day trial here. (And by the way, those without Prime still get free shipping on orders of $25 or more.)

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