Cantu Shea Butter Coconut Curling Cream Review

Last week I picked up a jar of Cantu Shea Butter's Coconut Curling Cream. I was impressed by Melshary's results with the product on YouTube and couldn't wait to try it out on my own hair.

You know the saying: "Everything is not for everyone"...?

That saying rang true with this product.

I tried this product three days in a row, here's what I have to say about it:

The good: Extremely soft hair, even when dry. 

The bad: Dry and dull looking hair when dry.

The ugly: Couldn't get second day hair to save my life. And it left white residue when mixed with EcoStyler Gel. Big no-no!

The results below are when my hair was dried. 

It took a lot to get rid of the white residue just for these pictures alone. 

 

Paul Mitchell's "The Conditioner" Review

Two Saturdays ago I purchased a travel sized bottle of Paul Mitchell's Leave-In Conditioner "The Conditioner" from Ulta. I was impressed with Mahogany Curls (can you tell I'm obsessed with her hair?) results and thought I would be able to achieve great results with this product as well.

Boy was I wrong.

Have you ever been so convinced that something would work for you, and you tried and tried, but it just didn't work. That's how this conditioner was for me. I tried using this conditioner three times with three different wash n' gos. and I was turned all the way off by the third and final time.

It made my hair very stiff. Even after *scrunching* my hair once it dried, it was still unbelievably stiff. Nothing like the results I have gotten from using Tresemme Naturals.

I guess if it's not broke, why fix it?

Product Grade: D-

Nupur Mehndi

Stopped by the store that I usually go to for my Henna, Castor Oil, Almond Oil..and while browsing the aisles I came across Nupur Mehndi. I do not consider myself to be following a strict Ayurvedic Hair Regimen, but I use herbs and oils like Neem, Alma, and Henna in my deep conditioners occasionally. The Nupur stood out to me because A. The powder is mixed with nine herbs that essentially benefit the hair and B. A friend of mine mentioned using a powder like this and had fabulous results.

The product description on Godrej Nupur's website reads:

Nupur brings to you the best quality Rajasthani Mehendi with 9 carefully chosen natural herbs. The ingredients are added in perfect proportions to give your hair the fabulous shiny & silky feel that you desire every single day. 
Following are herbs used in Godrej Nupur Mehendi with their benefits.

• Brahmi - Promotes hair growth.
• Shikakai - Leaves hair clean & shining.
• Aloe Vera - Maoisturises hair & makes it silky.
• Methi - Conditions, nourishes & revitalises hair.
• Bhringraj - Makes hair luxuriant.
• Amla - Darkens hair colours, adds shine & luster.
• Neem - Fights scalp infection & prevents dandruff.
• Hibiscus - Rejuvenates hair making it shiny & silky.
• Jatamansi - Prevents graying of hair.

 The company recommends mixing the product this way:

Soak Nupur Mehendi in water for 2-3 hours. You may add curd/oil for extra softness. Apply paste evenly from root to tip of the hair. Leave for 3-4 hours. Rince thoroughly with water.

Now...I'm not one for patience. So of course I did not soak the Nupur Mehndi in water for 2-3 hours. Let's try...2-3 minutes? It was late and I didn't feel like waiting until the morning to try this product. Next time I will be sure to soak it for 2-3 hours though.

I added 1 cup of water, 1/4 cup of Coconut Oil and 1 cup Aussie Moist Conditioner to this product.

I loved the results! I cowashed the product out of my hair with Suave Conditioner and followed up with a Deep Conditioner mix. I noticed far less breakage so far. My hair is much softer and stronger as a result of this product. I will be using this again before the month ends.

Product Grade: A+ 

Sidebar: I did not realize that the product would stain my hands (Mehndi=Henna). Doh! I'm walking around with orange fingers/nails as a result. Lesson learned. 

Revisiting Shea Moisture Curl Enhancing Smoothie

Lately I have been all ra-ra about my newest love of the Wash n' Go. I thought I had a staple product, but my bottle of Tresemmé Naturals has been replaced! I have found that I get more moisture from using SheaMoisture Curl Enhancing Smoothie. This product gives me "cotton candy" curls all day long. I'm even able to stretch my wash n' go out for an extra day or two (with a pony tail or banana clip).

Loc Soc Review

(product details are at the bottom highlighted in pink, just incase you want to skip my long drawn out story lol)

Have you ever lost something, whether in your house, apartment, office, or even your car...and search and search and search and still can't find it? Well, welcome to the story of my life!

Lost item #45327: Loc Soc

In June of this year, I went to an annual African Festival in my city. I love attending this festival. The music, the food, the crowd...amazing. I usually purchase my whipped Shea butter tub and check out the other booths that sell jewelry, clothes, artwork, etc. I found a booth ran by a company called "Shades of Color". They were selling a product called the LocSoc. It seemed like an interesting concept, especially with my newfound interest in wash n gos. I figured that I could use it to pineapple my hair. I picked up a black LocSoc and used it that same night.

I have been using it since then!

Unfortunately three nights ago I misplaced it with no idea of where it could've "ran" off to. I searched for bout about 20 minutes with pictures in my mind of where it ought to be....but no luck.

I had an idea. I figured I could cut a stocking and make my own LocSoc.

Bad idea.

Not only was it cutting off my circulation because it was so tight around my fivehead, but it kept rolling further up and up. I pulled it, yanked it, held it...wouldn't stay in place. Finally I said "what the hell" threw my satin bonnet on and went to sleep.

Of course it popped up the next day. Like I was never searching for it.

Now onto why i love this product:

The LocSoc is a hair accessory made of Lycra (very stretchy material. It is very versatile and I have used it to protect my natural hair styles. I have also used it as a headband and as a scarf to lay down my hair after applying gel. It is comfortable, which is important for me especially for sleeping in overnight. I purchased my LocSoc in the color black, but the company has a wide variety of colors, styles, and prints for customers to chose from. My biggest rave about this product is that I have been able to stretch out the amount of days I can wear a wash n go or twist out by using the LocSoc. 

The product is currently sold online: LocSoc Online Store and also at select stores. 

Product Review: Shea Moisture Curl and Style Conditioning Milk

I keep winning when it comes to my product junky purchases lately. It at least makes my addiction to buying natural hair products worth it in the end!

I grabbed a bottle of Shea Moisture's Curl and Style Conditioning Milk last weekend. After deep conditioning my hair, I applied my leave in conditioner (currently using lacio lacio leave in conditioner) to damp hair. After applying my leave in to my sectioned hair, I squeezed about a nickel sized amount of the Shea Moisture Curl and Style Conditioning Milk and applied this to the sections. I followed up with my essential oils and twisted the sections. I sealed my ends with the Jane Carter Nourish and Shine  (love this stuff!)

Here's a little snap shot of my results. I will have much better results coming soon from my SLR, these were unfortunately captured with my crappy HTC Evo camera.

Jane Carter's Nourish and Shine Review

Haven't been doing much with my hair lately. Really really trying to stick to my protective styles. I've been rocking two weeks of buns. Trying to remix the buns a little on the weekend with a pompadour or hair accessories.

All this protective styling, deep conditioning, moisturizing, sealing, baggying, etc. better pay off!

Oh...onto the review!

Jane Carter's Nourish and Shine Review:

Now I know that I mentioned this product in my previous post. I want to mention that I am not using the product as a moisturizer, as I previously stated. In doing my research, I realized that "butters" (such as Nourish & Shine which includes Mango Butter and Shea Butter) are generally not use as moisturizers. Moisturizers are generally products that are water-based. There are some people that prefer to use Butters as a moisturizer, but I find that my hair moisturizes better with water based products.

Currently, I am using the product as a sealer. I am using QP Mango Butter as my moisturizer and using the nourish and shine as my sealer. I love using these products together because they may my hair feel extremely soft. After not washing my hair for a week and wearing it in buns, I kept delaying washing my hair because I LOVED how soft my hair felt.

Product Grade: A (would've gotten an A+ if it wasn't for the smell...bleh!)

Below is a picture of my hair in a braidout done two weeks ago using the Nourish and Shine....

Later Chicas!

Oh My Color!

I had a major color disaster last Saturday. I have been desiring a little bit of color, but nothing extreme. So I decided to dye the top U-Shaped portion of my hair a honey blonde color. I used Clairol Textures and Tones:

The color on the box looked perfect! I even looked at the color comparison chart on the side of the box. It seemed to be the perfect match. Of course I also did my research on blogs, on youtube, and on the forums. This actual brand even tested as a top performer in Consumer Reports comparison tests. 

I followed the directions, mixed the bottles and packet together. And...

What a disaster!! Instead of the "honey blonde" I was expecting, I was left with an orange sherbet/carrot top blend. I almost had a nervous breakdown. I couldn't go to work or in public looking like this. Out of desperation, the next morning I went to the Hair Cuttery to get the messy dye job fixed. 

Thankfully they were able to work a miracle on my disaster work. While there, I also received a trim and a wash/curl.

Lesson Learned! Never try an at-home dye job ever again!

I still have my eye on that honey blonde color though...

Have you ever had a natural hair disaster? What did you do to overcome it (or did you simply live with it?)

Ooooh...Ahhhh!

I feel like I'm in an Herbal Essences commercial and I'm not even using Herbal Essences.

The first time I used this product I felt like a little girl. That freshly washed hair that I could run my fingers through. The hair that dries soft and bouncy and fluffy. It's remarkable. Same results the second and third time.


So I figured I would let the secret out.

Yeah, this stuff is the truth!

It's usually used in Dominican Salons as a deep conditioner for blow outs/roller sets. I've used it for rollersets and braidouts and I absolutely loooooove the way it makes my hair feel for both. This might just be my staple conditioner!

Neem Powder/Oil

About two weeks ago, I was browsing some items in my local Indian store. I picked up a box of Neem Powder (thinking it was Alma powder....apparently I can't read) and picked up a bottle of Neem oil. I have wanted to try some other products in the Indian store other than Henna and I thought I would do some experimenting.

Once I got home, I began to research the products more. I usually do this before making my purchase, but since my visit to the Indian store was random, I didn't have the chance to. I discovered that the Neem Tree is has a reputation as being the "wonder tree". It has been used in the past and even in the present to treat various illnesses and it is also used as preventative care. For hair, it is usually used to treat dandruff. I don't have a problem with dandruff, but I thought that was interesting. In general, it is used to promote hair health. 

Finally I opened up my new products. I kind of felt like a kid playing with new toys. Until I caught a whiff of the Neem Oil.

Damn near passed out.

Talk about stank. Wheeeweeee!

Nevertheless, I began mixing a concoction of Neem Powder, Conditioner, and Neem Oil. I applied it to my hair. Though I must have walked around the house smelling rather interesting, I kept it in for a half hour.

Washing it out was quite an experience. Not as bad as washing out Henna. But this stuff looks like a paste once it goes on, so it's not like washing out conditioner. Though the smell lingered for day or two (I think I used too much Neem Oil)...I loved the way that it made my hair feel. It made it feel soft and strong. I think I will be using this once or twice a month as a deep deeeep conditioner.

The next product on my "Indian Store Wish List" is the Shikakai Powder. Stay tuned!

Kimmaytube's Leave-In Conditioner

Eureka! I have found a new staple!

I don't quite know what inspired me to try the Kimmaytube Leave-In Mix but I tried it out about two weeks ago. My braidout results were amazing. Fluffy but not frizzy. Defined. Curly on the ends. I thought to myself "no, maybe that's not it"...but it was the only new addition to my hair routine. I tried it again this weekend and scored another great braidout. So I am attributing this success to the Kimmaytube Leave-In.

The thing that I love about this leave-in is that it includes one of my favorite leave-ins: Kinky Curly Knot Today. And the rest of the recipe is below:


Recipe:

2 tablespoons of Knot Today Leave-In


2 tablespoons of Aloe Vera Juice with (pH 4.0 or 4.5)


2 teaspoons of Castor Oil


2 teaspoons of Another Oil (I tried Hot 6 Oil with my first batch, Alma Lite Oil with my second batch...came out the same. Some people use Jojoba Oil.)


*I make sure to put the mix in the fridge when I am done using it. I have been reading that Aloe Vera can spoil at room temperature and I didn't want to take my chances....

New Product Alert: SheaMoisture Curling Souffle

In all natural hair yummy goodness, SheaMoisture (one of my favorite natural hair product lines) has a brand spanking new product:

SheaMoisture released this statement about their new product: 

"Our new Curl Defining Gel Soufflé with Agave Nectar & Flax Seed Oil launches in Target on August 28! A curl gel like no other out there -- it defines curls with agave nectar, sugar cane extract and pectin, not plasticized chemicals such as PVC and polymers that can buildup up in hair, as well as cause dryness and damage! And, it's all-natural!"

The product is said to contain Agave Nectar and Flax Seed Oil. I have been dying to try flax seed but all of the tutorials on YouTube appear so involved...now I have a pre-made concoction to try it with. I'm excited and will be stalking my local Targets and Walgreens this weekend to get my hands on one.

I will be posting a review ASAP for this product. Stay tuned!