NEW Lottabody Natural Hair Products!!!!!

Moisturize Me Curl&Style Milk

Shape Me Custard Gelee     

Control Me Edge Control 

(Pics below)

I have always heard great things about Lottabody products. I remember my mother using the Lottabody setting lotion on my hair in middle school. I use to rock a roller set faithfully lol. My mother has been a long time user and fan of Lotta Body products. To this day Lottabody is one of favorite brands to use. When I came across the natural hair display of new products by Lottabody I knew I had to try them. The first thing that drew me to this new arsenal of products was the packaging, the pretty decent ingredients, the price and of course the smell. Can you say YUM :) At first glance I knew that the Moisturize Me Curl&Style Milk would be my favorite product to use. So along with the curl&style milk I ended up picking up the Shape Me Custard Gelee and the Control Me Edge Control. I've been working on how to use these products on my type 4 hair for the past few weeks and here is my break down. 

Moisturize Me Curl&Style Milk:

I knew this product would be a good product on my hair. See the way my hair is set up.... It's really really thick type 4 hair. It has a personality of it's own and doesn't play nice with all products. Normally I'm pretty good at selecting products that work well on my hair. When I started using this product I washed and condition my hair and applied it in section as directed on the bottle. Normally I use a leave-in conditioner before a style product but I wanted to see how well this product worked as directed. I simply two strand twist in some what chunky twist. I took down my hair the next morning and I got a very light definition. My hair was soft and full. Unfortunately, it rained cats and dogs so my hair went into moisture absorb over load My hair just fluffed into a super fro. Which is my go to look any way. Over all it was very easy to use. I LOVE the pump on the bottle!!!! It's something different and most natural hair products don't come with a pump. I love the consistency, the smell and how smooth it went on to my hair. I can see myself buying this product again. 

Shape Me Up Custard Gelee:

I have had my battles with finding a curling custard that works for my hair. This one I'm still working with. I used quite a few times so far. I've used it in a twist out and gave very light definition. I tried it styling my hair in a wash and go it didn't work for my hair. This custard is too light for my hair. One problem I came across it has glycerin like most custards. The thing with glycerin and my hair is if a product has too much glycerin it flakes and and becomes coated or hard. I did get some flaking when trying to use the curl&style milk with this custard MAJOR NO NO. I did get some curl but not what I was use to using my normal styling product. Over all I am still working with this product to see how I can get it to work. I aways find out how to use a product. This one is still a work in progress on my hair. 

Control Me Edge Control:

Now I'm not big on edge controls. I've went through my fair share of them. Some good some very bad, but this one was refreshing to use. It's very light on my hair which is good in my case. I don't like a lot of product on my hair line. This product is is very light once applied. I only used a little bit of this on my edges and it was easy to use. It wasn't really sticky or gummy like most EC'S on the market. Of course the smell was great. It gave a nice hold. Not the strongest hold but that was fine with me. no flaking, no residue, no white cast (since this has a blue color base). This is very light on the hair. Not bad it's definitely a product to keep on hand if your like me and don't care for the heavy, sticky, oily edge controls. This product does contain parabens but they are listed at the bottom, but I'm not major on ingredients so it's fine with me. 

Overview 

I like the line. It has a few downs i.e. a little too light at times and the glycerin factor on my hair. I definitely see a co wash, deep conditioner and leave in conditioner being added to this line some where down the line. I have to work out the kinks with the custard. Over all a good line of products so far. I HIGHLY recommend the Moisturize Me Curl&Style Milk that is my favorite out of all the products I've tried. There are two more revamped products I haven't tired from Lottabody that I will check out later. Lottabody did a good job on the new products.  I'm looking forward to see what the company does next.

curl&style milkWith custard&hairmilk

Taking down my twist. 

2-5 Day old twist out

NEW Creme Of Nature Moisturising Milk Masque (Repairing Treatment)

Cream of Nature Moisturising Milk Masque Price $7.99

So Creme of Nature Agran Oil from Morocco hair line has  NEW natural hair products. They have added 4 new products and I've bought and tried 2 out of 4 of them. The Moisturizing Milk Masque and the Twirling Custard. I've been eyeing this product for almost a month before I finally tried it. For some reason my product junkieism is starting to fade out lately. $7.99 for a deep conditioner was all of a sudden too pricey for me, which is unheard of in my product life. So I finally tried it this past Saturday. I really like it this treatment. I've been a fan of the argan oil line from Creme of Nature for a couple of years now and I must say I'm really liking the new products so far. When using this product I followed my normal shampoo cleansing routine and skipped the regular conditioner step. I applied this treatment on wet clean hair in chunky sections. I simply finger detangled the product in my hair, then chunky twist my hair. I must say the texture was really nice, very thick and creamy. I didn't have to saturate my hair like I normally have to with most conditioners. This is a nice size jar and I love that I can maybe get at least 2-3 uses out of it before having to restock. I have thick type 4 hair so I normally have to let DC's stay in my hair at least an 30 with heat or an hour+ without heat with a plastic cap.  I opted out the heat and just put on a \plastic cap and head scarf and called it a night. I left this treatment in Saturday night and rinsed it out Monday morning. My hair was really soft and felt very smooth and condition. My hair felt like butter which is a plus in my book. Dealing with work, home life, and school had me playing catch up and I just let this product go to work. It states to leave it in 5-10 minute but my hair rebels against rules like those. Over all I like the new treatment its rich and thick smells really nice. The price doesn't botherme now lol. It's a good product it's worth a try. They did a good job on this product formulation. I'm looking forward to trying the Butter Creme and Curl Perfecting Pudding later on down the line. 

Murray's Edge Wax

Price $4.99 4 oz

When it comes to edge control products I think I have tried them all. I have read all the empty promises that companies have slapped on the back of packaging to products  which have come up short. I have tried so many different types of edge controls that have made it to my product stash grave yard section of no return. I gave up on finding a product that can tame my thick mane for my up do hair days. My hair is a beast when it comes to products that are meant to help fight frizz or smooth. They simply just don't work or only work for a very short time frame.I have always been a fan of Murray's products. Great quality great prices trusted  brand and easy to find.  I came across this wonderful product and was hesitate to try it at first but being that I have always been a fan of Murray's products I knew it wouldn't fail me and it didn't. This product was inexpensive, has a very nice smell, and smooth creamy consistency. The biggest thing that stood out was the color and texture of this product. The biggest problems I always hear with edge control products is the build up of white icky that it leaves and the oily mess they have. I didn't have any problems with using this product. No stickiness no oiliness no gunk.  Its a smooth combination of the Murray's trade mark wax and a nice gel of some sort. It looks white in the jar but comes off  clear once added to the hair. I used this product first simply on my edges one morning before heading to school. By the time I got to work later that evening my edges were still smooth. They stayed smooth for the next couple of days with little replying of the product. (Quick tip when using edge controls only use a tiny small amount to cut down on build up) I really like this stuff I think its a keeper. I will be experimenting with the different uses for this product i.e. twist outs, quickie wash n gos, buns. I highly approve of this products for all hair types. Now with any product expect some type of build up. This product has a wax based so just be alarmed that you will have to wash your hair to make sure there is no wax build up. Other than that I really think the Murray company has something special here in this 4 oz jar. I'm surprised that this product isn't plastered across all the blogs yet. This is a great product I;m so glad I tried it and I'm finally getting around to review it. There's one more product I'm gonna try the Murray's Cream Wax African Export reviewed it a long time ago on YouTube and I think I'm gonna finally give it a shot this spring/summer once my other twist products are used up. 

****Photo Credit via Google Images****

How to Build a Haircare Regimen

How to Build a Hair Care Regimen for Natural Hair

When I started my natural hair journey I was so lost in where to go and what to do about finding products for my hair. At the time I was strapped for money so I couldn't try everything I saw ladies on YouTube trying on their hair. I found out the hard way about products that worked on my relaxed hair just wouldn't work on my natural. I started small (and cheap) getting the basics for my hair care needs i.e. shampoo, conditioner, gel. I would research more cost effective ways to say money and have enough products to last me for a while. Before my product junkie gene kicked in to high gear I actually made my own products for my hair. There are countless recipes to make all natural shampoos and hair butters to name a few on the web. My hair butter (which I still make) lasts for a couple of years and is great for hair&skin. Over the course of 2 years and counting I've acquired a few tips that have helped me build a stable hair care routine. 

When building a haircare regimen make sure you have some of the following:

• Shampoo
• Conditioner
• Deep Conditioner/Treatment
• Leave In Conditioner
• Oils
• Moisturizer
• Styler

Shampoo is used to clean the scalp and remove excess dirt product and oils from the hair. Some naturals (including me at times) stray away from shampoo due to the strong stripping and drying process it has on hair. For that I would say to use a sulfate free or natural shampoo every other week or at least once a month just to clarify to hair and scalp.

Conditioner is use to restore moisture and softness to the hair after the shampooing process. Most naturals even used this as their only hair washing product. This process is called "Co washing" or conditioner washing. Some companies even have started to make cleansing conditioners using alternative cleaning agents in a conditioner form that cleanse the hair like shampoo without the dryness. 

Deep Conditioner/Treatment this process is an extended step to help treat and restore moisture shine and some times protein etc. Depending on a person personal hair care needs they can use countless kind of treatments to help with their hair inquiries. There are hot oil treatments for dryness, protein treatments for breakage or shedding, and moisture treatments. You can either buy them from a store or make them right in your own kitchen. 

Leave In Conditioner is used to help continue the moisture process. This acts as the foundation product to help keep hair soft and moisturized before any other product is added. 

Oils are used to feed the scalp and seal moisture into the hair after using a leave in conditioner or moisturizer on the hair. Oils come in different shades, forms, uses and benefits. Depending on personal scalp needs each oil has a healing or hair growth/aid purpose. Do some research and test out a few individually or combine them for your own personal hair elixir. 

Moisturizers are used to help provide hair with manageability, sheen, softening etc. Some naturals either make their own Shea, mango, coconut, etc hair butter moisturizer or use any store bought brand moisturizer. When choosing a moisturizer (or any product) keep in mind the following:

• Does the  ingredients of the product agree with your hair&scalp and won't cause irritation or dryness
• Will the product be  light or  heavy 
• Will the product fit my hair type
• What benefits will your hair receive from using the product
• Is the cost of the product in your price range
• Whats the availability of the product
• Are you going to use the product correctly in your hair care routine 
• How many ways can this product be used
• Will it work properly with other products in your hair care routine

Stylers are used to help add definition, hold, or body to the hair. Things such as gels, curl cremes, twist cremes, edge controls, pomades and the list goes on. These types of product help you "get the look" your going for when styling your hair. Just like the tips for the moisturizer, make sure you select a product that is going to be easy to use. Depending on the hair type more or less of a styler may be used. 

Side Notes

• If you are using heat in your regimen make sure to add a keratin or silicone based shampoo, conditioner, and heat protectant before flat ironing, electric curling, or blow drying. This will help prevent any damage to the hair.
• Always use a sensible heating temperature when using heat tool 
• If you have color treated hair check products to see if they are color friendly or "for all hair types"
• Check out reviews on products before buying to get feed back if your not familiar with a product.

DIY Honey+Olive Oil Deep Treatment Mask

Honey+Olive Oil Deep Treatment Mask

You will need: 

(Amounts will vary depending on your hair type and length adjust as needed)

Honey

Olive Oil

Plastic Cap

Large Towel

Additional Essential Oils

Applicator Bottle

1. In a medium size bowl combine the honey, olive oil and any additional essential oil or carrier oils of your choosing and stir well. 
2. Gently warm the mixture then transfer to a applicator bottle for easy use. (May want to use a funnel for easy clean up)
3. Place large towel around shoulders.
4. Apply warm (not hot) mixture to damp hair before or after hair cleansing routine. Working mixture in sections from ends to roots. Detangle hair before in sections for easier usage. 
5. Place plastic cap over hair, making sure to cover any exposed hair.
6. Allow to let sit at least 20 mintues (without heat) or 10-15 mintues (with heat) (I used a hour without heat) 
7. Remove plastic cap and rinse using warm water. Continue with hair cleansing regimen or regular styling routine. 

This treatment is a easy deep treatment for healthier stronger and shiny hair. The use of honey and olive oil is a perfect combination for adding shine and moisture among other things back into the hair. Honey, a natural shine, humectant and strengthening agent. Olive oil, when used on the hair treats many things such as dandruff, frizz, dull hair, dryness etc. I loved using this treatment as a "Pre-Poo" (Pre Shampoo) treatment before Co-washing (Conditioner cleansing) my hair. My hair felt very soft and was easier to manage. Weeks after using this treatment I notice my hair was a lot stronger and I didn't have as much shedding or breakage as I did before. I highly recommend using this treatment at least 2 a month. PLEASE use an applicator bottle I didnt and it was a mess lol. 

Side Notes 

• This treatment can be thickened and made into a deep conditioner by adding in a heavy amount of raw sheabutter or any thick conditioner you have on hand. 
• I recommend using Coconut oil, Vitamin E, Teatree oil or Peppermint oil to this treatment to combat scalp issues or for addtional benifits.
• When rinsing make sure all of the treatment is flushed out with warm water. Honey makes the hair hard once it dries.

Product Junkie Rehab

It's been almost 3 years since I transitioned and 2 years into my natural hair journey. Over the course of that short time being natural I have developed a bit of a problem collecting hair products. I don't even know how this even started it just slowly crept in like a bad fart on an crowded elevator. When I was relaxed I never was into buying and spending money on products. I was like a guy if was cheap and gets the job done I bought it. I think since being natural I discovered a love for my hair that I didn't have before. Let me be honest for a minute here and make this statement . I HATED BEING RELAXED!!!! I only stayed relaxed because it was all I  knew outside of wearing braids and a ponytail. I'm so glad I made the change from relax to natural. No more chemical burns, long noise salon visits, and spending $60+ just to have my scalp burned off every 6-8 weeks (so don't miss those days). After getting rid of one problem I kinda developed another. At first it started by me not knowing what products worked for my hair, because I didn't know the basics  of natural hair and the whole hair typing thing. Once I grasps the basic knowledge about natural hair, then finding out the different kinds of products and how to properly use them for my type of hair things got a lot easier. I started to find a few staple products some not so nice products. Then something created a spark in me that I never had before. The more I researched the more I was interested. The more I was interested the more money I was spending on products. Fast forward I was hooked on trying every product that caught my eye, especially if it was on sale with a coupon marked down in the clearance section type of product. I was watching YouTube product hauls and reviews like they were hardcore porn movies. I looked up one day and notice my bed room was dominated by an organized prison for hair products. They were every where!!! In my closet, in a costume trunk, in a plastic 3 tier container, in the bathroom cabinet, almost a year worth of curl kit boxes and in the shower. I've tried giving some of it away and there is still too much left. So I have to face the music. I am Girl Friday and I am a product junkie. I never thought I would of seen the day I admit I love products because I love my hair. I've been doing pretty good lately using up stuff but still I find myself buying things. At least its things like conditioners that I use up in no time and things to make deep conditioners with. I've been only trying to buy things when I have to or are things that I really use on a daily, weekly, monthly basis. I plan on giving away most of the hair products I have left to newly natural women since I know how hard it was for me starting out. So here are a few tips I'm learning on my road to product junkie recovery.

Product Junkie Recovery Tips

• Clean House- Sort through all your products if it hasn't been used at least 4-5 times in the last 6 months put it in a box to be given away. Most likely your not gonna use them, some one else could.
• Inventory-Make a list of all the products you use by category (Shampoo, Conditioner, Deep treatments, Leave-ins, Moisturizers, Stylers, Oils, Tools, etc) By doing this you know exactly what products you use in your regimen and won't wonder or purchase other products.
• Restrictions&Limits- By setting up ground rules you only use what products you have and only buy what you need.
• Fighting Temptations- When getting the urge to walk down the isles of the supermarket hair section 

1. Stop and turn around you have plenty of products at home you can use.
2. Look but don't touch you won't buy it if you don't touch it.
3. Take mental inventory of products and come back to them when you use up products you already have at home.
4. If its a product you use REGULARLY and its on sale its ok to stock up on but not ok to horde (No more than 4-5 bottles of a product at one time)
5. Always keep a list of the products you NEED not WANT on hand when your out shopping.

• Recover Slowly-Take your time it's a process we are creatures of habit. A "PJ" addiction is just like any other addiction you can relapse if you don't take the steps needed to control it. 

Aussie Moist Conditioner

This has to be one of the best conditioners EVER!!! I bought this family size bottle instead of the regular size, because I knew that this was gonna work on my hair. I tried the 3 minute miracle deep conditioner last winter and kinda liked the feel it. I love this stuff its in my staple of holy grail products now. Even though I'm still experimenting for the last few months of this year with new co-washing cleansers, I will be re buying the family size to keep in the shower. I loved the smell, the creamy thick consistency and the fact that I cold detangle my hair like a hot knife slicing through butter. The price was very cheap for this large bottle ($5.69) that lasted me from July to September. No matter what it always does a great job at keeping my hair moisturized, soft and manageable. I over shampooed my hair trying out a new product and this conditioner saved my hair from having a break down. I'm so glad I gave this a try. I'm finally building a stable hair care regimen and I'm glad that I found a product that not only wow me every time but actually works for my type 4 kinky curly thick hair.

3 Sisters of Nature (Product Review)

I first came across this line of products (3 Sisters of Nature) a little over a year or so ago. I was doing what every other natural haired woman of this modern time does, cyber surfer YouTube for the latest products for.... you guessed it natural hair. At that time I was still in minimalist mode far as products for my hair. This is before I took a hit of the product obsession drug. So I saw a few reviews, watched a few videos, just kept a mental note and carried on with my little life. Fast forward a month or so ago  I saw these products and being a now product junkie, I had this strange urge to try out some of the products from this line. The prices of the products are slightly out of my rules for product junkiness, but I was willing to bend them since it was just a few dollars over my limits. Most of the products are being compared to more higher end product lines, such as Kinky Kurly&Miss Jessie's. What caught my eye first was the Sweet Honey Rose Treatment and from there I start to explore a few of their other products. I checked my stash before purchasing these products. Seeing what I needed to try instead of buying something that would go to waste. So I went for and I must say these are very nice products. They are natural based formulas, using a minimal amount of healthier ingredients which I thought was awesome. I LOVED the aroma of "cherry Starburst" like smell of each product. I didn't try all the products in the line but I will be going back some time soon to try the others I missed. Over all I had a good experience with a few snags along the way. I would recommend trying at least the Sweet Honey Rose Treatment or Natural Curling Gelo for starters.

Sweet Honey Rose Treatment
This treatment is one of two deep treatment products available from  3 Sister of Nature. This treatment has become a holy grail product for me now. Which says alot since I have about 2+ years worth of products in my stash. Everything from the candy like smell to the smooth, creamy consistency just screamed try me. Now the price kept me at bay at the beginning $12.99 for a 8 oz. deep treatment was unheard in my purchase log. This treatment is compared to Miss Jessi's Super Sweet Back Treatment. Deep down I knew I would really like it , so I went ahead a buy it. I applied this product after a full wash (Shampoo&Conditioner), as directed. I learned the wetter the hair when applying this product the better application. I had to put my handy dandy pink spray bottle to work since my hair is like a super sponge. It was a smooth process to apply to my hair in sections making sure everything was covered roots to ends. I followed my rule of deep conditioning "The longer you leave it in the better they work. Since this isn't a super protein treatment I left it in my hair with a plastic cap for 30 mins under a hooded dryer and 30 mins under a plastic cap. After I rinsed my hair in the shower can you say SUPER PILLOW CLOUD SOFT HAIR!!! This has to be the only thing to make my hair so supple and soft when it comes to deep conditioning. I loved this product this is it for me. I don't know if I want to even try any more deep treatments for my hair after trying this one.

Natural Curling Gelo
This particular product has been compared to the famous Kinky Kurly curling custard. I must say it's almost similar in look and texture. I again loved the smell and consistency of this product.  The price was very reasonable $9.99 8oz. I applied this product to my hair after rinsing the Sweet Honey Rose Treatment. I used the leave in conditioner from this line and applied this gel on wet hair. Styling my hair in a wash n go, this product was very light weight, creamy and easy to even finger comb into my hair. I would recommend using a thicker moisturizing leave-in conditioner before applying the gelo. When this curling gel dried it was a nice definition to my hair. It gave a soft some what firm hold to my hair in it's curly state. Haven't tried this gelo in a twist out style but it's pretty good I will repurchased.

Leave- In Conditioner
Now this product wasn't a total favorite out of the four that I tried. It smelled nice but was a little too watery for my type 4 thick hair. I'm thinking since this line is natural based the consistency was gonna be more on the liquid side. It was all bad it did work very well with the other products and I will use it when styling my hair in wash n gos or when I want lighter products in my hair. I don't think I will repurchase this leave-in conditioner.

Sulfate Free Shampoo
This was another ok product from this line. This was a creamy shampoo. It did sud up in a soft way but I HIGHELY recommend not to over use this shampoo. I was able to really detangle or finger comb my hair when using this product. It wasn't very moisturizing and for that fact I didn't really care for it. My hair was clean but I feel like this product formula needs some work. It's almost as if there are a few things missing that would make it a great shampoo. Maybe adding some aloe vera juice or extract with a few heavier oils like olive etc. to help this shampoo perform a little better. Over all it will be in my stash to use up maybe I can remix to make it work for me, or maybe give it away.


 

Cantu Shea Butter for Natural Hair Twist and Lock Gel (Product Review)

At first glance I was happy to see this product in the store. Cantu isn't a stranger in my house. I didn't over think this product. I thought to myself, "Ooh a new product by Cantu". Then I took off the lid to smell and look at the physical product. It was the weirdest looking consistency of a product I had ever seen. I'm a product junkie and I've seen alot of different types of products but none with this feel to it. Its a cross between a light whipped yogurt jello and vanilla pudding. The smell is amazing just like the other Cantu for natural hair products. I used this product after my extended wash routine. I applied this product on detangled wet hair, that was conditioned, oiled, and moisturized (SEE L-O-C METHOD POST). Styled in the form of twists for my go to hair style (twist out). I loved this product!!! It's simple and easy to use. The key to this product is not using a lot and rubbing it between your fingers before working it into the hair. I find that this warms the product up making it easier to distribute onto the hair. After I let my twists air dry for 2 days I untwisted them to find my BEST TWIST OUT EVER!!!! My hair was so soft yet firm & defined. The shine from this product was amazing alone by it's self. For 13 oz of product this will be in my stash for a while. I normally have to put a huge dent in my gels, curly cremes, and etc but I have hardly used any of this product. I feel like I'm getting my money's worth on this one.  I would highly recommend using the LOC Method with this product. I enjoyed this product and I will make my rounds to try more from the Cantu Shea Butter for Natural hair line.

Poet "Truth Be Told" (2nd Annual Naturals In The City Hair&Wellness Expo)

The L-O-C Method

 The rise of natural hair awareness (trend or not) has sparked many questions from natural haired woman. The most frequently asked question being, "How do I keep my hair moisturized?". I think alot of woman relaxed or natural have come across this issue more than once in their life time. It's a "hair thang" that alot of woman from all walks of life have to deal with, but mostly black woman. The lack of retaining moisture will bring any naturalist to their knees. Most woman in general run out and try to buy or find any miracle product that will promise or ensure their hair will be fully packed with moisture. Which sadly becomes a lost cause and another product to bury in the product stash grave yard. Maybe it isn't just what you pt in your hair, but how you your using the products. Which leads my to the topic at hand. The L-O-C Method (Leave in, Oil, Conditioner) I first came across this method my first few months post big chop (Dec 20 2011) after transitioning for 7 months. After watching so many youtubers explain and break down this unique and easy method for retaining moisture. The "L-O-C Method" is simply applying certain products in a general order on wet or dry hair.

(The Break Down)  L-O-C

 

1. Leave In
2. Oil
3. Conditioner

Leave in conditioner acts as the foundation product that helps continue the conditioning process which soften, detangles, and makes the hair more manageable.

Oil works as a sealant for the hair shaft and nutrient for the scalp. Oils vary in uses and benefits research which oil works best for your personal preference, seasonal weather and health.

Conditioner (moisturizer) is used to soften, strengthen and moisturize the hair making the hair soft, shiny, and healthy.

This is the only method I personally used that really locks the moisture in my hair. I've tried different ways but this simple 3 step method is a sure way to keep the moisture in my hair longer. Another key ingredient is picking the right product for your hair texture, porosity and hair type.

 

ORS Hair Mayonaise (Squeeze Tube) Review

 

Price Point $5.49-$7.49

This product is not a complete stranger to me, but I am new to using it in general. My mom use to use the old formula all the time. I remembered the smell the look and the thickness of it. I was a little weird about trying this since it was a NEW formula. I bought it any way and it set up in my product pile for two months before I actually used it. I waited until I really needed a good protein based deep conditioner I did my normal routine shampooed my hair using Taliah Waajid Total Body black earth shampoo. I section my hair off in detangled twists and applied the product from the back (nape) to the front area. Working the product in using the finger comb method. It was easy to use, thick and creamy like most deep conditioners I buy. One thing I didn't care for was the smell of this product. It wasn't a bad smell it just reminded me of Cool Water cologne that the old men use to wear back in the day with a hint of spice and mayo lol. Never the less I placed my plastic cap on my head and sat under ye' old hair dryer for 30 mins. I wanted to push this products abilities and left it on over night. Old man juice spray smell and all. I rinsed the very next day. My hair was very soft and conditioned. I give this hair mayo it props it's kinda nice. I honestly can't say if I would try this product again. It wasn't bad it just didn't rub me the right way for some reason. Maybe the old man juice spray smell did it. They changed this product from what I remembered as a child growing up. I will say it's worth a try. I ended up cleaning out my product stash and gave this away to my sister in law. She enjoyed this product it soften her hair after having her hair in braids for 2 and a half months. It's a great treatment to put back into the hair. It was worth a shot. No direct hard feelings, but I would give it a new scent.

Tropical Roots Twist Cream by Bronner Brothers REVIEW

 

                                  

Price Point $4.99-$5.99

Normally I like to test out a product at least twice or in a months time  before giving a total review of a product. I follow this protocol to ensure that I give a product a fair chance, testing it out in different ways in my current hair regimen according to my current hair needs or season. This product is going int the PRODUCT HALL OF FAME!!!! I only used it once and I am very impressed. This product was purchased at my local beauty supply store for $4.99. This product has a very light almost tropical pineapple smell. The consistency is a very thick yet creamy white based cream. Which is why I love thicker products for my hair. The product claims to seal, no build up, flakes, lasting hold and maintains different types of natural styles. For once a company got it right. It did everything it said it would do, which is awesome. It left out how great of a shine it keeps. I started using this product with my go to style of a twist out. I got CRAZY definition with this cream. Coming from a woman with type 4 hair its hard finding a product that give us amazing results. You normally have to go through a million products almost to find at least one that's half way good.

Tips when applying this product:

• Apply on wet or damp hair
• Use a light but hydrating leave-in conditioner
• Apply your favorite oils lightly to the ends and shaft of the hair before applying this product
• Use a finger tip of this product on detangled hair for each strand before twisting 

 

Over all I would highly recommend this product. I will be keeping this in my stash of products for the fall/winter months ahead. This is one of the best moisturizing twist/curlcreams I've ever tried. A keeper I say  keeper!!! ENJOY :)  XOXO -GIRLFRIDAY

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cocoa Curls Cleansing Conditioner by NeutraLab Product Review

                                                                                              Price Point  $6.99-$7.99
I first eyeballed this product last year and was a little more than cautious to try it, since I've wasn't familiar with this product. I of course took the naturalista's routine of reading the labels for directions, ingredients and every company's open promise that this product should give to me (The Consumer). I'm glad that I gave this product a try. At first glance I was okay with the ingredients. I'm not super hard or picky on products that have more norishing ingredents than "BAD" ones that my hair can use. The consistency was perfect, thick and creamy. The smell of this product was very suttle and not overly fragrant. It reminded me of the Queen Helene Cocoa Butter stick when I was younger. I followed my normal wash day routine. Stepping  bare naked in the shower, turning the knob and letting the water cover my head for a minute or two before applying my product of choice. I loved the consistency and major slip it gave me. After less than two rounds with this product, I was hooked, lined, and sunk into this stuff. My hair felt like butter, detangling was easy and my hair was very moisturized. I followed up with the my special oil blend, a little of my perfect 7 leave in conditioner and Ph Balanced Moisture Gel from this very same line. Over all I enjoyed this product and most likely will keep this in rotation at least for the summer and early fall. There's nothing bad I can say about this product. I give this a major green light for transitioners, newly naturals, and veterian curly tops alike to give this product a try.
(VIDEO VLOG REVIEW COMING SOON--------->www.youtube.com/GirlFridayblog)

Ori Essentials Cleansing Conditioner (Co-Wash)

I was first introduced to this lovely product in the May Curlkit box. This is my first natural co-washing product that I've ever used. I must say I am enjoying this product. I'm not a stranger to Ori Essentials line since I've recently tried the leave in conditioner in which was also from the April Curlkit box. (Got to love Curlkit for that) I enjoyed the leave in conditioner so when I saw this product one month later I couldn't wait to use it. I followed the standard hair washing method wet hair, apply product in sections, finger comb product through hair. I thought it was interesting that this product as it states doesn't sud like a shampoo but cleans like a soft cleanser. I was able to just finger detangle and didn't have to use it more than once in one wash application. One of the few perks of this product outside the fact that it's a natural product (CG friendly) would be the good slip and smell. I really like the smell of fresh bannana - tropical coconut type of aroma. This product left my hair so soft and clean. I have been thinking about repurchasing this product since I live in the south and the summers here are extremely hot and I find my self co-washing more often than in the cooler month. I've been building my summer hair care staples and this has made it to my favorites list for simple go to product. I would highly recommend this product to anyone who co-washes more than shampoo or anyone looking for a nice natural product that simple and just all around just yummy  and easy to use. It's definetly worth trying out.  

Shea Moisture Hair Coloring System (First Impressions)

Tis' the season for sun and holly fa la la la la la la la la. I don't know about you but I can't wait for the summer. Just like most women the mark of summer means whipping out the swim gear, the short shorts, your best pair of sunglasses and the many different styles of sundresses (don't forget the opened toed heels). Now we can't forget the different hair styles along with the delicious array of colors to match. After a long weird fall/winter living in Memphis, Tn I think its time to change my hair up a notch (BAM). Like most women period I need a change ever once in a while. Since summer is my favorite time of year why not switch it up a bit. I've been thinking about coloring my hair on and off for the past few months now. I was against it since it took so long for my last color application (while transitioning almost 2yr ago) to fully grow out. I still have a little color of honey blonde left on my ends as we speak. I loved the (Textures&Tones) "Honey Blonde" it was a good product but I don't think I was ready for the aftermath of color back then. Yet, I have this strong urge to experiment with color again. So I took to the internet to do some research on products that wouldn't harm my natural hair, that weren't filled with super harsh chemicals but would still give me a nice color pay off nothing super intense but a great quality of color. I came across the Shea Moisture Hair Color System (Target.com)  for $14.99 after seeing reviews for most of the 12 colors on youtube I think we have a winner. This coloring system doesn't have super harsh ingredients and actually has some good pay off in color from what I've watch. Besides Shea Moisture is a company that me and my hair can trust because they have natural hair care in mind. I love the fact that they not only give you the color in the kit but some of their imfamous shampoo, conditioner etc to use after your coloring application. I have dark off black hair minus the very ends of my hair so Im thinking I'll have to go with my first choice of the Bright Auburn (I LOVE RED HAIR). I do want to lift my hair a bit because it is so dark in color so I've even thought about using the Dark Golden Blonde first then follow up  6 weeks later with the Bright Auburn to get a better color pay off. I don't want to use the 7 stages color booster pack that I normally use out of fear it would give me a super intense color of red is the reason for wanting to use the Dark Golden Blonde first (since the blonde coloring on black hair gives a slight lift without making the hair traditional blonde). I haven't seen these in stores yet here in Memphis so most likely I will be ordering them from target.com and I will order 2 boxes of each color since I have a lot of hair and want to make sure I have enough to complete my whole head of hair. I'm excited and simply can't wait I think these two colors are going to look hot on me :) Even thought about doing

Some additional tips I've learned through reviews and videos

• Use thicker gloves
• It takes time to see the color so a strand test is recommended for this product
• Make sure you have newspapers or a large towel covering the floor when applying the color
• Using the "Bottle Method" instead of the applicator brush works better for the coloring process
• Makes sure you work in the product very well
• Follow up with the products included in the kit
• Keep your hair moisturized after the coloring applicaition for best results (color care rules)
• Enjoy your new hair color : )

 

Cantu Shea Butter for Natural Hair Deep Treatment Masque

Price Point $7.99 - $8.99

 

I first came across this line of products a few months ago while shopping at Walmart. I wasn't a stranger to using the original line of Cantu hair products. I've tried everything from the creamy shampoo to the now imfamous leave-in conditioner and have always enjoyed using Cantu products since I started transitioning (May 2011) and into my natural hair journey. I've always been a fan of Cantu products because of the great quality and reasonable prices of their products. At first glance of the Natural Hair products from Cantu I was curious and very tempted to try them but I was on a strict no buy at that moment in time and  had to past on them. Fast forward a couple months and half empty product stash later, I started seeing reviews well as vlogs via youtube which lead me back to the Deep Treatment Masque. Being in the 4 hair type catergory my hair was screaming for a new deep conditioning treatment since my Elasta QP DPR 11+ gave out and no longer worked to hydrate, moisturized and deep condition my thick head of hair (we broke up). I decided to go a head and try the Deep Treatment Masque and I must say I was very impressed with this product. It retailed for 7.99 - 8.99 in most places here in Memphis, TN. The product was delicious in smell, thick in consistancy and had a lot of product in th jar. I was able to saturate my hair in it's pina colada coconutty goodness. I applied it as I would normally do any deep conditioning treatment after shampooing, conditioning, and detangling well as sectioning off my soaking wet hair into fat twists. I followed the direction, (sorta) but made a few adjustments of my own to fit my hair needs. Instead of leave in the products for 30 mins with a plastic cap I left the product on for 1 hour and a half. I did sit under a hooded dryer (went old school) for an hour then just kept it on for an additional 30 mins while I finished some errands around the house. I was amazed at how conditioned my hair was when I rinsed out the product. My hair was in big twists and I simply started to squeese out the product while standing under the shower head. Since this product doubles as a leave in conditioner I wanted to leave a little bit in my hair. I rinsed out about 90% of the product out of my hair. I was able to finger detangle with no problem and started my normal routine for my twist out. The next day after I untwisted my twist can you say soft and supple hair like it was nobody's business!!! This product is going in my staple product stash as my go to hair mask for now on. Over all this makes me want to try more products from the Cantu Natural Hair line. The Curling Cream is next on my list to try out from this company. I would highly recommend this product to any person with thick hair or who have problems with abtaining moisture in their hair. This product well as the many different Cantu products can be found in local beauty, grocery, super centers, drug stores in most cities and can be found on many online webstores. Video review coming soon www.youtube.com/GirlFridayBlog

Overnight Natural.com Haul

Natural Hair: The Complete EcoStyler Gel Review (All Colors)

Youtuber/Vlogger MAHOGANYCURLS breaks down one of the popular and most used hair care products in the NHC (Natural Hair Community)

ECOSTYLER GEL

I enjoyed watching this video. MahoganyCurls gave a great personal perspective on each individual gel, while listing additional information in the description box of this video. I'm a big fan of ECOSTYLER GEL, "Olive Oil" is my favorite out of the line of products. I came across this video while researching hair care products and yet again a "HOW TO WASH AND GO" video on Youtube(#I SUCK AT WASH AND GO'S). I'm glad I did click on the link to this video. I will be trying the "ARGAN OIL" BRAND FROM ECOSTYLER. Hopefully I'll be able to have more luck this time around doing a wash and go. Check out the video below and stop by MAHOGANYCURLS on Youtube she has excellent videos on all your CURLY GIRL needs and just great videos period on natural hair.

Product Review: Hollywood Beauty Carrot Creme

I loved how this product left my hair feeling after I washed my hair. It smells really good even though there are some cons to this product. It does contain some unnatural ingredients, but the product makes up for it in quality and other beneficial ingredients.I would consider this a "semi-natural" product. This product worked very well when I added my natural oil and African butter mixes to my hair. No reaction or "clashing" at all with the other products. It's very velvet, "pudding like" consistency is what makes it very easy to apply to the hair and really workable. It's not too thick yet not too thin for my very thick hair texture. The price was $3.00 (Walgreen's)and it even came with a 4 oz jar of Carrot cholesterol to use with this product. I would recommend (and have) this product to anyone with natural or chemically treated hair that's looking for something to help hydrate and moisturize their tresses with out that odd heavy "over produced" feeling. I will be keeping this product in my regimen for a while. Hopefully the summer to come won't change my mind but for now it's a 5 and a big thumbs up.
CHECK OUT MY VIDEO USING THIS PRODUCT ON YOUTUBE.COM/GIRLFRIDAYBLOG