An aphroKiKi Review: Carol's Daughter Monoi

Click here to try these products for yourself!

     It's been a while since I've done a review, and I've been postponing this one for two reasons. The first reason is that I've just been enjoying these products so thoroughly, and secondly, I wanted to make sure they actually delivered the results promised.
     Before I get into the actual review, let me just say, these were a Christmas gift and I don't normally spend exorbitant amounts of money on hair products! That being said, I probably won't make them a part of my weekly routine because they are a bit pricey-- at least to me they are-- for those naturals who got it like that and can afford to make high end hair products a part of your regimen, I ain't mad at ya! Well, maybe just a little. Even though I would consider them to be high end hair products (the conditioner cost about $20 and the split end sealer was $25), these products are not all natural (!!!) But, moving on!
     I began using The Carol's Daughter MONOI REPAIRING CONDITIONER AND REPAIRING SPLIT END SEALER in January. Used in conjunction, these products claim to produce 92% less breakage and 93.3% fewer split ends instantly. The conditioner contains Cetyl alcohol, glycerin, and fragrance. Speaking of fragrance, both of these products are VERY HIGHLY scented, almost to the point where it can be a little overwhelming at first. It smells as if they emptied an entire bottle of expensive perfume into the container. I found that after about 2 uses I got acclimated to it, and I even got a few compliments that my hair smelled great. Also, the conditioner has Shea butter, Coconut oil, and two sulfates-- Behentrimonium Methosulfate and Centrimonium Methosulfate. So as far as ingredients go, the conditioner has a balance of the natural and synthetic.  I noticed that the thick, creamy texture of the conditioner really agrees with my 4C hair and works well as a Co-wash conditioner. Though it didn't leave my hair feeling stripped, it doesn't provide the best slip, so you really want to make sure that you detangle your hair well beforehand. After rinsing, my hair felt soft and silky-- probably due to the hydrolyzed silk. In total, you get 8.5 ounces of conditioner which is good for about 5-7 wash days. I alternate between the Carol's Daughter conditioner and the Organix Coconut condtioner, and I only really use the Monoi collection when my hair is feeling fragile and can use a boost.

5 months without a trim! Look at my ends!!!

    After Co-washing and light blow-drying I applied the split end sealer, starting with my ends, and working my way up the hair shaft to the roots. I didn't notice an immediate change, but my hair did feel smoother. The following day, my hair was less frizzy and my twist-out was more defined. I've used the split end sealer pretty consistently over the past three months, and I do notice less shedding and breakage. In fact, I may continue to purchase this product, once every three months or so, because I do feel like it has helped me retain  length. I haven't had to trim my hair at all, and whenever my hair gets a little frazzled, I slick some of it on, and my hair looks freshly trimmed the next day. The SPLIT END SEALER is more of a serum than a creme or butter in consistency and is alcohol, paraben, petroleum, and mineral oil free. Like the conditioner, it contains Monoi oil and a blend of Tiare Gardenia Flower and Copra Coconut Oil. It also has another of my favorite ingredients, Babassu oil which is very strengthening.
     If I had to choose, I would recommend the split end sealer over the  conditioner because it's a life saver! I'm sure they work best when used together; I really have noticed a difference in the texture and resiliency of my hair after prolonged usage of both of these items. If I had the cash, I would probably make them staples because they deliver what they promise. If you're hair is in need of some TLC and you want to treat yourself a bit, these are definitely the products to splurge on!

PEACE and LOVE,

aphroKiKi

Product Junkie Diaries: Out with the Old, In with the New

     I must confess that I am a recovering Product Junkie. If there was a support group for natural hair product addicts, I would be among the first to sign up. Now that it's 2013, I'm beginning to see the error of my ways (and the exorbitant totals on my Target receipts). In 2013, less is more. This post is about the products I used in 2012 that didn't make the cut for 2013.

      Let's start with the shampoos. 2012 was the year I discovered sulfate-free shampoo. My inaugural sulfate free poo was Nubian Heritage's Honey and Black Seed Heat Protectant Keratin Shampoo ($10 at Target). A few notes on sulfates-- they are cleansing agents placed in shampoos. Unfortunately they can be very drying,and strip the hair of the natural oils it needs to stay moisturized. Typically they are listed as Sodium Laureth Sulfate and Sodium Lauryl Sulfate. I'm still doing my Co-Wash Challenge, so I've discontinued using shampoo for the next month at least. The Honey Black Seed shampoo is definitely a step up from regular shampoos; it is silky and slippery in texture, and it didn't seem to strip my hair. My curls were fresh and bouncy when I stepped out of the shower, and easy to detangle. In addition to the honey, this product also contains coconut and shea oils. The smell is a bit underwhelming-- it's really not appealing in any way, but it does get your hair and scalp clean. Even though this product wasn't in any way damaging to my hair, I won't be using it in 2013 because I don't need it! However, I may consider finishing my current bottle in the summer to better protect my hair from the sun's damaging rays.

      I also briefly used TRESemmé's Luxurious Moisture shampoo for 2 wash days. This was an unintentional buy; I thought it was conditioner in the store! It's a little thicker than most shampoos, and it's very smooth in texture. It felt nice and silky on my hair but after I rinsed it out, my hair felt a very dry. This was the last shampoo I used before I started my Co-wash Challenge. It isn't sulfate free, but it is alcohol free. It could be a nice alternative to other shampoos for that reason-- that and it cost about $4.

     Another product I'm not head-over-heels about is the Shea Moisture Organic African Black soap Purification Masque. It aims to relieve dry itchy scalp and it contains Plaintain Enzyme, Tea Tree and Willow Bark Extract. I used this product as a pre-poo and deep conditioner. Although this product has AWESOME ingredients, I feel like it didn't do very much for me. I will say that it did temporarily relieve my itchy scalp. It is gooey and slippery in texture, grayish in color, and smells a little bit like banana bubble gum (if that makes any sense...let'st just say I wasn't in love with it.) In accordance with the Shea Moisture creed, it consists of all natural ingredients, is sulfate, paraben, and paraffin free. It cost about $10 at Target.

      The last product I can do without in 2013 is Garnier Fructis Sleek and Shine Blow Dry Protector. It's supposed to be infused with argan oil, but considering that I can't pronounce most of it's ingredients, I think it has less argan oil and more synthetic ingredients that could harm your hair. I'm not sure it protected my hair at all from the blast of my hair dryer. It cost about $7 at Walmart, and I consider it a definite waste of money, because I no longer blow dry my hair 100% of the way. The best heat protectant is a leave-in conditioner followed by an oil to seal in the moisture. There is nothing remarkable about this product-- at least that's the verdict of my 4c hair! I think it might work best for texlaxed or relaxed hair.
      This concludes my Product Junkie Diaries! Hopefully I'll be smarter about buying products that I don't serve any purpose for my hair in 2013, and I'll be sure to follow up with a post about my staple products this year. What products did you use in 2012 that you wish you hadn't?

 Keep it Nappy,
AphroKiKi

Shea Moisture Raw Shea Butter Restorative Conditioner Review

     I've wanted to do this product review for a while now, and I'm finally getting around to it! I bought Shea Moisture's Raw Shea Butter Restorative Conditioner back in November, and it has quickly become a staple in my everyday hair care regimen. This conditioner can be used as a deep conditioner, a leave-in conditioner, and as a styling agent. I use it as a leave-in conditioner on wash day, and as a moisturizer on my twist out and braid out styles.

100% Organic and only $10!

    What I love about the Shea Moisture line is that it is dedicated to making 100% organic products. I had absolutely no problems reading and understanding the list of ingredients in this conditioner-- the three main components are Shea butter, argan oil, and sea kelp. The Shea butter is for moisture and repairing damaged hair and scalp, argan oil builds elasticity and strengthens the hair, and the sea kelp detoxifies the hair of impurities and residue. I have been using this product  for a little over two months, and I definitely notice a difference in my hair. It is softer, stays moisturized for longer, and it feels stronger. Because I wear my hair out often, the creamy consistency is perfect for protecting my fragile 4c strands. Now that my hair is in Marley twists, I do not apply it directly to my hair using my hands; instead I've diluted the conditioner with water and I just spritz it in my hair every morning and every night, followed by herbal oil to seal in the moisture. I like using the mixture of water and conditioner because it automatically makes my hair softer and more manageable, and I will probably continue to use this "hair milk" concoction after I take my twists down. I use a quarter sized amount in a spray bottle which I fill with water and then shake vigorously until the conditioner is diluted.

My twists are holding up nicely!!

      I honestly think that this product is perfection in a bottle. Seriously, this conditioner for dry and damaged hair has brought my strands back to life. Before I started using it my hair was dry and brittle, now it's moisturized and resilient. It is also sulfate free, paraben free, and color-safe. Plus it smells really nice-- it is a pleasant mixture of earthy and herbal scents. I can also detect the notes of sea kelp. For some, the scent could be a deal-breaker but that totally depends on your personal preference. I will add, however, that this may not be the best product to set styles with, merely because it more than likely will not supply enough hold and your twist outs will not be as defined as they would with a butter or creme. However, because I use this product as a leave-in only, I will continue to buy it because it's completely organic and it only costs $9.99 at Target for a 12 ounce container which lasts me about a month and a half. I'm not looking for the next best thing in the conditioner area because I'm convinced that the Raw Shea Butter Restorative Conditioner is the absolute best for my 4c hair, and I will use it on my hair for a long time to come. I really hope they don't discontinue it or change the formula. I may buy it in bulk just in case!

The natural hair product junkie,
AphroKiKi

Beautiful Textures: A Product Review

    

     I discovered Beautiful Textures when I attended the Taliah Wajiid Natural Hair Show in Atlanta earlier this year, and let me just tell you, I'm glad I did! Beautiful Textures creates products for mixed textures including curly, wavy, kinky-coily, and frizzy hair. I was able to get my hands on a full-sized sample of their Tangle Taming Leave-In conditioner at the hair show which by the way, if you ever have a chance to attend definitely go because many product lines will happily give you samples. I left with two big totes of samples and discount coupons to use online!

      But back to Beautiful Textures. The leave-in conditioner is certainly in the top ten list of my favorite products. It is enriched with aloe vera, olive, soy, Argan oil, and shea and mango butters. It is very light so it is perfect for detangling before or after washing your hair, and it is perfect for wet twist outs. You could also use it on dry hair, just to add a bit of moisture-- just rub a bit on your palms and run you hands over your hair and you're good to go. I used this mostly on my protective styles during the summer so that my natural hair, even though it was in braids,stayed moisturized. Also, scent-wise it was very light-- you can really pick up the notes of shea butter and mango. I noticed that my hair always felt super soft when I used this product so I will definitely purchase more. You can find it at Sally Beauty for about $6. A steal!!

       Another product I really like from this line is the Curl Control Defining Pudding. It has the same enriching ingredients as the Leave-in conditioner, so you get a double dose of goodies for your hair. I use this product for styling on damp/mostly dry hair-- that means I use it for my twist outs, braid outs, flat twist outs, and bantu knot outs. It does a great job of detangling my 4c hair and setting the styles so I achieve the desired curl and definition. It is creamy in texture and has the same light scent as the leave-in conditioner. I don't think it makes my hair as soft as some of the hair butters and cremes I've used in the past, but it produces good results and you cant beat the price ($7 at Sally's). I'm still on the hunt for a staple styling butter since I've given up the pricey  Curly Meringue from Ms. Jessie's (which wasn't even all that great because sometimes it left flaky white stuff in my hair...yuck.) Curl Control is a great alternative to more expensive products. So if you're like me and you take care of your hair on a budget, you should give Beautiful Textures a go; the line gives you solid results and you get more bang for your buck. One container of each of these products lasts me about a month and a half, which translates into 4 washes and about 45 twist outs. Just saying you guys, Beautiful Textures is where it's at.