SilkenDove: edge control

Showing posts with label edge control. Show all posts

Saturday, May 20, 2017

Eco Styler Gel Challenge

Hi, Beautiful People! Summer is here, which mean my wash n gos and wet buns are back! While I loved my braiding challenge, I think my hair loved low manipulation more.

It has never sat right with me that I haven’t had much success with an Eco Styler wash n’ go. (You can read more about my prior attempt in this post, and this one.) Since the Extreme Wetline Gel wash n go worked so well, I decided to try using Eco Styler gel again with both my wash n gos and wet bunning. This time, I wanted to try them all, except the color treated one (yellow). Here is how they worked out for my buns and wash n gos:

- Olive Oil (green top) – I remember when my hair hated the olive oil one, but my hair has apparently changed even more as it has grown. This gel worked the best for me, and may be my new favorite level 10. There was very little coating, and my hair still felt moisturized underneath it.

- Krystal (Clear) – This is one of my favorites. I like it for buns and wash n’ gos, but the olive oil one may have trumped it simply because the olive oil is a little more moisturizing.

- Curls and Waves (Pink) – This is the only level 8 that I have tried and, based on the website, it is the only level 8 left in the line. It continues to be one of my favorites for wet buns, but I don’t think it will work for wash n’ gos as well as a 10.

- Sport (Blue) - I loved this gel for my bun. It kept my bun sleek, even on a crazy work day, which is impressive within itself. Even more impressive, my hair stayed smooth while sleek. Thus, for bunning, this is kind up up there with the Olive Oil, Pink and Krystal. My wash n' go was a different story, however. It took forever to dry, and my wash n' go didn't even last a day. By the next morning, I had to figure out how to do something quick with my hair to make it look presentable for work.

- Coconut Oil (Brown top) – I liked this one, particularly for buns. It left a little shine to my hair, and left it soft. The only downside is that I do not think this is really a level 10. It gave me a much softer hold than the other level 10s. As a result, my wash n go did not turn out well and did not last longer than a day (pictured). I would say I won't repurchase this product again, but it worked really well on my daughter's hair.

- Black Castor & Flaxseed Oil (Black Top) - This gave me great definition for my wash n' go and the wash n' go lasted. It also gave me good hold for my bun. The surprising problem was that it made my hair extremely dry by the end of the day. I typically do not have this problem with my low porosity hair, which holds on to moisture for days.

- Argan Oil (Red top) – This is one of my least favorite. It leaves my hair with a weird coating that remains if I just co-wash. I have to use shampoo to get this out of my hair.

- Super Protein (Black Jar with Black Top) – This was my least favorite. I was a little worried about using this because all Eco Styler gels have a little protein, and this one is pegged as being the protein one, which I assume means there is extra protein. However, I was committed to trying as many of the gels as I could, so I tried it. This left my hair so dry. Also, washing it out was kind a nightmare. It mixed with my cleanser, and left tan goop in my hair. I ended up washing my hair again the next day, and my hair shed like crazy. I think the protein was just too much for my hair.

Overall, Eco Styler continues to be my go-to product for a sleek bun, but it is not my best for wash n' gos. If I have to do a wash n' go with Eco Styler, I think i will stick to the Olive Oil or Krystal.

As an aside, while not a gel, I picked up Eco Styler's newer Stay n Play Edge Control. I thought it might work because Eco Styler is one of the few things that consistently slicks down my edges. Unfortunately, I was wrong. This product did nothing for my hair.

Which Eco Styler do you prefer?

Saturday, April 1, 2017

Power Product Line Review: Mielle Organics

Hey beautiful people! I have been trying to keep my product junkism at bay, and I have been doing a pretty good job at it. However, courtesy of a tip on Long Hair Care Forum, I got wind of a clearance sale on Mielle Organics products, and picked up a few items. Here are my thoughts:

Babassu Oil Mint Deep Conditioner - 8 oz. ($13.99): This is a very nice deep conditioner, and my third favorite product from the line. It is lightweight, but still has substance to it in that I can feel the benefit to my hair. The smell is also divine, and reminds me of mint tea in the summertime. The slip is also incredible for a deep conditioner. I literally detangled my hair with this before deep conditioning my hair overnight. I was shocked. The only thing that gives me pause about this product is the level of protein. My hair needs a good, lightweight protein-based conditioner that is still moisturizing. When I put this in my hair, I could instantly notice the protein, and the back of the jar shows that it is packed with protein. If I am not careful, I could get protein overload because this product is just barely on the border of being ok for my hair. For this reason, someone who needs more protein would likely love this product even more.

Detangling Co-wash - 8 oz. ($11.99): This co-wash is more of a conditioner than cleanser. It has amazing slip and did a great job detangling my hair, but it didn’t clean it. My hair felt coated before I used it, and it still felt coated after using it. As a low porosity girl, I need a real cleanser.

White Peony Ultra Moisturizing Leave-In Conditioner - 8 oz. ($12.99): As the name suggests, this product is moisturizing. It is also light-weight, which is good for low porosity hair. I just like my homemade spritz better, and it is cheaper. Also, the spray nozzle on this product bothers me. It comes out as a stream, rather than distributing across my hair. I actually ended up transferring it to another bottle to make it easier to use. However, in looking at the Mielle Organics website, it looks like they have changed the top to a spray pump, so that should fix this problem.

Avocado Moisturizing Hair Milk - 8 oz. ($12.99): This is very moisturizing, and is probably my favorite product in the line. My hair felt so soft after I used this. Unfortunately, it doesn't absorb into my hair right away when I first put it on, but few things do. The other downside I notice is that it clumps when I mixed it with EcoStyler gel in my hands, which is what I usually use to bun my hair. Nevertheless, because of how wonderfully moisturized it makes my hair feel, I would repurchase this product.

Mint Almond Oil - 8 oz. ($12.99): This is a very nice oil, and my second favorite product in the line. It is lightweight enough for my low porosity strands, and the peppermint smell is heavenly. The oil essentially has three main ingredients -- Sweet Almond Oil, Soybean Oil and Peppermint Oil, so you could make it yourself if you consider yourself a mixtress. I would definitely purchase it again at the $7 price point I purchased it for, but it is not a repurchase for me at the regular price. That being said, this isn't overpriced. Peppermint oil is expensive. I have seen a 4 oz. jar sell for $11. It's just that I already have a bottle of peppermint oil that I haven't been able to use up in the past 5 years, and I typically buy a 32 oz bottle of avocado oil (my favorite straight oil) for about $15. I do thank this product, however, for teaching me that I can add more peppermint oil to my other products without irritating my scalp.

Honey Ginger Edge Gel - 4 oz. ($12.99): While I had high hopes, this edge gel suffered the same fate as many others. It initially slicked down my edges, but that did not last long. Thus far, it still remains that Eco Styler is one of the few things capable of slicking my edges long term.

Advanced Healthy Hair Formula Vitamins - 60 vitamins ($18.99): I was a little hesitant to use this product because I am not a big believer in hair vitamins. Also, biotin in my daily multi-vitamin gives me acne, and this product has a lot of it (as you would expect). But, I gave this product a shot because the price was so good. I have two bottles (60 days worth), so I will check back in on this one. Stay tuned...

I still want to try the Brazilian Curl Cream and the Honey & Ginger Styling Gel. I guess I will just have to wait for another great sale.

Do you like this line? What products do you use from it?

Friday, May 27, 2016

Battle of the Edge Controls Part 2

Hey, beautiful people! So, despite the outcome of my last battle of the edge controls, I decided to try again. This time, I only tried seven products (two not pictured). While I’m still not convinced that anything beats Eco Styler, I did learn that wax gel seems to work well for me. Here are my new tries from most liked to least:

Clear Eco Styler Gel ($6 for 16 oz) – This performs very similar to the pink Eco Styler gel that I previously reviewed. As with the pink, I have to tie a scarf on my head because the gel takes some time to dry. I also have to apply a lot of this product to get a good hold, but it will last all day and maybe even a second day. The only downside to applying a lot is that it can make my hair hard.

Gorilla Earwax Wet Look ($9 for 3.52 oz) – This is made by the same company that makes Gorilla Snot Gel, but it is better. I really like this, except for the cologne-type smell. I felt like it made me smell a little like a man, though my hubby said he couldn’t smell anything. It gives me all day hold (maybe even two days), but I have to be careful not to use too much or it might dry yellow. Also, like EcoStyler, this dries a little hard. In other words, a little goes a very long way.

Murray’s Edgewax ($6 for 4 oz) (pictured on left) – This product reminds me of old school hair grease, but it has hold! This and the extreme hold version perform very similar and look similar. However, this one is easy to spread, especially if I apply it to slightly damp hair. The first time I tried this, it lasted for less time than the extreme hold version. However, the second time I used it, I used more and it lasted for about the same amount of time (almost a full day); so, the trick is figuring out how much to use. I do like that it has no scent, and the results are instantaneous. It also left my hair feeling soft.

Murray’s Edgewax Extreme Hold ($7 for 4 oz) (pictured on right) – Almost everything I said for the regular version is true for this one, but it is difficult to spread. It is a very thick wax. I had to rub it in my hands to soften it and thin it out before I could apply it to my hair; and, even then, sometimes I ended up with chunks of wax in my hair. I wish there was a middle consistency that was a little heavier than the regular version and a little lighter than this one.

Hicks Transformations Edges ($12 for 4 oz) – This reminded me a lot of the Cream of Nature Perfect Edges. It instantaneously slicked my edges down, but it didn’t last long at all. Also, it is fairly pricey. At the only beauty supply store near me that carries it, they keep it behind the counter.

Lotta Body Control Me Edge Gel ($4 for 2.25 oz) - This reminded me a lot of the Cream of Nature Perfect Edges. It instantaneously slicked my edges down, but it didn’t last long and it left white residue in my hair.

Design Essentials Honey & Shea Edge Tamer ($12 for 2.3 oz) – My hair laughed at this one. It did not slick my edges at all, and it was pricey.

I’m tempted to try to make my own wax gel, so that I can choose the gel to wax ratio, keeping it easier to smooth but with a lot of strength.

Do you have any recommendations for wax gels, or edge tamers that are similar to wax gel?

Saturday, August 29, 2015

Battle of the Edge Controls

Hey, beautiful people! Typically, I wear my hair in a wash n go on the weekend, and a bun during the week. I have to get my toddler out the door on weekday mornings, so it is best for me to avoid having to think about my hair and my bun will typically last all week. While I am usually ok with a little frizz around the edges, when I have a more formal event to go to, I prefer a sleeker look, so I decided to try some edge controls. I tried ten products, some of which are marketed as edge controls, and some that are not. Here they are ranked from most favorite to least liked:

Pink Eco Styler Gel ($6 / 32 oz)- This is not marketed as an edge control, but it had the most long-lasting hold by far, and it it the cheapest. I just have to use ALOT. Also, I have to tie down my edges after I apply it, to let it dry. Because it takes my hair awhile to dry, even if I apply the gel on dry hair, the results are not instantaneous.

Cream of Nature Perfect Edges ($4.50 / 2.25) - This is my favorite "edge control". It gave me both high shine and hold. It also spreads easily, and it actually smells a little like argan oil. It just didn't give me all day hold. As the day went on, my edges started to puff up. For people avoiding parabens, do not purchase this one. It has 2 - methylparaben and ethylparaben.

Carol's Daughter Black Vanilla Edge Control Smoother ($8 / 2 oz) - This is my second favorite "edge control" product. It performed very similar to the Cream of Nature, including the fact that it also gave me great shine. It also smells deliciously like vanilla. However, like the Cream of Nature, it also didn't give me long lasting hold. Unlike Cream of Nature, it does not have any parabens. I really like the ingredients in this product.

Oyin Burnt Sugar Pomade ($14 / 4 oz) - I use this as a second day product after using gel on the first day. I typical spritz my hair with a little water, then smooth on the pomade and tie down my hair with a scarf. After about 30 minutes, my hair usually good to go with a nice sheen and it is soft. Do not expect this to last longer than a couple hours though. The pomade has amazing ingredients. I prefer the Burnt Sugar Pomade to the Sugar Berries Pomade based on smell alone. They perform and cost the same. The Burnt Sugar smells like cookies. The sugar berries smells like plants to me. This is on the higher side of price per ounce, but a little goes along way. I've had the same jar for at least a year.

Shea Moisture Jamaican Black Castor Oil Strengthen, Grow & Restore ($10 / 4 oz) - While the jar says that it smooths, this is more of a treatment, than an edge control. The protein seems to strengthen my edges, and this product keeps my hair soft with a nice sheen. When I'm stressed, my temples thin, so this is a keeper, just not as an edge control. The only thing I don't like about this is that it seems to leave some residue on my hair after a few days of use.

Gorilla Snot Gel (Punk) ($6.59 / 11.9 oz) - Someone suggested this gel because it is kind of like glue. It did work on my edges to a certain extent, but it worked pretty much like Eco Styler Gel and it didn't last as long, even though I put a ton on.

Curls Control Paste ($8 / 4 oz) - I was actually surprised that this did not work for me. It was my favorite product while I was transitioning because it smoothed my edges. However, when I tried it as part of this experiment, while it smoothed my edges, the smooth edges did not last long. It also left a white residue. I tried it on both "dirty" hair and freshly washed hair. It gave me the same white residue each time.

ORS Olive Oil Edge Control ($5 / 2.25 oz) - This simply did not spread easily on my hair, so it was not effective.

Smooth 'N Shine Edge Smoothing Pomade ($2.59 / 2 oz) - This performs similarly to the ORS Edge Control.

Got2B Glued Spiking Glue ($6.50 / 6 oz) - I only tried this because someone suggested it. It did not give me hold, but it did leave a sticky film on my hair. No bueno.

All in all, this experiment reinforced for me that I don't need an edge control every day. On the days that the edge control wore out before my day ended (90% of the time), I survived. For the days that I really need edge control, I'll just use my pink Eco Styler. On the other days, I'll use the Oyin pomade, and I'll use the Shea Moisture as a treatment for my edges when they seem like they need a little extra care.