Friday, December 25, 2015

Product Review: Battle of the Silk Dreams Moisturizers



Hey, beautiful people!  One of my favorite deep conditioner product lines this year is Silk Dreams Hair Care, so I decided to try a couple of her moisturizers -- the Wheat Germ Butter Conditioner and the Mocha Silk Hair Milk.  While the Wheat Germ Butter is labeled a conditioner, her website said that it could also be used as a leave-in.  I tried both bottles until I used them both up, sometimes using just one, and sometimes putting one product on one side of my head and the other product on the other side.
Price:  The Wheat Germ Butter Conditioner wins.  It is 8 oz. for $10 or 16 oz. for $16.   The Mocha Silk Hair Milk is 8 oz. for $12.


Ingredients:  This one was a close call for me, so I’m calling it a tie.   Both have amazing ingredients, and both have a nice protein.
    • Wheat Germ Butter Conditioner - Water, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Wheat Germ Butter, Avocado Oil, Polyquaternium 7, Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Panthenol, Germall Plus, Fragrance
    • Mocha Silk Hair Milk - Water, Coconut Milk, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Palm Kernel Oil, Cupuacu Butter, Cocoa Butter, Avocado Oil, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Honey, Quaternium-79 Hydrolyzed Silk Protein, Polyquaternium-7, Panthenol, Germall Plus, Fragrance
Scent:  The Mocha Silk wins for me because it has a light chocolate scent.  The Wheat Germ did not smell like much of anything to me.
Results:  The Wheat Germ Butter Conditioner wins for my hair, though they are both great.  They both kept my hair moisturized for days and they both have this nice consistency of a thick lotion, but the Wheat Germ Butter left my hair feeling a little bit softer.  However, I think the Capuacu Butter and the Cocoa Butter combined in the Mocha Silk Hair Milk were just too much.  I have to be careful with heavier butters on my hair.  Also, the Wheat Germ Butter left my hair feeling conditioned when I washed it out on wash day, probably because it is also designed to be a conditioner.

Sunday, December 6, 2015

Wash n Go Recap 2015

Hey, beautiful people!  As you may remember, over the summer, I wanted to try out a a number of gels to determine the best wash n go combination for my hair.  I tried quite a few, and posted 10 results to my wash day series.  As much as I wanted to love Eco Styler because it is cheap, I couldn’t make it work because it was just too thick.  I learned that my hair loves runny gels that are snot like in consistency.  While I can do conditioner only or a cream-based styler for my wash n go, I don’t get the same hang time.  Here are the top 4 wash n go gels that worked best for me, based on the way my hair looked, price and on-the-ground availability:

  1. Uncle Funky’s Daughter Curly Magic
  2. Camille Rose Curl Maker
  3. As I Am Curling Jelly
  4. Kinky Curly Curling Custard

My results with Camille Rose and Uncle Funky's Daughter were very similar.  While I like Uncle Funky's Daughter a little more, Camille Rose is available on the ground.  Kinky Curly gave me good results, but it also left a very sticky residue.  I hated having wet hair on any part of my skin when I used Kinky Curly. 

Next summer, I think I am going to try a few more gels because the product junkie in me won’t let me be.  Next up on my list to try:

Which stylers do you use for your wash n go?

 Note:  This post was edited on 12/20/2015 to add another gel that I want to try, and updated on 6/15/2017 to change the order of #1 and #2.  I noticed that the Uncle Funky's Daughter Curly Magic has a longer shelf life than the Camille Rose Curl Maker.  Over time, the Curl Maker becomes more sticky/tacky, and it is harder to rake through.  I do not have that problem with the Curly Magic.


Low Maintenance vs. Protective Styling


Hey, beautiful people.  With winter fully here, I thought now is good time to talk about protective styling vs. low manipulation styling.  A style can be both protective and low manipulation, which is why the two terms are frequently confused, but they are not the same thing.

  • Low manipulation refers to styles that require minimum styling, and require little maintenance during the week.  Low maintenance styles tend to be "set it and forget it" styles.  This would include wash n gos, certain updos, and bunning.  Braid outs/twist outs are only low manipulation if you don't have to frequently re-braid/twist.

  • Protective styling refers to styles that hide your hair, particularly your ends, to protect it from the elements.  This would include updos, bunning, braids, twists.  It would also include wigs.

 For some people, especially those with fine hair, like me, low manipulation styles may be better than protective styles because frequent manipulation of the hair can lead to breakage.  On the other hand, for some, protective styles are better because their ends are easily damaged.

Thus, far, I've found that my hair likes low manipulation styles.  However, in the winter time, it prefers styles that are both low manipulation and protective because my hair stays better moisturized that way.  I live in Michigan where the winters are very cold and dry.

As a word of caution, with both low manipulation and protective styles, you have to be careful about tangling.  If your hair is in a loose, low maintenance style, it may tangle.  For example, I typically get tangles with my wash n go if I am not careful in applying gel to the curlier sections.  Also, if my hair is left in a protective style for too long, like braids or twists, then it may tangle.  Obviously, with both types of styles, you have to continue to maintain moisture levels.

What types of styles does your hair prefer?

Sunday, November 29, 2015

Camille Rose Black Friday Haul

As I mentioned in my Black Friday post, I’ve been thinking about transitioning to almost exclusively using one product line.  Since I like the gel and two of the twisting butters, Camille Rose was a strong contender, so I bought a nice chunk of products in a Black Friday haul directly from the Camille Rose site.  Below is what I bought.  With a coupon code, my total price was $106.50.
  •  Ajani Growth and Shine Balm ($12)
  • Caramel Cowash ($14)
  • Cocoa Nibs & Honey - Ultimate Growth Serum ($16)
  • Coconut Water "Style Setter" ($15)
  • Coconut Water Leave-In Treatment ($14)
  • Coconut Water Penetrating Hair Treatment ($20)
  • Nourishing Cream Cleanser ($11)
  • Nourishing Cream Hair Bath ($16)
  • Nourishing Cream Leave In ($13)
  • Sweet Ginger Cleansing Rinse ($11)


Aside from Camille Rose’s site, I also did an early Black Friday sale, and bought some products on super discount from Curlkit.  With a coupon code, my total price was $68.68:
  • Camille Rose Naturals Almond Jai Twisting Butter ($16.50)
  • Camille Rose Naturals Aloe Whipped Butter Gel ($15.50 x 2)
  • As I Am Curling Jelly Coil & Curl Definer ($12.50)
  • Eco Styler Pink Styling Gel Tube ($1.99)
  • Kinky Curly Curl Custard Gel ($17.99)
  • Oyin Handmade Hair Dew ($13.50)
  • Ori Essentials Moisturizing Leave-In Conditioner ($11.99)


Saturday, November 28, 2015

The End of The Deep Conditioner Challenge (The Deep Conditioner Files)


Hey, beautiful people!  As you may remember from a post over a year and a half ago, I wanted to try out a ton of deep conditioners to find out which ones best worked for my hair.  Over that time, I tried a lot, and posted 16 reviews as part of my search.  I learned that my hair loves a moisturizing deep conditioner that also has a light protein.  This is probably because my hair is fine, which means it needs protein.  However, my hair is also low porosity, which means that it can't take a lot of protein.  I also prefer a little slip in case I want to detangle without a rinse out conditioner.  

Here are the top six conditioners that worked best for me, based on the way my hair felt and price:
I still plan to try a couple other deep conditioners because I'm a product junkie, but I think I'm pretty much set with these.  Next up on my list to try:
  • ORS Hair Mayo
  • Silk Dreams Destination Hydration
  • Silk Dreams Shea What Conditioner 
  • Silk Dreams Mocha Silk Infusion
  • Camille Rose Coconut Water Penetrating Hair Treatment 
  • Camille Rose Nourishing Cream Hair Bath
Which deep conditioners do you love?

Friday, November 27, 2015

Product Review: Hydratherma Naturals Amino Plus Protein Deep Conditioning Treatment (The Deep Conditioner Files #16)

Price:  $19 for 8 oz.

Ingredients:   Water, Cetyl Alcohol, Dicetyldimonium Chloride, Stearyl Alcohol, Dimethicone, Tocopheryl Acetate, Glycerin, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Panthenol, Cetrimonium Chloride, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Spirulina Maxima Extract, Silk Amino Acids, Hydrolyzed Rice Protein, Hydrolyzed Corn Protein, Retinyl Palmitate, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Phytonadione, Pyridoxine HCL, Biotin, Sodium PCA, Betaine, Sorbitol, Glycine, Alanine, Proline, Serine, Threonine, Arginine, Lysine, Glutamic Acid, Rosa Canina Fruit Extract, Panax Ginseng Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract, Fragrance, Methyl Gluceth-10, PEG-45M, Triethanolamine, Citric Acid, Methylchloroisothiazolinone, Methylisothiazolinone.

Promise:  From website “This deep protein conditioning treatment strengthens the hair and prevents breakage.  Does not make the hair feel hard like many other protein treatments.  With just one use, you will see and feel a difference.  This treatment contains an exceptional and unique complex of structurizing proteins, all of different molecular weights.  These proteins penetrate deep within the hair shaft producing benefits like no single protein can.  Enriched with 10 amino acids, vitamins and botanical extracts.  Strengthens each hair strand and protects the hair from harsh weather. Also provides sunscreen protection.  Your hair will look and feel terrific.  Superb for all hair types.  PH balanced.”

Scent: Fruity

Consistency:  Thin Lotion

Results:   I love this stuff!  I used it for over a month as both a deep conditioner overnight, and for deep conditioning over a few hours.  It has amazing slip, and allows me to detangle my hair with ease.  When I rinsed it out after an overnight deep condition or after leaving it in my hair for a few hours, it left me hair feels moisturized, yet strong.  In short it covered all the bases.  The only thing that would make me like it more is a cheaper price. 

Love it, Like it or Leave It:  Love It


Sunday, November 15, 2015

Black Friday Gear Up


It's that time of year again when product junkies rejoice.  All year, I have been in product junkie rehab, so I have kept track of every product I used up, gave away and tossed. I used up:
  • 6 deep conditioners
  • 2 shampoos / cleansers
  • 7 rinse out conditioners
  • 9 leave-ins / moisturizers 
  • 3 gels
  • 5 other stylers
  • 1 oils (I run through oils slowly)

In looking at my current inventory of 48 products, sadly, I should have enough stuff to last me all next year, except leave-in/moisturizers, shampoo and possibly rinse out conditioner.  I don't buy shampoo or rinse conditioner during Black Friday anyway, and I might be able to use some of my other products as leave-in/moisturizers. Thus, I'm going to try my best to resist Black Friday product shopping this year. If I buy anything, it will be from one of three product lines (Silk Dreams, Camille Rose or Uncle Funky's Daughter). I am again attempting to limit the number of lines I use, so I may buy a few products to fill gaps in these lines.

Have no fear, if I don't buy anything for Black Friday, I'll reevaluate my stash in May for the Mother's Day / Memorial Day sales.
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