Beauty on a Budget: Ecostyler gel

Sorry I haven't checked in for a while, but I have been super busy! I graduate next month and life ha been super hectic. I thought i would drop in and talk briefly about another product you can pick up foe less than $5: Ecostyler Gel

This gel is all the rave in the natural hair community and there are many reviews, tutorials, and the like on it already, so I will not go into much detail.

The Quick and Dirty Review
This stuff works great. I have tried the clear, olive oil, and the argan oil versions. Clear and olive oil are my faves! I use this gel when doing puffs, twist outs (when I'm fighting this GA humidity), and for laying my edges. I do find that this gel works best on dry hair when trying to lay down a ponytail, puff, or any hair style that you prefer layed edges with. I never get build up with this product and the only product it hasn't played nice with so far is Cantu Leave-in repair cream. Other than that, this stuff rocks!

Where Can I Find This
I have been able to find this product in many stores: local beauty supply's, Salley's, Walgreens, CVS, and Rite Aid.

Alright folks, that's all I got for now! In about 2 weeks I will have way more free time and can update on the products and my regimen in more detail!

Peace

Beauty on a Budget: Hollywood Beauty Olive Cholesterol Review

This post marks the beginning of my series: Beauty on a Budget! With the evolution of the natural hair movement and the product lines springing up like a May garden, caring for your natural hair can get quite expensive. My goal is to find some basic products that will maintain the health of your hair without breaking your wallet! Products used and reviewed will cost no more than $10, and will be easily found at local stores and beauty supplies! I will be label reading and looking for the best ingredient lists, however, I will not shy from petrolatum and mineral oil, although they will be avoided if possible. I hope this series is useful and helpful to my people keeping it frugal but beautiful!

So as you know, I have been on the hunt for a staple deep conditioner. I don't know if I found it, but I do know that what I have been using lately has been working great!

A few posts back, I introduced you to Hollywood Beauty Olive Cholesterol deep conditioner! Well, I have been using this product since around January of this year and I have no complaints! This conditioner is thick, creamy, smells like cherry-almond, and has good slip for detangling! My hair has been enjoying this product, so I wanted to share with you how I use it, and the results my hair has shown.

How I Use it!
1. I apply this product to my hair BEFORE I shampoo. I first mix the conditioner (gage it by how much your hair needs) with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and 1 tablespoon of honey. I microwave for about 12 seconds. WARNING: If product becomes to warm, it will turn into a milky liquid, then you have to wait for this to cool.
2. Next, I divide my hair into 4 sections, dampen each section with water, then apply it generously to each section. As I am applying the product to each section, I am also beginning the process of finger detangling and removing shed hair. This products works very well for this.
3. Once product is applied to each section, I clip each section out of the way. I then cover with a plastic cap and let the product sit in my hair for about 30-45 min.

The Rinse Out
I rinse my hair section by section before shampooing. When this product is rinsing out of my hair, I almost have a hairgasm every time! The product rinses clean and I can immediately feel how soft my hair is and see the shine. The curls are completely defined and it makes the rest of my wash routine a breeze!

The Verdict
I love this product and will continue to use it for several reasons: 1. The health and look of my hair has improved. 2. Moisture is no longer an issue. 3. This product costs about $3.25 for 20 oz. It doesn't get much better than that! I have found this product at my local family dollar and at CVS. I am willing to bet it can also be found at your local beauty supply. The price is phenomenal and it works well. For all you curly girls, tjos product does not make the list! However, my beauty bargain queens who love a good product, this is for you!

Soul Stars Earned: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Let me know if you use this product, have used it, or will use it! How did your hair like it, will you purchase again? Hot me in the comments and let me know!

Peace

REVIEW: Qhemet Biologics

Okay. This is a brand of hair care products that I have been using for YEARS!!! Literally, since I went natural almost 6 years ago. Qhemet Biologics is a natural hair care product line that  promotes ayurvedic  herbs and healing for your hair! I LOVE this stuff. It has made the difference in my hair so I swear by this stuff.

There are many reviews on this line of products and bloggers use different combinations of products. However, for this blogger, the Amla and Olive Heavy Cream and the Aethiopika Hydrate and Twist butter have been Holy Grails for me for quite some time!

When I did the big chop and couldn't get the dryness under control, I tried many products....from curl activator to shea butter. The activator worked but made my hair too mushy and soft. Shea butter alone dries my hair and does not do all the wonderful things it does for others. I am a member of Nappturality.com and through this site, I discovered Qhemet Biologics. Not only was this product line raved about on this line, but QHem was actually a member of the site and would post, comment, and answer questions. I was hooked. So I ordered the Amla and Olive Heavy Cream and I have not looked back.

This stuff right here is what nappy dreams are made of! This is the BEST moisturizer I have ever come across...hands down! I compare EVERYTHING to this! It is a very creamy, thick, emollient, moisturizer and a little goes a long way. It runs for about $16.50, but it is so worth the price. A little goes a long way and this jar lasts me about a year. I can use it as a leave in when my hair is really parched or I just moisturize before I use my styler and the moisture lasts for weeks! My hair is always soft, shiny, defined, and healthy when I use this product. It will be my HG until Qhem decides she will no longer make this.

 

Ingredients: Castor Oil, Olive oil, distilled water, Botanical infusion of Amla extract Brahmi extract, organic Aloe fero extract egetable glycerin, MSM Sorbitan & Cetereayl Monoesters (vegetable emulsifier) Citrus Limon & Citrus Aurantium (essential oil scent) Phenoyethanol & Ethylhexylglycerin (Food grade paraben free and formaldeyde free preservative).

 

Okay, this twist butter is the bomb.com! This butter gives your hair the softest, most defined twist out you will ever have. If you are looking for a twist out with a lot of definition and no crunchy hold...this is for you! It does just what the product title says. It hydrates your hair..period. The definition is insane. If you are consistent with twist outs and braid outs..this is the product for you. This product is great in the winter when the air is cool and dry. It provides the moisture your hair craves in the winter while providing a soft, defined, style without the worry of the harsh elements ruining your moisture routine! I have used this product since it's introduction and it will continue to be a staple of mine!

 

Ingredients: Olive Oil, Mango Butter and Rice Oil Blend Behenyl Esters Cetyl Alcohol, Soy Oil Blend, Plant Wax, Phthalate Free Fragrance.

 

 

My next product to try from this line is the Cocoa Tree Detangling Ghee. I hear it melts tangling away and doubles as a great leave-in. Right now, her main sight is closed, but you can still buy at Sage Naturalceuticals ....at least that's where I get mine in Atlanta. I hear she will be re-opening soon! I hope this review was helpful and I will see you soon!



Peace

Dark & Lovely: Au Naturale Review

Alright, I said I was going to review it in a few weeks....yeah, I don't need a few weeks. Okay, so this is what I bought:

This line of products promises to ant-shrinkage, all day elongation, moisture, shine, and hold. Before I get started, please remember that this review is only relevant to the experience on MY hair. I am not being paid to do this (I mean my page only has about 100 views anyway, so Dark & Lovely did not send this to me), I bought these products with my own money because I wanted to see how they would do!

Hydrating Soak Shampoo: Umm.....not so much! I mean, this shampoo was nothing to write home about in my opinion. It did not strip my hair which made me happy, but I don't know that it made my hair feel any different than any other sulfate shampoo I have used. It lathers really well and cleans the hair. If you like heavily scented products, then you will like the scent, if not, then you will not be happy. I would not re-purchase this. I have used cheaper shampoo's with better results. In my honest opinion: there are better shampoo's out there and I will not buy this again once the bottle is gone. ( I bought it, so I'm using it!)

Knot Out Conditioner:I was also not impressed by this conditioner. A conditioner called "knot out" to me would imply that it is super slippery and makes detangling a breeze! Well, that is not the case with this conditioner. When I apply it to my hair, it has slip, but not as much as I would expect given the name. I do not instantly feel moisture being re-introduced to my hair and you have to apply a significant amount ( I am also a lil heavy handed with conditioner). Lucky for me, I already detangle my hair when I do my pre-poo, so once I washed and applied this conditioner, I did not have a ton of work to do. With that said, if I was applying this to hair that had not previously been detangle, I could easily see it being a nightmare to detangle because the slip is just not significant. Again, I have used cheaper conditioners with better results ie. HE Hello Hydration, Suave naturals Coconut conditioner, V05 conditioners, etc. The conditioner is also heavily scented, not completely moisturizing, and lacking the slip you would expect with the name. Will not be re-purchasing this either once it is gone.

Curl Moisturizing Souffle: Okay, this product was definitely not a win for me. I can't quite describe the texture of the product. It has kind of a creamy consistency but a little thicker? IDK, it's weird! Anywhoo, this stuff did not do anything it says! It's supposed to give definition without crunch and add moisture. UMMM......NO! First of all, I did not use this product for a wash n go. I thought about it, but the consistency and the non-slippery quality of it let me know that I would not be applying this to wet hair to be worn out all day! I used this to do braid out and twist outs. If you do not let your hair dry COMPLETELY with this stuff in, you will have a frizzy, poofy, tangled mess! There is not much moisture, but it didn't dry my hair out which I guess is a plus. It does not get crunchy which is what the product promises. However, it does leave your hair dull looking, maybe a tiny bit of a sheen, but nothing that says "hey look at me! My hair is moisturized, soft, fluffy, and I want to keep my hands in it all day!". Absolutely not! The anti-shrinkage claim is non-existent also. But, I will say that I don't believe any product that claims ant-shrinkage. Natural hair shrinks....period. So yeah, this was also disappointing to the point that I'm not sure I will even use this till it's gone. I may be tossing it in the trash. As we speak, I am sitting with the conditioner in my hair, thinking of a style and trying to determine if I get lazy and do a twist out, will I even use this product. This product was definitely not for me.

10-in-1 Gelee: Definitly not for me. It's a thing, goupy gel. It reminds me of the Murray's Loc and Twist Gel, but I like the Murray's better! I'm not quite sure what the purpose of this is or why it's in the line, but whatever. What I did find it useful for is when I would pull my hair up into a puff or bun or something and didn't want to gel my hair, this would provide the hold without the build up or that "slicked down" look. I will use it for that purpose in the future, but nothing else. It did not make a difference or add definition when twisting. Will also NOT be re-purchasing!


So overall, I guess you could say that I was not pleased with this line and it just was not for me. My hair is probably a 4b/4a mix with some 3c in the back. So yes my hair is highly textured and this line did nothing for me. I look for my products to not only be good stylers, but to be nourishing for my hair. This line definitely did not do that. It's full of bad ingredients,  but we all know that some of those products can do very well in our hair. Well this one does not fit into that category for MY hair. In all honesty I have gotten better results using TreSemme Naturals Shampoo and conditioner as well twisting with some coconut oil and eco-styler gel. My hair looked and felt better than with using this line. So I will not re-purchase this line EVER, and my fix for trying this product has been satisfied!

I will be reviewing the ORS CURLS Unleashed line next. I have reason to believe I will have better results. Ultimately, I am convinced once I my product junky fix has been completely satisfied, I will be sticking with my Oyin, Qhemet Biologics, oils, and eco-styler gel!


Hope this review was helpful and I will holla at you peeps later!


Peace

Twist out with Oyin Handmade Products: A Review

Alright, so wash day has been completed! What I discovered is that I need to do more research before I do my henna! AND......Mini twists make it hard to detangle my hair! OMG....this wash day was quite a task! So this is what I did and how I started!!!!!




Pre-poo and detangle: Products-water, Tresemme naturals conditioner, Africas Best ultimate herbal oil

So I parted my hair into 4 sections and clipped them. Then, one section at a time, I added about a quarter size amount of the oil and worked it through the section. Next, I sprayed with with water to get it very wet. Once the section is wet, I added a very generous amount of conditioner and worked it through. I detangled using a wide tooth comb, then an afro come, and went back through it with my knock off Denman brush to make sure it was knot free. Last, I divided the section into 4 twists. I repeated this process for the other 3 sections. The hair is then covered with a plastic cap and I let it sit for about an hour.

Wash: Products-Tresemme Naturals shampoo
To wash the hair, I wash in sections. So section by section, I undid the twists, rinsed the pre-poo out, then shampoo'd. After rinsing, I would but 1 or 2 jumbo twists in then move on to the next section until my entire head had been shampoo'd and rinsed.

Deep Condition: Products: Oyin Honey Hemp Conditioner
For this part, I just undid my hair section by section, added a generous amount of conditioner, and put the 4 twists per section back in. I re-covered the hair with a plastic cap and let it sit for an hour or more. After I was sure my hair had soaked up all of that goodness, I rinsed with the twists still in Can I just say that I have been using the Tresemme for about 6 months and really like it! It is cheap and does a good job. However, once my shampoo and conditioner are gone, I will switch to V05 conditioners for my pre-poo. I will be returning back to grad school this fall and will be on a tight budget. The V05 are cheap and they do an excellent job as well.

Style: Products-Oyin Juices & Berries (J&B), Oyin Hair Dew (HD), Oyin Burnt Sugar Pomade (BSP)
To style my hair, I undid the twists in a section and combed through it again. Can I just say that my hair was so soft and moisturized after the previous process! I love my Honey Hemp, but I have to give it up this year due to my budget cuts...but I will always revisit this conditioner!!!!!!! Anywhoo, back to styling! So after the section was undone and combed through, I sprayed with the J&B, then added about a nickel sized amount of hair dew, and about a dime size amount of BSP to the section. To twist, I put about 6-8 twists in. I repeated this process for each section.

THE END RESULTS.....




So it's evident that I need an actual camera....don't judge the cell phone pic! But this is a somewhat decent view of the definition I got for my twist out using the above products!!!! I love it! Next week, I think I will be using.....ah, well, I haven't decided yet!!!!!! Peace

5/6/13
So I wanted to update you all on what my hair looked like the next day. All I did was re-twist with large twist the night before, undid them in the morning and fluffed. No product used....Oh, wait I lied! I did spritz my hair with Crème of Nature Argan Oil Gloss and Shine mist.

Not bad aye! Not sure I will do a twist out in this capacity again with my Oyin. I like it better for my smaller twists that I wear for 2-3 weeks. The BSP is great for setting your edges for a puff or ponytail but when twisting for a twist out, I think it is a bit to heavy. For my hair anyway! I will still always purchase this because it's great for my regular twists!!!!

Peace

Started from the bottom......

So my last blog was a bust! I just didn't keep up with it and lost interest. One thing I have not lost interest in is my love of products! Health and beauty is my vice! I have tried, disliked, liked, and loved so many things, IDK where to begin! But first I want to start with my hair since it is my obsession! Nail polish is too, but I will incorporate it somehow!


As it stands right now, I am on a mission to find a good shampoo, and a good moisturizer! But surely I can't stop there.....I need some awesome stylers too! I know I'm late on the whole..."natural hair" movement, but the truth is, I've been natural for going on 5 yrs now! I thought it would be a good idea to blog because people ask me all the time: what do you put in your hair? How did you get it to look like that? So what do you use to twist your hair? How do you get it to stay?? blah blah blah! So now, if you wanna hear about it....here it goes!


These are things I have tried and absolutely hated!!!!!

Carol's Daughter-too high priced for corn oil! IJS! Didn't do anything for my hair besides make it greasy.

Darcy's Botanicals-I really think my hair is just too thick for these products. However, that was at least 2 yrs ago I tried them and may revisit now that I am more experienced with my hair.

Shea Moisture-Okay, I didn't totally hat it, it just wasn't for me. It worked really well at first, but I don't think it was right for my texture. After a while, it just didn't get the job done, so I gave it away


Why so few products? I found Oyin handmade and Qhemet Biologics and decided that these worked the best in my hair and I was good! So I didn't try much anything else. But now.....dun dun dun!

I have this crazy amount of hair that I want to experiment with as I have NEVER had this much hair before. So I am learning what to do with longer natural hair. PRODUCT LINES is what I want to experiment with! I'm now off my all natural products bandwagon, and am willing to try more things if they will work! So what am I using right now you ask?

OYIN HANDMADE!!!!! Which I love and will never get rid of, but I need more options. Especially since I will be doing more stuff to it!


What I use now and works:

Ecostyler Olive Oil Gel
Oyin Burnt Sugar Pomade
Oyin Hair Dew
Tresemme Naturals Shampoo and Conditioner
Coconut oil
Hairveda's Cocasta oil

What I want to try and have started buyin:
CON Argan Oil
Dark & Lovely Au Natural
ORS Curls Unleashed
Cantu naturals
Entwine Couture
As I Am
Original Moxie


I think that's it for now! Stay tuned! I want to use up what I have, so I will be doing my hair this weekend with my Oyin, which I will post (using some other treats too), and then it's off to product junkie ville!!!

Pray for me!!! lol!


Peace
Monaps