The Poo Review 2

It is time for the next installment of The Poo Review by Solidgold from naturallycurly.com

Sweet Nature by Eddie Inspiration Shampoo

Ingredients: Purified water, Decyl Glucoside (Naturally Occurs in Sweet Orange), Avocado Oil, Vegetable Glycerin, Cocamidopropyl Betaine (Naturally Derived From Coconut), Coco-Glucoside & Glyceryl Oleate, Citric Acid (Fruit Acids), Natural Fragrance Oil. *No Sodium Laureth Sulphate (SLES) or Sodium Lauryl Sulphates (SLS), which causes drying and damage*

$10.00 for 6? oz – can’t tell from the website how many ounces the bottle is.

What I like about this low poo is that it has few ingredients. It lathers nicely and has a pleasant mild scent. Unfortunately, for me, I got some squeakiness as I rinsed. I don’t have a real complaint against this low poo, but given that it is not available on the ground and it’s a little more expensive than other low poos, I won’t be buying it.


Naked Naturals Awapuhi and Lavender Shampoo


Ingredients: Water (Aqua), Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate, Sodium Lauroamphacetate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, PEG 150 Distearate, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein, Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein PG Propyl Silanetriol, Hydroxypropyl Bis Hydroxyethyl Dimonium Chloride, Phenoxyethanol, Helianthus Annuus Extract, Lavandula Angustifolia Extract, Butylene Glycol, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, Cocamidopropylamine Oxide, Polyquaternium 10, Tetrasodium EDTA, Sodium Chloride, Citric Acid, Fragrance

Around $6.99 for 12 oz. Available on the ground.

I really like this low poo. I feel like it gets my hair clean but doesn’t strip it. It has a very mild scent that’s quite pleasing, and a light lather. One strange feature of this low poo is that it is quite thick, like a gel, and is hard to squeeze out of the bottle. I wish it was a tiny bit thinner, but overall, it’s such a minor point that it won’t prevent me from re-purchasing. It does have some protein and oils in it, and I’m not sure if there will be long-term effects from these, or how these ingredients combine with conditioners with protein and/or oils. It’s something I’ll think about as I keep using this product!

Hand Dry Hair Gloves - a review!

Hand Dry Hair Gloves: A guest blogger review by Anniemae from naturallycurly.com!

I've always wanted beautiful, defined curls but could never really get them by scrunching my hair myself or with my diffuser. So, when I heard about the Hand Dry Hair Gloves, I just had to give them a try.

As a lot of you already know, I really love these gloves. They might look big, funny, and bulky, but they are actually very comfortable and easy to use. They are made of 100% polyester microfibre, machine washable, hang to dry. This material reminds me of the pile fleece that certain fleece jackets are made of - a really soft, thick, nubby texture.

For me, I've noticed that the gloves work a little better when my hair is very wet, but I do use them on towel-dried hair, also. After washing my hair, I put it for a few minutes in a microfiber towel, comb it with a wide-toothed comb, and then put in some type of leave-in or gel. Because my hair is kind of thin, I don't use a lot of products because I don't want to weigh it down too much. I usually use Curl Junkie Smoothing Gellie (I love this stuff) and apply about a quarter's worth all into my hair, especially the ends (you can experiment with the products that work best for your hair). Then I start scrunching my hair for about 15-20 minutes. When I scrunch, I hold my head sideways and scrunch each side, letting the hair hang and scrunching upwards. Then, when I hold my head up, I actually pull down on my hair with the gloves to eliminate any possible frizzing. I scrunch the parts of my head that I want curly, and I only scrunch it until it's about 90% dry, not dry all the way. At the end, I spray my hair with some DevaCurl Set It Free Spray to avoid frizz, and scrunch some more. My hair is fairly thin and almost shoulder length, so it doesn't take too long to dry.

Another option is to also use a blowdryer while scrunching to speed up the process. I set the blowdryer on high heat, low speed. I use the gloves to not only scrunch up the curl, but also to pull down my hair to get rid of frizz. I also use the gloves to help me get the look of beachy waves, rather than curls.

If your gloves get too wet during the drying process, just use a blowdryer on them for a few minutes and they will dry fast.

I really, really like these gloves!! They are a blessing for me because I don't ever get really good curl. Diffusers seem to mess my hair all up, whereas these gloves allow me to "place the curls" where I want.

I know that everyone has different hair types and textures, so these gloves might not work for everyone. But, if you think you like them, give them a try!!

The Poo Review by Solidgold

ATTENTION!! The Wavy Tales is excited to announce a series of posts on low-poo (non sulfate shampoo') by Solidgold from naturallycurly.com

All you wavies or curlies that use a low-poo read on to find reviews on some of the available low poo options.

So without further ado TW Tales presents THE POO REVIEW by Solidgold!

Since starting the Curly Girl (CG) method in May 2009, I’ve been searching for a low poo that does great things for my hair at a low price. Before going CG, I would only wash my hair about once a week because it was so dry. Of course, this was due to years of sulfate-silicone cycle of washing and styling. To take better care of my hair, I tried conditioner-only washing, but my hair didn’t “feel” clean and tended to get weighed down, and being a “wavy”, I felt like I needed a low poo to get that clean feeling. In June, I bought small sizes of Jessicurl’s Hair Cleansing Cream (HCC) and Gentle Lather Shampoo (GLS) to test out the CG gentler cleansers (available at jessicurl.com and naturallycurly.com’s Curl Mart). This review is not about them, but these cleansers are the standards to which I compare all other CG cleansers. The search has been ongoing ever since to find the low poo that meets my criteria of 1) reasonable cost, 2) easy availability, and 3) providing the best results for my hair (thick, medium/fine texture, normal porosity).

I recently discovered that the panthenol, a moisturizing ingredient (also known as B5) found in many beauty products, may contribute to over conditioning and limpness in my hair. Jessicurl’s GLS contains panthenol, but GLS remains one of my favorite cleansers. I will review some low poos with panthenol in it, but I am searching for a low poo comparable to GLS without panthenol.

Curl Junkie Curl Assurance Shampoo

Ingredients: Water, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Sodium Lauryl Glucose Carboxylate, Glycerin, Lauryl Glucoside, PE G-150 Pentaerythrityl tetrastearate, PE G-6 Capric/Caprylic Glycerides, Laureth 4,Hydroxypropyltrimonium Honey, Panthenol, Matricaria Recuitita (Chamomile) Flower Camellia Sinensis (Green Tea) Leaf Extract, Sambucus Nigra (Elder) Flower Water, Quaternium-79 Hydrolyzed Silk Protein, Sodium Chloride (Dead Sea Salt), Anthemis Nobilis (Chamomile) Oil, Citrus Aurantium (Neroli) Oil, Citrus Aurantium (Petitgrain) Oil, Brown Rice (Oryza Sativa) Powder, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Disodium EDTA,Tocopheryl Acetate.

$18 for 8oz

This low poo was very runny. It looks like water as it came out of the container, which made it difficult to hold in my hand as I applied it to my hair. On the positive side, I thought is smelled like a classic strong shampoo, which was pleasing to me as it evoked positive hair memories. It lathered lightly, but it made my hair squeak as I washed and rinsed, which made me think it stripped my hair of essential moisture. Even after conditioning, rinsing, applying styling products, and plopping, my hair still squeaked. I gave this low poo three tries, and I don’t think it is worth the cost for the mediocre impression it left. It is also only available online, so when you factor in shipping, it really doesn’ meet any of my criteria mentioned above.

EO Hydrating Chamomile & Honey Shampoo
Ingredients: Water (Purified), Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine, Vegetable Glycerin, Sodium Coco Sulfate, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Sodium Lauroamphoacetate, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, Sodium Myristoyl Sarcosinate, Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside, Panthenol, Hibiscus Extract, Gotu Kola Extract, Lime Fruit Extract (Dry Hair Complex), Avocado Fruit Extract (Dry Hair Complex), Fig Fruit Extract (Dry Hair Complex), Fenugreek Seed Extract (Dry Hair Complex), Hydrolyzed Quinoa Protein, Aloe Vera (EO Organic Herb Blend), Chamomile Extract (EO Organic Herb Blend), Calendula Extract (EO Organic Herb Blend), White Tea Leaf Extract (EO Organic Herb Blend), Stearyl Dihydroxypropyldimonium Oligosaccharides, Lavender Essential Oil (EO Essential Oil Blend), Orange Essential Oil (EO Essential Oil Blend), Chamomile Essential Oil (EO Essential Oil Blend), Honey, Retinyl Palmitate (Vitamin A), Citric Acid, Sodium Phytate, Sodium Chloride, Phenoxyethanol, Benzyl Alcohol, Potassium Sorbate

About $8 for 8oz

This low poo was difficult to squeeze out of the bottle. It seemed thicker than regular low poo, reminding me a little of aloe vera gel: jiggly. It had a light lather and pleasant shampoo scent, but I could hear a little squeaking after rinsing. I gave this product two tries. I felt my hair was a little limp after styling, which I attribute to the panthenol in it. The price is reasonable, and this product is available on the ground, so I would recommend it based on price, but I didn’t love it enough to buy more.

Curl Junkie Curl Fix

Another Curl Junkie product!

The new Curl Fix Intense Hair Treatment is full of good things for your hair. Its got protein's galore. It smells VERY floral--but I love it! I'm not usually a fan of floral scents but this one won me over.

I've used it as a deep protein treatment with heat. IMHO this is really the way it is best utilized. It left my hair soft and conditioned fairly well. I could definitely tell this had proteins as my hair was quite curlier after. I would consider this is a PT and a partial moisturizing DT combined as my hair did not feel at all hard like it does with some protein treatments and even though I used a rinse out in the shower my hair did not need too much. While under the dryer the smell of this permeated the whole house and it smelled so good! Like a wonderful spring day at the flower fields!

I just tried it today as a leave-in and I have to say a big negatory on that. I have no idea why but it did not do a great job as a leave-in. I've been using the CJ Curl Rehab as a leave-in and its been performing phenomenally. The Curl Fix just didn't compare.

So while it will do for either purpose (or a rinse out one can imagine) I am going to reserve it for my DT/PT needs. At $24 for 8oz it really is in my more Deep Treatment category. Its a wonderful product and very worth the dollars!

Hairveda

Hairveda Products!!

Back several posts now I blogged about how great the Hairveda Moist Condition Pro (MCP) did on my hair. I'm still loving it but now it has company on my go-to products shelf!

Amala Shampoo: Doesn't really have a smell. Sort of herbally if anything. A kind of golden color it cleans exceptionally well. My hair does not feel stripped but it definitely does feel clean. I've found that low poo's that have some of the more medium cleansers/surfactants in them tend to have the same effect. That's o.k. with me and this one gets a thumbs up! I would not use it daily but for my regular about every 3 days low poo it does a great job.

Amala Cream Rinse: This ranks second right behind the MCP. It is called a creamy shampoo but functions like an in between co-wash/shampoo for me. I didn't really figure that out until I used another cleansing conditioner that had mush more cleansing power--so I'm revising my original opinion to consider this between a co-wash and shampoo (although for me it acts like a co-wash for the most part)It absolutely does not leave my hair stripped. My hair feels clean yet conditioned. This does not get out something my hair likes to hold onto (like the Polyquat 11 and 7!) unless I become the DOW scrubbing bubbles on my hair--scrubbing like a maniac but for every other occasion its a real blessing. I get less shedding with this product than any of my low-poo's which I find quite interesting. In general things that are marketed as cleansing conditioners or creamy shampoo's gie me less shedding.

It's quite inexpensive and Plain Jane like its cousins..but a definite repurchase for me! I use it nearly every 3 days. Given the amount of products I have that is a real testament to the product. If you are looking for something that cleans pretty well but is a conditioner based then you should try this one out. If you use cones or other things like polyquat's or mineral oil you probably should opt for a low poo actual shampoo.

Moist Condition 24/7: This one I got primarily for T's hair. We have to watch the protein intake for her hair as the mixed texture tends to go haywire with too much protein. We used it as a rinse out and detangler in her hair and it worked fine. It was better as a rinse out and leave-in and only so/so as a detangler. I haven't tried it in my hair yet but with Hairveda's track record for me I'm sure I'll like it as well. It is not as thick as some others which made distribution much easier through T's hair.

Cocasta and Shikakai Oil: This stuff smells so good and I have no idea how to describe it. I really don't. It does not smell like anything I can get a handle on. I've done a pre-poo with this and it was fine but I think I won't be able to do one very often as it is very conditioning and I think I might get OC'd. So I started using it on my body and in my bath and it is sublime! I think it would make a good oil to seal with but T is not willing to try anything other than the ShescentIt butters and the Qhemet Biologics Burdock Cream. She is in love. So I'm happy to use it for myself!

SitriNillah Masque: This is a deep treatment. I've used it with and without heat. I did notice my hair was softer with heat. It smells like Oranges--sweet oranges--its a good smell. Although this worked I have other deep treatments I prefer. This looks like it has very similar ingredients to the MCP and I like that one so not sure this is a repurchase. I am eyeing that Methi Sativa set next!

Whipped Gelly: The one product that just did not work on anyone in the family. On my hair it didn't really do much-not enough hold as its a very light hold. It smells DIVINE though! I used it to twist T's hair but her hair didn't stay and turned very dry after a day. I used a very moisturizing leave in with this that always works so it was clearly the jelly. We tried it on my son and his hair felt a little producty. Although I really love the smell this one is not a repurchase.

I should mention that the ladies at Hairveda are super nice to work with. I had a problem and they contacted me right away to fix it. We agreed on a solution and they immediately took care of it. Since this is a very small business it can take a while to get a response and the products take a while (sometimes a long while) to ship. IMHO the Moist Condition Pro and the Amala Cream Rinse's are la creme de la creme of my product rotation. I will not be without them.

Darcy's Botanicals Part Duex

Darcy's Botanicals NEW products!

Those who read my blog know I love DB products. If any of you shop her website or her etsy store you might have noticed she has NEW products introduced in time for Black Friday. I, however, could not get on to her site until she was already closed so I missed the big BF sale. Waaaa!

Never fear cowgirls--I just saddled up again and ordered after the sale. Yes I think her products are that good that even the loss of a good 20-25% discount did not deter me.

Here's the sitch on the new products:

Pumpkin Seed Conditioner: OMG. AMAZING. AMAZING. AMAZING. If you are looking for slip in a conditoner this one has it in spades. Other than QB Coco Tree Detangling Ghee this is the only other product that has done a great job of detangling on T's hair. Other stuff is good and even great but this one is literally like butter.

On my hair it left it very well conditioned, silky smooth without being too smooth and feeling very soft. The scent is excellent as well--kind of like vanilla buttercream pumpkin cake batter. My hair felt SO good in the shower and out. It also gave me wonderful clumping. It has hydrolized oat protein and I already know my hair loves this particular protein. Its in her NC Curling Jelly too--which is another product my hair loves.


Natural Coils Daily Leave In Conditioning Spray: This sprays out in a wonderful mist. It is very light. Did not feel heavy on my hair but I could definitely see the conditioning aspect. Not sticky, tacky, or producty (which tends to happen with sprays). I used about 6 sprays for my entire head and it was perfect. I think I could use less in the summer (unless its dry). Smells very good--sort of sweet but not overwhelming or overpowering. This, on my hair, is light enough not to weigh it down at all. I think if you have fine hair and it leans towards thin and you like lighter products you ought to try this one out. Its not similar really to something like SNBE Growth Spray--that does better for me after my hair is already SOTC'd or mid day or before bed. It doesn't have enough Umph to use as a full leave in IMHO. This one IS a leave-in and you can feel it right away. Although there are oils in it my hair absorbed them very well--no problem with oily/greasy looks.

Avocado and Wild Plum Twisting Creme: I used a bit after the LI just to get a sense. Seems very good. I think I'm going to like this one the same way I like the coconut and aloe pudding--after I've SOTC or mid day especially to add some moisture. I found Darcys stuff to work really good for this--these pudding and creams. I'll have to try it alone to see if it has any curl enhancing effect. I like these for mid day moisturizers because they seem to have a little hold which helps my kind of droopy curls sometimes around 2o'clock. Also when I get home if its dry outside I usually spritz a little water and then scrunch in some of these creams. Just love them. Mine came as sample size so it is unscented so I can't speak to the scent. EDITED TO ADD: Tried it today as a "curl enhancer" and it doesn't enhance at all. I should be clear I didn't really expect it to but thought it was worth a go. Not a repurchase for me since I love the Coconut and Aloe pudding too much to replace it with this!

In my next order I plan on getting the Darcy's Botanical's Herbal spray, the Deep conditioner, and the Tucuma Butter along with at least one additional oil. Stay tuned for Part 3!

Kinky Curly

So you knew it was coming. Kinky Curly Curling Custard seems to be the "it" product for many. The number of curlies who say this is their Holy Grail product is legendary.

So what took me so long to add it? Simple. It did not work for me. You heard that right. Just did not create the curls or waves I was hoping for. It certainly did create something in my hair--but I really wasn't sure if I should blow dry it or cook it over medium heat for 15 minutes.

So what did it do to my hair? Well it created FAT SAUSAGE ringlet's all over my hair. Like 7 or 8 of them all around. I looked like I was going to a costume party as an adult film star version of Shirley Temple. Awful. My hair is just too fine and thin to sport this look. The pic above is of one of the sides. Even my kids commented--mostly regarding the fact I was not a 3 year old anymore so the look really didn't suit.

The ingredients look great. I found the smell only so-so although others rave over it (I could never figure out why as it always had a slightly off smell to me..like a product thats reached the end of its lifecycle). I did give it the old college try--in fact I gave it more than 10 college tries!

However, in deference to the fact that so many like this, I've asked my fellow CG'ers over at Naturallycurly.com to say a few words about one of the favorite curl enhancers currently on the market.

Robin-in-FL says: "KCCC works well on my coarse wavy hair, it does not provide hold but does prevent frizz, smells great, and it sort of stretches out the waves but not in a bad (limp or flat) way, they are still bouncy and nice."

Finaleofseem had this to note: "First of all, KCCC: you know I love it! It's a great "base" in my opinion. I can't use it alone, because with my wavy hair it doesn't provide enough hold. However, I really LOVE the way it helps enhance my waves, and makes them a little more uniform, which is really what I'm looking for in a base product. Two things that people should know before they use KCCC: first, it will likely increase your drying time, so if you air dry, it may be a pain in the butt. Secondly, it will have some crunch. I've never had a problem scrunching it out, and it leave my hair soft and touchable and very bouncy. However, those wavies/curlies who don't like aloe should probably stay away from KCCC, because it's very aloe-heavy. As far as how much I use: three pea to dime sized blobs emulsified in my hands: one for the left, one for the right, and one applied upside down (all sprunched) for my medium-density, just-below-chin length hair."

The amount of people who love this product seems to outweigh those of us who just couldn't get it to work. So my recommendation is for your to purchase it or secure a sample from a friend or fellow curly/wavy. The chances are good it will do right nicely for you!