Spiral Solutions Deeply Decadent Deep Treatment

DDDT

I admit it. I saw how thick this was and thought it would be impossible to get into my daughter's hair. In my hair possible since its so fine and thin I can make anything get in..I don't need slip. Imagine my surprise when not only did it go into T's hair easily but it took just 2 tsp to do one whole section of her hair (1/2 her head). That's amazing. If I told you how much we spend on conditioners for her due to how much we use you'd be flabbergasted. That's how much it takes just to get a comb through T's tangles which are legendary.

The slip on this puppy is just astonishing. The comb glides through like a hot knife through butter--seamlessly, effortlessly. Even my daughter asked what I was using (normally she just rolls her 13 year old eyes and does the teenage sigh that says I in no way could be as cool as she is LOL). Bravo!

This can be used as a rinse out or DT. For my hair it is so moisturizing that I would only need to DT about every 2 weeks (vs. PT every week minimum). For Tahia's hair we would use this weekly especially in dry times like the fall when we get Santa Ana's. It worked just as well as a rinse out with her when we tried that.

This DT is rich, thick, and extremely moisturizing. I think every texture/type of hair would love this stuff--on this we could all agree it's a definite winner! Add that to the chocolate caramel latte scent--pure HEAVEN in your hair! Makes me want to run to Starbucks for a carmel machiatto!


P.S. This stuff comes in a jar. NO WAY for this to be bottled...way too thick. Think Aubrey Organics products times 5!

Spiral Solutions Repairing Protein Treatment

"The PT"

So as a fine haired wavy/curly I spend A LOT of time looking for good products with lots o protein. My hair lurves it..just lurves it. Sometimes I cannot get enough. I will often use it in low poo, conditioner, leave in and curl enhancer or gel. My hair does not seem to get overloaded (it got overloaded recently with Panthenol but not protein).

This protein treatment feels like a conditioner and smells like fresh natural ingredients. Once again the fragrances used are not overwhelming. It is pretty thin for a conditioner but that does make it spread easily. I give all of my DT/PT's the drip test--first time I use them I see how long it takes for them to drip through my plastic shower cap under my R2D2 hard hat Ionic dryer. This one: Just over 3 minutes. PASS!

The reason I do a drip test is because products where there is mostly water will start dripping like crazy right away. I've found that they tend not to work as well as a DT/PT..they might work fine for conditioning but NOT for the sit under R2 type. I left this one for about 20 minutes on low heat. I will say it did itch--I am not sure why except it is thinner maybe? None of the ingredients show up on my watch list (I'm allergic to papaya and sensitive to a few other things--although they rarely show up in hair products!). In any case it wasn't that bad and it went away within about 10 minutes.

When I took the cap off I found all the product had absorbed and nothing was left in the cap. Yippee!

After rinsing I did the stretch test and noticed my hair had noticably more elasticity (what I was going for) so I declare this PT to work awesomely!

The nice thing about this one is that it doesn't leave your hair hard like some other Protein Treatments--so it's more pleasing in the feeling department.

If you have a need to do a PT then this one should be placed at the top of your list.

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.

Shescentit

Shescentit is another handmade line I learned about on naturallycurly.com and longhaircareforum.com and I'm so glad I did!

I've ordered a couple of times and always had great experiences. We have liked all the products we've gotten! I have only ordered the conditioners and such without silicones (or silica) in them. I'm very tempted by the others but know I would regret it afterwords. Ah well. On to the review.

The Avocado Conditioner is green--seems appropriate. It comes in a regular bottle with flip top lid. Her bottles are very unique and, honestly, quite classy and fun looking. I love her logo. Anyway this is an excellent conditioner if your hair is normal to dry. We didn't find it had enough *umph* for T's hair but for my hair it's great. My son also likes it (his favorite color is green). Smells good. Very inexpensive for an online product. Nice!

Next up on the list is the Super Soft Honey Conditioning Rinse. I LOVE the smell of this and it works amazing for me as a rinse out conditioner. It makes my hair moist and bouncy without leaving it over conditioned. It has just enough moisture power. It's another inexpensive option.

My favorite conditioner right now is the Green Tea and Hibiscus one. My hair seems to love Green Tea in any form. It's a deep conditioner but I usually just leave it on in the shower. I'll have to try it with my hard hat dryer but so far its working exceptionally well with just the shower heat for about 5-8 minutes. It smells fine--a little more herbally than the other two I've tried but completely acceptable.

The Coco-Cream Leave In Conditioner is a favorite of many. It works wonders for my sons hair. It provides a lot of slip and can easily be used to detangle. It smells positively divine and is a little more liquidy so it spreads very easily. You don't need too much. If you like leave ins that have a lot of slip or that make your hair feel very silky you will like this one. I felt it made my hair a little too slippery leading to reduced curl.

Another other option for a leave in is the Moisture Mist Leave In Conditioner. This is a liquid in a spray bottle. You MUST shake it up WELL. Do Not Forget. This has oils that can make your hair greasy if you don't shake well. For a spray this one does a nice job. We found it much better on my sons hair than my daughter's and I use it occasionally as well. I actually prefer creamy leave in's myself but this one is nice if you want something light. I think the smell is the other reason for it to not be my favorite--not sure how to describe it except as artificial. I don't really care for it.

Our other favorite products from Shescentit are the butters. OH MY do we love them! We love the Gillian Butter the best but the Seyani is no slouch. You can order your fragrance and you can get sample sizes. We have loved every fragrance we've tried (Vanilla Almond, Sugar Cookie, and Creamsicle). All are light and not overpowering. These butters emulsify into an oil and they are wonderful, simply wonderful, for sealing your hair. When we use this after T's leave in and her Qhemet Biologics Burdock Cream we get long lasting moisture--never greasy, sticky, producty, etc. It is fabulous. We use it in the morning as well to refresh second day after the Qhemet products and it sets her hair just right and helps minimize frizz. EXCELLENT! Even if you think you can't do butters but want to try some these are great to give you an idea--inexpensive as well.

Lustrasilk Conditioners OnGround

There are 3 Lustrasilk Cholesterol Conditioners that are CG and that do not contain Mineral Oil. These are nice products in the very inexpensive category.

We've had wonderful luck with all of them except for finding them locally--but I include this review in the OnGround products because most will be able to find them either at Sally's or a local Beauty Supply Store and even grocery/discount stores.

Olive Oil Cholesterol: By the instructions this really is a leave in conditioner. That is exactly how it performs well for me--as a leave-in. I tried it as a rinse out and I didn't like it--my hair did not feel moisturized at all. It has a very artificial scent but it doesn't linger. It is fairly thick and comes in a big tub. You do not need to use much but I did find even if I was a little heavy handed my hair adjusted just fine. It is a heavier leave in and I do better with it in lower dews and/or in conditions for us that are Santa Ana like--dry with winds that tend to just cause all the moisture to leech out of your hair.

Shea Mango Cholesterol: Both my daughter and I use this as a Deep Treatment and as a regular rinse out conditioner. I LOVE the smell and the texture REALLY reminds me of mashed mango's! It goes on very easily but we did not find it had a ton of slip so I'm not sure I can recommend it for detangling. It did impart some serious moisture to our hair with or without heat--that is critical because you may not have heat or not want to take the time to use it. An excellent value for your dollar!

Organic Cholesterol with Argan Oil: Of the three this one was the most moisturizing for my daughter's very thirsty curls. It does a nice job of detangling as well with adequate slip for most people. The smell is VERY artificial to us--not too pleasing but the good thing is it really does fade quickly. It is very thick (more so than the Shea Mango) and works exceptionally well with heat. This one really made my daughter's hair smooth.

Overall you would be hard pressed to find a better value for your money. While there are those for whom the Lustrasilk does not work it would appear based on posts at naturallycurly.com that these work for a great number of people. Plus even if they don't you really won't be out much more than a couple of dollars--and you can always give them away to co-workers or relatives!

Hairveda Moist Condition Pro

Hairveda MCP -- How do I love thee? Let me count thy ways

1. As a fabulous rinse out conditioner that leaves my hair spiral'ing in the shower

2. As an oustanding leave-in that gives my hair the protein it loves without weighing it down

3. As a Deep Treatment (DT) with some heat applied to leave my wurls all moisturized and bouncy

This is my favorite conditioner. Don't let the looks deceive you -- this Plain Jane looking bottle hides a real workhorse of a conditioner inside. It leaves my hair moisturized but not over conditioned. I don't look for slip in a conditioner because my hair does not tangle. I look for a condish that "grips" my hair so that I can get the curls to hold. If a conditioner makes my hair too soft it will pull out all my curl -- leaving me with barely wavy hair.

At about $8 for 16oz the price will leave you smiling as well. This can take a little while to get after you order since they make it up for you so patience is the key. While you're over there shopping you might want to give a try to some of their other products like the SitriNillah Deep Conditioner , CoCasta Shikakai Oil , and Amala Shampoo and Cream Rinse. The picture in my Piki up top of the blog is with Hairveda Moist Condition Pro and Darcy's Botanical's Natural Coils Curling Jelly. Best. Hair. Day. Ever.

Look for reviews on other Hairveda products in the near future. I only have samples of several of them so will wait until I get the full size to do a full review. I can tell you that I currently love all those I mentioned above. Great smell, great price, great ladies over there at HV.

www.hairveda.com

Nuff' said.

Amourai Organique

I've used 4 products from the A.O. line and have liked 3 of them!

Silver Spoon Shampoo: This is a SLS and paraben free shampoo. It's a goldish/yellow and smells lightly of mint (spear or pepper I can't tell which). It's quite gloopy, almost like a jelly, and it jiggles in the container (so it's kind of fun to watch LOL). This shampoo left my hair clean but it felt kind of stripped--as if I'd pulled quite a lot of moisture out along with the dirt and pollution. After I finished my hair had that telltale very squeaky clean sound. It has protein so those who are protein sensitive might want to be judicious with use. I will use it again but it is not a daily product for me. This is an excellent poo to use when you've had oil or some other substance in your hair overnight in a DT.

Knight in Shining Armour Hair Mask: At first I didn't care too much for this. It has the same type of lavender-minty smell as Duchess of Curls. This conditioner is paraben free--for many who are looking for a condish without paraben this is one you should try. Although it says it is a hair mask (to me this = Deep Treatment) I found it's best use to be a leave-in. Since it has protein and coconut, both things my hair loves, it did a great job as a light leave-in. I have not tried this with heat applied for a DT so perhaps it is better that way.

Royal Revive Liquid Moisturizer: This product just did not cut the mustard on either my hair or my daughter's. In my hair it didn't really do much except create an oily mess and for my daughter she could not get past the smell and the fact that it left her hair sticky. Although I genuinely like the rest of the line I've tried this one is not a repurchase. If your hair can handle oils and you like a more herbal smell you could certainly give this product a try.

Duchess of Curls:

THE BEST FOR LAST.

This is a HG (Holy Grail!) styling product. When I use it I am virtually guaranteed great curls that have volume and body. DOC works equally well on my more ringlet prone underneath hair as well as my straighter canopy. IMHO it is really user friendly as I've used widely varying amounts and never had a hot mess. It seems like it also imparts a bit of moisture to your hair.

This is not a heavy product--it does not weigh your hair down. For us fine haired wavies and curlies that is outstanding--as many curl creme's and gel's can be too heavy and we end up with limp and lifeless waves.

Overall this is a nice line. The names are very cute as are the packaging designs. My son enjoyed the "Knight" mask as he likes Knights and Castles and such. It states that the ingredients are organic--which goes a long way to justifying the fairly steep price tag since most products are at least $11 for 8 oz. The owner responds to questions very quickly and the site (at this time) offers free shipping if you spend $36 or more. That's a really good deal. I have not yet tried all the products but other than the mist we've been pretty happy with what we've used so far.

www.luvamourai.com

Jessicurl Conditioners

Aloeba, Weekly Deep Treatment, and Too Shea!

I LOVE THEM ALL!

Each one of Jessicurl's conditioners are huge winners in our house.

Aloeba is more of a daily conditioner IMHO--in the Island Fantasy the scent lingers just a little all day--enough to smell when you turn your head. It was very conditioning to me and provided plenty of moisture. It goes on very smoothly and you'll have no problems squeezing it out of the bottle. It's a medium texture product.

Too Shea! Is a much heavier duty conditioner. It comes in a jar and not a bottle--which is good in some ways and not in others. I find that I love jar's as I can get the last of the product out and I can see how much I have left (plus) but sometimes in the shower unscrewing the cover and scooping product out is not the most convenient thing (cons). A little goes a long way with this conditioner--and it has worked very well on both my daughter's fine to coarse textured hair that is very thick and dry as well as my much finer and thinner hair that is normal and not excessively dry.

Weekly Deep Treatment is exactly what it says--for use weekly as a DT--preferably with heat. I actually find the Too Shea to be as moisturizing as this one but either works fine. It's properties are much like Too Shea except it is a *little* thicker. As far as slip we found it sufficient to detangle my daughter's hair. We like to leave this in her hair overnight or for several hours with a towel wrapped around for the best benefit.

Again the scent's are up to you and we love the Island Fantasy one. You can see that the difference between the WDT (left pic above) and Too Shea! (right pic above) is very slight--with the WDT looking a bit thicker. They act almost the same on our hair.

Huge thumbs up for these conditioners! They are worth your time to order online!

Curl Junkie Hibiscus and Banana Deep Fix

CJ HBDF is my latest love from Curl Junkie. In particular my daughter's hair absolutely adores this conditioner. It is very thick and rich. The smell is like banana bubble gum and it lingers in the very lightest way in your hair. The consistency IS like mashed banana's which is interesting. Before you reach your finger in you really do think it's just a container of banana's that have been smushed like you do for banana bread.

When you reach in to scoop out a bit though it is immediately obvious that this is not mashed banana's. Contrary to what your eyes are telling you your fingers and hair will tell you this is a conditioner with some Umph. It goes on your hair extremely smoothly and has excellent slip for those who need it. Slip allows you to detangle easily and minimize breakage and time to hair completion.

For my daughter's very dry very thirsty curls we use it in a number of ways: As part of the Spritz and Condish Method popularized by Del2C over on www.naturallycurly.com and also as a deep treatment, rinse out, leave in and occasional second day hair refresher when scrunched in with some water. Now that's some multi purpose product!

On my hair which is neither as dry nor as thick as my daughter's I can use it as a Deep Treatment or as a rinse out but not more than a couple times per month. HBDF conditioning powers are so great that my hair would lean towards over conditioning if I used this on a daily basis.

For those of you with very dry hair I think I would put a priority on this product over others in the CJ line. As long as you are o.k. with sweet scents (and to me this one is very yummy!) then your hair will thank you for giving it a taste of HBDF.