What should I buy from.....IHERB.COM?

In honor of Spring I decided to blog about my recommendations for products to buy at various places. I thought I'd start with http://www.iherb.com/  --  because I get asked frequently what people should buy from there. I also have a coupon code you can use for $5 off your first order (it's at the top of my blog) if you haven't ordered before. I love ordering from iherb because they ship super fast and I always get my stuff in a day or two. I've never had a mixed up order and they responded to an email I sent very quickly. Excellent service!

So ....  you've got some money earmarked for product and decide to go shopping on iherb--what are some good options?

Shampoo's and Conditioners brands:

EO  -- There are several types. My favorite is the Sweet Orange but others like the Chamomile and Honey.

Giovanni  -- we love the 50/50 shampoo and the Tea Tree shampoo/conditioner. I like the Root 66 volume conditioner as well. We were not overly fond of the Smooth as Silk shampoo (has cones) or the condish (didn't work all that great).

Beauty without Cruelty -- LOVE the Leave In. It has great slip (but not too much for me) and works wonderfully underneath almost any styler. A little goes a long way. Not too fond of the smell but it doesn't linger. Have not tried the poo or condish (if you have leave a comment below!)

Aubrey Organics -- Of course you simply *must* try the Honeysuckle Rose Conditioner. Many like it (we thought it conditioned o.k. but T had a problem with waxy type build up). GPB is the only Aubrey condish we still have and we use it occasionally. I did not like the Aubrey shampoo's. Their liquid curl activator had the most horrendous smell (see other blog article on that!). We also tried the Island Naturals conditioners and were not fond of the smell. The trend seems to be that we don't like the smell of their products. Another product I strongly recommend you pick up is the Mandarin Magic -- this stuff is great to use to add to a gel to help it spread and as an all around moisturizing gel you can add with a curl jelly or as a leave in. This is, by far, my favorite Aubrey product! I tried the B5 Design gel and hated it--left my curls droopy and sad.

Avalon Organics -- You have to read the labels on these as some contain cones. I really like the Olive and Grape Seed (thanks Solidgold for turning me onto these!) poo and condish. I haven't tried the others.

Jason Natural -- my two favorite products are the Thin to Thick conditioner and the Curl Defining Cream.  Although the condish does not smell great (see previous blog posts) it does work well. The Curl Cream is really fabulous! It works wonders for me!

I am planning another iherb order for some Alba Botanical Gel and Leave in as well as Desert Essence shampoo and conditioner along with a few other products. Once I get them I'll review and post!

The Conditioner Scales

The Conditioner Scales

By popular request I am posting my scale for conditioners. Please understand that this is based on my hair (fine, thin, fairly short and porous), my daughter's hair (fine to medium/coarse, thick, long and low porosity) , and my son's hair (fine to medium, normal porosity, thick, and short). Other opinions may vary.

I will put in BLUE the products for my daughter and how they rate for her
I will use black for myself
I will use Green for my son as he has his favorites as well.

Please be aware that this list is not exhaustive. It includes condish's with protein and may include some with water soluble cones (I can't think of any but you never know)

Here is a breakdown of the rating scale I'm using:

1-10

1-2: Not moisturizing, may cause dryness, may build up or may weigh down hair. Not recommended

3-4: Minimal moisturizing. A very light conditioner, may leave hair a bit dry or be drying. Might be a good choice for a leave in when a heavier rinse out is used or for those who get weighed down. May need to use substantial amount of product to get results. Good choice for those with oily hair or for daily use with something like weekend deep treatments. May also be good for summer high humidity or for co washing.

5-6: A lightweight moisturizer. Not heavy, will likely not weigh down hair. Best for oily to normal hair or hair that is done daily so as not to get over conditioned. May not provide enough weight or moisture to counter act major frizz or poof. May be used as a leave in as well. The higher end of this (6) and the lower end of the other (7) are the ideal range IMHO for my hair.

7-8: Great Moisture. May be on the heavier side but not too much. May weigh down super fine or thin hair. Good for all hair types although those who tend to over conditioning may wish to alternate it or use it every other day or only on the ends. Should provide enough weight and moisture to help counter act frizz and poof for all but the driest of hair. This usually requires average amount of product use and many will be able to use this level of moisture even for leave in.
9-10: Ultimate moisture. Very heavy. May be too much (even in small amounts) for those whose hair gets weighed down. Recommended for the driest of hair or to be used in very judicious amounts. May to be too heavy for a leave in for all but the driest of hair but may be used in minute amounts for other hair types. This may require, even for Sahara hair, using small amounts and or assuring distribution via a Denman or other means. Good for winter super dry environments.


Slip Factor: I've added highlights in Purple to show the conditioners for us that have the most slip. I've also added in Orange the conditioners that have the most "grab" for those of us who have the problem that slip reduces our curl :(

Here's how they stack up

1-2
Fresh and Easy Retreat conditioner
Suave Tangerine


3-4
Kinky Curly Knot Today
Trader Joe's Nourish
Trader Joe's Refresh
Suave Coconut
Suave Strawberry

5-6
Tigi Moisture Maniac
Aura Cherry Almond Bark
Jason Thin to Thick
CurlJunkie Beauticurls Daily Conditioner
Curl Junkie Beauticurls Leave In
Jasmines Babassu Butter Conditioner
TRESemme Naturals Moisturizing and Radiant Volume condish's
Mop C Mixed Greens
Giovanni Tea Tree Triple Treat
Giovanni 50/50 condish
Trader Joe's Tea Tree
DevaCurl One C
Shescentit Coco Creme Leave In
GVP Conditioning Balm
Shescentit Avocado Conditioner
Donna Marie MiraCurls Detangler
Lustrasilk Olive Oil Cholesterol
Komaza Moku
Komaza Coconut Conditioner
Amouri Organique Knights masque


7-8
Garnier Fructis Sleek and Shine (new version no cones)
Tigi Catwalk Oatmeal and Honey
EO conditioners (Sweet Orange, Chamomile and Honey)
Curl Junkie Hibiscus and Banana Honey Butta
Curl Junkie Curl Rehab
Curl Junkie Smoothing Conditioner
Curl Junkie Curl Assurance Leave In
Jasmine's Shea Butter Conditioner
Darcy's Pumpkin Seed Conditioner
Curls Asian Tea Conditioner
Back to Basics Curl Jasmine Conditioner
Giovanni Root 66
Giovanni Smooth as Silk
Hairveda MC Pro
Hairveda 24/7
Jessicurl Aloeba
Jessicurl Too Shea
Jessicurl WDT
Renpure Organics
Spiral Solutions Repairing Protein Treatment
Spiral Solutions Caitlin's Conditioner
Shescentit Green Tea and Hibiscus Conditioner
Lustrasilk Shea Mango
Lustrasilk Organic with Argan Oil
John Masters Citrus and Neroli
HSH Pumpkin Conditioner
Taliah Waajid Enhancing Herbal Conditioner
Yes to Tomatoes
Yes to Cucumbers
Komaza Aloe Conditioner

9-10
Garnier Fructis Triple Nutrition
BellaCurls Conditioner
BellaCurls Leave in Elixir
Curl Junkie Hibiscus and Banana Deep Fix
Mop C Hydrating Conditioner
Komaza Califia Conditioner
Komaza Califia Leave In
Spiral Solutions Deeply Decadent
Terax Crema

Leave In's

Leave-In Conditioners

What exactly is a leave in? Are there rules for what goes in a leave in? Is there any regulation to call a product a leave in? Why use a leave in? Will a leave in leave me greasy or over conditioned? Will it make my hair limp? How much leave in?

These questions and more come up all the time when the topic is leave in hair conditioners. Let me say right away there is no one right answer to any of them really.

In simplest terms a leave in is something you leave IN your hair -- in other words you don't rinse it out. Leave in conditioners have no rule or definition as to what they contain -- it is up to the company. Generally leave in's should be moisturizing. Other than that everybody has a different story.

People use a leave in for a variety of reasons -- some need one to prevent dryness, frizz, or poof. Others use it as a "base" for another product such as a curl cream or jel. Still others use it to detangle. There is no one "right" reason OR way to use a leave in.

If you have fine or thin hair its possible a leave in may be "too much". It depends on your hair. My hair is porous and absorbs products readily--so I use very small amounts of leave in. My daughters hair is thicker and low porosity and we use a lot of leave in. Others I know have fine hair that is low porosity and use only a little leave in. Get the picture? It's all over the place. Only you can determine if a leave in will leave you greasy, oily, flat, limp, etc.

So what about amounts? Pea sized? Grape sized? Quarter? or palmfuls? Well in my house for my hair (fine, thin and porous) I use pea sized. My daughter has fine to medium/coarse thick low porosity hair--for her? Palmfuls. My son has medium normal porosity, medium to fine texture, and thick short hair-- for him about a quarter works best.

A special word: So if there is no real regulation of leave in's do you need a product "designed" as a leave in? Well, no. Not really. You can use any product as a leave in depending on what you want for your hair or what you want your hair to do--try using your rinse out conditioner, styling lotion, or your deep treatment condish as a leave in. There is nothing sacred about what a leave in is. One of my favorite protein leave in's is meant as a deep penetrating protein treatment. We regularly use Garnier Fructis Triple Nutrition for my daughter as a leave in (although its technically a rinse out) and for my son we occasionally use Curl Junkie Coffee Coco Curl Creme Lite as a leave in. Experiment! I give you permission. Fly free my beauties!

So what are my favorite leave ins?

Cream type leave in's:

Curl Junkie Curl Assurance Leave In (CALI)
Curl Junkie Beauticurls Leave In (BCLI)


Both of these are outstanding leave in products. They are moisturizing without being heavy. The BCLI has a stronger smell and its yummy. The CALI has been discontinued (so get it while you can!). These are excellent bases for other styling products as well and in my hair do not weigh it down. These are available from a variety of places like http://www.curljunkie.com/, http://www.aveyou.com/, or http://www.curlmart.com/

Beauty without Cruelty Leave In

This is one of my favorites actually. It has proteins high up on the list. It has a lot of slip but does not pull out my curl. It's not expensive (I get mine from iherb.cm). It is moisturizing but not super heavy.

Karens Body Beautiful Nectar and Milk:

For pure moisture and conditioning these really can't be beat. They work on all our heads at my house (although my son is NOT fond of the smells!). They come in a variety of scents so you can chose your favorite. They are super moisturizing--for my daughter they prevent frizz and give her outstanding softness. I discovered these early on and they have remained staples in our house. You can find them at http://www.karensbodybeautiful.com/

AND the big gun for moisture--not going to let your hair dry out at all is BellaCurls Leave In Elixir--this stuff is potent! It has good slip, a great sweet scent, and is incredibly moisturizing. If you have very dry hair or your hair is frizzy or poofy get this leave in STAT. It is outstanding!

When used with the other Bellacurl products we can get 5-7 day hair for my daughter. Since her hair is so dry that is just outstanding. We love Bellacurls!




For those of you that prefer a spray or are worried about weighing down your hair..or perhaps you like a spray before a cream then the following are good choices:

Darcys Botanicals Natural Coils Leave In Spray: Smells great and about 5 sprays does my entire head. Has a decent amount of slip but I wouldn't use it to detangle (not that I need to). It's very moisturizing!

Darcy Botanicals Herbal Spray -- this is heavier than the Natural Coils one. If you like hippie stink or patchouli then this here's your spray babe. It has tea tree so is particularly good for those with itchy scalp. I tend to use it more (with a few sprays) as a base for cream curl enhancers since sometimes the cream enhancers paired with a cream leave in are too much.

Brendita's No Knots Moisturizing Leave In is a great leave in spray for hair. It's not heavy.

The BIG GUN for moisture in this category is the Taliah Waajid Protective Mist Bodifier. IF your hair is super dry or you wear braids, twists, or locs get thee to the nearest beauty supplier or online supplier and order up a couple of bottles. This stuff is like liquid gold for dry hair. I'm not crazy about the smell (Caribbean Coconut) but this stuff works great. Watch the daily use as it can feel like its building up and it is a heavy product. Outstanding!

There are a few other sprays we use but we tend to use them as refresher's or pick me ups--less as leave in's...although I include them since I have used all of them as a leave in at one time or another. All are super light.

Curl Junkie Curl Assurance Hair Styling Water, Curl Junkie Curl Fuel enhancing spray, and Oyin Juices and Berries (best smell EVER!). All are great. My daughter's favorite spray is the Oyin which we use as a scent product almost on day 4 or 5 hair--we do find that the Oyin attracts dirt a bit so we don't use it until we get close to washing (side benefit: it hides any odor!)

The last kind of side category is protein leave in's--I've already mentioned both of these before but wanted to be sure I included them here as well: Spiral Solutions Repairing Protein Treatment and Terax Life Drops Leave In. You can view their reviews in my other blog posts.

Protein, Protein, Protein -- My Favorites!

Fine hair usually LURVES protein--and my hair is no exception. My hair loves any form of protein it can get in any way it arrives--in short I can hit it with major protein shots constantly and it never goes hard or straw like.

In honor of protein I thought I would post about my favorite products that have protein in them in high enough concentrations that my hair notices. A lot of products have protein--but for my hair, that needs a ton of it , I notice markedly more spiral curls and ringlet's the more protein I use. Animal, vegetable, whatever--my hair doesn't care--it wants it all! It is a glutton for this stuff!

Let's start off with protein treatments:

Nexxus Emergencee-- to say my hair adores this is a dramatic understatment. I use it in the shower at least 2x a week. I'll do my low poo and then use this and leave on for about 5 minutes (sometimes 10 if I'm shaving) and then rinse it out and use another rinse out conditioner left on for a couple of minutes. When I use this I am guaranteed spirals and ringlet's and tight curls. Links at the top.

Spiral Solutions Repairing Protein Treatment -- this is my other favorite protein treatment. The beauty of this one is that it can be used as a rinse out condish for me -- I don't need to add anything else! I really like this one with heat (usually on weekends) but I use it during the week too as both a rinse out and a leave in. I don't combine it with other protein heavy products because it is enough on its own. the smell on this one is divine--chocolate latte.

Curl Junkie Curl Fix -- I love the smell of this conditioner treatment. Although not solely a protein treatment it does have quite a few proteins in good concentrations. I like to use this about 2x a month with heat. This is how it works best for me. I've tried it as a leave in and my hair felt producty and got frizzy.









Moving on to rinse out conditioners that are heavy on the protein:

Hairveda Moist Condition PRO -- this is my favorite protein conditioner. Although short on ingredients this one really gets the job done with protein. It is not heavy so those with fine hair don't need to worry it will over condition you. You can use this as a leave in if you like -- works superbly for that as well. The cost is very reasonable although it can take a little while to get your product so order with plenty of time to spare.

Jasmines Shea Butter Conditioner -- Another excellent conditioner with protein. My hair likes this one as rinse out or leave in but I find it best as a rinse out. I think it's heavy enough to satisfy some of the more dry customers but not so heavy to make me flat and limp. Another good choice!

Tigi Catwalk Oatmeal and Honey Conditioner -- This one smells like cake batter or vanilla cookies. It's very thick and I find it very rich. I could not use it daily as I would end up over conditioned. It leaves my hair very soft. You can get this in litre size at Ulta's sale and my local grocery store (Von's) has it on sale quite frequently. If you prefer you can order it from amazons subscribe and save as that's another very inexpensive way to do it (this is the way I do it)--link on top left.

Jason Thin to Thick Conditioner -- although this smells like Grandpa's medicine cabinet in a very unappealing menthol way it really does work nice for those that like protein. You can get it on iherb for a good price (coupon code is at the top of my blog) or through vitacost or similar. I found it way too expensive in stores ($13!). Although it's not my favorite it does make my hair thicker, provide more volume, and get those spirals going due to the protein.

Mop C Hydrating Conditioner -- This is a very heavy conditioner. If your hair needs protein and loves a very rich, thick condish then give this one a try. We also like the Hydrating shampoo (it is protein free) but the condish is really moisturizing.

And, lastly, leave in options:

Terax Life Drops -- this is my top choice for a product specific to leave in's that has protein. It is fabulous and very light--will not weigh down your hair at all (in fact those that like a heavy leave in--this is not for you as its really light). It's not the cheapest product out there but it certainly rates very high for me. I love this stuff!

There are other options--I've chosen the ones I am most attached to and that I feel provide the level of protein that I require (high!). Leave a note if there is something else you found that you like! I'm also always happy to have guest bloggers so if any of you would like to post feel free!

TRESemme Conditioners -- A REAL blast from the past!

So before I went CG I used a lot of TRESemme. #1 it's cheap and #2 it's readily available #3 it worked pretty well #4 did I mention it was cheap?

Anyway when TRESemme announced it was coming out with new Silicone FREE conditioners --- well color me surprised. It won't be a surprise then that I rushed out to Ulta to pick them up when they were available.

I got both the Moisturizing and the Volumizing conditioners. We really like both! These are a great value for those who want an on ground option that is readily available AND who find things like Garnier Fructis Triple Nutrition to be too heavy for their hair.

Moisturizing: This one has good slip and is very easy to distribute. We put it on and then combed through my daughter's hair. It worked very well--not as well as other onground options but certainly it was doable. It left her hair moisturized but that moisture did not last past day 2 without us adding other stuff--that's not terrible but we'll likely use this as the detangler and may use additional stuff after to add more conditioning power. We have some conditioners which are great for moisture but lack slip--this would be awesome to combine with them. We haven't tried this as a cowash for her and may do so next. If you have normal hair or even regular dry hair (and not the awful dry straw that we deal with on her head) then you will want to check this out. For me it worked very well--nearly the same as the Volume one except with less volume. I love that it does not weigh my hair down.

Volumizing: This is the ONLY conditioner with volume in the title I've found to do what it says. It does give volume and thickness. It's not heavy and it doesn't weigh my hair down.

Overall we are very pleased with these conditioners. For the price you are getting a pretty good deal. In terms of smell--well they smell like Tresemme products...it has never been my favorite smell and that gets reinforced even more for me now that I buy a lot of natural products. Store bought stuff always has this kind of chemically smell to me that is not the most appealing.

Be sure to rinse well as I found it took a little longer to rinse than with some of my other conditioners.

Deva Deva Deva -- Love, Hate, Love, Eh, Hate, what???

Most Curly girls and guys know that the mother of the curly girl method is Lorraine Massey who wrote the Curly Girl book. She was the one who started it all.

She also developed a line of products called DEVA. There are two kinds of Deva--DevaCurl and DevaCare. My understanding is that the Care products are for processed or color treated hair. She has a few other products like shampoo/condish for blondes, redheads, etc but I haven't tried them.

She's also spawned her own trademarked DevaCut for stylists that is a specific method for cutting curly hair.

I've had a few questions on why I haven't mentioned Deva products or Devacuts. I think the title of the blog post says it all.


To start I have had two "DevaCuts" from two different stylists. The first was a local stylist and came highly recommended. She was o.k.---nothing super special. Then I got a cut from Tiffany of "Live Curly Live Free" fame (her blog is linked on the side for you) and it was FABO--simply awesome. Overall I'd say there is a benefit to a Deva Cut (or dry cut) since they can see how your curls lay when they are cutting. Since I can't go to Florida to Tiffany's regular salon (I lucked out and had her cut my hair on a roadshow to CA) I'm still looking for that perfect stylist. One thing: Because of the way Devacuts and styles are done it is *possible* that you will end up with way less curl than you normally have if you let them style your hair. Don't worry--you'll get to restyle when you get home. I think it comes from using the bonnet dryer (gives me straight hair) and the fact that there is minimal scrunching. Or for me that seems why.

On to Deva products

DevaCurl No-Poo

I do not like the smell of this. I guess it is supposed to be roses but really it's just kind of, well, icky. Strong. And it lllliinnnnggggeerrrrsss fffoooorrreevveeerrrrrrr. Get the drift?

It does a good job cleaning and is heavy enough so that I don't have to use a rinse out conditioner if I don't want to. I do find that it leaves my hair with some sort of "coating" no matter how much I rinse. I'm not keen on that. If I mix Deva products I will end up with dry hair so I usually try to use only one at a time. This I didn't find drying. It's not a repurchase for me.

DevaCurl One-C conditioner

 I LOVE LOVE LOVE the smell of this. Like lemony sweet tarts. I sometimes just pick up the bottle to smell it. Yes I'm weird. I like how this goes on my hair and it is easy to distribute. You don't have to use too much. I find it pretty conditioning but occasionally it seems like it is drying my hair out. I've no idea why. It is an occasional use product. Not sure yet if I'd repurchase since I have so much other stuff I love.

DevaCare Low-Poo

We like this at my house. It works well and it does not strip my daughter's hair but leaves it pretty well moisturized for a shampoo. The smell is o.k. I'm not keen on the whole orange creamsicle smell of the DevaCare products but we can live with it. It works as well with both my son and I. We don't encounter the dryness from this poo that others seem to.

Deva Set It Free:

For the life of me I do not see the draw of this outside of a curl emergency. Everytime I use it all that happens is that my hair sticks together (or my hands do if I put it on my hands first) and its gunky. It also seems to attract every speck of dust and dirt in the atmosphere to deposit on my hair. Reserved for a Code Blue situation ONLY.
Deva MirrorCurl: Another ish. Just ish.

Deva Set Up and Above: While this gave me shine it turns out I'm horribly allergic to it. I have not yet identified the substance inside that is causing this but I gave it away real quick when the hives showed up.

DevaCare ArcAngell: Made my hair drier than the Sahara. Took a week to get it back to normal. Unbelievably awful experience. Could not get rid of it fast enough.

DevaCurl Angell: Seems like this is the one they always want to use on me when I get a haircut. I'm not fond although its not as drying as the ArcAngell stuff. It just does not have enough hold for me and I end up with barely any wave.

So there you have it. My love to hate relationship with Deva. The end.

P.S. I only put pics of the products I still have.

Komaza Hair Care Cleansers and Shampoo's

Komaza makes several cleanser/shampoo's but I've only tried 2.

Komaza Almond Milk Cleansing Conditioner:

This was my favorite cleansing conditioner until it was discontinued early this year. I loved the smell (almonds, milk, sweet...mmmm) and it worked very well as a cleanser that did not strip my hair. It is an in between cleanser that provides some moisture but not so much as to make a rinse out redundant. I have heard that the children's Sweet Pea line shampoo/cleanser is very similar to this but have not tried it yet. I really loved this stuff for how soft it made my hair without that over conditioned feeling--and it cleaned pretty well. I don't use cleansing conditioners to get out oils but on my regular daily dirt it worked fabo. No lather of course as its a cleansing conditioner.

Komaza Moku Shampoo:

This is a pretty clarifying shampoo. There is nearly no lather--which is kind of strange as because it is a shampoo and usually I can get some lather going but not with this one--no siree bob. I actually used about 3 quarter sized blobs--much more than I normally do as it is a bit hard to distribute. Anyway it seemed to clean fine--did not leave a residue. My hair was not squeaky but it was definitely more clarifying than other low poo's I've used. It rinsed clean out. It did seem to give me some volume. I can usually tell with that (even when I use other products) because after shampooing my hair feels fuller and almost foamy but without foam. I was fortunate to find this on the swap board but it would be a repurchase for me.





Komaza Coconut Care Shampoo:

I got this off the swap board on nc.com from a lovely curly. Consistency wise this is much thinner than the Moku shampoo. It has more lather and spreads easier. I like the smell (not sure its coconut though--smells more just sweet). However this shampoo most definitely is *CLARIFYING* in a major way. My hair was very clean when I finished. It didn't feel dry but it did feel squeaky. I would consider this a clarifying shampoo--much more heavy duty than the Moku for me. Of the two I prefer the Moku still.

Komaza Hair Care Conditioners

Komaza Hair Care 

A hair care line designed for natural hair

They have a new website for you to check out: http://www.komazahaircare.com/ (where you will find ingredient listsing as well!)

On to the products:

Komaza Aloe Conditioner: This is one of my favorite conditioners but unfortunately has been discontinued. The smell is strong--sweet but with a hint of spice or musk. It has a fair amount of slip but seems to do best with those of us who don't need slip who want grabby conditioners. Grabby means that they "hold" your hair and don't make it slippery so the curls fall out. I find this one to give me a bit of volume but where it really shines is in thickness--it makes my hair appear noticably fuller and thicker. In terms of moisture it would be about average--if you had dry hair I don't think this should be a first choice as it provided some but was not ultra moisturizing. I was quite disappointed to hear it was being discontinued.

Komaza Califia Conditioner:

This is designed for more highly textured hair than mine and hair that needs a lot of moisture punch. I actually quite liked it although regular use would weigh my down. It is very moisturizing and I actually liked the smell--sort of spicy, sexy musky. It is very different than most scents. Its thick and a bit tough to get out of the bottle. I did feel almost like there was a residue left when I used it--although I didn't notice it next day when I went to do my low poo. This would make an outstanding conditioner for someone whose hair was very dry or that required a lot of moisture. It is also very concentrated so a little goes a long way..in fact that is a good motto for Komaza as a whole--a little goes a long way.

Komaza Califia Leave In: This has really good slip and is, like its sister conditioner, extremely moisturizing. It is thinner than the condish and has more of a sweet smell mixed with the spicy musk. They complement each other very well. This is a heavy leave in IMHO--not for finer haired folks or gals/guys who get weighed down easily. It works very well in T's hair and we found it fairly easy to distribute.








Komaza Moku Conditioner:

This is the new condish that is meant to replace the Komaza Aloe Conditioner. It smells similar (not exactly the same..the Moku is more understated). It works fairly well for me--has o.k. slip but not too much and is moisturizing but most likely would be best for those that do not require a lot of moisture. Normal to Oily hair would probably do well with this. It isn't a "wow" conditioner but it gets the job done. I do not get as much lift and volume with this as with the Aloe conditioner which is a bummer since that was a primary reason to purchase the other. Overall though of the Komaza line it is my favorite currently available product.

If I ever get up to Sacramento I am going to stop in and say "HI" to the Komaza folks!


Komaza Coconut Conditioner:

This is actually the conditioner that should work best for me given my hair type. It smells like a lighter version of the Califia conditioner. The difference between them is night and day. I did not find the Coconut Condish to be ultra moisturizing. It did a fine job and I was able to pair it with a heavier leave in without any problems. I think it will make a nice conditioner for me when I don't need ultra moisture. I think my favorite of all of the Komaza is, unfortunately, still the Aloe Conditioner which I found the moist moisturizing but not overconditioning. If your hair is super dry go with the Califia but if you have hair that can get weighted down you might want to try the Coconut or Moku--performance wise I did not notice much difference at all.

THE POO REVIEW III

More poo reviews from SolidGold (from naturallycurly.com)

You're getting three reviews for the price of two today!

Curl Junkie Daily Fix Cleansing Conditioner


About $19 for 12oz from various online resellers



Ingredients: Water, Cetyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Cetrimonium Chloride, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, PEG -7 Olivate, Guar Hydroxypropytrimonium Chloride, Tetrasodium EDTA, Hydrolyzed Oat Flour, Mentha Piperita (Pepperment) Leaf Extract, Matricaria Recuitita (Chamomile) Flower Extract, Yucca Leaf Extract, Urtica Dioica (Nettle) Leaf Extract, Melissa Officinalis (Melissa) Leaf Extract, Polysorbate 60, Equisetum Arvense (Horsetail) Leaf Extract, Tocopheryl Acetate, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Fragrance.



This product is not technically a poo, but it is a cleanser, and it may be a game-changer for me. I have never gotten conditioner-washing to work for me: my hair never felt clean after and always felt weighed down. But this! This product cleans like a shampoo and conditions like a daily conditioner. My hair felt clean and full of volume after I used it for the first time. I can’t believe my thick, finicky hair could use one product for washing/conditioning! I’m willing to pay the retail price and shipping for this one, so it has to be good!



SpiralSolutions Gentle Cleansing Cream

http://www.etsy.com/shop/SpiralSolutions

No image or price information yet--coming soon!

I had the privilege of trying out a sample as the mixtress was developing the product, and I loved it! The GCC cleaned my hair really well without stripping. It had a very light lather and mild scent. All things I like! This product is currently only available at the etsy link above and I am waiting to purchase it because I liked it so much. It definitely compares to Jessicurl’s Hair Cleansing Cream in functionality, and I think the price is about the same. Again, if I’m willing to pay the full retail price and shipping, it’s gotta be good. Get it if you can!



Mop C System Hydrating Shampoo

About $15 for 10oz from various online sources

Ingredients: Water (Aqua), Sodium Myristoyl Sarcosinate, Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine, Glycerin (*Vegetable Oil), Sodium PCA, Ethylene Glycol Stearate, Phenoxyethanol, Ascorbyl Palmitate (*Vitamin C), Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate (*Vitamin C), Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (Orange) Fruit Extract (3), Mangifera Indica (Mango) Fruit Extract (3), Citrus Grandis (Grapefruit) Fruit Extract (3), Psidium Guajava Fruit Extract, Ribes Nigrum (Black Currant) Fruit Extract, Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Seed Extract, Polyquaternium 10,**Myristamine Oxide, Disodium EDTA, Citric Acid (*Sweet Potato), Citrus Medica Limonum (Lemon) Peel Oil, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (Orange) Oil, Geranium Maculatum Oil, Ricinus Communis Oil Extract, Mentha Viridis (Spearmint) Leaf Oil, Citrus Aurantifolia (Lime) Oil, Zingiber Officinale (Ginger) Root Oil,**Methylparaben,**Propylparaben. *Source.**Food Grade. (3) Certified Organic by Quality Assurance International.



This shampoo is a thick, opaque, creamy cleanser. The scent is a pleasant citrusy mint that seems to be typical of MOP C products. I was afraid it would be too moisturizing for me, but I had no complaints after the first few uses. After a couple more uses, I didn’t feel like it cleaned as well as I wanted. I’m not sure what to attribute that feeling to; it could be the various other products I used and not a fault of this particular poo. This product ranks somewhere in the middle for me—I would purchase it if I didn’t have anything I liked better, but there are several other products that I would choose over this.

Resurrection from the Product Graveyard

So, if you are like me, you have lots of products. Every once in a while I *remember* I have a product and resurrect it from the pile. In honor of this phenomenon I've decided to create a regular column highlighting products that have been saved from the brink.

Today that product was Curls Asian Tea Conditioner

I'm not sure when I stopped using this--likely last fall sometime--but I gotta kick myself for doing so. Although the smell is kind of unappealing (especially in comparison to the rest of the Curls line which smells delectable!) everything else about this conditioner is top notch.

It's billed as a deep treatment but I use it both as a deep treatment AND a rinse out conditioner. I haven't tried it as a leave in (yet). It does have protein even if its further down the list. The ingredients, other than that, aren't too special save the tea one. For whatever reason I have always been in love with tea. I drink all kinds of it hot, use it on my eyes when they are tired, like to drink Green Tea smoothies and have used it in other concoctions over the years. It's a very multi purpose product! About the only thing I don't like about it is that it does stain the teeth...but with all the whitening stuff nowadays that's pretty much fixable.

On to the conditioner--so its very thick and rich. Mine is an older version that has a flip top cover but the new one (pictured) looks like it's a pump bottle. Either way is fine. I usually leave it on in the shower for about 5 minutes--it makes my hair very soft and leaves no residue or film at all. It is not super slippery so I'm not sure about it to detangle (I don't have enough hair to detangle). It does not cause my hair to be over conditioned nor is it a light conditioner. After using it my hair is very soft but not so much as to lose the curl (which can happen with some conditioners and styling products). I'm not sure again exactly what is in here that lends to all that but whatever it is this remains an outstanding condish that you really ought to try.

Highly recommended. It has just been placed in my shower amongst my other regular rotation products!

BellaCurl Hydrating Cleansing Creme

THE Cleansing Creme!

Bellcurl cleansing creme goes on very smooth with excellent slip. It distributes very easily and you can get it to your roots without any trouble. In terms of texture it's fairly thick--the smell is a bit different than the conditioner and leave in and nice-not too strong. When scrubbing my scalp I could feel it in there (very very slight tingly feeling). There isn't any lather so in that it is similar to Jessicurl Cleansing Creme and the now discontinued Komaza Almond Cleansing Milk.

It seemed to do a very nice job of cleansing but I'll put it through a few more tests and udpate the blog once I do--I couldn't resist getting this review up since I am so in love with her products! I want to try it in the morning after I use some of my favorite oil's for scalp massage at night--it usually takes a low poo to get them out of my hair.

So far I am very impressed with this cleanser and definitely consider it a staple. I am actually more fond of cleansing conditioners than low poo's or shampoo's. With the Bellacurl one I do not think I would have needed any conditioner. Since I have some curl enhancers that are rich themselves it works perfectly to have a cleansing creme and then use my rich curl enhancer as leave in and curl enhancer followed by a gel. I will normally get very good hair days like this. In terms of how much I used about a tsp. That's all it took.

BellaCurl Moisture Rich Conditioner

BellaCurl Products

BellaCurl is the brainchild of another naturallycurly.com curly girl. Bela saw a need to have quality products available that did not have protein or glycerin for those curlies who had sensitivities to these ingredients. If any of you live somewhere glycerin is a problem you'll know--glycerin in high humidity can draw water from the air and deposit it in your hair--leading to frizz and poof galore. In low dews or humidity glycerin can actually have properties that let it leach moisture from your hair into the air--not something you want to do in a dry climate where you hair needs all the moisture it can get.

On to the product! The moisture rich conditioner (MRC) has loads of good for your hair ingredients and is 100% vegan. It's extremely thick and rich and a bit hard to get out of the bottle. The smell is sweet but not cloying (I'm not sure I can identify the exact scent but it's sort of fruity and musky all at once). For T's hair it soaked this in like a sponge in a glass of water--since her hair is low porosity this is actually quite an accomplishment. While we did not find it to have a great amount of slip it did soak in and her hair, when dry, was very moisturized and shiny with no frizz. Excellent!

On my hair it's really wonderful. I thought it would be too heavy but it's not. I think it's moisturizing enough that I couldn't use it daily but that's o.k. because it has an ingredient in it that can cause a slight reaction for me so I wouldn't use it daily anyway. It left my hair, just like T's, very shiny, very moisturized with very defined curls. Outstanding.

This is an excellent conditioner and really packs a moisture wallop--any of you curlies whose hair is sensitive to protein will want to try BellaCurl products. If you're like me and your hair loves protein don't think this condish isn't for you--it's a wonderful conditioner that is great for your hair and that will create shine and leave your hair feeling so soft but never coated. I highly recommend a purchase!

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 Beauticurls Daily Conditioner

Beauticurls Daily
IMHO this one has the BEST SMELL of all the new products from Curl Junkie. YES it is exactly like strawberry ice cream! It does not smell identical to Curl Rehab though--it has its own distinct fragrance.

This is meant to be the workhouse daily conditioner. For us it works best as my daughter's leave in. I cannot tell you how great it works for that..or I guess I can. SUPERB! It has alot of slip so it is a real assist with detangling out of the shower. It goes on very smoothly and spreads easily. You won't need a ton of product either--we used about 2 quarter sized for her hair. While this works great as a leave in for her as a rinse out it just wasn't strong enough. However she very strongly prefers the Hibiscus and Banana Honey Butta Leave In since she is one of those people who hate to experiment (I KNOW..how could I have a kid like this??)

It worked pretty well as a rinse out for me -- but honestly it got beat by the new CJ Smoothing Conditioner for my hair. Who knows why as the Smoothing is supposed to be for hair much coarser and thicker than mine. What can I say--bit of my teenage rebel never left my hair (although, thankfully, it has left the building for the rest of my body!). The Smoothing Conditioner is a bit heavier and my hair likes it more. If you have thin hair or hair with low porosity I would recommend you give this one a try--it seems like it soaks in very well and is a good formula for that hair type. My porous hair just slurps products in like an Icee and when I found my hand reaching always for the Smoothing Condish I moved it to my daughter's side of the shower. She later decided she much preferred the CJ HB Honey Butta so when one of my very good wavy friends said how much she liked it we did some product swapping. From all accounts it is doing wonderfully for her -- as if it was made for her!

My sense is that this conditioner might get overlooked in all the new CJ products--I hope that it gets a little attention as it is quite nice if you've the right hair for it.

Curl Junkie Beauticurls Leave In

CJ BCLI

I am a big fan of CJ's Curl Assurance Leave In. It has been a wonderful leave in conditioner for me--but it's going to go away (for some specific reasons that Marsha has posted on her blog). So what's a curly girl to do?

Firstly the scent of this is divine. I'm not sure what exactly it smells like but me likey! It does linger (that's good..I like smelly products LOL!). This is lighter IMHO than the CJCALI. It is less thick than the Curl Assurance one as well.

Overall I like it - but it's not quite as good as the Curl Assurance one for me--I initially bought it and swapped it out but I recently repurchased and have been happier with it--I use it in combo with the CJ Smoothing Conditioner and it s flawless with that conditioner--as if they were meant to work together. It does work very well for my son and he likes the smell too (don't tell the other 10 year old boys in his class!). I think if regular leave in's are too heavy you will like this one a lot.

Curl Junkie Curl Assurance Smoothing Conditioner

Smoothing Condish

This condish is a powerhouse for those that want something protein free. Although I normally like my products with protein when I combine this with a protein filled leave in or curl creme it works fabulously for me. It has a good amount of slip, not as much for us as the Beauticurls Daily Condish, and smells great. I think it has the same or similar scent as the CJ Smoothing Gellie. You do not need a whole lot and I've found you should leave it on for at least 5 minutes to get the best effect. Although my hair loves shea butter in products (not straight!) I find conditioners with this as a more prominent ingredient take a little bit longer to sink in and work well. I have pretty porous hair and not many things do this.

When I first used this I left it in my usual 3-4 minutes and it just wasn't as effective. Although I don't think 15 minutes is necessary if you first use it and don't notice it works as well as you think leave it in a bit longer. Worth a try.

For my daughter this does help with frizz. It works better as rinse out (did not do it for her as a leave in) but AS a rinse out it's really excellent. We tend to use it or the CJ Hibiscus and Banana Deep fix as rinse out followed by the CJ Hibiscus and Banana Honey Butta Leave in and get very good hair for about 4-5 days.

Overall a very good value as the size is a bit larger (12 oz) and you don't need a ton. I think those who watch their protein intake on the hair would really like this--it is hard to find conditioners that are protein free!

Curl Junkie Daily Fix Cleansing Conditioner

Curl Junkie Daily Fix Cleansing Conditioner

Where have you been all my life?

From the moment you open the cap this cleanser will seduce you with all its properties! It smells excellent and fresh--minty and appealing. It is super thick and has a very smooth consistency--so you add some to your hand and then add a bit of water to distribute. You control how much you use--no worries about this cleanser slipping through your fingers!

Immediately upon first touch to your scalp you can feel just a slight cleanser working and its very soothing. It doesn't clean with tons of suds--rather it REALLY gentle cleanses and leaves your hair as if you'd both conditioned it AND shampoo'd it. I can use it without needing another rinse out! An all in one!

Because it is concentrated I don't have to use as much--and that gives me value for my money. The fact that it doubles as a conditioner also makes my pocketbook happy.

No stripping, no too clean squeaky feeling, nothing but wonderfully conditioned hair and scalp. A bonus for me is it helps with the little bumps I get when I use clips (allergy to nickel) and it really seemed to calm my scalp down as its normally a bit itchier than average.

I LOVE this product. I think any curly girl/guy who wants to cowash only or would like to alternate a low poo with a conditioner wash owes it to him/herself to check this one out. I cannot recommend it highly enough!

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.