Wednesday, October 31, 2012

Organix Review, Hydrating vs Moisturizing, & Cowashing away the Stress

                     

So about that Teatree mint update: I co washed my hair with it after prepooing again and I liked it a lot- I do not Love it, but I do like it. The smell is just so awesome and this does not dry out my hair or anything, so I can see it being a definite repurchase, but nothing close to the top of my  list. It's hydrating, not moisturizing. 
*Skip to the bottom of the page for the organix awapuhi conditioner review only.

So what's really the difference between the two? Moisturizing is creating a barrier to prevent water loss,  while hydrating is  binding water to something like a humectant and keeping in ( on our skin or the hair strand). SO,  with that said, although it is not drying, I  only mean that I still need to add moisture to my hair after this ( it doesn't literally feel like it deposited water into my hair). This means that after I cowash with the Teatree Mint condish I cannot just add some oils  to my partially air dried  hair and go- I need to be sure to add my leave-ins and then my oils on top of it to make sure my hair stays soft and moisturized.

Still confused? Think about it like this:
Drinking water helps your body stay hydrated, and helps the body and hair better absorb vitamins. Think Hydrated-Hydro- water. you can also read this incredible article on hair and water here.

Hydrated= fertilizing your body with water ( or the roots) so that your hair ( the plants) will grow
Moisturizing= adding moisture will keep the hair supple and shiny
Sealing= sealing with an oil will ensure the moisture does not escape, but that the mositure stays bound to the hair.


So lately I've been a little bombarded- I mean, you know when life gets the best of you, but you know you have so much to be appreciative for, but you just wanna sulk in your misery,  but you have so many blessings surrounding you that you'd feel ungrateful to allow such nonsensical frivolity to disturb even a second of your purpose-driven life? well, yeah, that's me at the moment. I have so much going on at the moment. I no longer experience stress the way I used to, with extreme bouts of anxiety and hyperventilating, accompanied by extreme migraines and longs spans of not eating with a constant sense of fear of the unknown. Now, instead,  I experience stress in  my  neck, shoulders, hands, and feet that ache and are extremely tensed.  If I don't correlate the two, I may not even be aware that I am stressed, but will just excuse these symptoms as a lack of exercise, or old age approaching .

 The first thing I do to alleviate this is take a shower and cowash my hair! I feel like I do cowash frequently, especially recently. Too much cowashing can lead to hygral fatique, but stay tuned for an upcoming post on  how I combat or retard this happening.  When I'm stressed cowashing my hair helps melt away the tension. It allows me to stretch in the shower, and refreshes me. It also helps me to refocus and melts my limbs, making them more flexible during exercise stretching post exercise. Other ways to help me wind down and to alleviate my body feeling a state of tension is to give a self message and to mediate.


shampoo for hairMy first stress relief step ( cowashing) was accomplished by the awupuhi condish. I didn't prepoo with coconut oil this time because my hair had so many oils in it already. I was afraid I would not like this scent, being that it seems a bit overwhelming when sniffed from the container. But to my liking I found it to be very sweet and subtle  I was  at how surprised to see how fast this squirted out of the container. It was creamy, a tad bit looser than the macadamia nut version, and gave lots of slip, making coverage and detangling a breeze. This also meant that I did not need to use much product. I let this sit for about 10 minutes and when I rinsed I fell in love...yes, again! This was only the first time I used it but my gosh I like it better than the macadamia nut!  It will definitely last longer since it gives more slip and less in needed to spread it.It was mega moisturizing. 
 I used the dry styling oil ( what a misnomer because had I not read the packing that it can be used on wet hair, I would not have purchased it  thinking it was for dry hair only) on my damp hair and it did a decent job sealing in the moisture and keeping the hair soft. I have to be careful with this because too much comes out of the container at once. It is thick and clear, just like  a serum, but the bottle hole is rather large for the amount that comes out once the bottle is squeezed. This is not s problem, just something to note if you see this as a future purchase. The smell was identical to the conditioner , and neither one of them lingered too much. I believe this is just perfect when you have  products from the same line that smell alike,  transports you in the shower, and lingers ( sometimes) slightly or not at all, as not to annoy me entire day.

I really cannot wait to cowash my hair again! Two thums up for my first experience with awapuhi!

*picture from mynautralblackhair.com, natural-homeremedies.com, beautytoptotoe.com

Monday, October 29, 2012

Organix Teatree Mint Conditioner Quick Review




I needed to purchase more Organix Macadamia Nut Conditioner and the store was sold out. They did have the Awapuhi Line, so I purchased this and the Teatree Mint conditioner. I'm not too into anything that smells like mint, except for Trader Joe's Tea tree and mint, but when I smelled this I was absolutely taken away. This smelled so attractive and refreshing. Normally I would not have grabbed for this but I was looking for something from the Organix line that would be just as moisturizing as the Macadamia condish.

The reviews on this conditioner were so mixed- bottom line is you either hate it or love it. What I noted was that it was more moisturizing on natural or relaxed African hair, although there were some reviews from AA ladies that did not like it. 

I prepooed with coconut oil for a few hours before the cowash. My gosh this condish is THICK. I mean, thicker than any other deep condish I've ever used! I can foresee it being a definite problem getting the last bit out of the container. I could add water to it and thin it out a bit.

At first it seemed to coat my hair, maybe because of the coconut oil I had in it. But then it quickly rinsed away. My strands kind of stuck together a bit but my hair went back to normal after an ACV rinse. This condish was thick but did not have slip. It was hydrating but because there was not slip it can leave the impression that it did not moisturize. 
***Update*** this condish does offer slip!!!!

So far so good. I will use it again today to see if it yields the same results. 

Sunday, October 28, 2012

Is Your Conditioner Working for you?

Many times I have used a conditioner and it has left me puzzled as to how something so great could feel so horrible on my hair. This left me with the notion to pay close attention to what is happening with and to my hair, and what conditioners and other products I have used beforehand that has helps or hindered their performance. Here is what I found:

 Shampooing before a co wash

If I shampooed and then cowashed, my hair would never feel that moisturized and I'd feel like the conditioner failed me.  I now pre poo with coconut oil or an oil blend of whatever oils I have on hand, so as to retain some of the oils on my hair and scalp that  can be stripped away by the shampooing process, and I  now deep conditioning. I also use sulfate-free shampoo and can be damaging and also stripping. With an exception, there are some products that I can shampoo and cowash  ( condition) with without needed to deep condition, as well as some  great sulfate shampoos that I turn to to clarify and chealate the hair and scalp. 

Products before a cowash

If I've slacked on moisturizing and sealing throughout the week, then there isn't that much product in my hair. SO when I cowash, the conditioner may not feel as moisturizing. If I did an ayurvedic treatment, then the conditioner may not seem as moisturizing. Sometimes I can use a conditioner that did not work too great in the past, but once I add in an ACV, the conditioner is now awesome! 

Moisture/protein balance in check

If I've done a hard protein treatment and then cowashed, this is sometimes not enough  moisture and once again my conditioner has 'failed.' Or if a protein is needed and I cowash, my hair can have a moisture overload and begin to shed, leading me to believe my condish has 'faild' again! 

Season for product
Some conditioners work better in the warmer months, others work better in the colder months. For example, coconut oil makes my hair feel a bit harder in the winter months.

Condition of your hair

I found that some products that I have used on freshly relaxed hair did not work as good  as on 8 week post relaxed hair or on natural hair. I also found that some products that did not work for me when my hair was not healthy are working wonders for me now that I have revisited them with healthier hair. 

Aesthetics

If you're anything like me you can easily be snatched up into purchasing a condish because it's packaged nicely and smells wonderful! Well I've come to realize the hard way that not everything that looks and smells nice actually works great. I am  very big on scents but if it doesn't work then it has to go.


Additive a boost!

I like to try a product before and after I have added my oils and honey and glycerin to it just to see what I am getting into. This way I can better judge if a deep conditioner will be just okay or ultra moisturizing. Some products that have never worked for me in the past are great with a bit of aloe juice and glycerin added to them.

Comb that thang!


There were a few times that I felt like a condish left my tresses a bit rough, when in actuality I never smoothed down my hair that had been all over the place. When I used it again on detangled hair, like something so simple as runny a wide toothed come through it at the end of the process under running water, what a huge difference this makes. 

You Learn and you Live

I know that may sound a little backwards to some, but I don't want to live and keep learning the same mistakes, I want to learn from my mistakes so that I can live life out the correct way! 

What I've learned is not to judge a product ( not just conditioner but any product for that matter) before I have examined the ways in which I have used it and if I was consistent before making a call on whether to keep it or chuck it. There are sometimes that you just know when something will not work without needed further assessment.

To help my hair at all costs, I pretty much prepoo with coconut oil almost every time I cowash ( and shampoo!- and sometimes  deep condition!).  Again, there are exceptions where you just have a really great conditioner you can deep condition with, or co wash with right after a shampoo, or just cowash with without having to prepoo with oils. I know it may seem like a lot to take into account, but change is necessary. You probably wont find someone with waist length hair that has not assessed their products and has been doing the same exact thing from day one. These are things that will come natural with time, kinda  like stretching a relaxer! 

Alma Oil Update

Yesterday marked the end of my bottle of amla oil...Amazing! This oil lasted me a very, very long time, making it a great oil and a great investment. I made my last purchase of three 4oz bottles back on May 12th, and I received it about a weeks later.







I first tried this oil in a  2 oz size before purchasing the next three 4 oz oils. Ever since, I have been in love... 

This is how I used the oil:

After a cowash or dc, I apply  my leave in spray, leave in cream, and a bit of warm cocoveda oil to the scalp  and lengths of my hair. After my hair has air dried completely or at least 95% , I will moisturize with my cream of choice and then seal it in with the amla oil.

 On days that my scalp needs to be moisturized I will seal it in with this oil as well. 

When my hair feels like it needs a boost I will spritz it with my liquid of choice and seal it in with the amla oil.

At times I  will also use a bit of this oil on my face as a moisturizer. It is great for the winter months too.

 I have used this oil on both of my children, ages 3.5 and 1.5, without any adverse reactions.

I moisture and seal at least 3 to 6 times per week and use it on my face 2x per week  and sometimes on the kids and it has lasted me at least 4.5 months! For $15 and then a 20% off coupon this is not bad! 

Get your amla oil today from hennasooq.com!




Thursday, October 25, 2012

Cowash, Past Weekend Happenings , Breast Cancer Walk, and Sukesh Time! Baby


 

I spent my weekend at my mother's in preparation to braid her hair and to walk for breast cancer. It took me nearly 9 hours to finish, with a few small breaks and 1 hour break. We opted for a less expensive brand of hair, but without consequence. The braids were lovely, however, the hair was horrible and would barely hold a curl. With wet and wavy there is just no way around buying quality hair. 



This walk marks the very first walk that I was a part of on Long Island that involved my sister and mom. When they walked in the past it wasn't for anyone alive, in particular. But this time the walk way personal, very personal.




I crocheted a few scarfs so we'd be walking in style! I used an awesome baby yarn of a pink  color I just could not turn down. Unfortunately, this particular brand was not on sale, but a great scarf makes for a warm neck and I couldn't cut corners here :-( In the picture above I wore a band around my head I also crocheted.


 



The only problem that I had with this yarn is that the first and last two  feet look like the picture above. I could not use this and had to cut it off. This makes for a huge waste.
 





When I got back my hair hadn't been washed for 3 days. On day 1 I used the Creme Of Nature Argan Oil Perfect Edges and then the Arganics Edge Smoothing Gel on top of my second day hair. Since it didn't hold has well as I would have liked , I used the argan oil one again on the third day. Well let me tell you that when I went to cowash, my edges were a bid dried out and crispy. I have never had this problem with the creme of Nature Argan Oil Line, so it had  to be the arganics line. There was no way a quick cowash was going to remove this reside and moisturize my strands. I had to shampoo this stuff out of my hair. So after cowashing to find that I needed a shampoo, I let my hair air dry almost fully and then based my scalp with warm coconut oil in preparation for my shampoo in the morning.

I shampooed with dessert essence coconut shampoo, did a sukesk treatment ( and added a bit more powders of shakaki, tulsi and amla), deep conditioned with the Proclaim Argan Oil Hydrating Mask and then cowashed with Hair Chemist Macadamia Oil Deep Repair Masque and my hair was so soft afterwards. I have been using these two moisture masks/masques without heat or any added ingredients such as oils, honey, or vegetable glycerin and they have worked just fine.If they work this great without these ingredients one can only imagine how much better they'd be after this added boost!




Thursday, October 18, 2012

Renpure Brazilian Keratin Straightening Update








 I used this line again, clarifying (ORS aloe shampoo) and then shampooing before my Rhassoul treatment and the conditioner after my sukesh treatment (I did both treatments back to back). It did not have any slip, from the shampoo to the conditioner. I'm not sure if it's because my hair experienced so much from the clarifying process and needed something  else, or if this just didn't do it for me. It worked great as just a cowasher. It was wonderful for this and smoothed down my hair.

I liked the smell at first. It was a bit odd, but I could not put my finger on it. I had read many reviews on this line before purchasing it and the moment I used this again, a review about it smelling like play -doh popped directly into my head.....THIS SMELLS JUST LIKE PLAY-DOH!  YUCK!


Of course I could not leave my hair like this. I had  to re- cowash it with the argan oil line of this brand, which restored the moisture right back into my hair. My hair had definitely gone through a lot on this day, but the good news is that it was not far from good health. Just one or two more  deep  conditioners and I should be good.


Off the smell alone there is just no way for me to purchase this again. I mean, it works just ok. I will use it up but once it's gone, it's gone! Then end.


 


*pic from http://fairytalesandcoffee.wordpress.com

Wednesday, October 17, 2012

My New Found ♥: Shea Moisture Thickening Growth Milk

 



I never thought any other moisturize could take  the place of the Cantu Shea Butter Coconut Curling Cream but I think I have honestly changed my mind. I've been using Shea Moisture's Organic Thickening Growth Milk on my partially texlaxed hair and I just this stuff! 


I've used it as a leave-in on damp hair.
     I've used it as a moisturizer on dry hair.
 I've used it to smooth my ends.
     I've used it to rehydrate my hair after spritzing.
 I've used it before wrapping my hair.
     I've used it to style my hair.

The point is, no matter how this growth milk touches my hair, it always does my hair good! I cannot say enough good about this product. Each and every time I use it my hair is left soft, smooth, and hydrated for days. Just Amazing !!!There is no other moisturizing product I'd rather use. I cannot wait to try all the products from this particular kind in the Shea Moisture Line.


Sunday, October 14, 2012

next day update: shea moisture thickening growth milk

Today when I unwrapped my hair it was silky smooth, light, thicker, and full of moisture. I almost wanted to say it was weighed down, but I couldn't. I'm not sure if this product works that fast, but I could have sworn my hair feels a bit thicker/fuller.

This thick feeling makes me raise an eyebrow as to whether this growth milk makes my hair feel thicker, or does it actually thicken up the hair...Only time will tell.  In the meantime I really like this light-weight potion for my fine tresses. The smell did not stay. It was there somewhat, but nothing my nose could unwillingly smell. I would have to touch my hair and pull it toward my face to smell any trace of the product. And this is just fine.

 I had so much moisture that I did not need to re- moisturize this evening. I was able to wrap my hair and tie it up into the scarf as if it was freshly moisturized. So far I am liking this product- A lot. I can't wait to see how it really treats my new growth in a couple of weeks. Although I like this stuff, I cannot see it  replacing my cantu shea coconut curling cream. That stuff if just awesome hands down. It seems, thought, that each of these hair moisturizers serve a particular purpose and one may not replace the other. I can use the thickening milk just after a texlax, and the CCC on wild new growth. What I also like about the CCC is that the entire family uses it and it works lovely paired with the amla oil. The smell is a bit off with the aroma of the smoke-nut oil, coupled with the tropical scent of sweet coconuts, but it isn't nauseating so I let it be.

What takes the cake about this thickening growth milk is that it hydrates my ends so well that it looks as if I flat ironed them. Now this is a huge plus since this means less smoothing and manipulation during the air drying process.

I was really looking forward to  setting my hair with some flexi rods for some partially defined curls but tonight I took on the challenge of flat ironing my 3 year old's waist length hair for the first time-Please don't ask what made me do this, but it's done and I will blog about it shortly.  I wanted to determine of the growth oil will make my hair too limp to even hold a curl.

*update* So it's been two nights and a morning ( right now as type) and I can feel my hair still needs no moisture- this is really nice! I did spritz it a bit yesterday with some rose water when putting it up in a style, but that's it. All I can say is..Wow

Friday, October 12, 2012

Shea Moisture Organic Hair Thickening Growth Milk Yucca & Aloe

Organic Hair Thickening Growth Milk, Yucca & Aloe 


I purchased the Shea moisture Thickening Growth Milk  for a few reasons: I wanted an alternative to what I was already using ( the cantu shea coconut cream is great but I  can't stand being dependent on one product- I like to have options), the 'thickening' part sounds very appealing for a fine-haired gal who does everything from henna to texlaxing to optimize thickness, and lastly I wanted something that smelled nice that I could use in rotation and was easily accessible .

With all of that said, I purchased this for it's full amount at Walgreens. The smells isn't too earthy; it's definitely light and not annoying in any way. It is neutral in the sense that it doesn't bother me, but soothes/calms in a hippie kinda way. It is very creamy, but thick enough to where is isn't runny. It somewhat reminds me of Darcy's Botanicals Transitioning cream as far as consistency goes.


 I applied this to lightly spritzed hair ( with rose water) and sealed with amla oil. This growth milk was extremely light to my surprise! My hairs wasn't weighed down like with the cantu coconut cream and since I tend to be a bit heavy handed at times with my products, this was very forgiving. Although my strands are fine I don't mind applying my moisturizer in a good amount since I don't wear my hair down or out. I almost always wear it pinned  up, so once it dries from the moisturizing and sealing process it is good to go.


Once it is dry I will wrap it  ( my hair is pretty straight at the moment) and place a satin scar over it.  My hair is extremely soft, silky smooth, detangled, lightweight, and the smells compliments the Smokey nut scent of the amla oil very well. As far as my first impression goes I am pleased. I also scoped that my cantu shea butter coconut cream whose price has been skyrocketing by a dollar for the past 3 months  at my local beauty supply can now be found right by this growth milk in Walgreens for a steady, lower price!


One thing that is bitter sweet about the product is that it comes with a protective seal which prevents people from being able to tamper or sample the product, but then you don't get to smell it before you purchase it. It's really not a big deal, but just something to think about. Also, I cannot project/predict in any way if this will last me a long time. There's just no way I can tell at the moment.
I thought to myself how  I really have to be WoWed by this product in order to purchase it again. It is almost the same price as the coconut cream  and half the size. So far so good! I have yet to tell how long my hair will be moisturized and if it will eventually begin to feel thicker. If it holds up to its' promises I can definitely see myself purchasing the enire line to try out over at Tar Jay's  (Target)! I'll be back with a review very soon! In the meantime Healthy Hair blessings!




Wednesday, October 10, 2012

Proclaim Argan Oil Instensne Hydrating Mask and Macadamia oil Deep Repair Masque from Sally's

 10/9/12

Ok , So I  co-washed out my henna with Trader Joe's Nourish and Spa Condish. This was  very moisturizing and already counteracted any drying effects the henna may have caused.

I just finished applying the two conditioning masks, one to each side of my head. The Proclaim Argan Oil Deep treatment to the left and the Macadamia Nut Oil to the right.

The Argan condish was a bit creamy and took a bit more to spread. It smelled pretty ok, very soapy like, with a hint of that generic argan oil smell that everyone seems to be going with. It was tolerable but nothing to rave about.

 Side note: I used the shampoo and condish of this  line about 2 years ago or so. It was ok but I decided to go with the One n' Only Argan Oil line because this smelled better. After having my second son I could not deal with the One n' Only argan oil smell at all. Two years later, the Proclaim line smells the same, except that the oil is a bit sweeter than I remember.


The macadamia condish was thicker and spread better, which you would believe the opposite for something that is thicker. I also actually used less. The smell was very much like coconuts with a hint of the beach and musky undertones. It was definitely artificial but I like it. Again, nothing to get hyped over but I really did not mind it when compared to the other scent.

I will leave both in for about an hour or so. They both said to leave in for 5-7 minutes but I almost never do that unless it's just a co wash. 


 


It's an hour later and I have washed  both out. There are very minor details between the two of these: The Macadamia Mask left my hair a tad bit more silky and voluminous. The Argan mask side was a bit less silky and was a bit flatter. Again, these two details are extremely minor, but very noteworthy. 

According to the reviews of the argan mask, some people who used it said that after the second use it left their hair dry or crunchy. I have only used it once so I will  have an update in a few weeks after a few uses, or maybe sooner if I experience anything different.

I did not add anything to these two masks because I wanted to see how they did on their own. Although they both were heavy, neither one of them weighed down my fine hair nor did it make my hair oily. I loved the Macadamia one so much that I went back to sally's and purchased two more, for a total of three. The  Serum was ok  and a possible repurchase, but the serum was not my focus. I look forward to reading reviews about the shampoo and conditioner, although I'm not in any need of some. I'd love to know how hydrating they are. The are pretty pricey and the bottles are somewhat on the small side. If they were miracles, then maybe. Otherwise I'm sticking with my renpure Argan line for shampoo and condish for now.

My relationship with Indigo


When I first began doing henna it was always accompanied with Indigo ( the indigo was used only after my pregnancy).  The results it yielded for me were not so close to the rich brown tones I was trying to achieve, but instead it toned down the burgundy plum undertones of the Jamila henna.

After many applications I soon correlated  my debilitating migraines with the use  of my hendigo. What I found out is that Indigo can cause migraines and it did exactly that in my case. So my indigo saga was short lived and I have resorted to other henna such a Moroccan henna which gives me more of a brown color minus the indigo.What I also like about the Moroccan henna is that since my hair itches with the henna left in for more than a few hours, this henna has a fast dye release and I also don't have to sit with it in my head for too long.

Although indigo and I did not work out, there are other treatments that helped alleviate a migraine for me. Due to my non allergic rhinitis as well as food sensitivities, my life has been laden with migraines. Fortunately for me doing my sukesh treatment or an amla brahmi treatment has either diminished the migraine, or completely eradicated it.

Monday, October 8, 2012

•ღƸ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒღ• Henna Me Silk 10~8~2012 •ღƸ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒღ•

Today I did a henna using the Jamila henna I mixed up last  week and froze.  I lined the container with cling wrap to make for a less messy mixture and it worked beautifully. 

This time around I did not add anything to mix. I purchased two moisturizing hair masks from sally's and I plan to see which one will stand up to the henna I am doing today.

With nothing added to my henna I expected it to be a  little drying. It wasn't. My hair rinsed clean and smooth after two cowashes with Trader Joe's Nourish and Spa Condish... Nice! 


Here is what the henna looked like after letting it thaw in the refrigerator from the freezer overnight.
 

I did a spot test on my skin when the henna was cold. I got deep stain on my palm after letting it sit for 30 secs. I usually get this kind of stain within seconds of letting it sit on my skin.

 


Once I warmed the henna up though I got the second stain on the pointer finger after letting it sit for 5 seconds. This is what I was looking for to make sure my freezing process worked.

 




 I scrapped the  henna out of the cling wrap and into my henna bowl. I heated it up indirectly by placing the metal bowl over very warm, almost boiling water into the yellow bowl. I took a shower ( for 15 mins while the henna sat) and washed my hair ( not clarified) with two moisturizing shampoos-  dessert essence coconut shampoo and renpure organics argan shampoo. 





I ended up leaving it in for only 3 hours, as  the back of my head became extremely itchy.. seems to be the case with that Jamila!  My scalp was definitely stained to I do not think this Short amount of time mattered too much.

Please stay tuned to check out my next review on the two moisturizing hair masks from sally's.  Thanks!





Shedding Halted & Renpure Organics Argan Oil Line Update

I'm not sure if it's too early for such an update being that I've only  had the product for a week, but since using The Renpure Argan line at least 5 times I must say that the shampoo, conditioner, and deep treatment trio have gotten better and better with each use. 

For one, I have been in shedding season and after using this my shedding stopped almost immediately. I wasn't sure if it was the Brazilian conditioner that could have done this as well, so I waited to re-use this before making a conclusion. It is definitely this ( not to say the Brazilian line could not have done this, but I won't know until I use that regularly which wont happen since I am protein sensitive)! 

Today I did a henna treatment and before application I washed my hair with dessert essence coconut conditioner that I thought was moisturizing, until I followed it up with the Renpure Argan Oil  shampoo... My strands were so Hydrated. I think I may have to make this a staple. We'll see.

I actually can stand the smell of this. After having my second son the smell of argan oil ( since EVERYBODY wants to make argan oil in the similar repulsive  scent) makes me nauseated, especially One n' Only Argan Oil from Sally's. Ironically, I swear I was the first person on the argan oil band wagon and had  shirt pins and all kinds of paraphernalia representing this new found miracle oil. Now, forgetaboutit! FYI. the real, pure, organic argan oil has a wonderful, light nutty scent  which is so opposite of what you smell out on these shelves.

So if you are experiencing shedding like myself and need something to halt it, I would not hesitate to go out to your local Walgreens and make this purchase. Hold on to your receipt so you can return it if you don't like it...See, you have NOTHING  to lose ( but your hair if you don't try it!). Most Importantly it is cheap, color-safe( I henna) , free of harmful chemicals, made in the USA, and not tested on animals. I can't ask for more.

Sally's Haul

 

Right now there's an awesome sale at Sally's for the month of October. I am so into the organic hair care trip but sometimes I just can't justify spending a certain amount of money on a chemical free product when the shipping  and customer service isn't good. I am currently a stay at home mom on self study, and I am always trying to find bargains while being conscience of my husband- only income, but without compromising the health of my hair. So in the meantime  I shop for products that still get the job done. I will still look at labels and  be conscious of really bad ingredients, but there are many products out there that work great and still contain mineral oil and things of that sort.

I will be doing a dual review on the both of these moisturizing masks and serums just after a henna, which will show me which can hydrate the most thirsty hair, since henna can be drying. I will also not be adding any honey, coconut oil, or coconut milk to the mix to see how well these conditioners really do!

So let's get started. Below are pictures of items I purchased and what the sale on each of these items are. The sale is not limited to the items I've selected in the line. You can mix and match.


Buy 1 get 1 free

A product thumbnail of Macadamia Oil Deep Repair MasqueA product thumbnail of Macadamia Oil Hair Serum
These are supposed to compare the the Macadamia Natural Oil line




Buy 2 get 1 free, plus the price is reduced




A product thumbnail of Proclaim Argan Oil Intense Hydrating MasqueA product thumbnail of Proclaim Argan Oil Intense Hydrating Masque










A product thumbnail of Proclaim Argan Oil Hair Oil Treatment















Buy 1 get 1 free

A product thumbnail of Mane 'n Tail DetanglerA product thumbnail of Mane 'n Tail Detangler




Buy one get the brush free

A product thumbnail of Ion Color Brilliance Haircolor Mixing BowlA product thumbnail of Ion Color Brilliance Extra Wide Tint Brush

I forgot my two brushes in NY on my last trip so I had to replace them. I got another Tangle tamer and new Boar Bristle Paddle brush to replace the one I had that was falling apart.

A product thumbnail of Blue Plugged In Tangle Tamer MaxA product thumbnail of Hot N Silky Boar Bristle Paddle Brush

Sunday, October 7, 2012

•ღƸ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒღ• Henna Me Silk 10~4~2012 •ღƸ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒღ•

I did a henna  this past Tuesday and I really needed to come back strong from the last terrible henna gloss experience. I wanted an  overflow of dye release and didn't want to wonder if the henna that was sitting in my hair for hours was just a vain sequence of mundane steps that yielded less than the least of desirable results.So this  time I pulled out my trusted Jamila henna that would give me everything opposite of that! - An explosion of dye that wrapped provocatively around every strand, making it's presence know in any degree of sunlight!!!!!

This time I mixed up an entire box. I used warmed aloe vera  to mix it up until it became creamy. After letting it sit for at least 10 hours, a split the mix in half and stored the rest in the freezer for an even better dye release. To the mix that I was preparing to use, I added a Tbs of cocoveda oil and then some coconut milk mixed in with a 1-2 tbs of marshmallow root ( believe 2 Tbs) and viola! You've got a moisturizing henna mix! I left the mix in for 4 hours .


Jamila never lets me down. My only reservation about it is that I do not care for the color it yields. Someone once described it as a cool plum color, but only in sun light. That sounds about right. It does darken my hair, and being that I am lighter in color, I have never favored dark hair on lighter, paler skin ( I do get pale in the winter). My natural hair color is closer to a medium brown, a number 4 or 6 if you've ever bought a pack a hair- hehe! I don't mind the darker brown too much, but I do mind the plum. I don't care for it. The darker color does appear to make the hair healthier looking. I always get questions like "What color did you dye your hair?" or "I thought you said you'd never dye your hair?" or " I thought you didn't like dark hair on lighter skin." But these questions always  prepare  for a great segue-way into my hennaing experience ;-)


I froze the rest of the henna and will  use it today to do a another henna. I will write a post on how I stored and thawed the henna.


New RenPure Organics Saga/ Review








I've been using the Renpure Organics Reconstructor as my protein deep condition  for many months now and I love it. I have never tried any other product from their line, but I recently saw their new line on display at Walgreens. This new product line was well in the making as my beloved reconstructor was on sale months ago and was being discontinued. So I wanted to try what was now taking its' place.

Renpure Organics Sweet Pomegranate Cleansing Conditioner

Renpure Line of Cleansing ConditionersSmells sweet. Too SWEET. In fact, so sweet that it became sickening...Cool Aide sickening. Of course this observation soon became clear while  it sat on top of my head...uggh. Like most of the reviews have said- it isn't good and it doesn't compare to the other cleansing conditions I have tried. It doesn't spread at all, there is no slip what so ever, and it feels like it did not penetrate my strands but instead sat plopped right on top of them! I then reached for the Brazilian Keratin Conditioner....


Renpure Organics Brazilian Keratin Straightening Conditioner

Renpure Organics Line of Brazilian Keratin Hair Care ProductsSO...  this was the next bottle I grabbed for to take away the horrible feeling of lotion in my hair, aka the cleansing conditioner above, that had been previously applied. It smelled like coconut with low notes of cocoa butter and shea. I like it. Any way, as I put this on my hair I could think only of  the words a women on youtube that reviewed it had described. She said it was very thick, but once applied there is so much slip that it appeared to take on a thinner consistency. This creamy concoction cut directly through my new growth, melting it down to nothing less than butter. OH.  My. Sweet. Goodness......

SOOOOO...After letting it air dry the pomegranate smell was still there!  So I knew right away I was going to rewash my hair that evening to get the smell out. Instead of using the Brazilian line, this time I would grab for another line of Theirs I purchased...

Renpure Organics Argan Oil Shampoo & Conditioner

Renpure Organics Line of Argan Oil Hair Care ProductsYes, this is what I grabbed for to take away that yucky too sweet pomegranate scent that should only come in the form of food or a drink- nothing to put into hair! Ok, so I really hate that  smell, can you tell? So back to the shampoo and conditioner. The shampoo was pretty moisturizing. I clarified first using Organic Root Stimulator Creamy Aloe Shampoo and then followed up with this shampoo. It was pretty decent to be non sulfate but I have tried better. Not too bad though. Then I put in the conditioner and this was really nice. It could have been better but my hair went through so much that day that I should have done a deep conditioner or at least have left it in a bit longer. When I tried it again as a co wash and used the Argan Oil Deep Penetrating treatment   on damp hair I really liked the results. I will definitely purchase this combination again. I cant wait to use it on my sons' hair. I will be sure to update you on it! 


Note: the Brazilian line has other components like the shampoo and straightening treatment. Because of the keratin and possible protein  overload, I will not be using this conditioner too often.