Cantu Shea Butter-Conditioning Co-Wash

Cantu Shea Butter-Conditioning Co-Wash

While shopping in my local Walmart I wandered over to the hair product section. To my surprise they had so many new ethnic hair products. They already carried Shea Moisture, Eden Body Works and Curls to name a few but they had more brands!!! I'll post those later but for now I want to talk about a new product. Cantu's new Co-wash. They had this and a new custard which I also our purchased and will review later.

My review:
This product is creamy & thick. It smells like the other Cantu products-which I honestly don't care for. I used it in the shower with warm water. I applied it and it has great slip. It's not a detangler so I didn't expect for it to do that... And it didn't. My hair felt so soft and conditioned. This product also defined my curls and made them hang which I was totally surprised.





 I promised after I got out of the shower my hair looked done. Seriously, it was a true wash and go. I allowed my hair to air dry and my hair still looked good. My hair didn't need no styling product after using this product.

Despite this miracle, I added a styler to my hair and my hair was amazing. Love this product. This product will replace my other co-wash products. This product cost 4.97 at Walmart.

PRODUCT INFO

INGREDIENTS

Ivory 2 in 1 Hair & Body Wash-Influenster

IVORY HAIR & BODY 2 IN 1 HAIR & BODYWASH-INFLUENSTER

I received my complimentary Ivory 2 in 1 Hair & Body wash from Influenster. This product was sent to me primarily for reviewing.

This product aims for their users to spends less time in the tub. Being for the hair and body you can cleanse quicker with one product. This product eliminates separate shampoos, conditioners and soap. Thus, saving money, time and the environment.

My review: I love the size of this product. It's 24 Fl Oz. The product is very creamy and it smells like the fresh rain scent to me. It also smells too masculine for me. It lathered well and was smooth to the touch. After showering, my skin felt clean and soft. Overall, I liked it for my body.
As far as my hair, I didn't use it. Traditionally and realistically African American women don't use these type of products in our hair. I feel men will benefit more from a 2 in 1 hair & body product than a woman.
All in all its ok as a body wash but not for my hair.

 

The ingredients:

 

I was also sent 3 coupons for .75 off with expiration date 6/30/13.

Nothing But Sampler Pack Review

 

 

 

 

 NOTHING BUT SAMPLER PACK REVIEW

I've been eyeing the Nothing But Hair Care line for months. I brought 2 of their products -Pure Pudding & Curl Sealer but I didn't achieve good results. I then I read that this line requires that you use the whole line together. So I decided to purchase the entire line until....I received the Nothing But Sampler Pack in my March Curlbox.

 

Here's what I received and will review:

 

1. Clarifying Shampoo

2. Cleansing Conditioner

3. Intense Healing Mask

4. Pure Pudding

5. Curl Sealer

 



 

 

               Nothing But Clarifying Shampoo: $7.99

This clear product smells minty. It only took 2 drops to wash my entire head so a little goes a long way. It produced lather immediately. It didn't make my hair feel stripped to my surprise. Overall, I like it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

             Nothing But Cleansing Conditioner: $8.99

This product was so thick and creamy. It smells like product. Which I didn't like. After I applied it it matted my hair. After 5 mins I rinsed it out. My hair felt so weird & coated. However, my hair was somewhat soft & looked ok. But I didn't like this product.

 

 

 

 

  

 

 Intense Healing Mask: $10.99 

 

This product was also creamy & thick. It smells minty & like product. I followed the instructions and left it in for 20 mins. While applying, my hair didn't feel so weird anymore. It soften up and my curls started to form. After rinsing, my hair felt soft & strong. Overall, the mask was ok. Nothing remarkable.

 

 

 

 

Nothing But Pure Pudding: $7.99

This product also smelled minty & like product. It's creamy and slightly thick. After applying my curls didn't form immediately. I shingled it in and after a lot of manipulation of my hair some definition formed. This product didn't do much for my hair and basically just sat on it. It don't give my hair shine nor great hold. My hair is soft though. Overall, I didn't like it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nothing But Curl Sealer: $7.99 

I applied this directly on top of the Pure Pudding. Immediately my hair shined & some definition occurs. This product helped the pudding work better. Also, it made my hair feel moisturized. This product worked well and did what it said it would do. Overall, I liked it.








Final Thoughts: 
Overall, I give this product line a D+. Even though I liked the shampoo & curl sealer, I didn't like the main products that I'm used to using. I'm a wash and go chic so I need the co-wash, conditioner & pudding to work in order to invest in this line. Also, I don't really used shampoo & curl sealing products that much so this line doesn't work for my lifestyle. So I won't repurchase & will give the other full-sized products away since the products work together. At the end of the day my hair was soft and not crunchy so I will give it that. That's my review!!! Hope this helps.

FINAL RESULTS: 

 

 

Natural Hair On A Budget

When I started my natural hair journey, I never thought about the cost of maintaining my natural hair. After my hair grew out, I started the process of finding good quality products for my hair. To my astonishment natural hair products were expensive....so I thought.
Being newly natural, I thought I had to buy the most expensive hair products because I thought they were the best for my hair. As my journey continued, I discovered products that worked that wasn't all that expensive.
I've complied a list of products that are budget friendly that you can use and not break the bank. (All the products listed are $10.00 and under).

Conditioners:
VO5
Suave
White Rain
Herbal Essence

Co-Wash:
As I Am
Eden Bodyworks
Shea Moisture

Leave-in Conditioners:
Jane Carter Solution
Aunt Jackie's KNot on My Watch
Eden Bodyworks
Cantu Shea Butter Leave-in Conditioning Repair Cream
Shea Moisture conditioners (any)

Moisturizers:
African Pride Moisturizer
Cantu Shea Butter Hair Lotion
Beautiful Textures Moisture Butter
Shea Moisture Coconut & Hibiscus Curl Enhancing Smoothie
Palmer's Coconut Hair Milk

Deep Conditioners:
Eden Bodyworks
Beautiful Textures Rapid Repair
Lustrasilk Shea Butter Cholesterol
Pantene Truly Natural Deep Conditioner
Moisture Max Hydrate Therapy

Stylers:
Eden Body Works Curl Definer & Pudding Soufflé
Beautiful Textures Curl Definer Styling Custard
Palmer's Curl Condition Hair Pudding
African Pride Shea Butter Miracle Bouncy Curls Pudding

Gels:
Eco Styler
IC Fantasia
Pro Style Olive Oil
As I Am Smoothing Gel

Oils:
Olive Oil
Coconut Oil
Vitamin E

Hand In Hair Syndrome (HIHS)

Hand in Hair Syndrome (HIHS) is simply constantly putting your hands in your hair. HIHS consists of constantly touching, playing, pulling, twirling, & twisting your hair. Many naturals are guilty of doing this. But HIHS can lead to damaged hair!!! Not only does HIHS causes frizzy hair, it can lead to bald spots, and your hair falling out!!! Furthermore, all the friction of manipulating the hair can cause breakage to our already delicate hair.
Many naturals such as myself can't keep our hands out of our hair. When my hair is soft and curly I like to twirl and twist my strands. This has become a very bad habit. I even do it subconsciously...when I'm bored, driving & even when I'm nervous.
How to stop? That's a good question. If you care about your hair simply stop it!!! If you find this difficult to do (like I do) there is hope. One way to refrain from HIHS is to wear protective styles, buns, wigs, flat twists
or any style that affixes the hair to your head like braids.

If you have HIHS, I hope this article helps you and give you hope to break this bad habit.

Palmer's Coconut Oil Formula Curl Condition Hair Pudding

Palmer's Coconut Oil Formula Curl Condition Review

I saw this product for the first time in my local Walmart. I usually don't purchase Palmer's products because they don't appeal to me. But when I saw Hair Pudding it stood out.

5.72 at Walmart 14oz

 

 

 

 

 

 

This product claims to add moisture and shine to transform dull, frizzy hair into perfectly smooth, elongated and defined curls.

 



This creamy whipped emulsion of pure coconut oil and keratin adds superior shine as it maximizes curl length and prevents shrinkage for longer lasting styles. Perfect for naturally curly, wavy or frizz-prone hair. No alcohol No parebens

It's important to read the directions and what the products suppose to do. This product is for naturally curly, wavy or frizz-prone hair. I have naturally curly frizzy hair so this product should work for me.

If you have: 

Curly hair

Wavy hair

Frizzy hair



This product is for you. Also this product don't have all natural ingredients and contains "cones". But as you can see the first ingredient is water. This product also contain Glycerin, protein, Avocado & Jojoba oil. So all in all not that bad.

Ingredients:
Water, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG 12 Dimethicone, Cyclopentasiloxane, Cyclohexasiloxane, Hydrolyzed Keratin, Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil, Acrylates/C10 30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Cyclotetrasiloxane, Dimethiconol, Sodium Polyacrylate, Dimethicone, Triethanolamine, Sodium Lactate, Propylene Glycol, Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer, Persea Gratissima (Avocado) Oil, Theobroma Cacao (Cocoa) Seed Butter, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil, Tetrasodium EDTA, DMDM Hydantoin, Tocopheryl Acetate, Fragrance, Coumarin

My Experience & Results

 



I co washed my hair with Tresemme naturals then I applied my leave-in Aunt Jackie's Knot On My Watch Instant Detangling Therapy. While my hair was still wet I applied the Pudding using the shingling method. My curls defined instantly. The product glided on my tresses with ease. The product smells like coconuts and is very creamy. At first the pudding appears thick but it's actually is not. My hair is soft to the touch with no product on my hand after it dried. Also it dried fairly quick. It has great slip and made my hair slightly moisturized and shiny. All in all not bad. I'll give it a 4 out of 5. Will I repurchase? Probably not. Although it did what it claimed I have other products I love that give me the same results. I must say that it held my style all day and even at the end of the day my hair is still very soft. Finally, a big surprise...the product did not flake. That's a big Plus!!!

Pros:

Defined Curls

Shine

Softness

Scent

texture

Slip

long lasting curls

price

didn't flake

 

Cons:

Not too Moisturizing

Shrinkage

 

 

Hair right after applying the pudding.

Hair after it has dried and been styled



 

Hair at the end of the day. (still curly & styled)

 

 

 

 

 

 

I also tried this product on my 15 year old's hair. She has a looser curl pattern than I have. This product gave her amazing shine, elongated her curls and defined her hair in some spots. However, this product made some of her hair white. I applied it to freshly washed wet hair using the shingling method. Only difference between my results and hers was that I didn't use a leave-in under this product on her hair. All in all for her hair I'll give this product a 2.5.

Conditioners and Co-washing

Conditioners and Co-washing

During my new natural hair journey, I discovered along the way the concepts of co-washing. Co-washing is simply washing the hair with conditioner. The reasoning behind co-washing is using conditioner to cleanse the hair instead of using shampoo. Shampoo tend to be harsh and drying to the hair. Thus causing our natural hair to be dry, frizzy and unmanageable. Conditioner, preferably a rinse out conditioner, can keep our hair more moisturized. Also, if you're going to be co-washing choose water based conditioners. Water based conditioners won't lead to conditioning overload. Even too much conditioning of the hair can be harmful to the hair. Conditioner overload can lead to slick hair or too soft hair that may need a protein treatment to restore the hair. Furthermore, like moisture overload from conditioners you can also get protein overload. So choose conditioners low in protein. Too much protein can lead to very dry, dull or brittle hair.

 Now that you know about Co-washing it's time to choose conditioners. What type of conditioners to use?  I recommend a conditioner that caters to your hair type, needs, and your pockets. A common issue with co-washing is product build-up. Conditioner that contain silicones-a agent that gives the hair slip and shine-can build-up on the hair. Only sulfates in shampoo can remove the build-up. So if you're fine with using silicones make sure to use a shampoo every 4-6 weeks to remove silicones. To avoid silicone build-up choose conditioners with no -cones in them.    

Hair type:
Choosing the right conditioner for your hair type is critical to your hair's health. All conditioners are not created equally. For your hair to look healthy and feel healthy it's important to choose the right conditioner suited for your hair type. If your hair is curly, course, oily, color treated or chemically treated there are conditioners for those hair types. For example, color treated hair is prone to dryness and certain products can cause the hair to fade. So it's important to choose a color safe conditioner. Color safe conditioners add moisture to the hair while prolonging the color.

Hair needs:
When choosing a conditioner look to the needs of your hair. Some hair needs more moisture than others or some hair is more damaged than others. There are specific conditioners formulated to cater to the specific needs of the hair. If your hair is dry, damaged, dull or brittle look for conditioners for those hair needs.  If you have trouble deciding your hair needs let your hair be the guide. For example, dry hair needs a moisturizing conditioner.

Cheap Conditioners:
If you chose to co-wash there are a variety of "cheapie" conditioners on the market. Some of my favorite cheap conditioners are VO5, Suave and White Rain. If you prefer no silicones in your conditioner use Suave Naturals or VO5. Some naturals, such as those on the Curly Girl Method don't use silicones. This is because heavy silicone based products can lead to product build-up. When it comes to conditioners, keep it simple when it comes to ingredients.

If you are confused about conditioners and co-washing there are products today that are specifically for co-washing. As I Am, Pantene, Shea Moisture, and Eden Bodyworks all have a Co-wash conditioner.

 

Now that you know your hair type, needs and about cheap conditioners it's time to co-wash. Stay tuned to my next article about how to co-wash sistas.

Introduction

My HairStory,

Hi sistas,
My name is Robbins and this is my hair story. On November 9, 2008 I cut off all my hair. The BIG CHOP. I didn't transition because I wasn't aware of such a thing in 2008. One day after being frustrated with my relaxed, thinning, and unmanageable hair I just cut all of it off. I couldn't find regular scissors so I used my daughter's dull Kindergarten scissors....yep and it did the job. I felt so liberated!!!!

 After the Big Chop I didn't really know what to do with my hair so I wore wigs until my hair grew out some.

Once my hair grew out I was able to see my true natural hair texture. People always t.old me I had "good hair" but I didn't understand what they really meant. I wanted to see what this "good hair" was all about. (I know now that "good hair" was considered looser curly hair texture)

Now that I've discovered my texture I was able to choose products that I thought would help. While rocking my TWA I discovered that gels worked really well for my hair. So I brought every type of gel imaginable. Eco Styler, IC Fantasia, Elasta QP Power Jel & dollar store gels.

This was the beginning of my hair journey. I've never turned back despite the challenges of my "new" hair...and I never will.