UPDATE & APOLOGY **REVIEW** CAMILLE ROSE NATURALS Honey Hydrate Leave-In

UPDATE & APOLOGY - 

First, I have to backtrack on all the trash I talked about the product. As with so many other things in my crazy life, most of the problem was due to user error. I need to remember that every product can't be used the same way for every person.

The Honey Hydrate saved my hair after I dried it out trying to wash out an unfortunate dye job. Clarifying shampoo is awesome for getting rid of buildup - with a good single wash. After using it 3 or 4 times in a row on my hair, I ended up with tresses like those straw-headed dolls. And the dye was still horrible.

My hair was so dried out that it felt like damp steel wool. When all the water evaporated, I was afraid to comb it for fear of strands just snapping off.

Honey Hydrate to the rescue!

I sprayed my hair so that it was very damp then I applied the Honey Hydrate to my hair in 4 sections. I ran my palms from root to tip to make sure I was coating the hair well. Then I wrapped my hair in a satin bonnet for the night. In the morning, my hair was softer and felt less damaged, if that makes sense. Still, I avoided combing it for a few days. I just sprayed my hair lightly with water every morning and wore a scarf and let the Honey Hydrate do its thing. 

Now that I have more respect for the healing power of Honey Hydrate, I try to use it more. I don't use it full strength because that's still just too much. What I do is add a couple of drops to my sprayer and use it for curl refreshing or for softening after applying those hard curl gels. I also tend to add it to almost every other hair product I have! 

Basically, I have to use the product sparingly. Otherwise, it's too hydrating.

So, yeah, I had to come back and give Honey Hydrate credit where credit is due.

P.S.: My best friend says that I never tell this update story the same way. Probably. But gist is the real deal! LOL

**********************

 Oh, the hype out there about this stuff! I read, watched, and listened to probably more than 50 reviews about Camille Rose Naturals Honey Hydrate Leave-In. Well, hype is hype but results are what count. The price of this ranges from $14 to $20, depending on where you buy it. I got it from Target for 14 bucks and Amazon has lost its mind and has it for around 17 bucks with free shipping (and up). So, is it worth it? Let's take a look at everything about the product:

The look: It looks exactly like the amber-colored supposed-to-be-honey you find on most store shelves. Well, it might be a touch darker.  When you hold it up to the light, it looks even more like honey because of the tiny bubbles and what looks like sugar granules.

The smell: I've heard other reviewers describe the smell as "nothing", slightly sweet, and "just like honey". Sniffing the jar, I thought it smelled faintly of honey and amber with the tiniest hit of... chocolate??? It's not stinky and it's not strong. However, once I used this on my wet hair, the scent got much stronger and sweeter. It was more candy-scented than perfume-like. When it dries, it retains the sweet scent but is not overwhelming or unpleasant.

The texture: I  saw where other reviewers said that this felt just like honey - very sticky and unpleasant to the touch, in some opinions. Maybe I got a different batch but I don't find this to be sticky at all. It's not lotion-like, but it not overly tacky. You can see from the photo what it looks like just smoothed across my palm and the back of my hand.

A test strand: Before I did my entire head, I tried applying this to some strands of my hair. The first thing I noticed is that it brings out the curl pattern. Second, it seems to have an elongating effect. The hair was *not* sticky but had a slightly "coated" feeling that I didn't mind because it seemed to protect the hair and make it feel stronger. 

Doing my hair: The instructions are to apply to conditioned hair. I use a leave-in conditioner - which seems like overkill but... I use the Hydra Steam that I reviewed here so I applied that first, then applied the Honey Leave-In.

As I always do my twists

I want to note here that, just as mentioned by other reviewers, there really is a warming effect when rubbing the Honey between my palms. I didn't notice this when I was just applying it with my fingers to the test strands. It must be a chemical reaction between the ingredients and it actually feels nice. As I applied this to my hair (I did it in sections), there was that slightly sealing/elastic kind of feel left on the hair that I previously mentioned. 

I was spraying my hair to keep it from drying out as I applied the Leave-In. At the finish, my twists - which are normally only damp at this point - were dripping wet still. I took that as a good sign.

By the way, I have fairly thick hair and I ended up not using a lot of the product. 

Overall results: I am not that impressed. See for yourself. My hair is very moisturized but looks dry.

This did leave my hair incredibly soft but it also 'floofed' out any curl definition. I love the way my hair smells and feels, but it looks like I haven't done any styling at all. 

I ordered this online but, after one more test, I plan to return to Target when I go back into town. It's just not living up to the hype. The other "test" I plan to do? Since this suggests applying to conditioned hair and I used a leave-in, maybe the low-quality results are on me. Next week, I am going to do a "traditional" wash and wash-out condition and see what happens with the Honey Leave-In. 

Keep in mind that I used this in conjunction with Hydra Steam Curl Designing Cream - which is highly moisturizing by itself.  This next photo is the 2nd-day results of the Honey Leave-in used as described and then the Hydra Steam product used by itself (no Honey Hydrate).

Top - Honey Hydrate Leave-In applied over Hydra Steam Leave-In
Bottom - Hydra Steam Curl Design Leave-In by itself

Look at how those curl pop! with the Hydra Steam. My curls have never been so defined and shiny with less work...

Summary (and to be fair): I saw where some reviewers used Eco Styler and other aids to help with curl definition. As I said, maybe the other leave-in I used over-softened my hair and ruined the curls. Maybe. 

I am not totally knocking this product. I think that results depend on how you use it and what your hair type is - or maybe just your styling method. I don't want to have to buy another product (styling gel) to use with one that costs this much. I would like to use just this and get all the benefits it's hyped for.

I will update this when I use it solo.

To summarize:

Natural hair needs moisture. Afro natural hair needs lots of moisture. Moisture retention is important for hair growth, length retention, and hair health. 

Peace

--Free

**REVIEW** KRSI Short Afro Kinky Curly Hair Wig

So.

I have decided to grow my own hair back out after cutting it a while back. There are medicines I take that make it hard for my hair to grow. I have to work hard at getting my hair to grow out evenly and healthily. Oh, how I miss the days when all I had to do was put in some braids for a couple of months... I don't really know anyone here to braid my hair so I decided to try wearing wigs for a while.

I've ordered 3 of the cheaper types and the first one arrived. It's the Short Afro Kinky Curly Hair Wig from the Amazon seller KRSI .  This is what the product page makes the wig look like:

Not bad, right? That's what I thought. Also, all the ladies who posted pictures showing themselves wearing this wig looked pretty amazing.

Yeah.  Well.

At first, I was NOT happy because this is what the wig looked like straight out of the packaging. (And I just realized that I didn't get a photo of the top side. Oops.)

I have to say that the color is more dark brown/red than the described "black" on the product page. Also, the part is SUPER obvious. Not good.  Still, I decided to just put it on and see what it looked like.

Uh... who let the Lion King loose?????

Hahaha!!! Wow...

Oh boy. When I finished laughing at myself, the first thing I thought was that there went $17 down the toilet. I can buy a lot of butter and eggs for that kind of money.

Okay. So maybe I could fix this mess, right? I went online and checked different resources. How to soften the curls in a poofy wig; how to make a wig look more natural; and how to fix an obvious part.

After finding some good suggestions, I used boiling water to soften the curls. Next, I started trimming down the ends so that I had a more manageable length. Last, I used my little eyebrow trimmer to give the part a more ragged look. The results are, I think, much better.

The most helpful suggestion I got came from, I think, Reddit and that was to not be so self-conscious. And that is a true thing. Even if people know that this is a wig, I can just think of it the same way I do makeup: as an enhancer. I have to stop taking myself so seriously, I guess - and stop caring so much what other people think and concentrate more on how I feel. This wig makes me feel pretty.

I'm the only black person in my apartment building. I can't wait until one of my neighbors sees me taking out the trash or something.

Anyway, just to sum up. I will tell you what I like and don't like about the wig. I gave it 4 stars. For the price and quality, I would have given it 5 stars if there had been more instructions for newbie wig folk. I had to work a little too hard on it.

What I like:

• Looks pretty good for a cheap price
• Came with a cap, inserted combs, and a set of lashes
• Was durable under the boiling water (because it's heat resistant)
• Doesn't shed as much as I expected for the price

What could be better:

• That part. It's for Caucasian skin even though the wig if made for black people to wear.
• The seams at the edges are very thick and have to be hidden with your own hair.
• Took a lot of work to fit it to my liking because it was very long and VERY voluminous.

I will be doing reviews on the other two wigs when they arrive. They are from an Instagram ad that I'm kind of made about now. It will be a while I guess because they are shipping from freaking China...

Peace

--Free

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**REVIEW** Aunt Jackie's Quench Moisture Intensive Leave-In Conditioner

If there is a really good hair moisturizer out there, I haven't found it yet. And I have tried several. This is the latest:

                                                       

That's Aunt Jackie's Quench Moisture Intensive Leave-In Conditioner. Let me break that label down in light of my personal experience -

Moisture - Well, it's wet, so I suppose that's where that came from. It's wet in the bottle and still wet when I apply it. Wet = Moisture. Until it doesn't.

Intensive- I'm kind of mad that that word is even in the label next to "moisture". I am intensively upset with that.

Leave-In - That's true. You can leave it in. I could also leave talcum powder or dry rice in my hair. Same effect.

Conditioner- I dunno. Between this one and Miss Jessie's, I'd have to say that M.J's at least left my hair feeling conditioned once I washed it out. This one just washed out.

I think that my hair actually made the sound "quench" once this stuff dried...

I mentioned to someone that I will probably never stop looking for a moisturizer that actually works, but I have now actually put together a list of requirements:

• Must actually leave my hair feeling moisturized once the product has dried.
• Must not require that I take out small personal loans in order to purchase the product.
• Absolutely cannot leave my hair feeling as if it's been shellacked so that it can double as a combat helmet.
• It would be helpful if the product worked at least 1/2 as well as described.

Maybe the next product will be one by "Mama Sue" or "Sister Betty" but, hopefully, whoever produces it will be selling something that really works instead of just having a folksy name and nice backstory.

By the way, I'm irritated by the rave reviews I read about Jackie's on Amazon. I really wish that more people would be clear and honest when they do those reviews. Or that (for hair products) they are grouped by hair type. Or something.  I'm not saying that most reviewers don't play the honesty game, but I sometimes wonder if some reviews are written by people with some kind of agenda. (Or just really good hair.) I get products for free to review, yet I will tell the good, bad and ugly, no matter what. After all, that is the purpose of reviews, right?

Whatever.

You know what? Maybe I  should come up with a homemade formula under my Cosmetic Kitchenista line. Hmmm...  I could call it "Your Play Cousin's Remedy That Actually Works".

~sigh~

Seriously, about this Aunt Jackie's Quench (or, as I call it "Crunch"), it wasn't as bad as Miss Jessie's. Matter of fact, when I applied to to my towel-dried hair, it felt so good that I had high hopes. Then my hair dried and I was left with that slightly crunchy-not-soft result.

I wasn't ready to give up on good old Aunt Jackie yet. Since applying the product straight didn't work out, I decided to mix some in a spray bottle with a bit of water. Water = moisture. Result: Fail.

Still not ready to disown Jackie, I added a couple of drops of argan oil to the spray bottle. Result: slightly better - not because of Jackie but because of Argan.

I finally did give up on Jackie. Here's the thing, I am so disgusted that I'm not even bothering to return the product. I'm going to start a museum of failed product. Jackie's going right to the left just behind Jessie's.

The best thing I can say about Jackie's is that it is at least more affordable that M.J.'s product. It also didn't leave my hair feeling like a helmet, but it sure didn't satisfy my hair's thirst.

As a last word, I have to say that I am starting to get a complex about my hair. Maybe my naps are just so dry that I will need to walk around with a spray bottle of water? Or - and this is what is keeping me from total disappointment with products - I can just keep stocked up on this product (available at a local big box retailer):

                   

I love other Aussie products (I've used the shampoo and 3-Minute Miracle), but had never noticed this one. When I saw it (and its price) at the local Walmart, I whipped out my phone and did a quick search of reviews.  (Then DJ accidentally knocked my phone out of my hand, so... )

Whatever. I went ahead and snagged a bottle of the Aussie Hair Insurance anyway. (Because, I can always return it easily). It was under $4.00 and I won't have a hard time restocking if I like it.

Verdict: This black and nappy sista just disowned the Jackie's and Jessie's to adopt my new favorite cousins from Down Under.

Peace
--Free

Our Hair Obsession

What a bad combo: fire and hair. Right?

Apparently, this is about to become the latest thing in hair care. I'm pretty sure there are going to be people going into business, advertising their choice of candles and methods of burning. You know how it goes: some new thing comes along and everybody has to try it, buy it or sell it. Until the next "new" thing comes around.

When I think of hair and even just a too-hot curling iron, this image pops into my head:

No thank.

All someone has to do is tell us that a celebrity or model - or one of their friends, advisors or acquaintances - is doing something and we all go hop on the bandwagon. We don't care where the wagon is headed, but we're buying tickets to ride...

It's funny that the same news outlet that touts so many of these "trends" is just as quick to badmouth them.

The most bizarre thing that came up in a search or hair treatments is this one:

BULL +      

SEMEN +   

HAIR      

Okay, that sperm pic is more acceptable than a pic of semen, but... Yeah. There is a bull semen treatment for the hair. Apparently.

The $138 price didn't faze me. I was fazed enough by the idea of having semen in my hair. Come on, now!

The average person can come up with using just about anything in hair to treat different issues. Heh heh. Back when my cousins and I were young and wanted to moisturize and tame our styles, we used plain old lotion. I had never heard of using Nivea or Coca Cola. When someone named Jane suggested using a Pritt stick for unwanted curls, I had to look up what the heck a "Pritt stick" is.

This is a Pritt Stick

Also known as a glue stick

Well, there ya go.

If we aren't treating our hair, we are tormenting it. With heat and cold and slime and devices. When I look at some of the hairstyles that have come and gone (and come again), I remember one that I wore back when I was about 13. I'm not sure if the style had a name, but I called it the Unicorn. I pulled my hair, ponytail style, to the very top of my head, secured it with a rubberband. Instead of a "Pony", I twisted the hair so that it stood straight up. I'm sure I can find an image of something similar...

Okay, maybe it was just us crazy country gals doing that particular thing. I couldn't find a pic, but let's go back to passing hairstyles and just imagine this one...

Cool. Unless you have a 9 to 5

... except with just one of those braids sticking straight up into the air.

sigh

Out of all the hair trends and styles I've gone through in my life, I have to admit that I most like being "natural". I don't have to spend so much money on straightening and styling. For me, my naps are my get-up-and-go style. If I have to, I can jump out of the shower, spritz on some curl moisturizer and go start my day.

With relaxed hair, I had to either spend too much time on my hair before bed - curling or tying it up; or too much time on waking - styling or taming it. I don't even want to think about the chemicals used to relax it every six weeks or so. Lye or no-lye, something was doing the work of straightening hair that wanted to curl.

Now that I am moving to a more humid state, I'm hoping that my hair will be even happier. When I lived in England, I wore cornrows almost constantly and never even had to use moisturizer. My hair was in better shape than any other part of my life!

So, I'm working on losing the hair obsession. Though I might try the Pritt stick treatment. Just for kicks.

Peace
--Free

**REVIEW** L'oreal EverCreme

Okay, it's that time again.  I have tried a new product & here's the breakdown:

Once again, I love belonging to the Word-Of-Mouth sites which allow me to try so many different products. I really needed something for my hair. Like a lot of women, I have been at war with my hair from way back when Mr. Leon used to do my press-and-curl every week. (As a teenager, I went through a period of using weird things like body lotion on my hair.)

This month has been a horrible one for my hair. First, I tried that Keratin treatment (which bombed), then, when picking up my usual treatment, I grabbed the wrong one (and actually used it) and ended up stripping out my natural curls. Right now, I am having to baby my hair to get it back in shape and back to it's natural texture.

Yeah. I needed serious help.

This EverCreme is wonderful. It's being pushed by L'Oreal as being "sulfate free." I should probably care about that but I don't. All I care about is the hydrating qualities. The Nourishing Shampoo is super gentle but very cleansing. Even before applying the conditioner, my hair felt not-as-fragile yet very soft. Remember, I had done some damage with the other products I'd used.  Usually, a good conditioner will leave the hair soft while still damp; this Nourishing Conditioner left my hair soft even after I let it dry.

The Leave-in spray is amazing. For a looong time, I (like a lot of women with a natural coarse-curly texture) have searched for a spray that doesn't leave my hair sticky or with a slightly hair-sprayed feeling. This is it. I sprayed on just a little bit and my hair felt soft all day. I have previously used sheen sprays, oil sprays, curl sprays and on and on. All of those were just "Too" something - oily, stiff, wet, etc. The EverCreme is spot on perfect.

After using the products for two weeks (one shampoo & conditioning and the Leave-in spray every day), I can tell my hair is "healing." I know that the scientists all say that the hair we see is dead, but at least mine is now not dead looking. Since I am staying "natural" and letting my hair come back into its original texture, the EverCreme system is working for me. It's keeping my hair moisturized and breakage-free. My natural texture is normally very tightly curled and over-dry. I use a light texturizer every now and then to loosen the curls. (I've given up on years of bone-straight "Oprah" hair that I achieved with relaxers.) This lineup of EverCreme products is going to be my new weapon in the war on my hair!

By the way, the products I used smell really nice. They have a soft, clean scent.

As you can see, there are 7 products in this line . I want to try them all, but will have to wait a while. I really want the Deep Nourishing Mask (or, you know, masque if you're French or rich). The Creme line also includes the Cleansing Conditioner, Intense Nourishing Conditioner and an Intense Nourishing Shampoo. Along with that new wardrobe, all are on my "Wish List."

I think that for black women and others with a kinky-textured hair, the EverCreme is the way to go, while for those with relaxed hair, the EverSleek might be the best. You can check out all the systems here:

EverPure - Color-preserving
EverSleek - Frizz-control
EverStrong - Strengthening.

For anyone in doubt about whether or not L'Oreal's products are suitable for black hair (and I know some of you), keep in mind that the Soft Sheen products are made by the same company. So put that attitude away.

Finally, I rate EverCreme a 10 of 10.

Peace
--Free

*REVIEW* Keratin Power "Hair Tamer"

***UPDATED***

Okay. I did the wash (no shampoo, though) and a deep conditioning so that I could see what the "curly" look was going to turn out like. Honestly? Not so good.

My hair is so dry at this point that I have to fall back on products I'd tucked away in a bottom drawer. When I say my hair is dry, I don't mean it's a little bit dry. I mean my hair is dry to the point of being horrible to touch. The look isn't bad, but who wants the look if it's killing the hair?

The straight look was a pain to achieve because of the extra flat-ironing to be done. Also, adding that heat to hair that the product already dried out... Whoo! Sahara Desert dry!!! 

The curly look is (to me) not as bad looking, but that dryness is still there. I liked my curls, texture and manageability better with the texurizer I had. I could do everything with the texturizer that I can (or should be able to) do with the Keratin product - plus, my hair feels and looks a lot better.

Yeah. I'll pass and stick with Soft & Beautiful's "Just For Me" product.

_________________________________________________________________

This was a campaign Bzz Agent invited me into. (I have told you all about BuzzAgent before, so don't look all lip-hanging sad when I talk about all the stuff I get to try - for free.)



The product we were given to try is actually called (take a deep breath!) "Smooth 'N Shine Keratin Power Semi-Permanent Hair Tamer."

Long name for a looong (but simple) process of smoothing the hair - without harsh relaxers.The no-harsh-chemicals bit is what nabbed me.

Lately, I've cut my hair very short. Prior to the Keratin Power, I have been using a texturizer and am wearing a short "Natural" (some folks used to call it as Afro). Texturizers do have chemicals, although they seem to be a lot more gentle on the hair than relaxers. This Keratin Power is a good solution that will let me keep my curls or wear a straight style occasionally. At least, it will allow for curls after the initial 3-day period of wearing it straight and not washing.

This process seemed super-long to me - what with the 8-minute rinses and the waiting required between steps. (I can have a relaxer or texturizer done in under 40 minutes.) The Keratin Power instructions are very well-written and very precise (though this caused a bit of confusion later on) down to when and when not to shampoo.

First step is the Strand Test which takes around 45 minutes. Next, a 5-minute shampoo. The rest takes just over forever - correctly applying smoothing treatment (wait then rinse for 5 to 8 minutes), applying neutralizing Milk (wait then another long rinse). This is not to mention the time it takes to apply the different parts of the product. 

At the almost 2-hours mark, I was personally wishing I'd been able to have this all done at a salon, letting someone else do the work because, guess what? I wasn't done.

The last part of the process is to blow-dry then flat-iron the hair. Even if you (like me) are opting for the curly style, this initial straightening has to be done - and worn for at least 3 days. I can't wait for Saturday so that I can get back to my wash-and-wear routine (I know, I know, I should wait until Sunday, but I have pics to take with the family). (I abhor - yes, abhor - flat-ironing my hair. Number One: I'm lazy. Number Two: It's stress on my hair.)

Summing up about the product, I'll say that it's a great system with some drying I really don't like. The instructions were excellent - except for the fact that there was no mention of the included pack of "Nourishing Deep Recovery Conditioner." The instructions were so precise about advising when and when not to use shampoo that I was surprised there was no mention of using the conditioner or when to use it. I stayed true to the product's directions and did not use the conditioner. Because it is a "deep" conditioner, I assume I should use it after this initial 3-day "curing" period. It is odd, though, that not only is the conditioner not in the directions but (I just checked) shown nowhere on product's entire packaging. It's not even on the list of  items enclosed. Odd. Probably just an oversight.

I would recommend the product to someone looking for a way out of using harsher products. (Actually, I already have. I've even handed out one of the coupons BuzzAgent provided. I am not sure what the general pricing is going to be but I have heard reports of it being somewhere in the $9.50 - $10.00 range, which is about average for such products. It will probably, as usual, be a couple dollars higher here in Alaska.

--Free