**REVIEW** Pantene's Butter Crème Hair Treatment with Argan Oil

 Pantene has been showing up and showing out for me the past year or so.

I never paid much attention to the Pantene brand before last year, but I loved a sample of their foam conditioner I got in some sub box or the other. I loved it so much that I actually bought some and still use it on an alternating basis with another conditioner. But I never thought of shopping Pantene specifically for my kinky-curly hair needs. Then I happened to see this pop up on Amazon:

Yeah. There's a whole lineup of products in that Gold Series. 

Pricewise, most of the products run about $7 to $9 each if bought individually. I see that there are some sets of products for sale. I am happy with the shampoo I use and I already sometimes use Pantene's foaming conditioner so I don't need to go broke buying an entire line of products. What I always need though is daily moisture. So I gave this a try:

That's the Hydrating Butter Creme. It's "infused with argan oil" and supposed to have moisture that lasts 17 hours. I wanted to see about that.

The texture is a creamy oil that has a slightly 
watery melt-down.

I haven't tried it on my freshly washed and conditioned hair but I did test it out today. My hair is 3 days post-wash/condition/twist. It's decent but was still a bit dried out from not being wrapped every night. Also, I ran out of the Hydrasteam products that were so good for my hair. 

Anyway.

This morning, my hair was dry - not crunchy-dry but in that thirsty-need-some-moisture-quick kind of mood. I've been using other products very lightly every day but it's that time of year when the air is getting drier and cooler. My hair always has trouble adjusting to seasonal changes.

Just so I wasn't applying this product to bone-dry hair, I fine-misted it with some water beforehand. I applied about a teaspoon's worth of product to each of four sections of my hair. 

First impressions - immediate impression? This stuff smells SO good. It smells a tiny bit like the Marrakesh oil that is so popular. Not as sensual but it has that slightly amber scent that gets stronger with any kind of warmth. Most of the smell abates quickly, but my hair still has a really pleasant scent for anyone who gets close.

The next impression is that this is very moisturizing. Once I tried just running a small amount through the sections of my hair, I knew I was going to want to use it the next time I twist my hair. So... I did.

That's water-spritzed & the product

It takes an amount of about half the size of a dime for each twist. The tube is a nice 6.8 ounces so that's fine. 

Basically, yes, this does a fabulous job of moisturizing very dry hair. Because of that, I don't care about anything else, but some people will be happy to hear that it is "sulfate-free". 

Best of all, it produced a nice twist-out that was moisturized without being greasy.

Girl, yasss...

I have to admit that this just makes my hair feel better than the Shea Moisture I had been using. My hair felt smoother and had some shine - and shine is not something my hair easily does. But I think that everyone's hair is different and responds differently to products. This just happens to be something that my hair likes apparently.

I started writing this post, as always, several days ago. The update is that my hair does love this. It dried out a bit after a couple of days but I was able to twist again with just a water-spritz and, voila, the moisture revived. Remember what I said about the size of the tube? That's going to last longer than expected because some water will re-boost the first application.

Since I can afford this so much better than I can the HydraSteam products, I will probably use this as a staple and use the HydraSteam when I can.

Peace

--Free

**Quick Post** Hair & Skincare Tip

Sometimes, when you know something, you assume everyone knows that thing. Assumptions are not useful so I'm popping in to share a simple beauty tip with you all. This is for men and women. Here goes:

If you tend to have dry hair or skin, maybe try some of this:

this just happens to be the brand I ordered this time

It doesn't have to be that specific brand. I'm thrifty and have used several brands - all priced under $5. This just happens to be the one I ordered this time around.

You can use this right out of the bottle if you want or you can add it into your other hair and skin products. I rarely use it straight except for on these dry feet of mine. I like to add this to leave-in hair products and skin lotions. I almost don't know what lotion without glycerin feels like.

Glycerin is a humectant. It is ultra moisturizing. Straight out of the container, it feels thick and greasy. Don't freak. Once applied to dry skin, the greasy part goes away leaving a soft and dew-like feel.

Like I mentioned, I rarely use it right out of the bottle on my hair. That's only because it takes patience to apply it. My hair is kinky-curly and thick. When I apply straight glycerin, I have to take my time and apply it to really small sections. That's because you have to smooth the thick glycerin into the hair. It's a pain in the tail, but totally worth it. Applying to damp hair is easier. Mainly though, the easiest way is to apply when mixed in with some leave-in conditioner.

You can use glycerin on your lips and cuticles and rough elbows. I'm not sure of people can be allergic to it so... use common sense and maybe test-swatch or something.

I've been using glycerin for a while, but I did not know until recently that it seems to help perfume last longer on the skin. Score.

So there you go. I've reviewed different brands of glycerin before but assumed most people knew the general benefits. A neighbor of mine never heard of using it for the beauty benefits. It's cheap and versatile, which is why I keep some around.

Peace
--Free

**REVIEW** Long Aid Curl Activator Gel with Aloe Vera Extra-Dry

People, I have solved my dry hair problems. In the past, I have tried so many products that I can't even remember half of them. Oddly enough, I was shopping for an old standby product that was cheap and had worked for me in the past. It's that IC Fantasia Hair Polish (I love that stuff), but happened to run across this:

That right there is my new fave hair product: Long Aid Curl Activator. I got the one for extra-dry hair. Just like the Fantasia, it's got a decent price. They looked so similar and I was in such dire need of something, so I snagged it. It was also nice and cheap - about 4 dollars for a 16-ounce jar.

The Fantasia is more of a styling/holding gel and it does work great for adding moisture to dry hair like mine. The Long Aid is a curl activator and it is super moisturizing but doesn't have the holding factor. That's fine because I use it for when I twist my hair and for finger-styling in some curl. (By the way, I cut my hair super short yesterday because of these 90-plus temps we're getting!)

Older photo but same hair as pre-cut

Much cooler in this heat!
But it's time for some dye..

What I also love about the Long Aid is that there is no strong smell. Just like with the Fantasia, a little bit goes a long way. That means that you get a lot for your less-than-5 dollar investment.

Here are the ingredients for the Long Aid and Fantasia side by side:

LONG AID                                                                  FANTASIA

Aqua/Water                                                                   Purified Water (Aqua)

Glycerin                                                                        Glycerin

Triethanolamine                                                            Carbomer

Carbopol                                                                       Triethanolamine

OLETH-20                                                                    Aloe Vera Gel

Fragrance (Parfum)                                                       Dimethicone Copolyol

DMDM Hydantoin                                                        Tocopheryl Acetate

Methylparaben                                                               Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein

Disodium EDTA                                                            Polysorbate-20

Hydrolyzed Collagen                                                     Benzophenone-4

DL-Panthenol                                                                 Methylchloroisothiazolinone

D and C Violet                                                                Disodium EDTA

Aloe Vera                                                                        Fragrance (Parfum)

Notice that the Aloe is last on the list for Long Aid and much higher up for the Fantasia. 

Anyway, like I was saying, the Long Aid will be my go-to for moisture. When my hair grows back out, the Fantasia will be for styling on the more humid days. Both are awesome. I do know that some folks - especially among my fellow Afro-Natural-Curly ladies - don't like the 'cones and the other chemicals. I have to work with what I can on a very limited budget. I've tried other products that may have had 'cleaner' ingredients but not-so-great results. For a short stroll down memory lane, I can point back to posts I did on these products:

• Shea Moisture Buttery Miracle
• Miss Jessie's
• Aunt Jackie's
• Dove's Quench

And there were so many other (often pricey) products that I tried. Some worked but were too costly, and some were pricey and failed.

So for those of us on squeaking-tight budgets, this Long Aid might be the best thing. 

Peace

--Free

**REVIEW** Shea Moisture Curl Enhancing Smoothie

I've been tough on a lot of hair products in the past. Miss Jessie's and Shea Moisture are two of the brands that have disappointed me more than once. Both brands are very expensive for the average working class consumer so I think they should be held to a high standard. I've only found one Miss Jessie's product that I would rate as so-so (which is better than my usual Thumbs Down). Recently, I came across a Shea Moisture product that I actually like quite a lot.

That's the Coconut & Hibiscus Curl Enhancing Smoothie from the Shea Moisture label. It self-touts that it will moisturize and "curl define" thick, curly hair. I know I should be thrilled about all the things the product claims to be free of:

• Sulfates
• Parabens
• Phthalates
• Propylene Glycol
• Mineral Oil
• Animal testing

Oh - and it's also color safe and carries the Allure seal. I should care about all that and I do, kind of. What I care most about though is whether or not the stuff works. That's the bottom line for me. After all, a lot of products make the same above claims, but if they don't work, none of it does me a bit of good.

So. Does this "smoothie" define curls and moisturize the hair? I have to admit that it did both for me. Also, the price works. I think I paid around $8 for the 6oz jar at Sally Beauty Supply. That's probably the cheapest Shea Moisture product I've ever seen.

Here are the other Pros:

• The cream smells amazing. I'm not sure that I smell much of the coconut fragrance and I'm not sure I recall what hibiscus smells like, but the cream smells very fresh and slightly floral. It's not a heavy scent, but it's nice.
• It doesn't take a lot of the product to moisturize my hair even after washing and drying (when it's at its driest), and it really does add definition to the curl pattern.
• The cream also provides a bit of "stretch". This is important right after I have washed and dried my hair because that's when I get a lot of shrinkage.
• I love that the cream is not "heavy" or oily.I can touch my hair without worrying about transferring residue to anything else I touch.
• The moisturizing and defining effects generally last a few days. There's no need for me to twist or coil my hair to get the definition I like. I can literally do the sleep-and-go thing for up to three to three and a half days before I need to remoisturize.

I think my favorite thing is that, because of the lasting effects, I can get so much use out of this one jar. I'm glad for the affordable price and think it would still be a good bargain if I had to pay a couple more dollars.

Now is when I will go ahead and admit that I am pretty hooked on this stuff. It's all I've been using since I got this jar. 

I think I mentioned recently that, since I've changed my eating habits to keto, I've seen an improvement in the health and growth of my hair. Usually, when I get hair growth, I have problems keeping it styled well. My curl pattern gets crazy with any changes in length. This curl smoothie has been wonderful. I love being able to finger style my hair - instead of having to twist or coil it every few days. And the moisture! It's so nice to get some curl without the crunch!

(The photo is one I took for another post, but you get the idea.)

This one product has made me want to take a look at some other SheaMoisture items. Not the hair stuff because I think the smoothie is all I need for my hair. What I'm talking about is the line of makeup by SheaMoisture. I'd heard about them before but, because I was on an anti-SM groove, I refused to even think about trying something else from them. Now, maybe-maybe. If I do try the makeup, you'll hear all about it!

Peace

--Free 

**REVIEW** Jane Carter Solution Revitalizing Leave-in Conditioner (UPDATED)

I picked this up because it was on sale at Target. I got one bottle for $8.00 and (for some weird pricing reason), another bottle for around $4.60. They were both supposed to be $8.00, and the clerk didn't know why the same item on "Clearance" would ring up differently. I just considered it a good buy.

 I have seen the brand online, but could never afford to try the items I wanted. I always wish that brands would authorize stores to stock sample packs of products. I don't think that most people who can afford it would mind paying for quality hair or other beauty things. For people with a smaller budget, it would be really nice if they (we) could at least be sure we're getting something that will work for our needs.

Anyway, I'm really glad that I did grab this product. I went over to Amazon and read reviews of at least 10 of her products, and I am now an official fan of the Jane Carter Solution brand. From what I am reading, other customers are happy with how the products match the hype. Even if I never try another one of the products, I'm happy enough with this one to rave.

First off, what I expected was that this would just be a good leave-in detangler. It is, but it does so much more.

I tested this on my dry hair just to see if it was sticky or one of those products that would make my hair feel hard or crunchy. I sprayed it on a patch of hair in front and massaged it in with my fingertips, then I went about my business for around 10 minutes because I got distracted. When I checked that part of my hair I was so amazed. (By the way, there is very little smell to the product. What's there is a pleasant and clean scent.)

On my dry hair, this worked to add instant moisture - without being greasy or sticky, It didn't harden like some products. My hair felt really soft without being damp. I didn't feel any oiliness. That was just so cool. I checked out the listed ingredients:

• Water (Aqua), Polyquarternum 7, Aloe Baradensis (Aloe Vera) Gel, Salvia Officinalis (Sage) Leaf Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Extract, Lawsonia Inermis (Henna) Extract, Sodium Cocoyl, Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, (Caprylic Glycerides), Soyamid DEA, Fragrance, Phenoxyethanol.

Later, I will look up each of those to see what's up. In the meantime, I just wanted to see what this leave-in would be like once I washed and towel-dried my hair. Normally, I get good results if I use my J.R. Liggett moisturizing shampoo bar and some Aussie Moist conditioner. I have problems with dryness when I do just a rinse-out (to get rid of product buildup without actually shampooing).

When I put this on my blotted hair, the detangling was wonderful. My still-damp hair looks and feels very nice. There is a sheen to it and the softness is just unreal. I am really loving this product.

There are two things that I have to mention because they might have impacted my results:

1. I still have this TMS in my hair. It's taking forever to wear it out. (I'm thinking I'm going to use a clarifying shampoo to get rid of it, as per the directions. I prefer my natural curls...) With my hair straightened like this, I expect that it's going to be softer. However, there is a lot of additional softness with the Jane Carter.
2. This is Day 7 of using the Nature's Bounty Hair, Skin and Nails supplements. I had been seeing a difference in my skin by Day 3, and by Day 5, I wasn't brushing or combing out as much hair as usual. 

This is a great product. I can't wait to see how it does on my hair once I'm back to my curls. This might be my go-to brand from now on... 

Vegans can look for the V on assorted J.C.S. products

                     

The price of Jane Carter products is another Plus. Even non-sale items are affordable, especially when compared to brands like Miss Jessie, Aunt Jackie, and SheaMoisture. Those are just ridiculous. I recently tried a SheaMoisture product that I am very unhappy with. It was over-priced and over-hyped. I rarely return things, but I am sendin this back so that I can try more of the Jane Carter brand instead- which is more affordable anyway. Whatever I do, I'm done with SheaMoisture after this.

I'd be glad to hear from anyone who has used Jane Carter products. I understand that the line is great for all kinds of hair types and textures. 

Peace

--Free

UPDATE: I did a wash using a clarifying shampoo made with the castile soap I have (recipe here). My curls are still in limbo - sort of stringy-straight in sections, but the "natural" is slowly returning. I tested the J.C.S. leave-in on my hair after the wash. It's still good, but not as "smoothing" as it was on my hair when straighter. It was still very moisturizing but not as much as it felt like with straightened hair. I still love the product LOTS, and recommend it for hair that needs a little babying. I think that anyone who wears straight style or uses flat-irons or other heated hair appliances will love this. If you wear styles that require slicking your hair back or smoothing down the edges, it will also be great. For my curly style, I am using it close to the scalp to nourish the roots. Next up, I am reviewing a hair milk by KeraCare (a brand with other products that I love!).

**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

**REVIEW** Majestic Pure Rosehip Oil

A 100% organic, cold pressed Rosehip Oil from Majestic Pure

Let me start this post with a little bit of a rant about my phone... Somehow my photos of this product was lost in that thing that I use to do almost everything but make phone calls. That's why I had to snag a product photo.

There. Done. Now on to the review:

It may not sound very objective of me to say how much I like the products from this company, but it's the truth. The reasons: the quantity and quality as compared to a lot of similar products from other brands. Majestic Pure is pretty consistent with what they put out there. That's important. This, straight from their site

Majestic Pure Cosmeceuticals  essential oils are 100% pure with no diluents or additives. We provide high quality organic and/or 100% natural botanicals to the public at very competitive prices, with an emphasis on the pure aesthetics and freshness. We have always put an emphasis on conducting business in an ethical, responsible, clear, and ecological way. 

Some of you know that I have a love/hate thing with Rosehip Oils. It's the smell that puts me off. A while back, when I was still getting used to R.O. in general, I almost couldn't stand it. But the benefits to the skin and hair are so good that I have tried different brands. I really, really like this one by Majestic Pure.

This R.O. feels thicker, or heavier, to me, which is good. That odor is still there but it fades fast (or maybe I am just getting used to the smell after using several brands). Because of the thick texture of this one, I came up with a really good use for it on my hair (especially natural, kinky/curly types) and on my hands.

For the hair:

1. Shampoo the hair and rinse really well. (I find that the better I rinse out the shampoo, the better the rest of this treatment works.) 
2. Get ready a small size plastic bag (trash or grocery) and some really warm water (not boiling!) so you can use it in a moment.
3. While hair is still very damp (just "squeezed dry"), rub the R.O. on your palms. Pat palms on your hair. Add more to the ends of your hair (and to the more damaged areas).
4. (Optional) Instead of wiping your hands free of the R.O., moisturize the edge of your hairline - and the backs of your ears.
5. Soak a towel (or, as I prefer, a t-shirt) as wet as you can stand to have wrapped around your head.
6. Fit the plastic bag over your towel-covered head and...
7. ... Relax. for a while. I like waiting for about 15 minutes before I rinse with lukewarm water.
8. Couple tips: for different textured hair (fine or not as kinky/dry), you might want to rinse with warmer water, or just use less oil - concentrating on ends and damage. Also, I have done this after just rinsing my hair instead of washing. Whatever works for you.

For the hands:

1. Use this - instead of or along with- regular lotion before wearing gloves out in cold, dry weather. 
2. Use after shaving, exfoliating, masking or konjac sponging the skin. You can coat the skin, then blot or wipe clear, or just leave on for soothing effects.
3. This can be used (very lightly) as a facial moisturizer if you allow time for it to absorb, then blot. At least it works when my skin is super dry. I don't know how it will work for those with different skin types.

The ingredients? Just one:

Like I said, this is a really nice oil. Rosehip seems to be one of those oils that actually provides most of the benefits we hear associated with it.

Finally, Majestic Pure offers a guarantee: they will refund your entire purchase price if you aren't happy.

Peace
--Free


DISCLOSURE:
I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

**REVIEW** Tru Moroccan Argan Oil Shampoo & Conditioner for Dry Hair

You have no idea what my hair has been through lately. I don't even think you want to know...

Right now, I am struggling with a change in medication (plus, I've been on vacay to a different climate and am back here with the cold), and my hair is not happy. It's been kind of dry and kind of dull. Actually, it's been all kinds of dry and somewhat dull - which is, I guess, a natural thing for dry hair.

Anyway, I am giving this shampoo a tryout:

It'sTru  Moroccan Argan Oil Shampoo & Conditioner for dry hair. My hair must have put in a call and these guys answered. Guess what? I like the results. A lot. To be honest, I've only used the shampoo once and the conditioner twice, but they tested well on this arid bush on my head.

The shampoo has a nice smell (herbal?) but isn't perfumey. The consistency is thicker than my current product. I guess it has the thickness of a good syrup, if that makes sense. The conditioner is luxuriously thick - almost cream-like in texture. The scent is much fainter than the shampoo's.

The conditioner is THICK

Unless I use a good shampoo and conditioner, I get that "crunch" of dryness after washing. To test the shampoo, I let my hair air dry before re-wetting and conditioning. By itself, the shampoo is not super-moisturizing to "natural" (kinky/curly) hair, but it does not strip it. Used with the conditioner, the results were really good. I got moisture without my hair being weighted down. Unfortunately, I have let my hair get in such a state that I am going to have to do some more conditioning before I heal the damage I've caused.

I did use the conditioner again (without shampooing) and I loved how intense a treatment I got without using heat or even leaving the product in for more than a few minutes. I was in a rush, so I just put the conditioner on and tied a plastic shopping bag over my hair for long enough to brush my teeth. I did a cool water rinse and let my hair air dry. Normally, I immediately spritz on a lot of StaSofFro (or rub in a little straight glycerin), but I wanted to see how my hair would look without it. While my hair stayed very soft for a few hours, it did eventually dry out. Way out. Again though, I think that this is because I've damaged my hair.

Bottom line, this shampoo and conditioner duo did wonders for my super-damaged hair. I am going to keep using it until I get this mane back in shape. I can tell that, had I used this when I had my normally dry/slightly damaged hair, I would have gotten amazing results. As it is, the results are still pretty outstanding. I'm surprised that it took so long for my hair to get "crunchy" after a conditioning treatment and no backup product.

To give you an idea of the damage I've done to my hair in recent weeks. I not only went from a cold/dry climate to a warm/dry one (with different water), I also applied a harsh chemical. Usually, I use a kiddie-strength texturizer to soften and define my natural curl pattern. When my local supply was out, I used a product I was unfamiliar with. It was supposed to be a "curl softener" but it felt more like a mild relaxer. Oh boy. So... I lost a lot of my natural curl and volume, plus my hair feels really stripped.

I'm going to keep using these products and will try to remember to do an update on my hair soon. For now, understand that there is a reason I'm going to keep using this shampoo and conditioner: they are doing their job. I need them. I must get my hair back into shape, hopefully, in time for Christmas. Some of my out-of-state family is coming and I don't want to look frightful...

The ingredients in these Tru Moroccan products seem to be just what I need.

Shampoo:

• 100% Organic Argan Oil
• Organic Herbal Infusion 
• Organic Aloe Kosher Vegetable Glycerin
• Wheat Germ Oil
• Vitamin B5
• Organic Asparagus
• Organic Cilantro
• Organic Geranium
• Apricot Kernel Oil 
• Organic Rosemary 
• Jojoba
• Olive Oil 
• Rose Hip Oil
• Tea Tree Oil
• Ethylhexyl Glycerin
• Phenoxyethanol

Conditioner:

• 100 % Organic Argan Oil
• Organic Herbal Infusion
• Organic Aloe
• Jojoba Seed Oil
• Organic Sesame Seed Oil
• Organic Avocado Oil
• Organic Olive Fruit Oil
• Organic Evening Primrose Oil
• Organic Linseed Seed Oil
• Organic Coconut Oil
• Organic Shea Butter
• Organic Starflower Seed Oil
• Pro-Vitamin B5
• Kosher Vegetable Glycerin (Plant Derived)
• Palm Oil
• Oatmeal
• Citric Acid (Naturally Derived)

The 2 ingredients that surprised me were the Cilantro (in the shampoo) and the Starflower - also known as Borage -  (in the conditioner), so I looked them up. That's what those links are about.

Finally, for those who want to know, the shampoo and conditioner are made in the U.S. in an FDA Certified Facility. (For those who care, I will be checking into and blogging about what exactly it means to be an "FDA Certified Facility".)

Peace
--Free

DISCLOSURE:
I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

**REVIEW** Miss Jessie's Jelly Soft Curls

Well, shame on me. Isn't that the way the saying goes? "Fool me once..."

~sigh~

Here's what happened: I was strolling through one of the local malls and, since I was having one of those days when my hair couldn't decide whether it wanted to curl or coil (and, yes, there is a difference), I let my feet take me into one of my favorite beauty supply shops. Damn feet.

If you remember, we Alaskans just received our annual Permanent Fund Dividends. I can't go crazy and spend mine like most people do/did, because I have too much financial instability going in my poor, pitiful, nothing-like-Oprah life. What I can do though is combine 3 months of my normal pittance of a budget for miscellaneous expenses into a lump sum without starving. With Christmas and some birthdays in the family coming up, this is perfect. And I gave myself a small allowance. So...

As I'm browsing the store and asking the clerk (who knows a little something about black haircare) if she can recommend anything for the current state of my hair which seems to be off its medication, she points out two products: Miss Jessie's Jelly Soft Curls and Mizani's Curl Stretch Cream. (I hope the Mizani's will be as good as the other stretch cream I've used!)

Now, I have tried (and liked) a couple of Mizani products. They are expensive so I only get them on deep sale or on that Burlington's Coat Factory shelf where just about everything is discounted. I hadn't ever tried this particular Mizani product though and it was priced at $19. Oh boy. The Jelly Soft was $17.

Of course, I have tried (and not loved to death) Miss Jessie's Pillow Soft Curls. I didn't like the same way most folks hate skin on their pudding. After using that product, I spent too much time wondering what the hell kind of prison-issue, stiff and crunchy pillows Miss Jessie slept on.

I relayed all this to the clerk. She told me that she did nt carry Pillow Soft but that she had heard back from other customers that they liked Jelly Soft. And since I didn't have access to any handy Amazon reviews just then, I hemmed and hawed. The clerk promised that I could return and get a refund on any product I didn't like. I stopped mid hem-haw and went for it. I got both. 

I will review the Mizani in another post, but let's talk Miss Jessie's, shall we?

Obviously, Miss Jessie has as much of a problem with understanding the softness of jelly as she does pillows. Pillow Soft was not as horrible as Jelly Curls. In the case of Jelly Curls, at least the name fits. After I applied the product (according to the directions) and let my damp hair dry, I wondered if there wasn't actually a little bit of jelly in the ingredients. Jelly, yes. Soft, no. Not soft, but dry. Dry as if I had sat with a hair bonnet connected to a dehumidifying machine that could suck all the moisture from an ocean.

Lies, lies & more lies

Take one more look at the pic and read that description of Jelly Soft again. Know what's missing? The word "DON'T". As in:"For people who don't want..." all that soft and touchable hair that the product is promising.

Damnit.

What the hell is with all the hype over Miss Jessie's products? Was she ever one of Oprah's favorite things or something? I mean, how did these products get so much positive recognition? So far, all I can tell you about them is that they are expensive and don't live up to the descriptions on the labels. 

truth-free hype

After using the gel, my hair felt gunky and stiff. I had to wash it out and deep condition just so that I could detangle the desert that was my hair. Thank goodness I can return this mess.

With the Pillow Soft, I could at least say that I found a way to make it work. And it seemed to function as a conditioning agent. Once I rinsed that product out, my hair seemed as if I had retained some moisture. With the Jelly Soft... nothing good. I wouldn't have wanted to let anyone touch my hair because it was so stiff and icky feeling.

***Forgot that I got a pic. This is after using Jelly Soft. My hair has dried & you can almost hear the crunch through the photo***

Shame. Shame on me. 

So, all after the fact, I went over to take a look at some Amazon reviews.

Guess what? Only 7 bad reviews, but they all echoed my sentiments. Of the good reviews, I am thinking that maybe some folks have never experienced a good hair day. (That was mean of me, but Miss Jessie's does not deserve any good thoughts from me at this point.) Even for reviews that were positive on how Jelly Curl worked for them, the complaint was that the same results could be had with more reasonably priced products. 

With the returned funds I wasted on Jelly Soft, I picked up 2 other products (and had change left over). Even though I got my refund, I am holding a grudge against that other store and made sure to buy my replacement products at Sally Beauty Supply. They have never mislead me about products before.

I will soon be reviewing the Mizani and the other two products I got. For now, I have to go and release my hair from the ICU into rehab. Damned Jelly Curl almost put it into flatline...

I have learned and been burned. No more Miss Jessie's for me.

Peace

--Free

***REVIEW*** Garnier Fructis Marvelous Oil

I got this sample in the mail recently.

I got Deep Nourish formula
(for dry/damaged hair)

Search Google & Facebook
for a sample

I was pretty excited to try it because my hair has been growing out recently (good thing), but sometimes looks like a dried bush. I've had the chance lately to try out a new shampoo and, thank goodness, it worked well because this oil (as a pre-shampoo treatment) did nothing for me.

This might be some good stuff if I use it as an overnight treatment with a cap. I didn't have enough in the sample to try it more than one of the other 4 ways the packet suggests using it as: an ends finisher, blow-dry protector, conditioner booster or overnight leave-in.

Depending on the price of it, I might use the coupon and pick some up for my sister (so I can borrow & try again!) next shopping trip.

Now, I just spoke for how this did with my hair. For someone with a different texture, I'm sure this would be a nice finisher. Any good combo of oils is great for hair ends. (A lot of people seem to like it.) This oil did have a pleasant feel to it (not sticky at all), and it comes in 3 formulations - for dry/damaged, frizzy/unruly, and color treated. I got the first one and should have tried the second type. Hah.

If this is like most Garnier products, it will be reasonably priced and work fairly well. I like most Garnier hair products. If you get a chance to try it out, I hope it works for you.

Peace
--Free