**REVIEW** As I Am JBCO Water

The full name of this product is As I Am Jamaican Black Castor Oil Water but I see it advertised in some places as just JBCO and JBCO Water. Whatever you want to call it, this stuff is kind of amazing.

Though you can find quite a few of them on Amazon, I am not super familiar with the As I Am product line. I always get a little dyslexic with how they print the brand name to look a little like AsIAm. For a long time, I pronounced it as a single word: Az-zi-yam until a clerk at Sally Beauty looked at me like I was having a seizure.

Oh well.

I got my first bottle from Amazon and the product description is what hooked me:

Introducing this magical refreshing system to fight dry hair, As I Am️ JBCO Water uses nano-technology to evenly distribute Jamaican Black Castor Oil with Vitamin C & Vitamin E, onto each hair strand, boosting and locking-in the moisture needed to maintain healthy hair. Our special nano-formula allows better penetration of JBCO with Vitamin C & Vitamin E into the fiber, increasing hair fiber strength. Include JBCO Water in your daily styling regimen to add sheen and prevent frizz. May also be used for Wash n Go’s & Twist Outs. Detangles fibers and reduces combing damage while repairing & restoring hair for better growth. Directions After using JBCO Leave-In Conditioner, spray JBCO Water thoroughly to wet the hair for maximum moisturize and strength benefits. Use daily to rewet dry hair or use before styling to refresh moisture content, strengthen and detangle fibers. Terrific for dry skin and hands. Spray generously and shake well before use. (my emphasis)

All the talk about refreshing dry hair! And the 16-ounce bottle was 6 bucks. Also, Amazon has that awesome return policy on most items. I decided to give it a shot.

By the way, here is a list of the ingredients from the product page:

• Aqua/Water/Eau
• Betaine (Naturally Curly has an interesting writeup on this ingredient)
• Ricinus Communis (Castor) Seed Oil
• Tocopherol
• Ceramide NG (for this one, let's go back to that wonderful Naturally Curly for some info!)
• Glycerin
• Phenoxyethanol 
• Caprylyl Glycol
• Sodium Benzoate
• Laureth-9
• PEG-400
• Fragrance (I don't smell much other than a faint coconut scent)
• Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate
• Hydroxypropyl Bispalmitamide MEA
• PEG-3 Distearate
• Citric Acid
• Sodium Lauroyl Glutamate
• PEG-100 Stearate
• Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate
• Ceteareth-25
• Cocamidopropyl Betaine
• Piroctone Olamine

Well. I don't even know how to start describing what this did for my hair. The first time I used it, my hair was about 5 days out from the last wash and twist-out. It was dry and just kind of blah. (I sure wish I had a photo!) I had been using plain water sprayed on with my Groom fine mist sprayer. Water is great for reactivating any leftover styling product that might still be in the hair but, to be honest, it's just a temporary measure.

The JBCO felt like water going on. The sprayer produces a fairly fine and consistent mist and that was a nice surprise. Usually, product sprayers are too heavy or they don't work well at all.

What I like most about the JBCO is that it's not heavy, greasy, or sticky. And it actually does hydrate the hair. (I have either already talked about or will be talking about the Pantene that I was so not happy with and the BioSilk that I love.)

The JBCO is, as the kids used to say, the truth. This "water" was like a miracle to my thirsty hair. As I said, my hair was in rough shape that first time. The JBCO allowed me to get another couple of days' wear out of my raggedy twists.

My hair is always at it's dryest the first day after it's been washed. No matter what I do, the first hours after it has completely dried, my hair seems almost resistant to moisture. To speed up the healing, while my hair is still damp, I will use a cream moisturizing product and sit with a warming cap on for 10 to 15 minutes. That helps, but... these naps are still a bit parched feeling the next day. This is why I always say that second-day hair, jeans, and greens are the best. Now though, if I used the JBCO water after taking down my twists, the first day is so much better.

Crunchy and dry doesn't show up well in photos of my hair. I wear it too darkly colored, I think. Recently though, I posted photos of my hair on a very dry day and on a day when I had used the JBCO (along with other styling products) and the difference is sort of visible.

This is what my hair looks like when it is really dried out and at its worst.

NOT a before pic to the one below

My hair after having been very dry (and you see what "very dry" looks like up there!)

but after I used JBCO (and other styling products)

Now those photos are not "before and after" shots. I just dug out a photo to show what I mean by "very dry" hair. That's about how bad my hair was on the day I first used the JBCO. I wish I had taken a "before" pic... The bottom photos show how the JBCO revived the other products that were already in my hair. I still need to do a wash and condition, but I was able to get by as is for a minute.

After I used the JBCO that first time, I rushed back over to Amazon to order more before they ran out. Too late. It was already (and still is) showing as "currently unavailable". Next, I went to Walmart. They carry the water but are out of stock. Finally, I checked Sally Beauty. They had it - for 7 bucks. I ordered 2 bottles to have some on hand, just in case. It wasn't until a couple of days later that I noticed the bottles from Sally are the 8-ounce size. Basically, I paid way more than I wanted. Still, I am happy to have some spare products until Amazon gets back on its game.

Once I had ordered more, I texted one of my nieces who has gone natural in the recent past. I sent a photo of the bottle and told her she needed to grab some. Of course, she lives in a bigger city and will probably be able to find some at a beauty supply store. I really miss being near a black beauty supply store!

I am using the water every day now, either to soften my hair for styling after taking down twists, to rejuvenate my curls after a few days of wear, or just as a morning hair moisturizer. I really do use it the same way I use the toners and creams for my face - as a daily treatment to keep my hair soft. I will be looking at more of the As I Am line.

If you have a local beauty supply, I would look for this JBCO there first. Make sure you compare prices.

Peace
--Free

**REVIEW** Maui Moisture Curl Quench + Coconut Oil Curl Milk

I've been wearing my hair in a protective style for the past month or so and plan to continue throughout winter. This is to combat breakage because my hair is dryer in winter so I don't want to handle it too much. Since I am doing this, I'm not using my usual curl creams. I don't want to waste those since... not showing off the curls. Instead, I am trying out a leave-in product to use along with my trusty StaSofFro that I love so much. This is the leave-in:

That's the Maui Moisture Curl Quench + Coconut Oil Curl Milk I got because, A: it's cheap (under 7 bucks*), and B: I've read a lot of great reviews about it.

Right off, I was pleased that there is only a very faint scent to this. I thought there was going to be a fragrance of coconut screaming up my nostrils. No. There is just a mild whiff of the scent.

Now, this might sound strange, but I often check moisturizing hair products on my skin first. I will rub in a bit of the product on the web between my thumb and forefinger. After washing and drying, that is some of the dryest skin on my body. I figure it's a great place to test the moisturizing properties of a product. This one passed that test. Also, it didn't leave the skin greasy and when I added a little water to the spot, there wasn't a white or waxy residue.

By the way, the cream itself is of a medium-thick texture - sort of like good skin lotion.

The ultimate test though is on the hair. Since it wasn't time for me to do a full wash, I only rinsed my tresses before applying the MM Curl Quench. Let me tell you something I was warned about: a little really does go a long way. That's great because it means I will get a lot of use from this affordable 8-ounce bottle. I know now that I need to carefully separate my hair so I can apply this to small sections at a time.

By the way, here is the full list of ingredients** (given by one of the sellers on the product page):

• Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
• Glycerin
• Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil
• Isopropyl Myristate
• Cetearyl Alcohol
• Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Water
• Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate
• Microcrystalline Wax (Cera Microcristallina)
• Carica Papaya Fruit Extract
• Plumeria Alba Flower Extract
• Hydrogenated Soybean Oil
• Polysorbate 20
• Stearic Acid
• Tapioca Starch
• Diazolidinyl Urea
• Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate
• Fragrance (Parfum)

I'm not altogether sure about some of the ingredients, but...

This stuff is nice. Really nice. Once I got the hang of applying it in small amounts, I could tell that it was going to be perfect for use with a protective style.

Other than applying it in very small sections, I also made sure to keep my hair slightly damp during the process. I used my spray bottle set to a really fine mist. After applying the leave-in to a section, I would spritz with water, then smooth my fingers back over the swatch of hair.

I had to wait for my hair to dry (I am doing flat twists in thin rows from front to back) to see if it retained any of the conditioning moisture. My hair wasn't bone dry like it usually is after a rinse. Still, I needed to put a little bit more of the MM Quench on my palms and dab it over my twists. Just for good measure, I sprayed on (like I always do anyway) some of the StaSofFro. After about 20 minutes, I checked and loved the results. My hair felt moisturized without being greasy and the ends of the twists (where I can really tell) where in good shape.

Usually, I leave my hair in twists all week, then take it down to apply StaSofFro and some other moisture before re-twisting. I take it down for washing or co-washing about every 2 1/2 to 3 weeks, depending on how well I feel. Now that I have this leave-in, I plan to only take my hair down when it's time for a wash.

By the way, for the other naturalistas wondering about "protective" styling, I find the this is one that works well for home, work, church, or anywhere. I tend to wear my beanie scarf/hat to dress up the look. Best of all, if you do need to take down the twists for some reason, you are going to have the most beautiful zig-zag curls.

Anyway, to sum things up, yes, I do like this leave-in. I think that I will always thin it out with some filtered water though. That's to "stretch" the use and to make the application more even.

I will do an update on the product as I get more time using it. Hopefully, I have found a keeper...

Peace
--Free



 * When I went back to get the link for this, I realized that it was only available from certain sellers and the price has gone up to as much - some are priced at over $15! I got mine from Amazon.com Services, Inc when I ordered and paid $6.74 with Prime (free) shipping.

** The links in the ingredient list are to Making Cosmetics (where available) because that site gives more laymen-friendly descriptions and information. I can't say that the MM leave-in used the same formulations but you now have an idea of what each ingredient is generally used for in products.  I have ordered from them before and the reason is because of their information-based set-up. EWG is another good site for checking on cosmetic ingredients.

**REVIEW** Quench Absolute (from Dove Advanced Hair Care Series)

Since like all 'naturalistas', I must keep this kinky/curly hair of mine sufficiently moisturized, I am always reviewing various products made for that purpose.

The first thing I look for is effectiveness. Next thing: affordability. Other things play a part, such as availability and brand identity. (BTW, I mainly consider brand because I think the bigger the brand, the more true their hype should be. Also, I like to see lesser known brands get the attention they should.)

Dove is a huge brand. I like most Dove products (hair, bath, and hygiene) because the brand is generally very truthful in their claims. They don't tend to overstate things  in their ads. I was happy to see that, like so many other big brands, Dove was getting deeper into the  natural & kinky/curly hair game. I think that this might have been around a while before I noticed:

That's Quench Absolut from Dove Advanced Hair Care Series.

I'm so used to seeing the familiar Dove logo on store shelves that I almost ignored the product. That it was not a shampoo or washout conditioner make me stop to check it out. Then I spotted this on the label:

Heck yeah! Right?

The price was very nice (under $6 for the 3.3oz container) especially for Alaska. What I wanted to test was how well it was going to do on my dry hair. Since I got this at Target, I know that I could do an easy return if I was disappointed.

I am not disappointed. Well, I am a little, but that's because I only recently spent waaaay more money on about 4 other products that (best case) work equally as well as the Dove, or (depressingly) don't work half as well. Keep the price of this product in mind. 6 bucks...

The one thing that I notice is that the list might not be as "natural" as some people would like. I'm all for products being as natural as I like my hair, but I do want my hair to feel as good as it looks. So, you know, what can I say? Here is the list of ingredients in Quench Absolute:

Water (Aqua)
Cetearyl Alcohol
Dimethicone
Stearamidopropyl Dimethylamine
Behentrimonium Chloride
Fragrance (Parfum)
Glycerin,
Dipropylene Glycol
Lactic Acid, Amodimethicone
Potassium Chloride
Disodium Edta, Gluconolactone
Trehalose
Propylene Glycol
DMDM Hydantoin
Peg-7 Propylheptyl Ether
Cetrimonium Chloride
Arginine
Lysine HCL
Mauritia Flexuosa Fruit Oil
Sodium Sulfate
C10-40 Isoalkylamidopropylethyldimonium Ethosulfate
Hydrolyzed Keratin
Methlchloroisothiazolinone
Methylisothiazolinone
Yellow 5 (CL 19140), Red 33 (CL 17200), Blue 1 (CL 42090)

As far as how this works on my hair, I can say that the relief from dryness is instant. Also, I love that I can apply this and not lose styling. You know how some products, when applied during the day, will weight down or just throw off the style that you worked so hard on.

Before using the Quench, I went through my evening routine. I moisturized my scalp (using a product that I will review tomorrow) and about a quarter inch of my roots. Next, I sprayed my hair with a mixture of water and black castor oil, then I did about 6 rows of  2-strand twists down the sides and back of my head. Before I tied up my hair for the night, I sprayed on some StaSofFro. (BTW, my water/oil mix is in an 8 oz bottle. 8 oz water/6 drops of oil added, then shaken often as I use it.)

Next morning, my hair was still well-moisturized so I just took out the twists and styled my hair into a curly/coily 'fro. As usual, my scalp was fine but, after about 5 or 6 hours, I started noticing some dryness in hair. Perfect chance to put Quench to the test.

This is what the product looks like, by the way.

It's pretty thick - a lot like a heavy lotion - and I was worried that my hair would be weighed down or that I would lose some curl definition.  (If you can see from the photo, I actually rubbed a little around on my palm to give you an idea of the initial wetness it leaves.)

I find that I can either rub it between my palms, then pat it onto my hair or (and this is my fave way) I can rub some between my thumb and fingers and dab it on in dry spots. I only needed to use it once on the first day. The second day, I wanted to apply more a few hours after the first application, but something dawned on me. To save product, I got my water bottle out, set the spray to the finest mist possible, then sprayed over my head to absorb some mist without getting my hair too wet. That is going to be my method from now on. No use re-applying product when I can just amp up what's already there.

The day after using it the first time, I checked to see if there was any flaking or buildup. There was not. This is Day 4 and I didn't have to apply more product. I did the water mist trick and notice the softness came back and stayed even when the water dampness was gone.

Remember what I said about this being thick like a heavy lotion? Well, I have been thinking about how my cousins and I used to use actual lotion on our hair when we were younger. Not to take anything away from Dove, but I think their product is a lot like lotion that has been tweaked in the lab to make it more hair friendly. I mean, other than buildup problems, using regular lotion might work just as well. I'm just saying...

So, yeah, this is one of those products that I will be ranting about. The price looks even better when you realize that you don't have to use so much from day to day (even without my little water trick!).

Last of all, in case anyone was wondering, I don't think that people with straighter hair would be able to use this with good results. The lotion-y texture would be too much for finer, straighter textures. I guess if someone was going to be wearing their hair pulled back and tucked, they could use this as a protective product. Not a bad idea if you're trying to nourish and baby damaged hair - no matter the texture or type.

Now I have to go and check out the rest of Dove's Advanced Hair Care Series.
Peace
--Free

***NOTE ABOUT (MY) DRY HAIR***

I want to mention something I recently learned about dry hair. An overload of protein can cause that dry, straw-like feeling I sometimes get with my hair. I didn't know about this - which is why I have done egg treatments more often that I should. I checked some of my hair care products and noticed that, yep, the ones that are protein-free (or even mostly so) are the ones I get best results from.

When I did figure this out (thanks, Google), I immediately looked for a source to help keep me straight on ingredients. Once again, it's Curly Nikki to the rescue! She has a list up to identify ingredients that are proteins or humectants. Lifesaver!!! Once I checked the list, I realized just why it is that my hair will crave something like Aussie Moist - especially when I'm dealing with certain hair issues.

So, go and check out that list on Curly Nikki. Matter of fact, bookmark the site.  I rely heavily on C.N. for discovering new stuff and learning about hair care. You will want to go back time and time again, trust me.

**REVIEW** Palmer's Coconut Oil Formula Leave-In Conditoner

For those of you who want to look up the item later, the entire name of this product is: Palmer's Coconut Oil Formula (with Vitamin E) Strengthening Leave-In Conditioner.

Since I've been reviewing various leave-in treatments for hair, I can't believe I almost forgot to tell you about this.

Palmer's has great shampoo and wash-out conditioner. I found that out when my late sister started using it. She had been prescribed a lot of new medications that did strange things to her hair. She always had gloriously beautiful hair and, when she started having trouble with breakage to the point that she had to cut a lot off a lot of it, she didn't mind so much. What bothered her was that she lost a lot of the softness and manageability. That's when she started using Palmer's products. I borrowed the wash-out conditoner and was hooked. (Along with Aussie Moist, Palmer's is up there with my favorite conditioners.)

What I didn't know about until a few months ago was the Palmer's leave-in. By the time I picked upa  bottle, I was using and reviewing other products. Just recently, I pulled the Palmer's out of my product drawer and gave it a go. I'm only sorry that I waited to use this.

I think that, like with any product, effectiveness has to do with the blend of ingredients. I've used other products that have some of the same key ingredients that are in the Palmer's, but there's something about the ratio or mix that makes this product better.

Here's a list of the ingredients (I bolded the ones that I hear so much about as being great for natural hair):

Water (Aqua), Propylene Glycol, Behentrimonium Chloride, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil, Dimethicone, Phenyl Trimethicone, Hydrolyzed Keratin, Tocopheryl Acetate, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Silk Amino Acids, Panthenol, Cyclopentasiloxane, Cyclohexasiloxane, Stearyl Alcohol, Phenoxyethanol, Stearalkonium Chloride, Dimethyl Stearamine, Methylisothiazolinone, Isopropyl Alcohol, Fragrance (Parfum), Benzyl Benzoate, Coumarin, Limonene.

Now, don't get this Palmer's product confused with their similar-named "Olive Oil leave-in" item. (I want to try that one next!)

What I really like about this leave-in is that it immediately softens the hair. Of course, I love the other benefits but, more than almost anything, I like for my hair to be pleasing to the touch. I think most people are like that. Whether you wear your hair nappy, curly, or bone straight, it needs to feel nice. If I didn't care about how my hair felt, I could just glop on any kind of product and roll on with my life. The Palmer's softens the hair quickly, but I do have to reapply at least once a day. Over several hours, the product dries and loses some of the moisturizing effects. Also, after three days or so, there is some buildup (but this can be handled by massaging the hair with a warm, wet towel).

Since my hair does best when I change up on products ever few weeks, I like switching between the Palmer's and my old standby, StaSofFro. It's as if, one product (even shampoo and conditioner) works great for a period of time, then I have to use on of my other favorites for a minute. ~shrug~

To show just how much I love this product by Palmer's, I will be using it more than I use any of my recent KeraCare purchases. (Not because I don't love KeraCare, but because of the prices. I can get 3 of the Palmer's items for the same price I paid for one of the KeraCare leave-in products. I'm going to stretch out my use of those costly items!)

Finally, I will say that having tried the shampoo, rinse-out conditioner, and now this leave-in, I think think the trio makes for a good regimen. My plan now is to rotate my shampooing and conditioning between Aussie Moist, Palmer's, and my J.R. Liggett Moisturizing Shampoo Bar. I will, of course, always continue looking for leave-in products!

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** Miss Jessie's Leave-In Condish

Yes, I know. I have had very poor results with a couple of Miss Jessie's products. Very poor. In fact, the only reason I decided to give yet another Miss Jessie's items a try at all was because I cannot believe such a successful brand is all bad.

Let's recap the instances I've had my feelings hurt, hopes crushed, and hair (and wallet) left in need:

• There was the time I tried "Pillow Soft Curls" only to discover that the 'pillow' referenced had to be a stone one from Wilma Flintstone's bed... (although, as a conditioning treatment, P.S.C. worked better.)
• Then I mentioned (or ranted) about the high cost of such products.
• Latest was when I obviously wanted to believe in Miss Jessie's the way I once believed in a bad relationship... Yeah. Pillow Soft Curls didn't teach me nothing; I just had to try the "Jelly Soft Curls" because, you know, "Baby, I swear I won't_____ anymore." (And you can fill in that blank with whatever the last lie is that you were told...

And, by the way, falling for the lies of that dang Miss Jessie didn't teach me quite enough. I rebounded by running into the arms of Miss Jessie's less well known cousin, "Aunt Jackie". sigh.

If this were a history of my past romantic entanglements, I'd be swearing off men and entering a convent. Really. Seriously. HOWEVER... I might have a cold heart when it comes to certain men, but I'm warmer blooded when it comes to my hair. Which is why I did pick up the "Leave-In Condish".

 Also, the 8-ounce bottle was cheap. And I'm on write-cation. And I can spend $10 on a hair product when I am on write-cation and not really writing as much or as well as I thought I would be. So there.


I picked this up for about $10.00 at a Target here in Texas. I've never seen this item in Anchorage stores but, no doubt, the price would go up by two or three bucks on those shelves.

As usual, the first thing I did when I got the product was to smell it. It smells like that plain old bath bar soap that you get when you stay in cheap motels. Just so plain and funky that you automatically think that it's either really cheap stuff or that it will strip all the sebum right out of your skin and hair.

Maybe the mix of ingredients???


Of course, the smell had me thinking that I was about to be disappointed once again... But, nope. Once I got past the smell to give the product a try, it wasn't half bad.

I think I already mentioned that the air here is extremely humid. I have been calling it "no-lotion" weather. The thing is, it's great for my hair and skin but it also makes my hair resistant to styling. The only way I can get my hair to hold a nice twist-coil wave is to wash it. That's because my hair tends to dry out when I wash it (which is why I am careful about using the right shampoo).

Since the Leave-In Condish is to be used on damp (not wet) hair, I did a co-wash with the cleansing conditioner I told you about yesterday, then I let it go from wet to damp. I applied the Leave-In and waited for that to dry.

Result: quite stiff.

I then used a spray bottle to fine-mist on some water that I massaged into my hair.

Result: much better. Actually, my hair felt quite soft and moisturized.

Next, I did my twist-coils and let them dry.

The final result was not bad at all. My hair was not stiff or sticky at all, though it was a little bit over-dry. Since it is so humid here, I expected better. However, I do have very dry hair after washing.

Overall, I have to give this Miss Jessie's product a 9 out of 10. I'd even give it a 10 if not for that icky, soapy odor. (I will resolve that by adding to my water mister a touch of the yummy-smelling Pomegranate Cleansing Conditioner, or some of my Vanilla Grapefruit Fragrance.)

Also, please notice what is not in this particular product: sulfates and other no-no's for (especially) natural hair.

So, yay to Miss Jessie's for finally having a product that lives up to the labeling & goes easy on the average wallet.

At some point, I will compare the results I'm getting with products here to the ones I get in Alaska's drier climate.

Peace
--Free

**REVIEW** Vanilla Grapefruit & Coconut (fragrances by Making Cosmetics)

Instead of doing separate posts, I'm going to tell you about 2 fragrances from Making Cosmetics, all in one.

Vanilla Grapefruit & Coconut

First, my personal favorite of the two, is the Natural Vanilla Grapefruit fragrance.

Before I go on, let me share the Seller's description (with my boldfacing parts I want to highlight):

Blend of natural and synthetic fragrance, miscible in water and oil. High amounts may cloudy a clear product. Water-insoluble. CAS# none. INCI Name: Fragrance. Odor: Earthy, warm but fruity scent, well balanced. Use: Typical concentration in creams and lotions 0.2-0.5%, higher for shampoos and conditioners (1-5%). Miscible with other fragrances. Potential for discoloration of final product (dependent on cosmetic ingredients used). High amounts may cloudy a clear product. For external use only. Applications: All kinds of personal care products (e.g. creams, lotions, cleansers, shampoos, shower gels, conditioners).

I'm not sure I agree with the "fruity" part of the odor description. "Fruity" makes me think of "sweet" and this is not at all cloying. I smell the earth tones of the vanilla and the rind of grapefruit. It's a really nice combination.

The fragrance is so nice that I backed out of plans to use this as an additive to homemade personal care items. Instead, I am going to be using it almost solely as a perfume. Not only is the scent very nice, it lasts . Women who are older (okay, 50-ish) might notice how body chemistry changes affect perfume wear. For me, fragrances don't typically last forever the way they used to. Most go faint after and hour, then disappear almost entirely. This is why I have been using natural oils for fragrance. This one really lasts well and after I've had it on today for about 6 hours, I can still catch a whiff of it.

I will be ordering more of this so that I can (maybe) bring myself to use it in some hair care and bathing products. Probably, I will just keep using it all up as a perfume though! Also I have to mention that it takes very little of this to get a nice scent effect.

The Coconut fragrance is very plainly identifiable as coconut, no doubt. While some might like that for a perfume, it's my preference to use it as I intended with the Vanilla Grapefruit. I already added some to a hair moisturizer and I love the smell. The fragrance seems more potent than the V.G. scent. That might just be because coconut is such a clear fragrance. What I like about that is it took just 2 drops of it to scent one of my 18-oz bottles of (store bought) shampoo. The shampoo was originally fragrance-free, but I wanted something that smelled nice in the shower. I am going to also be adding the coconut to one of my scentless hair moisturizers that I am going to be using to make a leave-in*.

Here is the Seller's description of the Coconut fragrance:

Description: Blend of natural and synthetic fragrance, miscible in water and oil. High amounts may cloudy a clear product. Water-insoluble. CAS# none. INCI Name: Fragrance. Odor: Scent of coconuts. Use: Typical concentration in creams and lotions 0.2-0.5%, higher for shampoos and conditioners (1-5%). Miscible with other fragrances. Potential for discoloration of final product (dependent on cosmetic ingredients used). High amounts may cloudy a clear product. For external use only. Applications: All kinds of personal care products (e.g. creams, lotions, cleansers, shampoos, shower gels, conditioners).

Totally agree with their description of the fragrance. It's straight coconut, no frills, no distractions.

I could see the coconut fragrance being excellent in sesame or some other very light scented oil to use as a massage oil. The scent is definitely soothing and pleasant.  I like the idea of having that scent in hair products and bathing soaps (especially if I follow up with organic coconut oil as my moisturizer). This would also be nice as a room fragrance.

I think these are both wonderful products for adding to products or using as fragrances. I'm pretty happy that I was able to use part of my birthday gift certificates to try them out.

Speaking of "trying out" products, be aware that both these fragrances are labeled with this: "Item is Non-Returnable, Consists of Raw Materials".  And Seller tells you that right up front.

I also saw a notice of a "subscribe and save" offer for Prime members. It sounds like a great arrangement for thing like the Vanilla Grapefruit fragrance (since I would actually re-order this), however, since the Seller's products are not Prime eligible... :-(

If you are at all into being a cosmetics kitchenista (TM) Haha.. definitely check these out.

Peace
--Free

*I found several wonderful recipes online for leave-in conditioners. (I have to alert you to the awesome Naturally Curly site. Their recipes can be searched by options.) Some online recipes were from scratch, using pantry items, but my favorites were the ones using store-bought products. After checking out several recipes, I combined a few to come up with this for my use. (Keep in mind that I have, apparently, 4b/4c hair. It's very dry and kinky. I aim to ease breakage and add as much non-oily moisture as I can.)

In a spray bottle that will adjust to a fine mist (I got mine at Walmart for around a dollar), combine the following:

• 8 oz water (bottled if your tap water is hard or otherwise not great)
• apprx 1 Tbls Aussie Moist 3-in-1
• apprx 1 tsp oil (I used olive oil in one blend and in another I used non-fractionated coconut)
• a couple drops of fragrance oil

I tried the spray with the olive oil for just after I'd shampooed because it was a little heavier. For between shampoo upkeep, I did need to use a little more on my crown and nape.  I will be using the spray with the non-fractionated oil.

Next post, I will have to tell you how my Cherry Lola hair treatment went...

**REVIEW** Carol's Daughter Black Vanilla

Black hair (race, not color) tends to be drier than that of other ethnicities. My hair is probably some of the driest of dry black hair. And I wear it natural - no softening relaxers or smoothers to leech out my natural curl pattern.

So.

I am always up for products that soften my hair, moisturize it and, with the best luck of all, make it smell nice. When I saw this at Target the other day, I was a little reluctant to try it out. For one thing, I have tried other products from the Carol's Daughter brand and mostly what I liked about them was the story of Carol's daughter. Then, of course, I am gun shy of many products that claim to be made for my kind of hair. I will thank Miss Jessie for that...

This time, it was the price that convinced me to try the product. I can't remember exactly, but I think I paid around $12 for this:

I'm glad I took the chance.

This stuff does what it says. I sprayed on just a couple spritzes around the outside of my 'fro, then scrunched it in to moisten the undergrowth. Boy, what an instant difference.

Of the 3 claims made right there on the label - to replenish moisture, improve manageability, and add shine - the only one I didn't notice with my use was the shine part. There's some shine, but mostly from the lack of crackling dryness that my hair had been suffering from.

If you keep up with this blog, you know that one of my favorite natural hair products is StaSofFro by Carson. It still is a favorite, but this Black Vanilla leave-in by C.D. is a whole other kind of  niceness.

StaSofFro gives me shine and softness. It's great for using in addition to other products that tend to give me extra curls or styling options. The StaSofFro was always a counterbalance to the drying properties of other products. Also, depending on the weather, I need to give StaSof a little time to work away the dryness. Sometimes, to get full softening results, I have to treat my hair 2 or 3 times with StaSof (letting it soak in between treatments). The Black Vanilla is great on its own and at the very first treatment.

The driest time for my hair is also the time that I achieve the perfect curliness: right after I was it. I always wished that I could freeze-frame the state of my natural hair to that point where it's almost-but-not-quite-dry from a fresh wash. It's the right kind of curly, but not dry. Until, well, it does finish drying. Then it's super-dry. That's when I have to start using the StaSof.

The Black Vanilla works as soon as I spray it on. There's no waiting for the product to work, and there's no need to keep re-applying. The best way to use it, I find, is to part my hair into sections of 4 - just like when I used to apply relaxer. I then spritz the root and scalp along each part-line, and add another spritz to the top of each section. I scrunch each section of hair to let the leave-in absorb and, done.

Best thing ever about this product is the smell. I love a nice vanilla scent, and this one is so glorious. It's not loud enough to be offensive or clash with any other perfume, but you just know that your hair will smell yummy should someone get close enough.

You can see (of you squink) the ingredients

I noticed that, like in StaSof, glycerin is a main ingredient. I think it's just a good combination of the other ingredients that makes this work so nicely.

Also like what it doesn't include

Another great use I love this product for is detangling. One of the reasons I'm not diligent about putting my hair up in twists overnight is that I hate hassling with the dryness. It seems that I do more damage from overhandling my hair - for twisting, arranging styles and general care - than I do from product use. I noticed that this really does make my hair much more manageable.

All in all, if I had 5 stars to give this product, I throw in 10. It's good stuff. It's so good that I'm going to have to check out some of the other products in the line.

Peace
--Free