Finally Used Bentonite Clay (on My 4C Hair)

 After hearing about Bentonite clay for at least 5 or 6 years, I finally broke down and tried it on my hair. I didn't get the Aztec brand I see in many natural hair videos. It was around $0.93/ounce while this clay from Harris Yareli cost me 40.30/ounce. I got a 2-pound bag for less than 10 bucks while the Aztec brand was almost 15 dollars for a 1-pound jar.

Some info about Bentonite clay:

• The powder forms when volcanic ash ages. 
• It’s named after Fort Benton, WY, which has a lot of it - but it's found all over the world.
• It’s also known as Montmorillonite clay after a region in France with a large deposit.
• You may hear it called calcium bentonite clay.

(Thank you, WebMD)

The Aztec brand labels itself as "Natural calcium Bentonite (green) clay" while the Harris brand is labeled as "100% Pure Calcium Bentonite - "volcanically derived" (which made me think it was special!)

Anyway. I have long heard about the Maximum Moisturization Method (MMM) aka Maximum Hydration Method (MHM). I personally am much too lazy to go through all those steps. Also, other than the tiny bit in my Royal Oils shampoo and conditioner, I am not a fan of using apple cider vinegar in my hair. And, for another thing, I wanted a method that I could stick with and use 1 or twice a month or as needed. If it gets complicated, I will bail

So I washed my hair with a clarifying shampoo, rinsed really well, and let my hair get totally saturated with water before I applied the clay mixture in the shower. The mixture was about 1/3 cup of clay powder, enough warm water to get it to the consistency of a thin pancake batter (it was pretty thin), and about a half tablespoon of EVOO.

I made sure to coat all my wet hair with the mixture - root to tip. Then I continued with my shower. I didn't let the clay get dry before I rinsed it completely out with lots of cool water. I then used just a bit of my Royal Oil conditioner. 

After patting my hair so that the water wasn't running down my face and back, I used my Kinky Curky Knot Today leave-in detangler.

Now. 

I could tell after rinsing out the clay that my hair did feel somehow different. I felt super-clean - almost too clean if that makes sense. That's why I used a little rinse-out conditioner. After that, my hair was so soft that I was kind of amazed. However, it was still wet so that was not a good test for me.

As I was applying the Knot Today, I kept being thrilled with how healthy my hair felt. My hair was super-soft but it didn't feel fragile or over-conditioned. Weird. But it was still wet. (By the way, I will never again be without that glorious Knot Today!)

It took maybe an hour - or a little more - for my hair to be completely dry. And it was still really, really soft. Not as soft as when it was damp, but nowhere near the Sahara-like dryness I usually have before applying products. After 2 hours, I did have to apply more softening products but, again, my hair was not as dry as usual after a fresh wash. 

I did read up beforehand on using Bentonite clay and how it works for low-porosity hair. I saw somewhere that I might have to use the clay more than once before my hair starts showing long-term improvement. Of course, I will have to then use it periodically to keep my hair retaining moisture. I am fine with that. Next time I might even use a plastic cap and let the clay stay on my hair for 15 or 20 minutes. I saw that suggested on Loving Kinky Curls. I can't wait until I get to the point where my DIY goat milk conditioning mask works even better.

One surprising thing that I learned from Loving Kinky Curls is that Bentonite clay might not be good (and might even damage) high-porosity hair. Natural Club suggests more than one way to easily test your hair. Or you could ask your hairdresser for advice. No matter how you choose to do it, people, do test the porosity of your hair before you go wild with Bentonite clay! I'm just saying...

Now I have wrapped up my hair for the night so I can get some rest. Don't want to lose any of this luscious moisture! (BTW - I will add photos of my hair to this post after I touch up my gray hairs! LOL)

Peace

--Free

**UPDATE** Curly Chemist(ry) Does It Again With the PMP Method

**UPDATE** Welp, I now know that my hair hates coconut oil. Apparently, this is something I can use on my skin but not on my hair...

I am now looking for something else to use. I'm considering a few different oils - olive and grapeseed are the first two I will look at trying. I was going to use my babassu oil but it comes in small jars and is too pricey for pre-poo use. At this point, to recover from my experiment with coconut oil, I am going to use some of the Hydra Steam Masque I have left. I am learning that a lot of people can't use coconut oil on their hair. Live and learn, right? This natural hair thing is a journey!

 You all should know by now that one of my favorite YouTube channels is Curly Chemistry. The young lady with smarts and great hair shares good ingo & I always call her the Curly Chemist. By the way, she has a website where you can find out about her book (I need to get a copy soon), and she is on Instagram and Facebook. I pick up a lot of hair tips from her videos and she had done it again with what she calls the PMP method. Listen, she really tells you how to PMP (or pimp, get it?) your hair.

I was fascinated with the video because I had already recently switched up my own hair routine by adding some old-fashioned Blue Magic grease and learning to better use the curl creams in my pantry.

With all the curl creams I have collected for a few years now, I only just recently realized that I was using them all wrong. And there's no excuse. They are curl creams with instructions right on the labels. Most curl creams are also moisturizing, and I had been using them only as moisturizers. Instead of smoothing them through small sections of my hair to accentuate my curl pattern, I had been globbing them on and waiting for them to just magically produce curls. Dummy-dum-dum. Now, I actually use them as directed.  Imagine that. As a result, I have fallen in love with products that I had given poor reviews to.

The hair grease thing was brought to mind when I recalled my mother using it all the time when I was a kid. She used it herself and never combed, plaited, or styled my hair without some grease. 

Back when my family lived in our little West Texas hometown, a local man did hair in the basement of his house. Mr. Leon (who later went on to become quite a sought-after hairdresser all over Texas and beyond - to the point where he and his clients used limousines to pick each other up for appointments) never did my weekly hot comb press- and-curls without using hair grease. 

Seeing memes like this tells me that a lot of people have similar memories!

These days people refer to such products as "hair dress" or "conditioners" (which I think is how they were always labeled), but back in the day, Mama called it "grease", or "pressing oil". A lot of people would just refer to any hair grease by the name of whichever one they grew up with: Posner's, Blue Magic, Ultra Sheen, Royal Crown, Super Grow, or Sulfer 8. 

My mother had beautiful, healthy, shiny, glorious hair. Then again, she was a glorious woman.

That's a hot comb press n curl right there!

So, anyway, I am going to be trying to pimp my hair with the PMP method. For those of you like myself, who have to take notes about everything, here is the basic rundown as I caught it (and how I will be applying it):

• Penetrate using a pre-poo for from 30 minutes up to overnight. (Overnight for me.) I'm going to use either coconut or babassu because I always have those around already and use on my skin daily. Good stuff. (For my skin, I mix babassu with glycerin.)
• Moisturize using a water-based conditioner or leave-in. I already use a mix of water and Aussie Moist as a leave-in after washings so...
• Protect with oil (not coconut though & I can't remember why not so watch the video). I am going to use the Blue Magic I have.

Between-wash care depends on whether you have low- or high-porosity hair. I have very low-porosity hair so I will continue to use my "wet" leave-ins or water-Aussie blend (or water mixed with whatever conditioner I have around). Lately, I found a big old bottle of Lustrasilk when I had a burst of energy and cleaned under my bathroom sink. 

This stuff is amazing! That is a FULL bottle of activator and an almost full jar of curl pudding. Just been hanging out in a box under the sink for about 5 months...

Anyway, yeah, Curly Chemist has inspired me once again. Now, of course, as with anything, you have to do what is right for you and use common sense. I'm not a professional so I can only tell you what I like for my own hair routine. 

Meanwhile, I was talking with my best friend about the Blue Magic I've been using (and love!) and she said that she grew up using Murray's.  And a lot of people know about the famous Madame C.J. Walker. I'm pretty sure that some of us have folks in our circle of family and friends who used some of her products.

As for me, I have to tell you that I have fallen back in love with Blue Magic. I forgot how soft and lovely it makes the hair feel. Also, one application keeps my scalp nice and moisturized for days. When I was using some other oils and butters, I had to re-apply them almost daily. The big jar of Blue Magic is cheap (as long as you don't get it from Amazon!) and it takes literally just dabs of it to treat my entire scalp and a few more dabs to palm over my hair. On Amazon, you either have to get a 3-pack of the 12-oz for around 17-20 bucks or a single for about $9. I got mine for 5 dollars at a beauty supply and when I run low, I can go to Ebonyline (not secure until checkout!) or another online beauty supply and get it for about $6.  If I want to order a minimum of 3, I can get them from Family Dollar for under $2.50 each and have them shipped free to a local store for pick-up. So, yeah, Amazon can go away on this one.

The ingredients in Blue Magic (and I got the "original" anti-breakage formula) are shown on Amazon like this:

• Petrolatum
• Lanolin
• Lecithin
• Mineral Oil
• Fragrance
• Green 6
• Violet 2

This is the label on the jar I have:

Not much different

I also remember one of my aunties using the green-colored Blue Magic. ~shrug~

Anyway, I am going to give the PMP method a try. It's not much different from my regular routine except for the pre-poo with oil. That is... lots different. We'll see how it goes...

Peace

--Free

Hair Treatments That Make You Go Hmmm...

 ... Or "Huh?"

Product junkies like me will try just about anything for our natural hair. Strengthen it, grow it, shine it, gel it - This hair is a beast and it tries to be in total control of our lives.

One of my favorite YouTubers is Curly Chemistry. Miss Tanya is smart and engaging. And I love her way of explaining things. Recently, she put out a video about a few odd hair growth treatments. And I mean, these are some straaaange ideas. 

One of the treatments has to do with onion juice. Yep. Onion. Juice. You have to go over and check out Curly Chemistry's video to hear about the other treatments. You won't be able to guess what they are. If you do know about those treatments, I need to know how they worked out for you. 

Weird, right?????

 However, I can top those.

Years ago, my mother told us all about an aunt who just couldn't grow her hair past 3 or 4 inches. What hair she had was choppy and brittle. Everyone else in our family has nice hair - not all of them have long hair but they all have nice, healthy hair. Except for Aunt, um "Leona". 

Some of you might be old enough to relate when I tell you about small Texas towns back in the day. There always seemed to be some old lady who was into old-timey cures and the like.  Auntie Leona asked one of these old women how she could grow her hair - or at least make it healthy. The woman told her to rinse her hair once a week in her own urine. She was to let the urine stay on her hair for about an hour, then rinse it well and apply some hair dress.

According to my mother, within a couple of months, Leona's hair grew another 2 or 3 inches and it was full and shiny. She could wet it with water and apply some hair dress and it curled so prettily that other girls were a little jealous. My mother said it all sounded disgusting but she had to admit that Leona ended up with lustrous hair and she never had to go back to using the urine again.

Now, that is absolutely nasty but I won't judge.

The treatments Curly Chemistry mentioned hearing about are not that gross. Weird but not really nasty. I'm a little bit intrigued by the onion juice. I went and looked around to see if there was more info and found an article I plan to read asap. 

My mother always had lovely hair - thick and healthy and shiny. And she never used all these products I do. I can see in my memory's eye what was on my mother's dressing table. She always had some bergamot hair dress and those hard pink rollers with the snap-on covers to keep them in. She had several beautiful scarves that she wore to bed at night. Whenever she got her hair "done", it was a simple wash, press, and curl every other week or so.

Now I'm over here thinking about all the 8 million jars, tubes, and spray bottles of hair products in my bathroom pantry. Maybe I ought to look into this onion juice situation?

Peace

--Free

I Tried African Threading on My Natural Hair (Part 1)

 African threading is probably the most ingenious hair care technique known. And I am mad that I hadn't heard about it before a couple of weeks ago. I don't usually shout about it but some cultures just never get the credit they deserve.

Why is this not a bigger deal? I don't know. But let's talk about the genius of hair threading. First, some background. I tried to find some older resources but apparently, the threading trend wasn't hot online before 2010 (if my search results can be trusted).

This is what I did find and like, so I am sharing:

• African Hair Threading History and Tutorial
• "What Is African Threading?

This video tutorial is the best one I have seen for learning how to do threading. (And, for some reason, I now think I might have seen this at some point in the past.)

Currently, there are a lot of videos and articles about threading - some that have been out long enough that I should have noticed before now. I have learned a lot about how to do it but the information sometimes conflicts on what threading material to use (yarn, rubberized thread, metal thread, etc.) or techniques for the ends (tuck and wrap or leave loose, etc.).  I like the idea of tucking the ends and was wrapping but it was tricky for me to do with yarn. I could do it with the rubber thread but... well, more on that in a moment.

I used that video tutorial (above) and some of the one in that linked history & tutorial  for general guides. However, I did end up trying different threading materials. The first was rubberized thread and did not work well with my very shea-moisturized hair! Here is my process for the 1st and 2nd attempts.

The Supplies I Used

Trying this for the first time & 
got it cheaper at Sally's

Okay Smooth All Natural,100% Pure
Unrefined Daily Skin Moisturizer

And for my scalp, my favorite JBCO
 (until I find something better-priced!)

"Bead String Rubber
Stretchy String Elastic String"

This is what my hair looked like (unstretched) before I did my first (successful) yarn-threading. It has been washed, deep-conditioned, sealed and moisturized.

This is what my first (and failed) attempt with the rubberized thread looked like:

No Bueno! Unh uh!
(but the ends are tucked)

I could not get my threading started closer to the root. Again, I think it's because my fingers were too slick with shea.

 

I removed the rubber thread the very next day, re-washed and conditioned my hair, and started over. This time I went with acrylic yarn. This is cheaper and much MUCH easier for me to use as an inexperienced threader.

This also took less time because I wasn't struggling (unsuccessfully) to keep the threading near the root.  

I did trim the yarn afterward

"Kizzy! Kizzy!!"

I think I did an okay job, I will need to learn to keep the gaps smaller and to get closer to the ends of the hair. The toughest thing will be learning to end up with something stylish enough to wear uncovered. In the meantime, I am wearing scarves. I usually wear these neck-gaiter-type scarves just because they are  a cute (and lazy) way to keep my head warm in the winter.

I can't wait to get through the next several days (5 or 7 is what I am shooting for) so that I can re-thread and see if I do a better job. I am pleased though. The one thing I worry about is that I used too much shea butter. It was literally oozing from between the threads when I finished wrapping my hair. I think it will dry down some though from being threaded and being tucked into a scarf. Plus, it is super arid here in the winter so...

By the way, the threading is not uncomfortable to sleep on. I sleep with the scarf on so that I can secure the threading in a suitable arrangement for laying on. 

I will do a Part 2 when I take down and re-thread my hair in - well, however many days I can last!

Peace

--Free

FYI: I linked to the gaiter scarves I use just because I love them so much. I don't get any compensation or affiliate credit. I bought them last year when they were about 10 bucks and, after many washing and almost daily wear, they are like new. I want to get more but I see the price has gone up. The price depends on the color/pattern you choose; I got the Dark Grey set of 6.

**REVIEW** Walmart Spring Beauty Box 2020

I got a replacement for my busted laptop yesterday and then this morning my Walmart Beauty Box (WBB) arrived. It's a good week. I will review the laptop later but, first, the loveliness that is this year's Spring box:

This is one of the better boxes I've seen in a minute. Keep in mind that this box comes for a total of 5 bucks to cover shipping and handling. This particular box also includes a coupon for $2.50 off what happens to be my favorite box item...

Came with a $2.50 coupon

I haven't tried it all over yet but I did a strand test and, yes, I think I am gonna like it. Like I said, the curl cream is my favorite, but I also appreciate that there are a couple of things I am excited to try out.

Since I don't have an oily skin problem, the charcoal cleanser from Biore is something I will most likely use sporadically around my nose and chin - if I use it at all.

The nails are something that I think one of my nieces might love. She can pull off that look like a supermodel. I would probably puncture my eye or damage the keyboard on my laptop.

So, yeah, all in all, this was a really good box. The thing with these WBBs is that they come 4 times a year so I forget about them until one shows up in the mail. The 5 dollar cost makes this the one and only box I currently get. If you look back over my reviews of past boxes, you will notice that I have found some keeper items. I still use Blistex Lip Serum since I discovered it via a WBB. I think I might even have discovered the Lumify eye whitening drops via one of the WBBs.

Anyway, that's it for this box. I didn't get more photos to post because I am still catching up on everything after being laptop-less for the past few weeks. Hope y'all missed me!

Peace

--Free

**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

**Update of a REVIEW** Kikumasamune Sake Skin Lotion High Moisture (for the HAIR)

Originally post November 2018 here 

UPDATING and RE-POSTING

My brain got weird the other day and thought I just discovered how great this stuff is on natural hair. Turns out that I first got it for my hair way back in November of last year 2018. Wow. I went back on Amazon and updated the review to rant about using this on my hair. Anyway... I did start using this on my hair (again?) the other day and, wow. I can't even tell you how moisturizing and detangling it is. My hair is like a tangle of tumbleweed after I wash it. I have tried other products to help with the initial comb-out so that I can do my twists or whatever comes next. Keeping my hair damp with water while twisting is great but the water dries too quickly. The Kiku lotion keeps my hair moist much longer. I do use one of those special fine-mist sprayers (another product I love, love, love) to apply this.

 This not only softens my hair and makes combing it out easier, but when it dries, that funky product smell goes away and my hair is nice and soft. My twist-outs aren't as tight and crunchy. Win, win, and win.

So, yeah, go ahead and maybe see what this does for your hair and face...

The following is a copy/paste of the original review from November 2018

This is a copy/paste of the review from my Amazon Reviews blog.

Full Product Name & Link: 8 Kikumasamune Sake Skin Lotion High Moisture

SELLER REVIEW (3 stars)

PRO: Arrived quickly. Large size for the price.

CON: My first bottle came in one of those plasticized mailing envelopes. The bottle had gotten crushed or something so that the plastic over the pump was torn. The bottle leaked quite a bit as you can see from the pic on the right. Amazon did give me a refund so I was able to reorder.
NOTE: The bad packaging could be a fluke. I will see when the second bottle arrives.

PRODUCT REVIEW & PHOTOS (5 stars)

Why I ordered: My hair is finicky and starts to dry out as soon as the weather begins to cool. Age probably has something to do with this too. I heard about this product via a Reddit forum for black hair - even though the product is made for the face.

 I will just cut right to the chase and let you know that I LOVE this stuff.

Remember, the bottle had leaked into the mailer so when I opened it, I got the liquid all over my fingers. I knew that the leaking was caused by the bottle getting banged around in the mail so, being me, I wiped the liquid right onto my face. Waste not, my loves.

Let me tell you wot. Yes, "wot". This stuff is truly a game changer.

Once I applied this, I didn't need to use any other lotion, cream, moisturizer - nothing. My skin was magically and instantly hydrated.

The texture of this - we will just call it "lotion" from here on out - is almost that of most thin serums. Like water with just a touch of something. The appearance is just like cloudy water.

I couldn't identify the smell at first until I remembered the full name of the product and, yep, the smell is very much like Sake - which I have had - but I cannot describe that smell to you. It's not pleasant or unpleasant, in my opinion. The scent is mild in this product and fades as soon as it starts drying.

This is good stuff. If I could, I would give it ten stars. I am awaiting the delivery of some "Speedy Oil" that was mentioned by someone, but I have no plans to get any of the other Kikumasamune type items other than this lotion. And I do plan to stay stocked up on this!

I had to update this because I forgot to list the ingredients as shown on the Amazon product page:

Water, glycerin, butylene glycol, rice ferment filtrate (sake), glutamate, arginine, leucine, Ceramide 3, Ceramide 6 II, placenta extract, arbutin, Glycyrrhizic acid, soy protein, maltitol, methyl gluceth-10, peg-60 hydrogenated castor oil, hydroxyethyl cellulose, alkyl styrene/acrylic acid copolymer, citric acid, sodium citrate, phenoxyethanol, methylparaben, fragrance

Peace
--Free

NOTE: Since I got my first bottle, I noticed that the price went up almost a dollar. Maybe the popularity will affect the price???

This is a copy/paste of the original review/posting

UPDATED **REVIEW** Aussie Creme Pudding Miracle Curls

UPDATE will be at bottom of post. A friend told me that the photos I used weren't very useful. That's what good friends are for! So I have added a couple of photos.

This is 1 of 2 Aussie Moist products I will be reviewing. I already love the A.M. brand of conditioners (especially the 3-Minute Miracle one) so I was kind of excited to finally try this from their Curls line.

One reason I am just now trying the Aussie Moist Curls products is that I've been using one of the three thousand other curly hair products in my bathroom pantry... The other "product junkies" out there will know exactly what I mean.

Here is what I heard from other reviews:

• Made the hair dry - or crunchy
• Moisture did not last
• Curl definition was not that great
• Worked great - but depended on the hair type (4Cs seemed to like it best)

Of course, hair texture and weather conditions have everything to do with how a product works - on the hair and on the skin. I gave the Creme Pudding a try or myself.

Here are the PROS:

• Did not take a lot for each twist (I applied to my unwashed but very dampened hair)
• Smoothed out the strands of my hair - sort of like a detangler
• There was no sticky or tacky feel to my hair
• There was no flaking when I untwisted my hair
• A LOT of definition (so much so that I will probably do larger twists next time)
• My hair was left soft once I loosened the twists with my fingers
• No smell left in my hair (you will see why this is important)

(I undid one of my twists for the photo just to show you the definition. My hair was not completly dry so it doesn't look wonderful - but you can see the curl definition.)

Here are the CONS:

• The label really hypes the whole "coconut-jojoba" thing but those are the last ingredients actually listed - along with some castor oil. That was disappointing.
• The product smells (out of the jar) a little like lightly perfumed Play-Doh. Not awful, but not awesome. This is why I'm glad it dissipated when dry.
• When applied solo, while this didn't dry out my hair, it didn't add a lot of moisture. The second time I used it, I used it on very wet hair and added a little bit of glycerin - just a tiny amount - and this gave me the moisture I was missing.

As you can see, there aren't a lot of negatives to the product, in my experience. The main thing I could complain about was that the product page noted that this product "Helps lock in moisture for defined curls without the frizzy fuss" and that's only partly true. It locked in the moisture of the glycerin that I added. I don't think that I would have gotten the same softness without having added the glycerin, but that might just be me.

I undid one twist to show you

Anyway, with the seasons in change and the weather here going from super-humid to dang-near-Sahara-dry, I had to find something to keep my nappies happy. (British folk might wince at that, but I am talking nappy hair, not baby bottom covers).

My hair texture has been changing over the past few years - especially after I foolishly did one of those Keratin "temporary" straighteners... Where I could use water and a good moisturizer to activate my curl pattern. I would only have to twist my hair to get more stretch or a specific style. These days, I have to do some kind of twist to get decent curls in my hair. Otherwise, I just have a straight-up 'Fro - a no-curl, no-wave, uneven puff of hair. I think that's an awesome look on some folk (except for the uneven part), but it does nothing for my appearance.

Twisting my hair - either a loose 2-strand or a flat, cornrow style - gives me the stretch I need. Also, a twist-out lasts me for at least 2 weeks, during which I don't have to irritate my fragile hair with a comb or anything. I sleep on a satin pillowcase so I don't even have to wrap my hair at night. It's a beautiful thing. And this is where a good curl cream comes into the picture.

This Aussie Moist Creme Pudding is just about perfect for me - as long as I use it with water or on damp hair. The Amazon price ($8.60 currently) is a little high, in my opinion, but Walmart stores carry it priced at around $5.50. That I can do!

By the way, here are the ingredients:

• Water
• Dimethicone
• Sorbitol
• Aminomethyl Propanol
• Carbomer
• Va/Crotonates Copolymer
• Benzyl Alcohol
• Fragrance
• Dmdm Hydantoin
• Peg-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
• Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil
• Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil

And, yes, I know that we natural hair folk have a love-hate relationship with 'cones in hair products. I used to avoid them as much as possible but, hey, 'cones give awesome results. What I do know to do. is for every other wash or so, to use a clarifying shampoo to clear the buildup. By all means, though, I think it is wise to do a web search on every single ingredient listed on hair and skin products. So much of what we use can cause allergic reactions or, worse, potentially cause health issues. Do your research.

(I also want to mention that I have seen the product featured in the white jar I show above and in a purple jar. As far as I know, there are no differences. Maybe Aussie M just decided to revamp the look?)

As I said before, I will also be reviewing the Aussie Miracle Curls Defining Oil. There are not a lot of Amazon customer reviews yet but one did catch my eye. A customer mentioned that the oil (in her opinion) is moisturizing but not defining. So I will get to see for myself in the next few days.

Apparently, people with all kinds of textures are using this Aussie Moist Curls line. I have seen reviews from ladies with fine-straight, fine-curly-or-wavy and every kind of naturally-kinky-curly-wavy hair. I love a product that works for so many hair types. I can't wait to review the oil. Until then,

Peace

--Free

Here are the updated photos that I lightened the contrast and brightened to show my dark hair better:

FYI: I also added some of the Aussie Moist curl oil at this point

This is one of my favorite songs from one of the bands of my youth.

I hate the X symbolism but I wanted to find a video that had the lyrics - even those they are badly transcribed in places. Someone commented on the video page that the lyrics he wrote for this song seemed foretelling of the way Hutchence's life ended.

**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** Denman Brush

Well.

I have been hearing about the Denman brushes for years but I never tried using one. Until now.

 That is the Denman 5-Row Classic Pocket Styling Brush.


From what I can tell, most people either love, love, love, these brushes or they hate them. Out of all the reviews and articles I read, only a small percentage of people were neutral. On a scale of 1 to 10 - with 10 being the most positive - I land at 8.5.

When I read Amazon reviews, one of the things I picked up on is that some people wondered if they had gotten a faux Denman. I think I got the real deal.

Another criticism I saw was that this brush was too small, but the description does indicate that it is a "pocket" size. Personally, I like the smaller size because I had more control, especially when doing coils.

So, here goes my review:

I wanted this brush for 2 reasons. First, I wanted to use it to do coils (there are lots of vids and other Instructables for this). Second, I wanted it to better distribute products through my hair. Since I had read from some users that the brush had damaged their hair, I wondered if there was a correct way to use it to avoid damage. There is and it's very simple: your hair has to be wet - very wet - and you must work in small sections. Otherwise, yes, there will be LOTS of ripping and tearing of hair.

Since I wanted to do coils and need product for that, I was able to fill 2 birds. The brush worked amazing for creating coils - or at least it did in spots where my hair was "natural". I have a couple of patches of hair at the front of my head that, for some odd reason, lack any curl or kink. When I put product in those spots, the hair just flattens out into a stringy mess. With the brush, my coils were more even than when done with my fingers.

The best thing was the way this brush smoothed product onto every strand of my hair. Even if I don't coil my hair, the brush totally works my creams and softeners into my hair.

I have not yet figured out how (or why) to take some of the rows out of the brush. For now, I love using it as is.

Peace
--Free