Cleaning Out

I have unpacked all of the stuff from the apartment, but I am still working on consolidating it all into the house. Last nigh, I worked on putting away all of my hair products. Before I hit the road two years ago, I was relaxed and really didn’t use a lot of hair products. When I became natural, I became a bit of a product junkie. Just a bit. I have curbed my habits a bit, but there are still some key products I am on the search for.

But part of what I really was behind on doing is review some products and getting rid of them because there isn’t enough left in the container for a full head application and wouldn’t necessarily do well mixed with other products. So, here we go.

1. Taliah Waajid Protective Mist Bodifier--I can’t speak to this product’s ability to stop breakage as the package claims, but I can proclaim loudly that this stuff will soften your hair, make it more manageable, moisturize, condition and help detangle. Yep. It lives up to all of that. And it smells great without being overpowering to my allergies. I will not buy the product again though because it makes my hair TOO soft and no matter what holding products I use, my hair doesn’t hold up when its that soft. But, if you are finding keeping your hair moisturized problem and you notice a bit of roughness to your tresses, this is the product for you. I rate it highly, but it is not for me.
2. Jane Carter Solution Wrap & Roll Setting Lotion--I am on the search for a good setting lotion to reset my hair when I have enough product on my hair but need a little moisture and hold to reset my style. This is a very good choice for that purpose. It gives your hair a little shine and a little structure and a nice scent. Unfortunately, that scent does not fade so it’s ultimately a negative for me and my allergies. I would not recommend setting more than two days with this product as it does give a slight waxy build-up. My hair typically doesn’t last for multiple days as I have seen some of the YouTube naturals that I follow. They can set their hair and wear it for 3 or four days before needing to re-set. This is a perfect product for them as they will only need to use this once or twice in a wash cycle. Again, I rate this highly, but not for me.
3. Twisted Sista Curl Activator--The directions say you can add this product to wet or dry hair. I used it on damp hair and it worked quite well in helping form my curls. The problem I encountered had nothing to do with the product but with my hair. Curl products cannot produce curls where there are none and in the front of my hair where I have straighter pieces, my hair just didn’t look good. But, this was a good go-to product in an emergency when my regular style failed me. I would pin up the top that doesn’t curl and use the cream to enhance the curls in other areas of my head. This would be perfect for you naturals with more curly hair or with consistent curls around your head. The BIG negative for this product is the packaging and the size. I hate these squeeze bottles because you will never get all of the product out and if you have a lot of hair (as I do), 3.38 fl. oz will not take you far. Unfortunately, they do not sell this product in a larger size. I rate this one as okay, but not for me.
4. Twisted Sista 30 second curl spray--My thoughts for this product are pretty much the same as the Curl Activator. I really see this as the liquid equivalent to the Curl Activator, making it really useful when you don’t have time to get the cream distributed through your hair. A few quick sprays with this and some scrunching and you are ready to go. That is provided you have a natural curl to enhance. I would re-buy this if it came in a larger size, but it is only available in the 5.07 fl oz size. I rate this as useful to have around for emergencies, but not for me.
5. Shea Moisture Organic Coconut & Hibiscus Hold and Shine Moisture Mist-This is a great all around refresh spray to have on hand. I use it when my hair needs a little extra moisture and water is not enough. I use it to slightly wet my hair after I have re-set it. Wet or slightly damp hair sets better as it dries. I use it to spray my hair when I want my natural puffiness to give me some extra volume. It’s such a great all over spray. The only negative is that the bottle gets slippery as you go along, but I keep a hand towel close by to tackle that. I will repurchase this and I highly recommend it for a general use refresher.

The first four items will be retired from my collection, but the Shea Moisture spray will get added to my list of hair favorites. If you haven’t noticed, or if you are reading these posts from your RSS reader, I have added a new page to the blog listing all of my favorite hair products. Even though I did become a product junkie after going natural, I am very brand dependent and once I find a products that works for me consistently, I like to use that product. Even though I am still trying some things out, once I find all the product solutions for me, I am done. I will try new things occasionally, but I am all about have staple products.

So check out my favorites and leave a comment letting me know what you think. What do you thing of my throw-away products above. I would love to hear about your experience especially if these make your list of staples.