White Rain Naturals Shampoo (Apple blossom)

 

Price: I bought a Case 4 years ago for $12, so that’s around $2 a bottle, but I’m sure it can be found for under a buck. ($1)

 

This product is not new, but I couldn’t remember if I ever reviewed it or not, so I’m gonna do it now. LoL! I actually bought this product for DH.. A LOT of this product.. A small case of 6 bottles. Now DH washes his hair whenever and doesn’t have much of it, so this would last him a LIFETIME! I bought it for him because he said when he use to use it, it seemed to be slowing his hair loss and he likes the smell of it. So I hunted and shopped around until I found him a case of it for about $12. This was about 4 years ago, and we still have it. I’ve used it a few times on my hair, but was still listening to the hype that I need a “better” shampoo, so I used it, liked it, but decided to move on..

Until now. I’m back on it and I am happy with it. First thing, the smell is divine! It smells like crisp green apples and has a vibrant green colour to boot. Being in a clear bottle, I must say it all looks rather clean and  well… NATURAL. The bottles are 18 oz bottles and you get so much lather from like a tablespoon of the stuff that it will last the thickest head a year per bottle! It’s not a sulfate free shampoo, but I’m not following curly girl anymore, so that’s fine for now. It doesn’t really have any cones, but does have “nones” at the very end of the ingredient list. It actually contains fruit extracts and (for some reason.) sugarcane extract. I just love when products use actual foods and they are not at the bottom of the list. Now this product was from years ago, so the formula may have changed since I bought it, and probably since DH was buying it. (He was getting that little white bottle it use to come in. I use to love it  in peaches n cream. Smelled YUMMY!) But it works really well. My hair didn’t feel stripped or overly dry, it was soft and fluffy.Which I like in a shampoo.PLUS, no excess shedding after I lathered up.. My hair with the new stuff isn’t really shedding much- Well, THIS week it didn’t, but I’ll post that in another post.

 

This review isn’t gonna be lone, because what to say? It’s a sulfate shampoo that smells like apple scented heaven that DH feels stops hair loss. Simple stuff. :p Will I repurchase this? YES I plan to buy another case if I can find it and maybe I’ll look for the peach as well. Which I will review.. LoL!!

 

What can I say.. The stuff is effective, non drying, and smells wonderful. A keeper..

 

11:11

 

Jen

TRESemme Luxurious Moisture Conditioner (First Impression.)

 

Ingredients: (From Walgreen’s site) Water (Aqua, Eau) , Stearyl Alcohol , Cyclopentasiloxane , Cetyl Alcohol , Stearamidopropyl Dimethylamine Dimethicone , Cyclohexasiloxane , Aspartic Acid , Quaternium-18 , Fragrance (Parfum) , DMDM Hydantoin , Isostearamidopropyl Ethyldimonium Ethosulfate , Citric Acid , PEG-9 , Butylphenyl Methylpropional , Limonene , Disodium EDTA , Amyl Cinnamal , Linalool , Geraniol , Hexyl Cinnamal , Polysorbate 20 , Cocodimonium Hydroxypropyl Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein , Butylene Glycol , Hydrolyzed Keratin , Foeniculum Vulgare Seed Extract (Fennel) , Propylene Glycol , Tocopheryl Acetate , Panthenol , Ascorbic Acid , Epilobium Angustifolium Flower , Leaf , Stem Extract , Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract , Helianthus Annuus Extract (Sunflower) , Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Seed Extract (Sweet Almond) , Corylus Avellana Leaf Extract (Hazel) , Niacinamide , Biotin

From my bottle: (there may be typos.. LoL!) Water, Stearyl Alcohol, Cetyl Alcohol, Cyclopentasiloxane, Stearamidopropyl Dimethylamine, Cyclohexasiloxane, Panthenol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Biotin, Niacinamide, Aspartic Acid, Ascorbic Acid, Dimethicone, Quaternium-18, Behenamidopropyl Dimethylamine, Isostearmidopropyl Ethyldimonium Ethosulfate, PEG-9, Polysorbate 20, Disodium EDTA, DMDM Hydantoin, Fragrance

 

Price: I paid $3.00 for it, but I’m sure it’s cheaper at some places.

 

Seeing the new ingredients this product will be a “no” for me in the future as they have added Hydrolized Wheat protein and protein is NOT my friend. The one I have has less ingredients and no protein, and from what I can feel works pretty good.. The fragrance is pretty nice. It’s kinda fruity, but kinda perfume-y.. I can’t really place exactly what it smells like but the smell isn’t bad. As this is a first impressions, I don’t know how long it lasts on our head, but if it lingered it wouldn’t drive me nuts.  The product is very thick and opaque. I shot video, but I can’t get it to upload it so maybe I’ll stick it on my YouTube channel.

Anyway, it’s very thick, hard to get out of the bottle really and has a lotiony feel to it.. Kinda like Cetaphil (Sp?) lotion. As a matter of fact, it’s a lot like Vo5, but a little bit thicker. (It’s actually made by the same company, so..) And I knew it was something serious when it hit my hair. I kid you not when I say my hair felt soft as soon as the first bit hit it. Now I’m not saying this will LAST, I’m saying with my first impression, this is a great product for my hair. Now tomorrow might tell a different tale. But I used very little and my hair was totally saturated. The bottle was full and I used maybe a 1/4th off the bottle, maybe less. And I was trying to use a lot of product, if nothing else to see if I was using too much Suave and I got way better coverage with this.  The product looks a lot like Knot Today by Kinky Curly. I’ve never opened Knot Today, but from what I’ve seen online and from the bottle it looks a bit like it. Not surpising as lots of Naturalistas have said they’ve used Tresemme Naturals in place of that product. And this bottle is HUGE compaired to that primo stuff. The bottle is 25oz. Their’s is 8oz, BUT KT is natural and cone free and this particular product is cone LADENED!! I mean, from beginning to end with the cones. BUT Tresemme Naturals from what I understand is cone and glycerin free just like KT. So… All I can tell ya is shop around. A good deal might be out there on this one..

 

Anyway, I still have the product in my hair right now, so I’m not sure how it will perform, but I have pretty high hopes for this stuff. I hope I won’t be disappointed. AGAIN.. LoL!

 

I’ll be back with the results!

 

11:11

 

Jen

 

 

 

Product Review!!! Softsoap Mega Moisture Body Wash

  Yep, I’ve tried another body wash by Softsoap in their Body Butter line. This time it is Mega Moisture Body Wash in Heavenly Vanilla.

The Hype: Mega Moisture Body Hydrating Wash

Wanna Add some WOW into your everyday shower? Indulge your skin in Softsoap brand Body butter Mega Moisture Heavenly Vanilla!

Dermotologist tested soap-free formula

Directions: Squeeze a small amount onto a wet body pouf and indulge yourself in the fragrant moisture-rich lather. Gentle enough to use as a shaving lotion.

Ingredients:

• Water
• Sodium Laureth Sulfate
• Glycerin
• Cocamidopropyl Betaine
• Acrylates Copolymer
• Fragrance
• Castoryl Maleate
• DMDM Hydantoin
• Sodium Chloride
• Titanium Dioxide
• Sodium Hydroxide
• Mangifera Indica (Mango) Seed Butter
• Tetrasodium EDTA
• Benzophenone-4
• Linum Usitatissimum (Linseed) Seed Extract
• FD&C Yellow No. 6

OK. Now reality. I’m not really sure what they mean by “soap free formula”. It is  most definitely soap. It has SLS as the second ingredient, so I’m pretty sure I just caught them up in a lie. It does contain the soap alternative cocamidopropyl betaine (coco betaine as we so often call it in the natural hair society.) but the SLS is definitely first and that is SOAP. So I’m not sure what they mean by it’s soap free.

But it’s not all bad. It is pretty moisturizing and it’s really thick, and the smell is HEAVENLY! It smells like Vanilla Fields perfume to me. Like a cross between Vanilly Fields and Suave vanilla conditioner. I mean, your whole bathroom will smell like Vanilla for a little bit. It’s not nauseatingly scented, but it is pretty well scented. I like it. As I’ve mentioned in my review of the Strawberry Smoother,  I have pretty tricky eczema and anything can set it off.. This is kind of a caution product for me. I have noticed some itchiness. Now that doesn’t mean there’s anything particularly wrong with the product, but it did irritate my skin a little. Keeping in mind my skin is really tricky and ANYTHING can set it off. If you have no real skin conditions, I feel you’ll be fine. The product does leave my skin feeling moisturized and it’s nice and thick, which gives you the impression of soft skin and cream, and all that good stuff. Just makes you feel like it’s going to make your skin really soft by using it. It has a silkier texture than the Smoother- which was more of an exfoliating wash. If comparing the two, I actually like the Strawberry Smoother better. But that’s just personal opinion. They both smell wonderful, but I would have enjoyed a more “sweet” smelling vanilla. A “creamy” vanilla would have paired better with the creamy smooth consistancy of this wash.

Alright there you have it. It’s a simple review.

My next review or an up coming review will be on Olay Professionals Pro Clear Complexion Renewing Lotion. I just got a free sample in the mail yesterday and it claims to be for adult acne. Now I don’t know if I have acne or it’s more eczema, but if it IS acne I can’t wait to see what it will do. It actually claims to even out the spots from past break outs and I have some discoloration under my chin that needs clearing up. So, that’s coming up soon.

11:11

Jen

PRODUCT REVIEW!!!

  That’s right! I’m finally trying a new product. I just got a sample of 3 EverSleek products from Loreal. I got the Intense Smoothing Shampoo, the Intense Smoothing Conditioner, and the  Humidity Defying Leave In Cream. Now of these products I didn’t try the shampoo or the conditioner. Iknow. I’m sorry.. BUT I did try the Leave In and honestly it’s not bad. I’m not crazy about the smell of it.. It has that drugstore-y smell to it. Smells kinda like a lotion. But my hair is softer than usual.. BUT!! That may be because of the pre poo I did today for the first time. I have like two bottles of Vo5 moisture milks left and I have to find a way to use them up. So I decided to use them as pre poos. basically I just put them in dirty hair and cover for a while then shampoo as usual.

 

 

But I didn’t use my gel at all. Just coconut oil and the leave in and my hair is pretty much dry now, and it’s still soft and fluffy. Typically I prefer my hair more on the curly side than this fluffy side, well, no. That’s not exactly true. I LOVE big fluffy hair! But I’ve been wearing it curly since I took down my locs. So I guess I’m a little out of my comfort zone. But I’ve been wearing a puff lately, so fluffy hair is nice in a puff. Or in general.  My friggin’ thought process needs some tweaking. LoL! I love our hair I really do. But my hair is weird. It’s odd. It feels like a wig or a weave.. Or DOLL HAIR! Or something, and not in a GOOD way! But today it is pretty good and soft.  As far as purchasing the Leave In? I don’t think I will. For starter it had a hard time soaking into my hair- kinda like the Vo5 does, so why would I use this when my Aussie soaks in much better. AND it smells great. This stuff is kinda getting to me with it’s smell. LoL! For finer haired curlies it may work wonders, but for me.. It’s just meh. Luckily it was a free little sample packet- which is why I didn’t bother trying the rinse out conditioner, and the shampoo has Sodium Hydroxide in it. Tell me all you want it’s just a preservative, why is it only in “smoothing” products? I’d rather not take the chance, thank you.

 

I know this post is brief and I will elaborate, but I have so much to do in so little time. But I shall return.

 

Jen

New Products to try!! Always awesome!! :)

Good or bad, I LOVE having new products to test. And I have my little haul from Walmart last night. Right now I’m sitting here with Suave Captivating Curls conditioner in my hair, letting it work it’s magic with my shower cap on it.. So far, it’s OK. It’s no Aussie Moist, but it’s pretty good for under $2. It has great slip, but not as good as the Aussie. (I FINALLY got my huge bottle with the pump. SO happy right now.)

The hype:

Suave Professionals NEW Captivating Curls Conditioner

Salon proven to define curls as well as Redken

For curly or Wavy Hair

Salon quality hair care system proven to moisturize, control, and define curls as well as Redken Fresh Curls shampoo and conditoner. (I’mma have to stop them there, there is no way in HELL I’m using that sulfate shampoo on my hair.. Well, maybe.. But not on a regular basis. IF I used it, it would be 2-4 times a year.)

Moisturizing conditoner enriched with an anti-frizz complex nourishes and softens curls for frizz control and shine. Apply, rinse.

Up to 2X more curl definition! (Shampoo & Conditioner vs. non conditioning shampoo alone. Which is just stupid. I always hate this with systems. Saying the whole system works better than just a non conditioning shampoo ALONE just seems like you think your customers are idiots- or your product isn’t any better than anyone elses.. But you think we won’t read the fine print. What sucks is it’s on most conditoners and shampoos that boast to be better.. Just plain… STOP it..)

OK, this is part one. The application. As I said, the conditioner has good slip. I had a bit of shedding, but it may not be due to this product. It may be just shedding, as I only detangle once a week.. Plus it wasn’t THAT much shedding.. You know we naturals are paranoid about maintaining length and just making sure we nurture or strands PERIOD. My hair seemed to actually soak up this stuff like NOTHING! So it’s good it’s cheap. I mean I was SLATHERING it on, and it was just disappearing into my hair. I don’t know if that’s good or bad. My hair isn’t very porous, so I don’t know what to tell ya. The bottle still has a lot of conditioner in it. It’s 14.5 oz (428 mL), and I feel it will last a month with weekly use.. Maybe even longer. All in all so far so good. I’d say at this point, it’s worth the $1.78 I paid for it.. Or $1.97.. something like that.

The smell, is typical Suave Professionals. It’s not the Naturals smell. No coconut, no strawberry, no sunshine and farts (Not even sure if THAT’S a good thing. LoL!) .. It’s just Suave smell. I really don’t have an issue with it, but I can’t say it smells “luxurious”. Just smells like conditioner… By Suave.. OK.. It’s thick. Thicker than the Suave Naturals, more like lotion. And there is dimethicone in it.. LOTS of dimethicone. It’s the 3rd ingredient in here, so if you don’t like cones, keep walking cause this stuff is FULL of it!! I didnt’ see that when I bought it, and I actually JUST read how far up on the list it is as I’m writing this! So that’s a fail for me right there, as I exclusively co-wash. Dimethicone has to be shampooed out once it builds up, and I really don’t like to shampoo.. this stuff is like cowashing with Aveeno LOTION! It rinses away (eventually) with water from your hands, but it takes a bit of working.

Here’s your ingredient list:

Water, Cetearyl Alcohol, Dimethicone, Stearamidopropyl Dimethylamine, Behentrimonium Chloride, Fragrance, Dipropylene Glycol, Lactic Acid, Potassium Chloride, Amodimethicone, Disodium EDTA, DMDM Hydantoin, PEG-150 Disterate, PEG-7 Propylheptyl Ether, Cetrimonium Chloride, Hydrolyzed Silk, Silk Amino Acids, Tocopheryl Acetate (Vitamin E), Methylchloroisothiazolinone, Methylisothiazolinone, Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C), Niacinamide.

I’m deep conditioning with it right now and I’m about to rinse it out and see what I’m left with. Normally I leave it in for hours.. But the smell of this is kinda getting to me. Making me a bit nauseous, so I guess 2 hours will do! LoL!!
*******************************

OK. Now I’m all rinsed out and styled. I’m pretty happy with the results, BUT I can’t say if it’s the conditioner OR that I’m getting better with applying my stylers.. BUT, I did notice more curls defined before adding product than normal. So I guess it did define curls. Then again, so does Aussie. LoL! It’s really not a bad product, I will use it up and may buy it again. I am a fan of Suave. All in all, it’s nothing to write home about, but it is good. I’d recommend it to another curly gal out there.

The other product is the Olive Miracle Moisturizing Lotion by African Pride.

 

I like the smell of this product, but you can use it on we hair. I found that out JUST now. I tried to use it like hair milk on wet hair, expecting it to just maybe leave a little with haze that will dry clear… NOTHING DOIN’!! It started running back out of my hair and down my face, so I had to rinse that out. Too many oils I guess. I guess this is a damp hair product at best. Mostly made for use on dry hair. So I guess it fall in the catagory of “finisher” products. I was able to towel dry my hair a little and add a LITTLE bit under my Long Aid. It seems to be working and my hair is really soft. I’m actually thinking this may be a good idea for ALL my products. My hair won’t absorb products wet. They just seem to bead up and sit on top. Especially in the front. But even with the little bit I was able to put in my hair damp, it smell really good.

here are those ingredients: (I think I listed them in another post.. I THINK I’ve pasted that here already. LoL! It gets confusing, all that copying and pasting from days past..)

Water, Soybean Oil, Propylene Glycol, Olive Oil, Shea butter, coconut oil, jojoba oil, avocado oil, Panax Ginseng root Extract, Rosemary Extract, Horsetail extract, Tea Tree Oil, Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil, Steareth-2, Steareth-20, Polyquaternium-37, Propylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate, PPG-1, Dimethicone, DMDM Hydantoin, TBHQ, Methylparaben, Propylparaben, CI19140 (FD&C Yellow #5), Fragrance

This list is looking pretty good to me. I’m no chemist, so I really don’t know what those last ingredients are or what they are for, but the first ingredients sound edible! LoL! Like I can take this stuff and cook with it. There does seem to be a learning curve to using it though. I mean, I KNEW how to use lotions and such, i mean we use to SCRAMBLE to get that Pink Lotion.. But now we know about curl definition and all that crap and I’m still nervous about disturbing my curl pattern and all that. But I don’t know why, cause I’m not a 2b or anything. A catagory 5 HURICANE couldn’t disturb my curl pattern!! It is pretty much set in stone. Still, you know how new naturals are, they want to be as delicate as possible instead of getting all up in there. This hair I don’t really KNOW yet. I mean, I had my last perm April 30, 2005. So I’ve been on the natural path for 6 years.. BUT all those years have been in locs. So I don’t know what to do with my natural CURLS just yet. I’ll get it. Anyway, all in all… I am loving this product so far. Long as I use it on hair AFTER it’s dried. LoL!

Anyway, what else? I’m getting use to the fact that these little things on my head ARE curls and my patch is really growing out and looking more normal… but I have a really big HEAD! LoL! I take pictures of my patch and my hairline is like the size of a football field!! It looks so funny in pictures. That has ALWAYS been a problem of mine. I feel weird about my hairline. It is just so MUCH of it.. I guess I should be happy. I’m not bald.. I have hair to spare.. LoL!

Well, guess I’m done.. For NOW!! Here are some shots of Rebel for the week..

 

 

Ciao!

Jen