Hi guys! I know I am a little late on this thread, but I have tried this product, too, as well as the sahara clay, and I feel that since I learn so much from you guys I should share my experiences as well
I have used it three times as a natural a few months ago, all applications within about 2 months time. The first time I did not follow up with the sahara clay, as everyone else noticed the process can be quite time consuming...
but the next two applications I did use the clay afterwards. Basically, I agree with what everyone else said -- if you are looking for straightening, or even true texturizing, then look elsewhere. This product does define your kinks and make them sort of clump together in a more curly, less frizzy sort of way, but for me it wasn't enough of a difference to affect the way I was able to style my hair -- I also felt that it air-dried more curly-kinky for a while, but after a few weeks it seemed to regain some of its previous frizz. Plus, I felt that certain sections of my head never did get curly in the first place, even though my head was saturated with the product for at least 2 hours under a hood dryer and then slept in it under a warm towel each time (it could be because I only used one pack each time, and not two -- by the way I have fine, kinky 4a with no defined curls except in the crown of my head, and a little head at that -- I never even THOUGHT about using two packets)!
One thing that is probably worth mentioning is a word of advice -- make sure that you actually do the allergy test, since this is a herbal product that is not really encountered by our American skin (it's a primarily African plant, I think). I didn't, but I noticed that I was slightly itchy around my neck, shoulders, and just itchy in general for DAYS after rinsing this product out of my hair in the shower (it DOES take a lot of rinsing...) I also noticed -- and ladies, I tell you this ONLY because I must tell it like it is (and cause I didn't put MY picture in my avatar so ya'll can't run into me on the street and laugh!) -- but one fairly long curly hair (like, 1.5 inches when stretched) grew from my neck under my chin not once but TWICE after two of my three treatments!
erplexed This has NEVER happened to me before, and hasn't since I stopped using the treatment, so I would put money on the fact that my body had some weird reactions to this product...
One other thing I want to stress, though -- it IS an excellent conditioning treatment, you can honestly FEEL your hair is stronger for weeks after this treatment. And this is coming from ME, the one who takes her fine kinks to a salon for a trim and a blowout and needs another trim by the time I get home!
So, I have one pack left of the natural relaxer and the clay, and before I color my hair blonde at the end of this summer (I plan on going for the gold, literally, at a salon using Aveda professional color before I completely relocate to Miami!) I will do another treatment of this stuff despite the possible side effects! I know, I know, what a girl won't do for her hair!
And I promise I won't buy it anymore...