Dark and Lovely Au Naturale Anti-Shrinkage - A different take

[Cherokee-n-Black]

Update with Pic: Dark and Lovely Au Naturale Anti-Shrinkage

OK, fellow ingredient snobs...you KNOW who you are! (and if you commented in that previous Dark and Lovely Au Naturale thread--this means YOU! )
Now, notice I said "fellow." I AM an unabashed ingredient snob, which is funny, because when I had a relaxer, I did not discriminate! Mineral oil, beeswax, paraben, alcohol, you name it! If it worked, I used it! (now I was very anti-sulfate even then, because I did learn that sodium lauryl sulfate was sent here straight from hell by the devil--tore my hair UP!) Now that I'm 100% natural, life and hair care is not so simple, so yes I have become an avid label reader!

So, of course, you know I was bypassing some Dark and Lovely in ye olde drugstore. Well, we're headed to the beach, I was dangerously low on supply of my regular co-washes and needed something cheap, readily available and in large supply because we swim pretty much every day. So I checked for CG friendliness, it passed, and I grabbed a bottle of their Anti-Shrinkage cleansing conditioner. Tested it out last night and Oh. My. God. Becky? My hair! I'm talking, tangle free! My hair just said "I'm sorry, what? Yes, conditioner, I'll cooperate." And my hair is anything but cooperative! Virtually 0 shed hair. My hair felt so smooth--and it has not felt smooth since about year one of my transition!

I did not need a single other product to "condition" my hair. I thought about doing another conditioner, and then said, "no." Well, at about $7 a pop on sale at Rite Aid, I went a little nuts and went back to buy pretty much the rest of the line (except the pudding and coil stuff--still snobbin' on that) reviews to follow. But yo...that Cleansing Conditioner, you just may want to give it a try.

I'm talking HG, ya'll...

 

[Cherokee-n-Black]

OK, so I tried more products in the line--I have to say, I'm pretty impressed. By far the cleansing conditioner is the star of the show, but while we were at the beach and swimming in the salt water, I, my niece, and my daughter all used the sulfate free shampoo and Knot-out conditioner with darn good results. Not as cooperation-inducing as the conditioning cleanser, but close. I finally did pick up the creme glaze (the pinkish peach colored tub of stuff). Not really a fan. BUT the 10 in 1 gelee gave me some poppin' curls! Now, is any of it "anti-shrinkage?" Nah. I'm a 4-ish 3c so I have about 60% shrinkage and it seems to actually be getting worse the longer my hair gets. These products work about the same as all my other products that define my curls--which is not to say that it's bad. So I actually do think the products are worth a look, despite the cheapie ingredients. When I tell you more than one naturally organical shea butter exotic oil laden product has resulted in a hot mess on my head, it's more than a notion! So, if you're in the market, I say try them. I'm glad I did.

 

[Cherokee-n-Black]

Annnnd finally, I'm getting some pretty awesome second day hair here, today. So...I'm gonna go ahead and say that the gelee is pretty much the bomb. (sorry for the bad lighting )

 

[juliehp]

Based on your review, I'll give it a try...

 

[Texasdymond]

I'll try it if a 4c-ish person gives it a thumbs up. But thanks for the review OP.