December 2015: Hits & Misses

[myronnie]

Miss:
Obia Twist Whip
Dry crispy hair. I used this over Oyin Hair Dew to twist my hair for a twist out. It took 2 days of moisturizing with Annabelles ayurvedic hair cream to restore moisture!

 

[Nightingale]

Hit:

1. the Denman D3 brush. I doubted it would work for wash n go styling, but the results were beautiful. Definition from root to tip, extreme shrinkage but nightly banding cures that.

Today I tried out the Denman D31 (7 row, wide spaced, "freeflow" brush) for my Wash n Go and I loved it more than the D3. The D3 (7 row, narrow pins, usually modified by youtubers) brush gave me smaller, more coiled, high shrinkage clumps; whereas the D31 gives me larger, curlier clumps. The larger clumps makes styling faster which is always a win. HIT!

 

[Neomorph]

Hit: Coconut Oil

Over the years I've been natural I've had a hard time mastering coconut oil while everyone around me seemed to love it. However this month when I rubbed coconut oil on my hands before detangling I finally found a way I could use. It made my detangling much faster with less breakage! I then got the idea to mix it with my favorite oil (Avocado Oil) to be the O step in my L.O.G. (leave-in, oil, gel) method. My hair has been soft and remained moisturized longer so I don't have to play in my hair as much throughout the week.

 

[AgeinATL]

Miss
APB conditioning soufflé DC. It goes on smooth with decent slip. It felt great on the hair but after rinsing, nothing. No softness, no moisture. It was as if I put nothing in my hair at all. I used to love her Mud Mask, but then she changed the formula and it wasn't nearly as good. I am officially done with APB. Nothing really worked for my hair in that line.

Kinky Kashmere DC. Not too keen on the smell. It smells a bit like toothpaste? It has amazing slip. I was able to finger detangle in half the time it normally takes but it didn't offer any moisture of softness after it was rinsed out. I honestly think it is good for those with low porosity hair but if you have course, thick strands (like I do), this may be too light for you.

My new bottles of ST Sorrell kink drink. They are total garbage. I am not sure what she did (or didn't) do to this batch, but it made my hair angry and dry. I am not sure what to do because I have 4 bottles of this batch. I am not sure if this is the new version or what, but I am hesitant to order more. This was an HG product. #pissed

Hit
Shescentit's Coco crème leave-in. MY GOD. This leave-in is absolutely amazing. It softens my hair on contact and makes it so silky and smooth. It is utterly amazing and I hate that I waited so long to try it. I was looking for something lighter and not as oily as my HG Oyin Hair Dew, but still moisturizing. This is IT. Instant staple.

Continued Hits
Shea Moisture 10-in-1 superfruit DC. I already really like this DC but I have been mixing in YAM Nectar and it has taken it to another level.
Oyin Hair Dew. Still my boo. Makes me hair so soft and manageable. I have yet to find a better moisturizer for my hair.
SM JBCO shampoo. I have searched for a staple shampoo for YEARS. This shampoo delivers. It helps with finger detangling, gets just enough gunk off my hair without stripping it and it leaves my hair soft.
TEK brush. So glad that a member was kind enough to send me one. It is amazing. The denman was TERRIBLE for my coils. This one is so much more gentle.

 

[MileHighDiva]

@AgeinATL
I'll have to pull out the SSI Coco Creme LI that I picked up, during BF and give it a whirl.

I picked it up because it has hydrolyzed silk in it.

 

[AgeinATL]

@AgeinATL
I'll have to pull out the SSI Coco Creme LI that I picked up, during BF and give it a whirl.

I picked it up because it has hydrolyzed silk in it.

Girl, go ahead and try it out. I got a bottle during BF as well and I am JUST now using it. If you like to set your hair (flexi, roller, perm) then definitely try it for that. I used it for a curlformers set and my curls are super soft and shiny. Please let me know what you think when you try it.

 

[IDareT'sHair]

Huge Hit:
Jakeala Beau Vert Hair Masque, Hair Oil and Pomade.

@NappyKinks
Agreed!

 

[IDareT'sHair]

Hit:
Soultanicals having 50% off Sale

Miss:
Soultanicals being OOS on everything during their 50% off Sale

 

[PJaye]

Hit:
Soultanicals having 50% off Sale

Miss:
Soultanicals being OOS on everything during their 50% off Sale

She restocked everything at around 1am and then released the sale code sometime after 2am. I waited for it because I had a feeling that it all would be out of stock by the time I logged on this afternoon (and I really wanted a salon sized Knot Butta). When she restocks, she may follow the same procedure.

 

[IDareT'sHair]

Hit:
Shortly after I emailed Ayo, she fully restocked & I fully checked out.

 

[IDareT'sHair]

CONTINUED HIT:
BoBeam's Deep Conditioning Hair Mask

 

[flyygirlll2]

@AgeinATL Thank you for the review on the Kinky Kashmere DC because I was thinking of trying it. Since I do have coarse strands too, I don't want to waste money on something that isn't going to work.

 

[AgeinATL]

@AgeinATL Thank you for the review on the Kinky Kashmere DC because I was thinking of trying it. Since I do have coarse strands too, I don't want to waste money on something that isn't going to work.

You are welcome!! Definitely skip this one if you have course strands. It is way too light in my opinion.

 

[Luxlii]

HIT
SheScentIt Banana Brulee Deep Conditioner. Really great slip and moisture. I am so glad SOMETHING I bought during the holiday works for my hair.

 

[Froreal3]

Miss: Shea Moisture Manuka Honey Conditioner
No slip, no softness, no moisture. Used it as a prepoo WITH oil to detangle and was still struggling.

I agree. I threw mine out a while ago.

 

[ItsMeLilLucky]

Miss:
Trying to figure out why so much of my hair is coming out. There's so many variables..

 

[werenumber2]

I received a sample of Shescentit's Honey Buttercreme moisturizer and it is niiiice. I wish I would've known that before her BF sale!

 

[NaturallyATLPCH]

Sorry the KK DC didn't work for you @AgeinATL . I have mostly fine strands but since I've been taking Beautifully Bamboo Hair Nail and Skin vitamins, I've noticed my hair coming in has gotten thicker. Speaking of hits and misses, I did use this DC after my protein treatment and while it did make my hair soft, it didn't wow me like it did the first two times. So, once I use these jars up, I won't be repurchasing.

 

[NaturallyATLPCH]

Continued Hits:
SheScentIt Okra Reconstructor
Soultanicals Marula Melon

 

[CodeRed]

Ok hit: Joico Moisture Recovery Conditioner

Not as good as the balm but then again most rinse out conditioners are not as good as deep conditioners. I liked it ok but I think I like my Mane 'n Tail better. Will use the Mane 'n Tail and see how it does on 4 month-post hair compared to the Joico.

 

[PJaye]

Huge Hit:

Purchasing a boatload of hair products from countless vendors and having them delivered to friends and family. The excitement and anticipation in their voices is priceless.

 

[MileHighDiva]

Miss:
Trying to figure out why so much of my hair is coming out. There's so many variables..

Do you use heat?

 

[ItsMeLilLucky]

Do you use heat?

I do actually.

 

[MileHighDiva]

I do actually.

Are you using a heat protectant? Not GSO, but a heat protectant.

What DC's do you have in your stash? So, we can recommend one for this weekend.

You have to pick your "poison." Color, heat, or perm/relaxer. Because you're relaxed, I don't recommend any color and limited heat usage.

Hopefully, you can re-neutralize with a color indicator neutralizer, DC and stop the breakage.

For clarification, are you sure it's not shedded hair?

I hate sheds and breakage! However, shedding is a natural process.

 

[ItsMeLilLucky]

Are you using a heat protectant? Not GSO, but a heat protectant. Yes, I use 2: Smooth and Shine Foaming Wrap Lotion w/Silk Protein and Silk Element's Heat Protection Creme
What DC's do you have in your stash? So, we can recommend one for this weekend. I have Naturelle Grow Marshmallow Root and Cinnamon Moisturizing Deep Conditioner and The Original Silicone Mix
You have to pick your "poison." Color, heat, or perm/relaxer. Because you're relaxed, I don't recommend any color and limited heat usage.

Hopefully, you can re-neutralize with a color indicator neutralizer, DC and stop the breakage.

For clarification, are you sure it's not shedded hair?

I hate sheds and breakage! However, shedding is a natural process.

 

[MileHighDiva]

@whosthatcurl
I don't have hands on experience with those two DCs. Hopefully, someone else can help.

I hope you narrow the cause down and get back on track.

 

[ItsMeLilLucky]

@MileHighDiva I'm actually not sure if it's shedding or breakage since there's a mixture of long and short strands with no noticeable white bulbs. I did have a routine of weekly washing, conditioning, protein treatment (Aphogee 2-step) and deep-conditioning with the Naturelle Grow under a plastic bag while using my bonnet dryer for 15 mins, then I rinsed and t-shirt dried for 15 mins before applying my heat protectants and proceeding to heat style. I barely lost any strands for the whole duration of time I had that routine. But then one week I didn't feel like doing the whole shebang and the next 2 weeks I couldn't do it because I got a bad mani and had to wait for my cuticles to heal.

 

[MileHighDiva]

@whosthatcurl, when your cuticles are healed can you do your routine? Minus the 2-step, that's a lot of protein on a weekly basis.

 

[ItsMeLilLucky]

They're healed now, but now I'm sick lol smh.

@whosthatcurl, when your cuticles are healed can you do your routine? Minus the 2-step, that's a lot of protein on a weekly basis.

 

[PJaye]

They're healed now, but now I'm sick lol smh.

If it ain't one thing, it's another. Ain't life a beach?

Your experiences reminds me of an episode that occurred almost two years ago where I was successfully applying light protein treatments with seemingly no ill effects. I would regularly pre-poo and detangle with SSI Okra or Aphogee 2-Minute before DCing. These two conditioners felt so nice and produced so much softness. I also had minimal breakage and shedding, and healthy, thriving hair. Things were great! Then, approximately 12 weeks into this routine, my DCs stopped working. My hair began to feel rough and refused to hold on to moisture, in addition to breaking and shedding like a mugg. I was...perplexed. Wasn't I taking care of you properly? Weren't you thriving? Wus this? Instead of panicking and applying a hard protein treatment, I decided to err on the side of moisture. So, I pre-pooed with a protein-free, highly moisturizing DC on dry hair. I added a bleep-load of oils to it beforehand. I let this sit for several hours before rinsing, and was rewarded with...slightly less rough hair and minimal breakage. I wrongly followed up with a DC that had a low level of protein and ended up in boa constrictor city. Now, I finally had my answer. So, the next few washes contained nothing but highly emollient pre-poos and protein-free DCs. In the end, my hair returned to normal.

I wrote all of that to suggest that perhaps your hair may be rebelling from protein usage. And, while the NG DC is amazing (I have the Herbal on my hair as I'm typing), you may need something richer and more emollient to push you back into the balanced zone. That is, once you're no longer sick and ailing. And, feel better BTW.