Dominican Product Descriptions and Uses

[rawsilk]

I was about to order Alter Ego and/or Salerm from Amazon. Then I started looking for a local BSS where I could just browse e.g., for Baba de Caracol, Cinnamon Conditioner, etc. and realized, if I go in the store like this (i.e., not really knowing what I want), I will drop a ridiculous amount of money on products that may/may not be what I want. So, I started looking for a complete description list. I saw the following list of translated names that liljoy provided a couple of years ago (thank you!) but I really wanted to see if there is a list out there with more than the names of the products -- something that includes intended uses (e.g., for dry hair, for hair fall, for weak/split ends, as a protein conditioner, can be used as a leave-in, for use after hard protein treatments, etc.) If it's already out there, can somebody please reply by posting a link? If not, a toda dominican hairnistas: can you provide a list? Please feel free to also include reviews re popularity/frequency of use in salons, thoughts re how you personally liked the product, best place to buy it online, suggestions re how to use (e.g., under dryer, a pre-poo, etc.) Again, I think that it would be helpful to have something that is pretty comprehensive -- not just single reviews on single products. Are there any Dominican Hair stylists on here?

Here's what Liljoy posted in 2010:

Esperma de ballena( whale sperm) yes I know.. (but what's it used for?)
La bomba ( the bomb) it is the bomb, lol (why?)
Baba de caracol (can't even translate) intense treatment. (have seen this for years but have never known what it does?)
Colesterol( cholesterol)
Canela y sabila( cinnamon and aloe vere) (Hair fall?)
Crece pelo ( grow hair) is great for hair growth)
Silicon mix ( mix silicone) (moisturizer?)
Gusano de seda ( silk worm) one of my favorites. (why? for what?)
Emergencies ( emergency) deep deep treatment, great.
Dr. Cabello (hair doctor) (for scalp?)
Toque magico ( magic touch) really good. (para que?)
Lacio lacio ( straight straight) great if u gonna flat iron it.
Kerastase ( not translation) really good
Alopecil ( really good for people dealing with alopecia)
Miel y almanacs ( honey and almonds) super. (moisturizer?)
Suela y canela ( cinnamon and suela) really good (hair fall?)

 

[Saludable84]

I was about to order Alter Ego and/or Salerm from Amazon. Then I started looking for a local BSS where I could just browse e.g., for Baba de Caracol, Cinnamon Conditioner, etc. and realized, if I go in the store like this (i.e., not really knowing what I want), I will drop a ridiculous amount of money on products that may/may not be what I want. So, I started looking for a complete description list. I saw the following list of translated names that liljoy provided a couple of years ago (thank you!) but I really wanted to see if there is a list out there with more than the names of the products -- something that includes intended uses (e.g., for dry hair, for hair fall, for weak/split ends, as a protein conditioner, can be used as a leave-in, for use after hard protein treatments, etc.) If it's already out there, can somebody please reply by posting a link? If not, a toda dominican hairnistas: can you provide a list? Please feel free to also include reviews re popularity/frequency of use in salons, thoughts re how you personally liked the product, best place to buy it online, suggestions re how to use (e.g., under dryer, a pre-poo, etc.) Again, I think that it would be helpful to have something that is pretty comprehensive -- not just single reviews on single products. Are there any Dominican Hair stylists on here? Here's what Liljoy posted in 2010: Esperma de ballena( whale sperm) yes I know.. (but what's it used for?) La bomba ( the bomb) it is the bomb, lol (why?) Baba de caracol (can't even translate) intense treatment. (have seen this for years but have never known what it does?) Colesterol( cholesterol) Canela y sabila( cinnamon and aloe vere) (Hair fall?) Crece pelo ( grow hair) is great for hair growth) Silicon mix ( mix silicone) (moisturizer?) Gusano de seda ( silk worm) one of my favorites. (why? for what?) Emergencies ( emergency) deep deep treatment, great. Dr. Cabello (hair doctor) (for scalp?) Toque magico ( magic touch) really good. (para que?) Lacio lacio ( straight straight) great if u gonna flat iron it. Kerastase ( not translation) really good Alopecil ( really good for people dealing with alopecia) Miel y almanacs ( honey and almonds) super. (moisturizer?) Suela y canela ( cinnamon and suela) really good (hair fall?)

As a generalization, most Dominican products cater to dry, damaged and chemically processed hair.

Sadly, while going to the salon and I have tried probably all of those products and they never did much for me as I don't find them to be quality products but quantity products.

Kerastase is the only exception. That stuff is quality.

Sent from my iPhone using LHCF

 

[Holla]

I love Dominican products! I went to DR twice this year and STOCKED UP on stuff. Bought so many conditioners.

Alter Ego is Italian not Dominican.

For MY hair (4b, natural, highlighted, low porosity, mixed density),

I love Baba de Caracol, Dr. Cabello, and Silicon Mix. They provide me with slip, deep conditioning and softer hair. Crece pelo and and Pelo Chino were ok. I didnt like 10en1, Emergencia, Toque Magico, la Plancha. They just didn't do anything for my hair. Not sure what to do with them now.

As a brand, Dr. Cabello is the best IMO. Their leave in is amazing for MY hair! The regular conditioner is not silicone heavy so I like that I can baggie with it without causing a lot of buildup. I like their leave in better than lacio lacio.

I'll say this ....conditioners in DR are WAY CHEAPER than in the US. I bought huge jars in DR for 1/3 the cost of what it sells for in NYC. The conditioners I listed is like their Pantene. They are widely available, cheap and sold in regular supermarkets. If anyone vacations in DR, they should take a cab to a supermarket to get conditioners.

 

[danysedai]

Esperma de ballena( whale sperm) yes I know.. (but what's it used for?)

Actually it is from sperm whales, and like this thread stated, most probably synthetic.And, esperma in spanish also means wax.

http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showthread.php?t=584345

and on this definition of spermaceti
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spermaceti


La bomba ( the bomb) it is the bomb, lol (why?). As far as I've read (and I hope some dominican members will chime in, a bomba is a treatment you do at home by mixing several deep conditioners plus a vial (ampolla/ampolleta) and oils. there are bombas nutritivas for example where you mix a moisturizing conditioner and add olive oil, avocado oil, aloe, etc. The brand capitalized on that. Your best bet is to look at the ingredients.

Baba de caracol (can't even translate) intense treatment. (have seen this for years but have never known what it does?) I have seen the use of snail slime in skin products and from a brief internet search it appears to have proteins rich in hyaluronic acids and antioxidants and that many Korean skin care brands use it. You would have to search for what properties it has for hair

I have used Lacio Lacio over the years and it is an excellent leave in.

For the rest of your list I would recommend that you search online for the specific ingredients.

Edited to add from an old thread, post by NJoy

"Some time ago, I ran across a thread that attempted to de-mystify the concoctions mixed at Dominican salons. Thought I'd share what I found:



There are certain ingredients that Dominicanas tend to associate with and prescribe for certain hair problems. Often, these "associations" inform their special conditioner mixes. Here are some of the ones I know of:



Dryness/Lack of Softness: Avocado, Olive Oil, Aloe Vera, Coconut, Silk (usually worm), Jojoba



Shedding (otherwise refered to as "falling hair")and Growth: Garlic, Wheat Germ, Cinnamon, Rosemary



Dullness: Silicone, Honey, Olive Oil, Strawberry, Placenta, Coconut, Jojoba, Almond



Strength: Lecithin, Egg, Milk, Collagen, Placenta, Whale Sperm



So what they usually do is:



1. identify the problem/s

2. find a conditioner formula (or several) with ingredients that target the problem/s, to use as a "base" for the whole formula

3. mix them all up with oils, and some natural ingredients to make special formulas all their own.



Some salons even sell them as a special treatment - you've seen them...it comes out of a big vat by the sink marked "treatment" with a sharpie, and it's almost always some greenish hue. :haha:



Anyway - I digress...



So a person who wanted to correct weak, dull hair might find their Dom. stylist mixing up a formula that contained: Lecithin, Olive Oil, Collagen, Silicone, and Coconut. To do this they might choose the actual ingredient (aloe vera gel from the plant, coconut milk, EEVO, cow or goat's milk, liquid lecithin) or a conditioner with that ingredient already in it, or some combination of the two.



They almost always add a bit of plain Olive Oil to the mix as well as it helps emulsify whatever you're concocting. They'll add other ingredients in the form of their essential oil sometimes too. Cinnamon oil, or Rosemary oil for instance. They also sometimes add "essences" - water based extracts of herbs like Rosemary. Sometimes too, they add plain old water, to loosen things up a bit.



So there is some method to the madness. Now that you know what some of the common uses are, get creative and become Dominican conditioner making aficionados!"

 

[tuffCOOKiE]

Is Kerastase Dominican?

 

[danysedai]

Is Kerastase Dominican?

Kerastase is French, made by L'Oreal. I'm a huge fan of some of their products, very bad for my pockets but awesome on my hair.

 

[ronie]

I believe kerastase to be a french product line. They are very expensive products, and they are not always worth the price. My favorite products:

masquintense for thick hair- a very thick and concentrated moisturizing DC. IT smells amazing, and it does not need a lot of times to work. 5-10 mns is all you need.

masque nutrithermique- same as above, but it needs the use of heat to lock in the treatment. I use this before blow drying or flat ironing.

nectar thermique- moisturizing leave in and a heat protectant

ciment thermique- a strengthening leave in and heat protectant
I combine the last 2 in a half-half cream before blow drying

bain de force shampoo- strengthening shampoo; it has sulfate but does not seem to overydry the hair. I don't use it often so i am not sure of the longtime use effect

serum oleo relax- heat protectant serum which smells great. It does not weigh down the hair, and it gives great shine.

elixir ultime- excellent multi purpose serum. It is cone based, but it has argan oil, and 2 other precious oils ( can't remember which). You can use as a pre treatment, leave in, and a finishing serum. It softens the hair, and leaves it very shiny. It also smells great.

I have many more kerastase products, but these are the only one i still use on occasion ( i mainly use natural handmade products now). Their products, are very perfumy, full of cones, and parabens, but my hair loves the ones in my stash right now. I have tons of samples from purchasing from the kerastase website. You get free samples with each purchase. Let me know if you'd like to try some.

 

[SouthernScienceNerd]

I use Crece Pelo and Universal La Bomba as a base for henna/ ayurvedic glosses biweekly. They leave my hair soft, shiny, and strong. I like dominican products because I feel they are made for textured hair unlike many of the other products readily available in the US market.

 

[CodeRed]

I've tried Crece Pelo and K Organic Keratin (not on this list). Crece Pelo was ok, great with grapeseed oil added. I'd buy it again only because I can go to the BSS and get 56 oz for $24 or I can order it online for cheaper... That's a lot of product when I add oil to each application. K Organic doesn't seem widely known but I like it. It made my hair stronger with a touch of softness and doesn't need anything added to it. It was the same price as the Crece Pelo at the BSS.

 

[Saludable84]

Baba de Caracol= drool of snail.

Sent from my iPhone using LHCF

 

[rawsilk]

Hadn't thought of purchasing onsite! But hey, instead of Cancun or Jamaica, maybe I will opt for DR as our vaca spot this year -- dual purpose for sure. I remember that I had an aunt and uncle who retired there when I was a kid -- she was about 40ish when they left. When they came back to the states years later, her hair was past classic length -- she attributed it to the way that they did relaxers in sections and the use of crushed eggplant masques. Everyone else thought she was nuts but I made a mental note of her hair. Years later, the DR hair treatments are all the rage. Anyway, long way of saying: thanks, hadn't really thought about visiting in years.

I love Dominican products! I went to DR twice this year and STOCKED UP on stuff. Bought so many conditioners.

Alter Ego is Italian not Dominican.

For MY hair (4b, natural, highlighted, low porosity, mixed density),

I love Baba de Caracol, Dr. Cabello, and Silicon Mix. They provide me with slip, deep conditioning and softer hair. Crece pelo and and Pelo Chino were ok. I didnt like 10en1, Emergencia, Toque Magico, la Plancha. They just didn't do anything for my hair. Not sure what to do with them now.

As a brand, Dr. Cabello is the best IMO. Their leave in is amazing for MY hair! The regular conditioner is not silicone heavy so I like that I can baggie with it without causing a lot of buildup. I like their leave in better than lacio lacio.

I'll say this ....conditioners in DR are WAY CHEAPER than in the US. I bought huge jars in DR for 1/3 the cost of what it sells for in NYC. The conditioners I listed is like their Pantene. They are widely available, cheap and sold in regular supermarkets. If anyone vacations in DR, they should take a cab to a supermarket to get conditioners.

 

[rawsilk]

Thanks for the great list of properties! Wish I could find a Dominican stylist in Georgia who did the specialty mixes. I remember that when I was in DC and NYC, they always had a "secret stash" or "batch" of the ish that would get your hair right! LOL Here, I think they are taking advantage of the brand/reputation of just being Dominican -- using pre-packaged products and hella hot blow outs. I've yet to find a great salon like the ones up North (where competition is greater). That's why I started doing my own hair.

Esperma de ballena( whale sperm) yes I know.. (but what's it used for?)

Actually it is from sperm whales, and like this thread stated, most probably synthetic.And, esperma in spanish also means wax.

http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showthread.php?t=584345

and on this definition of spermaceti
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spermaceti


La bomba ( the bomb) it is the bomb, lol (why?). As far as I've read (and I hope some dominican members will chime in, a bomba is a treatment you do at home by mixing several deep conditioners plus a vial (ampolla/ampolleta) and oils. there are bombas nutritivas for example where you mix a moisturizing conditioner and add olive oil, avocado oil, aloe, etc. The brand capitalized on that. Your best bet is to look at the ingredients.

Baba de caracol (can't even translate) intense treatment. (have seen this for years but have never known what it does?) I have seen the use of snail slime in skin products and from a brief internet search it appears to have proteins rich in hyaluronic acids and antioxidants and that many Korean skin care brands use it. You would have to search for what properties it has for hair

I have used Lacio Lacio over the years and it is an excellent leave in.

For the rest of your list I would recommend that you search online for the specific ingredients.

Edited to add from an old thread, post by NJoy

"Some time ago, I ran across a thread that attempted to de-mystify the concoctions mixed at Dominican salons. Thought I'd share what I found:



There are certain ingredients that Dominicanas tend to associate with and prescribe for certain hair problems. Often, these "associations" inform their special conditioner mixes. Here are some of the ones I know of:



Dryness/Lack of Softness: Avocado, Olive Oil, Aloe Vera, Coconut, Silk (usually worm), Jojoba



Shedding (otherwise refered to as "falling hair")and Growth: Garlic, Wheat Germ, Cinnamon, Rosemary



Dullness: Silicone, Honey, Olive Oil, Strawberry, Placenta, Coconut, Jojoba, Almond



Strength: Lecithin, Egg, Milk, Collagen, Placenta, Whale Sperm



So what they usually do is:



1. identify the problem/s

2. find a conditioner formula (or several) with ingredients that target the problem/s, to use as a "base" for the whole formula

3. mix them all up with oils, and some natural ingredients to make special formulas all their own.



Some salons even sell them as a special treatment - you've seen them...it comes out of a big vat by the sink marked "treatment" with a sharpie, and it's almost always some greenish hue. :haha:



Anyway - I digress...



So a person who wanted to correct weak, dull hair might find their Dom. stylist mixing up a formula that contained: Lecithin, Olive Oil, Collagen, Silicone, and Coconut. To do this they might choose the actual ingredient (aloe vera gel from the plant, coconut milk, EEVO, cow or goat's milk, liquid lecithin) or a conditioner with that ingredient already in it, or some combination of the two.



They almost always add a bit of plain Olive Oil to the mix as well as it helps emulsify whatever you're concocting. They'll add other ingredients in the form of their essential oil sometimes too. Cinnamon oil, or Rosemary oil for instance. They also sometimes add "essences" - water based extracts of herbs like Rosemary. Sometimes too, they add plain old water, to loosen things up a bit.



So there is some method to the madness. Now that you know what some of the common uses are, get creative and become Dominican conditioner making aficionados!"

 

[rawsilk]

The person who posted the original list that I copied was just listing products that are regularly used in Dominican Salons like Alter Ego (Italy) and Salerm (Spain). I was just trying to figure out their method for determining what to use and when -- I don't really care about the origin.

Is Kerastase Dominican?

 

[rawsilk]

Thanks for the feedback but I really think it depends on the salon -- if you ever go to the type of salon described above where they mix the stuff up for you by the sink, get something that has to be kept in glass bottle from the back room and presumably do a little Santeria (just kidding) -- girl ?!?! You will be amazed. I agree that the sub-par and regular salons use cheapo products and their techniques are damaging. But the good ones ... ? Whole other experience.

As a generalization, most Dominican products cater to dry, damaged and chemically processed hair.

Sadly, while going to the salon and I have tried probably all of those products and they never did much for me as I don't find them to be quality products but quantity products.

Kerastase is the only exception. That stuff is quality.

Sent from my iPhone using LHCF