westNDNbeauty
Well-Known Member
Taken from Confessions of a Blog Vixen: PRODUCT REVIEW: Huetiful Steamer
I've had my Huetiful Steamer for a full 6 months. I purchased my unit July 2010. I waited this long before writing a review because I wanted to be as thorough as possible, especially when considering its price tag.
Price - $114 (w/ facial attachment)
Where to Buy - www.behuetiful.com
Product Claims-
The Mechanics: The device came well packaged. Putting the device together was slightly confusing as the pictured instructions were not as straight forward as I'd hoped. After adding water, the heating element heated up very quickly and within 4 minutes, there was full on steam piping from the steamer.
Some may ask, "If you were successful after steaming with oil, why don't you steam with oil before straightening?" The reason I would avoid steaming in that manner is because I am not sure whether or not the 'successful' steam is as a result of oiled hair masking the fact that it may not be properly moisturized. Also, when straightening, I try to avoid the use of too many products. Adding oils will lead to a straightening job that is weighted down and not-so-silky.
After many trials with the Huetiful steamer I decided to go back to deep conditioning overnight prior to straightening (as well as regularly). I must say, no conditioning compares to overnight deep conditioning...not even steaming.
I've had my Huetiful Steamer for a full 6 months. I purchased my unit July 2010. I waited this long before writing a review because I wanted to be as thorough as possible, especially when considering its price tag.
Price - $114 (w/ facial attachment)
Where to Buy - www.behuetiful.com
Product Claims-
- Restores moisture to your dry hair 5x better than deep conditioners or hair treatments alone
- Opens up your hair cuticle to allow your conditioners and hair treatments to work more effectively
- Bathes your hair follicle with warm, ionized mist to replenish moisture lost from chemical or heat treatments
- Reduces future breakage and split ends caused by dry hair
- In colder months, keeps weather-dried hair moisturized and strong
- One year replacement warranty
The Mechanics: The device came well packaged. Putting the device together was slightly confusing as the pictured instructions were not as straight forward as I'd hoped. After adding water, the heating element heated up very quickly and within 4 minutes, there was full on steam piping from the steamer.
Now, actually sitting under the steamer is a little work. The dome is very shallow. The top of my head received the most steam while the back of my head shivered in cold steamlessness. To ensure all parts of my hair were equally steamed, I had to turn around and straddle my chair.
Months 1-3: When I first received the steamer, I steamed every week, once a week. The very first time I steamed, there was a noticeable difference in my hair. I remember raving to my friend about how thick my strands felt and how my hair appeared darker in color. Amazing outcomes! Those results lasted the first 2 weeks of steaming. Since then, I've been trying to duplicate those results every time I steamed. After so many tries, I decided the seemingly thicker and darker hair was not going to reappear. I was a little disappointed. I figured my hair acclimated to using the steamer.
I wanted to put the steamer to the ULTIMATE TEST. Huetiful claims to work 5x better than deep conditioning alone. After an e-mail discussion with the owner of the company here in Atlanta, he himself confirmed this. He independently watched my Flat Ironing Tutorial and noticed that I slept with a moisturizing deep conditioner prior to flat ironing my hair. He told me that the Huetiful steamer will eliminate that extra step of sleeping with the conditioner overnight.. I decided to test the claim.
Instead of sleeping with my conditioner, I steamed for 40 minutes with the conditioner I typically use when in search of loads of moisture, Silk Elements Megasilk Moisturizing Treatment The steamer is programmed to shut off when the water reservoir levels become low; that usually occurs after 20 minutes. I refilled my reservoir once after the first shut off for a total of 40 minutes of steaming. I proceeded to straighten my hair in my typical manner.
I was not impressed. My hair required 3-4 passes and was very puffy after. This result negates the claim of conditioning 5x better than conditioner alone. If you follow this blog, you probably have read My Journey to Perfectly Flat Ironed Natural Hair and know that MOISTURE is the big difference in having silky, easily straightened hair or puffy, heat damaged-prone hair.
Months 4-6: After realizing the claim of 5x the moisture was not evident, I continued to try. I attempted flat ironing again. This time, not only did I spend 40 minutes under the steamer, but I also left the conditioner in for an additional 2 hours after steaming hoping that the extra time may somehow work magic. #FAIL. The results were the same as when I steamed for 40 minutes. I gave up.
By pure coincidence I created a concoction of Curls Ecstacy and added Castor Oil and Jojoba Oil to the mix and sat under the steamer. I'd use the Curls Ecstacy twice before (once by itself w/steam, the second time mixed with castor oil w/o steam), but this time it was different. My hair felt like butter. I tried this again using a different conditioner but still adding the oils. BUTTER again!
I figured it out. Huetiful works best when there are oils involved.
After figuring out this little piece of info, I took a look at the Intense Hydrating Masque that was being marketed to be sold as a system with the Huetiful steamer. One of the first 3 ingredients in their new conditioner is not water, but Moringa OIL. An OIL! Yes OIL! Knowing that water moisturizes and oil seals, make of this tidbit of information what you wish.
Bottom Line: For noticeable results, the Huetiful steamer works best when oils are added. This may be true with the use of any steamer, but I question whether or not the felt effects after steaming with an oil is false. I question whether or not that BUTTER feeling is a a result of true moisture or just oiled hair. The point is, I used moisture/water-based conditioners consistently to steam and he results were nothing to write home about. Why? Shouldn't this device increase the potency of conditioners I use now in its raw form without the addition of anything?Months 1-3: When I first received the steamer, I steamed every week, once a week. The very first time I steamed, there was a noticeable difference in my hair. I remember raving to my friend about how thick my strands felt and how my hair appeared darker in color. Amazing outcomes! Those results lasted the first 2 weeks of steaming. Since then, I've been trying to duplicate those results every time I steamed. After so many tries, I decided the seemingly thicker and darker hair was not going to reappear. I was a little disappointed. I figured my hair acclimated to using the steamer.
I wanted to put the steamer to the ULTIMATE TEST. Huetiful claims to work 5x better than deep conditioning alone. After an e-mail discussion with the owner of the company here in Atlanta, he himself confirmed this. He independently watched my Flat Ironing Tutorial and noticed that I slept with a moisturizing deep conditioner prior to flat ironing my hair. He told me that the Huetiful steamer will eliminate that extra step of sleeping with the conditioner overnight.. I decided to test the claim.
Instead of sleeping with my conditioner, I steamed for 40 minutes with the conditioner I typically use when in search of loads of moisture, Silk Elements Megasilk Moisturizing Treatment The steamer is programmed to shut off when the water reservoir levels become low; that usually occurs after 20 minutes. I refilled my reservoir once after the first shut off for a total of 40 minutes of steaming. I proceeded to straighten my hair in my typical manner.
I was not impressed. My hair required 3-4 passes and was very puffy after. This result negates the claim of conditioning 5x better than conditioner alone. If you follow this blog, you probably have read My Journey to Perfectly Flat Ironed Natural Hair and know that MOISTURE is the big difference in having silky, easily straightened hair or puffy, heat damaged-prone hair.
Months 4-6: After realizing the claim of 5x the moisture was not evident, I continued to try. I attempted flat ironing again. This time, not only did I spend 40 minutes under the steamer, but I also left the conditioner in for an additional 2 hours after steaming hoping that the extra time may somehow work magic. #FAIL. The results were the same as when I steamed for 40 minutes. I gave up.
By pure coincidence I created a concoction of Curls Ecstacy and added Castor Oil and Jojoba Oil to the mix and sat under the steamer. I'd use the Curls Ecstacy twice before (once by itself w/steam, the second time mixed with castor oil w/o steam), but this time it was different. My hair felt like butter. I tried this again using a different conditioner but still adding the oils. BUTTER again!
I figured it out. Huetiful works best when there are oils involved.
After figuring out this little piece of info, I took a look at the Intense Hydrating Masque that was being marketed to be sold as a system with the Huetiful steamer. One of the first 3 ingredients in their new conditioner is not water, but Moringa OIL. An OIL! Yes OIL! Knowing that water moisturizes and oil seals, make of this tidbit of information what you wish.
Some may ask, "If you were successful after steaming with oil, why don't you steam with oil before straightening?" The reason I would avoid steaming in that manner is because I am not sure whether or not the 'successful' steam is as a result of oiled hair masking the fact that it may not be properly moisturized. Also, when straightening, I try to avoid the use of too many products. Adding oils will lead to a straightening job that is weighted down and not-so-silky.
After many trials with the Huetiful steamer I decided to go back to deep conditioning overnight prior to straightening (as well as regularly). I must say, no conditioning compares to overnight deep conditioning...not even steaming.
For those of you with steamers, have you experimented with oils? Have you noticed a difference?
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I have been doing my own research and the real key is saa and moisture. You don't need a stylist for that. Im actually reading some papers on saa now. Maybe we can come up with our own version of it on the LHCF...
