In Criticism of Giovanni Direct Leave-In

[Zsazsa6275]

I use it on my hair when it's curly. When I first tried it, it was just so-so. I tried it again and it was great. I use it normally on shampoo days on dripping wet hair with butter and castor oil. It's been fine for me.

There's only one way to find out if it will work for you. Everything is not going to work for everyone. Give it a try and see how you feel.

 

[hothair]

my hair's coloured and about 10-20% texlaxed it Looooves Giovanni (but then my hair loves protein) - I initially had a problem with it but i guess I was using too much not anymore...

 

[shadylane21]

I had this problem when I applied it to dry hair but when I used it on wet hair it was love! I now use it only on wet hair.

 

[caramelcutieinva]

Giovanni didn't work well on my hair. I didn't like the way it felt going on or when it dried. I tried clarifying and using it gain and got the same results.

I ended up selling my bottles.

I prefer my cheap Garnier leave in.

 

[_belle]

girl YOU SAVED ME THEN!!!!! cause i was DEF gonna go get it.

 

[scribblescrabble2]

If I use too much or if I use it too often my hair is stiff and dull. So I don't use it as much anymore.

 

[scribblescrabble2]

So, after learning from some enthusiasts on this board that one cannot be admitted to heaven without using Giovanni Direct, I went out and bought it, eagerly awaiting the effects of this holy balm. I slathered it on my braids and braided them up. And no, I did not use any more of this than I use of any other hair product.

All was well.

Until I started taking them down.

My hair was so hard, crunchy, and worst of all, TANGLED that I thought I might lose it all. I have found that soaking my hair in coconut oil greatly relieves the tangling and hardness, but why would God require us to use this stuff in order to gain admittance at the pearly gates when it is surely a leading cause of baldness?

Now, I have found that mixing the stuff with oil, preferably coconut, in about a 1:2 ratio (meaning twice as much oil as leave-in) relieves the crunchiness. But what good is it when it's eating up my coconut oil supply in order to be just ok as a leave-in? I would have just thrown out this devil's brew, but in my refusal to let the Giovanni Direct train pass me by, I bought 4 bottles (33.5 oz each) of the stuff. So, I look forward to years of using it on my body, sauteeing my vegetables with it, washing clothing with it, and using it as a mixer for alcoholic beverages in order to have any hope of gaining relief from the Scourge of Giovanni.

You should swap or sell it on the exchange board! I am pretty sure plenty of people will be ready to take them off your hands.

 

[natieya]

I know how you feel. It didn't wow me, but it wasn't horrible for me either. I just felt like it didn't do much of anything, really. I have found much better leave ins for the price.

FYI - sell yours on here. I'm sure some people on here who love the product would gladly take it off your hands.

ETA: Ok, so the post above me just said the same thing!

 

[UrbanHeiress]

I really, really, really wanted to like GDLI. I tried it on my transitioning hair wet, dry, mixed with water and straight from the bottle and each and every time it left a gray, ashy film on my hair. Me no likey.

 

[MissMasala5]

I hope it works for me, I just ordered it and got 3 bottles coming

 

[~~HoneyComb~~]

I just ordered 3 bottles of the stuff, I'm keeping my fingers crossed that it works on my hair.

 

[aloof one]

I think you have to use the right amount for it to work, you can't saturate your hair in it unless you need all of that.

I bought this stuff looking for something organic. I use it when I airdry because moisturizing leave ins make my hair mushy and fall out. Its nothing special, but its not terrible.

Its not the end all solution to all my problems though because I still use two other leave-ins with it. But I don't use anything else on my hair when I do it, just those 3 leave-ins because its all that will work now. Just saturate my hair with Jon Frieda Daily Nourishment Leave In Spray, then a big drop of Giovanni Direct over it, then like 2 pumps of Organix Coconut Milk and I am good to go for a few days. I may add a little leave in everyday but I could probably last without it. You can't go overboard with the stuff, though, because it will let you know when your hair comes out. If you try it, just use a nickel or quarter sized amount and see how it works, because it just may teach you a lesson if you put in more.

 

[lonei]

Your post was too funny!

Sorry this happended to you...I have used it for over 1 year now, I'm texlaxed and use it to detangle my wet washed hair only. I really like it. I then set with their frizz be gone, they are the best products I have ever used. Anyhoo, this is another example of one size dont fit all....

 

[kweenameena]

I lurve me some giovanni products. I love the GDL creamy and I'm not a fan of the liquid spray on one. A little truly goes a long way. I use it right out of the shower. My hair never gets hard. I know it's a lite protein condish but it works like a moisturizing condish on my hair. I'm natural, mostly 3c with 4a in the crown.

 

[so so chic]

I haven't had any problems with it. I'm natural, and I use it when my hair is straight and when it's not. I only use a little bit...I mean a very small amount. I can say that I haven't noticed any significant difference between this and my NTM, but I don't have anything bad to say about it either.

 

[NYAmicas]

I wish I could read the whole thread and I loved the way you described your experience with Giovanni Leave in. I was about to put it on my list too. $65!!! Wow....

 

[morehairplease]

this did not work for me either. it made my hair dry and crunchy.

 

[STLCoverGirl]

I accidentally voted yes, but no I love this this stuff.

 

[*closer*2*my*dreams*]

I noticed my hair is a little dry and crunchy, especially in the middle since i've been using it (about 2 weeks). I just finished cowashing and i used it again, but i only used a little and i added coconut oil and hawaiin silky moisturizer to my hair as well and sat it on rollers.
Maybe try using a little and adding other moisturizing products with it...HTH

 

[Eisani]

Y'all got me a lil nervous over here...I decided to pull this stuff out and give it another try today and mixed it w/my wheat germ rinse for my rollerset. My hair was really soft and easy to comb thru. I sat under the dryer for two hours, but I probably won't take the rollers out until later on tonight to be SURE it's dry but now I wonder...when I stick my finger in my hair, it still feels soft so hopefully it'll turn out okay. I'll report back around midnight. Over and out.

 

[aloof one]

I used it again the other day and it did leave my 4b hair crunchy and a bit hard when I airdried. Probably because I put it on top of something else that I wasn't supposed to, and I did use too much.

But today I tried something different--- I blowdried my hair with it. The only thing I used was the Giovanni Direct and a little ION Straightener and blowdried in sections. This was the first time my hair came out significantly soft and moisturized when I blowdried, so that was great. I wont be airdrying with it anymore, but I plan to keep using it to blowdry because now that my air is straight, it still feels very soft.

 

[Eisani]

Okay, I took my rollers out this morning and my hair was nice and soft and shiny! I don't know if I can attribute this to the GDL/Wheat Germ Rinse combo, or my DC mixture. Whatever it was, I'm digging the results My new avi pic reflects the results!

 

[Tylove101]

I love this stuff! I believe it is the best find I found! I'm transitioning and I've been using it for a little over 6 months and it does wonders for my hair. I use it at least twice a day by mixing it with distilled water in a spray bottle and after I cowash I spray my hair and then I seal. I use it straight on wash days only and that's only once a week. I just wish I could find bigger bottles.

 

[MissMasala5]

I love it, too! I have not had to use anything on my hair since 2 days ago (except on my ends, which I baggy). I have used leave-ins before-Infusium, Biolage and others-and they all left my hair tacky, gummy or dull. Not so with this one! My hair feels silky and soft, clean and with lots of sheen. Giovanni Direct Leave-In is a keeper.

 

[SouthernTease]

Sucks that it didn't work for you
different strokes for different folks
i use it on wet hair to rollerset
my hair loves it and those ingredients yum!
I don't know if it's the end all of leave ins
outside of salerm/ lacio lacio... it's my staple

 

[blackbarbie]

I didn't know that GDL was a light protein treatment. I just started using it this past Saturday for my wash and go's and I love it. The first time I did one (wash n' go), I added some other stuff to the mix b/c I just couldn't see how it would work on it's own. Finally after experimenting, this is what I have come up with:
-Using a mixture of Fantasia IC and Giovanni Direct on my hair after I have soaked as much water as possible out of it, making sure to concentrate on my 7 inches of NG (i have been searching for a leave in that would be really moisturizing and would have it to dry moisturized instead of hard and dry feeling)
-Spraying the relaxed hair with John Frieda Dream Curls and scrunching.

This gives me a pretty good wash and go and I find that my NG is very defined and soft and my "manufactured" (relaxed hair) curls are more like waves in comparison to my NG. (I have come to the conclusion that I am actualy a 4 something b/c my NG is tight and coily and my "manufactured" curls that I make on my relaxed hair are really more the way true 3 type curls are; they are loose and wavy.

Bottom line is I like the stuff and it adds a lot of moisture to my hair.

For those of you that didn't like it, I do accept donations

 

[bbdgirl]

I didnt vote in the poll b/c I didnt understand the choices, however I too bought Giovanni direct when I first came to this forum. I stoppped using it because when my hair is wet I would try to comb through my hair but the comb wouldn't go through. The comb would catch on my hair and my hair would tangle up all the time. I stopped using that crap with the quickness. I have a 3/4 full bottle from November. That's all I got to say about that.

 

[naturalmanenyc]

My hair hates Giovanni Direct leave-in. I gave it 3 or 4 tries as a rollersetting leave-in and each time my rollerset was difficult (lots of tangles) and my hair was a hot mess. I have rewashed within 2 days every time that I used Giovanni Direct leave-in. Herbal Essences Long Term Relationship or None of Your Frizziness work pretty well for me (although they are full of silicones)

 

[hOnii]

I lurve my giovanni! I am down to the last of my older bottle, but I have another. They have altered the formula a little, and I can feel it. It doesn't go on quite as smooth/slathery as the older one, but its okay, I found some being sold online!

 

[SherryLove]

I am so sorry you ladies did not have a good experience with GD. and by all means, do not use anything that has an adverse effect on your hair. My hair is relaxed and this stuff is my HG as a leave in. I cannot even imagine my hair without it. I have been using it for 10 years now.