pH, black soap, oh no!

I have more seriously started researching on hair, because apparently college hasn't given me enough things to do; and I discovered that its time I consider the pH balance of my hair in relation to its "healthiness". I keep trying to figure out what products will make my hair do this or that, but you know what? (and this might sound crazy) Maybe, just maybe, products are the problem! =0 

My hair follicles screaming: "Oh no! Not the products, we love the products!" 

Anyway, I decided to look into my main staple products to see if they're pH balanced, just for fun. I've ordered some pH strips because if you can believe this, the superfluous amounts of hair products I have don't have their pH online. >:-| I am feeling especially sarcastic in this post today. lol. BUT I did find the pH of Black soap online. The typical pH for hair according to KimmayTube (a youtuber) and a few other sites too (http://www.thenearlynaturalcollection.com/the_ph_story.php and http://www.ehow.com/how-does_5011400_ph-affect-hair.html) is 4.0-5.5. You are all going to be so heartbroken. Black soap a 10!! Which means its entirely too basic for hair! *crying* No wonder my ends can't get their act together! 

I'll have to do some more research but I'm pretty sure this means I shouldn't be using black soap for my hair, at least not without something acidic to balance it out. 

I'm now back to looking for a shampoo, something closer to hairs' normal pH. When my pH strips come in, I'll test the other products I currently have in rotation. There are so many variables to this natural hair thing! =(

Revisiting an old friend...=)

 I recently waited too long of a time to detangle my hair. I went through at least 2 weeks and midterms without a thorough REAL detangle session. EEK! To make matters worst I've come home for Spring Break and I forgot to pack a conditioner. *cursing under breath* My mom, my 23 yr old step-sister, and my 14 yr old little sister all have relaxed hair. I've either rummaged through their stuff already or found a possibility before, used it, and hated it. So that leaves my 6 yr old sister who has thick, long, curly, natural hair. She's bound to have something I can use! Problem solved right? No such luck. Her mostly uniform 3c hair cannot match my 3c, 4b, and whatever else hair. Sauve Humectant? No thanks! Just for me hair milk? Eh... Queen Helene Placenta conditioner? Whhhaaa?! UGH! So again with the rummaging...until eureka!

My teen sister had some Garnier Fructis sleek and shine fortifying cream conditioner! I've previously used Garnier when I was relaxed. I'm sure I loved it then, I'd get it often! And since I was in no position to turn down a familiar ally, I went for it. I wasn't that hopeful as far as results go but I was pleasantly surprised when I applied the conditioner and took a comb to my mess of a head, smmmooootttthhh sailing!

The conditioner is creamy, smells good, and has slip. The bottle says its for, "Frizzy, dry, unmanageable hair". Definitely everything my hair was prior to conditioning lol. It has nutritive fruit micro-oils (whatever that means), vitamins B3 plus B6, apricot and avocado oil. None of the ingredients considerably bothered me and it seriously smoothed and controlled my hair strands and allowed for a significantly easier detangle process. I was DREADING this hair session...dreading, but it went really well thanks to this conditioner! Every time I'm on the prowl for products (always), I see Garnier Fructis on the shelves, try to remember my experiences with it, can't, so I keep it moving. Now, I'll consider getting some travel containers for times exactly like this.

I don't know if my hair was desperate or if I just had very low hopes but this trusty old friend really looked out. =)  



                                                              

Is it a miracle worker?

This isn't my most recent purchase but I just returned back to it because I wanted to give it another chance before I told all my friends it was horrible. Good thing I did. I'm talking about Hawaiian Silky Miracle Worker 14-in-1.

I first tried this product immediately after I did the big chop because I saw a youtuber raving about it. I hated it! I tried it maybe three times and was over it. It didn't moisturize (as my hair was VERY dry when I first went natural) and it didn't work well with my IC gel either. BUT, these last couple of wash-n-go's I've used it for lack of a better alternative at the moment.

When I first used Hawaiian Silky, it was in November and it was cold! The product has glycerin in it and considerably dried my hair out more in the colder months, hence my disapproval. It left my hair dull and film-ish so I discontinued use. Since its been getting warmer in Georgia and I'm returning to my wash-n-go's, I've come back to the Hawaiian Silky and I love it! It does indeed moisturize my hair. The benefits listed on the bottle are: Moisturizes hair. (check!), Strengthens. (I don't know yet), Defines Curls. (check!), Softens Hair. (check!), Adds Shine. (sure, lol), Soothes Dry Scalp. (maybe, I don't have this problem), Reduces Breakage for Healthy Braids. (??), Repairs Chemical Damage. (??), Non-Greasy. (check!), No Drip. (check!), Detangles. (my favorite aspect of this product!), Increases Body. (I've got plenty of that and I don't really know if it added more), and Thermal Protection. (??) 

It comes in a spray bottle but I've found spraying a few pumps in my hand and then applying it works better. Its the first leave-in I feel safe combing my hair with since the consistency is pretty thick and lotion-y. It smells light but is a nice creamy application. This, along with a few other leave-in conditioners I've tried, has mineral oil in. I know a lot of naturals don't get down with mineral oil but I really don't mind it. Its honestly never had an awful effect on my hair and until it does, I'll keep using products that contain mineral oil. Besides, Hawaiian Silky has other ingredients that reap more significant benefits like root extracts.

I got my bottle from some beauty supply store awhile ago but the price sticker is still strangely intact. LOL. It was $5.99 for a 16 fl oz. I wouldn't call this product a miracle worker per say, and I'm still on the look out for a good leave-in; but this leave-in will definitely serve as a stand in until I find one, especially with the warmer season approaching!

                                       

GEL-lation vs Sparkle Lites- The War.

Since I did the big chop, my favorite gel for wash n' go's and what have you, has been Fantasia IC Styling gel with Sparkle Lites. It's the shizzzzz for my hair! But I can recall awhile ago, I was being EXTRA cheap and opted to get Smooth 'N Shine polishing gellation as a substitute. I don't know what in the world prompted me to get it. My mom has always used Smooth 'N Shine Polishing - Super Shine Conditioning Gel. And I hate that stuff. Its gross. As soon as I put it in my hair, I feel like I need an immediate wash. Nevertheless, I purchased this gellation. I just found my 99.998% full container of this stuff and thought I'd do a compare and contrast.

I got them both from Wal-Mart and apparently a dollar was really important to me that day. They are both infused with aloe vera and wheat protein and share 6 other ingredients. Maybe that's why I thought they'd be similar. I was wrong.

Disclaimer: If I seem biased, I am.

I need a conditioner deuce!

Not only have I been searching for a good regular regimen conditioner, I've also been looking for an acceptable leave-in. Its so hard! Sometimes I find one, and then it doesn't agree with whatever gel I'm using or I get a winner and then all of a sudden, my hair decides its not the business!

What I'm using now, mostly for my braid-out's is Creme of Nature Lemongrass & Rosemary Leave-in Conditioner. Its...well...awful.

Okay, that's not very fair because it does..smell good. =) Its also really creamy and thoroughly coats my hair which is why I use it for my braid-out's with no problem. However, its supposed to be for dehydrated hair and I beg to differ! I really don't know if it moisturizes my hair. It's hard to tell for some reason, I guess because its not that great of a product. It does have some "certified organic ingredients" but they're limited to the lemongrass and rosemary. Woopteedoo! Two ingredients, pretty far down in the list isn't what I think should be legally allowed to have an "organic" stamp of approval. I probably should have read it a little better before I bought it, but hey it was $3.99 at a local beauty supply store, what should I have expected, right?

For some reason, I thought a Creme of Nature product would be good for my hair! I don't know where I got that preconceived notion. I'm trying to decide if I should keep trying "ethnic" hair products or go for straight organic.

So, my conditioner/leave-in journey continues. I'll try about anything and I mean anything.



                                                

I need a conditioner!

I'm on a rabid search for a good conditioner. My latest endeavor has been TRESemme Flawless Curls conditioner.

Eh...it's okay. I mean it doesn't really do much for my hair. It's a REALLY good detangler though. I wash with my African black soap and squirt some Tresemme in my hair while combing out in the shower. Easy peeeesy ! I occasionally co-wash with it. As for moisture, not so much (for me anyway). The conditioner plugs that it is a moisturizing formula, containing Vitamin B1, which is ideal for those with curly or wavy hair. It also claims to detangle and smooth the cuticle of the hair, which seems to be true. Even though its not my favorite, my hair doesn't  hate the product though. In fact, it leaves my hair relatively shiny and my curls are always separated and smooth. I just really wish it moisturized more.

In the conditioner's defense, it does say that you should use the Flawless curls SHAMPOO with it. Uhm, no.

Its pretty inexpensive for such a big bottle (Like $4.00 for 32 oz.).  The consistency is creamy but light and I like the smell. I'm just waiting to run out (which seems like it will never happen!) so I can go try something else. I want to get Trader Joe's conditioner next, I've heard good things.

This whole product rehab is not my cup of tea.

                                       

Goodbye Shampoo!

I've always had a problem with shampoo. When my hair was relaxed, that neutralizing shampoo always left my hair SQUEAKY clean and stripped. Even my normal regimen shampoo, Mane' n Tail, gave my hair a stripped feeling.

After the big chop, my hair was so DRY. I never wanted to use shampoo on it because I dreaded the little moisture that was there, getting stripped. I would do strictly cowash's until my hair would HAVE to be cleaned with shampoo from all the build up.

A couple month's ago, scouring through youtube, I came across someone who substituted shampoo with raw African Black soap. I had never heard of it and so I did some research and decided to order some. 

Goodbye shampoo, hello African black soap! I love this stuff. I ordered mine from butters-n-bars.com. The key is to ensure you get authentic raw African black soap. The imitation soaps contain artificial dyes and drying agents (no bueno!). I first tried to get it from a beauty supply store. The soaps they had, claimed to be African black soap BUT they were literally, black; and the authentic stuff isn't at all (more of an amber color). Real African black soap is also hypoallergenic and something with dyes all in it, cannot be! It is rich with glycerin which makes it a good shampoo bar. 

The ingredients vary with different oils added but butters-n-bars lists: 

Roasted cocoa(Chocolate) Pods 

Plantain Skin 
Palm Oil

Water

It leaves my hair very conditioned, despite its ability to thoroughly clean product build-up. It also defines my curls a lot. It smells kind of light and nutty but doesn't really leave a scent in the hair. It's also really good for the skin! I use it the same way I would use shampoo and I follow with a conditioner. I like it because its all natural and really does moisturize my hair, more than any shampoo can ever do.