REVIEW: Shea Moisture Deep Treatment Masque

Shea Moisture as a line is definitely one of my favorites. I get new and transitioning curlies all the time who ask me for recommendatins. This line is one that I tell them consistently. I primarily use the Coconut and Hibiscus line from Shea Moisture. I decided to re-try the Organic Raw Shea Butter Deep Treatment Masque as it is silicone free and sufate free and claims to be for dry, damaged hair. While my hair isn't damaged it is colored and I am attempting to prevent dryness and damage which is notorious for Color-treated hair. This is my second review of the product which I tried over a year ago before I colored my hair. My hair wasn't really feeling this product the first time but I figured I should give it another shot #fail.

I really really wanted to love this product the way I love the other products I have tried from Shea Moisture but it just wasn't happening. Despite the wonderful ingredients (below), it didn't feel moisturized at all before or after I rinsed it from my hair. I still felt that this product stripped the mosture from my hair and left is feeling like pinestraw. I salvaged my hair by using another conditioner afterwards. But 2-3 years later I am still going to have to go with my original verdict on this one. This product is a definitely no go for me.


Ingredients:
Deionized Water, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter)*, Argan Oil, Vegetable Glycerin, Emulsifying Wax, Sea Kelp Extract, Panthenol (Vitamin B‐5), Essential Oil Blend, Avocado Oil, Lonicera Caprifolium (Honeysuckle) Flower (and) Lonicera Japonica (Japanese Honeysuckle) Flower extract, Tocopherol (Vitamin E), Hyssopus Officinalis Extract, Salvia Officinalis (Sage) Leaf and Equisetum Arvense Extract, Soybean Oil, Daucus Carota Sativa (Carrot) Seed Oil. *Denotes Certified Organic Ingredient.


Original Review

 

Kurly Girl Healthy Hair Growth Challenge

In my ongoing quest for healthy hair growth I have decided to issue a challenge to you my friends to practice healthy hair care to encourage hair growth and retention. This Challenge will run February 2013-February 2014.

 

Our mission: to achieve maximum growth and retention in  2013.

 

Method: Adopt the Curly Girl Method (Lorraine Massey) Tried and true, and able to be altered as needed (everything doesn't work for every body). Begin the challenge by clarifying/ cleansing your hair and trimming damaged/ split ends as needed. I plan to limit washing to no more than once a month, if that. Cowash only.

 

Length Check: Take note of where you started so you can see how far you go :)

 February 1, 2013 (WnG) after shampoo and trim

Front Middle 13 "

Front Left 13 "

Front Right 13 1/4"

Middle Top 12 1/4"

Middle left 13 "

Middle right 13"

Back Middle 12 1/4"

Back Left  12 "

Back Right  12 1/2"

 

 

Drink lots of water: Our hair needs water inside and out so make sure you are feeding your hair from the inside. Try to drink 6-8 glasses of water per day. Your hair and your body will thank you for it.

 

Eat a high protein diet. Feed your hair from the inside out. Also make sure your diet is rich with vitamins & minerals

 

Supplement your hair diet with a good hair growth vitamin or supplement. Some good options are: Biotin, Viviscal, Hairfinity

 

Protective styling is an excellent option for retaining length and protecting your hair for the duration of this challenge try protective styling as a 75 % of the time. During the week pin it up and protect those ends. On the weekend let your hair down :)

 

Oils: Great oils to use on your hair that promote growth include EVOO, Coconut Oil and Castor Oil to name a few. I will be using each of these

 

Some of My Staples during this challenge:

• Viviscal Hair Growth Supplement
• my homemade hair mist (to refresh moisture)
• Jamaican Black Castor Oil (sealing, scalp massages and treatment); olive oil and coconut oil
• CoWash- V05 clarifying conditioner, Herbal Essence Hello Hydration, Aussie Moist
• Conditioner Options- Aubrey Organics, Deva One Condition, Trader Joes Nourish Spa
• Deep Condition- TBD
• Leave in- Cush Extreme Protein Leavin Conditioner, Givanni direct leave in
• Moisturizers- Cush Creme de Palm and Huile Supreme, more TBD
• Sealants- Mango Pomade, homeade shea whip mixture

 Other Things to Remember:

• Limit how often you wash/ shampoo your hair, remember shampoos tend to dry the hair out, try co-washing (Condition Washing) instead
• Try finger detangling, limit combs and brushes to prevent breakage.
• Precondition your hair using the oil of your choice
• Deep Condition your hair weekly.
• Little/ No Heat this will help prevent damage to your ends and breakage
•  

Happy growing Curly Girls! I hope you will join me. If you join the challenge reply here and post your pics and updates here so we can see your progress. Sponsors of this challenge may send me some giveaways to share with participants so I can only share if I know who you are ;)

 

Laters Curlies!

 

 





The Curly Girl Method Revisited- 28 day review

As a part of those New Years Resolutions, one of mine was to take better care of my hair. This is one resolution I have every intention of keeping. I have fallen victim over the years as many other curly girls of hating my curls and relaxing and straightening to make it 'easier'. But when you learn better you do better. My hair was dry and damaged. My hair seemed its healthiest when I committed to the Curly Girl Method. I decide to reach over to my bookshelf and blow the dust off my copy of Lorraine Massey’s Curly Girl: The Handbook. I have had the book for some time and have read it a couple of times but it was time for me to go back to basics with caring for my hair. My goal this year is long healthy hair in 2013. Part of my growth plan includes increasing my water intake internally and re adapting some of the basic principle of curly hair care I found in this book. Over the next 28 days I will style my hair using the Curly Girl Method and evaluate my results Here are the basic steps of the Curly Girl Method as outline in Massy's book.
 

Step 1. Clarify with a shampoo before beginning in order to remove and silicones and build up from your hair . This will cleanse your hair of any silicones and other ingredients in hair products that are not water soluble

Step 2. Start with freshly trimmed hair to eliminate split and damaged ends. Because my hair is Color treated I watch for this regularly and just trimmed my ends a few weeks ago around the middle of January.

Step 3. Once your hair is trimmed and clean, saturate your hair with a hydrating conditioner free of silicones. Finger detangle your hair gently while your hair is wet. (wide-toothed shower comb is optional). In an effort to eliminate breakage and shedding for this duration of this challenge I have decided to eliminate combs and brushes from my hair’s diet. It is best to untangle hair while wet to prevent damage and frizz. I find with finger combing/ raking my hair I am able to clump my curls together and get great results

Some great inexpensive options are V05, Aussie Moist, Herbal Essence Hello Hydration, and Tresseme Naturals just to name a few

Step 4. After your initial WASH, revert to a No Poo method Sulfates in shampoo’s are extremely drying and as a result, damaging to our curls, leading to frizz and breakage. I only use a shampoo (sulfate-free/ no poo) in my hair once a month at the most. Other than that I use my conditioner to cleanse/ co-wash my hair. This keeps it nicely hydrated. Was your scalp with conditioner.

While in the shower with wet hair massage silicone free conditioners onto the scalp and the hair rake conditioner through to keep hair detangled. Scrunching and lathering hair leads to tangle=headaches and breakage. Once you distribute conditioner evenly through hair, section and detangle the hair and rinse with cool or cold water to decrease frizz and shine. Make sure to rinse conditioner completely from scalp to prevent buildup. Some people co-wash everyday. No more than 2-3 times a week works best for me. You can leave a little on the hair specifically the ends to continue to aid in keeping hair detangled while styling. Rake and scrunch hair while rinsing.

Distribute conditioner throughout all of your hair and untangle gently. Use your hands or a wide-toothed comb. Start by untanglingbottom sections of your hair and then gradually move upwards. Let the conditioner sit in your hair for five minutes or so for extra moisture. You also may want to part your hair at this point with a comb. It's recommended that you part your hair to the side to prevent "triangle-shaped" hair.

Apply products to your hair and style as desired. Follow directions some products suggest being applied while hair is wet, while other suggest applying to damp hair. Section hair off and rake products into your hair section by section. I start with a leave-in conditioner or silicone free conditioner to eliminate the frizz factor then apply a product that aids in definition. Gels and mousse’s are optional depending on what kind of hold you prefer. Once my product is apply I seal the moisture with an oil or butter. Curls can be defined and shaped by scrunching them with your palms or finger curling them

While drying gently scrunch your hair with a t-shirt or microfiber towel to remove water and prevent frizz. Other drying options that help with volume are plopping and diffusing. During my growth challenge I am limiting heat, so diffusing will be done very sparingly.

You can also us clips at the roots to lift and add volume as well as the ends to weigh the hair down and eliminate shrinkage.