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Aubrey Organics Honey Suckle Rose Shampoo: I use to clarify once per month.
Suave Tropical Coconut Conditioner: I use as my initial co-wash. It's nice and cheap and effective.
Trader Joe's Nouris Spa: This products is wonderful (second use on 10/26/08). I use this after Suave. This product isn't as watery as Suave a little more expensive, but still cheap. I'm not willing to trade Suave for Trader completely because Trader Joe is not convenient to get to. It smells heavenly and leaves my hair softer than Suave.
Giovanni Direct Leave-In: Great detangler. Smells wonderful. I purchase a liter at Message Warehouse where it's reasonable priced. I find it's best to let the product sit on my hair for a few minutes before applying an oil. Lately I've been using Giovanni to thin out Jessicurl WDT and Aubrey Organics Honey Suckle Rose.
Jessicurl Weekly Deep Treatment: I wasn't too impressed when using this products as intended. It cost too much to slap on my hair and rinse out. So I've been using it as a leave-in. I've had success mixing it with Gionvanni Leave-in (equal spoonfuls of both).
Aubrey Organics Honey Suckle Rose: This smells better than Giovanni, but even better when mixed. I got the idea to use this and WDT as a leave-in from the ladies at Naturallycurly. Alone, it didn't completely absorb into my hair (probably because I'm heavy handed), but I love it with Giovanni. I retain good slip to detangle.
Qhemet Biologics - Olive & Oil Hydrating Balm: This is my constant sealer when twisting my hair. I have not used this in down hairstyles because I typically don't wear my hair down. I tend to be heavy handed, when applying products especially when twisting, so this product weighs my hair down, but I don't mind. I'm married to this product and "I refuse to let you go!".
Qhemet Biologics - Amla & Oil Heavy Cream: This is my winter coat for my ends and edges. It is very thick. I can not use this to replace the Balm because of the 'whites'. It becomes too much for my hair and won't 'sink in'.
Qhemet Biologics - Burdock Root Butter Cream: This is my spring jacket for my ends and edges. It has more water and is lighter than the Heavy Cream, but provides great protection. Unfortunately it isn't heavy enough for the Chicago winter.
Giovanni Hard Hold Gel: Does its job to sleek down flyaways. Does tend to build up, but not terribly. I have to make sure I dampen my hair enough and put an oil base.
Qhemet Biologics Honeybush Tea Gel: I sought this product to sleek down my hair for bunning. It failed miserably. I purchase three jars before trying it out. I had such great success with the other Qhemet, I thought this would be a sure thing. I didn't want to throw it out, so I started using it as the 'water/moisture' for baggying. To my pleasant surprise, it kept my twist ends in serious check. After a week, my twists look hairy, even when bunning. This didn't happen at all with this gel and using an oil as a sealer. I'm holding on to this gel until I start wearing my twists down again.
Moe Gro Oil: I admit I tried this product thinking it was a miracle in a bottle. Reality soon set it, but a wonderful thing happened. This was the medicine my sick scalp desperately needed. I would get painful sores and pressure sores. The recipe/directions can be searched at Naturallycurly. However the base is jojoba oil that I steep with burdock root, fresh rosemary, horsetail with aloe vera added after the fact. It blends into a cream that I apply twice a week.
Alba Leave-In: Is still in its trial period. I still have one and a half bottles left for my final decision. It's not a bad product at all. Ingredients are great. I don't think it's heavy enough for my hair. I have some black castor and sweet almond coming in the mail (10/27/08). I'll try mixing it with that to thicken it up. The price is reasonable, but the bottle is small compared to the thickness of my hair.
Still Testing the use of garlic. I clean my hair then apply either olive oil or coconut oil that had several cloves a garlic added and let stand over night. I apply to hair (concentrating on my ends and scalp). I wait 15-30 minutes under a heat cap. Cleanse again. Garlic is suppose to help with excess shedding and breakage.
Mop Top Gel - I got a free sample. Left my hair feeling yucky.
Blended Beauty - I purchased samples for 4ab hair. Then I purchased a jar of Happy Nappy Styles and Silkshake. The HNS wasn't bad, it just didn't do IT for my hair or keep a good moisture level over several days. It also would flake when gel is applied over it. I'm currently using up the rest of the jar for baggying my ends. I will not purchase again. I found the Silkshake provided decent slip when I wanted to refresh my twists but not wet my hair. Since I've been bunning, I haven't used it. I plan on giving it a second trial run. I like the smell of it too. The other items in the sample packet didn't provide good definition.
Miss Jessies Curly Frizz Pudding and Buttercreme: I wish I could get my money back. That would be my car insurance payment. The Pudding didn't work for me and sat on my hair. The Buttercreme has too many bad ingredients in it. I sold the unused jars. The rest, I've used too much of to sell and would feel bad about giving it away to people I care about.
Fantasia IC: Not that this product is bad. It just isn't good for me. I only wash my hair once per week and this product builds up and leaves my hair feeling waxy. It is better for someone that washes daily or every few days.
Garnier Soft Curl Cream: Didn't do a thing for my hair. The fruity smell is way too strong.
Razzamatazz Jelee - Pointless.
I've recently purchased/plan to purchase but haven't tried:
Jamaican Black Castor Oil
Shea Moisture Leave In
Shea Terra Frankincense & Myrrh Organic Shea Butter
Shea Terra Nilotica Organic Shea Butter
Sweet Almond Oil
I was considering whipping some of the shea with some oils to stretch it and add more nutrients and use as a sealer for baggying through the winter.
Taken from a post by Ms Kitty at Naturallycurly
This magnificent herb is widely respected for its value as a hair and beauty aide. Rosemary can also be used in the bath, on the face and as a body or scalp massage.
Believed to stimulate hair follicles and hair growth, rosemary is generally believed to slow down or even permanently hold off premature hair loss and gray hair.
Rosemary oils and concoctions will soothe and condition dry, flaky scalps. When applied in a concentrated form to the roots and scalp, rosemary is helpful in clearing many cases of dandruff. Rosemary also mixes well with tea tree and basil for stubborn scalp problems.
Rosemary Hair Oil Recipe
Rosemary blends very well with others in the mint family. It is especially beneficial when mixed with basil, bergamot, juniper, lemon and cedar. Basil is a known scalp and hair follicle stimulant.
Keep in mind that any rosemary concoctions will be stimulating and refreshing. This is a very Yang herb that is uplifting, strengthening and invigorating. It increases circulation and will often make the scalp or body feel warm after it is massaged with a rosemary formula or oil.
Ingredients
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Mason, Ball or other sterile class jar with air-tight lid.
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1 cup of fresh rosemary leaves (optional, add a smidgen of basil and juniper fresh leaves and/or essential oils to the mix).
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Jojoba oil (optional, sesame or sweet almond oil).
Directions
Fill the glass jar with the rosemary. Cover the rosemary with the jojoba oil so that the rosemary is completely covered. Place the jar in your sunniest window. Let the herbs "steep" for 4 weeks or so. Turn the jar slightly every day to make sure that the sun contacts all sides of the jar. When the oil is finished steeping for 4 weeks, strain the leaves from the liquid with an all natural paper coffee filter or silk. Filter into a clean, sterilized amber or dark colored jar. Store in a cool, dark place.
Application
Pour just enough for your immediate needs into a clean glass bowl. Heat gently over a double boiler on in a microwave. Make sure the oil is warm but not too hot. Work the oil into the hair from the ears down to the ends. Use a cotton ball or your clean fingers. Apply a plastic shower cap or wrap. You may sit under a hood dryer to add heat or wrap hot towels over the plastic to help the oil soak into the cuticles more easily.
Taken from a post by Ms Kitty at Naturallycurly.
Hemp Seed Oil is a highly nutritious food, and contains anti-oxidants, protein, carotene, phytosterols, phospholipids, as well as a number of minerals including calcium, magnesium, sulfur, potassium, iron, zinc, and phosphorus. It is a source of complete protein and contains all twenty know amino acids, including the nine essential amino acids. It also contains Vitamins A, B1, B2, B3, B6, C, D, and E. The green color in Hemp Seed Oil is a result of the high level of chlorophyll which is naturally present in the seeds.
Perhaps the most valued property of Hemp Seed Oil is its percentage of Essential Fatty Acids, which is higher than any other plant in the world. It contains both Omega-6 and Omega-3 Essential Fatty Acids, in a proportion of 3:1. This proportion is the recommended balance of Omega-6 to Omega-3 acids, making it a simple perfect way to complete your diet. Essential Fatty Acids are necessary for our health, and are responsible for the luster in our skin, hair, eyes, transferring oxygen to the every cell in our body, and even the clarity in our thought processes. They also lubricate and clear the arteries, strengthen the immune system, and help prevent viruses and other threats to our immune system. Essential Fatty Acids are not produced by the human body. Instead, they must be obtained from food sources. Specifically, Hemp Seed Oil has been shown to assist with the following medical conditions:
* Eczema
* Psoriasis
* Acne
* Osteoporosis
* Menopause
* Cancer
* Multiple Sclerosis
* Rheumatoid arthritis
* Premenstrual Symptoms
* High cholesterol
* High blood pressure
* Weight loss
* Poor circulation
* Crohn's disease
* Cardiovascular disease
* Gall stones
* Kidney degeneration
* Dry skin
* Immune deficiency
* Irregular hormone levels
* HIV virus
* Tuberculosis
* Low energy levels
* Low metabolism
* Dry skin and hair conditions
In cosmetic and bodycare products, Hemp Seed Oil is anti-inflammatory, anti-ageing, balances dry skin, fights skin inflammations, helps heal skin lesions, has anti-oxidants, and contains moisture balancing properties. The oil is non-greasy, readily absorbs into the pores, is an emollient, and has rejuvenating and moisturizing properties for the skin. Adult users of Hemp Seed Oil have reported softer skin, and stronger nails and hair after only a few weeks of using 1-2 Tablespoons per day. The vitamins and minerals present in Hemp Seed Oil are easily absorbed through the skin, resulting in a more vitamin and mineral enriched bodycare product.
Usage Instructions
The pleasantly nutty taste of Hemp Seed Oil makes it easy to incorporate into your culinary recipes. In one Tablespoon, you will receive 2.5 grams of Omega-3 fatty acids, 8 grams of Omega-6 fatty acids, and 2 grams of Omega-9 fatty acids - a perfect balance. No other single source oil has this ideal combination of Essential Fatty Acids. Hemp Seed Oil is easily digestible in its raw state. It contains less than 10% saturated fats, and 70-80% polyunsaturated fatty acids, the highest of any vegetable oil . This is an unusually high level of the good oils, making this oil beneficial for culinary use. In culinary use, the oil will not clog arteries, as do saturated and trans fatty acids or shortenings.
Hemp Oil should not be fried, and should preferably be used cold. It may easily be added to salad dressings, pasta, vegetables, smoothies, soups, sauces, hummus, guacamole, pesto, or other foods after the heating/baking has been completed. If you must heat the oil, it may be gently heated for a short period of time.
Hemp Seed Oil may be added to any bodycare or cosmetic product, including creams, lotions, facial or body oils, massage oils, shampoo, conditioner, shaving products, lip balm, soap, and any other product. In hair care products, Hemp Seed Oil increases elasticity, manageability, and shine. In addition, recent Canadian research has shown this oil to possibly be effective as a broad-spectrum ultraviolet skin protector.
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