Tuesday, December 7, 2010

Product Review: Shea Moisture Conditioner + Curl Enhancing Smoothie + Strengthening Elixir

I made my way to Target and killed some time perusing the beauty isles. I heard a lot of buzz about Shea Moisture, but I never had a chance to try it out until now! I decided to pick out three products to see how they worked before going crazy and buying everything under the moon. I settled on the Strengthening Elixir, the Raw Shea butter Restorative Conditioning Milk and the Organic Curl Enhancing Smoothie! Here is my review:

Shea Moisture Raw Shea Butter Restorative Conditioning Milk:
Target Stores, $9.99 -  12oz
Product Claims:
Moisturizes and repairs dry, lifeless, over-processed and damaged hair. 
Product Ingredients:
Contains de-ionized water, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea butter)*, Argan oil, coconut oil*, Behentrimonium chloride, essential oil blend, vegetable glycerin, emulsifying wax, sea kelp extract, Panthenol (vitamin B-5), avocado oil, Lonicera Caprifolium (honeysuckle) flower and Lonicera Japonica (Japanese honeysuckle) flower extract, Tocopherol (vitamin E) and Daucus Carota Sativa (carrot) seed oil. *Denotes certified organic ingredients.

Product Review:
This stuff was absolutely AMAZING. Hands down my favorite of the bunch. I used this as a leave-in and added about a dime size amount per 2-inch section of hair and it was heaven for my strands. It made my hair soft, shiny, manageable, and offered slight curl definition. I give this a 10 out of 10 when it comes to moisture, as it is definitely hydrating enough for highly textured hair.

Would I buy this product again?
Most definitely; for $10 I will definitely keep this in the "leave-in" product rotation! 

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Organic Curl Enhancing Smoothie:
Target Stores, $9.99 - 12oz
Product Claims:
Detangles, conditions and defines curls while restoring body and shine.

Product Ingredients:
Nucifera (Coconut) Oil*, Isopropyl Myristate, Sugar Starch, Silk Protein, EssenQal Oil Blend, Melia Azadirachta (Neem) Seed Oil, Caprylyl glycol, Sorbitol Esters, Algae Extract, Hyssopus Officinalis Extract, Salvia Officinalis (Sage) Leafand Equisetum Arvense Extract, Daucus Carota Sativa (Carrot) Seed Oil, Lonicera Caprifolium (Honeysuckle) Flower (and) Lonicera Japonica (Japanese Honeysuckle) Flower Extract, Tocopherol (Vitamin E).
Product Review: 
I have to admit I was a bit skeptical because most curl creams just don't work for my hair unless they are formulated with Polymers to offer hold and volume. I threw it in the basket anyway, and used this product to twist my freshly shampooed and conditioned hair. I didn't use a leave-in conditioner underneath this product because the ingredients listed could offer moisture and curl definition. 
Once applying the product, I did notice some curl definition, but not enough to use for a wash and go. If you have more of a defined curl pattern, the Curl Enhancing Smoothie could really help those curls pop. - My hair was definitely smooth, extremely soft, and manageable once applying the Smoothie; and most importantly, this helped my twists stay twisted. My only qualm with this product was that I had major shrinkage, my twists were barely shoulder-length.

After untwisting my hair the next day, my hair was still hydrated, soft, and shiny. I love that this product didn't leave my hair crunchy, greasy or covered in film, a definite plus! 

Would I buy this product again?
I'm honestly not quite sure. Although the performance was stellar, my hair was much shorter than normal [because of the shrinkage].
Before Shrinkage...
After Shrinkage.....

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Strengthening Elixir:  
Target Stores, $9.99 - 4oz
Product Claims:
Our intensely moisturizing and penetrating all natural treatment helps repair damage and dry hair.

Ingredients:
Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Bu@er) Oil*, Argan Oil, Vegetable Squalene, Carrot Oil, Macadamia Nut Oil, Isopropyl Myristate, Avocado Oil, Castor Oil, Sebacic Acid, Sea Kelp Extract, EssenQal Oil Blend, Lonicera Caprifolium (Honeysuckle) Flower (and) Lonicera Japonica (Japanese Honeysuckle) Flower Extract, Tocopherol (Vitamin E). *Denotes Certified Organic Ingredient.
Product Review:
I usually don't purchase oils from haircare companies because I find that a lot of times they are cut with cheaper oils like Sunflower and Corn Oil, however I was impressed with the ingredient list in this product so I threw it in the basket. The only "non-natural" ingredient in this product is Isopropyl Myristate which really just cuts the greasy feel of the product, leaving more of a satiny finish. 

I sprayed this on my hair after my twists were complete and the immediate result was uber shiny hair. After about an hour or so of my hair absorbing the product, my hair was ultra soft, silky, and still very, very, shiny! - I like that I can get the benefits of Shea Butter without having to use it in "butter form"; for some reason Shea Butter just "sits" on top of my hair, leaving it more greasy than anything. The Shea Oil that is used in this elixir is better suited for my hair. Also, because of the lightness of this product, I would also recommend it to those that wear their hair pressed, or in roller-sets. This Elixir can help fortify your hair protecting it from heat damage and loss of elasticity from mechanical damage [combing, brushing, blow drying], it can also impart shine, softness and body. 
Would I purchase this product again?
Most definitely, this quickly earned a spot in my "staple product" list.

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