Hair Review: New Hair Goodies from My Natural Hair

Can't believe that, September has come and gone, where did the time go? 👀
People, I cannot tell you how long I've been waiting for these new additions to the My Natural Hair product range. If you've been following me for a while, then you know that the conditioner and oil are on my list of favourite products.
I was privileged enough to be invited to the product launch at Style Studio Canal Walk, which took place on 31 August 2017.

The new additions to the family:
A Leave-in Conditioner, Hydrating Masque and a Curling Cream 😁 as well as the Nourishing Conditioner in a larger 500ml bottle (our prayers have been answered curly-coilys).

I've had braids installed for the whole of August; so I uninstalled and dug into these to try them out.

I shampooed with my usual; the Lush Shampoo bars the "NEW" or the "Soak & Float", I have scalp issues and these are the only shampoos that work for me.

I detangled with the hydrating conditioner and rinsed it out; I've already reviewed this one , along with the other products in the core range (click here) It comes in a larger bottle 👍👌😁

Look at my face 😁 It's the small things in life

I dry my hair with a towel to get rid of the excess water before applying the hydrating masque. I applied this to my hair one section at a time (I usually have 4/5 sections), then I cover my hair with cling film and put a towel over that and wait 15-30 mins ⏰ depending on how lazy I'm feeling.

The dilemma

After rinsing out the mask, I towel dried my hair and then I styled it. I decided to do a roller set. I separated my hair into 3 sections and applied the leave-in conditioner, the curling cream and strengthening oil.

First roller set in over two years

Feeling after roller set is done. Them rollers were digging into my skull 😶

 Skip past the overnight anguish of the roller set ...to the end result

Soft & Fluffy afro is my favourite way to wear my hair

Now to my thoughts about the new goodies...

1. Leave-in Conditioner 250ml
First off, the packaging in awesome. It's in a 250 ml pump bottle.
The fragrance is the same as in the other products in the range; its a light floral herbal scent, I quite like it. the conditioner is thick and creamy, it's not greasy at all and it spreads through the hair really easily. So a little goes a long way. it's got great slip, making it ideal for detangling and combing through. It performs in the same way as the Shea Moisture Restorative Moisture conditioner (Rinse-out/deep conditioner/leave-in), so yay!!

2. Hydration Mask 250ml
This comes in a tub, it's thick and creamy too. Like the the leave-in it's got really good slip. The end result once rinsed out is amazing. the coils were popping. My hair felt soft and manageable. The only other hydration mask I've tried is from Pure Oils, which is less creamy in consistency.

3. Curling Cream 250ml
So everything in this range is creamy and thick 😀 I really like this curling cream. It's not greasy and its super moisturising. Don't be heavy handed with this one. A little goes a long way. It doesn't flake or anything but why waste product.

My thoughts on using (almost) the entire range: everything works well together. I like how the leave-in, curling cream and oil layer together without flaking or weighing down my hair. There's no greasy mess afterwards either.
I only needed to refresh my hair with the curling cream and oil on day 3, so the longevity is also good.
Price wise, I'm pretty impressed; they range from R 74.99 to 134.99 on the My Natural Hair website. Also, always take advantage of the 3 for 2 specials that Clicks has quite often.

My ride or die from this range hands down are the Leave-in Conditioner and the Strengthening Oil; definitely "holy grail" status for me.

What products are you looking forward to trying from this range?
Let me know below.

See you in my next post, 

xoxo

Haircare Review: My Natural Hair...Local is Lekker

Hi all,
This post is long overdue, but work has been crazy and it took me a while to get to this post.

My Natural Hair is a South African hair care range that launched late last year; it is the brainchild of Catherine Williams.
I came across it in early October on one of my exploratory stolls through the hair product aisles in Clicks (Canal Walk). as a natural, one is always on the lookout for new and better products (that work and are reasonably priced). So I was really excited when I saw this range, I picked up the conditioner to try (that's usually the deal breaker for me in any haircare range...I'm a sucker for a good conditioner!). I promptly snapped a shot and posted it to the Cape Town Naturally Support group (sharing is caring! Can't leave my curlfriends out in the cold).

FIRST! Facebook post of my new find

I was pretty impressed with the condtioner, so I picked more of it at their stall during the Cape Town Natural Hair Festival (December 2016).

Got my pciture taken at theMy Natural Hair stand at the Natural Hair Festival. Image courtesy of My Natural Hair

And then I got lucky enough to win a hamper during a let your hair speak social media campaign.

I've been using the entire range for a couple weeks and so i'm ready to give my thoughts...

Wash Day things

1. Nourishing Shampoo 250ml 
free from (Sulphates, Pthalates, Parabens, Petroleum & Mineral oil)
Ingredient List (as listed on the website)
aqua, sodium lauroyl sarcosinate, lauryl glucoside, cocamidopropyl betaine, PEG-18 glyceryl oleate/cocoate, cocamide DEA, PEG-7 glyceryl cocoate, glycerine, parfum, ethylene/sodium acrylate copolymer, sodium chloride, acetamide MEA, dimethiconol panthenol, hydrolyzed keratin, hyaluronic acid, disodium EDTA, methylchloroisothiiazolinone, methylisothiazolinone, linoleic acid, dimethiconol cysteine, simmondsia chinensis (jojoba) oil, sorbitol, citric acid.

I really like this shampoo, I've used after removing braids a couple of times and while my braids were installed. It cleanses without stripping the hair (even with a double shampoo). It leaves my hair really soft and manageable (I can't handle shampoos that leave my hair so stripped, that I'm afraid to touch it for fear of breaking it!). It's a clear formula with a light floral/herbal scent. It does foam up quite a bit, so you do have to rinse really well.

2. Hydrating Conditioner 250ml
Ingredient List (as listed on the website)

aqua, cetearyl alcohol, cetyl alcohol, cetrimonium chloride, glycerine, butyrospermum parkii (shea) butter, cocos nucifera (coconut) oil, PEG-20 stearate, prunus amygdalus dulcis (sweet almond) oil, polysorbate-60, simmondsia chinensus (jojoba) oil, parfum, acetamide MEA, dimethiconol panthenol, hydrolyzed keratin, hyaluronic acid, linoleic acid, methylchloroisothiazolinone, methylisothiazolinone, sorbitol.

I've used this conditioner as a pre-shampoo treatment and as a deep conditioner, and it works well in both instances. I apply this to damp hair section-by-section, detangle with my denman and cover my hair with a plastic cap (or cling wrap), then put a towel over my head and wait 30 minutes before rinsing. After rinsing, my coilys pop and clump together (this is my measure for a good conditioner...popping coils). 

Compared to the holy grail for coilys and curlies, Tresemme Naturals (Now Botaniques) it doesn't have a much slip but it works well enough to detangle without tugging and pain. My only gripe...I wish the contianer were bigger; I'm already more than halfway through the first bottle and the shampoo has hardly moved. You know how it is - it's one bottle of shampoo to a gazillion of conditioner. Tall n Curly the struggle with the most hilarious and honest illustrations (below).

 

True story

the struggle is real

 3. Moisturising Butter 125ml
Ingredients
aqua, butyrospermum parkii (shea) buttter, cocos nucifera (coconut) oil, cetearyl alcohol, stearic acid, glycerine, trehalose, glyceryl stearate (and) PEG-100 stearate, helianthus annuus (sunflower) oil, polysorbate-60, olea europaea (olive) oil, ceteareth-20, niacinamide, phenoxyethanol (and) ethylhexyl glycerin, cetrimonium chloride, parfum, acetamide MEA, benzophenone-3, tocopherol acetate, carbomer, disodium EDTA, benzophenone-4, dimethiconol panthenol, hydrolyzed keratin, hyaluronic acid, linoleic acid, dimethiconol cysteine, simmondsia chinensus (jojoba) oil, sodium hydroxide.

4. Strengthening Oil 150ml

Ingredients
helianthus annuus (sunflower) oil, vitis vinifera (grape) seed oil, ricinus communis (castor) seed oil, persia gratissima (avocado) oil, prunus amygdalus dulcis (sweet almond) oil, olea europaea (olive) oil, coco caprylate, tocopherol acetate, parfum, benzophenone-3, butylated hydroxytoluene.

I applied the butter to damp hair, after towel drying (sometimes I'm too lazy to find the t-shirt); then I comb through with my denman and seal with the oil and then braid the section up and allow the hair to dry for a few hours or overnight before blowdrying on medium heat to stretch my hair. 
the butter has a chocolate mousse consistency; it's easily absorbed without leaving any white residue. Also, a little goes a long way so this little tub should last quite a while. I've used this as a moisturiser between washdays and as a moisturiser when installing braids. 
The oil is light without being greasy or too viscose, so it's easy to apply. as with the butter, a little goes a long way (too much of any product just ends in a big mess). 

Final thoughts: I'm impressed with this range, I tend to be sceptical of locally made products; a symptom of many decades during which ethnic or curly/coily hair was ignored. As a child, my mum washed my hair with sunlight green soap bar and sealed my wet hair with vaseline or Wella hairfood (the stinky yellow one), so seeing these locally made products with good ingredients, that work really well is super exciting.

Where to find them: the entire range is available at the My Natural Hair online store, takealot.com and in Clicks stores, Jet Mart and  Africa Cash and Carry wholesalers. All the products cost ZAR 79.99 at the My Natural Hair store, and cost between ZAR 89 and 99.99 at Clicks (in-store and online). 
 
Media Event
My Natural Hair held a media event for Cape Town at the Bunglow in Clifton last month. Let me tell you.. I had such hair envy seeing all those curly fros as I had Goddess locs installed at the time. It was an event for local curlies to mingle, we also got a chance to meet Catherine the creator and ambassdor to My Natural Hair (I met her briefly at the Natural Hair Festival in December). Here are some pics from the event. The rest are available on the The Little Black Book Facebook page (here)

Images courtesy of My Natural Hair

I always feel acomplished when I finish a post *waves hands in the air*

Until my next post ,

xoxo,

Make-Up Review: OFRA Liquid Lipstick

At long last ..I'm finally putting pen bto paper to review the OFRA liqui lipsticks.
I've been using for about a year now, and I have them in 5 diffrent shades.

A little background information on OFRA cosmetics (www.ofracosmetics.com):
Created by Ofra Gaito and her husband 
They're based in Ft Lauderdale, Florida
They're cruelty-free (leaping bunny certified)
Their product range includes highlighters, lipstick, eyeshadows, foundation as well as skincare.

OFRA liquid lipsticks come in 45 shades including some collaboration shades with YouTube beauty influencers such as MannyMUA and Kathleen Lights.
The formula is thicker than some of the other brands I've tried like NYX and Stila; it drys to a comfortable matte that doesn't feel tight or dry. The great thing about these lippies is that they don't flake and feather. They last all day without the need for touching up as long as you stay away from that greasy burger. It's not completely transfer-proof, I do get some lip prints on my coffee mug but I still love this formula. Dare I say it's my favourite...

Here are some lip swatches

Havana Nights

Queens

Malibu

Atlantic City

Americano

Where to find them...
You can order directly from OFRA cosmetics.com in the USA, they retail for about U$20.
In South Africa, you can purchase your online from ofracosmeticssouthafrica.com or from SAMIKA. They retail for about ZAR 320. OFRA cosmetics SA currently has a Valentines Day promotion until 13 February, 30% off all orders when you use the following code at checkout Valentine30.
SAMIKA store also has a sale on OFRA products and the liquid lipsticks are going for ZAR 240.


That's it my lovelies,

until my next post xoxo,

N

Hair Product Review: SheaMoisture Masques

Hi all,

It’s been a while since my last post. It’s not that there’s nothing to write about, I just needed to take the time to sit down and write. So, I promised I’d come back and do a review of the Shea Moisture products I’ve added to my hair regimen. Here, I’m going to give my thoughts two of the masques/masks I’ve been using for the last four months.

Purification Masque (African Black Soap range)

*

Is part of the African black soap range which is designed to relieve dry, itchy scalp. Its suitable for use as a deep treatment following shampoo and as a co-wash, since its designed to remove product buildup.

Ingredients:

Deionized Water, Cocos Nucifera(Coconut) Oil*, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter)*, Mangifera Indica(Mango)Seed Butter*, Persea Gratissima (Avocado) Oil , African Black Soap Extract, Sea Salt, Cetyl Esters, Kaolin Clay, Grapeseed Oil, Simmondsia chinensis seed (Jojoba) Oil, Behentrimonium Chloride (Conditioner), Salicylic Acid, Salix Alba (Willow)Bark Extract, Melia Azadirachta (Neem) Seed Oil, Melaleuca Alternifolia (Tea Tree) Leaf Oil, Sorbitol Esters, Aloe Vera Leaf Juice, Tocopherol (Vitamin E), Rosemary Extract, Salvia Officinalis (Sage) Extract, Plantain Extract, Lonicera Caprifolium (Honeysuckle) Flower (and) Lonicera Japonica (Japanese Honeysuckle) Flower Extract

How does it look? Its grey in appearance and looks a lot like a clay mixture.

Smell: its faint with hints of banana and vanilla

The consistency: It’s not thick or runny ...it’s got the consistency of mayonnaise

My thoughts:

I’ve been using this purification masque as a deep treatment, co-wash and as a scalp cleanser (for when I had braids installed).

As a deep treatment masque: I have thick hair, so I need to be quite generous when applying, since it doesn’t spread very well. It doesn’t have much slip so I would recommend detangling before you shampoo. BUT, when I washed it out after 30 minutes my hair felt soft and manageable.

As a co-wash/scalp cleanser it works really well; I’m trying to shampoo bi-weekly and this has been working out for me really well. I don’t shampoo my hair when I’ve installed braids; I’ve been using the purification masque diluted with water, which I then apply with a spray bottle.

All in all, this one is a keeper.

Strengthen, Grow & Restore treatment (Jamaican Black Castor Oil)

*

Part of the Jamaican Black Castor Oil range that is geared towards dry, overprocessed and colour-treated hair. It works as a deep conditioner following a shampoo.

Ingredients:

Water (Aqua), Cetyl Alcohol, Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Glycerin, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter*, Stearyl Alcohol, Fragrance (Essential Oil Blend), Behentrimonium Chloride, Panthenol, Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein PG-Propyl Silanetriol, Cetrimonium Chloride, Persea Gratissima (Avocado) Oil, Mangifera Indica (Mango) Seed Butter, Olea Europaea (Olive) Fruit Oil*, Ricinus Communis (Castor) Seed Oil, Hydrolyzed Keratin, Mauritia Flexuosa Fruit Oil, Yeast Extract, Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil, Tocopherol, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Vinegar, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Caprylyl Glycol, Butylene Glycol, Acetyl Tetrapeptide-3, Niacin, Dextran, Trifolium Pratense (Clover) Flower Extract, Caramel, Mentha Piperita (Peppermint) Leaf Extract

How does it look? Toffee colour

Smell: Peppermint vanilla toffee ...think werther's toffee

The consistency: thick, creamy

My thoughts:

I’ve been using this as a deep conditioner exclusively. I use it conjunction with shampoo and leave-in (both to be reviewed soon). I love the way this one feels …it’s just great...lots of slip and a little goes a very long way. I leave it in for a half hour and then rinse it out with cool water. When used with other products in this range, the results are amazing. Here’s a picture of my hair after a braidout on a blow out.

Availability: In South Africa, you can get these online from www.african-flair.co.za for R 319.00 for 12oz (it’s on sale right now for R 265.00). 

See you in my next post,
xoxo

N

*Images from the Shea Moisture website