January 2018: Hits & Misses

nymane

Well-Known Member
MEGA HIT
Annabelle's Moisturizing Hair Lotion - this is amazing as a daily moisturizer! Lightweight, it doesn't leave a residue, and it packs long lasting moisture, and even though it's a runny cream consistency, it doesn't swell my cuticles or make my hair look poofy - so it's great for moisturizing and taming new growth.

I've been a very long time user of the Darcy's Botanicals Transitioning Creme, but I was forced to find a replacement after they suddenly closed shop. I never thought I'd find anything that came close to that wonderful moisturizer...........

APB Moisturizing Hair Lotion is just as good (maybe even slightly more moisturizing :yep:)....I'm sooooo happy with this find!
 

LiLi

Well-Known Member
Hit:

Soultanicals Slip-N-Slide, Knot-Proof Hair Glide

This was a completely unexpected hit. I finally received the Soultanicals products from black friday and got several detangling products. The first two didn’t work for me so I wasn’t expecting this one to either. But oh my goodness, this stuff is amazing!!! I never in my life thought I could detangle my hair without slathering conditioner on it. I go through tons of conditioner because my hair sticks together and tangles easily. This stuff literally melts my 4 a/b tangles and that is with just putting it on my dry hair. That has never happened for me. I am soooo happy.

The only downside is that I can’t stand the smell of it. I didn’t like the smell of any of the products that I got from them. Some of them I only smelled and didn’t bother using because of the smell.

Even though I said I wasn’t buying anymore natural products other than Silk Dreams, this one will definitely be a staple. I hope they continue to make this product.
 

LiLi

Well-Known Member
Wait, @LiLi you said you just got your Soultanicals products from Black Friday? When you say JUST, do you mean like, you received them now, as in mid January?
Just curious.
Lmbo. Yes ... a little over a week ago. It was a hot mess. I guess a palette of products went missing which caused an even longer delay. It seems like they have changed their internal process to prevent something like that from happening again though.
 

lovelycurls

Well-Known Member
Hits
SSI Pomegranate pear oil in gel pudding - super soft bouncy twist outs, with laid edges ( WIN)
Homemade cold herbal rinses

Miss
Soultanicals shipping - haven't purchased anything from them for 2 years, gave them a benefit of doubt late last year and STILL their shipping timeline still sUCKS. Orders are yet to arrive...smh
 

IDareT'sHair

PJ Rehabilitation Center
Miss
Soultanicals shipping - haven't purchased anything from them for 2 years, gave them a benefit of doubt late last year and STILL their shipping timeline still sUCKS. Orders are yet to arrive...smh
@lovelycurls
Are you "one of the ones" still waiting on your purchase from BF?:eek:

Glad I didn't order from there this BF.:nono:

Hope you get your stuff soon.
 

Saludable84

Better Late Than Ugly
Hit:
Black soap shampoo. Made my own and decided to try it and stop being traumatized by its use on my body. I’m glad I took the chance because I’ve been able to eliminate scalp exfoliator and my scalp doesn’t itch, isn’t acting up, and I can go longer than a week without washing (though I don’t). The only other shampoo I will keep in rotation is my Redken cleansing cream. Otherwise, I don’t think I’m playing with shampoo again.
 
Last edited:

ElevatedEnergy

Rooted Yet Flowing
I'm always so tickled when I see someone bash something and then come back a few months later to talk about how great it is...I'm even more tickled when that person is me! Here are my hair bashing processes/products turned hits:


ACV
I was like why are people using this ole stankin mess in their hair?! Used it for the first time last April and haven't looked back since. It's a must after every cleansing session to balance my PH. Wether I'm using my shampoo bars or my African black soap shampoo to clarify, I always follow it up with a vinegar rinse. I have recently discovered that it also makes an awesome detangler. It will lay those cuticles flat! It heals an itchy or irritated scalp as well. I've been experimenting with other vinegars...I'm using coconut vinegar too and it's just as scrumptious.


Shea butter.
I talk about this enough in the Shea thread so I won't go into detail here...but please get you some.

Clean, recycled parts.
This was the biggest joke to me. I remember Kimmaytube talking about this years ago. And then I decided to try it at the beginning of the year. I can't even begin to describe how easy it is to do everything in my hair routine. From washing to moisturizing...just everything is so simple now.

Here's to giving stuff just one mo try! ;)
 

InBloom

In my new-growth
I have two hair escapades to report...

They were not only misses, but complete fails.

I will take responsibility for user error because I’m certain there has to be a multitude of women who have had successes.

Two growth aides. Onion and aloe vera leaf gel.

For the onion - I puréed rather than boiled. I added fresh garlic and thought I had a potent and powerful paste. I knew when I slapped this mess in my hair that it was strong. That was the point. I did NOT know that 6 or 7 shampoos later I would still smell like dinner ingredients. I will never know of this concoction’s effectiveness.

For the aloe gel - I found a large leaf. I sliced it and extracted the gel. I mixed olive oil and blended it together. I used my cheesecloth to strain this mixture before putting it into a bottle and using on my scalp. It was great except for what looked like lice in my hair. I had tiny white particles leftover in my straight hair that made me self conscious until my next wash day. Mind you, I also smelled like onions and garlic.

Never again.

Rant over.
 

Sharpened

A fleck on His Sword
I used my cheesecloth to strain this mixture before putting it into a bottle and using on my scalp.
From my personal experience, cheesecloth sucks - had to use layers and felt like the cloth absorbed too much product. Aloe processes best alone with a fine mesh strainer. I double strained mine.

I hear you about the onion. That was a horrible experience, followed by getting unleaded gasoline splashed on the side of my head.
 

kxlot79

Kitchen Mixtress
My onion juice I prepare by dicing about 1/4 of a small onion and 2-3 cloves of garlic and putting in a blender with about 4oz of water. I blend until extra puréed, nearly liquified. Then I double strain it, once with a fine strainer, then once with a reusable coffee filter. It’s truly a “juice.”
The less water you use at the beginning, the more potent. The more pulpy, the more tenacious the smell.
I know someone who uses their Breville juicer to make theirs and it is quite a bit stronger than mine, but their rinse out is similarly easy as mine.
ETA: I leave mine on 30 minutes+ before starting my wash routine. I only leave it on longer than 30 minutes accidentally. I believe it is quite potent and 30 minutes is all it takes. I once slept in it about 6 hours but that didn’t affect rinse out. 2 shampoos a RO and a DC later, I was good as new.
How do you prepare yours? How long do you keep it on? @kxlot79
 
Last edited:

kxlot79

Kitchen Mixtress
Yes. Green Beauty on YT has 2 amazing vids on it. I’ll link them below.
Not unlike some other ladies here, the first couple times I tried it, it was a disaster (2-3 years ago I tried it), but that was me being extra and hardheaded.
You CANNOT use this stuff on clean hair. It’s an absolute no-no. I did the first time (thinking open pores/follicles even more benefits right? NO! You have been warned). I smelled like Chinese food for a week. I am not exaggerating.
I also kept it as a “paste/pulp” type of preparation (thinking well if juice is good, a smoothie is even better, right? NO! You have been warned. lol). I got a double whammy my first go, being extra and hardheaded.:drunk:
Didn’t try again for a while, and when I did, it seemed to be very messy and too many extra steps.
This go around will be very simple and easy because I’m done being hardheaded and extra and I’ve learned from others’ (and my own) mistakes. It literally takes 3 minutes from start to finish. Maybe another 2 minutes to apply, so it’s very very simple and easy.

Apparently, boiling it doesn’t affect the key ingredients but based on my own experimenting and research I prefer raw for the enzymes and freshness. If you’re making a JUICE with no chunks in it and apply to dirty hair, I don’t see why you’d have a lingering smell unless you’re not washing your hair thoroughly. I’ve used it on about 6 people and they have had no complaints about smell.
@kxlot79
I think I read you were using it as a Pre-Poo?

So, by the time you finish your routine the scent has dissipated?
 

IDareT'sHair

PJ Rehabilitation Center
@kxlot79
:thankyou:

Thanks for Posting your experience using this and the Videos. Someone just mentioned they couldn't get the scent out of their Hair.

Now I can't remember who that was?:scratchchin:

I hope they come in this Thread and see your Advice how to use it properly (as a Pre-Rx on uncleansed Hair).

Your Post can help someone who was considering trying it.
 

kxlot79

Kitchen Mixtress
Surprise Hit: Rice Water rinse
I have been curious about it for a few years. But I was suspicious because it was hard to find regular users of it. Discovering Natural on YT recently posted an update video about how it’s been part of a 1year+ routine and that sold me to dive in! Tried it this wash day and first impressions were: smelly in a gross way (I didn’t boil mine), slippery like a watery serum, left my hair slick and soft even once completely rinsed out. Detangling was smoother and with less breakage. My twist out is smooth like I used a styler though I just used LI and mango butter.
Use: saturate hair after cleansing, leave on for 30 minutes under baggy, rinse out completely, style as normal. It was my final step, after my regular wash routine.
So far a definite repeat for 2018!
 
Top