Maybe Hit : SM Manuka Honey & Mafura Oil Intensive Hydration Shampoo + Masque. Wash days are usually Saturday or Sunday, but because of the aforementioned horror where I accidentally shampooed my hair three times + then followed up with a terrible conditioner (Nexxus) I decided to wash again yesterday because my hair was so dry. I really liked the SM Manuka Honey Shampoo. Not a huge fan of the smell, but it did a great job defining my curls and my hair felt clean without feeling stripped. I think I might like this more than my cowash (As I Am), but I will have to use it more and with different products to get a final assessment.
Now the masque...I'm not sure what to think of the masque. First of all, my first impression when I first opened it was "this looks like my cold cream I put on my face..." It was very thick and I have low porosity hair and I was just not impressed by the look of it. Smelled similar to the shampoo and definitely was still not loving the smell. So I lather the stuff on (and it even says apply generously) and I do mean lather it on. It's definitely not something I could get a lot of uses out of which is sort of ridiculous given the fact I have a TWA. I give it maybe 3 more washes.
So at this point I realize it's Tuesday night and on Tuesdays I work late, but have to get up early for work on Wednesday mornings. I realize now this was not exactly the best time or day to wash my hair. Would have been nice if I'd realized this beforehand but I'm kind of a ditzy so this is par for the course. So I'm kinda sleepy at this point and lazy and realizing I have to get up early in the morning so I put the plastic cap on my head and sit with the conditioner on for about 10-15 minutes. Usually I do 30 minutes, heat the conditioner, and put two plastic caps on, but it's late, I'm tired, I'm lazy, the list goes on.
Then I get in the shower and usually I steam the conditioner in with the hot water from the shower. But the water never really gets that hot. I don't know what was up with that. It's possible in my sleep addled mind I had the faucet turned the wrong way or too much cold anything is possible with me.
So I wash the masque out after this lackluster deep conditioning process and my hair felt coated. It felt very smooth and my curls felt defined, but it just had this feel to it like there was still product in my hair so I wash for a long time to be sure it's all out.
So then I finally get out the shower and I look in the mirror and I really, really, really loved the way my hair looked. My curls were very defined and there was little to no frizz and my hair just looked very pretty.
Usually when I try new products this is where I stop. I don't add leave in, I might add oil, but that's it so I can properly assess the product and how well it moisturizes my hair.
But I had just gotten in Giovanni Direct Leave In and was dying to try it. SO I open that and my impression of it is "oh no, I don't like the consistency of this."
It just felt thicker than I like my leave ins to be and I didn't like the smell of it at all. But I still went ahead and used it and I will use it again tonight because I'm out of Carol's Daughter Hair Milk...but guys...this is a tentative no for my hair.
I know a lot of people rave about it and I ordered it online and everything, but I just don't see anything it did for my hair. Definitely isn't more moisturized with it. It's like I didn't use leave in it at all.
So the quest continues for the perfect leave in...unless when I use Giovanni Direct Leave In again I completely change my mind...but I doubt it.