Curbin' The Product Junkie In You

Hey deN divas, it's Tywanda.

So I'll be the first to admit that I'm NOT a product junkie!  I'm a LOYAL girl. Once I find an amazing product I will ALWAYS stick with it.  Aannnddd, I also like to get up in the kitchen and make my own concoctions.  I love making my own moisturizers, oils and treatments (I'll share some of those at the A Natural Hair Love Affair Event)  However, I'll have to admit ... there are times when I'm very interested in 'sampling' another product I've heard RAVE reviews about.   I can't help but wondering if it is me OR if every time I visit my local Target or Walgreen's I noticed that Natural Hair section of the store metastasizing in leaps and bounds.   What I'm most EXCITED about for our Natural Hair Love Affair event, is the PRODUCT SWAP.  Right! You're just as confused as I was.  Basically, bring ALL your products to the event that you tried and HATED or feel generous enough to part with AND have the opportunity to swap it out with another product that you've been dying to get your hands on!  I'm banking on somebody bringing something made by Oyin!  In the meantime, I'll share some of my FAV products that I use all the time.  Here they are:


For Shampoos ...

• Trader Joe's Tingling Tea Tree Shampoo  : I love it b/c there are no sulfates or any other natural hair no-no's in the ingredients.  Can't front on the tingling sensation either.

• Shea Moisture's Organic Raw Shea Butter Moisture Retention Shampoo:  I love this because of the shea butter and its ability to retain moisture.  My hair does well with moisture once it is in it, but can dry out VERY easily.

For Conditioner's ...

• Rapunzel's Protein Deep Conditioner:  How MUCH do I love this product?  Let me count the WAYS!  #1: The creator and founder is from Delaware.  #2: It completely rids dryness or any scalp issues.  #3: It has loads of all-natural goodies like oils and protein. #4: The slip that it gives to the hair (great for detangling) is bar none! I could go on and on and on.  But we love Rasheeda and we love her product!

• BioInfusion's Rosemary Mint Conditioner:  While I'm an avid Rapunzel fan, I do know that with certain natural treatments I do to my hair (henna and/or bentonite clay) utilizing a protein conditioner in addition to the treatment can be over-exposure to protein.  So with that, whenever I do my henna treatments or bentonite clay treatments, I use BioInfusion in the actual mix AND afterwards as a deep conditioner.   Here's a trick: I always had some honey and a few carrier oils to this conditioner.

For styling ...

• Shea Moisture's Organic Coconut & Hibiscus Curl Enhancing Smoothie:  This thing is like liquid gold!  Ya'll know!!!  I use it for my coils, my two strand twists, my flat twists, bantu-knots ... I use it on my edges and to enhance my natural curls.  I use it on wet hair, dry hair.  LOVE LOVE LOVE it!  My hair is a sucker for coconut oil AND humectants such as vegetable glycerin and this has it in abundance.

• FX Special Effects Curl Booster Fixative Gel :  So we all need a good gel at some point in our lives.  The problem is they always come loaded with a bunch of natural hair no-no's like alcohol, cone's etc etc.  I'm in love with this BECAUSE it has none of those things in it, smells amazing and isn't overly heavy on my hair.  I apply it wet and when it's dry, my curls POP!  As with any gels,  I always mix a little coconut or olive oil in my hand with the gel before applying to avoid the possibility of crunchiness.

Well deN divas!  That's all from me.  I'm definitely not a product junkie, but I am in LOVE with these staple items.  A word of advice: Instead of making your wallets do back flips and trying EVERYTHING, pay attention to the ingredients in the products and how your hair responds to certain things.  It becomes easier to identify what items will definitely work for you and which ones will be an epic natural fail.    Don't forget to bring YOUR must-haves or hated-it products to A Natural Hair Love Affair so you can product SWAP them out  ;-)