Dark & Lovely’s Au Naturale Anti-breakage Super Softening Hair Butter

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Ingredients:

Aqua / Water / Eau, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cocos Nucifera Oil / Coconut Oil, Stearyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Dimethicone, Butylene Glycol, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Stearic Acid, Palmitic Acid, Parfum / Fragrance, Steareth-100, Polyacrylamide, Phenoxyethanol, Sorbic Acid, C13-14 Isoparaffin, Steareth-2, Limonene, Hexyl Cinnamal, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Honey, Laureth-7, Mannan, Xanthan Gum, Paullinia Cupana Seed Extract, Methylisothiazolinone, Citronellol, Citral, Geraniol, Benzyl Alcohol, Linalool, Ci 19140 / Yellow 5, Ci 15985 / Yellow 6, Ci 14700 / Red 4, Ci 17200 / Red 33, Ci 42090 / Blue 1

 

Directions:

After shampooing and conditioning with Tension Release Hair Wash and Strength Restoring Conditioner, apply a quarter size amount of Super Softening Hair Butter to damp or dry hair. Do not rinse. Use daily or as often as needed.

 

Dark & Lovely’s Super Softening Hair Butter from their anti-breakage Au Naturale line is pretty phenomenal! Even though coconut oil is the third ingredient, my hair was left soft and moisturized. I think this might be a first for me after using a commercial product with coconut oil within the first 10 ingredients! I’m kind of shocked! My biggest hurdle in my natural hair journey has been length retention and preventing split ends. I have spent most of my time either experiencing breakage or trimming off single strand knots (SSKs), mid-shaft splits, and split ends. Because the ends of our hair are the oldest part of our mane, they are quite fragile and, therefore, more prone to breakage than the rest of our hair. After using Dark & Lovely’s Root to Tip Mender with great success, I set my sights on trying their Hair Butter to develop a plan of attack against hair breakage and damage BEFORE it has a chance to even begin!

It claims to reverse dry, damaged hair and transform it into moisturized strands that are supple and full of shine. This Hair Butter also promises to reconstruct damaged strands sans drying alcohols, mineral oil, parabens, or petrolatum … talk about beautiful hair without compromise! After using the Hair Butter for a few weeks now, I am quite pleased! It worked well in an uber moisturized twist-out and even gave me an angelically soft bomb wash ‘n go—no gel required! I liked this Hair Butter so much that when I saw a Dark & Lovely coupon in my Sunday paper for $2 off, I immediately purchased a second jar despite still having half of my first jar left.

Dark & Lovely’s Super Softening Hair Butter has a similar fresh, clean scent as the Root to Tip Mender (except milder).  The product is extremely thick and creamy. I can turn the entire jar upside down without fear of product waste. However, it doesn’t weigh down my fine hair or make it feel oily! Even after using it every day for an entire week before washing my hair, I had zero product buildup on my scalp and absolutely no residual “gunk” on my hair follicles. Honestly, this works light years better than any SheaMoisture leave-in I’ve tried, and I’ve tried quite a few! So, I have ZERO complaints.

The Super Softening Hair Butter contains guarana root (aka paullinia cupana seed extract), a caffeinated berry, which helps to stimulate blood circulation in the scalp. It also contains honey, a natural humectant that helps to regulate and retain moisture in the hair. As a result, when the Hair Butter is combined with the Hair Wash and Conditioner, it will aid in preventing hair breakage so that each strand can grow healthier, stronger, and longer.

Although this Hair Butter  is a hair moisturizer Dark & Lovely specifically designed to quench dry, breaking transitioning hair, I find that it has worked wonders for my parched, extremely low porosity, natural hair. And, if used in an appropriate quantity, I think it would work equally well for relaxed hair, too.

This anti-breakage Au Naturale line also has an Anti-breakage Tension Release Wash (a shampoo free of sulfates, parabens, and silicones), an Anti-breakage Strength Restoring Conditioner (a 2-in-1 rinse-out conditioner and deep conditioning treatment free of mineral oil, parabens, and petrolatum), a Length Retention Melt in Softness Detangling Co-Wash (a co-wash free of mineral oil, parabens, and petrolatum that promises to gently melt away both brittleness and tangles) , a Length Retention Inch by Inch Strengthening Balm (a product free of mineral oil, parabens, and petrolatum that rebuilds hair fibers by reinforcing weak strands from the inside out), a Length Retention Nice & Neat Braiding Custard (a styler free of mineral oil, parabens, and petrolatum that claims to keep braids looking fresher longer), and an Anti-breakage Root to Tip Mender  (a hair treatment free of mineral oil, parabens, and petrolatum that resuscitates frazzled, frayed hair back to life by eradicating split ends and breakage before it has a chance to begin).

Try one or all of the products … But, the Super Softening Hair Butter pairs extremely well with the Root to Tip Mender.

Dark & Lovely’s Au Naturale Anti-breakage Root to Tip Mender

 

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Ingredients:

Aqua / Water / Eau, Cetearyl Alcohol, Aminopropyl Triethoxysilane, Parfum / Fragrance, Cetyl Esters, Amodimethicone, Behentrimonium Chloride, Lactic Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Isopropyl Alcohol, Benzyl Salicylate, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Honey, Hexyl Cinnamal, Benzyl Alcohol, Trideceth-6, Linalool, Paullinia Cupana Seed Extract, Limonene, Cetrimonium Chloride, 2-Oleamido-1,3-Octadecanediol, Coumarin, Hydroxyisohexyl 3-Cyclohexene Carboxaldehyde, Geraniol, Isoeugenol, Citronellol.

 

Directions:

After shampooing and conditioning with Tension Release Hair Wash and Strength Restoring Conditioner, apply Root to Tip Mender to roots and pull through to ends. Proceed with your styling regimen. For a daily moisturizing treatment, follow up with our Super Softening Hair Butter.

 

Dark & Lovely’s Root to Tip Mender from their anti-breakage Au Naturale line is amazing! My biggest hurdle in my natural hair journey has been length retention and preventing split ends. I have spent most of my time either experiencing breakage or trimming off single strand knots (SSKs), mid-shaft splits, and split ends. Because the ends of our hair are the oldest part of our mane, they are quite fragile and, therefore, more prone to breakage than the rest of our hair. This  Root to Tip Mender promises to allow you to “skip your next snip appointment,” by preventing hair breakage and damage BEFORE it has a chance to even begin! It claims to resuscitate “frazzled, frayed hair” back to baby smooth strands.

I must say the Root to Tip Mender lived up to the hype. I have been using this product for almost two months now, and since dusting my ends, I have noticed 75% fewer SSKs and split ends. Now, keep in mind, I have VERY fragile, super fine, low porosity hair that tends to become dry, frizzy, and broken at the gentlest whisper of the wind! So, this is NO small feat. In fact, I liked my Root to Tip Mender results so much that when I ran out, I purchased a pack of 4!

I love the fresh, clean scent of the Root to Tip Mender. The product is light enough to moisturize my parched ends yet thick and creamy. However, it doesn’t weigh my fine hair down or make it feel greasy! Honestly, my only complaint is that it comes in such a small bottle (4 oz. to be exact). As a result, I don’t think it’s exactly conducive for “root to tip” use. If your natural hair is anything like mine, it would soak up the product in a couple of weeks if used all over your head as suggested by the moniker on the label. Instead, I use it exclusively to combat split ends and mid-shaft splits. And, so far, the Root to Tip Mender has worked wonderfully for that purpose.

The Root to Tip Mender contains guarana root (aka paullinia cupana seed extract), a caffeinated berry, which helps to stimulate blood circulation in the scalp. It also contains honey, a natural humectant that helps to regulate and retain moisture in the hair. As a result, when the Root to Tip Mender is combined with the Hair Wash and Conditioner, it will aid in preventing hair breakage so that each strand can grow healthier, stronger, and longer.

This anti-breakage Au Natural line also has an Anti-breakage Tension Release Wash (a shampoo free of sulfates, parabens, and silicones), an Anti-breakage Strength Restoring Conditioner (a 2-in-1 rinse-out conditioner and deep conditioning treatment free of mineral oil, parabens, and petrolatum), a Length Retention Melt in Softness Detangling Co-Wash (a co-wash free of mineral oil, parabens, and petrolatum that promises to gently melt away both brittleness and tangles) , a Length Retention Inch by Inch Strengthening Balm (a product free of mineral oil, parabens, and petrolatum that rebuilds hair fibers by reinforcing weak strands from the inside out), a Length Retention Nice & Neat Braiding Custard (a styler free of mineral oil, parabens, and petrolatum that claims to keep braids looking fresher longer), and an Anti-breakage Super Softening Hair Butter (a hair moisturizer free of alcohol, mineral oil, parabens, and petrolatum that is specifically designed to quench dry, breaking transitioning hair).

Try one or all of the products … I’ve got my sights set on the Anti-breakage Super Softening Hair Butter next!

Super-moisturizing Lavender Hair Spritz

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1. Add ½ cup of aloe vera juice.
   • Aloe vera juice relieves itchy, dry scalps and acts as a conditioning agent that reduces frizz.
   • I buy the Fruit of the Earth Aloe Vera Juice. It comes in a large 1 gallon jug and has a shelf life of 1 ½ – 2 years (when stored properly in the fridge).
2. Add ½ cup of rose water.
   • Rosewater helps to balance the pH of skin.
   • It has anti-inflammatory properties that can help reduce and prevent irritated skin and clogged pores.
   • It’s antioxidant properties strengthens and regenerates skin cells.
   • Rose water also hydrates and refreshes hair, and helps with the retention of moisture.
   • I love the rose water by Heritage Store.
3. Add ½ cup of distilled (not tap) water.
   • If you live in a hard water area like I do, this is a CRUCIAL step.
   • It is imperative that you use distilled (or filtered) water. Don’t use tap water, especially if you are unsure of the water content (or if you have never tested your water)!
4. Add ⅓ cup of vegetable glycerin.
   • Glycerin is a natural humectant. It helps to attract and retain moisture to your hair’s follicles.
   • I adore the 100% pure version from NOW Solutions. It never fails to soften and moisturize my parched tresses!
5. Add ½ teaspoon of vitamin e oil.
   • Vitamin e oil has anti-aging properties that prevent damaging effects from the environment (e.g., free radicals).
   • This nutrient-rich oil heals and repairs skin and hair.
   • It is also an antioxidant that helps to keep the spritz fresh by extending the shelf life.
   • After trying several brands, I’ve locked onto Sundown Naturals vitamin e oil.
6. Add 20–30 drops of lavender essential oil.
   • I used lavender essential oil for its regenerative, soothing, and anti-inflammatory properties. However, you can use any essential oil you prefer (i.e., rosemary, tea tree, peppermint, etc).
   • The essential oil also helps to extend the shelf life of the spritz.
7. Shake vigorously to incorporate all ingredients, and enjoy!

After tinkering with the proportions for two months, this has become my go-to daily hair moisturizer. I use it on my twist-outs, wash ‘n gos, protective styles, everything! When nothing else will moisturize my hair, this will. Trust!

Follow-up with your fave oil. I normally gravitate to whipped shea butter but, this summer, I’ve been reaching for extra virgin olive oil more frequently. Just use what your hair loves.

 

Hair Moisture 101: the ABCs of Moisturizing Natural Hair

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Moisturizing natural hair can be a challenge (to say the least). When I first Big Chopped, moisturizing my hair was easy, breezy, beautiful CoverGirl! But, as my hair grew, I noticed that I had to moisturize my hair more frequently. Once my hair reached my shoulders (when straightened), it became obvious to me that I needed to rethink my hair moisture routine. However, ever since I went back to school to pursue an advanced degree, I have had trouble keeping up with even my low-fuss hair regimen. Sometimes the busyness of life just bogs you down! So, whether you recently made the decision “to go natural” or just need a reminder (like we all do from time to time) to return to the basics, here’s some essentials to get you started (or back on track)!

This is the basic tenet of natural hair: moisturize and seal. But, what does that mean? It means that you should apply water (or a leave-in conditioner of your choice) to your hair. Then, you should “seal” in that moisture by applying an oil over the moisturizer. If you just apply water or a water-based moisturizer to your hair (without sealing), your hair will be left frizzy, fuzzy, and dehydrated. This is because sebum (a natural oil produced by the sebaceous glands) has more difficulty traveling down the entire hair shaft when coils and curls are present. This is due to all the twists and turns of each strand. In light of this, those of us with highly textured hair have to moisturize our tresses much more often than those with straight or wavy hair. So, moisturizing your hair without locking in that moisture is a no-no, unless you want dry, parched hair!

If moisturizing and sealing your hair just isn’t enough, try using the L-O-C method. L-O-C stands for Leave-in-Oil-Cream. This means that you start with a leave-in conditioner (or water-based moisturizer), seal in the moisture with an oil of your choice, and then apply a thicker, cream-based product for added moisture. The premise of the L-O-C method is that you layer products in a certain order to maximize moisture retention. If you still feel like this isn’t enough, try a variation of the method, such as L-O-C-O or playing around with the order of the cream and oil (L-C-O). By layering in multiple products, it makes it easier to keep your hair moisturized longer and keeps future moisture loss to a minimum.

Another useful moisturizing technique is the Greenhouse Effect. This is great for rebalancing the moisture levels of dehydrated hair or reversing short-term dry hair spells. The purpose is to trap in moisture by lightly dampening hair with water, adding a natural oil, and then covering with a processing cap and satin scarf/hair bonnet. The baggy method is similar, only it allows the use of water-based moisturizers (instead of pure water) and sealants other than natural hair oils.

Whatever method you choose, don’t forget to listen to your hair. If your hair is constantly dry, you may not be moisturizing it enough. Or, you may need to analyze your product choices or the order in which you apply them. Be curious. Try one method, two, or all three!

African Pride Olive Miracle Moisturizer Lotion 2.0

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Remember this? I found a bottle of African Pride’s Olive Miracle Moisturizer Lotion at my local beauty supply store for only a few bucks last year. Because of the sickeningly intense banana scent, I have only used this product sporadically. In fact, the last time I used it, my mom and sister smelled the product the moment I stepped into the car.  Not cool!  And, to make matters worse, they were not a fan of the scent either.

Because I like the results I receive from this moisturizer lotion, I wanted to try to see if I could find a way to salvage it without almost getting sick every time I use it (due to the intense aroma). So, this is what I did … Once I had used about half of the product, I filled the remainder of the bottle with Fruit of the Earth Aloe Vera Juice. I also added a ½ teaspoon of vitamin e oil. To mask the unpleasant fragrance of the product, I added 20-30 drops of essential oil. Then, I transferred the new concoction into a spray bottle.

The result? A product remix that hydrates and seals moisture into my hair in ONE step. Just shake and repeat prior to each use! 😉

Optimum Oil Therapy Dry Hair Healer

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Claims: 

• Deeply moisturizes to alleviate dryness
• Helps repair and protect against split ends
• No greasy buildup

Ingredients: 

42156 SS, Aqua/Water, Paraffinum Liquidum/Mineral Oil, Glycerin, Petrolatum, Cetearyl Alcohol, PEG-100 Stearate, Glyceryl Stearate, Polysorbate 20, Paraffin, Dimethicone, Dicetyl Phosphate, Olea Eurropaea/Olive Fruit Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis/Jojoba Seed Oil, Cocos Nucifera/Coconut Oil, Persea Gratissima/Avocado Oil. Laurdimonium Hydroxypropyl Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Sucrose, Parfum/Fragrance, Ceteth-10 Phosphate, Methylparaben, Propylparaben, Triethanolamine, Disodium EDTA, Laureth-23, Butylphenyl Methylpropional, Chlorhexidine Dihydrochloride, Amyl Cinnamal, Hydroxyisohexyl 3-Cyclohexene Carboxaldehyde, Benzyl Salicylate, Limonene, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, Citronellol, 2-Oleamido-1, 3-Octadecanediol.

Directions: For daily maintenance, apply a small amount into palm, massage evenly into hair, and style as usual. For excessive dryness, section hair and apply directly onto scalp . Comb or brush through hair, and style as usual.

 

After finding Roots of Nature’s Butter Whip Coil Cream and their Feather Whipped Curl Cream at my local dollar store a couple of years ago, I try to keep my eye out for fabulous hair care finds. I lucked out, once again, when I found Softsheen Carson’s Optimum Oil Therapy Dry Hair Healer at my dollar store while perusing for craft supplies. I immediately bought four jars. What can I say? I am a sucker for a deal! I’m glad I did.

The Dry Hair Healer has a light perfumy scent that I love. It’s fragrant but not obnoxiously so. I also like the light, airy texture of the moisturizer. It is great on dry or wet hair, and kept my strands moisturized in humid weather. (Think 90° – 100°!) If the heat index is just as high, I like to layer some SCurl No Drip Activator underneath to lock-in extra moisture. I lightly spritzed my dry hair with water prior to use and then smoothed the product over my hair. My dry ends vanished right before my eyes! If I use this for a wash ‘n go or to make a high bun, I like to slick down my edges with Elasta QP Glaze. I haven’t tried this with a twist-out yet, but I plan to! I love how this product not only moisturizes my hair but also slightly elongates my curls, which makes my hair less prone to getting tangled.

For my relaxed ladies out there, be careful not to apply too much as this product is super-moisturizing. Although, even when I overdid it and added too much product, my hair still didn’t feel sticky or gross like it does when I use other products. Score!

According to Softsheen Carson, this product uses what they call Micro-oil Technology to penetrate the hair shaft with micro-beads of coconut, olive, avocado, and jojoba oils. They claim that this dry hair healer will nourish, repair, strengthen, and protect hair with no greasy buildup. I must admit, this product definitely left my hair hydrated (without being greasy). While it’s too early to tell if it prevents split ends, my hair is so moisturized that I’m thinking I may need to go back to my dollar store to see if they have any more left in stock. This little hair care jewel retails between $4 and $6, depending on where you live. But, even when my stash runs out, I won’t mind paying retail!

P.S. This product also works on multiple hair types. A Caucasian friend of mine with curly, frizz-prone hair tried this product and loved it as well. So, curly girls everywhere, rejoice!     😉

African Pride Olive Miracle Moisturizer Lotion

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I found a bottle of African Pride’s Olive Miracle Moisturizer Lotion at my local beauty supply store for only a few bucks. I have to admit, I bought it solely because of the price … Well, the price and the claims on the packaging. According to the label, this “maximum strengthening moisturizer lotion” prevents breakage and split ends, repairs dry, damaged hair, provides sheen, and protects against the harmful effects of chemical processes and everyday styling tools. This formula states that it is perfect for blow drying, maintaining short styles, and moisturizing curly hair.

Ingredients: Water, Glycine Soja Oil (Soybean), Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil, Propylene Glycol, Steareth-2, Steareth-20, Dimethicone, Phenyl Trimethicone,  Lanolin Oil, Laneth-15, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter), Olea Europaea Fruit Oil (Olive), Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil (Jojoba), Cocos Nucifera Oil (Coconut), Persia Gratissima Oil (Avocado), Panax Ginseng Root Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract (Rosemary) , Equisetum Hiemale Extract (Horsetail) , Malaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil (Tea Tree), Polyquaternium-37, Propylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate, PPG-1 Trideceth-6, Methylparaben, Propylparaben, DMDM Hydantoin, TBHQ,  CI 19140 (FD&C Yellow #5), Fragrance, Benzyl Benzoate, d-Limonene, Linalool

Directions: Use daily, applying a small amount into hair from roots to ends. Do not rinse out. Style as usual.

I love that this moisturizing lotion has shea butter, olive, jojoba, coconut, avocado, and tea tree oils, as well as ginseng, rosemary, and horsetail extracts. However, there seems to be some discrepancy concerning the ingredients. I noticed that when I looked up this product online, many of the more “unsavory ingredients” (e.g., Dimethicone, Phenyl Trimethicone,  and Lanolin Oil) were listed toward the end. However, on my bottle, they were listed within the first 10 ingredients. Hmmm … I’m not a fan of such unclear product descriptions. I wondered whether I had a newer (or older) formula. I wasn’t too thrilled about this, but I decided to try it anyway.

The hair lotion immediately moisturized my parched hair … No small feat, considering the high humidity I experience in my locale year-round. It also defined and separated my curls even though I applied it to previously styled hair that was dry (and not damp or wet). Eight hours later, my hair was still well-moisturized and defined. Questionable ingredients aside, that’s a pretty amazing accomplishment!

When I tried this product on my freshly washed damp/wet hair, I loved it even more! The lotion had a perfect consistency: not too thick … not too thin … somewhere in-between. It left my curls and coils moisturized, defined, and shiny without being greasy. However, if I accidentally used too much product, it did weigh down my hair and make it oily. So, relaxed ladies be super careful!

While I think this is a decent product, especially for those with limited funds, unfortunately, this hair lotion has a VERY potent smell. It reminds me of a very pungent banana taffy. The scent was completely unpleasant for me. So much so that I think I might have to add some of my own essential oils to it to mask the smell. Thankfully, the smell fades some (about 30-60 minutes) after application, but I do not like it all!

A Capful of Product

All in all, I think African Pride’s Olive Miracle Moisturizer Lotion is a great product for a natural on a budget. I also think it is relaxer friendly … Just be sure not to use too much product!