Tag Archives: Conditioner

Revlon Realistic Wash-n-Go (Black Seed Oil Product Line)

Wash-N-Go Process

My Wash-n-Go started with my wash day process where I first used the Strengthen Shampoo:

Photo credit Revlon Realistic USA

1. Cleansing Using about 4-5 pumps of the shampoo after damping my hair with water (I wash my hair in sections) I focused on my roots and scalp first in order to remove product buildup, sweat, dirt etc. Using my finger tips I gently massaged my scalp and worked the shampoo. I also used my scalp massage brush to help lift product buildup and sweat from my scalp. I added another 3 pumps of shampoo onto my roots and scalp before working the shampoo on the length of my hair. It smells divine and had a little bit of slip to help detangle (however, I did not necessarily focus on detangling while using the shampoo that came later). I have always had a hate hate relationship with shampoo because from past experience they have ALWAYS left my hair feeling dry and stripped. However, this shampoo did neither! It lathered up a little bit and left my hair feel clean without stripped of natural oils produced by the scalp. It basically left my scalp and hair feeling clean without that typical “squeaky clean” feeling I have experienced in the past. In terms of shampoos, this definitely has been one of the best I have personally used.

Photo credit Revlon Realistic USA

2. Conditioning: After shampoo-ing I moved onto their Strengthening Conditioner (Intense Moisture). I struggled getting the conditioner out of the pump because it is really really thick which, is something I had anticipated when I did my initial review of the box (check my previous post). I ended up removing the pump and just squeezed the conditioner out of the container. I worked the conditioner from ends to roots since the ends of our hair is the oldest and driest parts so I focus on that first. I am very heavy handed with conditioner because this is when I really finger detangle and remove shed hair (using my fingers as a comb – I no longer use a comb while washing my hair). This conditioner melted into my hair, despite being really really thick. I had anticipated that it would sit on my hair but I was proven wrong! It basically dissolved. My curls were left detangled, soft, moisturized and clumped together. I absolutely loved how hydrated my hair felt after using the conditioner. I was left with a normal amount of shed hair (for me) as I would on any other wash day. I left the conditioner on with a shower cap for 10 minutes (as per their instructions) and then rinsed it out.

Photo credit Revlon Realistic USA

3. Moisturizing For the Wash-n-Go process I first moisturized my hair with their Strengthening Butter Creme Leave-in Conditioner. This is the thickest Leave-in Conditioner I have ever applied on my hair! I was actually a little worried that it might just coat my strands because of the thick consistency of the product, especially since I have fine strands. I also wasn’t sure if my curls would be weighed down due to the product just sitting on top of the strands instead of being absorbed but I yet again was proven wrong! My hair literally drank up the Leave-in! It did’t sit on top of my hair, it practically melted into int nor did it leave it feeling greasy in any way. I really put it to the test by applying A LOT of Leave-In. It smells amazing and left my curls moisturized, soft, shiny, hydrated and clumped together. After applying the leave-in is when I go for my wide tooth comb to make sure I have gotten rid of all tangles and shed hair (my comb was free of shed hair at this point).

Photo credit Revlon Realistic USA

4. Defining: To define my Wash-n-Go I used the Strengthening Curling Custard. This is another product that is thick in consistency however, it has more of a cream texture compared to the Leave-In. This product helped to enhance my curls, clumped each strand and also left my hair smelling amazing and looking shiny. It didn’t leave it feeling coated nor did I have a “crunchy” after effect on my curls. I was left with fluffy, frizz free, bouncy hair that had body, movement and definition.

Final Verdict:

Overall, I loved the results of my Wash-n-Go, from cleansing right down to styling. I was impressed with how well my hair absorbed the products without feeling weighed down nor product overloaded. My hair had volume while having little to no frizz (I went to town with my Afro comb because I LOVE lifting my roots to create MORE volume). My curls were defined, soft, shiny and hydrated.

Initially I did wish that the line included some kind of oil since I am used to applying one after moisturizing my hair however, I think that since both the leave-in and the curling custard include oils such as: sweet almond oil, black cumin seed oil, olive oil, argan oil, coconut oil and even Shea Butter & Cocoa Butter, I think for someone with fine hair such as myself the oils included in the products are sufficient. (I don’t know if those with thicker hair strands (coarser) hair would feel the same). I would have liked to see a Deep Conditioner in the product line because my wash day usually includes deep conditioning on a weekly basis. Maybe that will be added at some point.

Other than that, I enjoyed using the line & look forward to trying the other styling product I received when I do a Bantu Knot-out!

Let me know if you have ever tried Revlon Realistic Black Seed Oil and what you thought!

Maicurls

How To: Adding slip to conditioners to make detangling easier.

3 Replies

Hey Maicurlies,

Today I have something that I hope will help save you some money and perhaps even turn some of your least favorite conditioners (that you have stashed away collecting dust) into favorable ones!

Making Conditioner with Slip

Whether you returned natural just a few months ago or have been natural for a while, finding “staple” or favorite products (e.g. conditioners) are one of things we want to achieve. It can become a little difficult to find products that work for our hair without some trial and error, which can be quite frustrating.

We tend to look for conditioners that:

Provides moisture (if we are not seeking a protein conditioner)
Has sufficient slip to ease detangling
Smooths the hair
Softens the hair
Provides shine
Provides elasticity

In this particular DIY example I used TRESemmé Naturals but you can use any of the conditioners in your shelf. Note: some might not mix all that well with the gel but since it is not going to be left in your hair and will be rinsed out that shouldn’t be a problem.

The crux of this whole thing is to add Flaxseed Gel (FSG) to your conditioner of choice and that pretty much is it!

Why add Flaxseed Gel:

Apart from the fact that adding Flaxseed gel will help provide slip to the conditioner here are some of the other benefits:

Rich source of vitamin E. Vitamin E.
Provides moisture to the hair.
Provides nourishment to the hair thanks to the Omega – 3 fatty acids.
Helps reduce breakage and split ends.
Helps slowdown the process of premature gray hair.
It helps reduce shed hair.
Helps fight scalp irritations and dandruff.

Ingredients: (I get 2 uses from this recipe)

ingredients 1

8 Oz Conditioner (if you have shorter/thicker hair you might need to use less or more conditioner).
8 Oz Plain Water
2 Oz Flaxseeds (I like my gel to be thick since that provides slip).
(Optional) 5 – 7 drops Essential Oil (EO)*
Pot
Sieve
Clean and disinfected container
Spoon/Spatula
Gloves (to be extra sure you don’t contaminate the product)

*Essential Oils should be used with caution and only requires a few drops. If you are pregnant please do not use any!

Method:

I add the flaxseeds to the water (before it boils) and allow it to slowly come to a boil on low heat for 10 minutes while continuously stirring. Once I have the gel at a consistency I am happy with I immediately sieve the seeds (keep the seeds for reuse in a ziplock bag in the freezer and quickly pour water in the pot). I add the gel to my conditioner, mix really well then add the EO stir again, fini!

Storage:

If you have any remaining conditioner and plan to use it the following week I do suggest storing it in the fridge however, I have left mine in an airtight container in my bathroom to be used the following week without anything nasty growing in the container. I am always “extra” and use a clean, disinfect and dry spoon whenever I scoop out any hand prepared products just to make sure no bacteria, dirt etc comes in contact and grows anything funky so I suggest you doing the same (don’t dip your fingers in the container unless you use it all up in one go).

Ratio/Ingredient Alternatives:

If you are using a thin/runny conditioner and want to really thicken it use 3 Oz flaxseeds.
You can add some Rose Water to this by replacing half of the water e.g. 4 Oz Plain Water & 4 Oz Rose Water.
You can add a Humectant (if your hair likes them) e.g. Honey/Agave Nectar/Glycerine or Aloe Vera Juice (0.5 Oz).
You can also use a combination of Fenukgreek Seeds together with the flaxseeds e.g. 1 Oz Fenugreek 1 Oz Flaxseeds.

P.S. You can also add some FSG to your shampoo! Use 1 tablespoon of FSG to your shampoo in a bowl & stir. It will provide slip but also help to reduce the amount of stripping from the shampoo.

I really would love to hear if you try this DIY and what your results were!

Thanks

Maicurls

Tresemme Naturals Conditioners (Review)

2 Replies

Good Evening Maicurlies!

I hope everyone had a lovely Easter 🙂

Before I start I want to point out one thing:

I was not paid/compensated or requested to do write this “review”

TRESemme Naturals Conditioners

Right, now that that’s out of the way let’s get down to business shall we. This will be my first “product review” if you can call it that, so please bear with me (it is long)! I wanted to provide as much information as possible.

I had to change my “go to” conditioner because long story short I noticed an ingredient that was either newly added or I never noticed it in the list before. I will not mention the name of the conditioner but the ingredient is Paraffinium Liquidium!!! (Mineral Oil!) Said conditioner was my staple for a number of reasons. It is paraben, silicone and phenoxyethanol free, contains 98% ingredients of natural origin and has a gentle pH. Aside from that it contains Shea Butter and Olive Oil, detangles my hair and deeply nourishes it.

So Why?? Why?? WHHHY??? I do not get it! You go to the lengths of being all of the above and then have that in there?!?! I was even a fan of the Hair Mask/Deep Conditioner from said company. Ok enough of my rant.

This brings me to my product review of TRESemmé Naturals. This is an old friend from back when I was transitioning and even after I was initially fully natural. I think during my product junkie days I sort of forgot about this conditioner. So I revisited my longtime friend and like it!

I went over some product reviews to see what other natural-heads had to say before I retried it and of course there are two sides to every coin. There are rave reviews and some who were not too fond of it. Apparently at some point the ingredient list had been changed without warning and this caused quite a stir! Some ladies said that they preferred the “old” conditioner better. For me, I remember being fond of it a few years ago and my hair still responds well to it.

Before you continue reading please note: while the name says TRESemme Naturals it is NOT 100% natural! So ladies/gents please read your ingredient lists and then read it again to familiarize yourself with the product and to know what you are applying all over your hair and scalp.

TRESemmé Naturals Review:

I tried both the: Vibrantly Smooth Conditioner and the Moisturizing Conditioner over a few weeks to get realistic results. I used both in the same way I used my previous conditioner: to wash/co-wash, as part of my DIY Deep Conditioners (DC) and my DIY Leave-In Conditioners.

Packaging

Both bottles have a clean and simple design with a big green leaf and a description of what each conditioner is supposed to do for your hair at the front. The back of course gives more details. The bottles are quite large (900ml) which is both positive and negative because while you get A LOT of conditioner the bottles are a little “bulky” in case you want to take one with you on vacation. *Read my Curly Travel Tips post to see how I solve this issue when I travel.

Price*

Both conditioners are the same price (in my area) and both are affordable (again in my area) so when it comes to price I think you get your monies worth especially as they are large bottles. *Price depends on where you live in the world but from what I have read online it is a seemingly cheap conditioner worldwide.

Consistency & Scent

They are both reasonably thick (not to the point that it is hard to squeeze them out of the bottle) and give me great slip. The color of the conditioners is white, the scent of both are neither strong nor overpowering but they do have a light ‘perfume-ish’ smell. F.Y.I they both contain (PARFUM) fragrance (ingredient list below) in case this is an issue for you.

Results

Moisturizing Conditioner

Moisturizing Conditioner: My hair really does feel moisturized after using the conditioner as a co-wash/DC/Leave-In Conditioner. It cleans my hair but does strip it (technically a conditioner should not but there have been cases of this happening). As part of my DIY DC’s I enjoyed the results because it left my hair feeling moisturized and soft. Since it was not developed as a DC I add additional ingredients for more benefits. My hair does not feel or look weighed down when used as a Leave-In nor does it coat my hair. Instead, I get really moisturized curls with a nice sheen, good clumpage, curls that pop and are really shiny. Note: when used as a DIY Leave-In the ratio of the ingredients used can determine if you do/do not get buildup. Therefore make sure to use measured amounts and ration the amounts used.

Vibrantly Smooth Conditioner

Vibrantly Smooth: My hair feels moisturized, slick (not greasy) and not stripped at all. My hair does not feel or look weighed down instead, it does a good job of clumping my curls, moisturizes my hair and giving it a smooth finish. As part of my DIY DC’s I enjoyed the results because it again left my hair feeling moisturized and soft. Since it was not developed as a DC I add additional ingredients to maximize the results. I noticed the most frizz reduction when I use it as a part of my DIY Leave-In Conditioner. Note: when used as a DIY Leave-In the ratio of the ingredients used will determine if you feel like you have buildup or not. Therefore make sure to use measured amount and ration the amounts used so not to cause buildup or clogged scalp pores.

Ingredients

Green = “good” ingredient/alcohol (some include natural ingredients)

Orange = “average” ingredient/alcohol (some include natural ingredients)

Red = “poor” ingredient/alcohol

Moisturizing Conditioner – Water (Aqua), Caprylic/Capric Triglyrceride, Cetyl Alcohol, Stearyl Alcohol, Stearamidopropyl Diemthlyamine, Aspartic Acid, Lauroyl Lysine, Persea Gratissima (Avocado) Oil, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Caprylyl Glycol,Brassica Campestris/Aleurites Fordi Oil Copolymer, Distearyldimonium Chloride, Citric Acid, Ethyl Alcohol, Isopropyl Alcohol, Parfum (Fragrance), Benzyl Alcohol.

Vibrantly Smooth Conditioner – Water (Aqua), Cetyl Alcohol, Stearyl Alcohol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyrceride, Stearamidopropyl Diemthlyamine, Lauroyl Lysine, Aspartic Acid, Cocos Nucifera (Coconut)Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Leaf Extract, Ethyl Alcohol, Caprylyl Glycol, Brassica Campestris/Aleurites Fordi Oil Copolymer, Distearyldimonium Chloride, Isopropyl Alcohol,Benzyl Alcohol, Citric Acid, Parfum (Fragrance).

NOTE: when looking at ingredient lists sometimes we get confused about the alcohols in them and think all alcohols are “bad” when that is not always the case. Examples of “good” alcohols are fatty alcohols such as: Cetyl Alcohol & Stearyl Alcohol. Benzyl Alcohol is considered more of an “average” alcohol, whereas alcohols such as: Ethyl Alcohol & Isopropyl Alcohol are “poor” alcohols as they can cause the hair to feel dry. Therefore if your product contains “poor” alcohols try to make sure they are at the bottom of the list as this indicates there is a low percentage of it present. (The higher up an ingredient is listed the more prevalent it is in the product.) Also make sure to do patch tests before you apply conditioner all over your head.

Additional details

Silicon Free
Hypoallergic
No added colour
“Makes your hair 10x stronger after just one use” (I cannot attest to this)
Gentle enough for sensitive skin (*You should do a small patch test first before applying it all over your scalp)
Can be used on color treated hair
Not tested on animals
Avoid contact with eyes. Can cause skin irritation in which case you should flush thoroughly with water

Verdict

In all honesty I really like both products but I would say the Moisturizing Conditioner is my favorite because it does what the label says! It makes my hair feel great, cleans yet still leaves it moisturized and really really soft. I will never have frizz free hair (I am not looking for that It) and the Moisturizing Conditioner seems to give me just that extra moisture. Also since I am an ingredient fanatic I prefer its ingredient list over the Vibrantly Smooth Conditioner since all of the “poor” ingredients are listed right at the bottom of the list.

– THE END –

Do you use TRESemmé Naturals? Which one? How do you like it? If you do not like it why? I would love to hear from you!

Maicurls