I got a gently questioning e mail from a longtime reader, wondering why there was a reduction in my hair posts.
In all honesty I hadn’t really realized that some of my original readers felt like I’d abandoned my original mission of showing love to natural hair at every available opportunity. Now that Afrobella is my full-time focus, I can get back to basics!
How about a hair product review?
There are tons of pre-shampoo and post-shampoo hair treatments on the market, all promising to do something different and extra special for your hair. But natural hair can be particular about its wants and specific about its needs. Not every hair treatment has passed the test. So a word of forewarning — what works beautifully for me, might not work for you. And vice versa. But I’ll do the best I can to break down my experience with the product, so hopefully you can make an informed decision when you’re looking for the next perfect pre or post-poo product.
I’ve heard from more than one all-natural bella that they wanted to love Lush products, but couldn’t find one that did anything for their hair. I’m happy to report, I found three that I’m totally digging.
If you want your hair to smell like a bouquet of jasmine flowers, treat yourself to Godiva solid shampoo. $9.25, and I am convinced this shampoo bar will last forever. You just don’t use as much product with shampoo or conditioner in solid form, IMO.
I wanted to love the Jungle conditioner bar, but despite the alluring ingredients — cocoa butter, avocados, figs, bananas, passion fruit and kumquats, for example — it didn’t give me the detangling power my hair so desperately needed. I was informed by the heavily tattooed, very cool Lush lady that this product can also be used as a leave-in, and when worked and warmed between the fingers, it can be molded into a soft, nurturing putty for bellas with short hairstyles, seeking a pomade with body.
Now on to what worked — Lush’s Jasmine and Jenna Fluff Eaze Hair Treatment. The product promises to ” turn dull, crazy hair into smooth, silky tresses even Rapunzel would be proud of.” Um, not so much. Bellas with a looser curl pattern might get more of the promised smooth-silkiness. But yay! Using this stuff as a 20-minute pre-shampoo treatment left my tresses so incredibly fragrant and cotton-candy soft, it was hard to stop touching it. And sometimes, I like a big poofy cotton-candy fro. Do you? It’s $20.45 for a 7 oz tub, but if you’re super nice to your Lush lady and buy some cheaper stuff, you might be able to wheedle out a free sample like I did. They are tres generous at Lush, and love answering questions about their products!
I first mentioned Devacurl’s Heaven In Hair like, last summer, but I never completed my review. Heaven in Hair is a 20 minute “deep treatment moisture remedy with botanicals from the rain forests in Brazil,” and my tresses love it almost as much as Ojon, almost. The day-or-two extra soft-softness that I typically experience with an Ojon treatment didn’t last quite as long as I wished it would have with Heaven in Hair.
There are some Devacurl products I LOVE (OMG, One Condition) and some that haven’t rocked my world (Set Me Up is clearly a product for bellas with a looser texture who need texture and body). I wouldn’t yet say that Heaven in Hair is my new essential deep conditioning treatment, but it sure did leave my hair soft, sproingy, and smelling amazing, and I’d recommend it to my fellow bellas who are product junkies searching for their holy grail. Just because it wasn’t for me, doesn’t mean it might not be for you! For even more Devacurl, check out their YouTube channel.
I got hooked up with Kronos Phyx Overnight Repair Masque thanks to the fabulous deal from my friends at Beautyfix — for $50, a full size bottle comes included with a range of hand-selected hot beauty products. Phyx is a lightweight creamy-serum type of mask, and bellas who are concerned about hair product ingredients will say the nay-no to this with a quickness. Having tried it, I liked the lightness of the product, I liked that it didn’t stain or leave residue on my pillow, and my hair did feel softer in the a.m. But the effects weren’t at all lasting, and the price of this stuff when it’s NOT part of the BeautyFix deal blew my mind. Bellas with a very loose curl pattern or relaxed hair with money to burn, buy this. If you’re more into saving money and want to try some new stuff, definitely sign up for BeautyFix. If you’re actively looking for an affordable pre or post-shampoo hair treatment, look elsewhere.
The latest product from Shalini Vadhera’s beauty line, Global Goddess, combines the kind of good-for-you hair ingredients afrobellas have been seeking out at the Indian grocery store for a while now! The Coconut Amla Revitalizing Hair Treatment goes to the root of my favorite pre-poo products and blends a bunch of fabulous oils together. Coconut oil, neem oil, amla extract, henna, grapeseed oil, and avocado oil are combined in a 6 oz bottle (that costs $45). I knew I was going to flip for this from the moment I read the ingredients, and yup – my hair drank it up and loved it. I chose to apply overnight and wash my hair in the a.m., and I’m happy to report that three days later, my hair still looks shiny, and feels both strong and soft.
Global Goddess FTW, because this is the rare pre-poo that might work for bellas with a variety of hair textures, and because these are ingredients so many bellas already have! You just might be able to save yourself the $45, and whip together a perfect pre-poo for yourself right there at home. Yay, frugality!
Do you have a favorite pre-shampoo or post-shampoo hair treatment? Tell me about it!
Yay! I’ve been waiting on this post since you twittered about reviewing Lush products. I want to try the Jasmine and Henna Fluff although the price is a little steep for my budget. Maybe I’ll splurge 🙂 Recently, I concocted my own pre-poo using Coconut Oil, Avocados (got a little messy), and Jojoba Oil. It worked great although I wanna try playing with some different ingredients and essential oils. I’ll let you know what I come up with. Peace
YaY! I been missing the hair posts! I love Lush’s Curly Wurly coconut shampoo. I use it once a month and my hair loves it. but for a pre-poo I use Jessicurl Too Shea conditioner and a post-poo the Weekly deepconditioning treatment.
I really like Jessicurl conditioners and my hair responds really well to it. It cuts down on my detangling time too
I love the Lush Henna for coloring my hair, gotta try the shampoo bars…Thanks!
Lush’s Jasmine and Henna treatment has been on my “Must Buy” list for awhile now, and i think that I am finally going to make that happen! I wish I could be more creative with my pre-poos, but I usually just take Cantu’s leave-in and mix with olive oil and leave it on my hair for 30 mins. One day, I’ll become a little more fearless with the concoctions 🙂
Nice post. i might try the lush jasmine and henna as i have been looking for a reason to go into Lush. There store smells gorgeous even just passing by
I’m glad that you’ve done a hair post again. I love reading your reviews for different hair products before I try them. Thank you!
I can’t even begin to talk about my pre and post poo hair treatments. There are so many of them, so it’ll depend on the week, day, time of day even. Lately, I’ve been using a lot of hot oil treatments pre-poo and Amla rinses and pastes as conditioners. More on what I do can be found at my blog. I’ve been meaning to try Deva Curl’s conditioning treatment, so thanks for the review.
Hey Bella,
You mention the Ojon conditioner and I was wondering how you felt it compared to the Miss Jessie’s Hair Recovery Treatment Conditioner? It seems to me that we have very similar hair texture and truth be told – we have also used similar hair products. I currently use Miss Jessies Curly Merengue and Curls products like the Curls Milkshake for styling. For a deep condition I use The Miss Jessie’s Hair Recovery treatment, but I’m willing to try Ojon. What’s your opinion, How do they compare?
I’ll admit, I’ve been missing these natural hair-related posts. 🙂
Like Karyn, I usually mix a Cantu conditioner with Olive Oil, but lately I’ve tried Palmer’s Coconut Oil Hair Conditioner with great results.
I am absolutely gah-gah for Dabur Vatika Oil. I apply it as you do the Revitalizing Overnight Treatment, overnight while washing it out in the morning. Leaves my hair oh-so soft and beautiful!
Another great hair post! I hadn’t even noticed that there had been fewer of them, but glad for a new one! I recently tried Davine’s Love Shampoo and Conditioner and it’s keeping my hair soft and fragrant in a way I’ve never known before. And best of all, a little seems to go a long way – and normally my hair soaks up product like nobody’s business. Might be one some readers are interested in?
general question to all of you lovely ladies–what are the benefits of pre-pooing, how often do you do it, and what do you use?
I used to just do no-poo, or shampoo rarely, and use different conditioners, but i’ve been in this phase of twisting my hair and wearing that for about a week (using miss jessie’s products lol, dont throw stones) and then wearing a twist out for the second week, and because the product is thick, i feel like its necessary to shampoo my hair to get rid of build-up so i either use the miss jessie’s shampoo or paul mitchell green tea shampoo..
anyway thats the first part of my routine..
to pre-poo or not to pre-poo??
@amaka pre-poo,pre-poo,pre-poo i can not say this enough,because your hair will love you for it.
@amaka, definitely pre-poo. The purpose of using shampoo for you is obvious, you’re trying to get your scalp clean. You should pre-poo however because as you wash your scalp, your hair is also been exposed to the cleaners in your shampoo. So, if you’re washing frequently, you should definitely coat your hair enough before. Pre-poo will accomplish that and definitely help you avoid stripping your hair while cleaning it.
three cheers for the hair post!!!! now, bella, i know you mentioned awhile back that you would be looking out for us 4b/4c girls. can’t wait for that. in the meantime, i will be looking out for these products:)
absolutely thrilled to read this… as i’ve been loyal to your blog since “like, last summer” so it’s become part of my DAILY routine to check… on the topic at hand, im so glad you did this product review, i’ve been meaning to try the “deva heaven in hair” since i scored a bottle of one condition in August 08 which is still not finished. that being said… i couldnt afford the “post-poo” styling products like ‘arc angel’ at the time, but was equally disappointed with the ‘set me up’, and my hair is in fact of a looser curl…
right now i have month old highlights and the chemical lift has altered my texture, dulled my shine and made the tresses uncharacteristically tangly… i kept hearing i should use a PROTEIN treatment to rebuild the shaft but are any of the above recommendations potent in that… miss jess/ojon/lush?
Could one of you lovely ladies advise a struggling, unemployed, first generation west-indian immigrant, college student spend her scarce US dollars most frugally?
@ St. Kitt
It sounds to me like the ph balance of your hair is outta wack. So If you’re looking for a good protein treatment you might want to try Aphogee. Not very expensive and you can pick it up at any beauty supply store. I’ve even purchased the one use pack that comes with the protein treatment, shampoo and conditioner. Then there is always henna or cassia. Which are great treatments for damaged hair.
And if you are searching for a good cheapo conditioner Hello Hydration is the best.
Don’t get me wrong I LOVE LOVE LOVE Ojon and Miss Jessie’s deep treatment conditioners but I wouldn’t sleep on Hello Hydration.
Blessings to Ltfaw
halelujah! thanx thanx thanx a million… im sayin this so excitedly and i havent even gone out to buy them yet…. i discovered ULTA beauty supply store today (while wandering ambitiously through downtown atlanta and its surrounding areas, desperately inquiring about job applications) it was the last stop into a place i had never seen of or heard about before that i prayed would deliver me some kinda opportunity at last… much to my surprise the awesomeness that awaited me was an immaculate, spacious, well organised emporium of beauty, hair, fragrance and cosmetic products…. they even had the ENTIRE DevaConcpets line, fully stocked… tis a pitty i only had bus fare change in my pocket to cling to for my ride home, or i would have starved and get stranded just for some goodies.
That, now this, is the ultimate image ureka! “i can see my halo”… soon enough, lol. i also came home to discover i scored my dream job interview next week… god works in mysterious ways when you remember to praise him! (listen to me eh, im not even normally religious, but this feels so powerful) i have to be be grateful, for your advice, for afrobella, for all the great things to come in my life— I AM READY to rock some fabulous ‘naptural’ curls
There is a Lush store right around the corner. I love their bath stuff but never thought to try their hair products.
That Godiva shampoo bar might be just the non drying shampoo I’m looking for.
Thank Goodness you’re talking about hair care! The title threw me! lol
Hey Miss Bella! I went to Lush last weekend and bought the H’Suan Wen Hua Hair Treatment for $16.95. I had henna’d my hair and left the H’Suan Wen Hua in my hair for about 2 hours and then rinsed it out. It does smell kinda funky (think baby throw up) but it left my hair moisturized and my curls looked great. It has its pros and cons though. Pro: Lush is just a hop and a skip away so no shipping costs. Con: The container of H’Suan Wen Hua is only good for one application, maybe 2 if I don’t add too much. This is something I wouldn’t mind splurging on if its just once a month though.