Product Trial Group Review: April 2013 'Oyin Handmade'

Hey Guys,

Check out Ms Tega's review of the Oyin Handmade Frank Juice. For more about MS. Tega check out her blog Social Hermit


Review By Ms Tega:

Oyin Handmade Frank Juice

Purpose: The secret is this: spring water, strongly infused with a variety of herbs known to help condition and stimulate the scalp, thus encouraging hair growth; vegetable ingredients for detangling, moisture and suppleness; vegetable glycerin for humectancy and shine; and an essential oil blend nutritious to the scalp. This formula is excellent for a daily pick-me-up on cornrows or twists.

Price: $13.99 at home store or on their website.

Trials: Multiple

How I used it:

• 1.       On dry loose hair a few days after wash day
• 2.       On dry twisted hair mid-week
• 3.       On Havana twists
• 4.       On yarn braids

Ingredients: Aqueous infusion of shave grass leaf, lavender buds, nettle leaf, chamomile flower, and red rose petals; organic flax seeds; organic aloe leaf juice; vegetable glycerin; lavender oil, orange peel oil, grapefruit seed extract; citric acid, fragrance oil and love!

Review:

I’ve been hip to the Oyin handmade bandwagon for over a year now but I’ve still tried only about 4 of their products (till a few days ago; in love with Oyin now, story for another day). But Frank Juice was one of the first Oyin Handmade products I tried and I have to say I absolutely adore it!

First of all it has this awesome sent of Frankincense and Myrrh; it’s pretty much what a sexy man smells like in my head. And seeing as Eva (my hair) is a girl, that’s probably weird right? Oh well. I have a thing for men’s cologne. Ok, on the real though, this spray smells absolutely divine! It’s one of those products where the fragrance stays in your hair all day long. When the wind randomly blows in the perfect direction you get a whiff of what your hair smells like and fall in love all over again.

It’s also perfect for moisture. I usually have water and glycerin in a spray bottle and it’s what I use 90% of the time for daily moisture. But once or twice a week, I’ll grab this bottle for infusion of other ingredients and use it as my moisturizer in the morning. Now you have to recognize that this is a spray and not a creamy product. So just like water, you don’t spray it on and immediately get cotton candy soft hair. You have to give your hair a few minutes to absorb it and then soften up.

Buy Again: Yes.

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars.

XOXO

Bella Joya

Product Trial Group: February 2013

Hey Guys,

Continuing with our product trial, Here is our review for the month of January 2013 
 
Here is a review of the Shea Moisture Deep Treatment Masque done by Ms. Tega

 

Product Review: Shea Moisture

A few months ago I did my first product review as part of a series being that was started up by Joke over at Roots Don’t Lie. I took a break from testing over the holiday and I came back with my hair already done, so I didn’t take part in last month’s product series. Well, I’m back now and the product for this month was from the Shea Moisture Line.

Raw Shea Butter Deep Treatment Masque:

 

Price: $9.99 at Target.

Purpose: An all-natural, intense treatment deeply moisturizes and repairs dry, damaged or over-processed hair. This rich treatment deeply moisturizes and repairs hair, while providing a protective barrier for the hair from heat and styling aids

Trials: One

How I used it:

1. Deep Conditioner: applied to wet hair after washing; applied liberally to clean hair, covered with a plastic cap, applied heat with a hand dryer for approximately 5 minutes and then left the cap on for 30minutes. 

 Ingredients: De-ionized water, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea butter) (denotes certified organic ingredients), Argan oil, vegetable glycerin, emulsifying wax, sea kelp extract, Panthenol (vitamin B-5), essential oil blend, avocado oil, Lonicera Caprifolium (honeysuckle) flower and Lonicera Japonica (Japanese honeysuckle) flower extract, Tocopherol (vitamin E), Hyssopus Officinalis Extract, Salvia Officinalis (sage) leaf and Equisetum Arvense Extract, soybean oil and Daucus Carota Sativa (carrot) seed oil.

Review: Because my hair had been in Havana Twists for a month, I couldn't do just a co-wash as I usually would. I washed my hair with diluted castile soap first to ensure a proper cleanse. With deep conditioners, I usually just put on a plastic cap and leave the conditioner to do its thing, but due to the fact that this was my first time with this product, I tried to follow their directions to a T, hence the use of heat. While I was applying the product, I wasn't impressed. I kept thinking about how I didn't like the texture and I was getting no slip, but then I realized it's meant to be a mask and likened it to one of my clay treatments.

After washing this product out, I wasn't impressed by how my hair felt at all. I can't help but compare new products to what already works for me. And when I use my Rhassoul/Bentonite clay, all clumps and tangles in my hair literally fall out once the clay is being rinsed. I didn't get that effect with this product. It claims to deeply moisturize, but my hair has definitely felt better than after the use of this product. My hair wasn't in bad shape or anything like that, but it just felt... different. I can't explain what it felt like, but I can explain what it didn't feel like. My curls were too loose, my hair looked dull (it wasn't dark or shiny); my hair basically didn't feel like cotton candy. And that's how I like to describe my hair in top shape... Soft like cotton candy. :)

Usually, I would have given it a few more tries because I hate to give up on products, but I had to put my hair back in twists (with my current work schedule, eliminating extensive hair care during the week is the best way for me to survive). But now that I already own the product, I'll definitely try it again in the near future; and if I get different results, I'll be sure to update this review.

Buy again: No. (Mainly because I already have all natural masks that do a superior job when compared to this product. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.)

 Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

 

For more on Ms. Tega, check out her blog Social Hermit, and also her prior product reviews for the Product Trial Group Product Trial Group: Maiden Edition

 

XOXO

Bella Joya

 

Product Trail Group: December/January Edition

Hey Guys,

Continuing with out product trial, Here is our review for the month of December, which also kind of extended into January because we all got busy over the holiday period.
 
Here is a review of the TRESemme Conditioner line done by Tsme.

Product Review: TRESemme Hair Conditioner (Moisture Rich)

Price: $3.99 to $5.99

 

Trail Period: This product was tested for over two months

Hair type: My hair is natural, and is also colored at the tips. Due to the color, my ends are usually dry, and require a lot of moisture to keep it from breaking. Most of the products I get are geared towards repairing my hair. I have tried out other types of TRESsemme conditioners but I never got the same result I did with this particular one (Luxurious Moisture; for dry/damaged hair)

How I used it:

- For Deep conditioning
- For Co-wash
- For De-tangling

Pros

- Locks in the moisture in my hair
- Not too thick
- Inexpensive
- Leaves my hair really soft

Cons

- Did not help retain the color I had

Ratings: 4 out 5 stars

Will definitely buy again

 

 

 

Product Trial Maiden Edition Review 2 by Miss Yetunde

Hey Guys,

Here is the second review of the Eden Body Works Product Line for the Product Trial Group.

Eden Body Works review by Miss Yetunde

 

1.       Brief description of hair type and lifestyle

a.       I have had relaxed hair for almost 20 years now, starting from when I was about 7 years old.  Although my hair is relaxed, I have a very thick/coarse texture.  On some days when I just wash my hair and leave it out, I’ve actually had people ask me if I’m natural.  This makes it kinda hard to manage at times.  I wear my hair naturally almost all the time – no weaves/braids, that’s just the way I’ve always done it. Before a few months ago, I just used the basic shampoo/conditioner (e.g motions), moisturized my hair and I would be ready to go.  In the past few months, I’ve started seeking out products that work well for me and my hair and that’s why I thought it would be a great idea to participate in this review.

 

b.      Lifestyle: I am currently a student and my schedule can get quite crazy/hectic and so I don’t always have time to do fancy stuff with my hair.  I’m pretty low maintenance in that way.  For the most part, my hair is either straightened or just out in a semi-fro the way you see in the pictures.  Those are basically my only 2 styles, I know that I need to be more adventurous lol. 

 

2.       Product review

a.       Jojoba Monoi Deep Conditioner

                                                               i.      Trials: 3

                                                             ii.      How I used it

1.       Deep conditioner: Applied this conditioner to wet hair after shampooing. I left it in for about an hour each time then rinsed it out.  I then de-tangled the wet hair afterwards.

                                                            iii.      Review:

1.       I love this conditioner for several reasons.  First of all, I love the consistency of the conditioner.  Since my hair is kinda thick, I tend to go through conditioners pretty quickly, but even after my 3 uses, I still have a lot of this conditioner left over.  In addition to this, after rinsing out the conditioner, my hair felt so soft and moisturized.  I think this is the best my hair has felt after conditioning (but keep in mind that I don’t have a lot of experience with different types of conditioners).  Lastly, I love the way it makes my hair smell. Its like a fresh-minty-clean hair smell if you know what I mean.

                                                           iv.      Buy again: definitely.  I honestly feel like I may have found my staple deep conditioner.

b.      Jojoba Monoi Hair Milk

                                                               i.      Trials: 3

                                                             ii.      How I used it

1.       Mainly as a hair moisturizer on days I felt my hair was dry and needed a little more moisture. 

                                                            iii.      Review

1.       One thing I like about this moisturizer is that it is not greasy and heavy.  With a lot of hair moisturizers, your hair gets bogged down with the grease, but with this product, my hands were even non oily by the time I was done applying it.  My hair still felt light but with some more moisture.  On the down side, it doesn’t really give a lot of shine to it, so I use a different product whenever I just straighten my hair and I want to give it that magazine-like shine lol. 

                                                           iv.      Buy again: unsure.  I definitely like it, but as a moisturizer I feel like I have to use it more times to determine if I’ll buy it again. 

Hope You Enjoyed

XOXO
Bella Joya

 

PRODUCT TRIAL GROUP: MAIDEN EDITION

Hey Guys,

I did  a video review for my review of the Eden body works product line.



XOXO

Bella Joya

Product Trial Group: 'Maiden Edition'

Hey Guys,

So I started a new project with a couple of friends and the idea behind it is that every month a group of ladies both relaxed and natural review either a product or a product line and then based on their different hair types, life styles, and hair regimen they give feedback on their experience with the product.

To start off the maiden edition, 3 of us ladies, 2 natural and one relaxed, tried out the Eden Body Works Product Line. We decided to kick off the maiden edition with an entire product line so each of us had the opportunity to choose from a variety of products. As the project progresses we may switch it up and try out a single product or occasionally entire product lines. We will also be accepting suggestions on products to try out.

For more inquiry about this product line please visit the website http://www.edenbodyworks.net/ and the products are also carried at Walmart or Sally Beauty Supply.

This product line was established by miss Jasmine Lawrence when she was only 13 years old, and the company's mission statement is EDEN BodyWorks™ provides natural products that integrate wellness and beauty inspired by nature to restore and maintain the body’s original design.

To start off this project meet Tega, and some of you may remember her from this 'Natural Me' series feature. Check out her blog Social Hermit

 

Her review:

Product Review: Eden Body Works

Source: Google.

Source: Google.

PEPPERMINT Tea Tree Conditioner

Purpose: This super moisturizing conditioner increases scalp circulation for a refreshed, renewed feeling. Leaves hair full of body. Fortified with proteins to decrease split ends.

Price: $9.99 at Sally’s.

Trials: Two

How I used it:

1. Conditioning: applied to wet hair after shampooing, applied the conditioner to hair directly after washing then detangled with a shower comb.

2. Co-washing: applied to damp hair, Tied scarf for up to one hour, Removed scarf.

Ingredients: Water, Cetyl Alcohol, Cyclopentasiloxane, Stearalkonium Chloride, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oil, Ricinus Communis (Castor) Seed Oil, Daucus Carota Sativa (Carrot) Seed Oil, Anthemis Nobilis (Chamomile) Flower Oil, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Honey, Tocopheryl Acetate, Disodium EDTA, Lactic Acid, Panthenol, Peppermint (Mentha Piperita) Oil, Tea Tree (Melaleuca Alternifolia) Leaf Oil, Phenoxyethanol.

Review: I usually don’t shampoo my hair, I stick with co-washing or a clay mask for cleansing; but I really wanted to test the “conditionability” of the conditioner. I have a NatureGate Tea Tree shampoo that I bought a while ago but haven’t used since my first try because it really dried my hair out (which was disappointing considering the awesome ingredient list), but I figured pulling it out for this review would really put the conditioner to the test.

I’m not a big fan of this product. I applied it directly after shampooing and my hair didn't feel conditioned or soft. I usually leave my hair pinned away while I get dressed, and after that process, my hair felt much softer when I went to apply my styling products. I guess the conditioner needed a little time to work. But for the price of the product, I wasn't very impressed; I get more bang for my buck with Trader Joe’s Tea Tree Tingle Conditioner which is my staple and I don’t see that changing any time soon.

As a co-wash, the conditioner was pretty good; cleansed my scalp really, but I had the same problem as my first try. My hair did not feel as good as it usually does after a wash, it's not something I can put into words but when my hair is really moisturized, it feels amazing and I just didn't get that from this product. The Peppermint Tea Tree Conditioner is an ok conditioner but I wasn't impressed.

Buy again: No

Rating: 2.5 out of 5 stars.

Source: Google.

PEPPERMINT Tea Tree Hair Oil

Purpose: Peppermint Tea Tree All Natural Hair Oil is an exotic blend of nourishing ingredients that penetrate the hair from root to tip to promote new hair growth without clogging pores. Made with Coconut, Jojoba and Sweet Almond oils, this unique formula naturally strengthens hair to prevent breakage.

Price: $9.99 at Sally’s.

Trials: Multiple

How I used it:

1. Sealing: applied to freshly washed hair after

2. Sealing: applied to braided hair after spraying with water.

Ingredients: Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil, Gardenia Tahitensis Flower Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Oil, Lavandula Hybrida (Lavandin) Oil, Peppermint (Mentha Piperita) Oil, Tea Tree (Melaleuca Alternifolia) Leaf Oil.

Review: I love the tingly feeling I got from this oil. I used it in the morning before going to church and all through the day my scalp felt great. I love the ingredient list, so many natural oils! I love that it has a spray pump which allows for good control of dispensing the product. Once again though, I’m not a big fan of the price tag.

My scalp gets dry and itchy really quick, and it gets even worse when I work out. So I started using a mix of jojoba oil and tea tree oil on my scalp every other day and it works great for me. That mix basically does for me what this product did for me at a much cheaper price. Switching to a simple regimen works so well for me that I always find a hard time justifying price tags over $5 for hair products. Anything more than that has to so super amazing things for my hair that match what’s currently working for me or even better. And I already have a great oil mix that makes my scalp all nice and tingly and seals my ends pretty well. But for people who don’t like to mix oils and want something that helps keep your scalp build-up free while sealing in moisture, this oil is great for that.

Buy again: Undecided.

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars.

NB: Please stay tuned to the other reviews from myself and the other reviewer.

XOXO
Bella Joya
 

Product Review: Ade Vegan 'CocoShealoe Husky Hair Butter'

Hey Guys,

This post is a product review of a brand I stumbled across on Alex's Blog. She had great things to say about Ade Vegan so I decided to give the brand a try. I purchased the 'CocoShealoe Husky Hair Butter' in the Vanilla bean and Rose Petal Scent from Ade Vegan . I communicated with Miss Tonya, the owner of the store, ahead of time because I was curious about her brand, and she answered all the questions I had. I had to wait a few weeks before I could place my order because Miss Tonya had just ordered in some supplies but she contacted me as soon as her products became available so I could purchase.

Product Description from Website:
 

"A rich medley of nourishing butters and healing oils for thick, dry, or damaged strands. This cream works wonders to soften thick, tightly curly hair textures. Also works great as a moisturizing base for prepping twists, plaits, or puffs.

Key Ingredients for sealing in moisture Include:

Shea Butter
Aloe Butter
Soy Butter
Cocoa Butter
Mango Butter
Silk Amino Acids

Ingredients:
Shea Butter, soy butter, mango butter, cocoa butter, aloe butter, grape seed oil, jojoba oil, coconut oil, Castor oil, oat oil, silk amino acids, honey powder, vitamin E"

 

 

 

Pros:

• I love the scent of the product, the vanilla bean is not too overpowering and it still has some of the nutty smell of Shea butter
• The product is very light
• I had very little build up after using the product
• Great for twists, twist-outs or just sealing in moisture
• I also tried it out on my skin.. and it was very moisturizing
• The owner is very personable and took time out to answer all my question
• Shipping was fast, and the packaging is simple and nice

Cons:

• It is a bit pricey, the 8oz goes for $25

Final Thoughts:

I absolutely love this hair butter, it is rich, light, and very moisturizing. Although it is a bit pricey, a little goes a long way, and I have been using my 4oz for a couple of months and I haven't yet used up to a quarter. I will definitely be re-purchasing and trying out different scents. This is now a staple styling hair butter in my regimen, and I definitely recommend for anyone who wants a rich, moisturizing styling butter.

Note* I have only used the vanilla bean scent.


You can contact Miss Tonya via her Etsy shop AdeVeganHair


XOXO

Bella Joya

NEW VIDEO: PRODUCT REVIEW LUV NATURALS

Hey Guys,
New Video up on my YouTube channel.

Youtube Channel

Check out my other videos on my channel and if you like my videos subscribe to my channel, its free.

Thanks for watching

XOXO
Bella Joya

Product Review: Catherine Marion Wig

Hey Guys,

I have been wanting to try out a curly sew in for like forever and I finally found one I liked. Abby over from one of my favorite blogs Abby's World launched her shop Catherine Marion and after seeing various posts on her blog featuring some of her products I knew I had to try it out. Abby is also natural and it looked like the hair blended perfectly so I went ahead and bought myself a curly wig. I decided to go with a wig because I can take it off every night as opposed to a weave which I have to keep in for a while. I also have very sensitive scalp so I wanted to be sure I wont re-act to the hair in any way.

I purchased the 12-14 inches of the Boho wig, with a left part.

Here is the information provided on the website about this wig:

BOHO WIG

Made with Bohyme Brazilian Hair, the Boho Wig is a dynamic style for long lasting, curly hair. This style is a natural curl that is soft and very manageable. It arrives with a soft curl but when wet, it becomes an even deeper curl texture. The light texture of the Brazilian Wave is a dream to wear and maintain. Sewn on an open weft cap with straps in back for a natural comfortable fit and great manageability. You do need to maintain it by shampooing and conditioning, using a leave-in conditioner to maintain long lasting curls is HIGHLY recommended. Styling and maintenance is required to reap the many benefits of this Brazilian hair.  

Warning: hair is naturally curly, you may experience difficulty with maintaining this wig straight. If you intend to keep this wig straight we suggest you purchase our Jessica or Jessy hair instead which is made with our kinky straight hair.

My Experience

I absolutely love this wig. At first when I opened the box I was a bit skeptical because the wig looked like it was not going to be full but it came in this cute pink box and in a hair net (I'm not sure if that's what its called though)

I eventually got the hang of it and because I knew I wanted to wear it curly, the night before I wore it, I wet the hair with a refreshing spray from carols daughter and it looked like this when it was wet:

I then put in some twists and let it dry overnight

On my leave out I tried twists, a braid, a Bantu knot, and eventually I used a flex rod on my leave out and it blended perfectly.

I was even able to go 2 weeks on a twist out set without any trouble.

On other days I wore a head band because I did not want to bother with blending my leave-out everyday.

There was little shedding when I re-wet and set my twists but that's normal. I experienced very very little shedding otherwise ( and by little shedding I mean when my wrist watch got caught on my hair)

The only thing I did not like is that in the back, close to my neck the hair does get a bit matted, but I imagine this is because it rubs up on my neck and back all day but once I de-tangled it was as good as new.

I wore this weave for a total of four weeks and I loved it. I got a lot of complements and a lot of people just assumed it was my real hair.

Summary:

Pros:

• Easy and convenient to use
• The hair is very soft and has a lot of body and movement
• Very little shedding
• I did not experience any itching
• It blended very well with my natural hair
• It does not look or feel like a wig

Cons:

• I experienced some tangling in the back

Overall I had a great experience with this product and I definitely look forward to more wears and possible another future purchase (maybe a weave this time).

Visit their website at www.catherinemarion.com and check out their various selections.

XOXO

Bella Joya