Allow me to wish you a brilliant new year! During my reflecting on 2015 and gazing into 2016 with new eyes, one sentence has stuck with me. Mother says it is a message for me, dropped into my heart for a purpose. I have decided to wish this to all who care to accept it. And so, for you and you and you, today, I say, May your path be yours!
Ok. Ok. Ok. Why have I brought you here today?
For the Nigerians here, how many times have you heard the expression “all na packaging” and dismissed it as bull? I know I am guilty of doing that. Translated directly, all na packaging is pidgin for “it is all in the packaging” or “it all lies in the packaging”.
Well, I have come to realize, in the spirit of introspection, that I am a very visual consumer. Mmmm, MeeMee, but who isn’t?! Right? Who isn’t? Continue reading →
This review is coming to you straight outta the shower, slightly dripping wet with amazement at the first time result of this co-wash from SheaMoisture’s new line. Continue reading →
This is going to be a very quick post. Mainly because I do not have a lot to say other than: I HAVE FOUND AN EDGE CONTROL THAT WORKS FOR ME!
A while ago, I did a product review on the Creme of argan edge control and while I thought it was a good, non-harmful product, I was not satisfied with the effect it produced on my edges. Now, people, I NEED my edge control. I have baby pictures that show that the hair at my edges have always been scared of growing. So you know that this girl needs that extra something to make hair styles come together nicely. I continued to search and search for something that works. I was ready to try out every brand on the shelves. Enter Lotta Body.
Correct me if I’m wrong, but Lotta Body has been around for the longest time, right? I remember that name from when I was growing up. I never paid attention to Lotta Body when the name popped up again recently. I am not sure why I decided to give this product a try.
Okay, so what is this product?
Lotta body control me edge gel with coconut and shea oils. It claims to be a styling agent that controls, holds, and smoothes edges. It also claims to be non-flaking, non-sticky, non-greasy, and non-hardening. It contains the following:
Blue. It’s got a nice blue colour and the transparency reminds me of a body of water. (Side note: if you look at the ingredient list, you will see that there are two different colouring chemicals in this product – red and blue. I’m curious as to why it came out blue. Oh, the wonders of chemistry.) I’m not a fan of the smell. It smells like candy science. This is my way of saying that it smells sweet but it has a chemical smell that I have associated with non-natural hair products.Texture wise, it is pretty light and absolutely non-sticky. This is great because it slides easily from finger to, and through hair. This for me, is something that has been missing in the previous edge controls that I have tried. They are either too ‘pomadey’ or sticky or too watery or too ‘gelly’. This one, this one is perfect.
So, does it work?!
You bet it does! First of all, the result it produces on initial application is divine. The fact that it stays on the entire day is a lot more than I could have asked for!
7 hours after applying. I never hesperred it!
This edge control is soft, light, does not leave residue, sleeks hair without hardening it and feels moisturising as well. What more can a girl want? 10 full points for this edge control! Oh yes, a little does go a long way with this. You know how AB and I feel about the dime size ministry, right? Well there are some products that we have found to require dime size or even less. This is one of them.
I got this tub for $4 at my local beauty store. It is being sold on amazon for $6.99.
Have you used this edge control? How did you find it? What other edge controls will you recommend?
Have a great start to the week, beauts! Till next time.
Where are all my sheabutter lovers?! This one is dedicated to you guys, and maybe we may be able to convert one or a dozen sisters.
I come bearing news; news about Kiss of Joy. Kiss of Joy is a New York based company that is “dedicated to creating a healthy line of products that heals and compliments a clean way of living. This is why we use only natural or organic ingredients that will further promote this mission. We currently offer a selection of Skin and Hair Care products that are meticulously handmade in our Brooklyn, NY Studio since 2014!”
Currently, Kiss of Joy has three products, viz Handmade beeswax lip balm, luxurious shea body butter, and luxurious shea hair butter. I have sampled all three products and I shall now share with you my thoughts.
This was my least favorite product of the bunch. I have oily skin and oil tends to get absorbed from any and everywhere to my face. Using this balm on my lips, no matter how little the smear just seemed too much for my face to handle, which made me uncomfortable. Otherwise, it feels more natural than your regular chapstick and definitely can be applied smoothly to your lips.
If you like the feel of shea butter but are not too keen on the smell, like me, this product has a somewhat reduced smell intensity. It definitely works to keep skin moisturized all day (and then some, if you are on of those that do not like to moisturize skin frequently).
Notice how the ingredients are almost identical to the body butter, sans the glycerin. There is a difference also in the way this butter feels compared to the body butter. It is a lot softer and very easy to apply to hair. It also gets absorbed a lot quicker than raw shea butter. Raw shea butter tends to change texture with the weather. However, I have found that this product stays relatively constant despite the weather. I have found it to be a great sealant in the winter or colder weather especially. However, it will not be my go-to in the warmer weather, just because of its richness and thickness.
In all, I will be replacing the hair butter, definitely. I like that the base of these products is raw shea butter and that these are as natural as natural gets. If you are curious and will like to try one or all three for yourself, check out their website. Oh! They have an appealing price point as well! I will not divulge that information so easily, click click and go see it to believe it!
I hope the week has been off to a good start. Tell us, what do you think about shea butter as a beauty product.
Did you press ya hand over the weekend? Before we go into the day’s post, can I just say how proud I am of my fellow Nigerians? Sure I can.
Round the country, we came out in our numbers and stood up to be counted. Patiently, and with great determination. Through the glitches in the system, the long queues, the heavy sun & finally the rain… We could have turned back but we didn’t.
As we await results, I am cautiously optimistic that there will be no drama. No matter who wins, I think we have all won something. For the first time, we the 200 Million Mumus are finally beginning to wake up and our leaders know it too!
Okay. Let me bottle this excitement right now, and move on to the business of the day. 🙂
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“And you- and you- you’re gonna love me!!!!!!!”
When a hair product is acting funny with me, Jennifer Hudson saaaanging her heart out as Effie in ‘And I Am Telling You’ (Dream Girls) often comes to mind.
Because it’s by force oh. I like to buy hair products but this doesn’t mean I’m quick to toss them. No way, no way. I will try and try, study it, read/watch other people’s reviews to see how best to use it. I am determined to make it work for me. It’s not often love at first use, but after 3, 4 uses, I finally get the hang of it. A product you hate in harmattan could be your favourite in the rainy season. Sometimes a product isn’t bad, but it sucks at the purpose for which it is advertised. It’s all so very interesting. This is why I reserve my reviews until I’ve almost finished a product or I am at least half way through.
Do Practices Really Matter WAY More Than Products?
You hear it said a lot that your hair care practices matter way more than the products you use. I think the real lesson is for you to have some balance, and not get hung up. These companies don’t hold back with the beautiful labels, interesting names and fancy advertising. Because of this, and also our previous orientation, so many of us tend to err on the side of PJ-ism and let our regimens suffer, but products matter. A lot. Sure, if you see someone with hair that you like, I think it’s better to ask her what she DOES, before you go to what she USES. BUT the truth is, the wrong products can render your regimen useless. Consistency is a virtue needed to get the most out of BOTH your products, & your hair practices.
It’s Okay To Want More
Even with our supposedly safer or more natural products, everything cannot and does not work for everyone. Two products can have similar ingredients and yet work differently. Different chemists, different formulations. What works well for your twin sister may not work well for you. Everything cannot work AWESOMELY well for everyone.
So my dear, as even the greatest of “forcers” know, there comes a time to give up. Doing the same thing 10,000 times over and over is madness. Isn’t that what they say?If everybody is raving about how OMG AWESOME a product is, I hold it to that standard. If I use it and I can only rate it an EH, 5 or 6, why should I continue using it? I want awesome too.
Why Are We Talking About This Today?
I got an email from someone last week. Her regimen is on point. She has been consistent for a year, using the same products for most of it. She deep conditions every week, moisturizes & seals pretty frequently, the whole shebangbang. Yet her hair shows no signs of this loving care.
The products she uses- the ORS Replenishing Conditioner and the Cantu for Natural Hair Creamy Hair Lotion come highly recommended. They are loved by many. But they aren’t giving her the results she needs. My suggestion was simple. Ditch them. Sometimes it’s not you, it actually is the product. Again, not everything can work for everyone. If your hair is super picky, keep trying, but don’t bang your head over it.
A product can knock your socks off in the beginning, but after your hair gets too used to it, it’ll start misbehaving. This was my experience with the Cantu for Natural Hair Creamy Hair Lotion. It’s in your best interest not to complicate your hair affairs, but there’s no shame whatsoever in moving forward and trying new things until you find your Holy Grail.
A Few Things Before You Move:
Address your regimen first, to be sure your practices aren’t the problem.
Before starting a new product or a new set of products, I like to have really clean hair- I clarify to eliminate any possibility of build up, so the new product has a clean slate to work with.
If you use 5 products in your regimen, don’t change them all at once. This is important so you can readily identify what’s working for you and what isn’t.
Give your products deadlines. I give new products 1 or 2 months of active use, (translate: 4-8 uses, or the time it would take to finish a full size container of the product, whichever happens first) With hair products, I’ve learnt that first impressions aren’t always accurate.
If a product isn’t working for you and you can’t bring yourself to let it go, allow it gather dust until the season changes. Different products work better in certain temperatures.
So, ladies. What’s your take on this matter? How do you deal with new products, or the products you use in general? What’s your approach? Have a great week ahead!
The Kink And I 