Review: L'Oreal Damage Erasing Balm

This is the last in the Deep Conditioner Series and I've been more than happy to go through these with you guys to help you figure out which one serves your interest best. The thing about buying new products is that you have no clue if you'll want to keep using it after the first time or not. So, onto this one - the claims are that this is all you need to repair super damaged hair. Summer heat and humidity along with heat styling can fry your hair so after a month of being particularly rough on my hair, I decided that I would give this a try. Here are my thoughts:

Packaging

There isn't anything particularly fancy about this packaging. It's a light yellow  thick creme that comes in a transparent tub with a black screw-off top. Again, it may slip from you in the shower,( or maybe I'm just clumsy and drop everything?) and could use some grips to be more ergonomic. It travels really well without spilling all over the place so if you carry this on vacation you won't regret it. It has a ton of product in it so you definitely get a bang for your buck and unless you're literally Rapunzel this will last you quite a while.

Pricing

This was priced at $1100 JMD which is the higher end of reasonable in my book. I have noticed that products containing protein elements are usually more costly than those that are moisturizing. I'm not sure why, but this could probably explain why it's a little more costly than the other L'Oreal conditioners. Again, this is a pretty thick and creamy product so a little goes a long way. 

Application

Alright, the first thing you will notice right off the bat is that this is very very very scented. Think of if your grandmother's strongest perfume broke and you walked into her room - this is how strong this is. Maybe I'm exaggerating but the scent is very strong. The good thing is that it doesn't last past the rinse. You will need a small blob of this about half the size of a golf ball if you have shoulder length hair; more if your hair is longer. It's a tad rubbery so you will need to massage it in into your shaft. I also recommend smoothing this along the ends of your hair, pinning it up and letting it sit under a cap for about 25 minutes so it can do its job. If you use too much it can make your hair limp and a tad rubbery but just enough adds some slip to the hair to help with detangling.

Results

This isn't a moisturizing conditioner -  however it really helps with preventing breakage quite a bit. It strengthens your hair and reduces the amount of hair you lose from combing and brushing and helps your hair stand up to heat styling. I wouldn't use this every week, in fact I alternate this with a moisturizing conditioner. I would say in order to get the proper moisture you need from your conditioner I would say use your normal conditioner before using this deep conditioner or you may end up with brittle hair. Don't be alarmed, this is a normal side effect of using a protein treatment. I would give this a 6/7 out of 10.

What do you think? Have you tried this? Did you like it? Leave me a comment below and let me know.

'til later,

*Jane

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Review: L'Oreal Evercreme Deep Nourishing Masque

By now, we should all be aware that in order to get and maintain healthy hair we need to use a deep conditioner. No? Are you still just shampooing and conditioning? Sort it out ladies, sort it out!

Now, there is more than a fair share of deep conditioners on the shelves currently and you may be confused about which one will work for you. I thought it would be useful to review a couple deep conditioners I have tried individually and then do a side-by-side comparison for you. 

The one I am currently loving is the L'Oreal Evercreme Deep Nourishing Masque that I picked up from Megamart for about $800 JMD about two months ago. Here are my thoughts:

Packaging

This comes in a standard tub/pot with a twist off lid. It's a pretty reflective gold container with about 5 fluid ounces of product inside. It's not so big that it can't fit on the ledge of the bath but it's not a small tub either. There are no grips on the container so you will definitely need to grip this properly to prevent it from scatting all over the tub *because this so didn't happen to me*. So this is pretty standard packaging, nothing out of whack. 

Pricing

This is on the lower end of the spectrum when it comes on to deep conditioners. I've seen similar products with similar ingredients for double the cost so I really like the price tag, It is also affordable enough for you to buy and use at home rather than having to wait for a salon appointment for your hairdresser to use it on you. As I said earlier, I got it for around $800 JMD which is my sweet spot for products. I have seen it elsewhere for up to $1100 JMD though and if you find it online it may run even pricier than that. Don't buy the first tub that you see however because L'Oreal is having a pretty intense campaign in the Caribbean currently so you will find their products in several places. 

Application

If you follow the instructions you should apply this to towel-dried hair after shampooing. You can use a regular conditioner before you use this but I have found that I have better results when I apply it right after shampooing. It is quite a strong scent, and you will most definitely notice it - they were pretty heavy handed with the sniffs. The scent doesn't offend me and it doesn't linger in the same strength as it is when you apply it to your hair so when you uncap it don't freak out, the scent will wash away.

Now this is where this product shines. I have relaxed, coloured hair so this means that I need all the moisture in the world. I usually take two scoops of a deep conditioner and apply to my hair in two parts. This product? Half a scoop served for my whole head - and I have a pretty big head. I started out as I normally did, a little first because I was using it for the first time, applied to the ends of my hair first then worked it into my roots massaging it so my hair would begin to detangle itself. Then I kinda realized that I was massaging my whole head and the product had melted into my hair nicely like some kind of butter. I literally stood in the shower going "Whoa....". I kid you not my friends. It absorbed beautifully without leaving that clammy feeling most conditioners leave on my fingers and I barely had to work it into my hair. Amazing. Full stop.

Results

I left the conditioner in for about twenty minutes in the shower, no heat or cap and when I rinsed it out my hair didn't feel greasy or limp but I could tell immediately that it was considerably softer. Fast forward several hours later, it was still really really really soft, shiny and bouncy. Not only could I not stop touching it, my husband kept playing in my hair too. I think the softness is due to the lack of sulfates in it and to the ceramides. As a brown-haired girl you get pretty excited when your hair looks shiny without much work especially when your hue is more mousey than anything.

I really enjoyed this conditioner and I am praying that they don't change the formula anytime soon. So, would I recommend this? If you follow me on Instagram or you've liked my Facebook page you will know that I already have! Run out and get it, it won't disappoint you. (PS I am convincing my naturalista friend to give it a run and let me know her thoughts, as soon as she does I will let you guys know.) 

((You can see my full haircare routine here and how I grew out my hair from a pixie cut here))

Thanks for reading lovelies!

Till next time,

*Jane

PS - Check out my new boutique for customized jewellery - we ship worldwide! Click here

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Set or Wrap - What's Better for Your Hair?

'The hair is the richest ornament of women.' - Martin Luther King

A good hair day can be the difference between walking into a room like a superstar or scurrying off into a corner. It's also equally important to maintain a good cut or style and to protect the ends of your hair. If you're a woman then you know the importance of braiding or tying your hair up before you go to bed .

Recently, I conducted a little poll among some of the women I know with regards to whether they set their hair or wrap it before going to bed to keep it between washes. While an overwhelming number of persons say that they wrap their hair, they complained about how flat and thin their hair looked the next morning.



There are pros and cons for each and I thought it would be a good idea to do a comparison of both:

So which should you choose? 

Wrapping
If you have thicker, unruly hair that tends to be frizzy, then perhaps wrapping is your best bet especially if you prefer a sleeker style.
Be sure to moisturize your scalp and the ends of your hair before you wrap and use a silk wrap to keep the moisture in. It takes less than three minutes and once you get the hang of it, you can actually do it in the dark in your bed right before your head hits the pillow.

Setting
If you have fine or thinning hair then setting your hair at night may work out better for you; especially if you prefer a bouncier, curly style (which, fyi makes your hair appear healthier and thicker) then setting will be your best bet. Use setters with the covers and set everything back for an easy all-round base to style the next morning.

Whether you set or wrap your hair, it's important to protect your ends at night to prevent breakage, and split ends. Plus, your hair will look so much healthier and shinier when you tie it up at night. This will also cut down on time in the morning allowing you to skip the hot tools and the damage that comes along with it.

What about you? Which do you prefer?

Till later,
*Jane

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Tips for Growing Out Short Relaxed Hair

I chopped my hair off and regretted it almost instantly. I am now bent on getting it back to a length below my shoulders and along the way I've picked up some tricks that have given me hope that by the end of this year I will be able to get back most of my length. 

Here are are my tips:

• Supplements: More than ever, what you eat plays a role in how fast your hair grows. I hear that Biotin is good for skin and hair, so is vitamin E (I personally take this). I can't tell you which supplement will work best for you, but be sure to add one to your diet, whether in capsule form or in actual chew and swallow food
• Moisturize: moisturize your scalp at least every other day and your ends on the days in between. Dry hair becomes brittle and breaks easily. 
• Stay away from the scissors: You may think that cutting your hair every six weeks is a good idea, but until you've grown your hair a considerable length stay away from the scissors. Your hair dresser may be tempted to get as close to your original style as possible - so refuse the trim. IF things are really bad then go for not more than an inch every six weeks. Seriously. Unless you're physically splitting your split ends, your hair will be just fine
• Leave the heat alone - try to only use heat as necessary. Quit blowdrying your hair, put down the curling iron or flat iron. Truth is, hot tools flatten and singe your hair and make it brittle and dry which is basically a disaster for growing hair. 
• Set your hair, don't wrap it: setting your hair encourages it to retain moisture, it allows for air to pass through the scalp and properly ventilate it, and it protects the ends of your hair. Though wrapping may prevent frizz, it can encourage dryness on the ends of your hair and flatness. Plus your hair keeps its style longer when it is set, than when wrapped
• Skip the alcohol - check your hair products, anything that lists alcohol in the first five ingredients give it away or throw it out. The alcohol will dry out your hair. Pronto
• Deep condition the natural way - use natural products to do your deep conditioning treatments. Shea butter, coconut oil and argan oil are great natural products. You can pick these up at Earth Elements in Savannah Plaza
• Stretch out your relaxer - every month wait an extra week to relax your hair, building up to ten weeks.  If you make sure to set your hair, and deep treat it your hair will look a lot better than you think. Stretching out the relaxer helps your hair to grow back stronger. If you don't think you can do a week at a time then try waiting an extra day.

Everyone's hair grows at different speeds but you can encourage growth if you take care of your hair. You just need to be consistent. I chopped my hair in September, then again in October and I have grown about 2 inches since then. Happy happy joy joy!

Let me know what works for you in the comments below.

Till later,

*Jane

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Post-Workout HairCare - Relaxed Hair

 

Sweaty, limp,wet and lifeless- that's pretty much how I would describe my hair after a really good workout. As a relaxed hair gal, this pretty much leads to trashy wavy hair the next day if I leave it be, which since we are striving to be put together, is not what we want. Right? Yes, I'm giving you more work to do at the end of your day. Ten minutes though-I promise that's all it takes.

Blame my friend Leah who asked me to write a post on what I do so my hair looks decent the day after a good workout *shout out to Leah!!* since I am not the 'I wash my hair after a workout girl'. So here are my tips for hair with body sans that funky sweaty smell after a workout.

image home

There are a couple things I do pre-workout to help my locks retain their natural oils, and keep the ends away from salty sweat. (Salt in any kind is not good for your hair because it dehydrates it. This is why they tell you going to the beach is bad for your hair but excellent for your skin). 

1. Always always always tie your hair up and get it out of your face and off your neck. Before I chopped off my hair (pics coming soon when I learn to stop hating the short cut), my favourite way to do this was to coil my hair into a ballerina bun and use a small headband or bobby pins to keep my layers at bay. A pony tail works just fine but if you when you put it up the ends brush against your neck you will need to loop your ends up as well so they don't become trashy. Make sure that the bun or ponytail is on the looser side so you allow air to pass throw at the scalp; otherwise you're gonna be stuck with the scent of sweat on your scalp until you wash it.
2. If you know your hair is going to get soaked no matter what you do, then spray the ends (not the scalp!) with a leave in conditioner and loop under. I don't use sweat bands because I like my hair with body and bounce and I don't normally go for flat styles but if you prefer a flat iron to a curling iron then a sweat band might be your friend. There is a lot of buzz about a product called saveyourdo that may be useful for those who shun volume. The Conditioner on the ends of your hair will keep trashiness at bay while the heat your body produces from the workout will act like a steam and provide the extra moisture your hair needs while you sweat. 

Remember that you also sweat inside your hair and whatever products you've put into your hair needs to be safe for your skin as well or you will find yourself breaking out more. Sweaty hair is not a reason to avoid a work out and being healthy; just know that getting dirty means making time to clean up.

Post Workout Dos & Don'ts

DO:

If it's a weekday and I know I am not washing my hair the next morning or that night, as soon as my workout is over I lay a thin cotton towel over my shoulders and loosen my hair so that my scalp can dry and my locks can get a chance to air out. 

DONT:

The absolute very last thing you want to do is to wrap your when it is wet with sweat. This will stink for days to come and you will regret

DO:

When you've showered and cleaned up and your hair is fairly dry, take some oil and gently apply to the very ends of the hair.

DONT:

Do not douse your head with a mositurizer, perfume or any other product as this may clog the pores on your scalp, making it retain smell, the sweat that may still be trapped there and later on produce excess oil

DO:

Turn on your blow dryer to the cool setting and finger dry your hair for about 20 mins or until it feels completely dry. This helps eliminate any smell, dries the scalp further and re-straightens the shaft as well as smooths it. (My hair immediately gets wavy if I allow it to completely dry after it gets wet, doing this keeps frizz at bay as well as helps to distribute the oils you applied to the end in a manageable way). This is the perfect time to set or wrap your hair. Just to make sure I have gotten all the wetness out I will leave my rollers uncovered or if I wrap my hair, I will tie it up with a cotton tiehead until I'm ready for bed.

DONT:

Do not use heat on your hair while you have sweat in it. This is too much for your hair, especially if you work out 3-5 times a week. Do not go to bed with your hair still wet, it will get trashy.

If the next morning my scalp feels like it needs a little moisture I will part my hair in four and apply a moisturizing lotion and massage it in. I have found that oils get too heavy on my hair especially if I work out that day.

And that's it! If you have any questions feel free to ask it in the comment form below, or if you have your own tips share it with me and I will publish it for everyone else to see. If you want to see how I style my hair when I have an event/meeting right after the gym and I only have time for a shower, leave a comment and I will post a video.

Till later, 

Jane 

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The No-Heat Thirty-Day Challenge

Ever heard that heat styling super-dries out your hair and contributes to split ends and brittle hair? Follow me on my thirty day journey as I avoid all forms of heat styling.

I'm curious to find out whether heat styling does indeed affect your hair, and if avoiding it makes your hair stronger. This is what my hair looks like now, having washed and set it last night and allowing it to air dry.

I had it highlighted over Christmas, and as it grows out, I expect the shaft of my hair to get dryer, as it would with an all-over colour, and I am trying to avoid the brittleness that accompanies growing out permanent colour. I will do a post on what else I am doing to combat the expected breakage at a later time.

Join me in this no heat challenge and see what effect it will have on your head of hair! I'll be doing updates every five days and keep you guys in the loop. At the end of the thirty days I will do a vlog on youtube  discussing my experience.

Till later,
Jane

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Hair Nerd: The Science in My Shampoo

I am that girl that thinks a simple wash and set can be perfected with practice at home, so I end up spending more time taking care of my hair myself than the hairdresser. So if any damage is done its my fault so I try very hard to make sure I get the products my hair needs at an affordable price. The Shampoo and Conditioner I have been using are the Garnier Fructis Fortifying Shampoo and Conditioner - Triple Nutrition.


The blurb advertises that it is for 'dry to over-dried or damaged hair'. I chose this one specifically because I had recently dyed my hair and it was feeling a bit limp and breaking a lot. The shampoo and conditioner boast that it contains ' 3 nutritive fruit oils - olive, avocado and shea' and promises that it 'fortifies and infuses with nutrients for silky hair, full of life'.

 The back of the bottle even makes it sound better with the following blurb: 'Triple Nutrition - the 3 nutritive fruit oils penetrate to nourish every strand to the core'. It basically sounds like a dream come true right? So of course I swooped it up and had high hopes for it. Of course, the gorgeous apple smell and the advertisements helped to suck me in. After the first two washes I was sorely disappointed. Surely something that boasted three oils could not be so drying! I felt like I had washed my hair with a mild form of the hand soap you find in hospital bathrooms. It may sound like I am exaggerating but I am not. I made the mistake of washing my hair then attempting to towel dry it so I could apply a treatment - let's just say it got so knotted up that I eventually just cut out the knot. I kid you not.

 The pair's only saving grace is the Conditioner. The Conditioner is not packed with the nutrition they promised but it does include silicone properties an glycerin properties that help smooth the hair shaft by weighing it down and closing the follicles. So I decided to take a peek at the ingredients and it began to make sense.

 I have been told that the first five ingredients of a product are the ingredients that are present in the greatest quantities in the product. IF this is true then I have reason to be disturbed. The first five ingredients in the Shampoo are

: >Sodium Laureth Sulfate: This is a chemical used to create suds when mixed with water. It is found in most cleaning or sanitary products like soap and shampoo but there has been a recent trend to step away from sulfates because of their harmful effects. (It is said that the body absorbs this and it messes with hormone levels). The sulfate is also said to strip hair and skin of its natural oils and proteins. Though you want your shampoo to clean your hair, you don't necessarily want it to strip your hair of proteins.

 >Coco betaine: This is a diffused derivative of coconut oil, and some companies try to get away with advertising this product as coconut oil. Don't be misled by this, this chemical works as a mild antiseptic with some germicidal properties to it. IE the focus is to clean rather than to moisturize

. >Glycerin: This is a humectant that attracts moisture. I am told that this allows for the sulfate to create more suds and to stay longer in your hair.

>Amodimethicone is an abbreviation of “amine-functionalized silicone,” which is a family of silicones modified to have specific properties. I am told that this is to ensure that there is some smoothing of the hair shaft.

 Other ingredients include but are not limited to castor oil, salicylic acid and avocado oil, shea oil and olive oil extracts.

IF I am to follow the 'first five' rule then it seems like the main purpose of the shampoo would be to sud up and serve an antiseptic/germicidal function. If I weren't following the rule though it seems that the majority of ingredients share that focus as well. Simply put, this shampoo is not going to moisturize your hair in any way shape or form.

 It gets the hair clean but as to moisturizing it, making it silky or shiny, Garnier Fructis fails miserably. I would not recommend this to anyone. I mean, do you really want salicylic acid in your hair and on your scalp? The next time you buy a hair product, read the back - it will give you a preview as to what to expect from it.

Till next time,
 Jane

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