natural hair – sarah fynn

Mielle Organics Detangling Cowash review

Finding a good cowash is great: one that gently cleanses the hair has enough slip and conditions the hair is the dream. I have tried a few co-washes and I love only 3!

Today’s post will be a full review on the Mielle Organics Detangling Cowash. I was gifted this at a BrownBeauty event some time ago.

What the brand says:

A natural co-wash that detangles and nourishes your hair all in one treatment.

Controls frizz and makes detangling easy
Lightweight formula
Safe for daily use

Mielle’s Detangling Co-Wash is one of the best products we have to offer for beautiful hair. Not only does this natural co-wash remove impurities without stripping your hair of its natural oils, but it also encourages longer, stronger, healthier hair. Use our organic formula to gently cleanse and condition your hair between shampoos, and over time, you can experience less breakage, shedding, and fewer knots. Whether you have thin, thick, or curly hair, you can enjoy easy detangling and better length retention.

Experience

So I normally co-wash when my hair is dry and somewhat detangled or when I have a slick bun and I quickly want to get rid of the gel but I don’t want to commit to a full shampoo and condition. Co washes for me are ‘one step’- cleanse, detangle and condition in one quick go!

With that in mind, I am disappointed with the Mielle Detangling Co-wash. For a detangling co-wash, I didn’t get enough slip from it, I had to use a lot of product in order to get some slip for detangling. I have 4c natural hair but I have found co-washes that gave enough slip to detangle. In terms of cleansing power, the co-wash doesn’t lather which I don’t mind and it does gently cleanse hair. As for conditioning the hair, I don’t find it leaves my hair as soft as I thought it would be. I have used shampoos that left my hair softer.

Verdict

I have only used one other product from the brand which was the Mint Oil which I absolutely loved. I was really looking forward to this cowash but unfortunately, I didn’t get on with it. For my 4c natural hair, I didn’t think it provided enough detangling and conditioning. This is a shame because they specifically market it as a detangling cowash for dry hair. Perhaps a loser curl pattern may gain more from this.

Garnier Ultimate Blends Maple Healer Conditioner Review

Garnier is one of my favourite drugstore brands, the skincare range is affordable and has many effective products, I have also used their some items from their body care range and I liked that too. Their haircare range however I approach with caution because I have natural afro hair and most likely some of the items may not be geared towards my hair texture and type.

To date, I have only used the Garnier Mystic Olive Oil collection which was gifted to me and I really like it. You can find my reviews here. A few years ago, I went to a Garnier event and I was gifted some more hair products, because of my good previous experience with them, I was actually looking forward to the products.

The Maple Healer collection is made for very damaged hair and has castor oil and maple sap to revitalise and intensely repair the hair. The Intense Repairer conditioner has no parabens and promises to leave the hair feeling stronger.

Experience

I was given the shampoo, conditioner and balm which I have been using slowly. The conditioner comes in a huge 400ml tube and has a creamy texture. It smells great lingers for a while but isn’t overpowering.

I find that the conditioner has enough slip for me to detangle with. I have natural 4c hair which is thick, shrinks and gets tangled quite easily. This conditioner helps me smooth my hair and run my comb through it. I leave it on for 5 – 10 mins before rinsing. It really makes a difference! My hair is left soft and feels conditioned

Verdict

I have to admit I have been quite lazy with my hair and washing it every 2 weeks instead of weekly. This means going into wash days, my hair is usually quite dry (I do slick buns), so I can really tell a difference in the feel of my hair. I really like this conditioner. If this is the only conditioner left in stores and wondering how it will work for our hair, get it, it works. I also really liked the intense balm (review on my Instagram). I’m yet to try the shampoo.

Garnier Maple Healer Conditioner is £3.99

We are leaving in a time where things aren’t normal and won’t be for a while, but we will get through this!

Cantu Cleanse and Care Hair & Scalp Masque Review

The Cantu Cleanse and Care hair and scalp masque is made wit bentonite clay and proms to cleanse and care for the hair and scalp with stripping natural oils. I’m not sure when these were released but I got this very late year after I attended an event.

Experience

I was confused as to where to add this product in my wash day routine because it says cleanse on the packet it sounds as if it has some cleansing properties however the directions state to apply to clean damp hair. I applied the product after water rinsing my hair (my hair was just in a slick bun for a few days so I didn’t have a lot of product build-up).

The product has the same scent as other cantu products, the added bentonite clay didn’t make a difference to the scent. The product was creamy and felt more like a deep conditioner. It didn’t have any slip so I did not detangle with it. It promises nourished strands and a revitalized scalp but honestly I don’t know if it made a difference or not

Verdict

I have used bentonite clay before so I was looking forward to using this product. I was a little confused as to where this would fit in in my wash day routine but I used it after rinsing hair with water. I didn’t experience much benefits, maybe some softness but nothing to write home about. There is no slip for detangling. My hair or scalp didn’t feel cleaner. I’m not sure if this product also comes in a bigger size but for me, I had 2 packs and used both in one wash day so I don’t know if the benefits come from continued use.

Do you need this product? Probably not.

Cantu Cleans & Care hair & scalp masque is £2.99 at Boots

Palmer’s Natural Fusions Mallow Root Leave in Conditioner Review

Palmer’s has been one of my favourite drugstore brands for many years. I love both the bodycare and haircare collections which are affordable and easily accessible.

Palmer’s Natural Fusion range was launched this year and is a 5 product strong collection that harnesses natural ingredients for stronger healthier hair. I was gifted the collection a few months back but I have only managed to use two of the items. This post is a full review of the Mallow Root Leave-in conditioner.

The Mallow Root leave-in conditioner promises slip for easy detangling leaving the hair shiny and moisturised. It comes in a spray bottle

Experience

I am currently on my 2^nd bottle of this leave-in with 4 more as backup: this tells you how much I love the product. The conditioner sprays in a very fine mist and has a pleasant scent. I use this conditioner on wash days, immediately after rinsing out my deep conditioner on soaking wet hair but I also use it throughout the week to hydrate and soften my hair.

I have natural 4c hair which is prone to dryness, what I really like about this leave-in is that it actually hydrates and softens the hair, I can see and feel a difference. I don’t usually use my leave-ins for detangling, I prefer to detangle with my conditioner so I can’t comment on the detangling claims of the product. This leave-in also works well for Brazilian hair as a leave-in conditioner. I also generously mist on soaking wet wigs after washing and they dry very soft with a lovely lustre.

Verdict

This is one of the best spray leave-in conditioners I have used in a very long time. I am halfway through my 2^nd bottle and I have been lucky to go to events and have been gifted more, I have 4 more backups. This works so well for my natural 4c hair and it’s super easy to use. It doesn’t weigh the hair down so I am confident it will work for all hair types.

I will recommend and will purchase.

Palmer’s Natural Fusions Mallow Root Leave-in Conditioner is available in Superdrug

L’Oréal Extraordinary Curl Nourishment Conditioner review

The first of its kind from L’Oréal, the Elvive Extraordinary Curl Nourishment collection has been specially formulated for drug afro/curly hair. The collection has a shampoo, rinse out conditioner and hair mask. I was gifted the shampoo and conditioner some time ago (about 2 years smh) and I am only getting around to using them. This post will be a full review on the Curl Nourishment Conditioner which I have been using for the past 2 months.

The Curl Nourishment conditioner has been formulated with alma oil and 6 other oils and promises to provide supreme nourishment, vibrant shine and defined curls

Experience

This is a creamy thick conditioner that feels luxurious and smells great. I find this conditioner provides enough slip for detangling my hair.

The L’Oréal Extraordinary Curl Nourishment Conditioner pairs very well with the shampoo and leaves my hair feeling very soft and conditioned. I use a fair amount on each section on hair and use a wide tooth comb from the ends to the root for detangling. It rinses out well and clean.

Verdict

There isn’t much I can say about the conditioner other than I really love it. It leaves my hair very soft and conditioned plus it has enough slip for detangling. It pairs well with the shampoo but also other shampoos I have used it with.

I think it’s one of the better conditioners in the drugstore: it’s accessible and affordable. It also comes in a big tube of 400ml.

I cant find this online on Boots/Superdrug but you can get it in stores.

Read my review on the shampoo

I will work on an updated drugstore natural hair product list soon, for now, check out my best conditioners here

Catch you later

Eco Styler Black Castor & Flaxseed Oil Review

I have rediscovered my natural hair! I’ve been leaving my hair out a lot lately, last year from September to December then in this year, it’s been out since January to April. I got tired of wearing wigs so I just decided to let my hair be (also because I wanted to finish my hair products!). My go-to protective style has been a slick bun – something never thought I could achieve with my 4c hair but I look at me lol.

I picked up the new Eco Styler Black Castor & Flaxseed Oil gel for my slick buns because I had finished the Olive Oil type (I LOVE this!) the new Eco Styler Black Castor & Flaxseed Oil also has vitamin E, Fiber & Omega 3. It promises a max hold of 10 and a max shine and also promises hair growth, no flaking, tack or itching.

Experience

I picked up the medium size pot (473ml) of the gel because I wasn’t so sure if I would like it. I have been using it for my slick buns for protective styling. It has the normal eco styler scent and I like the fact that they have changed the tops of the gels to flip tops instead of screw tops.

For the slick bun, I use the gel on soaking wet hair (after leave in) and apply in sections, smoothing a good amount on the top and bottom of the section and combing it through- there are lots of videos on YT on how to do these. After working through my hair, I tie my sating scarf and by the next morning, the hair is set. I do like the gel and it does help me achieve a sleek smooth look. The gel doesn’t pile on top of the leave-in conditioner. I would probably give the hold a 7.5/10. I would give the shine a 6.5/10. It’s not an extremely hard hold so it doesn’t make the hair look hard. The hold lasts about 3 days before my scalp feels itchy and I start to see flakes. By day 4 I have to wash it out, it also washes out easily. I completely forgot I wanted to do a review & demo of the gel so this is the only picture I have with my hairstyles with the Eco Styler Black Castor & Flaxseed Oil.

The only issue I have with this: it has shimmer in it! It’s not chunky and it doesn’t leave the hair shimmery so I do not understand why it’s in there.

Verdict

I do like the Eco Styler Black Castor & Flaxseed Oil however not as much as the Olive Oil type. I feel like the Olive oil has a better hold and a bit more shine to it. The gel makes the hair wavy so if you wanted something sleeker do not use gel (beeswax may be a better option). I do not mind repurchasing this but not straight away, I have repurchased the Olive oil eco styler again.

You can find Eco Styler gels in Boots and Superdrug trust me get them from the hair shops- it’s much cheaper!

More hair reviews

My fav shampoo

Best Natural hair products of 2018

This year I have tried some really good natural hair products and it’s only fair I did a best natural hair products edit for you! I have had some haircare brand overviews (Shea Moisture, Palmers) so make sure you also check those posts.

Cleansers

I have used a lot of shampoos and co-washes but the ones that really stand out are the Palmer’s Olive Oil Smoothing Shampoo, Garnier Mystic Olive Oil Shampoo and the As I am Long and Luxe Co-wash– this is a very recent favourite but the scent and the performance definitely won me over!

Conditioners

If you know me, you know I love a good conditioner! Something with a lot of slip for detangling but also something that actually softens, moisturises and repairs my hair. I love the Aphogee Keratin 2 min reconstructor. It’s such a quick and easy treatment for brittle hair. The ORS Monoi Oil Conditioner is a lovely one to use as well. Again I have to give it to Palmer’s Olive Oil Replenishing Conditioner

Leave in/ Moisturisers

I love a good leave in and its one step I never skip! I love the Shea Moisturiser 100% Virgin coconut oil leave-in treatment! Not only does this smell lovely but it actually works! Crème of Nature Argan Oil Leave in is always a pleasure to use. I also love the Modie Haircare moisturising hair crème. It deeply moisturises my 4c natural and helps to soften it.

Prepoo treatments/oils

I love hot oil treatments as a pre-poo treatment as I love the Sunny Isle Jamaican Black castor oil mixed with sweet almond oil. I also used a sample of Kera Care Thermal Wonder Prepoo treatment and when I tell you that thing is amazing! Believe! Softens, detangles and preps the driest of hairs for shampooing!

Styling

Unfortunately, braid outs, twist outs and all the other outs do not work for me, actually I can never get them right lol so I don’t do these. I prefer my hair stretched and in a simple bun or flat twists because it’s easier to manage and my hair tangles/ sheds less when its stretched. I have loved the classic sleek bun and wore this more in the last 2 months of the year. The two products that helped me achieve this were the Eco Styler olive oil styling gel and the Murray’s black beeswax. This combo didn’t give me flakes and leave my hair dry compared to when I used the gel alone. This somewhat reduces waves but if you want a super slick bun just don’t use a product with a lot of water in it: something like edge control or beeswax will help you achieve that look

That’s all folks! These are some of the items that has helped with my hair. I realise I don’t do enough haircare posts any more but I will bring that back in 2019!

What are some of your fav natural hair products? Let me know

Aunt Jackie’s Oh so Clean, Moisturising & Softening Shampoo Review

Aunt Jackie’s is a natural hair care brand that has been around for some time. They are more known in the US than here in the UK and I came across them when I attended an event a few years back. I have used their Anti-Poof Moisturising and Softening conditioner previously and I thought it was ok. I preferred more as a Cowash (can be used as so) than a moisturising conditioner and I remember it has a good amount of slip.

This post will be a full review on the Oh so Clean, moisturising & softening shampoo. The shampoo has been enriched with coconut and extra virgin olive oils and shea butter to soften the hair. It also promises detangling hair bath to help you detangle.

Experience

The shampoo has a pleasant scent and it’s thick and very slimy. Overall my experience with that was a bit of an anti-climax.

The shampoo promises to add moisture and soften the hair. I was eager to use this as with 4c natural hair my hair can get very dry quickly. The shampoo was ok but I have definitely used better. It doesn’t strip my hair/scalp of its natural oils but I was expecting so much more from the ‘hair bath’. It does a good job of cleansing. In terms of detangling, the shampoo lathers up really well even with a fair amount and helps to finger detangle. It isn’t the most detangling shampoo I have used but it helps

Verdict

I wish the hole dispenser was smaller. As the shampoo is very slimy, a lot comes out when dispensed and you really only need a small amount. The hole isn’t very big but I think a smaller hole would have been better. I think the Aunt Jackie’s shampoo is an ok shampoo for natural hair. I was expecting more from this but I was a bit let down by its performance. It cleanses well and some moisture and softens the hair but for me, I have used better which is why I think I am very critical of the shampoo.

Aunt Jackie’s Oh so Clean, moisturising & softening shampoo is £6.99 and available on Amazon

Other shampoo reviews

Palmer’s Olive Oil Shampoo

Shea Moisture 100% Virgin Coconut Oil Leave In Treatment Review

Shea Moisture is a popular natural hair brand with a TON of products! They have a lot of product collections, each one targeting a different hair concern. I have used a few of their products ( Superfruit collection review ) across the collections (I smell a brand review coming up!) and I am impressed! Today’s post will be a full review on the 100% Virgin Coconut Oil Leave-In Treatment, I received in my goody bag from a Natural Hair class hosted by BrownBeautyTalk. For snippets of the event, make sure you check out the website! Follow us and keep your eye peeled for our next event!

Shea Moisture’s 100% Virgin Coconut Oil Leave-In Treatment promises easier manageability and softer hair whilst protecting the hair from heat. It also reduces frizz and helps to hydrate and detangle hair.

Experience

I have been using and LOVING this leave-in treatment since I got it at the end of last month from the event. It is a lightweight milk that sprays in a fine mist. The scent is heavenly! Somewhere between coconuts and the beach

I have used this on both my natural hair and my curly and wavy extensions. For natural hair, I use it as the Liquid in the L.O.C method and generally when I need extra hydration. It softens my hair and keeps it hydrated, it’s not oily and it doesn’t weigh it down. I also like it especially for use when I have protective styling, it’s a quick and easy way to add hydration.

For my deep curly extensions, the leave in treatment helps to define the curls and reduce frizz. When I don’t have time to use a curl enhancer for defining the curls on the unit, I simply use this spray and finger comb/detangle the curls. For my wavy extensions, the spray helps me detangle, add hydration without weighing it down or leaving oily residue. I also simply love the scent, I may have abused it by spraying a LOT of this onto my units- one time I was on the tube getting off and a girl must have got a whiff of it because she said to her friend, that girl’s hair smells amazing lool

Verdict

I love this leave in conditioner! I am a huge fan of spray leave-in conditioners because they are so quick and easy to use! This one from Shea Moisture definitely hydrates and softens my hair (I have 4c hair) without any extra oily residue. My bottle didn’t last a month only because I am sure I abused it lol and I tend to use a lot of leave in for my hair. It imparts a lasting hydration to the hair and it also works well with curly extensions!

I definitely recommend and 100% will purchase.

Shea Moisture 100% Virgin Coconut Oil Leave In Treatment is £10.99 FeelUnique and Boots

Palmer’s Olive Oil Formula Replenishing Conditioner Review

The Palmer’s Olive Oil with Jamaican Black Castor Oil haircare collection has been designed for unruly frizz-prone hair. It’s has a moisture-rich formula for strong shiny hair. Last week, I reviewed the Smoothing Shampoo from the collection and how much I enjoyed using it. Today’s post will focus on the Replenishing Conditioner.

The Palmer’s Olive Oil Replenishing Conditioner has been formulated without sulfates, parabens, phthalates, mineral oil and gluten. Every product in the collection including this one has been made with 100% pure olive and Jamaican black castor oil. The addition of jbco is the main difference between the new olive oil formula and the old collection. Remember the old collection has the solid green packaging. I have a review on the old Olive Oil Cowash. A review on the new one will be up soon too.

The Replenishing Conditioner promises to increase moisture levels, smooth out frizzy hair and leave hair soft and shiny. The conditioner has a thick (medium thick) consistency and dispenses easily from the tube it comes in. When it was time to detangle, the conditioner provided just enough slip to comb through my hair with a wide tooth comb with (some) ease. This conditioner really impressed me with 1st use and I will tell you why. Going into that wash day, my hair was super dry, I hadn’t washed it for 3 weeks and moisture was basically none existent. I was also slightly nervous, I didn’t know what to expect as I was very short on time that day. I should have used something I knew softened and conditioned my hair but I went ahead with the conditioner…

While the Smoothing Shampoo did a lot to help me finger detangle and add some moisture and softness, I knew I needed something more to restore softness and penetrate deeper into to my hair. After combing the conditioner through my hair, I let it sit for 5 – 10 mins (literally) without heat. My hair felt SOFT. And SOFT. I’m really not sure what it did to my hair lol. It felt really soft and conditioned. I was SUPER IMPRESSED. 5-10 mins with no heat and I get this cloud of softness?!

Whatever it did to my hair, it lasted throughout the week! Sometimes I find that my hair loses that ‘just been conditioned’ feeling after a couple of days. But not with this conditioner (I would also say my moisturising routine helped but it’s mostly down to the conditioner I believe) my hair was still soft and conditioned. I remember feeling super happy with my hair that week and I couldn’t stop playing with it. The conditioner didn’t disappoint on the next use too.

There are only two things I don’t like about the Palmers Replenishing conditioner. 1. The scent. It has a slightly different scent to the Shampoo and Leave in conditioner. I like those scents but this one smells slightly off lol. It doesn’t linger though so I can forgive that. 2. The size. The shampoo is a massive 400ml but the conditioner is only 250ml. I would have preferred it the other way round. The size also means it has lasted two full washdays with a little left for a 3rd wash.

Verdict

I love this conditioner and it’s something I would buy. I feel it’s perfect for 4c natural hair: it really penetrates the hair and leaves a lasting softness to it which we are always after. The addition of pure jbco will help maintain healthy hair and scalp too. I was very impressed with it from the very first wash and the second time around it didn’t disappoint too. I also like the amount of slip the conditioner gives- it’s perfect for detangling. I just wish the product came in a bigger size. I suppose if you didn’t detangle with it, you would use a smaller amount which means it would last you a bit longer but still a bigger size would be better.

I love this conditioner and I am looking to purchase it soon!

Palmer’s Olive Oil Formula Replenishing Conditioner is £4.19 at Superdrug. Its part of the 3 for 2 offer on black & Asian Haircare products.

I will be reviewing the Spray Leave-In Conditioner next, watch out for that post!

PR sent

The whole collection