Shea Moisture – sarah fynn

Brand Review- Shea Moisture

Hi guys, I am back with another brand review. If you are new to this series, welcome! The series is about giving you an overview of all the products I have tried from a brand and how to easily fit them into a routine. I have quite a few on my blog, my popular ones are The Ordinary and Bodyshop.

Today we are focusing on Shea Moisture, the popular US brand that launched over 2 years ago in the UK. They have many product collections that target different hair types and concerns, be sure to check out the help chart I created a few years back to help you decide which collection is best for you. PS I need to update it with the new products they have launched!

Haircare

Shampoos– I have tried Multi-Benefit 10 in 1 shampoo which was really great at softening my hair and adding moisture, this is best for finger detangling as it provides slip. I also like the Raw Shea Butter Moisture Retention shampoo. I felt like the benefits were quite similar to the 10 in 1 shampoo as it also left my hair soft and moisturised but didn’t have enough slip for detangling. I also have the Jamaican Black Castor Oil shampoo but I haven’t used that yet.

Routine step- shampoo once or twice a week depending on product build-up and following pre-poo.

Conditioners– I have tried the matching 10 in 1 rinse out conditioner which I think was nice. It was slippery enough to detangle and the scent was great. I also used the Raw Shea Butter Restorative rinse out conditioner and the Deep Treatment Masque. (If you don’t know the difference between a rinse out conditioner and a masque read my previous post here). Both conditioners are okay. They don’t have enough slip to properly detangle although I feel the rinse out conditioner has more slip than the masque. In terms of how they leave the hair, again I feel like it softens and repairs it but I would like more softness. They are still very good conditioners but I have used better. I also prefer the rinse out conditioner over the masque.

Routine step- after shampooing. Apply and cover with a plastic bag or sit under a hooded dryer.

Leave in conditioners/treatment– I have used the 100% virgin coconut oil leave in treatment. My full review is here. Simply put I love this leave in and it works well both on natural hair and extensions. Another great leave from SM is the Jamaican black castor oil leave in conditioner. That conditioner leaves my hair so silky and soft without the need of an oil. I have a full review here. The Jamaican Black Castor Oil edge treatment is one confusing product. They claim it can be used to smooth edges but it doesn’t have any hold. It’s an edge treatment used to grow/repair edges but in the times I have used it consistently I can’t say I noticed any improvements.

Routine step- leave in conditioner as and when needed. Edge Treatment- weekly on edges

Shea Moisture Jamaican Black Castor oil Leave In Conditioner

Skincare

Did you know shea moisture have skincare products? They have a good amount of products, some of which are available in the UK but I think they are quite difficult to come by. My only SM skincare product is the African black soap clarifying mud face mask. I have had this for a while now. It’s a nice mud mask, not drying or thick as you may expect from a mud mask and it spreads very easily. I like using it mostly in the summer but let’s be honest it’s not real authentic black soap used. They also have a makeup line but to my knowledge that is not available in the UK.

Routine step- 2 to 3 times a week after cleansing. Most suitable for oily skin

So that’s it folks, everything I have tried from Shea Moisture. It is not indicative of the many products SM have but what I have tried suits my hair type and concern. If you have 4c hair that is prone to dryness and breakage like mine then I think these products will work best for you. I did notice the texture/consistency (more fluid and less studs but still good) of the two shampoos I have used changed over time from when I first used them. I know it was probably a year in between uses but I haven’t experienced that with my other shampoos

Shea Moisture hair products are available from Boots & Superdrug. Some of their skincare products are available from MyLuxeBeauty.

Give me a shout if you have tried these products and love or hate them!

Love

Sarah

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

Protective Styling & Winter Hair Care

The winter for many naturals including myself means protective styling. The cold weather, dry wind and rain plays havoc on my hair so rocking my wigs is a definite. Protective Styling doesn’t mean an absence of a proper hair care routine! In all its greatness, at the end of the day (week), you still have to detangle your fro!

Winter Hair Care

Should your hair routine change in the winter? Yes! Should you even change your products? Not really. I say this because if you are going to have your hair in a protective style, then it won’t matter what shampoo you use.

Your hair routine shouldn’t change drastically! I’m sure you’ve been taking care of your hair all year, a few tweaks is all that’s needed. Just like we focus more on moisture for our skin in the winter, we should focus (more) on moisture too for our hair. I say more because natural hair is already prone to dryness but the colder season can add to this too.

Winter Hair Care Tips

Deep condition frequently, preferably after every wash and with heat. The addition of the heat allows the active ingredients of the deep conditioner to penetrate further into the hair shaft
Scalp massages- essential for keeping your scalp healthy. Massaging stimulates blood flow to the area and with that comes the nutrients that are needed to nourish the scalp which in turn promotes growth. Take advantage of the plethora of growth oils for this
If you are rocking a protective style, make sure you take a break from them e.g. taking out braids after 4-6 weeks, taking off your wigs nightly etc. this ensure there isn’t a lot of tension on the scalp
If you use elastic bands for your wigs, try to use the thicker ones so that the pressure is distributed evenly
Of course, do not forget your silk/satin bonnet when you sleep!
Protein/keratin treatments (which reminds me, I am due a protein treatment!) to rebuild your hair and strengthen it. This prevents excessive breaking and shedding. More on protein and keratin can be read in my previous post here

Product Recommendations

Of course, no post on this blog would be complete without recommending some products!

Shampoo- Mizani True Textures Moisture Replenish Shampoo

Deep conditioner- Shea Moisture Raw Shea Butter Deep Treatment Mask

Leave in- Cantu Leave In Conditioning Cream

How have you been keeping your hair in check so far? Let me know which products & techniques have been working for you.

Are you Christmas Shopping yet? Take a look at my gift guides for inspiration!

Skincare sets, Customised gifts, Black British Brands

Countdown to Christmas!

Shea Moisture African Black Soap Clarifying Mud Mask Review

Shea Moisture is well known for their amazing haircare products ( now available in the UK in Superdrug and Boots). They’ve been branching out lately and dipping their very creative hands in beauty and skincare. They released a range of skincare masks (anyone notice they correlate with the haircare line? colours and ingredients?) and I couldn’t wait to try them out!

Before we proceed, read all about skincare and why it’s important here and find out the reason why I LOVE Black soap here

I picked up the African Black Soap Clarifying Mud Mask from My Luxe Beauty a while back and been testing out ever since. The full range of mud masks are

Raw Shea Butter Hydrating Mud Mask for Dry Skin ( available on MyLuxeBeauty)

Coconut & Hibiscus Radiance Mud Mask for Dull Skin

Peace Rose Oil Complex Mud Mask for Sensitive Skin

The African Black Soap Clarifying Mud Mask has been formulated with African Black Soap, Tamarind Extract and Tea Tree Oil and it targets blemish prone skin. It has no parabens, phthalates and mineral oil among others and made with natural organic ingredients. It’s supposed to draw out dirt, excess oils and congestion and improve the appearance of troubled skin leaving the skin purified and fresh.

My skin- I have normal to combination (oily) skin. More towards the normal side of the scale. Oily areas- t-zone.

Experience

At £14.99, I found the mask a bit pricey but it’s in the same price range with all the other SM products. For a mud mask, I found the consistency quite thin but the texture is very smooth. it applies really easily and washes off quite well and leaves the skin squeaky clean.

I leave it on for 10-12 mins or till it dries on my skin (face and neck). It doesn’t dry into a hard mask unlike other mud masks on the market. After washing, my skin feels very nice and looks de congested- pores look minimised. In terms of improving the skin’s appearance, I haven’t noticed any difference due to using the mask. It doesn’t smell of authentic black soap but it has a pleasant scent to it.

Verdict

I found the mask pricey but you do get a lot for your money 177ml and its filled to the top! I love the ingredients and the fact that its mostly natural. Will I recommend it? yes if you are a SM lover and on the market for a good drugstore face mask. It doesn’t leave my skin dry so normal skin types can use it too however, I think oily skin types will benefit more.

Its worth nothing its black soap mixed a few other ingredients as authentic black soap is not black. I do like the mask anyway

Shea Moisture African Black Soap Clarifying Mud Mask is £14.99 at MyLuxeBeauty.com

Want more skincare recommendations? Follow me on Instagram for the latest products and tips. Instagram- SarahFynn

Come back later for my EPIC Christmas Gift Guide!

By his stripes

Collective Haul: Skincare & Makeup

I have been MIA for a while and what better way for a comeback than a Collective Haul ft Skincare & Makeup?! I have been into skincare lately and I have always been into skincare but this time, it’s a whole new level. Since the addition of acid toners in my routine plus the mini heatwave we experienced this summer, I have stepped up my skincare game! The drugstore has some pretty good, effective and affordable skincare products so I have been trying my hands on some new goodies

First Aid Beauty, for the longest time I wanted to get something from this brand, in particular the two items I got: the Facial Radiance Pads and the Vitamin Hydrating Mist, FeelUnique had a sale on these and I had my £3.95 voucher, add to cart!

Mario Badescu Facial Spray & Nyx Dewy Mist– its official, makeup setting sprays are my weakness! This one from Mario Badescu has been on my hit list for a while, I just thought it was more expensive than its actual price, but never looked into it until recently. Nyx Dewy Mist – I must admit, it was a hype purchase because I found out Nyx has a counter in my local Boots and I have a discount card for Boots!

Ben Nye Topaz & Max Blot Powder– I had run out of my pressed powder (Sleek) and wanted something different. I wanted to try the MSF powders from Mac but I wanted something with next to nothing colour. This BLOT powder from Mac is amazing! It has 2% pigment which is next to nothing so it doesn’t add to your foundation – it’s perfect if you don’t like full coverage like myself. It does amazingly well at taking away oil! Ben Nye Topaz has been raved about for a while but I never took any interest in it. My girl from work convinced me, gave me sample then her me her almost new powder because it didn’t suit her well actually she preferred the Sacha Buttercup and the rest is history………………..

Water Sprays- acid toners means neutralisation afterwards and even though my acid toners are not quite strong to require this step I love the feeling of misting my face with fancy water in a can. Caudalie Grape Water & La Roche Posay Thermal Spring Water are re purchases. I decided to try the Vichy Mineralizing Thermal Water too

ColourPop- they finally have international shipping which may not be worth it because you actually have to pay tax. Anyway I got two items from the KaePop collections and two of the satin lips which I actually don’t like

Milani Baked Blushes– even though I wanted my first item from Milani to be their Liquid Lipsticks, I went for the baked blushes. Very shimmery but still nice on

Shea Moisture Mud Mask– ever since I heard of their skincare collection, I have been wanting to dip my hands in them. Living in the UK means I miss out of a lot of goodies but thanks to MyLuxeBeauty, you can get this and other hard to get products here

Mielle Organics Mint Oil– my second bottle of this stuff. I love everything about this and it actually works!Finally, eye care samples I got from FeelUnique and the Naturally Brightening eye cream from Superdrug.

I have been loving the Clearly Youth Serum from Superdrug, second purchase and I really love it! Also picked up the Botanics night cream from Boots

That’s all folks! I can’t wait to bring you reviews on these products! Make sure you follow me on Instagram for all the latest products. I am finally on Snap Chat – itssarahfynn

Gotta go

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Shea Moisture Jamaican Black Castor Oil Leave In Conditioner review

What a mouthful! I can finally bring you a review on the Shea Moisture Jamaican Black Castor Oil Leave In Conditioner I got ages ago! Read on!

By now, every naturalista has at least one Shea Moisture product in their arsenal! If I had to guess it will either be something from their Coconut & Hibiscus line in that case it is the Curl Enhancing Smoothie or the Raw Shea Butter line then it’s their Restorative Conditioner LOL if not then I’m clearly outta luck! But now that they are available in the UK and in your local Boots we can wave good bye to international shipping costs!

I went to the Shea Moisture Launch Event, you can read my event cover here and got this product among others in my goody bag. Read my Superfruit Complex 10 in 1 Renewal System review here. I have been using this leave in for a while now and I am happy to report its no longer in rotation! And only a few products achieve that status lol. So let’s get into the nits and grits of it

First, read all about the Jamaican Black Castor Oil line and its full product collection here. The leave in conditioner is free from sulfates, parabens, phthalates, paraffin, mineral oil and synthetic colour. Its 3 main ingredients are

Organic Shea Butter- for deep moisture while conditioning hair and scalp

Jamaican Black Castor Oil- to promote healthy hair and growth and is full of reparative omegas

Peppermint- to stimulate the scalp for an invigorating experience

It smells like vanilla ice cream to me lol and has a runny consistency, I kinda wish it was in a pump bottle instead of a tub because of the consistency. But this gives it amazing slip! Its very good for detangling!- it’s the 1^st leave in conditioner that has really impressed me with this.

When I first used it, I felt a tingling sensation on my scalp which is probably due to the peppermint in it. It was nothing too overwhelming but it was a nice experience.

My hair feels extremely soft afterwards and days after. Its honestly the 1^st leave in I have used where I feel I don’t have to pair with an oil to get that silky feel in my hair ( I still do because I’m extra lol, but I have used it many times without an oil and my hair felt really good too)

I noticed that as my hair was drying it looked a bit flaky which scared me a bit- I absolutely hate the look of flakes in my hair! But in the end, when it was completely dry there was no flakes.

Verdict- I love this conditioner so much its now my everyday leave in and no longer in rotation! I love that you get a lot of product- 431ml which seems to last forever, I use a lot of it and it still seems to have a lot in the tub. It’s a 8/10

Shea Moisture Jamaican Black Castor Oil Leave In Conditioner is priced at £12.99 on Boots. Its currently on offer, you get 10% off when you spend £15 or more on selected hair products

What’s your fav SM products and leave in conditioners?

Shea Moisture Help Chart

Hey guys! So we know Shea moisture has a lot of great collections for natural hair, have a look around my blog to see all the collections, but how do we choose the best one for our hair needs?

Collections

Coconut and hibiscus >> http://wp.me/p1uQOd-Bq

Superfruit complex 10 in 1 renewal system >> http://wp.me/p1uQOd-Bv

Raw shea butter >> http://wp.me/p1uQOd-BM

African lack soap >> http://wp.me/p1uQOd-Bs

Yucca and plantain >> http://wp.me/p1uQOd-BS

Jamaican black castor oil >> http://wp.me/p1uQOd-Cq

Manuka honey and mafura oil >> http://wp.me/p1uQOd-Cs

Tahitian noni and monoi >> http://wp.me/p1uQOd-Cy

With some many great products to choose from where do I start Sarah lol? No worries I created a very simple help chart you can use to pick which collection to start with. Remember you will find the full collection and where to purchase them in the UK in the related posts right here on my blog 🙂

Click the link below to find your perfect collection, it’s a shame it doesn’t fit on my blog. I would love feedback from you on the chart and these series so please let me know your thoughts. Should I carry on with the product collection series or should we pump the breaks and move onto another series? Let me know.

Link> https://www.lucidchart.com/documents/view/97f88e40-477a-43ec-9df6-44a34d431754/0?fb=true

Love Sarah

SHEA MOISTURE AFRICAN BLACK SOAP

Hey guys, welcome back. As discussed previously, we are going through all the Shea moisture product collections for natural hair, complete with reviews and where to purchase in the UK! This is to help shea moisture virgins like me Lol (yes there are some of us) who have never used any of their products before. We have already looked at the coconut and hibiscus line which can be found here if you missed it >>http://wp.me/p1uQOd-Bq . Now, let’s get into today’s post!

The African black soap collection aims to calm and clarify dry, itching and flaking scalp. It helps to remove product build up while moisturising and conditioning for healthy looking hair. The main ingredients are as follows

Plantain enzyme- helps to calm itching and irritation
Tea tree oil- removed build up for enhanced shine and volume
Willow bark extract- exfoliates and detoxifies hair and scalp

It’s not a big collection, just 4 products in the range which are

African black soap purification mask
African black soap dandruff and dry scalp elixir
African black soap deep cleansing shampoo
African black soap balancing conditioner

Reviews

I must say I am a HUGE fan of African black soap especially for skin. It’s the ULTIMATE DETOX/CLARIFIER! I have been using it for the last month and a half and I am already seeing results. It’s quite harsh though, it has the potential to dry out the skin so I am interested to see how it works on the hair without stripping all the moisture or oils. Anyway if you have this line let me know how it’s working for you and which product you will recommend. Here in the UK you can purchase the full collection on British Curlies >> http://shop.britishcurlies.co.uk/categories/SheaMoisture/?sort=featured&page=2 . Shea moisture’s website will give you plenty of information on the line >>http://www.sheamoisture.com/African-Black-Soap_c_119.html

That’s all folks for now, next we will be talking the latest collection, the super fruits complex!

Until then

With love

Sarah

SHEA MOISTURE COCONUT AND HIBISCUIS

Hey guys! You guessed it! I am finally doing a post on the shea moisture collection! I wanted to branch out and feature brands that we may have not heard off or brands we tend not to reach for in the shops often but I guess I won’t be doing you guys justice if I don’t feature Shea Moisture. They have a lot of collections so we will be doing a mini-series about them! Hands up if you are a shea moisture virgin? #inevertriedsheamosituredontkillme LOL. Yes I have never had any of their products before (Gurl where you been? You have been disqualified from the product junkie group LOL). Anyway to my knowledge and correct me you shea moisture gurus lol they have:

African black soap collection
Superfruit complex collection
Coconut and hibiscus collection
Raw shea butter collection
Yucca and plantain collection
Jamaican black castor oil collection
Manuka honey and mafura oil collection
Tahitian noni and monoi collection

So we will be doing these collections separately starting with the coconut and hibiscus collection which will be todays post. From my research I really want to try the raw shea butter and jbco lines. Anyway let’s get into today’s post!

So this line was created specifically to reduce frizz, smooth and add curl definition back to thick, curly hair. It also helps to restore moisture, body and shine for healthy, bouncy curls. Main ingredients are

Coconut oil which hydrates and protects hair whilst reducing breakage
Silk protein which smoothes hair for a silky soft feel
Neem oil which controls frizz while adding brilliant shine

It’s a good sized collection featuring

Coconut and hibiscus gel soufflé
Coconut and hibiscus curl and shine shampoo
Coconut and hibiscus curl and style milk
Coconut and hibiscus hold and shine moisture mist
Coconut and hibiscus curl enhancing smoothie ( probably the most popular in this range)
Coconut and hibiscus frizz free curl mousse
Coconut and hibiscus curl and shine conditioner
Coconut and hibiscus co wash conditioning cleanser

I am a big fan of their packing and colour scheme lol anyway its review time!

So let me know what you guys think and if you use this your favourite product in the collection. Here in the UK you can purchase everything expect for the frizz free curl mouse on British Curlies >> http://shop.britishcurlies.co.uk/categories/SheaMoisture/

For more info on this line, please visit the Shea Moisture website > http://www.sheamoisture.com/Coconut-Hibiscus_c_118.html

That’s all folks! I hope you enjoyed this and looking forward to the other collections!

Until next time

Love

Sarah