Diary of a Kinky Curly Woman

From my friend at naturallycurly.com, to you. Thank you, S.L. :)



These are just notes I've kept for myself over the years.....maybe something will help you.

Hair Care Products
(for natural hair)
- avoid silicones which can leave the hair dry: -sane, -xane, -cone, including cyclopentasiloxane
- amodimethicone is a cone that is water soluble with trideceth-12
- look for cetrimonium chloride for detangling
- fatty alcohols (i.e. cetyl, cetearyl, stearyl, etc.) combined with hard water leave the hair feeling waxy
- avoid stearalkonium chloride (cheap softner that is toxic and an irritant)
- dannon full fat yogurt to loosen curl pattern (leave on for over an hour, lactic acid helps to loosen curls)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
CLEANSING / LIGHT CONDITIONERS (for no poo method, look for ones without protein and stearalkonium chloride)
- Suave (Citrus Smoothie, Mango & Peach) => not as good as VO5
- VO5 (Vita Burst, Tea Therapy, Strawberries & Cream, Sun Kissed Raspberry - Vanilla Mint or Kiwi & Lime for clarifying) => contains stearalkonium chloride 
- Curlicious Curls Cleansing Cream => great cleansing, a little thick coming out of the bottle
- Karen's Body Beautiful Hair Shampoo => leaves a coating on hair, do not repurchase
- MyHoneyChild Olive You Scalp Cleanser
- MyHoneyChild Jamaica Island Scalp Cleanser => works well but used a whole bottle in one washing, try again
- MyHoneyChild Banana Creme Scalp Cleanser
- MyHoneyChild Jamaica Island Conditioner => good moisturizer
- MyHoneyChild HoneyNutt Conditioner
- Jessicurl Hair Cleansing Cream
- Naani's Naturals Fallen Moisturizing No Sulfates Shampoo
- Nature’s Gate Asian Pea & Red Tea Rejuvenating Conditioner  => good
- Nature's Gate Jojoba or Aloe Conditioners => do not like Herbal because of smell
- Whole Foods 365 Citrus Grapefruit Conditioner => good for cowashing
- Shikai Daily Moisture Conditioner
- DevaCare No-Poo => don't like consistency
- DevaBrown Chocolate Lust
- TIGI Bed Head Moisture Maniac Conditioner => really like, moist hair
- TIGI Catwalk Oatmeal & Honey Treatment Conditioner
- TIGI Bed Head Superstar Sulfate-Free Shampoo
- Mop Top Gentle Clarifiying Shampoo
- Mop Top Daily Conditioner
- Oyin Handmade Honey-Hemp Conditioner => absorbs well, good leave in
- Elucence Moisture Balancing Conditioner => good conditioner
- John Masters Organics Citrus & Neroli Detangler => good conditioner
- Modern Organic Products Mixed Greens Conditioner for Normal to Dry Hair
- Wen Fig Cleansing Conditioner
- Hair Rules Daily Cleansing Cream => don't repurchase

DEEP CONDITIONING
take regular conditioner and add olive oil, avocado oil, coconut milk, shea butter, avocado butter, castor oil, liquid lecithin and/or honey for extra conditioning and softening
- coconut milk => moisturizes, softens, smooths, and detangles
- Hair Rules Quench Deep Conditioner => don't repurchase
- Ojon Restorative Hair Treatment => overnight treatment, smells bad, don't repurchase
- Back 2 Basics Pomegranate Moisture Conditioner
- Karen's Body Beautiful Luscious Locks Moisturizing Hair Mask => nice conditioner, use the whole jar at one time
- Curl Junkie Hibiscus & Banana Deep Fix Moisturizing Conditioner => nice moisturizing conditioner
- Black Earth Herbal Conditioner
- Blended Beauty Herbal Reconditioner => really like but one jar equals one treatment
- Blended Beauty's Volcanic Mask => a clay mask for the hair
- DevaCare One Condition => don't like the smell but works pretty good
- DevaBrown Chocolate One Condition
- Jessicurl Too Shea Extra Moisturizing Conditioner => light conditioner
- Jessicurl Weekly Deep Conditioning Treatment => good deep conditioner
- MyHoneyChild Honey Hair Mask => good conditioner
- MyHoneyChild Olive You Deep Conditioner => good conditioner
- MyHoneyChild Banana Creme Conditioner
- MYHoneyChild Coconut Papaya Hair Paste => left white pieces in my hair, must use heat, good conditioner, used the whole jar for one treatment
- Jane Carter Solution Nutrient Replenshing Conditioner => ok
- Jane Carter Solution Scalp Renew => good deep treatment oil
- Giovanni 50:50 Balanced Hair Moisturizer => hard to get out of bottle
- Shikai Intensive Repair Conditioner
- Aubrey Organics Island Naturals Conditioner => very thick, didn't really like, don't repurchase
- Mop Top Deep Conditioner => ok, don't repurchase
- Generic Matrix Biolage Conditioning Balm => moisturizing
- John Masters Organics Lavender & Avocado Intensive Conditioner
- Ion Color Solutions Color Defense Intense Moisture => use after Aphogee
- Joico K-Pak (protein)
- ApHogee Treatment (protein)

LEAVE-IN CONDITIONERS
coconut oil is very drying to the hair
- Hair Rules Nourishment Leave In Conditioner => don't repurchase, has silicones
- Giovanni Direct Leave In => one of the best leave in conditioners!!
- Black Earth Protective Mist Bodifier => absorbs well in my hair
- Oyin Handmade Greg Juice => absorbs well, smells funny, don't repurchase
- Oyin Handmade Juices & Berries => absorbs well, smells funny, don't repurchase
- Oyin Handmade Whipped Pudding => contains beeswax, smells good, a little thick
- Wild Growth Hair Oil
- Jessicurl Stimulating Scalp Massage Oil
- Jessicurl Aloeba Daily Conditioner => ok daily conditioner, doesn't absorb as well as other products, don't repurchase
- MyHoneyChild Type 4 Hair Creme => don't like the feel in my hair, don't repurchase
- MyHoneyChild Curl Activator
- Qhemet Biologics Castor & Moringa - Softening Serum
- Blended Beauty Happy Nappy Styles
- Organikah Whipped Hair Butter
- Carols Daughter Hair Milk => doesn't absorb well in my hair
- Curl Junkie Curly Boost Curl Enhancing Spray
- Curl Junkie Hibiscus & Banana Honey Butta Leave In Conditioner => very thick, doesn't absorb well, do not repurchase
- Curl Junkie Coco-Milk Conditioner
- Knot Today => okay but don't repurchase
- Curls Milkshake => okay but some cones in new formula, don't repurchase
- Jane Carter Solution Scalp Nourishing Serum
- Modern Organic Products Leave-In Conditioner
- Karen's Body Beautiful Hair Milk => contains a wax
- Karen's Body Beautiful Hair Cream => nice hair cream, lots of good scents
- Karen's Body Beautiful Hair Butter => like a pomade
- ABBA Nourishing Conditioner => not as good as KBB hair milk
- Afro Detangler => good texture, really like, great for twists
- Long Lovely Locks Curly Custard => lots of butters


STYLING PRODUCTS
- Hair Rules Kinky Curling Cream => contains mineral oil
- Hair Rules Hydrating Finishing Cream
- Curls by Sister Smith Wet Set Hair Pudding => good for twists
- Fantasia IC w/ Sparkle Lites or Color Treated (blue) => gummy, doesn't work well in my hair
- Kinky-Curly Curling Custard => too crunchy and drying on my hair
- Aubrey Organics B5 Design Gel => gummy, doesn't work well in my hair
- Crinkles & Curls by Black Earth Products
- Jane Carter Solutions Wrap & Roll => doesn't work well in my hair
- Jane Carter Solutions Nourish & Shine => good pomade
- Curls by Sister Smith Wet Set Hair Pudding
- Oyin Handmade Burnt Sugar Hair Pomade => nice pomade, good shine, like the smell
- Oyin Handmade Shine and Define Styling Serum => good for twists
- Carols Daughter Mimosa Hair Honey => greasy feeling but works well on skin
- Curly Custard Maximum Definition Hairdress (naanishoppe.com)
- Miss Jessie's Curly Products => not recommended because of ingredients
- Aveda Be Curly Curl Enhancing Lotion => too drying
- Clinique Defined Curls Curl Enhancer
- KMS Flat Out Relaxing Balm
HAIR OILS
- Castor oil, for growth - stable (no exp), cold pressed is best
- Jojoba oil - stable (no exp)
- Grapeseed oil - 1 yr exp
- Almond, Sweet oil - 1 yr exp
- Apricot oil - 1 yr exp
- Dabur Vatika Hair Oil, for growth
- Neem oil, for shedding
- Amla oil, for growth
- Tamanu oil, for inflamation - 6 mon - 1 yr exp
HAIR COLOR
- Bigen (47) => too harsh, don't repurchase
- Clairol Professional Beautiful Collection (B18D Darkest Brown)
- Robert Craig
- NaturColor (naturcolor.com)
- ColorFix (you can do a partial color correction with by mixing the solutions with shampoo. It only lightens the color & you will not have to re-color)
Curl-ease Towel (for curly hair) => great towel