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What’s up, curlies? I’m thinking of a new name for you guys, preferably something related to Jamaica. Parries? Fambily? Anyway, when it comes to me it will hit me like a bolt of lightning. This blog post is the first in a new series called “Test Drive”, which will consist of my trying out new products and giving a detailed review, so that I can help you guys if you’re thinking of buying something new.
The 2 products for today’s Test Drive are the Coconut Shea Leave-In Conditioner and the Coconut Shea Curl Defining Creme from Eden Bodyworks. This line is a few years old, but I only had the privilege of acquainting myself with it last week.
The leave-in conditioner comes in an 8-ounce bottle, and the price point falls between $8 and $12, depending on where you purchase it. This product provides a combination of coconut oil and shea butter, and promises to “penetrate and revitalize tresses” and “seal in moisture”, catering to all hair types, whether processed, colour-treated or completely natural. The first 5 ingredients are water, aloe vera leaf juice, coconut oil, jojoba seed oil and safflower seed oil. Avocado oil, Vitamin E and shea butter fall further down the list. Hydrolized keratin is also one of the ingredients, so if you are protein-sensitive, you might want to be careful with this product.
The curl defining creme comes in a whopping 16-ounce jar and falls within the same price range as the leave-in conditioner. It is a styling product, which has a medium hold, as stated on the jar. It promises resistance against humidity, curl definition, moisture and frizz control. The first 5 ingredients are water, coconut oil, vegetable oil, aloe vera leaf juice and cetyl alcohol. Other ingredients include avocado oil, shea butter, jojoba oil, coconut milk, meadowfoam seed oil, keratin amino acids, vitamin E and glycerin, which is a “highly effective moisturizer and humectant for skin and hair” and acts as an “effective curl-definer and frizz minimizer” according to curlynikki.com, but should be used carefully and according to the climate in which you live. Using glycerin in very humid conditions draws moisture from the atmosphere and causes more frizz and less chances for a nice, defined twist out, or any other similar style. On the other hand, using glycerin in dry conditions draws moisture out of your own hair, thus resulting in dehydration and a greater risk of breakage.
I bought these products at Earth Elements in Kingston, Jamaica for $1500 each (roughly equivalent to USD$12). I had watched many tutorials and read many reviews on these products before purchasing, and was expecting the amazing slip, moisture and curl definition that the vloggers and bloggers were raving about.
First, let’s talk about the leave-in conditioner. The first time I used it, I was really expecting some bomb slippage, like using Jesus’ tears to detangle my hair. But… the best word I can come up with is… meh. I mean, there was some slip, and more than a lot of products give, but it didn’t give my hair that buttery feeling I was expecting, and it made my hair a little hard after sitting in my hair for a few minutes. That’s probably because of the protein. The consistency is a bit sticky and the curl definition isn’t so great with this product alone, but I wasn’t really expecting much in that department, because it’s not a styler. After using this leave-in conditioner on multiple occasions, I discovered that it won’t work amazingly all the time, but it does have its shining moments. Also, I found that it works better when the curl defining cream is added soon after applying the leave-in.
I must say, the curl defining cream is bomb.com. It has a slight hold, but still keeps your hair soft, and the slip is amazing. It totally makes up for the leave-in conditioner. I was very impressed with the definition I achieved with these products. Bear in mind, I live in Jamaica where humidity is both your best friend and your worst enemy. Unfortunately, I don’t have any pictures of what my day 1 hair looked like with these products, but my day 1 hair really isn’t all that, no matter which products I use.
On day 2, I decided to apply some of that heaven-sent curl defining cream and retwist my hair. The definition when I unraveled the twists the next day was a level of definition that I have never EVER achieved with any other product. This curl defining cream is definitely my favorite styler and I’ll be experimenting with other leave-in conditioners to see which ones will work well with it.