Lotions/ Creams -Vaseline - Cocoa Butter Deep Conditioning lotion
sunshine824 11/11/2012 1:27:00 PM
This lotion is amazingly moisturizing without being greasy. My skin is dry all year round but I hate feeling greasy or slippery. I also wash my hands often and hate that slimey feeling that most lotions give because they're just sitting on top. This one doesn't have that slimey feeling at all. My old go-to lotions were Palmer's Cocoa Butter, Jergens Ultra Healing, and Queen Helene Cocoa Butter Creme(in the tub). None of them moisturize as well as this lotion, last as long, make my skin as soft, or sink into my skin as quickly. I considered taking off a lippie for the scent because I didn't always like it. I was used to more chocolate scented cocoa butter products. This has more of a honey/vanilla/marshallow scent mixed with some chocolate and it while it's light, it lasts all day. I love perfumes and this doesn't interfere with them or make them smell weird like some unscented lotions seem to do. Will definitely repurchase.
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Treatments -Unlisted Brand - African Royale - Hot Six Oil
sunshine824 9/2/2012 1:11:00 PM
Hot Six Oil is one of my favorite hair oils. I use it as a pre-shampoo treatment and it leaves my hair silky, moisturized, and frizz free. It has an overly sweet, fruity smell but it doesn't linger once you wash your hair. And even if used as a leave-in it still doesn't leave a strong scent. To me it ties in effectiveness with Ginseng Wonder 8 Oil, except this one is easier to shampoo out. I also like using Indian oils(Dabur Amla & Vatika Oils) but I either have to travel to get them or order online. And the scents aren't too great. Plus they linger even after washing(especially the Amla Oil). I find it even more effective at smoothing, moisturizing, and giving my hair shine than natural mono oils(olive oil, coconut oil, jojoba, almond, etc.). I've used those natural oils the most -almost every time I wash my hair- but the difference when using the Hot Six Oil was evident with the first wash. My hair felt silky in the shower before and after I shampooed - which it never does. My hair and scalp got clean but it still felt silky and not stripped or dried out in the least. This is definitely worth a repurchase and I'll probably try it out in the other ways you can use it as suggested on the bottle.
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Moisturizers -Unlisted Brand - Kemi Oyl
sunshine824 9/2/2012 1:00:00 PM
I hate to be the voice of dissent, but I can't stand this "oyl." I tried it off and on for years and I always end up with dry, stuck together, stinky hair at worst, and just plain old stinky hair at best. Pros: *Easy to find. *The bottle is perfect because it only releases a small amount of oil at a time so you can really control the amount. Cons: *There is **NO** full ingredients list. Even after contacting the company they wouldn't share the ingredients list. I suspect that 1 of the ingredients is castor oil because I found an old bottle in my closet and when I smelled it, that's what it smelled of. *Speaking of smell: it stinks. It has a strong scent of grape popscicles and incense or wood. Separately this might be nice. Together it's funky in a BAD way. And the scent does not fade. Ever. This is the U.S. version of stinky Indian Dabur Amla Hair Oil. Except the Dabur Amla Oil works really nicely - it just stinks. :-( *I've used a lot of oils and this is the only one that never did anything for my hair. It made it stick together and tangle, but that's it. I would not repurchase this. There are other hair oils in the ethnic haircare aisle that work nicely(Wonder 8 Oil, African Royale Hot Six Oil, etc.), and even edible oils from the grocery store that work wonders for hair(Olive Oil, Coconut Oil, Sesame Oil, Almond Oil) but Kemi Oyl isn't one of them. Not worth the price for a tiny bottle of stink.
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Treatments -Unlisted Brand - Motions Classic Moisture Plus Condtioner
sunshine824 7/28/2011 10:17:00 PM
This is the !!!WORST!!! conditioner I have ever used!!! My hair felt DRY and COATED while using it in the shower! But I thought, maybe it will get better once I rinse it out and let it dry? But NO! It's 2 days later and I'm STILL trying to get this sh!t out of my hair!!! It's horrible! I threw it directly into the trash. If there is anyone who is using this, I wouldn't be surprised if their hair is dry and breaking off. I also would not be surprised if for some reason their hair just "won't grow." My hair is *breaking* from this! And I only used it ONCE!!! It's effing horrible!!! Stay away!
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Conditioner -Unlisted Brand - Motions Moisture Plus After-Shampoo Conditioner
sunshine824 7/28/2011 10:15:00 PM
This is the !!!WORST!!! conditioner I have ever used!!! My hair felt DRY and COATED while using it in the shower! But I thought, maybe it will get better once I rinse it out and let it dry? But NO! It's 2 days later and I'm STILL trying to get this sh!t out of my hair!!! It's horrible! I threw it directly into the trash. If there is anyone who is using this, I wouldn't be surprised if their hair is dry and breaking off. I also would not be surprised if for some reason their hair just "won't grow." My hair is *breaking* from this! It's effing horrible!!! Stay away!
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Conditioner -Suave - Professionals Almond & Shea Butter
sunshine824 7/20/2011 10:20:00 PM
Even though this is a fairly "new" product from Suave they've already changed the ingredients and the packaging once. For the record the original ingredients: Water (Aqua), Cetearyl Alcohol, Cyclopentasiloxane, Stearamidopropyl Dimethylamine, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oil, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter), Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice [Aloe Vera], Cymbopogon Schoenanthus Oil [Lemongrass], Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Oil, Chamomilla Recutita (Matricaria) Flower/Leaf Extract, Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender) Flower Extract, Dimethiconol, Behentrimonium Chloride, Fragrance (Parfum), Dipropylene Glycol, Potassium Chloride, Lactic Acd, Disodium EDTA, TEA-Dodecylbenzenesulfonate, PEG-150 Distearate, Methylchloroisothiazolinone, Methylisothiazolinone. The newer ingredients: Water (Aqua), Cetearyl Alcohol, Dimethicone, Stearamidopropyl Dimethylamine, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oil, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter), Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice [Aloe Vera], Cymbopogon Schoenanthus Oil [Lemongrass], Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Oil, Chamomilla Recutita (Matricaria) Flower/Leaf Extract, Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender) Flower Extract, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Behentrimonium Chloride, Fragrance (Parfum), Dipropylene Glycol, Lactic Acid, Potassium Chloride, Amodimethicone, Disodium EDTA, DMDM Hydantoin, PEG-150 Distearate, PEG-7 Propylheptyl Ether, Cetrimonium Chloride, Methylchloroisothiazolinone, Methylisothiazolinone *Certified Organic Ingredient Both the older version and new version contain silicones. Cyclopentasiloxane, dimethiconol, dimethicone, and amodimethicone are silicones. I only state this for those who expect most Suave conditioner to be silicone free, this one and most in their "Professionals" line contain silicones. I've used this(the newer version) along with the matching shampoo, and I'll say that it's nice for a Suave conditioner. It doesn't compare to Aveda at ALL, so I think that it's incorrect for them to make those claims. It does have some nice ingredients, but it doesn't seem to penetrate the hair and give lasting moisture and strength the way that Aveda products do. It's a pretty good everyday conditioner, but I wouldn't call it a HG product. For a couple of dollars more you can get Aussie's 3 Minute Miracle Deeeep Conditioning Treatment which works better than this. It also smells better. Speaking of the scent, I have a really sensitive sense of smell. I've used Aveda's Brilliant, Damage Remedy, and Dry Remedy line and this smells like a mix of all of them with a healthy dose of Cherry Almond Bark. It seems like they wanted their conditioner to smell like an Aveda product but couldn't afford the essential fragrance oils and couldn't figure out which one they wanted it to smell like. So they used cheap dupes of the scents of each and threw them all together. For me it's not really pleasant, but it fades really quickly after rinsing so that's a plus. As much as I would love to get "Professional" level hair care for Suave prices, this isn't it. It's good for drugstore, and great for Suave, but I don't really find it that special. Would not repurchase.
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Conditioner -Aveeno - Nourish + Condition Leave-In Treatment
sunshine824 7/7/2011 6:52:00 PM
I just finished a bottle of this and felt like I should review it. Pros: *Really "treats" my hair!!! I used Pantene's hair care and their leave-in treatment spray for several years until it was discontinued. Stupid Pantene. After that I have been looking for other hair products that work as well on my hair. This spray leave-in is quite close to what I had with the Pantene in that it actually "treats" my hair instead of sitting on top like many other leave-ins. *Easy to find and affordable. I got mine on sale for about $5. *Scent. Has a lovely, fresh, floral scent that is also a bit, grassy? Not sure but it's lovely. And it lingers so very lightly that I can only smell it if I were to sniff my hair. I can be sensitive to different scents so this is a plus. Cons: ****FRIZZ***!!! While this treated my hair and made it feel more healthy, it also made it FRIZZ like nobody's business. I would always contemplate whether I wanted the conditioning bad enough to tolerate the frizz. It was the main, and only thing that kept me from repurchasing and trying Aussie Insurance Leave-In instead. Sure, it's a leave-in and not a styling product. But I don't want to have to use something that makes my hair look worse so it can *feel* healthy. The Aussie conditions ok, not as good as this or the Pantene that I used to use. But the Aussie actually controls my frizz a bit and does NOT contribute to it. It also costs about 1/2 the price though I consider both affordable. I put that I would not repurchase, but I'm still not sure. Maybe? If I can find some way to work around the frizz I'd use it. But I don't like having to apply product to make my hair look "decent" because the leave-in makes it look worse.
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Conditioner -Aussie - Hair Insurance Leave In Conditioner
sunshine824 7/7/2011 6:38:00 PM
First, the ingredients on my bottle are different than the ingredients listed above. Here are the ingredients from my bottle: Water, Aloe Vera (Aloe Barbadensis) Leaf Juice, Ginseng (Panax Ginseng) Root Extract, Silk Extract, Amodimethicone, Cetrimonium Chloride, Trideceth 12, Polyquaternium 11, PEG 40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, PPG 2 Methyl Ether, DMDM Hydantoin, Fragrance (Parfum), Disodium EDTA, Polysorbate 80, Aminomethyl Propanol, Citric Acid I have been curious to try this out but haven't until now. I have had great success with spary leave-ins on my dry, baby fine, curly 3b/3a hair in the past. For several years I only used Pantene along with their spray leave-in treatment that they discontinued even before they revamped their line recently. My hair was happy with it, but I had to move on. Sigh. Stupid Pantene. Anyway, I recently finished a bottle of Aveeno's Nourish + Condition Leave-In Treatment and liked it very much except for one thing: FRIZZ!!! It was great at conditioning but left my hair puffy and frizzy at the roots. I was considering repurchasing but figured I'd try this first since it was 1/2 the price and I didn't like the FRIZZ factor with the Aveeno. Pros: *Hair feels conditioned and stronger. My hair was soft when I first sprayed but dried a bit firmer than usual. I'm guessing it's from the Aloe Vera which is often used for hold as well as conditioing. Not a problem for me with fine hair who needs a bit of firmness, but might be an issue for someone with coarse hair who wants their hair softer. *Actually decreased my frizz a bit!!! And it certainly didn't cause more. Again, probably from the Aloe Vera. *Scent: I have a love/hate scent with both Aussie & Herbal Essences. I don't like super sweet, fruity scents unless I'm in the mood for them(rare). Even so, this works so well I'd be willing to tolerate it. At least it doesn't smell bad. *Easy to find & very affordable. I bought my bottle for $3. Cons: *Not softening. Not really a problem for me as I need a bit more firmness for my baby fine hair. But it could be a problem for someone who has coarse hair and wants more softness. *Scent. It's REALLY sweet. And it lingers. And every time I turn my head, it's there. I worry about the day I use this when I'm on the verge of a migraine. I feel it will bring it on full blast, but I'll update if it becomes a problem. *Could be a *bit* more conditioning. I LOVED how both the Pantene & Aveeno leave-in sprays really felt like they "treated" my hair. This seems like their little sister: super sweet candy scent, not as effective, cheaper, not really a "grown up" leave-in treatment. But it's still related in that it works pretty well anyway(good genetics?). I chose that I would repurchase, but if I find another spray leave-in that actually treats my hair, smells better, and doesn't increase my frizz(better yet- controls it!), then I would use that instead. Until then, I'll use this because it does work *AND* decreases frizz. Maybe I should be less picky?
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Conditioner -Pantene - Medium-Thick Hair Solutions Frizzy to Smooth
sunshine824 7/4/2011 1:32:00 PM
I used Pantene for over a decade from the 1990s into the 2000s. I tried other things when they kept changing the formulas & the scent. I first bought the "new" Pantene last year when it came out and immediately HATED IT because it didn't have the old Pantene scent. :-( It also seems to be a bit more coating than the old formulations. However, it is really growing on me. I've been reaching for the Medium-Thick Frizzy to Smooth shampoo and the matching conditioner more than any other products I have - and I have 2 CLOSETS full of products. This conditioner isn't especially moisturizing, but it works for what it says: smoothing frizzy hair. I use both the shampoo & conditioner together. The shampoo isn't really stripping and I have to shampoo twice to get off buildup. I follow with the conditioner which I leave on for the duration of my shower and end up with hair that has nice, clumpy curls and much less frizz than I'm used to. I only add a bit of oil(usually jojoba) and braid to let dry with frizz free braid waves. I also like that it's always on sale, easy to find, and comes in different sizes(trial, regular, giant). The only thing I don't like is the scent. I miss the old Pantene scent and this one mostly smells like strong perfume & chemicals. It's too sweet and just not really pleasant for me, but I overlook it because I'm liking how it works. Will repurchase
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Shampoo -Pantene - medium-thick hair solutions frizzy to smooth
sunshine824 7/4/2011 1:19:00 PM
I'm not surprised at the bad ratings. I used Pantene for over a decade from the 1990s into the 2000s. I tried other things when they kept changing the formulas & the scent. I first bought the "new" Pantene last year when it came out and immediately HATED IT because it didn't have the old Pantene scent. :-( It also seems to be a bit more coating than the old formulations. However, it is really growing on me. I've been reaching for this shampoo and the matching conditioner more than any other products I have - and I have 2 CLOSETS full of products. This shampoo isn't really stripping and I have to shampoo twice to get off buildup. I follow with the conditioner which I leave on for the duration of my shower and end up with hair that has nice, clumpy curls and much less frizz than I'm used to. I only add a bit of oil(usually jojoba) and braid to let dry with frizz free braid waves. The only thing I don't like is the scent. I miss the old Pantene scent and this one mostly smells like strong perfume & chemicals. It's too sweet and just not really pleasant for me, but I overlook it because I'm liking how it works. Will repurchase.
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Hair -Alberto Vo5 - Alberto V05 Conditioning Hairdressing
sunshine824 7/4/2011 10:44:00 AM
This is basically "hair grease" in a tube. It's overpriced and smells HORRIBLE! I can't believe someone thought the scent of this was a good idea! It's like dirty hair and cheap men's cologne. If you like this but hate the scent: Go to the "ethnic" hair aisle and get some hair grease. It will be in small containers labeled "hairdress" "treatment" or "conditioner" but it will look like white or colored vaseline. It will work the same but it costs less and smells better. It often smells like coconut or fruit. You might get an odd one that smells perfumey but they never smell as bad as the VO5. You use it the same way you use the VO5: put a pea size amount on your fingertip and liquify between your hands before applying to the ends of your hair and work your way up as needed. DO NOT scoop this stuff out and apply a giant blob to your head or your hair will be GREASY for DAYS! You wouldn't apply the whole tube of VO5, would you? So don't apply 1/2 the jar of hair grease then complain about how it doesn't work and left your hair greasy. Tiny, TINY bit at a time. As for the VO5: would not repurchase.
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Conditioner -Avalon Organics Botanicals - lavender conditoner
sunshine824 7/3/2011 10:22:00 PM
I recently bought this with the matching lavender shampoo. I've finished the bottle of conditioner and most of the shampoo so feel I can write a review on it. I'd say the numbers and reviews are fairly accurate. The shampoo is a basic shampoo- not stripping and not over moisturizing. The conditioner, unfortunately, is not good. I've never had a conditioner actually dry out my hair but this one did. It smells WONDERFUL which is the main reason why I bought it and why even though it doesn't work well for my hair I *might* repurchase it anyway. But my hair is dry, hard and brittle once it dries. It softens a little after a few hours, but it still feels pretty dry and I'd be afraid to use this conditioner exclusively for fear it would damage my hair. Another tragedy is the scent doesn't last long in my hair. It's VERY strong directly out of the bottle, but fades quickly on my hair. The bottles themselves are quite pretty with the see though green plastic and lavender flowers on the labels. I also appreciate that I could get giant bottles from Whole Foods if I wanted to. However, I am at a loss as to why this is so bad for my hair. I really, REALLY want it to work because of the beautiful scent and the shampoo is just fine. I don't "get" this conditioner and wish it worked just a *little* bit better. I'd use it for life if it did. Not sure if I'll repurchase, but I probably will just for the lavender scent.
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Hair -Avalon Organics Botanicals - Therapeutic Lavender Nourishing Shampoo
sunshine824 7/3/2011 10:14:00 PM
I recently tried Avalon's Lavender Shampoo & Lavender Conditioner after sniffing the bottles for years. lol I'd say that the reviews for both are sadly accurate. This shampoo is basic, which is fine. It isn't really moisturizing or drying. It cleans just fine but doesn't strip my hair. I love the Lavender scent but it doesn't last. :-( I put that I would repurchase but I'm not sure. The main draw for me-the scent- doesn't even last andas a shampoo it's not special. Plus the conditioner is pretty drying. So, yeah.
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Gels/Soaps -Caress - Cashmere Luxury Silkening Body Wash
sunshine824 6/29/2011 10:31:00 AM
I LOOOOOOOOOOOVVVVEEEEEE this bodywash!!! I LOVE the original Caress bar soap for the scent and for how soft if makes my skin. However, my skin has been drying out easily so I've been trying to stick with bodywashes. I always passed up the Caress Silkening Body Wash because when I flip open the top and sniff it, it doesn't smell exactly like the Caress bar soap. Well, it was on sale for $2.99 and I got a giant bottle that had 50% free! I'm soooo happy that I tried it! It doesn't smell exactly like the bar soap,but it's undoubtedly "Caress." It has that clean, freshy, feminine scent that's in the bar soap but it's slightly updated and absolutely wonderful! I am going to use this for life! It isn't drying, smells A.M.A.Z.I.N.G! It makes me want to take 20 showers a day. Whenever I wash my hands in the bathroom I always use my bodywash instead of handsoap just because of the scent and how soft it makes my skin. The scent lasts several hours on my skin but I wish it would last all day. I'd happily buy a perfume that smells like this. It's perfect. Will definitely repurchase. :-)
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Fragrances -Unlisted Brand - Egyptian Musk perfume oil
sunshine824 6/17/2011 7:23:00 PM
Egyptian Musk oil has to be the most unique and amazing fragrance I've ever used. I've used many, and have been using Egyptian Musk off and on for almost 20 years. But I'm only now seeing how amazing it is *because* of how many other perfumes I have. Egyptian Musk is the most versatile fragrance in the world. It wouldn't be out of place at home cleaning toilets, outside on the beach or at a family picnic, on a romantic date with a special someone, at the opera, a state dinner, etc. It's "you but better." It has no age restriction and smells equally fitting on young and old, male and female alike. Casual, yet rich. Glamorously understated, yet impossible to ignore. Sexy without trying to be. What I also find amazing about it is it's ability to morph dramatically on each person and with each wear. As I stated, I've been wearing this for almost 20 years and there are still days where I'll pick up a dress I've worn for the laundry and stand there sniffing it because of the enchanting aroma and can't figure out what I was wearing that day only to realize it was the Egyptian Musk scent after combining with my own scent turning it into something that wasn't just "Egyptian Musk". The scent of this oil also varies by its make. There are thin, clear Egyptian Musks that tend to be lighter and more soapy(in my experience). There are also oils that resemble honey in both color and thickness with a much richer scent that is sweeter(but never candy or sugary sweet!), richer, and perhaps with a bit more patchouli(?) but never goes overboard to the point of being bitter or offensive. It's just to keep the honeyed skin from becoming boring. I've also used a "white" Egyptian Musk which is a lighter and more faint version of the thick honeyed Egyptian Musk. Even with the differences, they still have that "Egyptian Musk" scent and all are worth a try if you like Egyptian Musks. I will definitely repurchase Egyptian Musk oil for the rest of my life. Who doesn't want to smell like beautiful skin warmed by the sun?
11 out of 11 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No