Pantene Relaxed and Natural line
I discovered Pantene’s Relaxed and Natural line during a visit home. My friends raved about it so I decided to give three products from the line a try. Pantene’s Relaxed and Natural products are dedicated to “women of color” so they *must* be good for my hair, right? Wrong.
I wanted to like the line. I really, really wanted to like it. But, after using the line’s Intensive Moisturizing Shampoo, Intensive Moisturizing Conditioner and the Daily Oil Cream Moisturizer, my hair felt hard and dry.
I used the shampoo and conditioner once every two weeks. At first, the results were fine. Then, everything went downhill. Even though the products smelled great, the results were horrible. I was shocked each time I washed the conditioner out because my hair would feel “scratchy.” This was not normal for my hair.
I used the oil moisturizer every day. Some days I wet my hair and applied it, on others I applied it on dry hair. The results were the same. Right when I put it on, my hair felt soft. By the end of the day though, my hair felt hard. Again, I thought it was just me.
During the test, I even isolated the products and used one without the other. For example, I followed up the shampoo with a different conditioner and vice versa. Same problem: dry, crunchy hair. I even applied the oil conditioner after using totally different products from another line and even used a clarifyer thinking I had a problem with buildup and had the same results.
Perhaps this line is only geared towards those who have relaxers. I’ve also read rave reviews on other forums from women who do not have kinky textured hair (white, Asian, etc). Maybe it works for them.
Also, I think I almost psyched myself into liking this line. When I first started using it, I made comments to the effect that my hair felt soft. No it didn’t. It was all in my head. Now that I look back on it and think about comments from my husband my hair wasn’t soft. I wanted so badly for this line of products to work that I didn’t judge it with the same intensity as I judged others.
In any case, if you wear your hair in its natural state, think twice before using Pantene’s Relaxed and Natural line.
All products around US$8.50, EUR 8.50.
The Body Shop’s Africa Spa Mud
When I first saw The Body Shop’s Africa Spa Hair and Body Honey Mud, I thought to myself, “Mud? Yuck!” Little did I know that the “mud” wasn’t the same stuff I played in as a kid. This mud is actually rhassoul clay which, according to many websites I scoured, is mined in Eastern Morocco. It’s been used for thousands of years as a soap, skin conditioner, and shampoo.
The Honey Mud has a sweet, sandalwood-like scent and a smooth, thick texture (much like The Body Shop’s Body Butters).
I used the Honey Mud as a conditioner, smothering my hair with it right after a shampoo. I combed it through, left it on for about 30 minutes and then washed it out. I didn’t have any trouble getting the product out of my hair. My hair immediately felt softer, not as soft as when I use Queen Helene’s Cholesterol Conditioner but close.
Since rhassoul can also be a gentle shampoo, this may be an alternative to those who are squeamish about “no-pooing.”
Pros: The scent, the scent, the scent. It’s wonderful! I loved it! Very earthy. Also, as I said above, it left my hair soft. It was also soft the next day.
Cons: I had to use a LOT to get it through my hair. I have so-called 4b hair that’s about earlobe length. One application ate up about 1/4 of the 350ml jar. That made the CHF 35.00 (US 28.00) sort of steep.
Would I buy it again? Yes, but I’d probably mix it with another conditioner (such as Queen Helene) to stretch it just a tad.
Note: Haven’t tried it on my body yet.:-) CHF 35.00, EUR 22.00.
Another note: I was told a few weeks ago by an employee at The Body Shop that the mud is being discontinued, at least here in Europe. Stock up!