In 2013 I was on the hunt to revamp my staple products. While I haven't quite found my all time favorites, I have found a few that I love and will continue to use. I may even keep these in my product stash permanently. I didn't buy a ton of products last year but I did sign up for a CurlKit subscription box where I had a chance to try so many different products and brands. I wanted to share a few of my favorites from 2013 with you.
1. Giovanni Tea Tree Triple Treat Invigorating Shampoo
I have to say this product is the reason why I start shampooing my hair more often. The tingling sensation won me over instantly! I use this shampoo when I need to clarify because it can be pretty harsh to the hair, but I make sure to pre poo and follow with a moisturizing conditioner. You can find this product on ground at Target, Walgreens and Whole Foods. (Tea Tree oil is great for reducing dandruff, itchy scalp and buildup!)
2. Luscious Locks Shea Butter Shampoo
When I'm looking for a more gentle cleanse I reach for the Lucious Locks shampoo. The Shea Butter and Argan Oil helped to condition my hair while the product itself throughly cleaned it and I was able to detangle my hair as well (shocker right!) This is also a natural product which is a plus. Available here
3. As I Am Coconut CoWash Cleansing Conditioner
Who doesn't love the As I Am products. This was the first one I tried and I definitely fell in love. This product is just an all around good co wash that cleanses, provides moisture and slip for detangling. It also has one of my favorite oils, coconut oil, in it! Available online, Walmart, Target and Walgreens
4. Pantene truly Natural Hair CoWash Cleansing Conditioner
You can't beat a good cheapie! Pantene released a "truly natural" line last year and their co wash was definitely a hit. Its double the product for a fraction of the cost. Besides the price, it is a really good product that leaves your hair clean, moisturized and detangled. I picked mine up from Target but you can also purchase is from Walmart and Walgreens. Review here
5. Trader Joe's Tea Tree Tingle Conditioner
I like to use this product as a co wash as well. I love it because it literally melts my hair in my hands and makes "finger" detangling a breeze. This is another product containing Tea Tree Oil that has sorta of won over my heart this past year and one of Naptural85's holy grails so it must me a winner! You do have to purchase this at Trader Joe's but it's also available online.
6. Alikay Naturals Honey and Sage Deep Conditioner
If you watched my Alikay Naturals review then you know I LOVE this deep conditioner. Its a fully natural product containing honey, that left my hair soft and defined and sage which helps at preventing hair loss. This is just a really good natural deep conditioner that I feel provides tons of nutrients to your hair. You can check the Alikay Naturals website for a list of retailers.
7. 3 Sisters of Nature Once A Week Nourishing Treatment
Another great deep conditioner that I discovered this year was the 3 Sisters of Nature Once A Week Treatment. This is something I would use on a weekly basis to add any moisture lost and to protect my hair until my next deep condition treatment . After using this product my hair was defined, shiny and left with a protective coating. 3 Sisters of Nature compares their products to Miss Jessie's products but for a more affordable rate. You can find most of their products at Walmart or on their website
8. Cantu Shea Butter for Natural Hair Creamy Hair Lotion
This was the first full size product I received in my very first CurlKit. This was also one of my top favorites the year. Cantu is a brand that a lot of naturals gravitate to, so it only made since that they came out with a line catered to natural hair. Available at most drugstores, this hair lotion works great as a leave-in but I especially love it to remoisturize my hair at night.
9. CB Smoothe Smooth Naturally Daily Hair Moisturizer
I received this product just a few weeks ago in my December CurlKit and I had to include it in my favorites because I loved everything about it. I've been using it almost every night as my moisturizer before sealing. This product also gives me great definition and it's also 100% natural. It isn't available online so I'm not sure if this was a new product that they were testing but I'll be sure to come back with a link when I find one.
10.Bel Nouvo CoCo Castor Pudding
CurlKit introduced this brand to me and I must say I was not disappointed. This styler left my hair vey defined, soft and bouncy and kept my curls in place during the humid months. The somewhat watery consistency made applying this product very. It's also 100% natural. Available here
11. WonderCurl Butter than Love Pudding
Another new brand from my CurlKit that didn't disappoint. This pudding also provided amazing definition and left my curls soft and in tact throughout the humidity. It has a nice thick consistency which I loved as well. Available here Review here
12. Curls Goddess Curls
Curls Goddess Curls has been my go to product to achieve my lazy wash day wash n go's. I was surprised that this product gave me great results because my type 4 curls need all the hold they can get. I smooth the gel through medium size sections of my hair and two strand twist them to allow my hair to dry over night. Even though I use this for wash and go's my fellow Type 4 girls know we don't ever truly wash and go…I'll have a tutorial up soon on how I get a great style with this product. I purchased this from Sally Beauty Supply but you can also find it at Target.
13. Eco Custard Argan Oil
This is another CurlKit product that I ended up loving. I find that this custard works best on dry hair. Either to refresh my hair mid day or to set my hair (twist, braids, etc) at night to achieve a soft defined style. I think I saw this at a local beauty supple store which is a plus.
14. Lets Jam Custard
Some may use this product for twist outs, but I love it to lay down my edges for buns and puffs. It's a great alternate to using a gel all the time. I find that gel can be very drying and causes flakes and the Let's Jam Custard leaves my hair moisturized while keeping it in place. I purchased this product from Walgreens.
15. Beautiful Textures Curl Definer Mousse
Even though I just got this product in December, I had to add it to the list. I used this to achieve my holiday hair perm rod set. My hair was soft , bouncy and shiny. This is a very affordable mousse and can be found at Sally, Walmart and where ever the Beautiful Textures products are sold. Check out my tutorial here
16. Oyin Handmade Burnt Sugar Pomade
FIrst I must ask…What is a pomade?? I'm still trying to figure this one out (lol) but I use this product on the ends of my twist to help condition them. Your ends are the oldest part of your hair and usually incurs damage first. If you use pomades be sure to share your experience below. I got a sample of this product but you can find it anywhere Oyin Handmade is sold. We have a great natural hair store in Baton Rouge that sells tons of my favorite brands including Oyin.
17. Passion Fruit Curl Control Paste
I was happy to find this product at Walmart and I use this control paste to lay down my edges while wearing protective styles. The formula is a lot easier to work with versus other edge controls out there. It held my hairs into place without leaving them hard and flaky and also added a bit of shine. Also available at Target and Sally Beauty Supply.
What were some of your favorite products for 2013?
Beauty.Luv.Fashion
