Product Testing Session - Curl Definition 10.25.09

Posted on Sunday, October 25, 2009 by DeeLovely79

So I've been reading about the Curly Girl Method (CG) on www.naturallycurl.com and I've been using modified CG routine for my hair.  There's so much to learn about CG products and how my hair reacts to cones, protein etc that I just can't go full out CG right now.  Here is my current routine

Clarify as needed - Apple Cider Vinegar rise (1 Tblsp ACV to 1 cup of warm water)
Co-wash- 2x a week - Natures Gate Tea Tree Conditioner followed by Herbal Essences Totally Twisted Conditioner
Leave in Conditioner - V05 Moisture Milks Strawberries and Creme
Curl Definer - Aloe Vera Gel
Sealant - Mix of  melted Unrefined Shea Butter, Jojoba Oil, Tea Tree Oil and Sweet Almond Oil
Daily Spritz -Water, Glycerin, V05 Moisture Milks, Strawberries and Creme

I live in DC and it's getting to cold to do daily wash and gos, besides I don't like having to do my hair in the morning so I'll do my Co-washing and Conditioning at night and when I wake up in the morning spritz my hair and then use my sealant mixture.

And this is how my hair looks as a result:



I believe I have that 4a type coiling hair as its starting to coil up the more it grows.  I've been trying to figure out what type of products that 4a's are having success but I haven't been able to pin anything down. I think that I've found some good conditioners which I'll be sticking to for a while, the ones for curly/wavy hair seem to work the best  for me.

As far as curl/coil definers go I've been seeing a lot people posting that they are using various types of gels and pomades so I figured I'd buy a few of the most popular and test them out.  Earlier today I purchased
Luster's S Curl Wave Jel Activator,  Herbal Essences Set Me Up Gel, Garnier Fructis Style Fiber Gum Putty , IC Hair Polisher Styling Gel with Sparkle Lites Hard to Hold:




I tested them on different sections of my hair, I'm do to wash my hair so there is some build up from the past few days but I didn't feel like washing my hair to try all this stuff and then having to wash it out again.  Besides if any of these products can define a curl on 3 day old hair, fresh wash hair will be no problem!!

First up Scurl



Nada, I really didn't think that this would work on my hair but I've seen tons of posts of people with 4 textured hair saying that curl activator helped define their curls. Oh well.  Maybe this will be good for twists when my hair gets longer. So for Curl Definition on a scale of 0 to 5 curls this gets, 0.

Next Herbal Essences

 

It's hard to see with all the product build up but this stuff really made my coils come together in a defined fashion.  It was like I put a texturizer in my hair, I was surprised because deep down I really didn't think that any of these gels could make my hair curlier I was never the person who could gel my edges down and make them look smoother, but then I was using products for relaxed hair so it make sense that that stuff didn't work.  This stuff even smoothed and curled up my edges.  This product gets 4 Curls.

Next Garnier Fructis



Hard to see again due to the product build up but pretty much the same results as the Herbal Essences. I will say that this product has a gummy consistency and when you scope it there is  like a fibrous trail from your hand to the container that has to be cut.  The best way I can describe it is that it's kinda like if you were to pull some salt taffy there would be strings left hanging from the taffy just pulled. So in that sense you need to be careful how you use this product cause it could wind up all over the place. Aside from that this is a good product and I would give it 4 Curls as well.

Last but not least we have the IC Gel


 

This product curled a little better than Scurl but that's not saying much.  As you can see there isn't much difference in the side of my head where the product is and the back of my head which has no product.  This product gets 1 Curl.

So out of 4 products reviewed I've got two new products that I'll be using after co-washes to set my curls/coils: Herbal Essences Set Me Up and Gariner Fructis Fiber Gum Putty.    Now, believe that there are some cones in these products (I'm still studying this so I'm not exactly sure) but they aren't high on the ingredients list so I'll take my chances/do ACV rinses as needed.

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