Herbal Essences Hello Hydration Conditioner

  Awhile ago, I tried Hello Hydration's shampoo and conditioner 2 in 1. I wasn't expecting it to actually condition my hair, but I expected some softness post wash. Long story short, it was as awful as any sulfate, stripping, TANGLING shampoo. Turns out 2 in 1 was just shampoo. PERIOD. 

So I held off buying the conditioner. For years I kept hearing about how wonderful the conditioner was. Naturals raving about the stuff. But, with all the silicones and all I still chose to pass. 

I've been using Aussie Moist which also has cones in it, but it had a history of working for my hair, so I went back to it. I was on the "no cones" kick before that. Honestly cones do act weird in my hair, just like petroleum does. So, it wasn't without reason that I stay away from both. 

So why on earth would I end up with this giant bottle of cone ladened blueness? Necessity. 

I was out of Aussie and at Sam's Club who oddly enough doesn't sell Aussie. And the Hello Hydration was there, all blue and huge for the same price I pay for LESS Aussie. I said "Why not? Worst case scenario, I hate it." 

So here we are. As far as I know I've never tried the HEHH alone. I mixed a corner of it with another mix and was not impressed at ALL. So, I figured I may as well get a review out of it too. :)

Ok, my hair "type" is around a 4a for anyone keeping track. I may have a little 3c here and there. My hair is coarse and low porosity. It's about 1 1/2 - 2" from arm pit length stretched. My hair is not fine or silky. Without product there are few curls, but my hair curls very easily with a nice heavy gel with no shingling at all. BUT the curls are not super defined no matter what. They are frizzy curls. 

Enough description. You get the idea. :)

The first thing I noticed about the product was it smells great. It's like a laboratory floral coconut scent. Definitely mass produced, but it smells nice. This scent does linger, so if you're not a scent person, you may not like it as much. I love for my hair to smell nice, so. Right up my alley. 

Next thing, it's this pale pretty blue colour. Now I have dark brown hair (except for a few greys here and there) so coloured conditioners are no issue for me. If you're blond it may do "something" by way of colour, but I imagine not. And grey/silver hair LOVES blue tones, so.. I guess that's a plus. But I honestly doubt this will "blue" your hair. :)

Next thing, it's pretty thick. Very creamy. It's not greasy at all or unpleasantly heavy. It's nice. It applied nicely as well. I don't have a mirror in my shower, but from what I could see, it wasn't just sitting on my hair like some products do. It felt like it was soaking in to my hair. 

Then came the real test- SLIP. All curly girls know that if a conditioner ain't got slip, it ain't worth 2 cents!! And this conditioner PASSED. With flying colours!! I was able to work my wide tooth comb through my hair quite easily. I was actually able to detangle SO well, that I was able to comb all the way to the scalp! I don't remember the last time a comb grazed my scalp! LoL! So the crucial test was passed. 

Rinsing was great. My hair was soft and FLAT!! I was able to make a neat ponytail behind my head- normally it's poofy and doesn't feel this great! I guess silicones are to thank for that. :)

And now. My hair is soft and MOISTURIZED! Finally after so much time of hard crispy hair! My hair feels GOOD!! I was beginning to think my hair was just "like this now". But my hair was just DRY. Never been so happy to just have dry hair! LoL! It's so soft now, I can't stop touching it! 

So all in, this conditioner is a YES! Granted this is after one use (as the bottle promised.) but, at this point I would buy this in bulk. Aussie, dear, you have been replaced. :)

*so sad* 

~J

Review Coming Soon!!!

My biggest BzzKit ever!!

L'Oreal EverSleek

KeraCare

I received free samples of KeraCare products at my request... I'm not being paid for this review.. :)



I just used some of my KeraCare samples and I... am.... FLOORED!! My hair is so defined and curly.. It is so much prettier than I could have ever guessed it could be! My curls are defined and awesome... Now it's still wet, so I'm in the no touch-y stage, but if it looks HALF as good as it does now, I'd say this product line is a winner for our hair. (Black hair)
I'd say my hair type is between 4a and 4b.. Maybe SOME 3c in there some where.. If there was a 3d that would probably be it too. So I do not have biracial hair.. So it's not a situation like I keep running into online with people who probably shouldn't have been relaxing their hair from the beginning saying this product is my holy grail!! And "My hair is that rough stuff." And I'm like.. "O.....K...." No, I got some REAL hair.. (My girl's name is "Rebel", that tells it all. She do what she wants, when she wants.. Just like the person who's head she's on!!LoL!) And I say, this product line is a WINNER!!
OK, what I used...


Cleansing Cream (Step 1)
Aussie Moist Conditioner (I'll explain why I felt I need to use this.)
Leave In (Step 2)
Defining Custard For Curls and Coils (Step 3)

I wet my hair like you normally do in the shower, and applied the Cleansing Cream.. Now, I'mma tell ya, I really don't like the smell of this stuff.. It is pretty natural I guess, but it reminds me of chemicals. It actually smells like Cream of Natures old shampoo. It's even pretty much the same colour. But it doesn't make my hair melt like that stuff use to.. Now, I'm not really a bit shampoo person anyway, Sulfate free or not. So I may just not like Shampoo. But it didn't really make my hair feel very... I don't know.. It just made it kinda squeeky.. I guess I kinda NEEDED it after the Long Aid stickiness.. That stuff HAD to come out.. It's great for moisture I guess, but for curl definition, you need too much and it stays too wet for 2011.. LoL! Still, the shampoo kinda felt like it was stripping too much away..
So I used the Aussie Moist, let it sit while I showered, then rinsed it mostly out..

Dead after that, I slathered on the Leave In... I mean SLATHERED.. Yeah, I had to rinse some out as it was just so white and I just was too heavy handed with it, BUT I noticed that even after I rinsed SOME of it out, my curls were already popping.. With the leave in ALONE, so I felt this might not be a bust after all.
I put a LITTLE coconut oil on my hair. Why? I don't know.. Just felt I needed to seal a little.
Then came the "shingling" with the Defining Custard. Now at first I was like "No I don't like it" because my hair felt a little rough while it was going on. It was like just styling gel in my mind, but I decided to apply it anyway. And when I saw the first curls, I was like "What the hell, give it a try." One thing I noticed is it looks like Kinky Curly Curling Custard. Or at least the pictures of the product I've seen. I mean colour and all. so I'm like OK.. I really don't like the smell still.. I mean, I could probably get use to it.. That is if it's still really nice once it DRIES.. That's the real test, so I'll know in about an hour maybe. But for now the results are wonderful.. BUT.... I do already feel a slight CRUNCH.. My hair is a little hard, but nothing I can't live with.

For photos click here..

Degree Deodorant with Silver Ion Technology

This product is pretty good.. I'm normally a deodorant/antipersperant user and have been since I was about... Well, as long as I can remember!! Antiperspirants last forever on me.. I can say (yeah it's pretty wrong, but I'mma say it anyway! LoL!) that antiperspirants last more than 24 hours on me.. There are lazy weekend days, it's just me and hubby no visitors expected I'm not going anywhere... I might lay around all day and just skip a shower that day.. And the Degree Antiperspirant stays in full effect until the next shower. I've showered and forgot to reapply the antiperspirant and I think it was STILL in effect.. So we know antiperspirant lasts and lasts..


But this is DEODORANT.. NO sweat control. Just odor protection. Deodorants don't stop you from sweating.. And I'm thinking that's a good thing. We're supposed to sweat. It releases toxins and we can all afford to lose some of those nasty little bugger, right. I also read that there was MAYBE a link between the chemically altered aluminum (The stuff that stops sweating by blocking up sweat ducts.) and breast cancer. So I figure why worry about sweating so much. It's the ODOR that bugs us. So I'm on Deodorants now... And this was my first try at it...



Product Name: Degree Deordorant Silver Ion Technology
Scent: Intense Sport Smells like a typical men's deodorant or body wash. I like it for myself and my man could wear it too. Chemistry plays such a role in how things smell on a person. Even men's fragrances will smell oddly feminine on a female.. Good for me, who loves men's deodorants.

Sales Pitch: You have just picked up the first men's deodorant with SILVER ION TECHNOLOGY! 

What are Silver Ions? High- tech odor fighters so effective they are used by sports brands, the military, an deven space agencies to fight odor in their top performance apparel.

Ingredients: Dipropylene Glycol, Water(aqua), Propylene Glycol, Sodium Stearate, Poloxamine 1307, Fragrance, Aminomethyl Propanol, Disodium EDTA, BHT, Diethylhexyl Sodium Suflfosuccinate, Silver Chloride, Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Green 3 (CI 42053)


How well does it work? Pretty good. It lasts a good 8 hours, maybe more. Then you have to reapply. It goes on easy and as I said before it smell really good. The slightly musky scent really helps mask... Well.. Your slightly musky scent.. Which though it sounds obsurd, is actually a good thing. I don't think there's a women's version because sweat apparently makes women melt or something. There are crystal deodorants available, but with out scent.. I'm not really into that. I love fragrance... Letting myself sweat is natural enough for me.. Baby steps....

Would I rebuy? Absolutely!!! I plan to try many brands, (I've been eyeing that Tom's of Maine Deodorant.. Lovely citrus scent.. Yeah, I opened and smell it in the store. Wally world to be precise.) I will definately stock this in my home. I love it.. Only issue I have is the same issue I have with EVERYTHING! Sometimes there's a little irritation from it- Especially if I use too much. I have to get the amount down as I tend to like to COAT my pits with what EVER I use under there. I think I can use a lot less than I actually do. Actually it would probably work better if I didn't over use it.. Kind of like detergent build up can cause your clothes to stink. (Weird right?) Anyway, this product is a keeper... Just kinda wish they'd come up with one for women... And women would tolerate a little sweat. :)

Degree

Jen

Long Aid Activator Gel

I love this product!! In fact I'm a long time fan! I use to use it back in my jheri curl days and I plan to use it when I'm fully loose. Right now I have just undone 2 locks but I already know I'm going to be using this for my twists and wash and gos..

Ingredients: Water (Aqua), Glycerin, Oleth-20, Triethanolamine, Carbomer 940, Aloe vera gel, Panthenol, Hydrolized protein, DMDM Hydantoin, Methylparaben, fragrance (parfum), Propylene glycol, EXT. D&c Violet #2

Gotta love a product who's first ingredients are water and Glycerin!! Now it does have protein, which I really didn't know I tell ya what (Ala Hank Hill on King of The Hill.) But I guess since it is so moisture rich, I haven't had a problem with it. On my two little twists, I use this over leave in and coconut oil, and under Smooth N Shine Gellations styling gel. It seems to give lots of definition and hold, but is soft to the touch. It keeps the twists looking great for a week or more I imagine if I left it there that long. (I don't because I'm trying to UNDO my locks, not make new ones! LoL!!)

The blue label type is great as well, but I don't think it has Aloe. If you don't like Aloe, then that may be a better one to try. I get the green because it seems to moisturize better and makes my hair softer. I've tried all sorts of activators and this one was the best by far when I was drippin' my curl- cause this type of activator doesn't DRIP.. :) And it just softens so well and made those curls POP like crazy.

Will I repurchase? Oh yeah...

Jen

L'Oreal Hydra-Renewal Continuous Moisture Cream

Another L'Oreal product that was a gift. (Unpleasantness.. Black people... Look it up, Dolls... I'm about to just drop it honestly.. L'Oreal makes so OK products... And NO the gifts weren't from L'Oreal. They were from my husband, for christmas. That commercial was foreign. German... Whatever. I've changed so much in the last few years. Is that good? Not really. A story for a later day here.  OK.. On to the review..

Ingredients: 691190/10, Aqua/Water, Butyrospermum Patkii Butter/Shea Butter, Glycerin, Cyclopentasiloxane, Paraffinum Liquidum/Meneral Oil, Polyethylean, Urea, Glyceryl Linoleate, PEG 100 Stearate, Glyceral Stearate, PEG 2 Stearate, Polysorbate 60, Triethanolamine, Glyceryl Oleate, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Panthenol, Pentylene Glycol, Cetyl Alcohol, 3 Amino 6 Methoxy 2 Methylaminopyridide Dihydrochloride, Stearic Acid, Tocopheryl Acetate, Citrulline, Methylparabejhn, Phenylalanine, Xanthan Gum, Chlorhexide, Digluconate, Propylene glycol, glyceryl Linolenate, Limonene, Citric Acid, Linalool, Benzyl Alcohol, Hydroxycitronellal, Alfa Isomethyl Ionone, Butylphenyl Methypropional, Benzyl Salicylate, Eugenol, Parfum/Fragrance, Propylp0araben, F.I.L. #B319512/1

Well, this product contains loads of Shea butter which is great,but I'm SO allergic to Shea Butter, so it does a number on my hands. But on my FACE, to works WONDERS. Oy! It has the light catching quality of that horrid Naturally Beaming, but none of the causing my skin to look ROUGH-ness. It is actually awesome. And the smell? Oh it is great. It smells kind of like Lemons or something. Real citrus-y.  And as we all love, a little goes a long way. The folks at L'Oreal recommend you use this product with the Cleanser, and the Eye Defense, but you really don't need to use all that stuff I'm pretty sure.  But if you'd like, go nuts. I paid about $5 and change for this stuff and it comes in a glass jar, which feels like luxury.. However, is an accident waiting to happen if you ask me. Still it's kind of cool.. Not many products come in glass anymore.


Will I repurchase? If it's a gift, I'll use it,but my allergy to shea butter will probably keep me from just purchasing it on a regular basis. If I can find a version with out the Shea butter... Maybe...

Jen

L'Oreal RevitaLift Exfoliating Cream Cleanser

OK, Peeps. Right now my photo upload is crap, but I'm still gonna bring ya this review. The photo will come later.

This product is awesome IF you don't have eczema!! I don't have terrible eczema in my face, so the product works very well on my facial skin, but it does aggrivate my HAND eczema.. However, this is not a product for the HANDS, but for the face..

Ingredients: 691929/20 (Never noticed this before. WTF?), Aqua/Water, Sodium Cocoylglycinate, CoCo-Betaine, Glycerin, Sodium Chloride,CI 77891/Titanium Dioxide, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Ascorbyl Butylparaben, Citronellol, Ethylparaben, Glycol Distearate, Isobutylparaben, Linalool, Methylparaben, Peg-14M, Phenoxyethanol, Polyquaternium-39, Propylparaben, Salicylic Acid, Sodium Benzoate, Sodium Hydroxide, Parfum/Fragrance, F.I.L. # B31098/1

OK, I'm no chemist,but there are a LOT of weird sounding ingredients, but L'Oreal doesn't claim to be natural- OR a lover of MY kind (There has been some controversy. Google it, people.) but it was a gift and I am so grateful. I do like this product, but as I said, not really kind to my hand eczema, but so awesome for my face. Is it time in a bottle so to speak? Not really, but it doesn't make me look old or ashy. And that's always a plus. Then again, my Dove was doing fine AND it doesn't break my hands out. But for the price for a beauty product, it's actually not bad and is affordable. The tube cost me about $7 bucks. As you know beauty products are so expensive these days. Am I telling yall to buy it? It's really up to you. Personally, I think a beauty bar is just as good. And probably Noxema is just as good as far as being non drying. This product is awesome, but seems to have loads of chemicals. (Or I assume they are chemicals, they sound chemically. :p ) And works no better than regular stuff like Dove beauty bar or ANYTHING else that is non drying... Not gonna push it on ya. :) So I guess my first sentence was a bit misleading.. :~)


Will I repurchase? If it's a gift.. If it's up to me? I think I'll keep trying stuff.. I'll stick to my old standby... Dove soap.

Jen

Equate brand Knock off of Aveeno Positively Radiant.

As you'll find I try a lot of knock offs before buying the actual product. I have eczema, so in my search for a lotion that wouldn't upset my sensitive skin, I tried Aveeno, but before I shelled out all them dollas that Johnson & Johnson wanted, I tried Equate's knock off. And it was great!! It was several dollars cheaper than actual Aveeno. I used it for probably a year, then Sam's Club had it on sale, two big bottles for like $13.. I finally bought it and was not dissapointed. It had more dimethicone than the knock off and was a little more moisturizing. I bought it until my hand eczema got so bad it wouldn't accept it anymore, but I continued to use it on my face. But since I could only use it on my face, I decided to just buy a moisturizer for my face.

Which brought me to the Naturally Beaming Daily Moisturizer by Equate.....


Which brought me to believe I will NEVER purchase Aveeno's Positively Radiant moisturizer.. And here's why...


The moisturizer is apparently for those with oily skin.. And not just oily skin.. But skin that is already nearly perfect.. TWENTY year old skin with no lines or flaws.. Because if you have any lines, or large pores they are MAGNIFIED dramatically. The moisturizer does seem to catch the light and have a look of a tinted moisturizer- though it has no actual colour. At first I liked it, but I did notice it made my lines stand out.. But ignored it and just decided to keep using it, as it promises to even out skin tone... And it did... To straight out HOT MESS.. Yesterday, my friend dropped the bomb (on a day I did NOT need the bomb dropped!!) that I looked ROUGH!! Horribly ROUGH.. Just no description... But ROUGH.. I immediately wiped it off and had to put grease on my face to try to add some real sheen.. I looked better as soon as that stuff was off... So needless to say, I won't be rebuying that product and certainly won't be shelling out the $8 buck Aveeno wants for the real deal, that will likely be just SLIGHTLY better...


What this product works for?


In my opinion, young women with perfect skin.. Period..

Verdict? Will not repurchase.


Jen

Intro...

Hello, and welcome to Guinea Me. My product review blog. I have so many blogs, but nothing to just tell people the good, the bad, and the ugly about different products. Most reviews are unpaid reviews- Actually as of now ALL reviews are unpaid, as no companies have sent anything to be tested AS this is a brand new blog. :p I am open to test your products and post my findings here. Just email me for my home address if you have a product you'd like tested.

But right now, this is just a blog about stuff I've purchased and tried.. Liked, or didn't like... Hope you all find this info useful...

Thanks for reading.. Hope you enjoy.. :)

Jen