February 12, 2004
Bad Bad Mineral Oil!
Ever since I started transitioning back in October I've been trying to move away from using hair products that contain 2349320948 ingredients that I can't pronounce. HOWEVER I couldn't resist buying some "new" product called Cantu Shea Butter Oil Sheen Spray. Sounds great, right? Oh.Hell.Naw. It smelled great, but made my hair feel like a chitty mess, ya heard? It was all dry and crunchy! I damn near wanted to shed a lil' tear, as I have hand in fro disease like a mofo and I like my itty bitty tresses to be at least semi-soft! Anyway, all that was easily cured with a lil conditioner wash. Thank gawd! That's exactly what I get for messing with that damn mineral oil. I know some people can get away with using it, but my natural hair is just not feeling it. I think the only product I currently use that has it is Elasta QP Recovery Moisturizer, which actually keeps my hair relatively soft.
As I experiment and lose money buying all these damn products, I'm beginning to realize that less is more when it comes to my hair. Which is...sad, because I'm a true product whore and love trying out different things. *sigh* Oh well. I shall replace this addiction with an accessory one. I've never been a headband type, but I'm finding it's something I can work with.
Current Routine
Day: I either rinse or conditioner wash my hair with Suave Tropicals Coconut Conditioner and maybe follow with Lustrasilk Cholesterol Conditioner if I'm feeling really dry. I got a big ole bottle of that Suave for only $1.38 at Walmart. And I may have said this before, but this conditioner works awesomely great to be so darn cheap. Now I see why every girl on Nappturality seems to use it!
I have a mixture of textures going on...the top and the back parts have looser curls and the sides have small coffee stirrer type curls going on. I also have some really tight coils beneath my looser hair in the back. Yeah it's crazy, but I gotta love it. *lol* If I want to be really coily, I will use the Elasta QP Recovery Moisturizer as a leave-in and curl activator gel (with aloe vera and less than 10 ingredients!) or plain ole 100% aloe vera gel on my hair after washing. Otherwise I just let it air dry and do whatever.
Night: I dampen my hair with a mixture of distilled water and honey, then rub a little shea butter through my hair. I also give myself a scalp massage and sometimes put some Dudley Inner Growth Creme Strengthener on any spots that feel itchy. It gives me a nice cooling sensation.
I deep condition once a week. For now I've settled on using a cholesterol conditioner/olive oil concoction.
And that's it. I know that as my hair grows out my needs will change, but for now it's pretty low maintenance.
Want to see the results of a wash and go? Click for a bigger version.
Welp that's all for now, folks. Be back eventually for more hair babble.
Posted by Lisa at February 12, 2004 03:34 PMyour hair looks great :) i'm jealous of this softness you speak of. i think i've got the scab hair thing going on :-P
Posted by: Nicole at February 12, 2004 07:17 PMyay for healthy hair!
I need to stay away from the track & glue. :*(
Posted by: arie at February 17, 2004 01:02 AMI have used the Cantu Shea Soft oil sheen on my relaxed hair and it is wonderful. My hair is so much softer and easier to manage.Maybe it didn't work on your hair since it is natural. But I love it!
Posted by: kesha at April 8, 2004 10:13 PMJust a heads up...mineral oil is in a lot of products because it is so inexpensive...but it is horrible for our skin. Whether is it on the scalp or not it clogs the pores and keeps toxins and impurities in our body...causing bumps, bad complexion, and a messed up scalp.
Posted by: k at January 23, 2005 09:43 AMK - Thanks for the info, it's one of the first things I learned about the iffy ingredients in my hair products.
Posted by: Lisa at January 23, 2005 11:59 AMWow, well ok, this comment is sooo late, but i was just doing a search for Cantu products and your page came up. I have natural hair as well and the reason I was searching was because I love these products. they work so well in my hair, just about everything from the whole product line.
Posted by: Kila at October 9, 2005 10:03 AMHello there..i'm just hair-searching the web; I cut out my relaxer after 1 year of transitioning this June and I'm just addicted to learning more!
Kila speaks of Cantu products and I've heard a liiittle bit about them (all good), but I wanted to try for myself, so I picked up Cantu's "Shea Butter Leave In Conditioning Repair Cream". It's a huge plastic jar and very THICK! With the thickness, the question is, is it REALLY leave-in? If any, how do you use the Cantu products you have?
To give you an idea of what I'm working with:
Length: Currently my hair is probably 7-8 in long when straight.
Texture: Very coily with lots of loose coil definition, until the back bottom neck area; very tight curls there. also VERY THICK all the way throughout. Not QUITE long enough to make a ponytail yet...unless maybe combed it ALL the way out while wet? ( For which I do NOT have the patience.)
Products: I'm oh so lazy. Weekly: Conditioner wash (Suave Humectants)& Infusium 23 Leave In. Daily: Elasta QP Mango Butter (put thru carefully as not to cause frizz and mess up curl definition) & Fantasia IC Hair Polisher Styling Gel only in the front for a slick down. Head-band & go. *Used to use Creme of Nature Shampoo; not so friendly on natural hair (left w/ weird texture)...then one nite I applied olive oil on scalp after using CON and it felt like FIRE! had to rinse out w/ cool water.
Sorry for the book!
Comments oh so welcome! Be blessed
Posted by: Milly at October 14, 2005 10:10 PMWhat places carry the Cantu products? I recently move to D.C. and it's been hard finding natural products so far.
Posted by: at November 13, 2005 01:25 AMHello gurls! I've bought Cantu products at Walmart here in FL. I really like the leave-in...although it's a bit thick. I have very thick shoulder length hair and find that a little Cantu goes a long way. I'm planning to purchase the full line of Cantu products sometime this week. I've also found that Jane Carter, Taliah Waajid and Carol's Daughter products work well with my hair. I wish you all good fortune in finding the products that work for you. Stay Natural!
Posted by: Q. at November 14, 2005 09:50 AMcantu is the shit you know it really works on curly hair im goning to use it on my daughter's hair