Category Archives: Conditioners

May10

Deep Condition :: The Natural Root 2-in-1 Sweet Honey Deep Conditioner

Posted on May 10, 2013 by Lauren

Deep Condition :: The Natural Root 2-in-1 Sweet Honey Deep Conditioner

I LOVE HONEY!!! I love honey in my tea….I love honey on my face (yup, to wash my face!) and I love honey in my HAIR!

Honey is an amazing multi-use natural gift from God and is an amazing conditioner and humectant for our hair. I won’t go into too much detail on the benefits of honey because I plan on doing an Ingredients 101 post on it but I mention honey because it’s the main ingredient in the 2-in-1 Sweet Honey Deep Conditioner from The Natural Root. If you missed it, I did a review on their wonderful and very affordable Gourmet Rosemary, Sage, Lemongrass Shea Butter, AND they just updated their website which looks awesome might I add :o)

So the Sweet Honey Deep conditioner is a honey based, conditioning treatment and it comes in a glass mason jar ((I have an obsession with mason jars for some reason lol they just make whatever is in it look so pretty lol #weird)). I was sent the 8oz jar in my goodie bag I received awhile back. It retails for 6 oz for $6 or 8 oz for $15 on The Natural Root’s website.

Product Description
Our Sweet Honey treatment is comprised of the best oils for your hair. The coconut oil in our formula is one of the only oils that actually penetrates the hair shaft, leaving your hair soft and elongated, also it’s your built in hot oil treatment. The many characteristics of honey makes your hair nourished and enriched. Honey is food for hair, it hydrates, strengthens, stops shedding, breakages and adds elasticity.

How to apply: shampoo, rinse and towel dry hair. Remove excess water with towel. Mix honey in small bowl. Section hair into four areas. Apply honey with applicator from root to end of hair. Repeat steps on each section. Use fingers to work honey through hair. Cover hair with damp hand towel or bonnet, then plastic bag. Sit under dryer or steamer for 15 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes and rinse with cool water.

Ingredients
Raw Honey, coconut oil, extra virgin olive oil, argan oil and avocado oil

So the 2-in-1 Deep Conditioner is a sweet and yummy combination of honey and oils, and it can be used 2 ways. You can use it either by itself (using the method above) or you can add it to a conditioner to enhance the benefits of the conditioner. If your hair is damaged and you are trying to nourish it back to health, it’s best to use it plain and strait from the jar and it’s even better if you use it with a steamer!! Unfortunately I don’t own a steamer but I have my Hair Therapy Warp Thermal Turban that I plan to use with this DC next time :o)

But since I feel like my hair is at a point where I can ((by the grace of God)) consider it healthy, I have just been mixing the Sweet Honey DC with my conditioners, mostly my cheapie conditioners like my Nature’s Gates or Trader Joe’s conditioners (Tea Tree Tingle or Nourish Spa) to give them a serious boost. I was actually amazed and what a huge difference it made!

I section my hair into 4 parts, squeeze a big old gob of conditioner in my hand and scoop some of the Sweet Honey DC into my hand and mix it with my fingers before applying it to my hair. I must caution you that it’s best to do this in the shower because it can get a little messy! lol Also, the honey and oils separate so you have to mix them together in the jar before you scoop it out. Oh and I am not sure if the label is waterproof or not so just be cautious with that also, I keep the jar on the little side ledge of my tub behind the shower curtain when I use it so it doesn’t get wet. Sometimes I will leave it in and sometimes not, but either way, it conditions my hair.

I can’t tell you enough how much honey REALLY improves the elasticity of your hair! I use it in my own DIY treatments like my Honey Banana one, and my hair loooooves it and it loves this Sweet Honey DC too! My hair feels so strong and soft after each use. The honey is a humectant so it just pulls aaaaalll that moisture into your strands (this is why using a steamer would be wonderful!). It’s got amazing oils, especially my beloved coconut hehe, which help seal in all the moisture the honey brings in. And another great thing about this DC also, is that honey is water soluble so it’s not sticky and doesn’t leave any residue.

This is definitely a really good, nourishing, restorative treatment for anyone trying to re-gain the health of their hair or trying to keep it healthy (which would be all of us not that I think about it lol) :o)

Oooooo and I also wanted to share some other goodies I got from The Natural Root (I feel SO spoiled!! THANK YOU!! God is Great!)). So I got a cute lil canvas bag with The Natural Roots signature “lady bun” as I call her :o), if you live in Montgomery County Maryland you will know HOW MUCH these bags come in handy because of the daggone bag tax! I also got some more of their amazing Gourmet Shea butter in the Tea Tree, Peppermint, Cinnamon. This has a very strong scent and reminds me of the holidays, probably because of the cinnamon. It’s very nice if you like the spicy kinds of scents! Of course, it works wonders for your hair and skin! I aaaaallso got some cute little greeting cards! I think this is such a cute, clever idea, they have cute sayings and messages so you can send cards to your curlfriends if they’re reached a “natural hair milestone” like a big chop or reached a length goal lol :o) I love giving hand written notes and cards to people (Hallmark is one of my favorite stores lol) so this touched my heart :o)

Oh and all of these items are of course for sale on their website! Check ‘em out!

Apr27

Conditioner : : Trader Joe’s Nourish Spa Conditioner

Posted on April 27, 2013 by Lauren

Conditioner : : Trader Joe’s Nourish Spa Conditioner

***DISCLAIMER! If you are an anti-paraben extremist, don’t continue to read this post or feel the need to rant on why you may feel like this product is of the devil lol please save it for someone else’s blog… with that said….please proceed! lol

Alright, well remember how I felt when I discovered Trader Joe’s Tea Tree Tingle conditioner!? Well those feelings came back! lol I discovered another great cheapie conditioner by Trader Joe’s and it only cost $2.99!! It’s the Nourish Spa Conditioner and the ingredients are honestly better than a lot of more expensive conditioners out there, in the “drugstore” conditioner category that is..

Product Description
When your hair is dry, it needs to be nourished. This balanced hair remoisturizer is ideal for replenishing dry, brittle hair. Perfect for use daily, it infuses moisture and exceptional shine, without weighing hair down. Enhanced with organic botanicals, it does not contain laurel/laureth sulfates.

Ingredients
Purified water, organic rosemary oil, organic valencia orange citrus, organic mango, organic lemongrass, organic ginko biloba, organic echinacea, organic willow bark, organic sea kelp, organic chamomile flower, organic textured soy protein, organic lavender, organic grapefruit citrus, Tocopherol (Vit E), Acetamide MEA, Cetyl Alcohol, Citric Acid, Methylparaben, propylparaben, botanical fragrance

To be honest I did see this back when I first saw the Tea Tree Tingle conditioner but I remember seeing a YouTuber saying she used to use it all the time but stopped using it because it contains preservatives called parabens. That notion sort of lingered in my mind for a long time because I don’t really use anything else in my hair that contains parabens plus I always see products labeled as paraben-free, but I told myself to just go ahead and give it a try because of the other ingredients and the fact that the two parabens appear as the last ingredients (which means they have a low content). I will probably make a post about silicones and parabens so you understand why most some people stray away from them (they have been connected to breast cancer). I personally believe that using things in moderation is what’s key PLUS a lot of things we all use every day contain parabens and we continue to use them.

Hopefully by me using this conditioner doesn’t make me a hypocrite but whatever though let me finish telling you why I like this conditioner anyway…. lol

So besides this conditioner being $3, the ingredients are amazing and their high content was shocking. They’re almost all organic and all beneficial to hair growth and healthy scalp. It has an incredible amount of slip, more than the Tea Tree Tingle, so I love using this after ayurvedic treatments because it instantly seals the cuticle of your hair. I have nothing bad to say about this conditioner (except for the paraben thing) and it makes my hair super soft and shiny. Because I only wash my hair once a week, and don’t always use this, I am not really worried about the parabens, plus this isn’t a conditioner I let sit and penetrate on my head, it’s definitely just a rinse-out. Trader Joe’s is also a very reputable and trustworthy company (in my mind) so I feel if this product was really a high risk, they would have pulled it by now.

I like this conditioner and plan on keeping this and the Tea Tree Tingle on hand. :o)

Feb4

Condition :: Trader Joe’s Tea Tree Tingle Conditioner

Posted on February 4, 2013 by Lauren

Condition :: Trader Joe’s Tea Tree Tingle Conditioner

Ugh…so my 49ers didn’t win the Super Bowl this year BUT I am very happy for Ray Lewis! He’s certainly a man of God and testimony on for the power God can have in one’s life so I can’t be mad at that….but Don’t forget, the 49ers are still #2 for the most Superbowl trophies!!!!! Gotta catch up!!! lol it’s col we got next year for sure ;o)

Moving along….

Ok, I am going on my 8th year of being natural and WHYYYYY am I JUST now discovering this hidden gem?!!? Why didn’t anyone tell me about this conditioner?!?!?!?! I feel like my whole life is a lie!!! A LIIIIEEE!!!!!

lol just kidding, but my feelings are kinda hurt, like ya’ll been holding back on me :o( but it’s ok, I guess this is karma coming back to me for THIS and THIS :o( oh well, it’s all out in the open now! No more secrets :o)

This is amazingly the best “cheapie” conditioner I’ve ever used! AND it’s damn near all natural! It’s the Tea Tree Tingle Conditioner with Peppermint and Eucalyptus (sorry i don’t have a hyperlink for it!) from Trader Joe’s! Man, I got this thing for $4 for a big ole16 oz bottle! I know there’s not a Trader Joe’s in every city and you can’t buy from them online but it is sold on Amazon and other online marketplaces. But if it were me, I would hit up your homegirl who lives near one and tell her to get you bout three, fo bottles of this and have her ship them to you! lol

Product Description

We’ve worked with an upscale boutique to bring you this salon-quality conditioner that will rejuvenate your hair with its refreshing tingle. A blend of certified organic botanicals including peppermint and tea tree work together to moisturize and clarify your hair while alleviating dry scalp. Our product contains no laurel/laureth sulfates found in most shampoos and is suitable for all hair types.

Ingredients
Ingredients: water, tea tree, peppermint oil, eucalyptus oil, nettle oil, thyme oil, birch leaf oil, chamomile oil, clary, coltsfoot leaf, yarrow oil, mallow, horsetail oil, soybean protein, cetyl alcohol, vitamin e, trace minerals, citric acid, sodium hydroxymethylgycinate, grape seed oil

This is a conditioner is super cheap, super slippery, super natural and super good for your scalp! I was shocked to see the ingredients, I’m like how is it possible to make such an inexpensive product with these ingredients! ***made me do a quick side eye*** lol I bought and have been using it since! (my bottle is already half empty in the pic lol)

I don’t use this for deep conditioning but more for a quick boost of the nutrients…ESPECIALLY on my scalp. I work this really well into my scalp and all those essential oils work wonders (specifically the tea tree, peppermint, eucalyptus, nettle and thyme) and I LOVE that cool tingly feeling! I also use this when I am rinsing out ayurvedic treatments, the same way I use the Nature’s Gate conditioners (it lathers a bit too!). I use gobs of it and not feel bad about it lol but it really helps dislodge any of the leftover grains from those treatments.

I imagine this would be a really good co-wash because some of the essential oils have cleansing properties. I’ve read that some curlies use it as a leave-in as well. I bet this could be mixed well in a spritzer mix! My hair definitely feels soft and refreshed after using it. Oh and don’t worry, the scent doesn’t linger for too long if you can’t stand the peppermint-iness (I love it though hehe)

This is definitely a great buy and something to keep on hand! Give it a try if you have champagne taste on a beer budget :o)

Jan27

Deep Conditioner :: Bee Mine Bee-U-Ti-Ful Moisturizing Deep Conditioner

Posted on January 27, 2013 by Lauren

Deep Conditioner :: Bee Mine Bee-U-Ti-Ful Moisturizing Deep Conditioner

I finally found a non-homemade deep conditioner! lol

I have gotten so many questions about if I know of any good deep conditioners (with the exception of the Black Soap Purification Masque one from Shea Moisture) and I always just said I made my own because I haven’t come across one that’s “store” bought BUT I think I have found one!! It’s the Bee-U-Ti-Ful Moisturizing Deep Conditioner by Bee Mine Products Inc. This YUMMY deep conditioner comes in 2 sizes— 8 oz for $18.97 and 16 oz for $28.97. I have seen it on CurlMart for quite some time now and there are quite a few really positive reviews on it! It got 4.5 out of 5 stars as a matter of fact so it’s been tried and true so I am so happy I was able to get my hands on some. Just a little note, the labels on the products I was gifted are different than what you see on their website. I love the packaging! It’s so cute and I love how the brand uses the theme of the Bee all throughout their product descriptions, etc. I love marketing lol :o)

***Sort of a Sidebar — Another thing about Bee Mine Products Inc. is the story of it’s inception, if you check out the about page, you’ll read that the owner suffered some serious health problems (and by the grace of GOD has bounced back!) and she began losing her hair due to the trauma. She refused to lose any more hair and decided to make her own products to help grow her hair back and thus came Bee Mine! Her story is inspiring because I suffered hair loss due to trauma as well to see how her experiences didn’t hold her back but only brought on success through a business which in turn can actually be viewed as a ministry—helping other women (and men!) maybe get through a challenging time in their life by making them feel better about how they at least look if they don’t feel so great on the inside. It’s the little things that may help in the BIGGEST way. She has a serious testimony and I really wanted to share that because it’s inspiring and I know it’s not always the easiest to be as open and candid as she was :o)

Product Description

We are pleased to announce the release of our BEE•U•Ti•FUL Moisturizing Deep Conditioner; our first protein-free deep conditioner that helps to detangle your hair and provide excellent manageability. This deep conditioner is made with creamy and emollient Cupuacu butter, to promote smooth and soft hair while boosting the rebirth of the hair’s natural moisture and elasticity. Highly beneficial for dry and damaged hair. BEE•U•Ti•FUL also provides some protection from damaging UV-A and UV-B rays and helps to restore shine and moisture to stressed hair.

Ingredients

Distilled water, Cetearyl Alcohol, BTMS (mild emulsifier), 100% Unrefined Shea Butter , 100% Organic Coconut Oil, Cupuacu Butter, Calendula Extract, Chamomile Extract, Organic Raw Honey, Paraben Free Preservative, Fragrance (Phthalate Free). Silicone – Free / SLS – Free / Paraben – Free / Protein Free

This DC is a medium thick cream and has the most delicious coconut scent (which you know I LOVE), it’s very sweet and seems to have a hint of vanilla. Mmmmm I love smelling sweet lol The best thing about this awesome DC is it is Very concentrated so I didn’t have to use much at all! I was pleasantly surprised because I always have to use quite a bit of product to cover all this hair but this distributed very well on wet hair. I know the price point is a bit high BUT I definitely think it is worth it because a) this is a DC so it’s not something I need to use every week; maybe 2x a month so it will last quite a while. b) DC’s are typically priced higher than regular conditioners.

I washed with my Ayurvedic herb shampoo bar from Chagrin Valley and applied the Bee-U-Ti-Ful on wet hair while in the shower. I put a plastic cap and used my thermal hair turban and left the DC in for about 40 mins. My hair was SO soft, moisturized. I love that it contains honey and coconut oil because those two ingredients always work well in my hair. This is a GREAT winter DC since the winter months on the East coast are so freakin dry ugh! But yes, my hair was quite easy to detangle, I didn’t need to use my Denman brush, I just finger combed and gently removed any snags. Oh and it’s protein free so for those of you with protein sensitivities …try it out! I know a lot of DC’s do contain protein because they are meant to be more of a treatment rather than a “daily” conditioner.

If you check out the ingrediants (you see how ALL-natural they are!), you’ll notice cupuacu butter and calendula extract. I am trying to “branch out” lol and try products that have butters and oils/extracts that I don’t always use i.e. shea and coconut lol so I was intrigued by the cupuacu and calendula. So the cupuacu butter helps restore elasticity and strengthen hair because it is high in essential fatty acids and it also gives some sun protection which is always good if you spend a lot of time outdoors. Calendula (which I have been hearing about lately for some reason lol) is antiseptic, anti fungal, anti-inflammatory, and antibacterial properties so this DC would be beneficial for those of us with scalp issues. Calendula also improves elasticity, penetrates the core of the hair shaft to help restore Keratin levels which means less breakage! So overall this is a great deep conditioner and I will be adding it to my .essentials list!!

Check out the results! Here’s my hair wet after I rinsed out the DC:

Be sure to check back because I have 2 other products I am excited to try and out and share with you from Bee Mine!!

Jan21

Deep Condition : : Hair Therapy Warp Thermal Turban

Posted on January 21, 2013 by Lauren

Deep Condition : : Hair Therapy Warp Thermal Turban

I have been wanting one of these things for so long! Finally treated myself to one hehe

It’s the Hair Therapy Warp Thermal Turban!! One of my Girl’s Behind the Curls, Kelley, said she uses hers all the time and loved it and ever since then, I have wanted one! I finally got mine from Curlmart.com for $21.95 (I think I had a coupon or something, because their shipping rate is kind of ridiculous, so the coupon helped compensate for that).

Product Description

The Hair Therapy Wrap Thermal Turban Heat Wrap is a reusable, heated hair wrap. Remember when deep conditioning meant soaking a scalding hot towel, wringing it out, and it still went cold in 5 minutes? The heated Hair Therapy Wrap does away with that and will stay hot up to 30 minutes, cordless, reusable and NO MORE sitting under electrical hairdryers!

It comes with 3 gel packets and one terry cloth wrap (comes in pink, white and brown…they only had brown when I ordered mine) that you insert the gel packets into. Once you insert the gel packets, you pop the whole assembled wrap in the microwave for 45 – 60 seconds and then wrap it around your head! (You wear a plastic cap under it of course) Simple! The wrap stays secure with velcro. I would definitely recommend “compacting” your hair as much as possible with some loose twists pinned down to your head so that the turban can fit over your head (unless you have a peanut head hehe)

That’s one of the side packets

That’s the second side packet and the zipper

This thing is great because you can deep condition while still being able to move around your house. It stays warm up to 35 mins. I actually re-heated it and had it on even longer, just because it makes my mind think that my hair is getting even more conditioned lol plus I just get lazy and don’t feel like hopping back in the shower again so soon…

The wrap itself is machine washable and the zipper/velcro are all plastic, which makes it microwave safe (I had a moment of paranoia and checked everything just to make sure lol microwave + anything metal = no good!). I’ll admit that inserting the gel pouches was kind of annoying but once you get them in, you only have to take them out when you wash the terry cloth part. I haven’t read much about the longevity of the gel pouches or if anyone has had problems with them. Not sure if that’s a good or bad thing but hopefully they last for a long time with no problems.

This is what I used to have before lol remember these heat caps?! haha ———————>

This thing makes deep conditioning so much more effective and it is WAY cheaper than investing in a hooded dryer. If you already condition with a plastic cap on your head, get one of these and you will get an even deeper condition! The heat opens up your hair cuticle and allows whatever conditioner you use to penetrate deeper. After I condition, it feels like I partially rinsed out the conditioner because my hair soaks it up. You could also do an impromptu Green House Effect treatment if you are pressed for time.

Even through all my hype over this, nothing is ever perfect and there are some flaws (nothing major though). I did have some issues with the distribution of the heat. I feel like the two packets on the side get warmer than the larger one in the middle. It could be how I have it situated in the microwave or something. I have to play around with it and figure out how I can get the middle one warmer. It did say you can warm the gel packets on the stove so I think I may try that and see if I get better results. I saw a lady on Instagram wore the wrap backwards, maybe that helped with the distribution of heat for her. Might have to try that. OR the problem could be my big ole head lol for real though, I was worried it wouldn’t fit over my head haha

The second thing is more of a precaution to keep in mind, if you have earrings in your cartilage, they will get hot!! I have to stuff a towel over my ears, under the wrap until the wrap cools a bit because it made the tops of my ears hot lol See what I mean below lol

Yea, don’t mind these hideous bare-faced shots of myself lookin all kinds of crazy…. but overall, I do think this is a good thing to have, it’s not expensive which makes me feel better about buying it lol It does the job :o) I plan to use this every time I condition!

Dec30

Conditioner : : Aubrey Organics GPB – Rosemary Peppermint

Posted on December 30, 2012 by Lauren

Conditioner : : Aubrey Organics GPB – Rosemary Peppermint

I hope you all had a Merry Christmas and a WONDERFUL holiday season! I know those of us who have been blessed with the opportunity to take vacation from work are using it to rest up for an awesome year ahead of us!

EXPECT BIG THINGS THIS YEAR!! GOD is working OVERTIME!! Please believe it!

Aaaaaamen! lol

Ok so next up…. the Aubrey Organics (AO) GPB Glycogen Protein Balancing Conditioner in Rosemary Peppermint! I got the 11 oz ON SALE! at Whole Foods for $7.62. It’s $10.93 on their website which is around the regular price in the stores. I was geeked when I saw the sale price tag! I absolutely LOVE the White Camellia Conditioner and was excited to try another kind from AO! I had seen the GPB conditioner in the store for awhile but nothing ever jumped out at me where I felt I needed to buy it right away. I think because I always did my own protein treatments, like the Cherry Lola, so I didn’t see a need to spend the money on this. BUT then I saw they made it in Peppermint Rosemary!! I was sold! lol yea, it was that easy hahaha. I think my 2nd fav thing next to coconut (in regards to hair) is anything with peppermint! I LOVE peppermint! I just bought some peppermint EO too…

If you can’t stand peppermint, they have two other variations of the GPB Conditioners (and shampoos!): Regular (which is actually their most popular product ever according to their website) and Lavender/Ylang-Ylang.

Product Description

For more than 40 years our customers have loved Aubrey’s #1-selling GPB Conditioner. Now our signature conditioner is available in an invigorating Rosemary Peppermint scent. This nutrient-rich, protein-based formula rehydrates and re-energizes your hair, while glycoproteins strengthen hair fiber and repair damage from salon treatments to restore softness, manageability and shine.

Milk Protein Rich in cysteine and methionine; strengthens and mends damaged areas. Organic Aloe Replenishes moisture. Glycoprotein & Horsetail Extract Balance & fortify hair & scalp

Ingredients

Aqua, cetyl alcohol (coconut fatty alcohol), alcohol denat. (38b, lavender*), aloe leaf juice*, wheat germ oil, milk protein, glycerin, peppermint oil*, rosemary leaf oil*, brassica campestris/aleurites fordi oil copolymer, grapefruit extract, soybean oil, glycoprotein, sage oil*, vitamin E, witch hazel water, horsetail extract, coltsfoot leaf extract, nettle extract, vitamin C, carrot root extract, beta-carotene. *organic

I think my favorite thing about AO products are their ingredients. They’re ALL natural, some even organic and the best ingredients are listed first meaning, there is a higher content of those ingredients….

Ok, I have a pet peeve, let me *sidebar* for a sec lol….it bothers me when companies advertise something with and ingredient like Argan Oil or Olive Oil but then list it as damn near the LAST ingredient. There’s probably one drop of olive oil in that thing! (Eco-Styler is notorious for this but I do love their gels and use them to this day lol I have the argan oil Eco-Styler but I definitely do NOT use it for the argan oil #JustSaying)

Any who, my point is, is that AO products have a higher content of the wholesome, goodness of amazing ingredients like the coconut, aloe, oils, proteins, etc. They aren’t the little things they add on at the end of the ingredients just so they can market their product a certain way.***steps down off soap box***

I knew my hair was in need for a protein boost after my banana hair mask the week before and I was so excited to try this out. I washed with Dr. Bronner’s Hemp Tea Tree Oil 18-in-1 Castile Soap (review on this coming soon!) and applied the conditioner to my roots and length of my hair. It said focus on the ends but I made sure I rubbed some on my scalp so I could get the peppermint tinglys hehe. I used my Hair Therapy Warp Thermal Turban and left it on for about 45 mins and rinsed out.

This conditioner has the signature peppermint scent that I love, it doesn’t have as much slip as the White Camellia version I also have but that’s ok. It still applied somewhat well. I did feel like I needed to put a little bit more on the really cover all of my hair and scalp. But since I would only use this 1-2x a month, it should last me a few months. This isn’t one of those every day conditioners (to me), I use it more of a treatment.

I got awweesome results! My hair is sooooo soft, springy, manageable, fortified, strong, etc. etc. etc. I love it! Love love love it! Aubrey Organics has some amazing products, definitely put them on your “To Try” list :o)

— P.S. I know I haven’t posted many pics of my hair but I feel like when I post pics of it’s wet (after conditioners), they all the look the same lol so it seems kinda useless…. wish pictures could let you see what it feels like haha. But I will be sure to post pics when I use a styling products!

Dec20

Deep Condition : : Banana, Honey, Coconut Oil Hair Mask

Posted on December 20, 2012 by Lauren

Deep Condition : : Banana, Honey, Coconut Oil Hair Mask

How YUMMY does this hair mask sound? and YES you can definitely eat it! (even though strangely enough I hate bananas lol)

~~I am too broke to spend money buying an expensive azz deep conditioner~~ I wanted to experiment by making a homemade deep conditioning treatment and I was browsing the internet to find something with inexpensive ingredients and what I already had at home.

I came across several recipes that used…bananas!!! I can’t say banana without saying “nana-bar” because my little cousin used to call bananas, “nana-bars” when he was a baby lol so cute :o)

So why bananas? Well, here’s a few reasons that were enough to get my mad scientist on! (not really but you know what I mean lol

Great for dry hair itchy, flaky scalp because it keeps hair hydrated and healthy. With regular use, banana hair masks can increase the moisture content of your hair, smooth frizz and prevent dandruff by soothing and moisturizing your itchy scalp.
Contains vitamins A, B, C, natural oils and carbohydrates which all help prevent split ends, breakage by improving your hair’s elasticity. If you have super dry, color-treated or even relaxed hair, this treatment could be helpful. Also, if you apply heat to your hair a lot as well.
Potassium softens the hair shaft and creates more manageability. Makes your curls super soft and springy!
Decreases hair loss because it helps address scalp issues. I’ve said it before….a healthy scalp = hair that grows and less hair that falls!

I saw that people mixed all kinds of ingredients with the nana-bars hehe but I picked a few I know work well with my hair so this is sort of my own concoction that was inspired from other recipes. I like to keep my recipes somewhat simple, with few ingredient, because I want to get the full effect from each ingredient. I feel like if you go crazy and put a million things in one recipe, each ingredient isn’t as effective.

So I stuck with just banana, clover creamed honey and coconut oil. Here’s the measurements I used (these are approximations, you can use more or less depending on the length, thickness of your hair):

3 somewhat over-ripe bananas
2 large tablespoons of raw honey
1 tablespoon of coconut oil

Yes, my jar of coconut oil has gone through war lol I actually infused the last bit of this jar with some essential oils hehe but in case you were wondering, this is the Spectrum brand of coconut oil.

Some of recipes I saw also had milk or yogurt, dark chocolate or cocoa powder (unsweetened). Some people used the baby food version of bananas (more expensive if you ask me…) I would love to try this with yogurt next time to get that extra boost of protein! The chocolate would make it smell sooo yummy I would imagine…You can also substitute the coconut oil for another type of oil or add some essential oils. I used coconut oil for obvious reasons and the honey because it is a humectant and helps retain moisture in my hair.

One thing I will note, I used clover creamed honey (the kind that is solid) because I like for my deep conditioners to be somewhat thick, I hate when they are runny. That is also why I only used a tablespoon of the oil. I think if I used any more, the warmth from my head will have made the conditioner extremely runny and a big mess!

So I put all of my ingredients in the blender and blended it to a thick puree. I think I should have mashed the bananas in a bowl first though. Usually you need some kind of liquid in the blender to really get it going. I ended up adding some water to try to get it going. It could be the cheap blender I have but after stopping, smashing, stirring, etc. for a while, I got a good consistency. I made sure to smash any remaining chunks of the banana because they will surely get stuck in your hair lol.

I think my favorite part of this treatment was the application! lol it has a SERIOUS slip too it! I guess its because bananas are kind of slimy by nature but it just smoothed in my hair so nicely. I made sure to rub it into my scalp and smoothed up the entire length of my hair. I always apply treatments in semi-small sections and wrap the section around itself and pile them all on top of my head so it will fit under a plastic cap. I let the mask sit on my hair for about 45 mins (much longer than I probably needed to, I just didn’t feel like getting back in the shower right away lol). I also wrapped a long-sleeve t-shirt around the plastic cap like a turban to keep any drippys from sliding down my face and to keep the warmth from my head stay in. ( I have a pic of this on my instagram)

I rinsed VERY WELL to make sure I got out any banana chunks. I followed up with a quick condition with the Nature’s Gate Hemp conditioner ONLY so I could get a quick lather to help dislodge any more nana-chunks and do a quick detangle with my denman brush.

My hair felt….fortified! That’s the main word that comes to mind lol it just felt stronger. I definitely noticed an improvement in the elasticity. One thing I will note is I was due for a protein treatment so my hair didn’t feel as soft as I thought it could (that’s why I want to try it with yogurt next time). I can always tell when my hair needs a boost of protein.

All in all, I will be adding this into my DIY conditioner rotation!

…be sure to drink the leftovers if you like nana-bars! (only if you don’t use a lot of oil, essential oils, etc. duh!)