DECEMBER 2013 GOALS

I haven't done any goals in awhile because I never really meet them. lol But I am going to try my hardest to meet the goals that I set for myself for the month of December.

1. NO NEW PRODUCT BUYS AT ALL - I have goal absolutely crazy with buying products in November. So much so that I am fully stocked up on products for awhile. There is no need to buy anything new to try out.

2. Take Manebolism Vitamins nightly - I'll touch on this in more detail in the future.

3. Continue to deep condition with steam at least once a week -  I have been loving using steam during my deep conditioning sessions. I can't see myself using my dryer to DC anytime soon.

4. Keep my Just Grow Already Journal up-to-date. - I fell off with using my journal for a few months during the year. I have been back on it since August. I believe she will have one for 2014 and I will be purchasing it.

5. ABSOLUTELY NO HEAT. - I am not a heat basher in the least. I light wearing my hair down to relieve the tedium of bunning so much. As I mentioned before I hate that for some reason when I try to comb through my hair when it's straight that my ends tend to stick together (if that makes sense). So I will take it one month at a time and not use any heat until I get my touch up.

***Another Black Friday Sale Alert***

I know I have mentioned this before but it has been officially announced. Hairitage Hydration will be having a Black Friday Sale. Details in the pic above. (Pic is courtesy of Hairitage Hydration's Facebook Page) I'll be putting in one last order for the Sticky Honey Hash Conditioner. After that I will be fully stocked on these products.

*Please Note That All Orders Placed on Black Friday and after Will Take Up To 5 weeks To Ship Due To The Number Of Orders! (from HairitageHydration.com

I must say just like my Shi-Naturals products, these are well worth the wait.

Black Friday Sales and other Ramblings

• Those infamous Black Friday Sales are underway for a lot of small businesses. I have already made a few purchases. I got a few things from the Shi-Naturals 25% off sale I posted. I also purchased some more Soft Coconut Marshmallow and Pink Grapefruit Punch from Hairitage Hydration. 16 oz bottles of each. She had a 40% off Pre-Black Friday sale. I am hoping that she really is having an actual Black Friday Sale on the 29th (code:goblack35). I want to try the Sticky Honey Hash Conditioner. For more info on other Black Friday Sales check this link: http://www.maneobjective.com/2013/11/sale-alert-black-friday-cyber-monday.html 

• I have been in serious product junkie mode. I have been buying and buying products. lol Time to take a step back, after Black Friday, of course. I have a few more things to get before I go on a strict NO BUY for a very long time. Here are the last of products, I plan to get. After these purchases, I will be fully and I mean fully stocked on products. Silk Hydration: Mocha Silk Infusion (Time to stock up), Purgasm Shop: Cocoa and Yogurt Shampoo and Body Bar, Hairitage Hydration: Sticky Honey Hash Conditioner This will definitely be hard but I don't need anything else. It's time to start using up everything that I have. Which will start a new series of posts for me, Product Empties. lol            
• It's time for another No Heat Stint. I have stated before that I didn't like how heat makes my ends feel but I was tired of bunning and decided to get my hair done once a month. Which was fine but I like and prefer how soft and moisturized my air dried hair feels. So from now until I get my touch up in February or March, I will not be using direct heat on my hair. Also, I am contemplating getting major trim. These bone straight ends are working my nerves.  

What's on your Black Friday list?

Shi-Naturals Black Friday Sale

Despite my product junkie syndrome, I still love and adore my Shi-Naturals. I might use other products but her products NEVER failed me. She has quality products that are handmade and natural products. Check out the Shi-Naturals website and the sale. I also have a post on here that talks about the products that I use.

http://shinaturals.bigcartel.com/

As I Am Coconut Cowash vs. Coconut Shea All Natural Cleansing Cowash

You all know how much I am loving the As I Am Coconut Cowash conditioner (AIACC). It is my staple weekly cleanser. I have seen the EDEN Body Works Cleansing Co-wash (EBWCC) before but never gravitated toward. After seeing some positive reviews on it, I decided to buy a bottle and do a comparison of the two.  Let's get to it.

How I use them: I part my hair into 3 sections. 2 on the side 1 in the back. I apply it to the new growth first and then the length of the hair. After it has been applied to all 3 sections. I rinse out the conditioner.

Price @ Sally Beauty Supply:
As I Am Coconut Cowash: 7.99 for 16 oz
Eden Body Works: 7.79 for 16 oz

Consistency:

The consistency of the AIACCW  thick creamy consistency. It smooths onto my hair very nicely. The EBWCC consistency is thinner then AIACCW but it also smooths onto my hair very easily.

How are they at cleansing:

Both cleansers cleanse my hair very well. My hair feels clean but does not give my hair that straw-like feel. They also give my hair a good amount of slip and leaves my hair feeling soft. There really isn't too much else that I can say about these conditioners. They are great at what they do. In my opinion, you can buy either one of these and get the same results. Since my results are the same from both conditioners, I'll stick with my As I Am just because it's what I have been using the longest.

New Product Buys

I have been on a products spending spree during the time that I haven't been blogging. These are just the new products that I decided to try out. Well  2 of the three are new and one is a long lost love. lol So let's get to it.














(1) Bee Mine Luscious Balanced Cream Moisturizer (Coconut Cream): This moisturizer is the long lost love
that I mentioned. When I first decided that I wanted to give natural products a try, this was one of the first lines that I tried. I fell in love with their moisturizers. This moisturizer has a very smooth consistency that leaves my hair moisturized and soft. This moisturizer is on the expensive side but it so worth it to me. It lasts a long time since a little bit goes along way. The wonderful thing about this moisturizer is that it is moisture/protein balanced. Price: 18.97 for 8 oz

Ingredients: Distilled water, Hydrogenated Persea gratissima (Avocado) Seed Oil, Mangifera Indica (Mango) Seed Butter, Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil (and) Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter), Persea gratissima (Avocado) Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Emulsifying wax, Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Paraben & Formaldehyde Free Preservative & Fragrance (Coconut Cream - CC) (Island Mango - IM or Original Scent). 

(2) Qhemet Biologics Cocoa Tree Detangling Ghee... I have seen a lot of good reviews on this product but never really wanted to give it try until now. After seeing how great this product product detangles in a few videos I decided to give it a try. I haven't used it just yet. I want to see how it really works when I get further into my stretch. It has a very airy and whipped consistency. Almost like icing. The smell is so yummy and chocolatey. I love chocolate scented products. Price 18.00 8 oz, 32.00 16 oz

Product Description and Ingredients (via website): 

Product Description Restores manageability, softness and elasticity to normal to very dry hair. Smooths cuticles, improves combing ability and reduces breakage. Please note that you may need to soften the CTDG by sitting the bottle in hot water or sticking it in the microwave for 20 seconds for easier dispensing. In jar as of 5/11/13. Key Ingredients: Contains pure, prime pressed Cocoa Butter to smooth, soften and seal in moisture, Horsetail, Nettle and Barley to strengthen and condition and sulfur rich MSM to nourish follicles and support growth. Enhanced with carefully selected mild and eco-friendly detangling actives, it instantly restores manageability, pliability and elasticity to matted and tangled hair. Does not contain mineral oil, lanolin, silicones, parabens or artificial fragrances. Natural Dark Chocolate scent. Directions: For tangled hair that is damp or dry, divide hair into 4-8 sections. Apply a moderate amount to the entire length of one section at a time and work through with fingers. Use a wide toothed comb to comb through from end to root as hair is instantly softened and detangled. For use as a conditioner, rub a small to medium amount between palms and work through wet, damp or dry hair. Leave in. This product has an initial consistency of a medium viscosity cream but will thicken into a stiff solid cream over time. This is not indicative of a formula change and will not affect performance.

(3) Hairitage Hydration Pink Grapefruit Punch Conditioner: I wasn't familiar with this product until I read about a few products from the Just Grow Already and Relaxed Thairapy blogs. My curiosity got the best of me after reading their positive reviews. I bought the previously mentioned conditioner and another product that you will read about shortly. When I first tried this conditioner, I wasn't sure how I liked it. The consistency of it was weird. It was like lotion, for lack of a better word. Secondly, when I applied it it felt like I wasn't putting anything on my hair at all. I did feel my hair soften and the tangles melt away. I fell for this conditioner after the second use. Again, it sunk right into my hair quicker than any other conditioner has. Which causes me to use way more than I need. But the softness and the ease of detangling are very good after using it. I've used it as a cowash but next I plan to use it as a deep conditioner. The scent is very light and fruity. Also doesn't linger for too long after rinsing. This conditioner is defintely a keeper for me.     

Price: 13.00 8 oz 

Ingredients (according to packaging): Hibiscus Infused Water, Cetearyl Alcohol, Stearalkonium Chloride, Shea Butter, Cetyl Alcohol, Coconut Oil, Glycerin, Mallow Extract, Frangrance, Germall Plus

Description: This conditioner adds softness and moisture to the hair and also helps repair the hair to make it stronger.

Hairitage Hydration Soft Coconut Marshmallow Leave-In: I have only used this Leave-In once but I am liking it so far. It softens my hair and detangling was a bit easier. The consistency is very creamy and light. The lime essential oil scent is very prominent in the bottle that I received and I really like it. After applying the leave-in to my damp hair and detangling, I let my hair air dry for awhile. When it was completely dry my hair was soft, moisturized, and smelled so pretty. lol  Price: 15.00 for 8 oz 

Ingredients: Purified Water infused with Marshmallow Root, Lime butter, Castor Oil, Irish Moss Infused Coconut Oil, Cetyl Alcohol, BTMS-50, Germall Plus,Lime and Tea Tree Essential Oil

To use: Distribute throughout the hair. Finger comb out tangles or use a wide-toothed comb.

Have any of you tried these products? What are your thoughts?