Commercial Facial Moisturizers Pros
Effective
Smells good

Commercial Facial Moisturizers Cons
Can be expensive
Only a little bit of product in the container
Can contain harmful chemicals


Raw Shea Butter Pros
Affordable
Great value (a little goes a long way)
Effective
All natural

Raw Shea Butter Cons
Some may not like the smell


My skin loves shea butter and so does my wallet. I've had the same container of shea butter for over 2 years and I use it on my face every day. I also occasionally use it for my hair.

Commercial skin moisturizers were effective, but my skin always looked dull. I switched to raw shea butter after seeing so many naturals boast about how it helps their hair and skin. I love it because it gives my skin the proper moisture it needs as well as a healthy glow.

As another perk, my acne improved A LOT since I started using shea butter along with Raw African Black Soap. These two products together saved my skin.

The only downside to shea butter is that if you're used to your facial products smelling like flowers or a tropical island, it could take some time to get used to the earthy smell of shea butter. I never cared for smelling like fruit so it was cool with me.

Giovanni's Pros
Great for cleansing an oily scalp
Feel-good tingle
Affordable

Giovanni's Cons
Can be drying to most hair types


Trader Joe's Pros
Great cleanser
Feel-good tingle
Cheaper than Giovanni

Trader Joe's Cons
Can be drying for some hair types

These shampoos are so similar that for some people it's almost hard to tell the difference. They both stimulate your scalp, smell fresh, and may help with flakes.

In my experience Giovanni's shampoo cleans my scalp better. I have to use more of the Trader Joe's shampoo to get my scalp clean. Because of this, using Giovanni is a better value for me.
I like to dilute Giovanni's shampoo a little because it is a tad thick. It truly lasts longer for me than Trader Joe's version.
If you don't have a scalp with a lot of build up from oil, sweat, etc, then Trader Joe's version would be sufficient for you (and it is cheaper than Giovanni).

Bottom Line:

Use Giovanni's for a deeper clean. If you don’t need a deep clean then Trader Joe's is fine.

Eco Styler Pros
Cheap (huge 32 oz tub for about $5)
Maximum hold
No flaking (in my hair)
Nice, light smell

Eco Styler Cons
Leaves a "gel cast"
Makes my hair feel dry

There are plenty of people who use Eco Styler gel to retwist their locs. It's no surprise since you get a lot for a cheap price. Personally, I loved Eco Styler gel when my hair was loose, but for loc maintenance I don't like it all that much.

It does hold well, but I don't need maximum hold on my roots. I also found that over time my roots were starting to feel dry even though I was moisturizing my hair between washes. Not to mention that I have an oily scalp so my roots being dry is a sure sign that something isn't right.

This is because Eco Styler gel leaves what some people call a "gel cast." The gels coats your hair strands and then hardens, creating a barrier against anything else you'll try to put on your hair. If you have ever used Eco Styler to define your curls, you know this is why hair tutorials tell you to scrunch your hair so it won't be hard. You're breaking up the gel cast a bit.
Eco Styler gel has helped me achieve many sleek ponytails, but it's not ideal for retwisting my locs.

Taliah Waajid Pros
Good hold
No flaking (in my hair)
Nice, light smell
No gel cast
Doesn't leave the hair feeling dry

Taliah Waajid Cons
More expensive especially if you're heavy handed (6 oz jar for about $7)

I found out about this gel from watching Damian Walter's videos on YouTube. He uses the "tight hold" version of it in his clients' hair when retwisting their locs. He went over the pros of using it and I was sold. At the time my locs were 2 months old and still developing, but I could still tell the difference in my hair after shampooing the Eco Styler out of my hair and then using the regular Taliah Waajid Lock It Up gel. When I come from under the dryer, my hair holds well but it isn't hard at all. My roots feel moisturized and healthy which means I'm happy.

One thing to remember about the gel is that you don’t need to put a lot. For me, one jar lasts for 3-4 retwist sessions so I actually don't mind the price.

Bottom Line:

Even though Eco Styler holds better and is cheaper, I prefer Taliah Waajid Lock It Up gel for the quality and because it doesn't make my hair dry.

Price: $6-$8
My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Description:
Maintains locs, twists and naturals. This product is part of a natural anti-bacterial system. All colors/fragrances used are derived from dried fruit extracts and juices.

• Adds moisture and sheen
• Holds with no flaking
• Defines natural curl pattern
• No alcohol
• No animal testing

Ingredients:
Deionized Water (Aqua), carbomer, Yarrow Roots (Achillea Millefolium), Rosemary (Rosmarinus), DMDM Hydantion, Indian Hemp Extract (Cannibis Sativa), Brown #518, Yellow #10, Nettle (Citrus Aurantium), triethanolamine, fragrance

Review:
This is my go-to product for retwisting my roots. The hold is really good, the gel is light, and it doesn't flake or leave residue. It also smells nice (to me). You don’t need to put a whole lot for it to be effective.

After retwisting, I make sure I sit under the dryer. My hair is very dense and air-drying my locs takes forever. I also find that when I air-dry, the hold is not as good.
Because I bought this for my locs, I can't really say if it helps with curl definition but other reviews have given it 5 stars in that regard as well.

Bottom Line:

Excellent product with a good hold that won't flake or leave residue.

Price: $7-$9
My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Description:

• Leaves hair conditioned and healthier-looking
• Protects hair against heat damage
• Lightweight formula delivers shine
• Sulfate, Paraben and Gluten free

Silk Elements Mega Silk Heat Protection Creme helps prevent heat damage caused by heated appliances while leaving hair shiny, smooth and healthier-looking.

Ingredients:
Water (Aqua, Eau), Cyclopentasiloxane, Neopentyl Glycol Diethylhexanoate, Polyacrylamide, Diisopropyl Adipate, Diisopropyl Sebacate, Fragrance (Parfum), C13-14 Isoparaffin, Disodium EDTA, Laureth-7, Phenethyl Alcohol, PPG-2 Methyl Ether, Benzyl Salicylate, Linalool, Methylisothiazolinone, Tocopheryl Acetate, Ethyl Ester of Hydrolyzed Silk

Review:
I had this product for a while considering I purchased it while I was still transitioning. I used to put it on my hair before blow drying since I was trying to be more careful not to break my hair off. I didn't know how effective it was since the bulk of it was applied to the relaxed part of my hair. After my big chop, this product was just sitting in my bathroom cabinet since I would only air dry my hair.

I have only flat ironed my natural hair once and this was before I started my locs. I didn't want bone straight results; I just wanted to see my length at least one time. I pulled this product out again and put it on each little section before flat ironing. I got a little nervous when I saw all the steam, especially because the temperature was a pretty low. That steam was just the product evaporating. If I needed to do another pass with the flat iron, I'd put a little more product.

When I washed my hair, it curled back up as if nothing happened, so it did a great job of protecting my hair from heat damage. It did not make my hair hard or anything and it doesn't have any weird smell to it, so I appreciate that.

Bottom Line:

Overall great product for protecting your hair from heat damage.

Hairburst Pros
Contains effective ingredients like biotin and folic acid

Hairburst Cons
Pills are large/hard to swallow
Complaints about the smell of the pill
Expensive
Vegetarians should know, contains collagen and gelatin

Note: Supplement facts are NOT listed on their website

Hairburst is a UK-based company that was previously known as "HairVits." They sell vitamin supplements that promote hair growth. Hairburst contains effective ingredients such as biotin and folic acid, but unfortunately for vegetarians, it also contains collagen.

Customer complaints are mainly about the size of the pills which makes it difficult to swallow. Some have also commented on the bad smell. The dosage is 2 capsules per day, so they need to be enjoyable to take for better user experience. I agree with the customer reviews because I could not take the pills consistently due to these reasons.

As a side concern, the supplement facts are not listed on their website. To find the supplement facts, I had to rely on users who posted photos of their Hairburst bottle and a third party site that typed out the supplement facts. I believe that it is irresponsible for a company to not have supplement facts available on the website. If someone wanted to consult with their doctor before taking these vitamins, they wouldn't have an easy way to provide a label.



Hairfinity Pros
Contains effective ingredients like biotin and folic acid
Affordable

Hairfinity Cons
Contains horsetail which is possibly unsafe
Pills are large/hard to swallow
Complaints about the smell of the pill
Vegetarians should know, contains collagen and gelatin

Hairfinity is a vitamin supplement that helps with hair growth. While it does contain effective ingredients such as biotin and folic acid, it also contains ingredients that can be harmful to your body and to the hair growth process.

Horsetail is not a recommended ingredient to include in multivitamins. According to WebMD, horsetail is possibly unsafe when taken by mouth long-term.
Consuming horsetail can cause your Vitamin B1 levels to drop. This is because Horsetail contains a chemical that breaks Vitamin B-1 down, causing a deficiency. If you don’t get enough B-1, you can experience symptoms such as difficulty breathing, heart damage, mental sluggishness, and hair loss. Having Horsetail in a vitamin that's supposed to promote hair growth is counterproductive. This may be why many Hairfinity users are reporting hair loss over time.

Hairfinity also contains substances that come from animals such as collagen and gelatin. This is not a vegetarian-friendly vitamin.

Based on my experience as well as customer reviews, the vitamins are large and smelly, making them hard for a lot of people to take consistently. The smell could be due to the fact that ingredients that derive from animals degrade quickly, and therefore smell bad. This could be said about Hairburst as well.

Bottom Line:

I found both pills to be difficult to take consistently and therefore I can't recommend neither of them.

Coconut Oil Pros
Can actually moisturize hair
Gives the hair great shine

Coconut Oil Cons
Can solidify in your hair when it's cold
A bit pricey

Coconut oil is one of the few oils that can actually moisturize your hair instead of just sealing it. It's very versatile and gives great shine to the hair. For people with dry scalp issues, it could help tremendously.
The only issue is with coconut oil is that you can really only use it when the weather is warm. When it's below 70 degrees, it can solidify in your hair and there will be white specks all in you hair.

Africa's Best Oil Pros
Inexpensive
Great sealer
Gives the hair a great shine

Africa's Best Oil Cons
Strong smell that some may not like

This oil blend works well as a sealer, and for a hot oil treatment. It cannot moisturize your hair like coconut oil, but it will seal in the moisture you've provided from your leave in conditioner. It provides great shine to your hair, especially if you've applied it before a twist-out or braid-out.


So which should you use? You should use both! You can use coconut oil in the warmer months and use the Africa's Best oil during the rest of the year. Some people also use coconut oil and then apply sealer oils like Africa's Best.

For the purpose of treating a dry scalp and moisturizing the hair, coconut oil wins. For sealing in moisture and for hot oil treatments, Africa's Best wins. But you can get the full benefits by using both in your regimen.

Price: $11-$13
My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars


Description:

• Anti-Frizz, Moisturize & Shine
• Natural & Certified Organic Ingredients
• Sulfate Free & Color Safe

This nourishing styling aid for thick, curly hair defines curls, reduces frizz and smoothes hair for a soft, silky feel. Our special blend of nourishing Silk Protein, hydrating Coconut and Neem Oils helps restore moisture and create brilliant shine while conditioning hair without weighing it down for bouncy, healthy curls.



Ingredients:

Deionized Water, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter)*, Cocos Nucifera (Coconut ) Oil, Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil, Magnifera Indica (Mango) Seed Butter*, Persea Gratissima (Avacado) Oil, Vegetable Glycerin, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Silk Protein, Ammonium Salt, Melia Azadiratcha (Neem) Seed Oil,Daucus Carota Sativa (Carrot) Seed oil, Sorbitol Esters, Panthenol (Pro-Vitamin B-5), Caprylyl Glycol, Essential Oil Blend, Lonicera Caprifolium (honeysuckle) Flower (and) Lonicera Japonica (Japanese Honeysuckle) Flower Extract, Tocopherol (Vitamin E), Hibiscus Flower Extract



Review:

This product works really well to moisturize my hair before braiding or twisting it up for a while. It has a thick consistency and it makes my hair feel soft. It also works well for twist-outs and braid-outs.
For everyday conditioning, my hair prefers a product that isn't so thick so I don’t use it for that purpose.
Other reviews highlight how well it moisturizes the hair, especially those with 4C hair. Some also like to use it as a deep conditioner. The only negative reviews I saw talked about how it was too thick to be used on fine hair and that it weighed their hair down.

Bottom Line: 

Great for those with dense or thick hair for deep moisturization.

Price: $2-$4
My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Description:
Africa's Best Ultimate Herbal Oil is a blend of light penetrating natural oils enriched with vitamins and African herbs. It conditions dry skin and cuticles and is great for relaxers, curls, locks, braids, twists, texturized and natural hairstyles.

Ingredients:
Soy Bean Oil, Walnut Seed Oil, Kiwi Fruit Extract, Olive Fruit Oil, Castor Seed Oil, Sesame Seed Oil, Jojoba Seed Oil, Carrot Seed Oil, Sweet Almond Oil, Tocopheryl Acetate, Safflower Oil And Calendula Extract And Yarrow Extract And Cucumber Extract And Carrageenan Extract And Ginseng Extract And Sage Extract And Comfrey Extract And Ginseng Extract And Sage Extract And Comfrey Extract And Aloe Extract, Fragrance

Review:
This is my go-to oil blend for sealing moisture in my hair, hot oil treatments, and for pre-detangling. It smells good to me but it is strong and some people may not like it. For the price it's also a very good deal. I use this oil after I put in my leave-in conditioner to seal in moisture when I wear my hair out and for when I twist or braid it up. It provides great shine to my hair especially for twist-outs.

It's also great for "pre-detangling." Sometimes I'll let put conditioner and oil on my hair and let it sit for an hour under a plastic cap. Then before shampooing my hair I'll actually detangle it while everything is nice and smooth.
Other reviews for this oil are good. Some people use it on dry skin as well.

Bottom Line:

Good, versatile oil blend for those on a budget.

 

Pros of both
A little goes a long way
Moisturizes well

Cons of both
May be too thick for fine hair

Both have so much in common, so which one is better? To be honest, it depends on what you look for in a leave in conditioner.

If you feel more inclined to use raw products, then using raw shea butter could work out well for you. People tend to use raw shea butter to seal in moisture but depending on your hair type, it could work as a moisturizer.

Hairveda's Whipped Crème would be great for those looking for everyday moisture for their hair. It's lighter than raw shea butter and moisturizes very well.
I have used raw shea butter one week and Hairveda the next week. My hair loves them both, it's just that Hairveda is easier to apply.

It's also worth noting that no matter which one you choose, your money would be going towards a Black business. Hairveda was started by a Black woman. You can buy your shea butter from a local vendor (I get mine from a small African shop).

Bottom Line:

It's a tie in my eyes.