Price: About $15
My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Description:
Coconut oil is used in cooking and to moisturize hair. Because the makeup of coconut oil is similar to the scalp's sebum, it can actually moisturize the hair strand instead of just being a sealer. It's also good for those with dry scalp issues.


Ingredients (Whole Food's brand):
Expeller pressed virgin organic coconut oil


Review:
Coconut oil was something I always used in my hair when I first big chopped. My hair loves it and soaks it up. It also adds great shine to my hair.

For my scalp issues it didn't help. At the time I wasn't aware that unlike the average Black person my scalp was actually oily, not dry. Massaging my scalp with coconut oil made my problem worse.

I stopped using coconut oil because when the temperature would drop below 70 degrees, it would solidify in my hair. You could see little white specks all over and it wasn't very flattering.

If you want to use coconut oil, you might want to change it up in the cooler seasons.

Also, it is a bit pricey so as a precaution I don't recommend using it directly from the jar. Get a little plastic jar from the beauty supply store and pour some oil in that for use in your hair. If your hair or scalp doesn't do well with coconut oil, you'll still have a sterile jar that you can use for cooking. I also take a tablespoon of coconut oil daily to get good fats in my diet.

Bottom Line:

Versatile oil that's great for dry hair and dry scalp. Not so great for use in cooler weather since it solidifies in your hair.

Price: $3-$5
My Rating: 1 out of 5 stars


Description (Hollywood Beauty Brand):

A natural preventative for mild cases of anhydrosis (dry skin), this oil's natural ingredients are widely believed to have healing and restorative properties. Our seven natural oils along with vitamin E and Aloe Vera will leave your skin, scalp and nails soft and clean.


Ingredients:

Glycine Soja (Soybean) Oil , Tea Tree Leaf Oil (Melaleuca Alternifolia) , Safflower Seed Oil (Carthamus Tinctorius) , Rose Hips Fruit Oil (Rosa Canina) , Sweet Almond Oil (Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis) , Peanut Oil (Arachis Hypogaea) , BHT , Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract , Vitamin E (Tocopheryl Acetate) , Sunflower Seed Oil (Helianthus Annuus) , Chamomilla Extract (Recutita Matricaria) , Arnica Montana Flower Extract , Rosemary Leaf Extract (Rosmarinus Officinalis) , Sage Leaf Extract (Salvia Officinalis) , Pinus Palustris Leaf Extract , Burdock Root Extract (Arctium Minus) , Lemon Peel Extract (Citrus Medica Limonum) , Ivy Extract (Hedera Helix) , Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract , Indian Cress Extract (Tropaeolum Majus) , White Nettle Flower Extract (Lamium Album) , Isopropyl Myristate , Fragrance , Phenoxyethanol , Methyl Paraben , Isopropylparaben , Isobutylparaben , Butylparaben , D&C Yellow #11 (CI 47000)


Review:

This is something I purchased because I heard that tea tree oil would help with dandruff. Honestly this oil didn’t do anything at all for my case. Maybe if I had gotten an oil that's purely tea tree oil my review would be different but this did not help my scalp at all. In the future I would like to buy a pure one from Whole Foods or something and do a follow up review.

Bottom Line:

Didn’t work for me.

Price: $16.95
My Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Product Description:
This thick conditioner uses shea butter for its moisturizing properties, adding great softness to super dry hair. It also utilizes the beneficial properties of 14 different herbs and spices. Good for daily use for those with thick, dry hair, but might be too heavy for hair that gets weighed down easily. Finer curlies might want to try our Aloeba conditioner.

Ingredients:
Water (Aqua)*, Behentrimonium Methosulfate (and) Cetearyl Alcohol, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter), Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Persea Gratissima (Avocado) Oil, Aloe Barbadensis (Aloe Vera) Leaf Juice Powder, Hydrolyzed Oat Flour, Soy Lecithin, Diazolidinyl Urea (and) Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate

Review:
My review for this product is mixed but leaning towards the positive side. The main highlights are that this conditioner makes the hair feel silky and soft, controls frizz, and holds curls.
On the flip side, once you rinse it out, the hair can be a little dry, which equals breakage.
There are other reviews that have said that they don't like how their hair feels and/or looks after rinsing the conditioner out.

Others have said that this works best as a leave-in conditioner, and I agree. Applying it after washing your hair and continuing with your regular styling will keep the hair soft. In a way, it redeems itself.

If you want to try this product I'd proceed with caution and get a sample since it may not work for your hair type in particular. The range of hair types for both positive and negative reviews are broad. There are curlies who say the product worked well and some who said it made their hair a disaster. Surprisingly there are straight haired users who love the product but most have probably avoided using this conditioner since shea butter can weigh down their hair.

Bottom Line:

Because of the mixed reviews I'd recommend getting a sample of the product before spending $17 on the whole bottle. 

 

Samples: https://www.jessicurl.com/product/too-shea-extra-moisturizing-conditioner-fs

Price: $9-$11
My Rating: 2 out of 5 stars

Description:
SheaMoisture's Coconut & Hibiscus sulfate-free shampoo for thick, curly hair gently cleanses and detangles hair. This special blend of nourishing Silk Protein, hydrating Coconut and Neem Oils helps restore moisture, body and shine for bouncy, healthy curls.

Ingredients:
Deionized Water, Dacyl Glucoside (Coconut Oil), Cocos Nucifera(Coconut) Oil*, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter)*, Aloe Vera Leaf Juice, Vitamin E, Melia Azadirachta (Need ) Seed Oil, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate (Coconut Oil),Panthenol (Vitamin B-5), Rosemary Extracts, Silk Protein, Proprietary Essential Oil Blend, Guar Gum, Stearic Acid, Lonicera Caprifolium (Honeysuckle) Flower (and) Lonicera Japonica (Japanese Honeysuckle) Flower Extract *Certified Organic Ingredients.

Review:
I don't know when I will learn my lesson that my hair and scalp love 2 different kinds of product. My hair loves this shampoo but my scalp hates it. Since shampooing is mainly for the scalp, I guess my scalp's opinion wins out.

My hair strands feel clean and not stripped. However, this shampoo doesn't clean my scalp very well. After 2 applications it still feels oily/waxy. I ended up just using my usual shampoo, making this product pretty useless for me.
 Other reviews of this product are stellar but I have to assume they have a scalp that needs moisture.

Bottom Line:

Useless shampoo for me but probably ideal for those with a drier scalp.

Price: $5-$10
My Rating: 2 out of 5 stars

Description:
Cantu shea butter leave in conditioning repair cream is an intensive deep penetrating leave in cream conditioning treatment that is made with pure shea butter and other natural oils to stop and mend breakage, repair split ends, and add manageability and shine with every application. When used daily, cantu shea butter leave in conditioning repair cream helps promote strong, long healthy hair.

Ingredients:
Water, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter), Glycine Soja Oil (Soybean), Propylene Glycol, Polyquaternium 37, Propylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate, PPG 1 Trideceth 6, Cetyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Stearalkonium Chloride, Trimethylsilylamodimethicone, Panthenol, PPG 1-PPG-9 Lauryl Glycol Ether, Lanolin Oil, Cinnamidopropyl Trimonium Chloride, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Acrylamidopropyltrimonium Chloride/Acrylamide Copolymer, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Benzophenone 3, BHA, BHT, Zea Mays Oil (Corn), Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate, DMDM Hydantoin, Phenoxyethanol, Fragrance

Review:
This product only worked on certain parts of my hair.
It did moisturize most of my hair well and made it feel soft. However, it made the looser hair at my crown feel stiff and there was also a lot of flaking when it dried.

If you have multiple textures in your hair, then you may have the same results as me. Hair that's in the Type 4 range responded well, but the hair at my crown is 3B and did not respond well.
The other reviews for this product are very good, but it's clear from the bad ones that looser naturals may not find this product to be beneficial.

Bottom Line:

Works great for Type 4 hair but not so much for other hair types.

Price: $5.99
My Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

Description:
Hawaiian Silky Miracle Worker 14 in 1 features special moisturizing and activating ingredients to help solve all hair problems associated with curly looks, braids and natural hair styles.

Ingredients:
Water, Glycerin, Propylene Glycol, Mineral Oil, PEG-75 Lanolin, Cetyl Alcohol, Strealknium Chloride Polysobate-60, Triethanoolmaine and others

Review:
Other people say this is really their miracle worker but not in my case. This is a decent product but it's not something I can use as my primary moisturizer since the consistency is thin and it doesn't spread well in my hair. I like to use it for just for a touch of moisture or to refresh my hair. In my case it's one step up from spraying water and oil on my hair before leaving the house.

The instructions say this is supposed to be something you spray in your hair but don't do it. It's almost like pumping lotion on your hair; it'll come out in little globs. It's better to pump it in the palm of your hand and apply it that way.

According to other reviews, it seems to work well for those with looser curls.
The online price for this item is a lot higher so it's definitely better to take a trip to the beauty supply store to see if they have it.

Bottom Line:

Miracle worker for looser curls but coarser hair textures aren't missing out on much.

Price: $20
My Rating: 1 out of 5 stars

Product Description:

We have updated our formula for a better consistency while still giving you the gentle cleansing you want! Your hair is left feeling lightly conditioned after use, not dry. Formulated with Silk Amino Acids and Green Tea extract to help provide shine to the hair, while Vitamin B5 aids in moisturizing your curls. Yummy Coconut Scent and still Sulfate-Free formula!


Ingredients:

WATER/AQUA/EAU, DECYL GLUCOSIDE, COCAMIDOPROPYL BETAINE, GLYCERIN, SODIUM LAURYL GLUCOSE CARBOXYLATE, LAURYL GLUCOSIDE, HYDROXYETHYLCELLULOSE, BRASSICA ABYSSINICA (ABYSSINIAN) OIL, CAMELLIA SINENSIS (GREEN TEA) LEAF EXTRACT, XANTHAN GUM, TOCOPHERYL ACETATE, GUAR HYDROXYPROPYLTRIMONIUM CHLORIDE, SILK AMINO ACIDS, PHENOXYETHANOL, CAPRYLYL GLYCOL, TETRASODIUM EDTA, FRAGRANCE/PARFUM, BENZYL BENZOATE, CITRIC ACID.

 
Review:

This product is probably really effective, but just not on my scalp. The shampoo is very runny and hard to spread, so my scalp is not able to get clean even after a second application.
According to other reviews, the problem is common so this shampoo may not be appropriate for people who have dense hair, an oily scalp, and/or dandruff issues. This is because this cleanser will not be sufficient to get the scalp and hair clean.
On the plus side, the positive reviews have said that it works really well and fits into certain hair care regimens so it may just work out in the end.

Bottom Line:

This may be okay for fine-haired people looking for a very gentle cleanse, but if you regularly need a good cleansing, skip this product.

Finger Detangling Pros
A lot gentler than using a comb

Finger Detangling Cons
Couldn't get all shed hair out
Hair doesn't stay detangled while working other sections
Takes too long


Wide Toothed Comb Pros
Gets most of the shed hairs out
Easier and quicker than finger detangling

Wide Toothed Comb Cons
Greater possibility of breakage


I tried finger detangling my hair after my big chop. I can honestly say that it's not for me. My hair is too dense and I wasn't able to get all of the shed hairs that were stuck in my fro. It was too time consuming for me for poor results. I've also made my hair even more tangled once.

For my hair it's a lot better to use a wide toothed comb and just be gentle with it. The amount of shed hair I remove from my hair each week is just too much to try to do with my fingers. I've also found that my hair is a lot sleeker and my curls are more defined when I use a comb.

Price: $12
My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Description:
A creamy and herbal Kinky Curly Knot Today Conditioner helps you to smooth the cuticles and remove knots, tangles and snarls painlessly. This conditioner helps you to convert a nightmare into a sweet dream.

• Helps to removes tangles and knots painlessly
• Helps to smoothen cuticles
• Creamy and herbal conditioner

Kinky Curly Knot Today Conditioner is a good herbal product that gives you the liberty to look fashionable.

Ingredients:
Mango Fruit Extract, Slippery Elm, Marshmallow Root, Lemongrass, Cetyl Alcohol, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Citric Acid, Phenoxyethanol And Natural Fragrance

Review:
This conditioner has a lot of "titles." It's a conditioner, a leave-in, and a detangler all in one. In other words it moisturizes your hair well enough so that you can get a detangling comb through a lot easier. It is very effective and it has great slip as well.
Most reviews for this conditioner are also good. There are a small percentage of reviews that say this conditioner left a white sticky mess on their head.

Bottom Line:

This conditioner is great for most coarse hair types but may not be that great for looser curls.

Vo5 Pros
Nice fruity smell
Cheap
Cleans my scalp in one application

Vo5 Cons
Extremely drying

Vo5 Shampoo was my go-to shampoo for a while during my transition to natural hair. As a broke college student it was affordable (sometimes as low as 50 cents on sale) and readily available in the CVS near the campus. At that time, I had no idea what "clarifying" meant and used it every week when I'd wash my hair.
As a clarifier, it works very well; almost too well. For the first time in my life I experienced what it was like to have dry scalp (my scalp is usually oily). I stopped using the shampoo regularly when I educated myself more on shampoo types. I saved it for the times when I really need a deep cleansing. It's effective and I love it, but now I know that I need to be careful.


Giovanni Pros
Great scalp cleanser
Feel-good tingle
Nice clean smell (minty)

Giovanni Cons
Affordable, but more expensive than Vo5
Can be drying to most hair types

I wouldn't consider Giovanni a clarifying shampoo, but some people consider it as such, especially if they have dry scalp. It cleans the scalp really well, but not sufficiently enough for me to consider it a clarifying shampoo for my scalp. However, as a regular shampoo, it does wonders. It's not too drying on my scalp and it feels good. It's definitely more expensive than Vo5, but affordable.

Bottom Line:

If I were judging on the ability to completely clarify the scalp, Vo5 wins. For a good regular cleansing, Giovanni wins.