The Healthy Hair Diary

Product Review: Cantu Shea Butter Creamy Lotion

Tuesday, September 06, 2016

Cantu Shea Butter Creamy Hair Lotion

Product Information:

This hair lotion will soften, moisturise and detangle your curls, leaving them light, shiny and bouncy. Made with 100% pure shea butter and formulated without chemicals or harsh ingredients. For natural hair, restores your real, authentic beauty and conditions curly, kinky or wavy hair. No mineral oil, sulfates, parabens, silicone, phthalates, gluten, paraffin, propylene glycol, PABA or DEA. This finished product is not tested on animals.

Ingredients:

Water (Aqua), Glycerin, Canola Oil, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter), Cetearyl Alcohol, Ceteareth-20, Fragrance (Parfum), Stearalkonium Chloride, Glycol Stearate, Polyquaternium-11, Cetyl Alcohol, Glycine Soja (Soybean) Oil, Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil, Aloe Barbadensis (Aloe Vera) Leaf Juice, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oil, Persea Gratissima (Avocado) Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Oil, Olea Europaea (Olive) Fruit Oil, Mangifera Indica (Mango) Seed Butter, Argania Spinosa (Argan) Kernel Oil, Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Seed Oil, Melia Azadirachta (Neem) Seed Oil, Daucus Carota Sativa (Carrot) Seed Oil, Lonicera Japonica (Honeysuckle) Flower Extract, Laminaria Cloustoni (Sea Kelp) Extract, Salvia Officinalis (Sage) Leaf Extract, Macadamia Ternifolia (Macadamia) Seed Oil, Mangifera Indica (Mango) Seed Oil, Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Seed Extract, Urtica Dioica (Nettle) Extract, Silk Amino Acids, Hydrolyzed Silk, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin

My Review:

I picked up this hair moisturiser when looking for something to keep the boys hair moist and to stop them from using my hair products.

I ran out of my staple moisturiser and couldn't get to the shop before it closed so decided to give the Cantu Cream Hair lotion a try and was quite sceptical if I am honest.

I first used this to moisturise and seal my hair after air-drying to 80% and was pleasantly surprised by how moist my hair was once fully dry. With most moisturisers, when air-drying I tend to have to moisturise and seal again before bed to ensure my hair is still moist and I'm not waking up to dry hair.

The consistency is like a creamy lotion, quite thick but when applying it to your hair a little goes a long way and this does not weigh down my hair at all. My hair is left, moist, shining, and easy to detangle and the best thing about this product is it contains no mineral oil, sulfates, parabens, silicones, phthalates, gluten, paraffin or propylene.

I started using this product in March of this year so the weather was quite cold and this managed to keep my hair moist, I think this can work as an all year round moisturiser and when the colder months do kick in I will just use a heavier oil to seal it with.

I am due to go on holiday on 13th October and this will definitely be my moisturiser of choice to keep my hair moist in the sun if I don't have time to get box braids....

Have you tried the Canty Creamy Hair Lotion?

hair update

From Lye to No-Lye Relaxer....

Wednesday, August 24, 2016

Although I am now fully texlaxed, as mentioned in my last hair update post, my hair is by no means uniform in texture from root to tip especially my where my last two relaxer touch ups led to my hair coming out with less texture than desired.

This led me to thinking back to when I first started hair journey and the fact that I had actually started to texlax by accident when rinsing out my no-lye relaxers before the relaxer had time to fully process. It wasn't something I noticed until after starting my hair journey as prior to this, I was just used to washing my hair and blow drying straight after whereas on my hair journey, I was air drying and getting to see the texture of my hair.

The only reason I switched from no-lye relaxer to lye relaxer was because I wanted to do a corrective relaxer. I had self relaxed 2 years ago and was left with way more texture than I could handle and after doing some research it was said that using a lye relaxer would be more beneficial in helping me to correct the under processed areas in my hair.

My mother-in-law did my corrective relaxer for me and the lye relaxer did the trick, I was left with way less texture and noticed my hair didn't feel dry and coated like it usually does after relaxer day using a no-lye relaxer. After this relaxer touch-up I just continued to use the lye relaxer as I could store it until the next touch-up was due and so saved money too.

As much as the lye relaxer has had its advantages for me, I will be going back to using a no-lye relaxer in October when my next touch-up is due. I used a no-lye relaxer for over 15 years and since I started to self relax my hair I was unintentionally texlaxed as I was always running to wash the relaxer out when I could of chilled for another minute or two. The lye relaxer for me processed my hair so much quicker than the no-lye and even when mixing oil to the relaxer to slow down the process, the lye was proved difficult to texlax with and I never know how my hair is going to turn out.

Using the no-lye relaxer means I have more control, I can continue to add oil to my relaxer but only one tablespoon as I remember prior to switching to no-lye, I had never mixed oils with the relaxer or added oil to my new growth previous to a relaxer touch-up and I would always rush to wash my hair out by 20-21 minutes and was left with unintentional texture. The first touch-up or two will be trial and error but I'll soon find what works for me. The no lye relaxer is harsher on the hair than a lye relaxer but I will ensure to always do a medium protein treatment the week before touch-ups to strengthen and prepare my hair for the chemical process and I have actually started to do a medium protein treatment the week after my touch-up as well.

4 Weeks Post

Mid-Neck Length to Shoulder Length.... April to August

Saturday, August 20, 2016

Following my mid-neck bob cut, I realised I was starting my hair journey all over again. I knew I would be dealing with shorter length hair than I had in quite a while however I wasn't realistic about my previous regime working for me with my new short cut.

I had just assumed that I would stick to my routine of using no heat on my hair at all and have my easy simple wash days where I washed, air-dried and kept it moving but with my kind of cut I had get used to flat ironing my hair with every wash day so I had to change things up.

I was so used to washing my hair every weekend with the occasional mid week co-wash but knowing whenever I washed meant using heat, I had no choice but to switch my wash days from every week to every other week and that was a huge deal for me going from no heat to heat twice a month.

Washdays couldn't be spontaneous as I needed to ensure I had time to air-dry and then flat iron so depending on my plans, I would pre-poo overnight either Friday or Saturday night and then wash first thing in the morning to get my hair out of the way. Before my cut, I used to wash my hair with a sulfate free shampoo three times a month, clarifying every 4 weeks. After my cut, I had switched to fortnightly washdays so I began to use ORS Creamy Aloe shampoo which is a sulfate shampoo; with every wash to ensure all build up had been removed.

The biggest thing I missed was moisturising and sealing my hair each night and oiling my scalp every other night. With my hair flat ironed and making it last two weeks at a time, I had to moisturise and seal sparingly and only oil my scalp the night before washday. Things had changed quite drastically and although I really loved the cut, I couldn't wait to get some growth so my hair would be long enough for low manipulation styles so I could avoid heat and just air-dry.

It has been four months since the cut and following my relaxer touch up on 24th July, my hair is now shoulder length. My hair is now long enough for me to just air-dry and wear low manipulation styles such as buns and updos which means I am no longer relying on heat. My relaxer touch up could've gone better, my new growth came out straighter than I anticipated which is annoying as since my cut in April I am now officially fully texlaxed. My texture is by no means uniform from root to tip but I have got rid of all my relaxed ends, making my hair so much thicker which is why I couldn't get away with the bob style without the use of heat.

I will be getting all future trims done professionally at the Electric Hair salon, at least until I manage to grow out my hair to armpit length. Getting my trims done at the salon means there will be the use of heat, I am due for a trim now and will be booking an appointment for Friday 9th September as its my mums birthday weekend so it will be nice to have my hair blowdried and flat ironed for the special occasion.

Big chop

From Armpit Length to Neck Length... April 2016

Wednesday, August 17, 2016

Well Hello...

I haven't posted anything in at least four months, my role at work changed and time just wasn't on my side to blog consistently, work and have quality time with my family so unfortunately something had to give.

From the end of 2015, I had been mentioning that I was unhappy with my hair as the majority of my length was texlaxed but the relaxed ends were making my hair look so thin especially in a ponytail and I even mentioned the possibility of cutting my hair into a bob for the summer. Well on 21st March as seen in my last relaxer update post, I cut my hair from bra strap length to armpit length myself. Although the trim made quite a difference to my hair, I knew that I still needed to lose a few more inches due to the back left section of my nape suffering with breakage due to having some majorly under processed sections in my hair.

Before cutting my hair to armpit length

I haven't been to a salon in a while as I was so used to doing my own hair but I knew in order to have a cut where I could also wear my hair down when blow-dried or flat ironing my hair, I'd need a proper cut. I have a friend on Facebook and his sister Serina was always uploading photos of her client's hair which always looked amazing and the clients looked really happy so I sent her a direct message and she got back to me within minutes. We had a lengthy conversation about my hair, the fact I'm texlaxed, the breakage suffered and the kind of cut I was after. She works for a salon called Electric Hair in the town centre of Reading Berkshire where I live and told me it was as simple as downloading the Electric Hair app on my iPhone and choosing a date and time convenient for myself ensuring to select her as the specified stylist to do my hair.

Armpit length

I booked myself in for Friday 29th April and headed straight there after work. It was such a pleasant and pampering experience from the minute I walked through the door. I was offered the choice of either, a hot drink, wine or soft drink before I even managed to sit down in the waiting area and Serina was ready for me within minutes, I was escorted to a base towards the back of the salon mentioning she wouldn't be a fan of people walking past and staring at her from outside as she got her hair done so likes to do the same for her customers.

Once seated we discussed my hair again and she assessed the back section I spoke about and we agreed that realistically if I wanted my hair to be one even length and be able to wear it out, I needed to lose another 4-5 inches (yep hurtful times) which to be honest I already expected and had prepared myself for it. Serina did however mention that other than the breakage I was experiencing at the nape, the rest of my hair was in really good condition (which made me feel good as it proved all the hard work on wash days, moisturising and sealing etc was actually paying off).

I was ushered to the washing area and another lady took over to wash and condition followed by a 5 minute head massage which was so good and intense, I was left feeling relaxed and ready to doze off. Anyway with hair all clean and conditioned it was time for the cut. Serina was amazing and made me feel at ease with the way she was handling my hair in general and by making sure to confirm where she'd be cutting to before she began. After my cut, she blow-dried my hair and then went through with the flat iron.

I was in and out of the salon in just over an hour and a very happy customer. I'll be honest I forgot to take a picture of my hair on the day but I took one a couple of days after on the Sunday.

My hair 2 days after the cut on 1st May 2016

Overall, I was really pleased with my cut and my salon experience and have already been back for a wash and blow-dry and will definitely go back for my trims and special occasions. Serina has recently started to do professional hair relaxing at the salon using Mizani hair products and I have promised myself before the end of the year (probably my Christmas or new year touch up) to go and sit down and enjoy someone else doing my relaxer touch-up for a change as we have already discussed how I texlax my hair and her just following my routine so I will let you know how I get on..

The only issue I didn't think about with cutting my hair so short and being texlaxed was that my hair laughed at me when the week after my salon visit I tried to just blow-dry my hair with cool air after wash day and think I was finished. My hair did not look presentable at all so I had to dig my hair straighteners out to flat iron my hair. I went from using little to no heat on my hair over the last few years to having to use heat with each wash day which made me want to cry so I had to tweak my regime to washing my hair every other week and air-drying first before flat ironing using plenty of heat protectant to prevent heat damage.

May 29th 2016 a month after my cut

Every washday since, I have promised myself not to get into the predicament of having to cut my hair this short ever again unless by choice. The style is really cute and was a complete change for me which I loved and the weather has been good to me majority of the time, but the high maintenance of flat ironing to achieve the style just isn't for me, I can say I've been there, done it and am ready to move on.

I could go on but this post is long enough so in my next post, I'll go into what products I have been using and where my hair is now, four months later.