Here’s to another PJ filled week! I had a goal in mind to restock on KCKT because I’d planned to style with Donna Marie’s Lock & Twist Pudding, but found it sold out in all the distributors near my workplace. So I tiptoed to Whole Foods to peruse their lovely organic filled section of hair products, and what I found was good stuff!
Neem & Shea Scalp Recovery Shampoo
I pre-pooed this past week with a remainder of AOHR mixed with water before rinsing and cleansing my scalp with my latest find, Alaffia’s Neem & Shea Butter Scalp Recovery Shampoo. I don’t know why I picked this up…but lately I’ve had an eye for things that say ‘recovery’…and could help address my scalp issues. This one seemed to fit the bill, was affordable and met my check list as far as what I’m looking for in a shampoo. Now, how did it work? First, the target was my scalp so I dumped half a bottle of the poo in an applicator bottle and applied DIRECTLY to my scalp, then began massaging until I worked up a good lather. I’d guess I used up about a palm full to get the job done…not bad! I remember in the past wasting up to half a shampoo bottle to cleanse my hair because my strands were greedy and soaked up everything. The ingredients aren’t harsh enough to strip the hair, but effective enough to cleanse the scalp thoroughly. The first two are an infusion of Neem Leaf and African Black Soap followed by a saponification of shea butter and virgin palm kernel. Veggie glycerin, panthenol, essential oils and tea tree wrap up the remaining list.
*Here’s some info on the amazing properties of Neem:
Neem is antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal, antiseptic, and antiparasitic. Because of these properties, it is widely deployed in many different toiletries such as soap, toothpaste, hair care products, and skin care products. It is used to treat a wide array of diseases, illnesses, and problems, and is considered a cure-all in India. The oil has moisturizing and regenerative properties, contains Vitamin E, and has essential fatty acids. Scientific research today validates many of the traditional uses of Neem Oil, it is used to treat bacterial, fungal, and viral infections, boost the immune system, and for many specific health problems. Among other conditions, Neem Oil has been historically used to treat the following: Malarial fevers, diabetes, urinary problems, acne, eczema, psoriasis, scabies, gingivitis, swollen and bleeding gums, cavity prevention, ringworm, chicken pox, lice, dandruff, burns, wounds, athlete’s foot.
That’s a lot of punch for one herb to have, which is what made me curious from the get to try this stuff, and I’d have to say I wouldn’t mind alternating this poo with my ACV in the coming weeks. Following the Alaffia, my DC this week was again AOWC, which I left on for 1 hour under conditioning cap after detangling into small sections.
Rinsed with cold water, followed by another new find in Alaffia’s Virgin Coconut & Shea Enriching Hair Lotion. Instead of tracking down KCKT, I leaned on this leave-in that’s formulated for dry, damaged and curly hair. The closest leave-in comparable to the Alaffia would have to be Giovanni’s leave in…consistency wise they match up, yet strangely the Alaffia goes on much lighter, not much slip… but nonetheless it penetrates the hair and does an adequate job of setting up for Donna Marie’s Lock & Twist Pudding.
After twisting I managed to secure the root of each twist with a clip, then sat under my soft bonnet for a good two hours (under the lowest setting). The following morning my twist were fully dry, my roots less poufy due to the clips…before untwisting I sealed the ends with Afroveda’s Hemp Seed Lock Twist Butter. The results were…a well defined twistout….zero frizz…& bouncy curls;-).
I got caught in the rain today, so I’m finally experience some frizz, but nothing a little KBB hair creme can’t cure.
*Neem info courtesy of mountainroseherbs.com
~Back to Curly~ 
