Recently, I was graciously given the opportunity to test out and review Alikay Naturals Moisturizing Black Soap Shampoo and Honey and Sage Deep Conditioner. Just for you! Yes, this was a very kind offer, which I really appreciate. No worries, curlies! (My Curly Mane takes the stand, picks up a prayer book, and raises my right hand). I will always speak the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth in my reviews. So help my mane! (Takes seat and begins testimonial).
Alikay Naturals is the brainchild of Rochelle Graham-Campbell aka Black Onyx77 on YouTube. I give her lots of credit for stepping up and becoming a woman in business, particularly in the natural hair care industry. I have never used the Alikay product line before, but was pleased to know that both the shampoo and deep conditioner are marketed as being 100% natural and 90% organic, especially since my curly mane is slowly taking a liking to all natural ingredients (as opposed to its relationship with mineral oil and silicones aka “bad” products for hair). Here are the goods:
MOISTURIZING BLACK SOAP SHAMPOO
1. Price: Approximately $11 for an 8 oz. bottle ( a little more than your average drug store brand but relatively affordable)
2. Key Ingredients: Water, Raw African Black Soap (always wanted to try this!), coconut oil (as you already know, my hair loves this), essential oils, fragrance, herbal and botanical blend. No: Petroleum, mineral oil, alcohol, paraben, sulfate, silicones (aka all that “bad” stuff I mentioned prior)
3. Scent: Great!I’d describe this as soapy, Hawaiian Punch mixed with bubble gum … if there is such a thing. Yum!
4. Application: Okay, this is where it gets tricky. This product is reeeaaally watery as opposed to traditional shampoos. I wasn’t quite prepared for this. At first, I poured it into my hands … and watched as the product seeped through my fingers and into the drain. Fail (on my part)! I poured some more into my palms, tried rubbing them together … but there was very little lather. Fail! I tried pouring it into my hand and quickly tossing it over my hair. Fail! Okay, call me slow on this one, but on my final try, I just held my head back and tipped the bottle over my hair. Whala (voila)! I could feel it seeping into my scalp. I poured it onto the top of my hair several times, then worked it throughout my scalp. Perfect!
Please note: The label already addresses the consistency of this product … I just happened to skip reading it and wasted a lot of product in doing so. According to the label, “it is in a watery form so no thickening agents have been added.” Very true. In fact, it feels as if the shampoo isn’t doing anything, which is what I initially assumed. I ended up pouring extra amounts—certainly more than what was needed—on my hair, since I assumed that it still wasn’t clean. Once again, there is no lather from this shampoo or dryness to my hair, as with regular shampoo, so this threw me off.
Yet, the shampoo must have worked because afterwards my hair felt soft. This product definitely did not strip away my natural oils, as promised. It also absorbed well into my hair. I just had a tough time gauging whether or not work was done (due to its lack of drying properties) and how much of it is needed. You may not experience this, but remember this is what happened to my curly mane.
5. Moisture & Feel: Even before I proceeded to condition my hair, my hair felt soft and moisturized.
6. Look: Alikay Moisturizing Black Soap Shampoo is dark brown in color and has a thin, liquid consistency. As for my hair, its appearance was typical of what it looks like after washing. However, I lost muchless hair than I do when using regular shampoo. I’m pretty sure this is because regular shampoos contain sodium lauryl sulfate, which like a detergent, strips away natural oils from hair, thereby drying it out and leading to breakage.
Survey Says: While this won’t necessarily upstage my other products, I’m not opposed to revisiting it. I still like to use a little something that will clarify, but you can always add that type of product to your routine. Alikay Naturals may actually have something similar in their line. I’m comfortable recommending this to you, particularly for curlies suffering at the hands of traditional shampoos. Just use my suggested application tip, so you don’t waste the product and save dollars!
As written on the label, “honey attracts water to hair then locks in moisture in each strand. Sage is proven to prevent hair loss and thicken hair. Extra Virgin Olive Oil adds shine and softness.” If you subscribe to My Curly Mane, you’ll know that I briefly touched upon the use of honey for hair. It is a humectant, attracting moisture to hair. Not to mention, when you eat it, honey boosts the immune system.
I did a double take when reading that this deep conditioner also contains babassu oil, which is new to me. Upon further research, I discovered that babassu (say that three times!) is a vegetable oil that grows in the South American Amazon. It is a non-drying emollient that has similar properties as coconut oil and is often recommended for soap makers.
3. Scent: The Honey and Sage Deep Conditioner smells like minty bubble gum, reminiscent of Miss Jessie’s Curly Buttercreme. This may be credited to the inclusion of Eucalyptus Oil. While I’m not a fan of minty hair products, this product is ideal for those of you who adore this aroma. I also wasn’t thrill with the smell of my hair when blow dried (I have a sensitive sniffer) but to each their own.
4. Application: This product is thiiiick, so you’ll need to rake, smooth, and work the product into your hair. I tested this two ways. The first time I left the deep conditioner in my hair for 15 minutes with a shower cap over my head. I then rinsed it out of my hair. My hair felt very soft. The second time, I applied the product, covered my hair with a shower cap, and sat under a hooded dryer for 15 minutes. This worked much better and left my hair softer and even more moisturized.
5. Moisture & Feel: Once again, this deep conditioner succeeded in adding moisture to my hair. This, of course, made my curly mane cottony to touch.
6. Look: This conditioner looks like gritty oat meal and leaves behind traces of beads in the shower. I was surprised to discover that after using it, my hair was very fluffy, fuller as stated, and a bit elongated. Perhaps this is because my hair was also more hydrated.
Survey Says: This deep conditioner works pretty well. It definitely softens my hair, and I can see it coming in handy during the winter. While I don’t think it’s essential for me (we’ll see when winter comes), it may be helpful for you, particularly if your mane is recovering from heat damage or tends to be on the dry side.
FINAL VERDICT
These products live up to their promise. They infuse moisture into hair, which is key for hair health. I don’t think they will replace my current lineup at this point, but I’m also not opposed to using them again. I still have some of each product left over, so I will continue to use them up and update this post as needed. Stay tuned for updates!
Of course, you won’t know how these items respond to your curly mane unless you try them yourself. I know. I know. Trial and error again. Alikay Naturals Moisturizing Black Soap Shampoo and Honey and Sage Deep Conditioner can be purchase from www.blackonyxworld.com.
Have you used Alikay Naturals? If you decide to try these products or have in the past, please report back here. I’m interested in knowing your results and hair story.
I have a confession to make (stands up and addresses all curlies): I am obsessed with long curly hair! (lets out a sigh of relief). Believe me. I don’t think long hair is any better than short hair or teeny weeny afros (TWAs). I just find myself ogling lengthy, bountiful curls. My weakness for length fuels my hair goal—to achieve waist length hair.
Before achieving my current length, I’ve made several errors and had many hiccups along the way. Now that I know how to care for and maintain my curly mane (and am constantly learning and sharing this information with you), I know that I can achieve this goal. Come back again, and I’ll update you on my progress. For now, let’s talk about a few pesky items that often get in the way of our hair’s health and growth.
SHEDDING
While this doesn’t get in the way of hair growing, it should be explained and distinguished from the items that do. Hairnistas say that everyone’s hair grows at different rates, and the average rate is a half inch per month. They also say that you’ll lose about 100 shed hairs per day. How do you know what are shed hairs? They’re the strands with the white bulbs at the end. These bulbs literally come out of the root, as the hair has reaches the end of its days. There is nothing to worry about unless shedding is excessive aka you’ve created a carpet made of hair! If you do experience extra shedding, you may want to see a doctor/dermatologist about whether this is linked to an illness or an imbalance in hormones and/or stress.
BREAKAGE
Now that you know how to identify shed hairs, let’s separate this from hair loss due to breakage. If your strands are missing a bulb, this is typically hair that has bid adieu because of breakage. These strands, which are typically shorter in length, are damaged by a variety of reasons. They include:
1. Heat – Ah, the gift and the curse. While I like to use blow dryers to speed up my styling time, please refrain from blow frying your hair to death. This includes burning your hair with flat irons and pressing combs.
2. Harsh Chemicals/Perms – Our hair is very delicate and prone to breakage from anything that loosens up the follicles. Hair color and lye, the active ingredient in relaxers, can be dangerous culprits. According to LIVESTRONG.COM, “Lye, or sodium hydroxide, penetrates the hair shaft and breaks down some of its structure, effectively loosening its natural curl. Thus, chemical relaxers’ real function is to damage your hair and make it weaker. This process can’t be reversed.” Yikes!
3. Tight Ponytails and Braids – Yes, they’re cute when done right. However, when styled too tightly (and you can see skin pulling at your crown), you’ve done did it now! Your hair can be literally pulled and tugged from the roots or become broken.
4. Roughing It Up – If you’re a curlie who thinks thrashing and hacking her hair with a comb and brush will tame it, stop right there! This excessively harsh treatment will cause your hair to break.
5. Over Moisturizing – Too much moisture can actually be a bad thing. Yes, believe it or not. It can cause limp, noodle-like tresses that are prone to breakage. Please read more about this in my post on how to moisturize natural hair.
6. Too Much Protein – This can cause your hair to dry out due to the lack of moisture. As you should know, dry hair leads to ____(fill in the blank). 😉
7. Product Build up – Product that piles high on our strands leave little room for the good stuff (moisture) to get into our tresses. When this happens, guess what’s the result? Seeing a theme here?
SPLIT ENDS
When your ends fray, there is little to no solution to fixing it. There are products that claim to moisturize those older ends to prevent the split from worsening. You can also moisturize your ends to prevent splitting, but ultimately, split ends need to be trimmed away. Time for them to literally split!
Now that you know what damaged hair looks like and how it’s caused, please pay close attention to your curly mane. Even if you’re not seeking length, these tips will help you to get healthy hair. Be kind to your curls. Mend all splits or cut them off for good, so you can positively progress in your hair journey.
I think it’s good for a person to spend time alone. It gives them an opportunity to discover who they are and to figure out why they are always alone.” ~ Amy Sedaris
A photo I took at a park during really good “me time”
Greta Garbo, screen siren of the ’30s, famously sported pant suits and trademark finger waves. This leading lady strode into a room and easily drew attention, which is ironic because she has historically been credited with often saying, “I just want to be alone.”
This brings up the topic of “me time.” Time is truly a precious gem. With our lives moving in warped speed, it may appear as if there just isn’t enough time to get things done … or to do nothing at all. That fluid time to dip and do, that “me time,” is becoming more and more of a necessity.
For introverts, like myself … waaaait! Time out! Let’s not confuse this with shy people. Nuh, uh. Introverts are people who need time for self reflection. This is how they refuel. This is also opposed to our sparkling extroverts, who need social interactions to process their experience with the world. Neither one is better than the other. It’s just different ways in which we navigate our journey.
Back to my point. For introverts, like myself, “me time” is necessary. Even if you’re not an introvert, this is the time needed to engage in hobbies like cleaning, cooking, knitting, and of course, blogging. Heck, you can just sit around and watch TV, catch a movie, daydream, and play in your curly mane. Yes, my curly friend. If you’re lucky to have a little “me time,” try some of the tips I’ve shared here.
As Audrey Hepburn said, “I have to be alone very often. I’d be quite happy if I spent from Saturday night until Monday morning alone in my apartment. That’s how I refuel.” Just don’t forget to get back out into the world. Don’t get lost curlie!
In my journey thus far, there have been times when I had to study or go shopping alone. At first, I kicked rocks and complained about my friends’ busy schedules. Soon, I embraced that time, as it forced me to learn about myself. I had to turn inward and make my own decisions, steer my own course. It’s such a key lesson for young women, as we often fall for group think or what so and so says. Sometimes that “me time” is just what answers questions and opens the door to spiritual awakening. Okay, I won’t go too far into hippie mode!
For the busy mamas out there, “me time” is a hot commodity with kids running around and possibly also a hubby to tend to. If and when you can seize it, I applaud you! For my ladies with time on your hands, please use it well. Take some time to look within, have fun, and relax for a minute. Carpe diem!
Award-winning actress Viola Davis legendarily shocked curlies and non curly headed girls alike when she revealed her beautiful, natural hair during this year’s Oscars. It was a moment that seemly set Hollywood on fire, with several celebs whipping off their wigs, taking out weaves, and putting down flat irons to reveal their curly manes. Let’s count them up. There’s been Raven Symone, Tamera Mowry, Angela Simmons, and recently The Big O–Oprah, among the bunch.
This week, Miss Davis stunned us once more by showcasing her curly mane during the red carpet premiere of her new film, Won’t Back Down. Like her film’s title, Viola is unapologetic when it comes to her hair. On Anderson Live with Anderson Cooper, she discussed her natural hair and struggles with the Hollywood beauty beasts.
“For me, I felt like every time I put on a wig, I was apologizing for who I was, being a dark-skinned woman with very curly hair. I felt like I was hiding it,” says Davis.
Her statements are sad but not new. Historically, in the African-American community, women are taught to hate their hair due to deep-rooted issues dating back to slavery. This negativity festers in families and/or community members. As Viola stated, “there’s not enough time to explain the hair issues” … well, except here at My Curly Mane!
This history, which spans across different lands and cultures, may come as no surprise to you, but the shocker is that we’ve just gotten to the point where celebrities are also supporting the cause, allowing women to know that there is no shame in having naturally curly hair. The kinks, fluff, coils, poof, and all the other variations of our hair is amazing. It’s also appreciated when these celebrities don’t just jump on the bandwagon, but instead, they are willing to address their own issues and the pressures to maintain the images forced upon them. This is beyond just wearing magic hair and wigs for fun or a preferred style. This is about hating your natural hair and those of others and finally coming into self acceptance.
For Viola, she felt as if she wasn’t being authentic by hiding her hair. It sounds as if there was a certain amount of shame associated with it, which many women face. Making this step towards self acceptance on a global platform like the Oscars or any red carpet takes a lot of chutzpah! For myself, I rode the roller coaster ride of hair acceptance before choosing the road less traveled. That path is always the hardest, whether it’s about your hair or simply being authentic to your beliefs, just being yourself.
Do you recall a time when you weren’t being your authentic self? Have you ever hid your hair in shame?
Get This Look
Viola’s hair is tightly curly in one of my fave colors–red. If you have natural hair, you can mirror this look by doing a wash and go. Literally, wash and let your fro go … unless you need assistance through a few products and quick tricks. As always, you can apply a leave-in conditioner and styler to wet hair, twisting your curls into neat formations with your fingers. Once dry, you can leave as is, or gently separate and tug on your hair for more volume.
Strut. Strut. Pop. Twirl. Werk it like a supermodel, girl! New York Fashion Week 2012 has come to a close, with style forecasters predicting that ladies will don color, sparkle, and prints for the fall season. Yet, there’s another overlooked trend that caught my attention. I’m sure you’ve probably guessed it. Yes, my friend. We have curls!
Our catwalk curls are courtesy of skilled designers Mark Badgley and James Mischka, the team behind Badgley Mischka. According to the designers, their show was inspired by the 1920s German Impressionist film, Metropolis. I’ve never seen this movie, but I noted the throwback details (fur collars) blended with modern accents (cut out details of each dress). Naturally, I applaud them for using purple and blue tones (Glad they got the memo! 😉 ) along with the gilded and rose-colored fabrics. The slightly Gothic makeup—I adore.
Now, I know you’re questioning where curls factor into this piece. Well, they were everywhere! Each model took the stage with short, textured hair that perfectly framed their faces. The ’dos were light, fluffy, and airy looking, hinting at a romantic feel. It reminded me of previous shows by Brit designer Vivienne Westwood (love her work), who’s no stranger to highlighting curly hair or taking any risks for that matter. For Badgley Mischka, textured tresses amplified their regal, feminine looks.
If your hair already looks like this, you’re in luck … and fashionably on point! If not, you can mirror this look by volumizing your hair with an afro pik, or lightly separating your curls by hand. Frizz is your friend for this look, so feel free to play. If you have shorter locks, you have an advantage, as you can easily fluff your hair (through a pik or by hand) to frame your face. For tighter curls, try roller setting, braid-outs, or twists-outs to duplicate this texture. Don’t forget to add a side part.
While I am happy to see curls on the runway, I have to pose a few questions. Do you think that Badgley Mischka’s fall line should have included a diversity of models, sporting a variety of curls? Do you think the simple presence of textured hair on the catwalk is enough, since they were capturing a period, and we should count it as a win for all of our curly manes? Please share your thoughts and don’t forget this season’s trends. You better werk!
A natural haired beauty works a high top fade, steals scene from Rihanna.
Approximately 6.1 million of you tuned in to watch this year’s MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs) either to catch a glimpse of One Direction, laugh with Kevin Hart, listen to Pink rock out, or watch how the Chris Brown-Rihanna-Drake saga would unfold. However, do you know the true star of the show? Spotted! Two unique manes!
Our first curlie cat walked to the beat of her own drum. I’m not talking about the typical spirally locks that are highlighted in the media. Our natural haired lady took it waaay back to Hammer time! She, whose name I unfortunately don’t know, was one of the night’s models. She was tasked with escorting winners to and from the stage.
She immediately caught my eye when pop star Rihanna accepted her award. Ri Ri looked spectacular, and I was focused on her until … a leggy beauty handed her a VMA. The model’s svelte, sexy frame was complemented by her sparkly dress and … high top fade! Yes, this beauty took the afro to new heights … literally! Her look was signature Grace Jones. I wouldn’t be surprised if experimental Rihanna also made a mental download of her hair and will mirror it as her next look.
This curlie was spotted stealing the show from Taylor Swift.
Just as I was in awe of this feminine fade, out came yet another natural beauty onto the stage. Our second gal was spotted performing as a backup singer for country teen queen Taylor Swift. In fact, she wasn’t in the background. She was performing side by side with the star for the majority of the performance, placing her full-on curly mane on display, on display, on display (okay, enough with TheReal Housewives reference). She whipped her curls about, animating the song and easily drawing me in.
Did you see it?? Are you inspired to rock out with these looks? If you’ve always done braid-outs, follow our second curlie and try a wash and go (click here for my 10 steps). If you’re looking for a funky new look, especially if you are big chopping, try our first gal’s ‘do. You can even take it to another level and add colors or designs! A bit too extreme for me, but still a pretty cool look indeed.
Have you tried a fade or similar unique look? Did you steal the show? Feel free to share your story below.
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