12.29.2009

Sunshyne's Top 12 FAB Products/Methods Of 2009


12. Co-washing 2x/week, shampoo once a week
- Helped to retain length by keeping the moisture levels high in my hair.

11. Hollywood Beauty Castor Oil with Mink Oil
- One of the best sealants for my ends. Sealed in moisture very well.

10. Dusting My Ends with every relaxer
- My ends remain even and healthier.

9. 3PO = 3 Penetrating Oils (Coconut Oil, Olive Oil & Avocado Oil) in my Deep Conditioners
- These oils soften, strengthen and nourish my hair every time I use them.

8. Braid Outs (Bronzeg Method) on Dry and Wet Hair
- Love this style with a passion. Easy to do and looks natural.

7. Creme Of Nature Nourishing & Strengthening Treatment
- Very moisturizing and detangles like a dream while stretching. Staple.

6. Moisturizing & Deep Conditioning in Sections
- This helps to target all areas of my hair to avoid neglect = damage.

5. Hair Therapy Wrap for Deep Conditioning
- Fun way of Deep Conditioning, I'm no longer strapped to the Hooded Dryer :)

4. Coconut oil on scalp and previously relaxed hair before relaxer for protection
- Light oil helps to strengthen & protect my hair from over processing.

3. Scurl No Drip Activator as a leave-in conditioner
- The Best Leave-in Conditioner Period! Took air drying to a whole different level.

2. Using Protein Once A Week
- This helped to strengthen my hair and keep breakage to a minimum.

1. Jamaican Black Castor Oil on my Scalp!!
- Awesome. Increased my growth and thickened my hair. The best thing I ever put on my scalp.


What are your Top 12 Products/Techniques for 2009?


Sunshyne

12.28.2009

Nu-Gro Hair Care Product Review


Shampoo

Promises: For Thinning or Balding Promotes Hair Growth, Thicker Hair and Healing Damaged Hair. Made with 100% Natural Herbs & Vitamins. Money-Back Guarantee.

Directions: Wet hair, lather and rinse thoroughly.

Ingredients: Parsley, Garlic, Nettle, Burdock, Horsetail Coltsfoot, Rosemary Leaf, Jojoba Oil, Olive Oil, Safflower Oil, Castor Oil, Coconut Oil, Shea Butter, Paba Panthenol (B-5), Vitamin E & D, Aloe Vera, Honey, Avocado Oil, Water, Cetyl Alcohol, Stearalkonium Chloride, Honey, Sweet Almond Oil, Hydrolyzed Keratin, Apple Pectin Extract, Propylene Glycol, Dicetyldimonium Chloride, Fragrance, Citric Acid, Polymethoxy Bicyclic Oxazolidine, FD&C Blue No.1 (Ci 42090), FD&C Yellow No.5 (Ci 19140), FD&C Red No.4 (Ci 14700), FD&C Red No.33 (Ci 17200).


The Truth: I found this shampoo very stripping. I don't understand why since there are zero sulfates in it. It doesn't lather well either. Through experience, I've learned that opaque shampoo's (a white creamy texture) tend to be more moisturizing - this wasn't. After a few washes with this shampoo, I noticed my hair feeling very dry and somewhat tangled. I also noticed an increase in shedding. It just wasn't for me. On a brighter note, the scent is very nice! It reminds me of cherries or candy. Overall, I do not like this shampoo. If you have this shampoo and you are experiencing the same results, pre-poo treatment before hand with oil, conditioner or a combination of both.

Moisturizing Conditioner

Promises: For Thinning or Balding. Dry Hair Formula. Made with 100% Natural Herbs & Vitamins.

Directions: After shampooing, Apply to hair. Wait 1 minute, then rinse.

Ingredients: Parsley, Garlic, Nettle, Burdock, Horsetail Coltsfoot, Rosemary Leaf, Jojoba Oil, Olive Oil, Safflower Oil, Castor Oil, Coconut Oil, Shea Butter, Paba Panthenol (B-5), Vitamin E & D, Aloe Vera, Honey, Avocado Oil, Water, Cetyl Alcohol, Stearalkonium Chloride, Honey, Sweet Almond Oil, Hydrolyzed Keratin, Apple Pectin Extract, Propylene Glycol, Dicetyldimonium Chloride, Fragrance, Citric Acid, Polymethoxy Bicyclic Oxazolidine, FD&C Blue No.1 (Ci 42090), FD&C Yellow No.5 (Ci 19140), FD&C Red No.4 (Ci 14700), FD&C Red No.33 (Ci 17200).


The Truth: The consistency of this conditioner was very different. It felt very liquid-y and thin, however, it quickly dissolves/penetrates into the hair when applying - which is a good thing. I easily found myself using more than I needed because it's not thick (I'm so used to piling on conditioner..LOL, a little amount does the trick. I've used this conditioner with heat as a deep conditioner for 30mins and as a co-wash. Both methods made my hair INCREDIBLY soft (almost cottony)
to the touch, it also had great movement and fullness. Remember, this conditioner has NO CONES so you know it's the natural ingredients going to work. Two thumbs up!


Deep Conditioner

Promises: Use to GROW, THICKEN and HEAL Damaged Hair.

Directions: After shampooing, apply generous amount of Deep Conditioner. Place cap on for 10 minutes (20-30w/out cap). Rinse thoroughly. Style as usual.

Ingredients: Water, Parsley, Garlic, Nettle, Burdock, Horsetail Coltsfoot, Rosemary Leaf, Jojoba Oil, Olive Oil, Safflower Oil, Castor Oil, Coconut Oil, Shea Butter, Paba Panthenol (B-5), Vitamin E & D, Aloe Vera, Honey, Avocado Oil, Cetyl Alcohol, Stearalkonium Chloride, Honey, Sweet Almond Oil, Hydrolyzed Keratin, Apple Pectin Extract, Propylene Glycol, Dicetyldimonium Chloride, Fragrance, Citric Acid, Polymethoxy Bicyclic Oxazolidine, FD&C Blue No.1 (Ci 42090), FD&C Yellow No.5 (Ci 19140), FD&C Red No.4 (Ci 14700), FD&C Red No.33 (Ci 17200).


The Truth: Fabulous Deep Conditioner! Each and every time I use this product, my hair becomes smooth, supple and manageable for days. I don't have to add any oils to this conditioner because there are so many goodies (7) in it. The presence of protein (Hydrolyzed Keratin) doesn't phase me because this conditioner is extremely moisturizing and this ingredient is towards the bottom of the list. I've used it after shampooing and on dry hair for 30mins with my hooded dryer & hair therapy wrap with great results. The consistency & ingredients are very similar to the Moisturizing Conditioner. When applying it to the hair you'll feel as though the conditioner is not even there since it dissolves quickly and doesn't leave behind a "white creamy look" on the hair. I was shocked when this deep conditioner softened my hair and detangled my 6 weeks post new growth. Oh wait, I must say though, it does not have a pleasant scent because upon opening the jar, I was immediately hit with the garlic aroma along with the smell of the other extracts/herbs. Fortunately, the weird smell does not linger in the hair after drying. Overall, I like it!

Leave-In Spray w/Moisturizer

Promises: Promotes Fast hair Growth, thicker hair, healing damaged hair.

Directions:
Use spray daily to grow and moisturize hair, giving it body, bounce and shine. Spray on after hair is styled.

Ingredients: Water, Glycerin, Parsley, Garlic, Irish Moss, Indian Hemp, Rosemary, Nettle, Burdock, Horsetail Coltsfoot, Lemon Verbena, Sage, Myrrh, Coconut Oil, Marigold, Biotin Birch, Lavender Oil, Jojoba Oil, Evening Primrose Oil, Fragrance, Paba Panthenol (B-5), Vitamin E, Vitamin A and D, Aloe Vera, Honey, Avocado Oil.

The Truth: This is by far my favourite Nu-Gro Product! This stuff is the truth!!! Honestly. I love how it thickens (due to the panthenol), hydrates and softens my hair. I think the combination of oils and extracts really help to tame my hair (reduce frizz), especially while stretching my relaxer. The spray smells like candy/cherries yet resembles water, since it's completely clear and easily penetrates into the hair. I use it as a leave-in after I rinse out the Nu-Gro Deep Conditioner/moisturizing conditioner or as a daily moisturizer then seal with the Nu-Gro Butter. It's a good combination. I was really impressed with this leave-in.

Hair-Gro Butter

Promises:
"Petroleum-Free" formula is designed to grow, thicken and heal damaged

Directions: Apply to Scalp Daily

Ingredients: Shea Butter, Coconut Oil, Olive Oil, Parsley, Garlic, Nettle, Burdock, Horsetail Coltsfoot, Jojoba Oil, Safflower Oil, Castor Oil, Fragrance, Paba Panthenol (B-5), Vitamin E and D.

The Truth: The fragrance of this product is very peculiar. It's so hard to describe but it kind of smells like coco butter. The light olive green consistency reminds me of mousse since it's extremely fluffy and light like whipped butter.



Use a small amount because a little goes a long way. When you rub the butter in between your hands it melts right away and turns clear. I've never experienced build up or a weird film on my hair with this product. I've used this butter on my edges, nape and to seal in moisture daily. It locks in moisture very well & produces a nice healthy shine in the hair, so it's great as a finishing product.

Overall, the Nu-Gro Line is very good and I highly recommend it to anyone looking for natural products without the presence of sulfates, cones, or parabens. This line truly moisturizes the hair and comes with everything (shampoo, conditioner, deep conditioner etc.) you need to start off your healthy hair care regimen at a reasonable price. I've used this line for approx. 2 weeks now and I haven't noticed an increase in thickness or growth, I guess it will take more time :) I like this line a lot, unfortunately, I don't care for the shampoo.

PROMO CODE:
NULISTA (for great discounts)

Hairlicious Rating: (4/5) Very Good




Sunshyne

12.24.2009

How I Went From SL to APL in 7 months - My Old Regimen!


Hair Question:

"What was your regimen that made you get from shoulder length to arm pit length?"
Answer:

I get this question frequently so it's better that I answer it in a blog post. It took me 7 months (October 2007 - May 2008) to get from shoulder length to arm pit length. My regimen was pretty simple, however I used way more products back then.

Here's what I use to do:

I shampooed and deep conditioned with heat & oils every 3-4 days (Mondays and Thursdays). My deep conditioners were always moisture based mixed with oils & honey since my hair was moisture deprived at the time. I did my protein treatments 1x/month. I air dried 99% of the time, moisturized & sealed twice a day, put my hair in a bun daily, and co-washed maybe once a week. Overall, I did more moisture over protein, which helped me retain a lot of length and prevent breakage.

Here are the products I used to use:

Shampoo:

Creme of Nature Detangling Shampoo (green label)
Elasta QP Creme Conditioning Shampoo

Moisturizing Deep Conditioners:

Elasta QP DPR-11
AtOne Botanical Reconstructor with Moisture Recovery
Creme of Nature Nourishing Conditioner
Herbal Essences Replenishing Conditioner

Protein Conditioner:

Mane N Tail Original Conditioner
Aussie Moist mixed with 1-2eggs and EVOO (Extra Virgin Olive Oil)

Leave-in Conditioner:

Elasta QP HTWO Leave-in
Elasta QP Oil Recovery
Neutrogena Triple Moisture Silk Touch Leave-in Creme

Moisturizer:

Wave Nouveau Moisturizing Finishing Lotion sealed with Safflower Oil or Hollywood Beauty Castor Oil

Co-wash Conditioners:

Neutrogena Triple Moisture Daily Deep Conditioner
Herbal Essences Replenishing Conditioner
Herbal Essences None Of Your Frizzness
Suave Tropical Coconut
Pantene Fortifying Conditioner
Aussie Moist

Some Techniques That Helped Me:

1. Baggying overnight
2. Damp Bunning daily
3. Doing the scarf method to lay down my new growth in the front while stretching.

Tip: As you carry on in your journey, your hair needs will begin to change. What worked back then wasn't going to get me to BSL because the extra moisture was thinning out my ends - so changes had to be made. Going from APL to BSL, my hair required more protein, less shampoo and less products. Be open to making changes in your hair regimen so that your hair will continue to progress allowing you to reach your hair goals quicker.

Sunshyne

12.23.2009

Coconut Oil Challenge - Coming Soon!

The highly anticipated Coconut Oil Challenge is just DAYS away! Get your coconut oil ASAP. I have a full Jar ready for this challenge. Rules will be posted on Hairlista.com in Jan 2010. Stay tuned :-)


MySpace-Countdowns





Sunshyne

12.19.2009

Brownelovely is the Honeyfig Twitter Winner!

Congrats Brownelovely!!!

You are random winner #115 out of 121 contestants.



Big shout out to everyone who participated in the contest. Much love to you all. Be sure to look out for more contests in 2010.

Sunshyne

12.10.2009

Win A $50 Gift Certificate from HoneyFig.com via TWITTER! - Contest EXTENDED!

Hairlicious Readers ...want free hair care products & goodies for the Holidays?

Get ready to indulge in brands like Kinky Curly, Curls, or Blended Beauty! Enter our simple retweet competition on Twitter to be able to win $50 eGift Certificate from HoneyFig.com :)



It’s Really Easy to Enter

The only thing you have to do is to Retweet (just once) our contest invite on Twitter - that's it.

(copy & paste, then retweet this →) RT: Win $50 Gift Card from HoneyFig.com – Follow @Hairlicious now. They are giving it away! Visit http://bit.ly/84KSG1 for more info!

(click on this for an easy retweet)

Just make sure your tweet (1) contains our Twitter name (@Hairlicious so we can track you as a contestant) and a link to this blog post (of which http://bit.ly/84KSG1 is a short version)

We will DM (direct message) the winner so make sure you follow us @Hairlicious (http://twitter.com/Hairlicious).

That’s all you have to do. See? Entering is very easy!

Don’t have a Twitter Account?


Twitter is a social networking and microblogging service. It allows you to send short messages 140 characters in length, called “tweets”, to your friends, or “followers.” You can find more information about Twitter here.

Signing up is very easy, FREE and only takes a few seconds.

How do we decide the Winner?

Click for an easy Retweet!
On Thursday December 17th Saturday December 19th at 12:01am EST we will randomly select one winner from everybody who sent a Tweet according to the guidelines above.

We will announce the winner via Twitter the same day (so we highly suggest you follow us) and will contact the winner through DM (direct message).

Terms of Service


In order to participate, you must have a Twitter account, and have accepted the Terms of Service of Twitter.

In order to participate, you must send ONE valid tweet (multiple tweets are void) which contains our Twitter name (@Hairlicious, so we can track you as a contestant), and a link to this contest post (http://bit.ly/84KSG1 is the short version).

We will DM the winner so make sure you follow us @Hairlicious.

The winner will be randomly selected from all valid tweets.

On Thursday December 17th Saturday December 19th 2009, we will reveal the winner.

Have Fun ~ xoxo

Sunshyne

12.09.2009

Product Haul: Got My Nu-Gro!!


I got my Nu-Gro Products in the mail this week. I got the Ultimate Deep Conditioner Hair-GRO Kit along with the Moisturizing Conditioner & Hair-Gro Butter.

I can't wait to try these products out. Be on the look out for products review shortly!!!

Sunshyne

12.07.2009

Sunshyne's Skin Regimen

My skin regimen is pretty simple and only consists of 3 products.

I use the Cetaphil cleanser for oily skin (since I have acne prone skin) twice a day (morning & night). This cleanser is very gentle and mild on my skin. It doesn't leave behind that harsh dry feeling.


The baking soda is used as a mild exfoliant (gentle enough to use daily). I exfoliate with a teaspoon amount every night to remove dead skin cells, which gives my skin a nice healthy glow.

I then mix my baking soda with a quarter size amount of the Cetaphil cleanser, which then looks like this↓↓↓

I proceed to wet my face with warm water to open my pores, I rub the mixture in-between my palms and then apply it to my face (rubbing in a circular motion for 1 min). Below is a pic of me about to rinse with cool water :-)

I pat dry with a towel and move on to moisturizing!

For about 2 months now, I've been using Shea Butter as my one-and-only moisturizer. I must say that it R E A L L Y agrees with my skin. My dark marks are slowly fading, my skin carries a nice glow plus it's very soft. I use a tiny amount twice a day after cleansing.

This is the final result. Check out my "fresh-face" photo below. Excuse my eyebrows, I'm growing them out!
Just to re-cap, I use the Cetaphil Cleanser morning & night, I mix the Baking Soda with the Cetaphil cleanser in the night only, and I moisturize with Shea Butter morning & night. That's it!!

Sunshyne

Blog Widget by LinkWithin