Antistatic, cleansing and conditioning agent.

What does it do for the hair?

Behentrimonium Chloride is an excellent detangler typically found in conditioners, deep conditioners and leave-ins. It's build-up free, softens the hair and conditions each strand. It provides potent conditioning effects to smooth the cuticle.

Which products contain this ingredient?

• Creme of Nature Argan Oil 7-N-1 Leave-in Treatment
• Herbal Essences Hello Hydration
• Herbal Essences Honey I'm Strong
• Suave Professionals Natural Infusion with Macadamia oil & White Orchid
• Shea Moisture Raw Shea Butter Restorative Conditioner w/Sea Kelp & Argan Oil
• Camille Rose Naturals Coconut Water Penetrating Hair Treatment

Instantly detangles, revitalizes & hydrates…naturally! Nourish your hair using the goodness of nature's garden with straight from eden plant-derived hydrating shampoo, a luxurious creamy & hydrating formula created to replenish moisture, while gently cleansing all hair types. This sulfate-free formula is made with conditioning plant extracts derived from coconut, avocado and olive oils.

Conditioning Treatment

Strengthens, deeply fortifies & repairs…naturally!  A rejuvenating & fortifying formula created for all hair types to strengthen hair and protect against damage and dehydration.

Detangling Leave-in Conditioner 

Improve the manageability of your hair using the goodness of nature's garden with straight from eden plant-derived detangling leave-in conditioner, a nourishing and protective formula created for all hair types to condition, nourish and shield hair from damage. This naturally invigorating two-phase formula is made with conditioning plant extracts derived from coconut, avocado and olive oils.

Repairing Oil

Repairs, controls frizz & adds shine…naturally! Restore the health of your hair using the goodness of nature's garden with straight from eden plant-derived repairing oil, a powerful restorative formula in natural hair created to reclaim strength and give brilliant natural shine to all hair types. This weightless nourishing natural fusion of oils uses coconut oil to add hydration and incredible softness, olive oil to help heal and strengthen, and avocado oil to restore shine and softness while strengthening for beautifully healthy hair.

Directions:

Shampoo

Apply to wet hair. Massage into a rich lather. Rinse thoroughly.

Conditioning Treatment

Apply evenly from roots to ends. Gently comb through for even distribution. Leave on for 5-7 minutes. Rinse thoroughly. For deep conditioning, place a plastic cap over the hair and sit under a warm hooded dryer for 10-15 minutes. Rinse thoroughly. Style as desired.

Detangling Leave-in Conditioner 

Shake well to blend and activate two-phase formula. Spray a generous amount throughout hair from root to ends. Spray evenly onto damp hair and comb through. Do not rinse. Beginning at bottom of hair, use wide tooth comb or paddle brush to gently remove tangles.

Repairing Oil

Dispense a small amount of oil and rub into palm for even distribution. Apply to damp hair to help repair, control frizz and protect against heat damage. For best results, use weekly on wet hair after shampooing and conditioning. Apply to dry hair to restore health and enhance high gloss shine. Apply from scalp to ends, focusing on brittle areas.


Ingredients:

Shampoo

Aqua (Water) (Eau), Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Cocamide MEA, Parfum (Fragrance), Polyquaternium-10, Glycol Stearate, Glycol Distearate, Citric Acid, Tetrasodium EDTA, Dimethicone, Cetrimonium Chloride, Argania Spinosa Kernel (Argan) Oil, Olea Europaea (Olive) Fruit Oil, Persea Gratissima (Avocado) Oil, Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil, Carthamus Tinctorius (Safflower) Seed Oil, Amodimethicone, Bambusa Vulgaris Extract, Trideceth-12, Benzyl Salicylate, Citral, Coumarin, Butylphenyl Methylpropional, Limonene, Linalool, Phenoxyethanol, Methylisothiazolinone, CI 19140 (Yellow 5), CI 42090 (Blue 1)

Conditioning Treatment


Aqua (Water) (Eau), Glycerin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Polyquaternium-37, Cetyl Alcohol, Dicetyldimonium Chloride, Parfum (Fragrance), Dicaprylyl Carbonate, PEG-12 Dimethicone, Lanolil Oil, Dimethicone, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Polyquaternium-10, Amodimethicone, Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil, Phenyl Trimethicone, Isopropyl Alcohol, Dimethiconol, Isostearyl Ethylimidazolinium Ethosulfate, Lauryl Glucoside, Theobroma Cacao (Cocoa) Seed Butter, Glycine Soja (Soybean) Oil, Panthenol, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter, Propylene Glycol, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Olea Europaea (Olive) Fruit Oil, Persea Gratissima (Avocado) Oil, Carthamus Tinctorius (Safflower) Seed Oil, Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Bambusa Vulgaris Extract, Triticum Vulgare (Wheat) Starch, Benzyl Salicylate, Citral, Coumarin, Butylphenyl Methylpropional, Limonene, Linalool, Phenoxyethanol, Methylisothiazolinone, CI 19140 (Yellow 5), CI 42090 (Blue 1)

Detangling Leave-in Conditioner 

Aqua (Water) (Eau), Cyclopentasiloxane, Parfum (Fragrance), Dimethicone, Polyquaternium-6, Lactic Acid, Dimethiconol, Phenyl Trimethicone, Polyquaternium-16, Cocodimonium Hydroxypropyl Hydrolyzed Keratin, Olea Europaea (Olive) Fruit Oil, Argania Spinosa Kernel (Argan) Oil, Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil, Persea Gratissima (Avocado) Oil, Carthamus Tinctorius (Safflower) Oil, Cocodimonium Hydroxypropyl Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Bambusa Vulgaris Extract, Panthenol, Disodium EDTA - Copper, Benzophenone-4, Benzyl Salicylate, Citral, Coumarin, Butylphenyl Methylpropional, Limonene, Linalool, Imidazolidinyl Urea, CI 19140 (Yellow 5)


Repairing Oil

CyclopentaSiloxane , dimethicone , dimethiconol , Propylene Glycol Dicaprylate , Dicaprate , amodimethicone , Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil (Argan) , Cocos Nucifera Oil (Coconut) , Olea Europaea Fruit Oil (Olive) , Persea Gratissima Oil (Avocado) , BHA , Carthamus Tinctorius (Safflower) Seed OiI , Bambusa Vulgaris Extract , Cyclotetrasiloxane , Benzophenone-3 , fragrance , BEnzyl Benzoate , BEnzyl Salicylate , Citral , Coumarin , Butylphenyl MEthylpropional , limonene , linalool , CI 47000 (Yellow 11) , CI 61565 (Green 6)

Truth:

Shampoo


I'm a lover of the Creme of Nature Argan Oil Shampoo. It won my heart over when it first came out a few years back. I've been using it religiously ever since! So when Creme of Nature introduced the new Straight From Eden Shampoo with the 3 Penetrating Oils - Olive Oil, Coconut Oil and Avocado Oil, I had to try it out! I love the fact that this shampoo is sulfate-free. It has a creamy yet "slippy" consistency. This shampoo is very potent, so a little goes a long way. It helps to detangle and soften my hair which is a bonus! However, the Creme of Nature Argan Oil Shampoo does a better job at making my hair feel like butter!! Overall, I love the packaging of the bottle - you can turn it upside down (as shown in the pic below) to drain all the product toward the opening ensuring use every drop! Two thumbs up for that :)


Conditioning Treatment


Very opaque in colour yet rich in texture. I love the fact that Creme of Nature made another moisturizing conditioner with great detangling properties and nourishing oils. If you don't know by now, I ALWAYS add Olive Oil, Coconut Oil and Avocado Oil to my conditioners for added benefits. These oils are known to penetrate the hair shaft improving your hairs health. The fact that Creme of Nature added them into each and every product providing benefits during each phase, is great! I've used this conditioner on dry and damp hair. I prefer it on wet/damp hair. I find that it soaks into my hair better. My hair comes out soft and fluffy with each use. The fresh citrus scent lingers in your hair after too :) Although it contains several oils, along with Shea Butter, this conditioner does not weigh your hair down.  It has the exact same packaging as the shampoo; but I think the conditioner should be in a slightly bigger bottle.



Detangling Leave-in Conditioner 


I was a bit nervous to use the leave-in conditioner since it contained protein. I tend to shy away from leave-in products containing protein, i.e. Keratin, simply because it makes my hair hard which then leads to breakage... No thanks! I then decided to try the product on a small sample of my hair...boy was I wrong! I love how light-weight the mist is. Within seconds of spraying it on my strands, I started to separate a few small tangles with my fingers and they began to melt away! When I use it, after I condition, my hair becomes smoother, silkier and softer immediately! No breakage days later either. This leave-in works great to provide volume and it works wonders on dry hair as a knot detangler (great for removing braids, weaves etc.). This product really shocked me - in a good way :)




Repairing Oil



This is more like a serum than an oil. The first few ingredients are silicones which help protect the hair against frizz and heat. I haven't used it as a heat protectant, but I have used it to plait and unravel my braids for my braid-outs. It does a fantastic job at providing shine, smoothness and preventing frizz all day. Its silky smooth texture is light-weight on the hair, so I suppose it would be ideal before flat ironing.

Panthenol is known as Vitamin B5 (pro-vitamin).

What does it do for the hair?

Panthenol helps to improve damaged hair. Panthenol increases moisture retention, elasticity and flexibility. Panthenol has the ability to penetrate the hair shaft increasing the thickness in hair and promoting hair growth. It is said that Panthenol can increase hair diameter up to 10 percent. Panthenol increases the hair's thickness by restoring moisture back into the hair.

Which products contain this ingredient?

• Creme of Nature Straight from Eden Plant-Derived Conditioning Treatment
• KeraCare Humecto Conditioner
• SCurl No Drip Activator Spray
• Bee Mine Deja's Hair Milk
• Kenra Moisturizing Conditioner
• Curls Whipped Creme
• Cantu Argan Oil Leave-in Repair Cream

I believe there is power in reading product labels and understanding the ingredients listed on each label. Learning how to read product ingredient labels is probably one of the most important skills necessary while on your hair journey.

Knowing what you’re putting in your hair will assist you in taking better care of your hair. To some, it may seem like gibberish (when reading labels); however, educating yourself on product ingredients and how it affects your hair, will aid in a successful hair journey. With the right knowledge and research, a head full of damaged hair can transform into a head full of gorgeous tresses!!

Let's Begin :-)

I must admit, relaxing my own hair with the help of my sister has been such a liberating process. Don’t get me wrong, I love being pampered at the salon every now and then; however, having the freedom to relax your hair any day of the week and at any time certainly places power in your hands.


Using a normal strength relaxer is my personal preference. I use normal strength relaxer because it processes slower preventing my hair from becoming over-processed. I usually relax every 10-12 weeks and prep it a few days in advance by using a detangler to remove any knots and tangles at the demarcation line. This really helps to speed up the relaxer time. On the day of my relaxer, I apply a thick oil to my scalp and around the perimeter of my hairline preventing any burns. In order to prevent overlap and over-processing, I apply Vaseline in sections on my previously relaxed hair the day of my relaxer. This step is crucial as it creates a solid barrier between the length of my hair and the relaxer.

RELATED: Straight Talk: Hairlicious Inc. Explains Why She Doesn’t Frequent Salons

My sister and I tag team and relax my hair at home. I make sure I have my relaxer tub, latex gloves, applicator brushes, extra towels for any mess and my timer! We part the hair in 4 quadrants (2 in the front and 2 in the back). I’m responsible for the front portion and she relaxes the back portion. I pre-part the front of the hair in 1” inch sections and 2 strand twist each section for fast and easy application. My sister duplicates the same process in the back section. We smooth out the relaxer 2-3 times (relaxing only the new growth). We relax my entire head for 20-25 mins, which works best for my hair, as the results are always consistent. My hair turns out straight with a little bit of kink – just the way I like it!



What works for me is neutralizing my hair at least 3-5 times to ensure the relaxer is completely removed from my hair. This is key! Then I proceed to deep condition with a moisture/protein balanced deep conditioner adding strength back into the hair. That’s it! Try it!

Be sure to check out the original article over at ESSENCE.com | Straight Talk: Hairlicious Inc. On The Art of Relaxing Your Own Hair