Coconut For Your Hair

You know that amazing feeling when you try a new product, let's say shampoo, and your hair air dries perfectly, with waves you didn't even know you had and minimal frizz? Oh, you don't? Well, that's because you've never used a coconut milk shampoo! Seriously, I think I've found the missing link. And it's coconut.

I have thick 2a hair with loose s-waves, a mix of medium and coarse hairs, and a tendency to frizz. My waves fall out really easily, and so I've been searching for products that will help them form better and keep my hair from pouf-ing too much. For a long time, it seemed like that was just too much to ask. But then I found Chagrin Valley Soap & Salve and their amazing Coconut Milk Shampoo Bar. 

Image from Chagrin Valley website

OBSESSED: SheaMoisture

My SheaMoisture collection

If you’re a curly girl, you probably already know about SheaMoisture, a brand of all natural hair care sold in drugstores like Target and Walgreens. For the rest of you, I have to say, I’m OBSESSED. I’m Latina and  I have thick, wavy hair that’s pretty manageable, but does get dry and frizzy if I don’t take care of it. And I feel like I’ve found my holy grail of hair care products in Shea Moisture.

Their line of hair care products is targeted towards ethnic hair, natural hair, curly girls--which I am not--but the ingredients are so wonderful I had to try them out. Their products are sustainably produced, ethically traded, natural, don’t contain any icky chemicals or preservatives, and they really work. They also have bath and body collections, skin care, baby care, and more. If you’re into natural skin and hair care, you’ll recognize a lot of the ingredients and just how great they are. And, did I mention every bottle runs for $10 at Target? Seriously. 

There are different ranges of products for different hair types, separated by differently colored labels. The yellow label products are made with raw shea butter and are aimed at repairing dry, damaged hair. The black label products are made with African black soap, for dry, itchy scalp. The pink label is made for thick, curly hair, and contains coconut and hibiscus. And the green label, made with organic yucca and baobob, is for fine, thin hair. There are styling products to go with each collection, as well as bath and body products, like lotions and bodywashes. They also seem to have expanded recently: they have baby and kids’ lines, a new hair color system, and a new women’s shave and waxing collection, among others.  

I want to try everything! I have yet to try anything other than their hair care products, but I’ll walk you through the stuff I have purchased and love.

TPG Approves (and disapproves): Dry Shampoo

Have you all experienced the wonderful world of dry shampoo?  This is a list of different brands we have tried.  Some we love, some we do not.

First, the good stuff



Vanessa's Fave: Batiste - Dry Shampoo - Dark and Deep Brown 

• One of the ingredients is rice starch, whereas most other brands use aluminum starch. I find that the rice starch works better. The Tresemme dry shampoo uses cornstarch, but that is not enough to redeem it! (Read on.)
• I use the dark color for brunettes, which saves me from having white powder in my hair. There are a whole range of scents and colors available.
• It has a really pleasant, light fragrance that's sweet and vaguely reminds me of cocoa.
• Works way better than others I’ve tried.
• $8/bottle, 6.73  oz.
• find at Ulta, Urban Outfitters (they carry the smaller bottles)

Angie's Fave: Suave Professionals Dry Shampoo Spray

• Uses aluminum starch.
• It leaves a white residue but blends in easily if used as directed.
• Really fruity strong smell (that I like, but a lot of people say it's too artificial).
• $2.89-$2.99, 5 oz
• Find in drugstores.
• I love it for the price. It does the job I need for the least amount of money.