5 New Things: Curly Girl Hair Edition

I've been test-driving a bunch of new hair products the last few months, so I figured it was well past time I sat down and started writing about them!  For those of you who don't already know, I have naturally curly hair that appreciates moisture, but also quickly gets oily from products that are too rich.  My hair also has a tendency towards frizziness, so it's definitely a fine balance!



Bröö Malted Mint Invigorating Shampoo // Conditioner
Water makes up the bulk of many products, shampoo and conditioner included, and Bröö, true to their name, replaces the water in their formulas with all-malt freshly hopped craft beer.  It's a little gimmicky, but it's not just a gimmick, since the beer brewing process releases B vitamins, minerals, and proteins that nourish and strengthen hair.  Ever heard of people using beer as a hair rinse?  The idea is the same, only the benefits are already built into Bröö's products.  

I'm already on my second tube of the Invigorating Shampoo, a gentle and somewhat creamy wash that cleanses hair without stripping away its natural oils.  The conditioner is surprisingly rich and luxurious, and I only need a small amount to sufficiently hydrate my curls.  The invigorating duo is marketed as a "daily detox for hair and scalp," and the formula, which is boosted with caffeine and peppermint essential oil, is intended to stimulate the follicles and encourage hair growth.  I can't speak to any definite effects at this point, but the conditioner in particular does generate a refreshing minty tingle on the scalp.

The company claims that Bröö products have no beer scent, but I don't find that completely true with this pair.  To my nose, the beer scent is mild but still noticeable in both products, along with a nice minty/herbal aroma.  It's completely non-offensive and any beer scent is gone by the time hair dries, so there's no chance you'll be walking around smelling like a brewery.   For me, the scent is a major improvement over the old Bröö formulas -- the ones in plastic bottles, not tubes -- which had much stronger, sweet scents that I couldn't tolerate.  

Original Sprout Natural Hair Gel
Original Sprout is a hair stylist-created line of vegan hair and body products designed to be allergen-free and safe for the whole family.  The Natural Hair Gel, labelled for "babies & up," is a great gentle hair gel that I love using for lightweight curl definition.  Made without added fragrance or essential oils, the gel has just a mild sweet scent and offers medium-hold without any gross sticky or tacky feeling.  It can get a little crunchy if you use a lot, but it's nothing that can't be scrunched out with your fingers.  I started my second tube this week and I also just picked up the company's Miracle Detangler to try out next.  

Beautiful Curls Curl Enhancing Shampoo
The Curl Enhancing Shampoo, specifically formulated to maximize waves and curls, sounded like it'd be perfect for me, and since I've enjoyed other Beautiful Curls products, I had high hopes going in.  Unfortunately, it ended up being a complete dud for me.  The shampoo is rich in shea butter and coconut oil and has a creamy consistency that you'd think would be moisturizing, but no matter what conditioner I paired it with -- both traditional rinse out options and leave-ins, it consistently left my hair dry, frizzy, and feeling stripped of moisture.  The shampoo hardly lathers and after a few washes, it started building up on my scalp, feeling gummy, and not actually getting anything clean.  I'm sure this product works for somebody, but it definitely wasn't me.  

DIY Healthy Scalp + Hair Growth Oil
I've gotten into a constant cycle of pulling my hair back into tight ponytails, loosing hair at the temples, re-growing it, and then repeating the entire awful cycle over again.  I'm back in the growth stage now and trying to speed things up with a homemade blend of hair and scalp-friendly essential oils -- namely rosemary, peppermint, lavender, cedarwood, and tea tree.  The blend does double duty -- I massage it directly into a clean scalp after washing my hair, and it can also be added into hair treatments and masks. 

Along with these five, I've also been experimenting with henna the last few months, but I think that deserves its own dedicated post.  Have you discovered any exciting hair products recently?

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