Awhile back I made a post with a list of beauty products I wanted to try out. During the time after I had created that post, I had not been able to test out all of the products that I have put down, I have tried a few of them, and so I will be writing about how they worked out for me! Please keep in mind that this is all based on my personal results and that results may vary from person to person....
1. Mane 'n Tail Shampoo and Conditioner
I have been using both this shampoo and conditioner for roughly about 5 to 6 months now and in that time period, I think I can safely say that I really like this brand and that it's the best shampoo and conditioner that I have used so far! I have used many different brands of shampoos and conditioners, from drug store brands to salon brands, and nothing really seemed to work on my thick, dry hair. No matter what, my hair remained frizzy and nearly straw-like, but Mane N' Tail has made a huge difference, making my hair silky, manageable, and most importantly, moisturized! Another big plus about this is that you can easily find this brand sold in drug stores (I actually found it being sold in the commissary on base, too) and the big bottles are very cheap. I think I'll be sticking with this brand for a long time to come!
A word of caution: Reading reviews on this product, I noticed that some people had claimed that after a little while of using this shampoo and conditioner, they got a lot of waxy buildup in their hair and scalp. Some have also said that they noticed an increase of hair falling out after using it. So far, I have not experienced either of these problems using this shampoo and conditioner. Part of the reason may be because I tend to mix in some baking soda in my shampoo once a month and do a apple cider vinegar rinse with it, so that could be a big reason as to why I have yet to have experienced waxy hair. So, if anyone reading this decides to give this brand a try, I recommend doing the same or maybe even using a clarifying shampoo along with it.
2. Henna Hair Dye
I have some mixed feelings about using henna to color my hair so far, though so far I have only tried one brand of henna dye so far (The Henna Guys). One of the best things about this brand is that it is body art quality. Body art quality henna is safer to use than any other type of henna, as it contains the most natural ingredients and does not contain metallic salts, which can damage and irritate the hair and skin. Another thing is that it really seems to help keep my hair healthier and give it a beautiful shine after I use it, unlike the chemical dyes that I used in the past. Creating a mixture for henna is pretty fun, too! It reminds me of cooking, in a way (something I absolutely love to do!), since you can mix your henna dye with things such as tea, honey, lemon, yogurt, certain spices, and plenty of other ingredients that can help nourish your hair! It's nice to be able to experiment with the mixture and seeing which things work the best for your hair.
However, using henna is a little messy, and the scent isn't all that pleasant (it has a strong scent of hay or grass). It also takes a really long time for the dye to work it's way into your hair. It has to sit in for at least 2-4 hours before you can wash it out (which reminds me, washing it out can be a bit of a pain, too! It's basically like removing mud from your hair!). Also, it took a couple of dyes to get the color even all over. The first time left my hair patchy looking, which could have been due to the fact that I had been using chemical dyes before using henna, and had been using them for quite a long time. Lastly, the thing I dislike the most about this brand of henna is that the color bleeds just about every single time I use it for weeks on end, sometimes it even takes a couple of months for it to stop bleeding. I think I may try a different brand for my next coloring and see if that may help me with the bleeding issue. I may try out Lush instead, as I have heard good things about it, and see how that goes.
A word of Caution: People with lighter colored hair may land up with orange hair at first, but it should oxidize and darken over time and with continued use of henna!
3. Maybelline The Rocket Volum'Express Mascara
This was an absolute disappointment. I had some high expectations about this mascara, after hearing so many people rave about it so much, only to find that it didn't quite work out for me. While it did make my lashes look thicker and was a nice, dark black, it clumped up on my lashes a lot and the formula seemed a little.... goopy. Also, I thought the wand was kind of awkwardly large and made applying the mascara a messy job. Maybe the wand itself just takes some adjusting to, but overall, I just did not like this product. I think I'll stick to using Imju Dejavu's Fiberwig mascara instead (which I've started using recently and love! I'll definitely be reviewing it another time). Still, just because it's a product that didn't cut it for me, it doesn't mean that it's not a good product. I still would recommend people to try this mascara for themselves as there are so many other people who love it!
That's it for now! When I get the chance, I will definitely make another post when I happen to try out the other products on my list, as well as include some reviews on other beauty finds that I come across too! Thanks for reading!
