If in need of a review for nearly every conditioner, shampoo, cream, serum, you name it, I'm your girl. As I make my way down the hair aisle of CVS I can recite the pros and cons of every product that line the shelf like a song I've been singing for years. What's sad is that I have been.
The obsession began in about seventh grade when the wraths of my unruly curls were at their peak. My Jew-fro was forming before my eyes. Of course, it picked just about the worst time to do so since the fad in 2009 was slick and straight hair. Hair I just couldn't achieve. Straightening my hair took at least two sad hours. The end result was a lovely fried look that sat in a trapezoidal shape, falling from my 2009 middle part. Realizing that I needed a helping hand for the curls, that straightening was not at all the solution, I began my intimacy with CVS. Of their 22.5 billion dollar gross profit, I can confidently say a solid third of that must be my money throughout the years (http://finance.yahoo.com/q/ks?s=CVS).
I had high expectations for these products, but nearly every hair product met less than half of them. Treseme didn't even change a thing. Moroccan Argan Oil made my hair look like the fur of a matted shih tzu. Pantene smelled faintly of cats. It seemed that all the products I was using were made for the girls with already-nearly-flawless hair that just needed to tweak a couple strands here and there. They were made for that girl who stands in the girl's bathroom mirror with cascading waves, hair so shiny that it blinds, complaining about the "frizz."
I would take my hair out of the ponytail at the mirror next to hers. My hair would maintain the shape of the pony tail, and she would say in an uncomfortable mumble, "Oh...."
I needed far more than a tweak.
One day at CVS, I found myself at the end of these "perfect white girl" products. The products left of them were usually relaxers and oils made for "black hair." I crossed the border to the unknown territory and picked up a bottle of Cantu Shea Butter Leave In Conditioner that finally hit its customers with the harsh truth: "For severely damaged, dry, or coarse hair." CHECK. CHECK. CHECK. Checking out with the cashier who knew me so well at this point, I avoided eye contact, embarrassed; I'd purchased a product for the not-so-perfect-girl.
After showering, I gathered about half a fist-full of the cream and began applying it to the tips of my hair, working my way up. I scrunched some pieces and manually twirled others to make loose, natural curls. I wanted a guide for my hair. Once my hair was dry, the curls were unlike anything I've ever had before. They had a girlish bounce and a beachy wave. They were perfect. I could move my head significantly more freely without worrying I would only add more frizz.
I noticed that once in a while, there would be a slight buildup of product toward my roots. This was an easy fix. If you find yourself with this problem, run your fingers through your hair left to right with your nails to completely break apart the strands. In 2009, I often made the mistake of pressing down on my hair as I smoothed products through it. I would flatten the pieces between my palms, leaving my hair with oddly synchronized waves. Cantu's cream allows you to give your hair a sleek feel without diminishing your hair's natural body and personality.
Cantu Shea Butter was founded in 2003 so their formulas go along with the sudden craze for girls to use organic and natural products (http://www.cantubeauty.com/about-us/). Honestly, using 100% flower extract and leaf particles is not my priority when it comes to purchasing hair care. Cantu Shea Butter claims that it is pure shea butter, but check the ingredients and you'll find otherwise. For the most part, the ingredients list as water, extracts, and juices. However, read a little further, and you'll find hydrolyzed collagen, a product that many girls would never dare put in their hair. Made from pig fat, hydrolyzed collagen is obviously not an appetizing ingredient to tame your frizz. For me, I could care less– for God's sake, pig fat is in marshmallows and we rarely have an issue with that. The only product I wanted to be sure was not in Cantu Shea Butter was formaldehyde.
Cantu Shea Butter is proudly formaldehyde-free. Formaldehyde is a popularly used ingredient in nail polish, hair gels, hair creams, and more. It has been declared a human carcinogen by the United States Toxicology Program. It has been linked to leukemia, as it is easily absorbed into the skin. Many leave in conditioners have keratin which is a leading link to formaldehyde. I'm happy to put pounds of hydrolyzed collagen in my hair if it means I won't be anywhere close to leukemia (https://www.osha.gov/SLTC/hairsalons/formaldehyde_in_products.html).
If you've been on the search for years, settle down on Cantu. Give it a shot.
No comments:
Post a Comment