Curl Junkie Giveaway!

When Marsha at Curl Junkie puts on her thinking cap, new and improved products are sure to follow. Over the past few months, she created FIVE new concoctions that already have the curly community buzzing. (I haven't tried them yet, but you can bet I will soon.) I love the way Marsha runs her business but mostly I love how her passion is reflected through product innovation. Her products are unlike any others, and I swear this woman's brain NEVER stops thinking about ingredient combinations!

In case you haven't been apprised of the new products, here are the official descriptions:

Beauticurls Daily Conditioner - a lightweight instant conditioner/detangler that is perfect for everyday use for all hair types.

Beauticurls Leave-in Conditioner - The companion to the daily conditioner, this is an emollient rich, yet lightweight, detangling, and glycerin-free leave-in.

Curl Assurance Smoothing Conditioner - Got Frizz? This is the conditioner for you. It is perfect for giving you daily moisture with just the right amount of frizz control. This will come in a 12 oz. size!

Curl Fix - Intense Hair Treatment - This is a wonderfully restoring deep treatment that is rich in proteins and amino acids to help your damaged/dry tresses. This is a well balanced treatment that does not leave your hair hard or dry. It can also be used in place of a leave-in as an all-day hair treatment. Wonderful for fine-haired curls as well!

Curls in a Bottle - Curl Styling Solution - This product is all you need to get your curls looking right. Perfect for all hair types especially fine hair, this hair styling liquid gel has a flexible, not hard, hold and due to it’s lightweight conditioners, it won’t dry out your hair. Works well with leave-ins and other styling products and adds great shine and bounce to curls! This also comes in a 12 oz. size!

So, did you just have a brain freeze when you read all that? Yeah, me too. I wanted them all and couldn't decide what to try. But you know what? Decision-making just got easier because if you post a comment and state why you love Curl Junkie, I will read them all, choose the two best comments (maybe I'll go with heartfelt, maybe wickedly amusing, maybe scientifically accurate -- there's no telling, really), and GIVE AWAY ONE CURLS IN A BOTTLE and ONE CURL FIX!

Don't let this chance slip away! You have until December 18 to tell this blog what's so great about Curl Junkie -- and possibly win some free product if your comment curls my toes.

Premature Evacuation

So, it's Wednesday and normally that would mean it's time for a Weird Product post, but I've been foiled in this pursuit by a phenomenon I will call "premature evacuation."

Premature evacuation is what happens when you buy a hair product, give it few tries, determine it isn't right for you, get rid of it, and then suddenly regret its absence. You think of several ways you could have used the product but didn't. Or you read about inventive ways that others used it that you wished you had tried. Bottom line: you wish you still had the product so you could experiment a bit more.

That's what happened to me with Curl Junkie's Aloe Fix Gel. I got a little sample of it and thought it showed some promise. So I bought a jar of it. Used it a few times and never was able to repeat those initial good results. In fact, every subsequent time I used it, my hair got a little uglier. Frizz, limpness, general yuckiness. A couple of weeks after purchasing it, I swapped it at NaturallyCurly for some of my beloved Kinky Curly Curling Custard.

And I was going to write about it for Weird Product Wednesday -- until I started reading that I should have tried using it on dry hair instead of wet. Or that it works if you apply it to your hair before bedtime. Or use it without a leave-in conditioner. Or use it only with leave-in. Or apply it only to the ends of your hair.

So now I feel like I can't cast any aspersions on this product whatsoever because I failed to use it every possible which way known to humankind. Even Marsha herself (owner of Curl Junkie) gives some tips on her blog that I didn't try.

Therefore, due to premature evacuation, I will not be featuring a Weird Product this Wednesday. What a loser I am.

Knights of the aloe vera roundtable

Despite aloe vera's ubiquitous appearance in products, few of us know exactly how it works and why. Many believe that it is the supreme source of moisture for hair, yet for some people, aloe vera makes their hair "squeaky" and brittle.

Is it possible to get easy, straightforward answers regarding aloe vera? Doesn't seem so. Even the Wikipedia entry says: "Scientific evidence for the cosmetic and therapeutic effectiveness of Aloe vera is limited and when present is typically contradictory."

I thought it might be fun to assemble a group of informed people who work in the beauty business and get their opinions. We've got Marsha, the owner of Curl Junkie, who concocts her own products and was a stylist before that. She's got definite opinions about curly hair. Next, we have JC, whose blog I wrote about a few days ago. She is a curly-hair scientist in the UK who backs up her findings and determinations about hair by quoting from specific scientific studies. Jessica McGuinty, founder of Jessicurl, uses aloe in many of her product formulations, and as she stated in a recent interview, does a lot of testing of these products and how they perform. Tiffany Anderson-Taylor, aka StruttsWife on the NaturallyCurly.com discussion boards, has been a hair stylist in Florida for several years, and recently wrote a book about caring for curly hair. Her site, Live Curly Live Free, is a fantastic resource for people curious about curls' unique needs. And finally, we have Perry Romanowski, an independent cosmetic formulator who is associated with one of my favorite blogs, The Beauty Brains as well as a site for cosmetic chemists called Chemists Corner. He's written a book titled Beginning Cosmetic Chemistry, and he has been a senior project leader at Alberto Culver.

That's a lot of hairy brain power. And yet, opinions at this roundtable are as divergent as Elvis Costello's discography. See for yourself.

Jillipoo: I've heard aloe vera described as pure moisture, a humectant, a protein, and an astringent. How would you describe it?

Marsha: I would describe it as a moisturizer and I believe it has a small amount of amino acids in it, but not enough that I would call it a protein.

JC: I didn't realize just how popular aloe vera was until I received repeated requests for research about it. It does contain a whole bunch of stuff including sugars, calcium, iron, vitamins, proteins (enzymes) and aminoacids. You can read the full list here Br J Gen Pract. 1999 October; 49(447): 823–828. I think aloe vera defies description and is probably one of the substances to watch for the future. It is sort of important to say though that the gel is different from whole leaf extracts (as far as medicinal properties are concerned)

Jess: I also know it to be moisturizing, without being overly heavy or causing build up. In the testing during the production of my styling products, it the batches without aloe didn't seem to allow for the same softness to the hair once dried as the batches with it.

Tiffany: Because aloe vera contains enzymes that promote stimulation of the hair follicles, I tend to view it mainly as an astringent, although I feel it certainly has its place within the other categories as well.

Perry: Aloe vera is primarily a humectant made up of polysaccharides. It is formulated into hair care products to help support a marketing natural story and is not expected (nor has it been demonstrated) to provide a significant benefit for hair.

Jillipoo: Is it really moisturizing or does it merely simulate moisturizing? My hair curls quite a lot when I use it, which makes me think it's getting moisture, but how exactly does aloe vera work?

Marsha: This is completely non-scientific, but I've found that it works as a moisturizer in that it seems to form a film (although it's a very thin, not very stable film) that helps to keep moisture in the hair. I've read that Aloe has a small amount of amino acids in it and this could help explain its film forming qualities.

JC: Most research that I have seen refers most to skin and wound healing. One journal article which was reviewing aloe vera said that it 'seals in moisture due to its high water and mineral content' (Phytotherapy Research, pg 987-1010,2003). It has been used to keep wounds moist and also help break down callusses. I guess on hair it may be a source of water for the hair to keep drawing on? This is a monumental piece of guesswork I must warn you.

Jess: I've found it to be actually moisturizing, but of course in a totally different way than we might think of oils or conditioners being moisturizing. (ie: not creamy like a conditioner or oily like butters.) The humectant properties allow it to attract and retain moisture, as the other ladies have already said. :)

Tiffany: In its role as a humectant, it attracts moisture from the surrounding environment; additionally, since it is a coagulating agent, my thought is its thickened gel state forms a protective layer that helps to hold that existing moisture in. I don't know how much moisture it can actually generate in and of itself, however.

Perry: Aloe vera acts as a humectant. When it is applied it will help to draw moisture to your hair. It has a similar function to ingredients like Glycerin and Propylene Glycol. But it will only work when delivered from a leave-in product since it is water soluble and easily rinsed away when used in rinse-out hair products.

Jillipoo: What kind of hair is likely to benefit most from aloe vera? What kind is likely to not benefit at all?

Marsha: I think all hair types can benefit from Aloe vera, but specifically, fine hair, damaged hair, and dry hair, regardless of curl pattern. If your hair type is extremely protein sensitive, then you would likely see little benefit.

JC: I can't really answer this one scientifically as there is not much research on this subject. I definitely think it is hugely popular among the readers on my blog so my anectodal research would say it is good for the gorgeous super curly/kinky haired women whose locks are prone to dryness. I think many people are opting for natural products along with their natural curls so I think many will try it regardless of hair condition.

Jess: Since it's so light in texture and doesn't build up, any hair type can use it, as it won't weigh down fine hair. Some people are allergic to aloe, so obviously they shouldn't use it.

Tiffany: Anyone with moisture needs should most likely find aloe to be beneficial, although individuals with porosity issues should be careful, as any product ingredient with humectant properties can cause issues by forcing the hair shaft to "drink" moisture out of the atmosphere until it is bloated and swollen.

Perry: Aloe vera is actually an ingredient that cosmetic chemists refer to as a "claims" ingredient. It is not actually put in hair formulas at a level that would (even if it could) have any effect. The only effect that it has is to create a story for the product that consumers find compelling. The "work" of the formula such as moisturizing, cleansing, & conditioning is really done by ingredients that have less compelling names like 'dimethicone', 'cetrimonium chloride', and 'cocamidopropyl betaine'. But aloe vera is a humectant and may have some moisturizing effects when delivered from leave-in products. However, other ingredients are much more effective at a lower cost. From rinse-out products, aloe vera has no effect since it just gets rinsed away with all the other non-substantive ingredients.

Heads up, Curl Junkie fans!

A little birdie just told me that Curl Junkie is having a Fourth of July special!

Get 20% off your order of $50 or more!! Type the coupon code "JULY4U" at checkout to get your discount.

Offer is good July 2nd-4th, 2009, and the coupon must be used at checkout to receive checkout.

(So if you've been waiting to buy Curl Junkie's Aloe Fix gel -- the one that's getting all kinds of raves at NaturallyCurly.com -- this might be an excellent opportunity to spring for it!)

The right way to run a curl business

Well, the events of last week left me (and probably many of you) a little disappointed. There's nothing worse than realizing that someone you respected and admired is really not worthy of respect or admiration. So, rather than harping on how not to run a business and focusing on a company that disregards its clientele for the sake of ever-increasing profit margins, I thought it might be nice to give some time and attention to a company that's doing things right: Curl Junkie.

Talking to Marsha, owner of Curl Junkie, reaffirmed for me that it's possible to create quality products for curly hair, and respond to client inquiries and requests with respect and honesty. Marsha is passionate about curly hair and gets very involved in the formulation of her products -- she can tell you not only what's in them but why. She also maintains a terrific blog!


Jillipoo: When did you start Curl Junkie and why?

Curl Junkie Marsha: I got started with Curl Junkie officially in February 2006 after months of formulating and learning about formulating, and years of being a PJ (product junkie) and learning about ingredients. I cut off my relaxed hair in 2003 and had been trying everything as well as the different methods (CG, etc.) to take care of my hair and was pretty frustrated. When I was in cosmetology school, I also saw a lack of product selection for our curly haired clients and their dissatisfaction with what was out there. I was working at a salon in NYC when I was inspired to try developing my own products to work on my clients' hair as well as my own. I wasn't necessarily thinking of starting my own line, but as my clients asked for more product, I began to do more research into how to start.

J: What is your background in hair?

CJM: I have always been fascinated by hair and actually wanted to be a hairdresser since I was 11 years old. I can remember being into analyzing conditioners and reading ingredient labels and trying to decipher ingredients in my early high school years. After going to college and grad school and working in the business and education fields, I finally decided that what I really wanted to do was go to cosmetology school. I graduated in mid-2005 and got my license in Oct. 2005.

J: What is your business philosophy?

CJM: There are so many types of curly girls and therefore there should be as many options. My goal is a modest one and that is to make high quality products that are worthy enough to stay in my customers' permanent rotation, if not become their HG (holy grail) products! Everything else revolves around that goal, including trying to provide excellent customer service and listen to customer feedback to keep improving customer satisfaction.

J: How do you create products and how is that different than the way most companies create products?

CJM: I cannot speak 100% for how other companies create products, but I think that the bigger companies or folks with the money go to a chemist and ask that a certain product created. They then let the chemist create. This means they are in the hands of the chemist, and not all chemists are created equal! Not to mention the back and forth between getting the samples which may or may not be good, can take months and months, and have no guarantee of success. In my experience, I have found it better to do the product creation, since I can work more efficiently and quickly than doing it through a chemist who may not understand all the needs of my client base. This means many, many hours of formulating on paper and then actually formulating, then failing many, many, many times until finally it clicks and the final product is born!!! Nothing is more satisfying!

J: Most people really do not understand what "all natural" means and why it isn't necessarily better than using ingredients made in a lab. What are your thoughts on this subject?

CJM: I think that is because the term has been abused. I do not think that all "artificial" ingredients are bad, but you have to choose wisely. I always check the safety of the ingredient and the function, because sometimes there are not good substitutes for the natural and sometimes the synthetic just really performs better. I have found that many companies claiming to be "all natural" are not. They may use some natural ingredients, but they are mixed with plenty of synthetics. Again, that doesn't mean that the products aren't good or safe, but it is misleading.

J: I've noticed that your product line is constantly evolving. What does this mean?

CJM: I listen to and take customer feedback very seriously. If I get enough complaints or requests for a new product and I can do it, time and money-wise (since manufacturers are very costly!), I work on developing or improving product and I love to do it since I want my customers to be as happy as possible with the products.

J: Lots of curly girls avoid silicones like the plague. Do you think that's necessary?

CJM: I think that every head is different and a lot depends on your lifestyle and product selection. For example, I love to shampoo, but not with harsh SLS (sodium lauryl sulfate) type shampoos, but gentle ones like (shameless plug alert) my Curl Assurance Gentle Cleansing shampoo. That means, for me, that I could use a product with any type of silicone if I wanted. What I have found however, is that my hair doesn't react well to most silicones and can only take some modified Dimethicones and Amodimethicone in small doses and occasionally. I have tried to formulate my products so that there are no silicones or at least very small amounts and yet function in a similar fashion (in terms of conditioning, detangling, etc.) It can be done, it just tends to be more costly! But, in the long run, I have found my hair responds better to my products and others like them. The silicone-based ones feel like a "quick fix." However, for people who want to use heat tools or have very damaged hair, silicones may help with ease of combing and heat protection. It is a very individual choice, so I would not make a blanket statement about silicones since they do work for some people.

J: Most beauty products today are sold as much on the basis of how they feel and smell as much as how they perform. "Fillers" in hair care products are very common yet not well understood. What are some examples of fillers and can they ever be harmful or are they just benign and help the product feel more appealing to users? Does Curl Junkie avoid these and if so, why?

CJM: I have come to understand that there are certain ingredients which can help lower the cost of a product, while achieving a similar function, but if you use too much of these ingredients, you lose the effectiveness of the product. This is why a lot of drugstore products are disappointing. The ingredient lists look similar to more expensive ones, but don't perform the same. That’s because, instead of using, say, 5% of the ingredient, they use 1% because it's cheaper. It's not that most of these "fillers" are bad, it's just that companies seem to use them to substitute out or use less of more effective, expensive ingredients. For example, Cetyl Alcohol is a thickener and can be used as a filler. I love fatty alcohols because they make the product feel luxurious and do have conditioning benefits, but if you use more of it so you can use less of, say, shea butter, because it's cheaper, then you are using it as a "filler." So when I formulate, I look to find the right balance that will achieve the goal I'm looking for, not to hit a certain cost. Then, I'll see what it prices out to be. For some large companies, they will say to a chemist, "Develop a new rinse-out conditioner for $2 per 8oz,” and then the chemist will work backwards to achieve that goal. They will think about the cheapest thickeners, conditioners, and emollients with little concern about safety and most concern about cost and then effectiveness. I think there are few unsafe fillers. To me, it seems to be more about cost vs. function/effectiveness.

J: Advertising messages tell us we can eliminate frizz. How realistic is that for curly-haired people?

CJM: It is realistic for some, not all. For me, my hair can be mostly frizz-free, but I have NEVER been all frizz free and that is because I have too many types of curl patterns in my hair (from 3c-4a) and that alone can cause frizz. I have seen some curly heads that can be, and are, 99% frizz-free, but they are rare and I don't think that is a completely realistic goal for most and quite frankly, I think it can look a bit fake! A little "frizz" gives character and body! I look for hair to be: 1) healthy, 2) moisturized, 3) as defined as possible. I don't mind crunch, since some of it is necessary for my hair to look how I want it to look. If I have some frizz, I don't mind as long as the first two goals are met, because then your hair will look good no matter what ... IMO!

J: What have you learned about curly hair since first starting Curl Junkie?

CJM: Wow ... A ton. In particular, just how many types of curly/kinky hair there are and why you can't please everyone's hair type. That's OK, though, since I believe there is room for everyone! Also, I've learned a lot about chemistry and the uses of different ingredients. For example, gels, or I should say, the ingredients which can be used to make them and their benefits and drawbacks, which was something I hated in the beginning because I didn't fully understand the chemistry and have now come to love! I love challenges!

Thanks so much, Marsha, for your time and insights. Curly girls take note: this is the kind of enterprise that deserves our patronage, not one that plays games with labeling and won't answer direct questions about ingredients...

Cold weather hair care, day six

Kathymack is another role model at naturallycurly.com. We've witnessed her hair go from very nice to gorgeous over the past few months as she's discovered the benefits that natural products give her hair. Kathymack is primarily known for her interest in soap bars (she sells samples of them and other products, if you're interested) but she's also a great resource for information about all things curly.

Read how she copes with mid-Atlantic chill factors....

"Last August/September, I changed my routine over to natural products and added the natural soap bars (after six months of cowash.) My hair was very happy. I also cut out gel, because I didn’t seem to need it.

"Well, some of that routine had to change as a result of the cold weather. This is the first winter I’ve been a curly and not a wavy. In the past, I was a 3a during the summer and a 2-something during the winter. This year, though, I consistently get the tight curls you see here. It’s the product and technique that I’ve learned to use this past year, thanks to naturallycurly.com.

"My usual routine is to do a wash with a natural soap bar every three days. I always follow with an ACV rinse (to restore pH balance) and a rinse out conditioner. The other days I wet and do a rinse out. Because I need more moisture in the winter, I added the Aubrey Organics Island Naturals and GPB as rinse-outs in addition to Curl Junkie conditioners, Komaza Califa Conditioner and Karen’s Body Beautiful Hair Milk. I use varied products as my leave-in and curl crème.

"I frequently use things as stylers that are not marketed as stylers. I always use a leave in: Donna Marie Coco Curly Butter, Lock & Twist, Coco Hemp Buttercream, Curl Junkie Butta or Curl Assurance Leave-in, or the Komaza Califa line, to name a few. Curl crèmes include the three Donna Marie products, the varied Curl Junkie products, Kinky Curly Curling Custard, Aubrey Organics Mandarin Magic Jelly and the Komaza Califa line.

"Gel needed to come back into my routine. My curl was loosening and falling out. The Curl Junkie Aloe Fix Gel is magic -- I mix it with a few things, such as KCCC and AOMM. I’m also experimenting with the Curl Junkie Smoothing Gellie. I scrunch the water out with a Curls Like Us curl cloth, diffuse for five minutes and air-dry the rest of the way."