Weird Product Wednesday: Lock & Twist Pudding

Many people sing the praises of Donna Marie's Lock & Twist Pudding. Indeed, owner Ayanna Henderson says it is the line's "signature" product. I bought my jar back in late October 2008, and to this day, I am still a member of the "I don't get it" club.

Maybe this is one of those "ethnic" products that really does work best on hair that is different from mine. Some people use it to set their hair in twists, which I don't do. Others just use a little of this product and get nice results (which, admittedly, I did a few times in cold weather, although my results were not consistent). With all due respect to Ayanna and all the people who groove on Lock & Twist, I find this product weird on multiple levels.

1. The smell. What is it? I can't even begin to describe it. Not exactly unpleasant but certainly not an aroma you'd caress on your pulse points prior to a night of seduction. (I just asked my boyfriend to describe it, knowing he is never at a loss for words, and he said: "Fake flowers. Like it's trying too hard.") And as with all smells that you could really live without, this one lingers.

2. The label. I guess labeling is a difficult process for smaller companies, because Lock and Twist's is not the first one I've seen that's barely legible. (Karen's Body Beautiful seems to have a similar problem.) Why choose a font that's arty or undecipherable? And why have it wrap around a wide jar so that readers need to follow the text with a finger to stay on track? The label on this jar is not easy to read and that compounds the next issue, as you will soon see.

3. The ingredients. I do understand why a company would want to experiment with ingredients in order to fine-tune a product. But when I buy a product based on what the company website says it contains and then my jar says something different, or I hear from others that their jar's listing didn't match the website, I immediately question the company's commitment to accurate labeling. I'm not accusing Donna Marie of trying to pull a fast one on its customers, but there was much discussion at NaturallyCurly.com for a while about whether Lock & Twist contained glycerin. My jar doesn't list any but the company website says:

Deionized water, aloe vera gel, carbomer, kokum butter, mango butter, sweet almond oil, glycerin, flax seed gel extract, hibiscus extract, carrot seed extract, burdock root extract, agave nectar extract, silver citrate, potassium sorbate and natural fragrance.

I guess I should believe my jar (if I could read it). It doesn't list glycerin. The product behaves, though, as if it there were glycerin in it. It bugs me that there's a discrepancy and that the only way I can really know for sure is to bring the product to a lab, a task that virtually never appears on my to-do list.

4. The shelf life. One of the wonders in this modern world is the miracle of preservatives. Now before you get all squirmy and/or huffy at the very thought of preservatives, please note that without them, your magic potions would grow mold and allow bacteria to multiply on your person. Mold and bacteria run counter to beauty, I'm sure you'd agree.

Lock & Twist uses "natural" preservatives and there's nothing wrong with that. It relies on silver citrate and potassium sorbate to keep little blue meanies at bay. It's important to know, however, that these particular preservatives yield a product shelf life of about a year.

I don't want to alarm anybody but although I have no evidence of mold or bacteria, the appearance of the product has most definitely changed since I bought it. This is rarely a good sign. I don't know whether you can tell from this photo, but contents have separated and it looks a little more mottled than it did when it first arrived at my house. Now, it has been sitting idle for probably two months, and maybe a good stir would bring it back to normal, but if that kind of product behavior is normal, it would behoove the company to disclose that on the label. Otherwise, as a cautious consumer, I'm thinking maybe something has gone awry in this jar and I'm not likely to continue using it.

In summary, if you meet the following criteria:

- you lock or twist your hair as a styling method
- you have excellent eyesight
- you don't need your products to smell pretty
- you use your products in less than a year

then Lock & Twist Pudding may just be the product for you.

And now ... Donna Marie!

It's not often that a small personal care product line takes off so quickly after it launches, but Donna Marie has done just that. From the moment the buzz started at NaturallyCurly.com, curly-headed people have been discovering and appreciating this unique line of natural hair products. President and Developer Ayanna Henderson took some time out of running her business -- and planning her wedding! -- to answer some questions about her terrific products.

Jillipoo: Why did you start your business? What did you feel curly-haired people were not getting from the marketplace that you could provide?

Ayanna Henderson: Donna Marie was born after dealing with my own frustrations as a curly girl. For a long time, I wore my hair permed because I was conditioned to believe from a very early age that straight hair was more acceptable. Although I was very familiar with naturally kinky, curly and wavy hair because I have been a natural hairstylist since the age of 13, I never actually embraced my own natural texture. After graduating from college and during cosmetology school, I decided to let my natural hair grow out and stop the perms. After completing the “big chop” (i.e. cutting the permed hair off and allowing the natural hair to emerge), I had no idea how to “rock” my natural hair and maintain the curl pattern I saw when my hair was wet. After countless failed attempts at using commercial, synthetic gels and styling products created for looser curl patterns, I started experimenting with natural alternatives. My mother had a basement full of herbs that she stored for soap making. She never used them, so I decided to use my resources and experiment with her huge supply. I found out then that there are natural ways to create styling aids, and I continued to experiment until I discovered a formula that actually produced the results I sought! I tested my concoctions on my clients, and after continued encouragement from my testers, I launched my product line.

J: Donna Marie is only a year old and yet has become a popular favorite with curlies. What do you think accounts for your success?

A.H.: Great question! I still cannot believe the amount of curlies that have expressed love for the Donna Marie product line in such a short amount of time and I am so grateful that the products have made a difference for so many women. Our commitment to providing natural products that are effective and free from harsh synthetics and cheap fillers and our commitment to quality customer service has been essential to the success of Donna Marie thus far.

J: How involved are you in the creation of your products? Are you active in the formulation of them?

A.H.: I formulate, manufacture, package and deliver every single product in the Donna Marie line! I do consult with a chemist during the formulation stage to ensure quality.

J: I've noticed that some of your products have changed ingredients even in the brief time they've been around. What prompted the changes?

A.H.: Two products in our line have changed ingredients slightly due to an overwhelming number of requests from customers. Even though there is a long period of research, experimentation, and testing involved with creating a new product, there are still customers who may not be satisfied. I listen to my customers and if enough people request a change, I will try to accommodate them, as long as the change does not affect product performance negatively. I have also removed ingredients and replaced them with more natural alternatives to enhance the performance of our products.

J: Your product line is targeted to women of color, and yet loads of white girls are quite fond of them too! Has this surprised you?

A.H.: I love to hear that ALL women with all hair types can benefit from using Donna Marie products! I originally developed the line to provide solutions for women with all curl types, but specifically formulated the products for women with tighter curls and kinks because like myself, these women, were unrepresented in the commercial curly hair care market. Knowing that there is an increasing popularity among women with looser curl patterns is incredible because this finding has motivated me to create more products that provide more solutions for all hair types.

J: If you had to pick one product that really sets Donna Marie apart from the crowd -- a signature product, if you will -- what would it be and why?

A.H.: The Lock and Twist Pudding is an incredible product because although it was created for molding twists and locks, while providing a flexible, soft hold, it also serves as a curl enhancer for practically all curl types! Also, the product is 99 percent natural -- truly a rare find and my favorite product in the line!

J: As a small company that makes its own products, what kinds of challenges do you face that consumers may not be aware of? (Availability of ingredients, distributor problems, regulatory issues, staffing, etc.)

A.H.: I create every product 100 percent by hand with no staff. Occasionally I will ask family members to assist me with large orders. Unfortunately, as orders increase, processing time increases, causing occasional delays in delivery. Even though the processing time is disclosed on the website, consumers do not usually take into consideration that our products are hand-made fresh daily and processing is longer than commercially manufactured product lines. The biggest challenge I face currently is trying to produce the products in bulk to decrease the overall processing time so that delivery times can be faster.

J: What's on the horizon for you and Donna Marie? Where do you see the company in five or ten years?

A.H.: I plan to launch three new products this summer and plan to expand into a full body, skin and hair line. Also, my long-time dream of opening a salon providing natural hair and skin services will be a reality in the near future!

Thank you so much, Jill, for the opportunity to let you and readers know more about the Donna Marie line!

Thank you, Ayanna, for letting us in to see the inner workings at Donna Marie. It's great to learn about a company whose owner is so involved in the operations of the company and so involved in the selection of ingredients!

The first annual Curl Product Awards!

Yes, I totally made up this award about five minutes ago and if you're wondering when the ceremony took place, don't rack your brain too long -- it did not happen in anybody's reality but my own.

Before I disclose the winners, let me tell you what the criteria was for my completely subjective selections:

* At least two products in the line have very much impressed me and made my hair all pretty-like
* An affordable and reasonable price
* Must be CG-friendly


RUNNERS-UP

Jessicurl
Too Shea and Aloeba are two of the very best conditioners I've ever used. Too Shea is ideal for the winter, and Aloeba is great year-round (also makes a fantastic leave-in). Jessicurl would have scored in first or second place were it not for the magnesium sulfate in the Confident Coils and Rockin' Ringlets (which I do still use once every week or two). (There is nothing inherently wrong with magnesium sulfate -- it just doesn't agree with my hair.) Jessicurl's Weekly Deep Conditioning Treatment is a huge favorite at NaturallyCurly.com and although I liked it at first, over time I found that it was really too much for my hair. If I ever needed a deep treatment, though, I would still opt for this one. There is no junk in Jessicurl products and they do what they say they will do. Nice.


Kinky-Curly
Although this line is technically designed for thicker, curlier hair than mine, I have had very good success with their products. The Curling Custard, though challenging to figure out, gives me defined curls that don't look fake and untouchable. Plus, I love the smell. The Knot Today Leave-in is also a mighty fine product, although I prefer more protein and fatty acids in my daily conditioners (they call it a leave-in, though, so I can't take issue with the lack of oomph). Sometime in the coming months, I plan to try the Gloss Pomade and the Spiral Spritz because I've heard raves about both. Here, too, the products don't claim to be one thing yet deliver something else. They don't waste time on fillers and they just get the job done.

Donna Marie
A relative newcomer to my world, this is yet another line that is clearly small and intended for thicker, curlier hair. With this in mind, I use less than the package directions say. I've been using the Lock and Twist after my leave-in for several weeks now and I really like it. It's got some flax seed in it for clumping but the aloe and the butters and oils give thirsty hair a good drink without weighing it down. Not the best smelling product but such is the case with products containing flax seed. You sniff and bear it. Also, I have used Cocoa Hemp Hair Buttercream and have liked it, too (although because of the glycerin, it is not the best in low dew points). The smell of this makes up for the smell of Lock & Twist. No fillers, no mineral oils masquerading as "fruit oils" as some companies who shall remain nameless have taken to doing. These folks also ship quickly, which is an added bonus. (I just ordered the Honey and Aloe Curling Jelly, which should arrive next week. I have high hopes for that product, and it just may be the item that moves this line out of Runner-Up status.)

And now.... for the WINNERS!


THIRD PLACE

Karen's Body Beautiful. It was a close call between this line and Donna Marie, but ultimately, it was the variety of scents and the curly-targeted products that pushed them into the winner category for me. If you cannot find a scent you like from Karen, there is something seriously wrong with your smeller. Let's see, where to start with the products. Hair Milk is a lovely conditioner that's rich without being heavy. Although I don't like it as much as the products that came in second and first place, I do like it enough to repurchase. (It has glycerin, and well, I think we've already covered that in a previous paragraph. Also, I wish it had a bit more protein -- my hair needs protein daily.) Hair Nectar is going to be a good one for me in warm weather, but in the meantime, I use it sometimes as a leave-in. Possibly my favorite product by Karen, however, is the Super Silky. What a surprising performance this delivered! I bought it because it is glycerin-free, and I thought it would work well in cold weather. Does it ever! I'm blown away by how fabulous this product moisturizes my hair without making it stringy or heavy. On cold days, I use it as a leave-in as well as a curl creme, and it has yet to disappoint me. But here's the real kicker: I can scrunch this into dry hair and not end up with frizzies! Kudos to you, Karen, for inventing this much-needed product. (Karen also makes some of the most scrumptious, moisturizing body lotions you'll ever try...)

SECOND PLACE

EO. An odd name, yes, but quite possibly the most perfect conditioner my hair has ever met. It possesses the ideal blend of essential oils, protein, emollients, and aloe vera. My hair likes it no matter what the weather is doing. I have used the Conditioner in a couple of different formulations (Rose and Chamomille, and Rose Geranium and Sweet Orange) and love both. I use this stuff as a leave-in and it is sublime, as well. The company is based here in the Bay Area and I've seen it in a variety of stores (including Bed, Bath and Beyond, but if you need to find it in your area, use the store locator for information. I am also a fan of their body lotions.

FIRST PLACE

Aubrey Organics. Surely you knew this line would steal the trophy for me. I have tried four different conditioners (Honeysuckle Rose (which I use after a protein treatment because it is protein-free), White Camellia, Island Naturals, and GPB) and love them all. They all contain coconut fatty acids, which my hair responds well to. The B5 Design gel is probably my favorite hair gel. Aubrey's has patented its own preservative, made from grapefruit seed extract, so you never have to worry about parabens and other toxic substances designed to prolong the life of the product. It's true that the shelf life of Aubrey products is shorter than stuff you'd buy at Walgreen's, but it's also true that Aubrey products don't sit on the shelf very long -- they get used because they are fabulous! (These products last about a year, depending on how you store them. So, just don't buy them in bulk unless you've got a big family or are preparing for the apocalypse.)

I'm sure if the companies were here in the room with me right now, they'd make tearful acceptance speeches, thank the Academy, and send me free product. But they're not here, so I guess I'll have to continue shelling out the cash for their great products.