Product Review: Summit Mend conditioner

I was excited to meet a retired beautician at my local nursing home (where I also work as a hairdresser). Why did she tell me that? I started asking all of these questions about "pressing and curling." She agreed with me that these pressing combs on the market right now are not as good of construction as the "old school" pressing combs. Thank God I still have my twenty year old ones. Please see my separate blog article on pressing combs.

She described how they use to deliver the most beautiful press and curls back in her day. I asked her so "which conditioner did you use?" (because I know that your final results are based on the results from the shampoo bowl.) All she remembered was the word "Men" and it looked like a relaxer jar. She remembered only one beauty supply that still carried it. I tell you I was googling "men conditioner" and could not get a hit on the right thing until I searched on "old school hair products." Then Voila! Within the pictures of products, the conditioner "MEND" came up. Oh my God, that is it! It has to be. She remembered the "Men" but not the "d" on the end of it. So once I knew what I was looking for, I narrowed my beauty supply store down to large, foreign owned stores who carried everything from Murrays Pomade to Ultra Sheen.

So yes, I found it! I was so excited that I decided to try it on my own hair. I have mostly relaxed hair, but I am about three months post relaxer. So my hair has two different needs. My relaxed ends did not absorb the Mend conditioner very well; however, my underprocessed hair and new growth seemed to like it well. I had to follow up with Bee Mine Beeloved moisture conditioner through my relaxed ends to balance them back out.

The Mend conditioner has a pleasant smell to have "animal protein" within its ingredient list. So for relaxed hair - this conditioner is probably a "no go." But for the naturally kinky head of hair, this conditioner will be a good start toward filling the hair with protein instantly without heat in preparation for the press and curl.

The product is very thick; it reminded me of a "Crisco based frosting." It needs to go on wet hair versus damp hair. Read the directions on the jar if all else fails. Smile.

So I have Kayvel Creme Press and Kayvel Curl Wave as well as the Mend conditioner plus the old beautician's instructions about how much product to use. I will be experimenting on my kinky head mannequin next, but by George, I think I got it!