Benita's Favorite Products of 2016

First of all, anything on my 2015 List from November of last year that I still love will NOT be repeated on this list.  So let's get started!

Favorite Detangling Shampoo
ColorProof SuperRich Moisture Shampoo

Favorite Light Brown Semi-permanent Haircolor
Clairol Beautiful Collection Advanced Gray Solution color name: 6N Toasted Hazelnut

Favorite Weightless Shine Spray
Chi Shine Infusion

Favorite Hairspray for Thermal Straightening
Joico JoiMist Firm Hairspray

Favorite Roller set Foam
Congo Perfecta Wrap-Set-Twist Foam Lotion

Favorite Moisturizing Conditioner
Rucker Roots Moisturizing Conditioner

Favorite Loc Setting Lotion
Design Essentials Twist and Set Setting Lotion

Favorite Leave-in Repair Spray
Paul Mitchell Forever Blonde Dramatic Repair (use on wet hair)

Favorite Color Alert Neutralizing Shampoo
Elasta QP Stop Action Neutralizing Shampoo

Favorite Liquid Chalk Temporary Color
L'Oreal Technique Liquid Chalk colors: Pink Pop and Better Off Red

Favorite Synthetic Hair Moisturizer
Carol's Daughter Hair Milk Styling Butter

Favorite Loc Repair Aid
Invisible thread color: Smoke

Favorite Wet Gray Cover-up Temporary Solution

Roux Fanci-full Color Styling Mousse colors: 23 Frivilous Fawn and 12 Black Rage mixed together.

Favorite Moisturizing Semi-permanent Haircolor
Nairobi TruColors

Favorite Setting Lotion Concentrate
Design Essentials Masterpiece


Many products from my previous lists are still my favorites.  So if you are going Christmas shopping or Black Friday shopping - print out this list as well as the previous versions of my favorites list.

Happy Holidays!!!!!

Revolutionary Relaxer Service News 2016

Relaxer Touch-up tips for Growing Long, Relaxed Hair:

• Blot the hair dry 
• Lift the client's head completely up from the shampoo bowl
• Visually, check the nape and hairline areas for relaxer residue
• Check neck of the shampoo bowl for relaxer residue
• Use a color indicator solution to take the guesswork out of alkalinity
• Check the neck towel for signs of alkalinity
• Shampoo several times if needed
• Never condition before shampooing when neutralizing
• NOTE:  Squeaky clean hair does not mean the relaxer residue is completely washed away.
• Make sure multiple shampooing does not dry out the hair.  
• Use conditioning neutralizing solutions. (Two products are mentioned in this youTube video.)

This video shows akaline water tests.  Porous hair should have as much water removed as possible before the final neutralizing shampoo is completed.

Color Alert Neutralizing Shampoo Competition

In my search for neutralizing shampoos with Color Alerts built-in, I discovered that Hawaiian Silky had  two different neutralizing shampoos.  One is for "No Lye" relaxers and the other is for a "Lye"relaxers.  Wow!!!  I was impressed.

So I used Fiberguard Affirm Normal "Lye" relaxer as my test relaxer.  I also picked up Maxi Professional Hair Repair Neutralizing Shampoo, Elasta QP Stop Action conditioning neutralizing shampoo, and African Essence Neutralizing Shampoo Plus to test for the color alert functionality.

I figured the Hawaiian Silky "No Lye" neutralizing shampoo was not going to work because I was testing with a "lye" relaxer, but to my surprise, neither of the Hawaiian Silky neutralizing shampoos worked compared to the rest of the other brands that I was testing. 

The Maxi Professional brand and the Elasta QP brand both showed immediate color alerts.

The African Essence brand worked quickly as well, but the color alert was not as bright and plentiful as the Elasta QP, but it worked significantly better than the Hawaiian Silky brand.

I decided to test the Isoplus Neutralizing Shampoo and Conditioner brand as well.  The color alert worked immediately.  This Isoplus neutralizing shampoo is one of the top recommendations for the price, and it is sold almost everywhere including Sally's Beauty Supply.

So first place is a tie!  The winners are Isoplus and Maxi Professional (listed in alphabetical order).  Both have thicker consistency.  African Essence and Elasta QP are both in second place because of their thinner product consistency.  All four brands really do the job.  

Note:  I initially had Elasta QP in the first place position, but because I probably dispensed more product out due to its thinner nature - I think that second place is more fair and in line with the African Essence consistency.  The Isoplus and Maxi professional could easily be used with an applicator nozzle because of their thickness.  It is all about customizing and personal preference.

On the other hand, Hawaiian Silky may need to go back to the lab.  I will have to test the No-Lye neutralizing shampoo on a "no lye" relaxer at a later date, but for now, I will keep my color alert winners on hand.

As you may recall, I had been using the NuExpressions 10 in 1 Conditioner as a color alert, but I got tired of importing it in because there are no distributors in the metro Charlotte, NC area.  So from a convenience standpoint, I wanted other color alert options.  So now, I have them!

A Quick Squeeze Nozzle Test showed that the NuExpressions 10 in 1 Conditioner was the superior color alert option, Isoplus was second, and with Maxi Professional showing only a slight pink (center color on stick).  Tests like these give me a clearer perspective to how products compare.