Product Review: Design Essentials Curl Stretching Cream

I have written about Design Essentials Curl Stretching Cream before and unfortunately, I have not had anyone that the product has worked for. Complaints range from a "film" being on the hair to just "wet with oil." The last client that I experimented with this curl product had medium textured hair with a type 3c curl pattern. It looked great going out the door in hopes that it was going to "dry and set" later. She told me that she eventually shampooed it out a few days later.

This product seems to have vegetable oil and other oils like canola in it. It may be great for children's pigtails as final styling. However, I do not have any children with pigtails in my clientele.

Also, I blowdried the hair prior to product application. So the Curl Stretching Cream was applied to dry hair. Results were like wetting the hair without water.

Product Review: Design Essentials Curl Cleanser and more

I apologize that my lighting was not better for this product picture, but nonetheless, the curl cleanser was great at cleansing without dehydrating my curls. I still prefer the KeraCare Cleansing Cream, but the Design Essentials Curl Cleanser will be my "go to" for deep cleansing after a week long stretch of leave-in conditioners. Overall, I like it!

As for the curl stretching cream, it is a little heavy. Extremely porous hair is going to soak it up like a sponge. I discovered this with a client who had permanently colored her Type 4b/c hair. We blowdried the hair according to the Design Essentials natural styling guide, then we used the Design Essentials Curl Stretching Cream to make individual twists. Her hair absorbed soooo much product that it was very hard to get it dry. Two hours under the dryer would probably be generous. The oil that her hair soaked up was enough for a solid week without worrying about drying out.

I have noticed quite a few products seem to soak into Type 4 hair and create a wet sponge effect if the Type 4 hair is damaged or extremely porous.

Honestly, when Type 4 hair becomes that damaged, plan to gradually cut it off. I will be very difficult to manage and easy to frizz. Repeated excessive thermal/heat can cause damage, and sometimes permanent color can cause this damage as well.

So be careful . . . when hair is "overcooked" - you eventually have to start over.