Last year I teamed up with blackandbrown.net to run a giveaway to celebrate my blog turning 1!!
The prize was a selection of products from the US brand Original Moxie and the lucky winner was Dee author of the blog Beautifully and Naturally Made.
Here is her review of the products she won!
Enjoy,
Natalie
I entered Beauty Pulse London’s first birthday giveaway and I won. Some of you know how I am blessed and win comps (speak it and it will be!) I won Original Moxie’s Hair Bling and Everyday Leave in Detangling Conditioner. Now I already had the leave in as I bought this last year so I knew how that worked on my hair already. I transitioned for 9 months and I am 2 yrs and 6 moths post Big Chop (BC). My hair is different now compared to when I BC’d.
I did not care for the smell initially but it grew on me. It detangled my knotty hair and moisturised it nicely. However, the moisture does not last as long as I would like compared with other leave ins or mixes I have used. I don’t know what it was my hair just did not take to it well. If I wanted to do a style and did not want to wait a while for it to dry then yes it would be fine for me. I had a Naptural85 moment when she realised the Trader Joe conditioners that she loved had cones in them. How did I miss this? I noticed a few months ago. So my brother uses it now and his hair loves it. His hair is very similar to mine.
Here is the consistency. It reminded me of lotion.
The Original Moxie Everyday Leave in consistency is thin and runny.
For me, it is not how great it feels initially, no, that is not it. It is how does it feels long after. The next day and few days is there still moisture? With the leave in this was not the case. I really wanted it to be but it was not.
Original Moxie Hair Bling
Now on to Hair Bling. I had already heard so many rave reviews about Hair Bling via Blogger Chary Jay and many others on YouTube . I thought okay let us see if I will get this shiny hair I keep hearing so much about.
Now I used my Giovanni Direct leave in (GDLI) on wet hair and used Hair Bling to twist. I did not use gel. I used those two products alone.
I loved it. I could really feel the beeswax and it glided on my hair. It is not sticky and a little goes a long way. I repeat, a little goes a long way. I really love the smell too.I used this a number of times. My friend of kindly gave me hair Original Moxie Just Gel. I had been wanting to use this for ages! I was so happy, thank you Sieta! I washed my hair with Bentonite Clay and water. I deep conditioned with steam AOHC and then applied GDLI on my wet hair. Now I had to go out so I kept this baggied (under a carrier bag) for several hours (it would not have been different if used straight away) as I was going to do my hair later.
When I removed the bag, my hair was more or less damp. I sectioned medium-small sections of my hair and applied the Just Gel and added half of a pea size of hair bling, remember a little goes…..then I twisted my hair. I loved the way it felt in my hair, very slick but not greasy, it glided on easily. Once my hair was twisted, it was very shiny and the cuticles lay flat which I liked. There was a nice hold but not crunchy. It felt very soft. No frizzies. The roots were not puffy, which has sometimes been an issue for me. It may be that smaller twists are better styling wise.
I undid the twists the next day and my hair was very defined. Now when it comes to definition, I stopped trying to achieve this a few months after my Big Chop (BC). I realised early on once my hair is moisturised and healthy it will show its true definition. I have found this to be true now. Back to the definition, my coils and curls were defined and clumped together. I never experienced this with ECO styler. The next day my twist out was still maintained. So this was my proper second day hair. No re-twisting. It lasted until day three but the hold decreased. No I spritzed my hair with water and re-twisted again with less Just Gel and Hair Bling and kept this until Friday. The twists themselves are still holding up ( I am only taking them out as I am getting Afro Puffy Twists done if not I would still keep it) and this is the twistout from it below.
Close up! The leave in (Giovanni Direct, Hair Bling and Just Gel are still drying in some parts.Look at how smooth the hair is the cuticles are laying flat.
Another Close up! This time I used the Everyday Leave in, Hair Bling and Just Gel. Again the cuticles are laying flat and the hair is smooth.
Twist out result!! Photo Credit: Gideon Media
Overall review:
Now Original Moxie products may be a bit pricey, but I know ingredients are not cheap so I expect that. I am happy to invest in something my hair loves especially when a little goes a long way.
Everyday Detangling Leave in:
Their Claims
This little miracle of nature is derived simply by boiling the dried seeds of the Flax plant. The gooey extract that is released contains many of the seed’s natural proteins, minerals, amino acids and omega fatty acids, while providing strong hold for any style.
Ingredients
Linum usitatissimum* (Flax) Seed Gel, Aqua (Water), Vegetable Glycerin***, Aqueous Extracts of Hypericum perforatum* (St. John’s Wort), Yucca glauca**(Yucca) Root, Emblica officinalis (Indian Gooseberry), Equisetum arvense*(Horsetail), Chondrus crispus**(Irish Moss), Azadirachta indica* (Neem), & Zingiber officinalis (Ginger) Root, Aloe barbadensis Leaf Preserved With Potassium Sorbate*** & Citric Acid***, Ricinus communis (Castor) Oil, Sodium Lactate, Potassium Sorbate***, Polyquaternium-10, Polyaminopropyl Biguanide, Sorbitol***, Acacia Gum, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Honey (and) Maltodextrin***, Tocopherol*** (Vitamin E), Panthenol, Citric Acid***, Simmondsia chinensis (Jojoba) Oil, Essential Oils of Citrus reticulata blanco var. tangerina (Tangerine), Citrus sinensis (Sweet Orange), Vanilla planifolia (Vanilla), Cananga odorata (Ylang Ylang), Jasminum grandiflorum (Jasmine), Santalum album (Sandalwood), Litsea cubeba, & Thuja plicata (Cedar Leaf).
*Certified Organic ** Wildharvested *** Natural Source
My Verdict
Good ingredients, bar dimethicone, does what it says it will do which is detangle be it dry or wet hair. Would I repurchase? Not for my hair because unless it did not stay moisturised for very long once I applied it, whereas for my friend yes as her hair likes it. Rating 3/5 stars.
Hair Bling
Their Claims
This high gloss pomade contains Mango Butter, an anti-oxidant rich emollient that not only provides long-lasting moisture but also protects hair from UV radiation. It also contains Tucuma Butter which is exceptionally high in Vitamin A and helps to soften and strengthen dry, coarse hair.
Ingredients
Simmondsia chinensis (Jojoba) Oil, Mangifera indica (Mango) Butter, Astrocaryum tucuma (Tucuma) Butter, Cera Flava (Beeswax), Stearic Acid***, Tocopherol (Vitamin E)***, Essential Oils of Bergaptene-Free Citrus bergamia (Bergamot), Citrus racemosa (Pink Grapefruit), Salvia sclarea (Clary Sage), Citrus reticulata blanco var. tangerina (Tangerine), Vanilla planifolia (Vanilla), & Lavandula officinalis (Lavender).
*** Natural Source
My Verdict
I love this! Love the smell, the feel on my hair and the shine. It really is blinging, I had to do that sorry lol. Would I purchase? Yes. I just have to decide what size. Rating 5/5 stars.
Just Gel
Their Claims
This little miracle of nature is derived simply by boiling the dried seeds of the Flax plant. The gooey extract that is released contains many of the seed’s natural proteins, minerals, amino acids and omega fatty acids, while providing strong hold for any style.
Ingredients
Linum usitatissimum* (Flax) Seed Gel, Aqua (Water), Vegetable Glycerin***, Aqueous Extracts of Hypericum perforatum* (St. John’s Wort), Yucca glauca**(Yucca) Root, Emblica officinalis (Indian Gooseberry), Equisetum arvense*(Horsetail), Chondrus crispus**(Irish Moss), Azadirachta indica* (Neem), & Zingiber officinalis (Ginger) Root, Aloe barbadensis Leaf Preserved With Potassium Sorbate*** & Citric Acid***, Ricinus communis (Castor) Oil, Sodium Lactate, Potassium Sorbate***, Polyquaternium-10, Polyaminopropyl Biguanide, Sorbitol***, Acacia Gum, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Honey (and) Maltodextrin***, Tocopherol*** (Vitamin E), Panthenol, Citric Acid***, Simmondsia chinensis (Jojoba) Oil, Essential Oils of Citrus reticulata blanco var. tangerina (Tangerine), Citrus sinensis (Sweet Orange), Vanilla planifolia (Vanilla), Cananga odorata (Ylang Ylang), Jasminum grandiflorum (Jasmine), Santalum album (Sandalwood), Litsea cubeba, & Thuja plicata (Cedar Leaf).
*Certified Organic ** Wildharvested *** Natural Source
My Verdict
Love! Love! Love! Flaxseed is the one! My hair loved it and sang “At lassssst..” It did what it said it would do. My hair moves and yet there is hold. No crunch at all. I look forward to doing more styles with this. Would I purchase? Oh it’s on my wishlist already. Rating 5/5 stars.
All of these products can be purchased from Black and Brown
[Natalie says – check out my blog post on the founders of blackandbrown.net, Stephanie and Sarah Jarrett]
Dee x
Happy for the winner. Looks like she got some great products. Best to all you ladies out there.
Thank you!! Have a wonderful day xx