Koils by Nature
Everyone’s talking about Koils by Nature, as many naturals rave over the ultra lush conditioners and butters offered by the small business brand. In fact, one product is even referred to as the other “creamy crack”. With a reputation like that, I had to try it out.
After returning to natural hair in 2007, Koils By Nature founder Pamela Jenkis became incredibly passionate about healthy hair care. Driven and focused by how expensive some natural hair products were, she decided to begin researching, mixing, and testing out her own product blends. After some trial and error, she soon found her mixing stride in 2009. Koils By Nature officially launched in 2010 online, and has expanded to include national and international retailers.
All Koils By Nature products are made by hand with natural ingredients and certified organic essential oils. Koils By Nature products do not contain parabens, sodium lauryl sulfate, sodium laureth sulfate, phthalates, propylene glycol, mineral oil, PABA, petroleum, parrifin, DEA, synthetic color, or animal products.
Refreshing Anti-Dandruff Cleanser: Tea Tree Mint
This was the first product I opened, and I could NOT stop sniffing it. I live for the peppermint aroma, especially during the holiday season. The mint smell is refreshing, but not overbearing, and totally derived from tea tree and peppermint essential oils.
Description:
This sulfate free foaming cleanser that will sooth, purify and stimulate, while removing dandruff from your scalp. The burdock root & bay leaf are natural antiseptics that will rid the scalp of dandruff. The healing properties of the calndelua is excellent for those with sensitive skin. The aloe leaf juice has healing and moisturizing qualities that will leave hair and scalp healthy and beautiful.
Ingredient List:
Distilled water infused with Organic Calendula, Organic Burdock Root, Organic Horsetail, and Organic Nettle Leaf, Aloe Leaf Juice, Potassium Palm Kernelate, Organic Castile Soap, Glycerin, Marshmallow Root Powder, Olive Oil, Grapeseed Oil, Tea Tree Oil, Peppermint Essential Oil
Top Ingredients 411:
- Distilled Water infused with Organic Calendula, Organic Burdock Root, Organic Horsetail, and Organic Nettle Leaf: This water infusion is scalp soothing, contains anti-oxidants, promotes growth and elasticity, and helps improve the strength of hair.
- Aloe Leaf Juice: Acts as a natural conditioning agent that restores the hair’s sheen, luster, and shine. It not only makes the hair soft, but it also enhances strength and suppleness.
- Potassium Palm Kernelate: Potassium salt of fatty acid derived from palm kernel oil that acts as a gentle cleansing agent and thickener.
- Organic Castile Soap: A gentle soap made from vegetable-based fats that cleanses the hair.
- Glycerin: Vegetable-based humectant that attracts water from the air to moisturize and hydrate hair.
- Marshmallow Root Powder: Extraction that creates a slippery, mucous-like substance that adds incredible slip (translation: awesome detangling”>, and contains high amounts of plant proteins for strengthening and conditioning hair.
Performance
For me, this shampoo was honestly love at first pump. I had never shampooed with something that foamed before water was applied to it, so I was unsure of what to expect. To my surprise, it lathered nicely, had tons of slip, and made my hair and scalp feel nice and clean. This shampoo is definitely slippery enough to detangle with, which is huge for me. Although I always detangle prior to getting in the shower, any product that helps keep my hair that way earns an automatic gold star in my book. What’s even better than the slip and scent is how my hair felt after being washed. It was clean, but there wasn’t a single sign of feeling stripped, dry, or any of the other ways hair can feel with even some of the most gentle shampoos. This shampoo has become an immediate staple for me!
Ultra-Moisturizing CocoAloe Deep Conditioner
I’m a sucker for a good deep conditioner. Of all my hair products (and trust me, there’s a lot of them”>, there are two things I’ll shell out more than $10 on: deep conditioner, and curl definers.
Because I’ll spend significantly more on those than any other products in my arsenal, I expect them to deliver. A lot. I need easy application, some detangling ability, a super moisturizing punch, and for my hair to feel buttery smooth after I rinse out.
Description:
Ultra-Moisturizing CocoAloe Deep Conditioner is excellent for color treated hair or for those who apply heat to the hair. Coconut oil is excellent for retaining moisture, preventing breakage and is a natural conditioning agent that provides a protective barrier that will add luster, body, & manageability provide extra moisture so that the hair feels soft and smooth. Hydrolyzed Oat Protein holds 1000x its weight in water and will help your hair retain moisture, and restoring all the vitamins and minerals necessary for healthy hair.
Ingredient List:
Aqua (Distilled Water”>, Aloe Barbadensis (Aloe Leaf Juice”> Cetyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Cocos Nucifera (Coconut Oil”>, Cocos Nucifera Oil / Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract (Aloe Butter”>, Argania Spinosa (Argan Oil”>, Macadamia integrifolia (Macadamia Nut Oil”>, Vitis vinifera (Grape Seed Oil”>, *Organic Olea Europaea (Olive Oil”>, Mangifera Indica (Mango Alphonso Powder Fruit Extract”>, Hydrolyzed Oat Protein, Kosher Vegetable Glycerin, Potassium sorbate , Salix Nigra (Willow Bark Extract”> Tocopherol (Vitamin E”>, D-Panthenol (Pro-Vitamin B5″>, Fragrance (Parfum”>, Citric Acid
Top Ingredients 411:
-
Water: Moisture.
-
Aloe Leaf Juice: Acts as a natural conditioning agent that restores the hair’s sheen, luster, and shine. It not only makes the hair soft, but it also enhances strength and suppleness. Because of Aloe’s low pH, it can also help seal the cuticle to aid in moisture retention and prevent damage.
-
Cetearyl Alcohol: Combination of cetyl and stearyl fatty alcohols. Emollient conditioner known for giving products a creamy, thick texture and feel.
-
Behentrimonium Methosulfate: Mild detangling ingredient made from the rapeseed (canola”>. Known for great detangling without leaving product buildup on hair.
-
Coconut Oil: Oil high in saturated fats (which is why when cold, it is solid”>. One of the few known oils to penetrate the hair shaft and truly moisturize hair. Coconut oil helps to moisturize, seal, prevent breakage, and protein loss.
-
Aloe Butter: Combination of Aloe Vera extract and fractionated coconut oil to produce a rich, emollient butter that soothes, strengthens, imparts shine, and improves elasticity and moisture retention in hair.
-
Argan Oil: Oil derived from the seeds of the fruit of the Argan tree, touted for high concentrations of vitamins A and E that can help prevent and reverse damage to hair.
Performance
I expected a lot of this deep conditioner, and I must say — it delivered. Sometimes, deep conditioners can be thick and paste-like, which is okay, but having a DC on deck that is easy to work through your hair is a plus.
My hair is in the 3-something range. I don’t always hair type, but when I do… it’s in the 3’s (excuse my lame Dos Equis spin-off joke”>, and loves anything aloe. Juice, gel, butter, or otherwise. So it was almost no surprise that when I rinsed it off, my hair it was shiny, soft, moisturized, and everything that I needed it to be.
The ends of my hair had been feeling frazzled as of late, and I am happy to report that the Ultra-Moisturizing CocoAloe Deep Conditioner fixed that problem right up! I believe that the pH of the conditioner being somewhere between 4.5 and 5 helped really remedy my ends.
Moisturizing Shealoe Leave-In Conditioner
Before this lush leave-in came into my life, I only had one favorite leave-in conditioner. Now I have two. I know there’s a reoccurring theme running through this review – new staples and Holy Grail Must Haves. It may seem crazy, but it’s all true. And that still holds, especially when it comes to this product. By the way, this is the one dubbed “the other creamy crack”!
Description:
Moisturizing Shealoe Leave-In Conditioner is an excellent creamy herbal infused creamy conditioner and detangler intended to smooth the cuticle and remove knots, snarls, and tangles from thick kinky textured hair.
Ingredient List:
Aqua (Distilled Water”> infused with *Organic Calendula officinalis (Calendula Flower Whole”>, *Organic Arctium lappa (Burdock Root”>, *Organic Equisetum arvense (Horsetail Shaved Grass”>, & *Organic Urtica dioica (Nettle Leaf”>, Aloe Barbadensis (Aloe Leaf Juice”>, cetyl alcohol, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, *Organic Althaea officinalis (Marshmallow Root Powder”>, *Organic Arctium lappa (Burdock Root Powder”>, *Organic Calendula officinalis (Calendula Flower Powder”>,*Organic Ulmus rubra (Slippery Elm Bark Powder”>, Matricaria recutita (Chamomile Flower Powder”>, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea oil”>, Oryza Sativa (Rice Bran Oil”>, *Organic Olea Europaea (Olive Oil”>, Macadamia integrifolia (Macadamia Nut Oil”>, Ricinus Communis (Jamaican Black Castor Seed Oil”>, Argania Spinosa (Argan Oil”>, Cocos Nucifera Oil / Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract (Aloe Butter”>, Vitis vinifera (Grape Seed Oil”>, Mangifera Indica (Mango Alphonso Powder Fruit Extract”>, Kosher Vegetable Glycerin, Potassium Sorbate, Salix Nigra (Willow Bark Extract”> Tocopherol (Vitamin E”>, D-Panthenol (Pro-Vitamin B5″>, Essential Oil & Fragrance, Citric Acid.
Top Ingredients 411:
-
Distilled Water infused with OrganicCalendula, Organic Burdock Root, Organic Horsetail, and Organic Nettle Leaf: This water infusion is scalp soothing, contains anti-oxidants, promotes growth and elasticity, and helps improve the strength of hair.
-
Aloe Leaf Juice: Acts as a natural conditioning agent that restores the hair’s sheen, luster, and shine. It not only makes the hair soft, but it also enhances strength and suppleness. Because of Aloe’s low pH, it can also help seal the cuticle to aid in moisture retention and prevent damage.
-
Cetyl Alcohol: Fatty alcohol and emollient conditioner known for giving products a creamy, thick texture and feel.
-
Behentrimonium Methosulfate: Mild detangling ingredient made from the rapeseed (canola”>. Known for great detangling without leaving product buildup on hair.
-
Marshmallow Root Powder: Extraction that creates a slippery, mucous-like substance that adds incredible slip (translation: awesome detangling”>, and contains high amounts of plant proteins for strengthening and conditioning hair.
-
Burdock Root Powder: Rich in fatty acids, which aid in improving shine and elasticity. Burdock Root also stimulates blood flow to the scalp, encouraging growth. It is also rich in silica and phytosterols, which soothe irritate scalp conditions like dandruff, psoriasis, seborrhea dermatitis. The mucilage in Burdock Root is great at providing slip, making it easier to detangle hair.
-
Calendula Powder: Known to be soothing to sensitive scalps, and also helps prevent damage by protecting hair from free-radicals. It also contains some antibacterial properties, helping keep the scalp and hair clear of infection and bacterial growth
-
Slippery Elm Powder: Known for high slip content (hence the name”> when steeped or added to water. Slippery Elm contains procyanidins (a flavanoid”> which bind to the surface of hair and can help prevent protein loss, damage, and aging in hair, while increasing tensile strength.
Performance
Oh. My. Goodness. Please forgive me, but I am fairly new to this leave-in conditioner phenomena. Up until a few months ago, I thought leave-in conditioner was optional, or a hack job at best. By hack job, I mean shake up some regular conditioner in a spray bottle with a little water. I now understand the error of my ways, and that leave-in conditioner is a must, in terms of setting the foundation for moisture and a great style.
Like I mentioned a little earlier, I used to have only one favorite leave-in conditioner: the Coco Creme Leave-In Conditioner by Shescentit. Now, I have two. The other creamy crack has undoubtedly made the list of products I refuse to live without. It is ultra moisturizing, it softens the hair, and helps keep the detangled hair party going.
I can easily apply a little of the leave-in and run my fingers through my hair with little to no snagging and stopping – which is major! Ever since I got the Moisturizing Shealoe Leave-In, I have used it at the base of my styles for everything – from wash and go’s to braidouts.
<!–nextpage–>
Soothing Herbal Curl Defining Peppermint Gel
Remember what I said earlier about spending extra money on deep conditioners and curl definers, and the subsequent high expectations? The same thing applies here. Right off the top, I was already in love with the smell. Peppermint (but not overbearingly so”> really does it for me.
Description:
Soothing Herbal Curl Defining Lavender & Eucalyptus Gel contains no alcohol and will not dry out your hair. Soothing Herbal Curl Defining Lavender & Eucalyptus Gel will provide your hair with great hold and is excellent for defining your natural curl, two-strand twist and excellent for smoothing your edges. The Shea oil & honey will keep your hair moisturized, soft and lustrous. Soothing Herbal Curl Defining Lavender & Eucalyptus Gel works great in combination with the Nourishing Hair & Body Butter.
- No Alcohol
- No Flaking
- No Artificial Color
Ingredient List:
-
Distilled Water infused with OrganicCalendula, Organic Burdock Root, Organic Horsetail, and Organic Nettle Leaf, aloe vera juice, Shea Oil, Grapeseed Oil, Macadamia Nut Oil, Jamaican Black Castor Oil, Carbomer, Organic marshmallow root,organic slippery elm bark, Jamaican Black Castor Oil, potassium sorbate, willows bark, lemon & peppermint essential oils, citric acid.
Top Ingredients 411:
-
Distilled Water infused with OrganicCalendula, Organic Burdock Root, Organic Horsetail, and Organic Nettle Leaf: This water infusion is scalp soothing, contains anti-oxidants, promotes growth and elasticity, and helps improve the strength of hair
-
Aloe Vera Juice: Acts as a natural conditioning agent that restores the hair’s sheen, luster, and shine. It not only makes the hair soft, but it also enhances strength and suppleness. Because of Aloe’s low pH, it can also help seal the cuticle to aid in moisture retention and prevent damage.
-
Shea Oil: Emollient fat from the nut of the East or West African shea nut tree, used to moisturize and soften hair.
-
Grapeseed Oil: Rich in omegas 6 and 9, grapeseed oil helps promote hair growth, elasticity, and shine, while helping to ease scalp conditions such as eczema.
-
Macadamia Nut Oil: Another oil rich in omegas 6 and 9, grapeseed oil helps promote hair growth, elasticity, and shine, while helping to ease scalp conditions such as eczema.
-
Jamaican Black Castor Oil: Castor oil infused with burnt palm ash, which has antibacterial and antifungal properties. It is also a great moisture sealant, and promotes hair thickening and growth.
-
Carbomer: Emulsion stabilizer that is responsible for forming gels in products.
Performance
As mentioned previously, I have high standards for curl defining products – gels especially. I like to avoid too-frequent manipulation as much as possible, so I need a curl definer to work for at least 3 days (if not 4…5 is unheard of since I wash my hair every 4 days or so”>. For gels, jellys, and custards, I expect hold, definition, shine, and some softness.
I understand that for my wash and go’s to last as long as I would like, I have to sacrifice a little softness for some crunch, but I am okay with that. Worst case scenario, I do a little scrunching, and the crunch is gone. There was no need to scrunch the crunch on this gel, because it was incredibly soft.
I loved the fragrance, it went on easily (although not with as much slip as I would have liked”>, and my curls were shiny. Unfortunately, because the gel is really light, my wash and go pretty much washed and went after one day. I don’t do all of the diffusing, pineappling, and root stretching that some bloggers do, but perhaps those methods might have made a difference in how long the product lasted for me. But all hope is not lost – for those that prefer a lighter hold, or have finer textures of hair, this gel would be perfect. I would likely purchase this gel again, to see how it works on a wet-to-dry style such as a twist or braidout.
Photo Courtesy of Beautycism<!–nextpage–>
Marvelous Mango Nourishing Hair and Body Butter
This butter smells soooooo good. Seriously. I didn’t think I’d be one for the mango scent, but it is bright without being overbearing. When sealing my hair’s moisture in, I prefer butters to oils – especially butters with more than just shea (and sometimes other than shea entirely”>.
Description:
Nourishing Hair & Body Butter is made from the best butters & oils nature provides, it will moisturize, revitalize, heal, and protect your hair and skin. The lightly scented fresh mango scent will have you thinking of a tropical island! This butter smells delightful, please do not ingest, for external use only.
Ingredient List:
Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter”>, Cocos Nucifera (Coconut Oil”>, Garcinia Indica Seed (Kokum Butter”>, Mangifera Indica (Mango Seed Butter”>, Hydrogenated Avocado Oil (Avocado Butter”>, Cocos Nucifera Oil / Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract (Aloe Butter”>, Prunus Dulcis (Sweet Almond Oil”>, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba Seed Oil”>, Vitis vinifera (Grape Seed Oil”>, *Organic Olea Europaea (Olive Oil”>, Ricinus Communis (Jamaican Black Castor Seed Oil”>, Shorea stenoptera (Illipe Butter”>, Tocopherol (Vitamin E”>, D-Panthenol (Pro-Vitamin B5″>, *organic essential oils & fragrance.
Top Ingredient 411:
-
Shea Butter: Emollient fat from the nut of the East or West African shea nut tree, used to moisturize and soften hair.
-
Coconut Oil: Oil high in saturated fats (which is why when cold, it is solid”>. One of the few known oils to penetrate the hair shaft and truly moisturize hair. Coconut oil helps to moisturize, seal, prevent breakage, and protein loss.
-
Kokum Butter: Butter native to India, prized for essential fatty acid content. Its emollient, inflammation-reducing, and skin healing properties make it ideal for use on dry and damaged hair and skin.
-
Mango Seed Butter: Rich in beta carotene, essential fatty acids and vitamins A and E. This ingredient also helps to treat dry skin and protect against future dryness.
-
Avocado Butter: Moisturizing oil extract that can penetrate the hair’s cortex and strengthen hair.
-
Aloe Butter: Combination of Aloe Vera extract and fractionated coconut oil to produce a rich, emollient butter that soothes, strengthens, imparts shine, and improves elasticity and moisture retention in hair.
Performance
Anything that can go on my hair and skin without drama is good in my book. This butter was great at both! It is great for sealing in moisture, softness, and shine without weighing hair down – thanks to the presence of all the other butters and oils which are a little lighter than shea buter itself. Whenver I use it in my hair, I get compliments on how yummy my hair smells, which is great. All in all, the butter is awesome – and because it is so versatile, it is a great bargain!
Overall, I really enjoyed the Koils By Nature Line. The combination of high quality ingredients, and formulations that deliver on their promises has me sold, and will definitely make me a repeat customer!
For more product reviews, check out The Mane Objective
MORE: DIY All Over Shea Butter
