Admittedly, us natural gals can be product snobs from time to time (or all the time”>. We turn our noses up at products because on the surface, it looks like they’re irrelevant to our natural hair needs — or because we want to distance ourselves from anything remotely related to perms, flat irons, and weaves.
I’m here to say: Keep an open mind. Sometimes, the products you end up loving the most don’t say natural, curly, kinky, coily, or wavy on the label. Case and point: Long Locks Hair Care. I was sent a wonderful haul of products from Long Locks to review: including Peppermint Candy Shampoo and Conditioner, Mystique Frizz Control Cream, and… a GLAM IRON! What’s a Glam Iron, you ask? Only the cutest flat iron…ever. In life. Although I only straighten my hair 3 or 4 times a year, it’s nice to know that next time I crave sleek tresses, I’ll have the chicest iron on the block. Before I get too carried away about the glam iron, let me get to the actual review.
Peppermint Candy Shampoo
Description
Invigorating, clarifying shampoo with peppermint and tea tree oils, thoroughly cleanses while healing and invigorating the scalp. Helps strengthen hair while improving body and shine. Safe for colored and chemically-treated hair.
Ingredient ListWater, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Ammonium Lauryl Sulfate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Cocamide MEA, Peppermint Oil, Glycol Stearate, Glycerin, Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose, Polyquaternium-59, Wheat Amino Acids, Polyquaternium-10, Tea Tree Oil, Disodium EDTA, Menthol, Citric Acid, Butylene Glycol, Sodium Chloride, Methylchloroisothiazolinone, Yellow 5/CL 19140 Blue 1, Cl 42090 Limonene, Linalool
Top Ingredients 411
- Sodium Laureth Sulfate: Surfactant (cleansing agent”> derived from ethoxylated lauryl alcohol.
- Ammonium Lauryl Sulfate: Surfactant and foaming agent derived from the ammonium salt of lauryl sulfate.
- Cocamidopropyl Betaine: Coconut oil-derived detergent, anti-static, and hair conditioning agent.
- Cocamide MEA: Foam boosting and viscosity increasing compound synthesized from coconut oils and ethanolamine.
- Peppermint Oil: Essential oil used for stimulating and invigorating the scalp and follicles.
Performance
Right out of the gate, I must say that I absolutely love the fragrance. The essence of peppermint candy is captured to a tee. The shampoo itself is a nice silky green. One major red flag for most naturals will be the SLS and ALS present in the ingredients. I fully expected for the shampoo to dry out my hair, but it didn’t. While my hair was a little more stripped than most shampoos make it feel, I kept in mind that this shampoo’s purpose was to clarify. I loved the cool tingly feeling on my scalp, and how the shampoo had just enough slip to help me continue detangling my hair. It didn’t have tons of miraculous slip, but it was definitely present and there was enough. Overall, I really liked the shampoo. The smell alone reminded me of the peppermints I got as a kid from my Grandma’s purse.
Peppermint Candy Conditioner
Description
Peppermint Oil and other vital botanicals & nutrients leave hair moisturized, shiny, and full of body after just one use. Special vitamins and proteins protect sensitive scalps. Safe for colored, straightened, and chemically-treated hair.
Ingredient List
Water, Cetearyl Alcohol, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Cetyl Alcohol, Ceteareth-20, Lactamide MEA, Peppermint Oil, Panthenol, Panthenyl Hydroxypropyl Steardimonium Chloride, Hydrolyzed Rice Protein, Burdock Root Extract, Ivy Extract, Fenugreek Extract, Methylchloroisothiazolinon, Phenoxyethanol, Potassium Sorbate
Top Ingredients 411
- Cetearyl & Cetyl Alcohol: Fatty alcohols and emollient conditioners 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.
- Ceteareth-20: Emulsifier derived from fatty alcohols, used primarily to mix oil/water/alcohols, and help evenly disperse ingredients in a product
- Lactamide MEA: A natural moisturizer and humectant, derived from lactic acid. It used as an anti-static and conditioning agent.
- Peppermint Oil: Essential oil used for stimulating and invigorating the scalp and follicles.
Performance
In the same vein as the shampoo, the fragrance of the conditioner did not disappoint. The product itself is white (thank God, I might have lost it over green conditioner”>, and has an incredibly luxurious rich and creamy feel to it. It was the perfect acompaniment to the shampoo — whatever oils I had lost in the clarifying process were definitely restored with this conditioner. Much like the shampoo, the condtioner didn’t have tons of slip — but it had enough to help keep my hair detangled. It was a good conditioner though, and I simply love the ingredients. One interesting thing I did notice about the conditioner is that it gave “weight” to my hair, similar to the effect of henna. Although it was temporary and went down the drain at the next wash, I did enjoy the extra manageability. I love weighty hair–for me it helps keep flyaways at bay and manage shrinkage (as much as it can be managed, lol”>. If you feel like your hair could stand to benefit from some extra oomph, definitely check this conditioner out.
Description
This fast-drying texture cream tames frizzy and unruly hair resulting in a soft and pliable mane.
Ingredient List
Water, Cetyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Di-PPG-2-Myreth-10-Adipate, Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Polyquaternium-59, Butylene Glycol, Amodimethicone, Fragrance/Parfum, Tocopheryl Acetate, Propylene Glycol, Disodium EDTA, Octoxynol-40, Isolaureth-6, Sodium Benzoate, Methylisothiazolinone, Benzyl Benzoate, Limonene, Benzyl Salicylate, Butylphenyl Methypropional, Alpha Iso-Methyl Ionone
Top Ingredients 411
- Cetearyl & Cetyl Alcohol: Fatty alcohols and emollient conditioners known for giving products a creamy, thick texture and feel.
- Glycerin: Generally vegetable-based humectant that absorbs and retains moisture from the air.
- Di-PPG-2-Myreth-10 Adipate: Skin and hair conditioning agent, emollient, and surfactant.
- Hydrogenated Castor Oil: Castor wax created to improve the shelf-life of castor oil.
- Behentrimonium Methosulfate: Mild detangling ingredient made from the rapeseed (canola”>. Known for great detangling without leaving product buildup on hair.
Performance
Oh, Frizz Control Cream, how do I love thee? Let me count the ways. You’re lightweight and moisturizing, and double as a leave-in conditioner. The difference with you in my hair is truly night and day. I swoon over your ingredients and springtime fresh fragrance, they complement your creamy texture well. All poetic waxing aside, I truly do love this stuff and for me it is the absolute GEM of the Long Locks line. All of the aforementioned is true– the ingredients are awesome, the fragrance is fresh and mild, and it is lightweight and moisturizing. But the home run? I’ll just let the picture on the left do the talking.
In this particular wash and go, this was day one as soon as my hair was 100% dry. For the most part my hair behaves itself, but there are random sections that will not bend to my will no matter what I do. I typically let those rebels be themselves, and go on about my business. But this particular day, I wanted to put the Frizz Control Cream to the test. I was using the Frizz Control Cream as my leave-in, Camille Rose Naturals Almond Jai Twisting Butter for moisture, and TIGI Catwalk Curlesque Curls Rock Amplifier for my styler. In the section photo’d, I intentionally skipped the Frizz Control Cream so I’d have a point of comparison. The difference is literally night and day. This isn’t a fluke either– another random section that rebels against me is the front/center of my hair. It is thick, has ridiculous shrinkage, and is a tight wavy pattern. And what did the Frizz Control Cream do? This (see photo”>.
It whipped the front into shape like nothing I’ve ever seen before. Can we say, must have for 2014? Absolutely. I just wish it came in a bigger tube.
Glam Iron
As if I didn’t gush about the Glam Iron enough, let me go ahead and provide a little more information. It’s absolutely fab. It’s pink, and covered in rhinestones. But what does that mean for use and functionality? Here are some quick specs:
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The Glam Iron heats quickly–within 20 seconds. Seriously.
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The jewels don’t melt off, thanks to being applied with heat-proof glue.
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The plate is 1 inch wide–perfect for a variety of lengths and types of hair.
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The plate is ceramic with Ion technology.
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It has an LCD display that flashes “OFF” when plugged in but not on, and has an automatic shutoff if left idle for prolonged periods of time.
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The Glam Iron has a programmable time feature as well, for up to 120 minutes.
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The temperature range is from 50 to 232 degrees Celsius, or 122 to 450 degrees Farenheit.
The iron is lighweight and durable, and quite honestly I can’t wait to use it. I’m trying to take my no-heat stretch until May for my birthday, which will be a full 5 months without straightening. But when I do, you better believe I’m using my Glam Iron! Check my blog for the latest updates on this effort.
