SheaMoisture not for me?

corinniePop

So I just bought the SM moisture retention shampoo and restorative conditioner and used both in my shower today. I can't say I'm pleased with the results. My hair felt really weird and dry and looked brittle and frizzy, even when wet. Is there something in these products that might cause this? I'm so disappointed because I have heard nothing but good things about the brand. I also tried the Curl Enhancing Smoothie, which also didn't turn out great, but I feel like I can't judge the styler when things were bad before I put it in. I have 2C waves, high porosity, and low/medium density.

Therese1

I haven't tried that particular SM shampoo, but I did try their Fruit Fusion and got the same thing--dry, brittle, scouring-pad-like hair. But I have used their Yucca and Plantain shampoo with great resuilts. I don't know what ingredients could cause it.

I just got the Curl-Enhancing Smoothie myself yesterday and love it! It seems to be a really great sealer. I put maybe a dime's worth in my hair. I think you have to be careful not to use too much or it can get greasy. My hair felt really hydrated all day. I hope you try the smoothie again and have better results. I used mine right after my leave-in.

curlync

Have you successfully used other products with shea butter or coconut oil before? After the water, these are the first two ingredients in the SM Moisture Retention shampoo, and the first and third ingredients in the conditioner. When I had my hair analysis done through GoosefootPrints and mentioned some trouble I was having with rough, tangled hair, and listed my products, here's what she had to say:
Some people will get dry, rough (or crunchy) feeling hair from using coconut oil. If thatʼs the case for you, then using products without coconut oil might be worth a try.
Shea butter can also present problems for detangling. Butters are solid at room temperature (in your hair) and tend to increase friction in hair. They can also cause a waxy feel or sudden drying (flash-drying) of sections of hair and roughness - especially if your hair tends to be on the silkier side. Shea butter is removed with plenty of warm water and shampoo (sulfate free is fine).

I do personally use the SM Fruit Fusion Weightless Shampoo and really like it, but I haven't tried any of the other products for fear they'd be far to heavy for my 2c/3a waves and curls.

corinniePop

@curlync I have used coconut oil before and had no problems, but this is my first experience with Shea butter. I returned the shampoo and conditioner and traded them for the Strengthen, Grow & Restore formula, which contains Jamaican black castor oil. I've only used it once and I already like it better. Not sure about the conditioner yet, but we'll see. I would also love any tips on how to use the smoothie. I've tried twice with very wonky results. It makes nice-ish curls in the front of my head (only), and the first time was frizz free. I had frizz the second time, and it gives zero hold, even paired with Sweet Curls hard hold gel.

curlyannie80

Hi, Ive had the smoothie for about a yr and a half now (the SAME tub), and it definitely took a while to get the hang of how to use it. Now that I DO know how, I am absolutely in love with it, and when I don't use it, my hair doesn't look nearly as good. I use it after my leave-in, and I put it on the driest and curliest areas of my hair only. If I put it all over, it weighs down my hair and looks terrible. For me, the curliest & driest areas are my nape area, just the very top layer/canopy but only the bottom 3-4", and then on the bottom 2-3" of all of my hair. I just use a TINY amount, like a pea sized ammt. for each area. Then I rinse it all off my hands, and then apply my gel. I just thought I'd chime in with how I personally use the smoothie. My hair is fine, medium density, low porosity at the roots, normal porosity length, 3b with some 3a mixed in, mid back length. I hope you find out what type of application of it works for your hair, and good luck

Sent from my XT1254 using CurlTalk App

chickitten

Yeah some of the SM lines may be hit or miss depending on what your hair likes. Glad to hear you like the JBCO line . I'll contribute to my way I use the Smoothie is 1) after using my leave in. 2) by taking 3 fingers (I have waist-long hair, since yours is shorter, I'd try 1-2 fingers) and running them lightly over the surface of the smoothie, then rubbing the amount in between my palms till they have a light white layer of the Smoothie (I sometimes take more as needed). Then I rake it through a 2-3 inch section and (sometimes I re-dip a finger to get a bit more) then use the praying hands method to "smooth" everything in. I use just enough to make my hair feel like it has a light coat of the Smoothie, I have high porosity hair so this amount works well for me. Once I'm done, I finish with hard hold gel. I'm enjoying reading everyone's method on how to use the Smoothie since the instructions on the container are vague, IMO, one time I saw or read someone try to use the Smoothie as a conditioner/mask (my immediate reaction: "NOOOOO" *insert Chrissy Teigen face*)

Swirlysarah3321

I also used the same kind about a week ago and my hair was a frizzy halo!! The curl enhancing she moisture shanpoo works pretty well for me but the Shea moisture restore conditioner made my hair soooo dry and frizzy

kfoley228

2b/2c, med porosity, had the same problem with the curl enhancing smoothie. Made my hair really weird! First greasy, then dry and brittle the 2nd day. My hair does not like coconut or shea butter I've discovered. Does do well with castor oil tho.
Gave the smoothie to a friend with 3b hair. She loved it.

Mei

You have to find the SM line that's right for you. The ABS line for me is great, I did try the kid's conditioner or whatever thinking it would be light and gentle and I could use it as a co-wash or even a regular conditioner, it was soo thick and just made my hair feel very coated and gunky so it was a waste of my money. As with any line of products your mileage will vary depending upon ingredients, and not only that, how much of any ingredient is in the product. Overall I like SM and usually stock up on a few bottles when I visit my man in the US, as SM cannot be bought in Canada.

ttoosday

That Shea Moisture restorative conditioner was one of the very first products I ever tried when I first decided to go CG. My result is exactly what OP described. I took it right back to the store. This was before i knew a single thing about my hair, whether it was fine or course, thick or thin, protein sensitive or anything. I have always chocked it up to the fact that my hair was completely fried and heavily damaged from decades of flat ironing when I tried that product and my unrealistic expectation was that i would get overnight softness and improvement that caused my initial terrible feeling towards Shea Moisture's entire product line.

Now i know so much more about my hair, after a year and a half, and ive done a big chop, ive decided to try that particular product again to see if that experience was due to damaged hair, or if even my healthy hair likes it all.

Myrna

First, there is no need to use all your products from the same SM line. I personally love the 10 in 1 products from SM; but I dont use them together, its too much for my hair. Fruit Fusion contains coco betaine, which is good for some curlies. I have that shampoo, the JBCO shampoo and the 10 in 1. My favorite conditioner from the SM line is the 10 in 1 Superfruit. The moisture retention was too much for my hair, as was the coconut hibiscus.

krly

I used to use the SM Yucca & Baobab shampoo and conditioner with good results until they changed the ingredients. Since I have very fine/fragile hair that is easily weighed down, I was excited to try the Fruit Fusion line.

Unfortunately, after using the SM Fruit Fusion shampoo and conditioner just once, last week, my hair felt horrible. It was extremely wiry in a way it never behaved before. And I freaked out because my hair looked extremely damaged with incredibly noticeable new split ends everywhere. I actually thought I'd ruined my hair! After one use! Needless to say, I haven't used it since.

I didn't give up on the SM line, though, since I'd had such a good experience with the yucca & baobab. I had a feeling the coconut & hibiscus line would be good, even though my hair is fine and not thick. I went back and picked up the C&H shamp/cond and so far my hair seems to love it.

I don't understand why the FF was so disastrous for me. I feel like this could be a learning opportunity if only I could identify the offending ingredient. I did notice that Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice is the first ingredient listed in FF. The C&H line lists Aloe Vera Leaf Juice, but further down the list (and doesn't contain the word "barbadensis," so I have to do a little research to see if there is a difference.

I hate that I have practically brand new bottles of FF shampoo/cond that I will NEVER use again but it is so awful for my hair I wouldn't want to get even a drop near it!