How to Style Curly Hair from Winter to Spring with Curl Shoppe Butter'd Up Collection

How to Style Curly Hair from Winter to Spring with Curl Shoppe Butter'd Up Collection
4th day hair with Butter Styling Gel. Loving the shrinkage and frizz!
LA is in an identity crisis right now.

In the past few weeks, we've seen crazy winds, hot and sunny afternoons, iced over cars in the morning, and rain storms so severe, I've considered googling how to build an ark.

How exactly are my curls supposed to flourish when it's 80 degrees at noon, and 43 degrees at 9pm?

Sway don't got the answers, but I do.

Along with a moisture-centric wash routine, the key to keeping those curls poppin' when the weather is unstable as the U.S. government is thinking differently about how we use butters.

I love butters for colder weather -  they provide amazing shine while sealing in moisture, protecting my ends, and keeping my curls hydrated for days while forming a protective barrier against the cold. But when the temperatures heat up, applying butters directly to my hair becomes more infrequent. But with our weather having commitment issues worse than #hurtbae, I want my hair to have the benefits of butters without having to apply it to my curls directly.

Enter: CurlShoppe Butter'd Up Collection.

How to Style Curly Hair from Winter to Spring with Curl Shoppe Butter'd Up Collection
The Butter'd Up Styling Crew
The Butter'd Up Collection by CurlShoppe is comprised of 7 products, all of which feature shea butter blended with botanical ingredients like rosemary, lavender, rose water, and even seaweed. The Butter'd Up Collection is entirely water-based, which allows for proper hydration of the strands while simultaneously locking in all the good stuff with shea butter. This collection was designed specifically to moisturize and provide effective styling options for thick, curly-coily to kinky-ziggly hair (types 3C to 4C if you need to put a title on it lol).

Since we're talking about styling here, I'll be sharing my thoughts on the Butter Milk Leave-In Conditioner, Butter Soft Pudding, Butter Jelly, and Butter Styling Gel.

Oh! And don't forget to check out my quick demo using my favorite combination from the CurlShoppe Butter'd Up Collection: The Butter Milk Leave-In Conditioner paired with Butter Soft Pudding and Butter Styling Gel. The way I used these products in this video was totally different from how I normally style wash and go's - but I had one goal in mind: to get maximum moisture while not having to wait around all day for my hair to dry. Because wet hair is cool when it's 85 degrees during the day - but not cool at all when it's 52 degrees at night.

Butter Milk Leave-In Conditioner
Cost
$9.95 for 8oz

Where to Buy
www.curlshoppe.ca

Active Ingredients
  • Water
  • Rose Water: Distillation of rose petals in water, done to harness the antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, pH balancing, soothing, and blood-circulating properties of rose essential oils. 
  • Glycerin: Vegetable-based humectant that draws in moisture to the hair.
  • Behentrimonium Methosulfate: Gentle surfactant made from non-GMO rapeseed (canola oil), and is one of the mildest detangling ingredients out there. It doesn't cause buildup or irritation to the scalp.
  • Cetearyl Alcohol: Considered "fatty alcohol" -- NOT to be confused with drying alcohols such as ethyl. Acts as a lubricant, thickener, and emollient. Also gives conditioner its velvety feel without making hair greasy. Is additionally used to keep product ingredients from separating.
  • Shea Butter: Emollient fat from the nut of the East or West African shea nut tree used to soften hair and skin, and aid in moisture retention.
Protein Free?
Yes!

Curly Girl Friendly?
Yes!

The Good
First things first. The smell of Butter Milk Leave-In Conditioner is addicting. I keep trying to figure out exactly what the smell is, but it's a hybrid of sweet, mixed with a hint of floral, and a dash of earthy. Whatever it is - I want to rub it on myself head to toe and walk around smelling just like it all day long. It smells THAT good.

How to Style Curly Hair from Winter to Spring with Curl Shoppe Butter'd Up Collection
LOVE this stuff SO much.
Consistency-wise, it looks and feels like a good quality lotion - with that velvety moisturizing action that leaves your hair feeling soft and smooth. The leave-in also gave me great slip and as you can see in the video, detangled my curls with ease. There was no snagging on the brush whatsoever after applying the leave-in, and my curls felt sooooo soft. My hair soaked up all the moisture from the leave-in, and even had the nerve to start clumping into curls without being soaking wet (again, something that I've never seen happen with my curls lol). I'm smitten, to say the least.

The Bad
One thing it took me a lil' minute to catch on to was the fact that I didn't need to use heaping gobs of leave-in. The very first time I played around with the leave-in, I used wayyyy too much and had an issue with the gels mixing. But that was totally user error - now that I know I only need a small amount, we good!

The Bottom Line
The Butter Milk Leave-In Conditioner is a stellar foundation for thirsty hair in need of intense moisture without being weighed down. I loved every drop. (Yes, my bottle is empty now lol)

Use code MANEOBJECTIVE10 for 10% off your Butter'd Up Purchase!

Butter Soft Pudding
Cost
$13.95 for 8oz

Where to Buy
www.curlshoppe.ca

Active Ingredients
  • Water
  • Castor Oil: Thick, highly viscous oil with antibacterial, antifungal, and humectant properties. It is also a great moisture sealant, and promotes hair thickening and growth.
  • Cetearyl Alcohol: Considered "fatty alcohol" -- NOT to be confused with drying alcohols such as ethyl. Acts as a lubricant, thickener, and emollient. Also gives conditioner its velvety feel without making hair greasy. Is additionally used to keep product ingredients from separating.
  • PEG-150 Stearate: Thickener and emulsifier (helps keep oils and water mixed together)
  • Polysorbate 60: Vegetable-based fatty acid surfactant used as a thickener and stabilizer to aid in mixing ingredients that would normally separate.
  • 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.
Protein Free?
Yes!

Curly Girl Friendly?
Yes!

The Good
Okay, you know that fragrance from the Butter Milk Leave-In Conditioner? It's in the Butter Soft Pudding too. and I've been tempted to actually taste it more times than I'm proud to admit. But what really excites me about the Butter Soft Pudding is the ingredient profile and consistency. We're entering a new era in natural hair where butters don't just have to be all butter. Butter Soft Pudding is one of the handful of butters I've seen that looks, feels, and behaves like a true butter - but is actually water based. It's genius in composition, and delivers that one-two punch of hydration and sealing.

Another great thing about this product - a very tiny bit goes a long way. I laughed when Curl Shoppe sent me a 2oz jar. I don't buy 2oz of anything - because my hair is greedy. But listen when I tell you - a tiny finger dollop per section is all you need. And that 2oz jar I laughed about? Is still more than half full in spite of how many times I've used it.

The Bad
Literally, nothing. It's creamy, smooth, whipped to perfection, potent, and does exactly what it says it will do.

The Bottom Line
If you're looking for a butter that can hold it's own as a leave-in, moisturizer, or styler (for twist-outs, etc), then you definitely want to check out Butter Soft Pudding!

Butter Jelly
Cost
$9.95 for 8oz

Where to Buy
www.curlshoppe.ca

Active Ingredients
  • Water
  • Rose Water: Distillation of rose petals in water, done to harness the antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, pH balancing, soothing, and blood-circulating properties of rose essential oils. 
  • Maltodextrin/VP Copolymer: Naturally derived hair styling polymer.
  • Polyquaternium-7: Polymeric quaternary ammonium salt used as an antistatic agent and hair fixative (for hold).
  • PVP: Fixative used to hold hair together, can cause buildup if used in large quantities
  • Shea Butter Oil: Emollient fat from the nut of the East or West African shea nut tree used to soften hair and skin, and aid in moisture retention.
Protein Free?
Yes!

How to Style Curly Hair from Winter to Spring with Curl Shoppe Butter'd Up Collection
Freshly styled Butter Jelly curls. 
Curly Girl Friendly?
Yes!

The Good
The first thing you might be wondering is why there are two different gels in the Butter'd Up Collection. Well, the geniuses behind CurlShoppe (Natasha and Rowan) realized that different naturalistas have different preferences with gels - and those preferences can vary by the day. More often than not, I opt for heavier gels with stronger hold (in this case, the Butter Styling Gel). But there are some times when I don't want to wait for day 2 to roll around to achieve touchable, soft curls. That's where Butter Jelly comes in. It's CurlShoppe's medium hold gel for touchable, soft definition.

How to Style Curly Hair from Winter to Spring with Curl Shoppe Butter'd Up Collection
3rd Day Butter Jelly hair
By comparison, Butter Jelly is less wiggly-wiggly and more creamy to the touch. It's smooth and slightly thick, and in no way tacky or sticky. For the time being, I'm over sticky gel and I can totally appreciate that Butter Jelly wasn't one of those.

It worked beautifully with Butter Milk Leave-In Conditioner and Butter Soft Pudding, leaving behind no weird clumpage or flakes. My hair dried beautifully curly and voluminous with some frizz - but that's what I expect from medium hold gel.

The Bad
I don't know that I have anything bad to say. I could say the frizz was bad, but I know my hair, and I know how it reacts to medium hold styling products. My hair is disrespectful AF. There was bound to be frizz. Cute, somewhat defined, voluminous frizz. And I can't be mad at that.

The Bottom Line
If you prefer lighter hold and a gel with tons of moisture (but no stickiness!) that'll leave your hair soft on day 1, then Butter Jelly is definitely the move!

How to Style Curly Hair from Winter to Spring with Curl Shoppe Butter'd Up Collection
The Trio of Dreams
Butter Styling Gel
Cost
$11.95 for 8oz

Where to Buy
www.curlshoppe.ca

Active Ingredients
  • Water
  • Rose Water: Distillation of rose petals in water, done to harness the antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, pH balancing, soothing, and blood-circulating properties of rose essential oils. 
  • VP/VA Copolymer: Polymer used as a film forming fixative (aka cast forming gel).
  • PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil: Polyethylene glycol derivatives of castor oil used to help form emulsions by reducing the surface tension of ingredients, also acts as a solvent to help ingredients mix that normally would not.
  • PVP: Fixative used to hold hair together, can cause buildup if used in large quantities
  • Shea Butter: Emollient fat from the nut of the East or West African shea nut tree used to soften hair and skin, and aid in moisture retention.
Protein Free?
Yes!

Curly Girl Friendly?
Yes!

The Good
Butter Styling Gel is bae. I don't mean to play favorites, but between the two, Butter Styling Gel is definitely my pick. It's thick and wiggly, not at all snotty or sticky, and has the same smoothness of Butter Jelly - but with more of a gel-gel vibe.

With a label designation of "max hold", I was thinking that my curls would be stuck to the sides of my head and never separate. I was wrong!  My curls were well defined, touchable, but with a slight cast - just what I was expecting. And quite honestly, just what I like to receive. As I've said several times over, I don't chase that big hair train that everyone else is hopping on. You won't catch me picking my curls within an inch of their life just for likes on Instagram. Not knocking anyone who does, but that just isn't my style. My curls will naturally expand and achieve volume in the days following. No need for me to rush the process, and jeopardize the health of my curls along the way.

The Bad
Ummm nothing! In case you couldn't tell in the video, I LOVED my results from the Butter Styling Gel.

The Bottom Line
Can I make #ButterBae a thing? Because if y'all will let me, I'll make it a thing. Butter Styling Gel can definitely be #ButterBae. I love everything about it - and if you're a true gel girl like me, then you will, too!

What are your plans to keep your hair on track while the weather transitions? Let me know in the comments below - plus tell me what CurlShoppe products you want to try! Use code MANEOBJECTIVE10 for 10% off your Butter'd Up Purchase!

8 Comments

  1. oh another line to add to my "Christina made me want this list" LOL Most of these brands are so not "for my curl type" but my hair is so incredibly dry and frizzy, they work incredibly. going to look into them. :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. my plans to go from winter to spring: https://www.naturallycurly.com/curlreading/wavy-hair-type-2/how-to-transition-your-wavy-hair-from-winter-to-spring/ :)

    ReplyDelete
  3. SOOOOOOO the leave-in, max hold gel and butter soft pudding = life. I have found my holy grail items! I am thrilled. Used these three for a braid-out and I'm feeling myself today! Thanks so much for sharing info. about these products. I live in the US and hadn't heard of this brand until you shared it! <3

    ReplyDelete
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  5. Usually I never comment on blogs but your article is so convincing that I never stop myself to say something about it. You’re doing a great job Man,Keep it up

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