It's that time again!!! I swear, the end of November snuck up on me! I can't be the only one who's shocked that Black Friday is like 5 minutes away.

I'm not gonna hold you though — here is the ULTIMATE Black Friday // Small Business Saturday // Cyber Monday Sale Guide! This year, I'm doing things a bit differently.

Normally, this list focuses on small, Black owned hair and skincare brands. But for 2020, we're going ALL THE WAY IN.

You'll find that this list is now organized into categories — including Food, Beauty & Makeup, Hair & Skincare, Home & Decor, Health & Wellness, Fashion and more. And 99.999987589% of the businesses listed are Black owned. I'll put an asterisk (*) on the ones that (to my knowledge) are not.

Yes, that's on purpose.

I'm no stranger to scalp drama.

Since 9th grade (don't ask what year that was, just mind your business 😭), I've been dealing with psoriasis on my skin — and especially my scalp. When my scalp flares up (like it is now), these flakes show no mercy. They come for my hairline, for the areas behind my ears, along my nape, and of course, anywhere I might even consider parting for a style. And now that we’re in the middle of fall and staring winter in the face, that’s exactly what I’m up against.

Psoriasis tends to be tougher on us in the fall and winter months, when days are shorter and direct sunlight is sparse. In the spring and summer, sunbathing and soaking up Vitamin D helps tremendously with keeping psoriasis plaques at bay. And as we stare down November (honestly I can’t believe I’m saying that 😭), this is the time of year that I get desperate for solutions and relief.

Honestly, I can deal with the plaques themselves. I can live without parts and protective styles. But what I absolutely cannot handle is the near constant itching, and the flakes falling everywhere as a result. It's annoying and sometimes embarrassing, but not as severe as it could be — so I'm thankful for that.

Luckily, I've found a good selection of products that provide relief from those annoyances — keeping me from scratching my scalp like crazy and washing my hair every other day.

I hope they can bring you some relief, too.

Between Wash Days, Try:

Sunday II Sunday Root Refresh Micellar Rinse

Over the course of the last month, I’ve been using the Sunday II Sunday Root Refresh Micellar Rinse along with the Soothe Me Daily Scalp Serum as a part of my nighttime post workout scalp care routine. I’ve noticed that with regular use, my scalp isn’t nearly as dry between washes, and any itching I do experience is almost immediately relieved.

When we sweat, our thick, dense, textured strands trap dirt, bacteria, and salt against our scalp — leading to itching, dryness, and flakes. Over time, the high salt content of sweat can actually dehydrate our already difficult to moisturize hair, leading to brittleness and breakage.

For me, this is where the Root Refresh Micellar Rinse absolutely SHINES. While the most straightforward solution for removing dirt, bacteria, and salt from the scalp is to co-wash or shampoo, over-manipulating natural hair can lead to even more breakage and damage down the line. Sunday II Sunday Root Refresh Micellar Rinse is the perfect alternative. It’s formulated with antibacterial and anti-inflammatory ingredients like apple cider vinegar, tea tree oil, and myrrh to gently cleanse and purify the scalp between wash days.

After my workouts or any time I have a case of the itchies, I spritz my scalp directly with the Root Refresh Micellar Rinse and massage it in. The sweet relief is near instantaneous.

Oh and by the way, if you ever wondered what a waterless or dry shampoo for natural hair should look like, it looks exactly like Root Refresh Micellar Rinse. 

Sunday II Sunday Soothe Me Daily Serum

If the Root Refresh Micellar Rinse is like a shampoo substitute, then the Soothe Me Daily Serum by Sunday II Sunday is definitely the conditioner. It’s jam-packed with anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antimicrobial, and scalp soothing extracts like cordyceps, turkey tail mushroom, and peppermint. When I do a full review, we’ll take a further dive into the ingredients Sunday II Sunday formulates their products with. They’re super fascinating and honestly unlike anything I’ve ever seen.

And y’all know I’ve seen a lot of ingredients over the last 8 years.

The Soothe Me Daily Scalp Serum is clear, lightweight, and does a great job at tackling itching and dryness between wash days. Because of thick psoriasis scales, oils don’t always penetrate all the way through to the scalp — and minutes later, you’ll end up with itchy scalp all over again. Soothe Me Daily Scalp Serum is water-based, it penetrates easily, hydrates my dry scalp, and gets to the root of my itchy woes to provide relief that lasts.

As a matter of fact, I'm using it right now as I type.

Curls Blueberry & Mint Tea Hair Growth and Scalp Treatment

I’ve raved about this product since it was released because it contains one of my absolute faaaaavorite ingredients for tight, sore-feeling scalp — menthol.

Yes, the same menthol that’s in Vick’s vapor rub.

When my scalp feels dry and tight, or gets a little sore (my roots feel tender when my hair enters a growth spurt, and psoriasis exacerbates that), I always reach for the Curls Blueberry Mint Tea Hair Growth and Scalp Treatment. It works like a charm every single time.

I'm always adding a bottle to my drive-up order at Target.

If you love a cool tingle, this right here is the one! Catch my review on the Curls Blueberry & Mint Tea Hair Growth and Scalp Treatment here.

On Wash Day, Try:

TPH by Taraji Never Salty

Confession: I used to throw major shade at scalp scrubs. I never understood their purpose, and I was very much of the mindset that your fingers could get the same job done without wasting extra time fussing around with goopy scrubs.

I’m not above admitting when I’m wrong. So, I was wrong. And it was Never Salty from TPH by Taraji that helped me see the light.

This scrub y’all, is life. The cool tingle is next level, courtesy of my (already mentioned) favorite ingredient,  menthol. Never Salty also contains apple cider vinegar, peppermint,  sweet almond oil, and coconut oil — softening, soothing, and invigorating the scalp as it helps to lift stubborn flakes. The scrubbing sensation feels heavenly, and the oils prevent the scalp from feeling stripped after rinsing.

I bought one tube from Target, and went back for three more the next day. It's that good.

Home Health Psoriasis Medicated Scalp and Body Wash

I've gone through my fair share of salicylic acid shampoos and cleansers over the years, and most of them weren't much to write home about. But then I stumbled across the Psoriasis Medicated Scalp and Body Wash by Home Health on Amazon.

Of all the psoriasis shampoos I've tried, this one is the absolute best at lifting flakes and scales. I use the pump to apply it directly to my scalp and let it sit for 30 minutes or so with a shower cap, just like I would a deep conditioner. After 30 minutes has passed, the scales come up with minimal effort. This is such a critical function for folks with psoriasis — trying to lift scales forcefully can cause scratches and bleeding that leads to a vicious cycle of even more inflammation, scaling, and hair loss.

For loosening scales, the Psoriasis Medicated Scalp and Body Wash is that jam. I love that it contains absolutely no artificial fragrance or colors. But be warned, it is not friendly on natural hair. It has no slip, and can leave you in a bad bind if your hair is super tangled before you use it.

Which leads me to the final must-have on my list:

Be Kekoa Be Clean Cleansing Conditioner

Yes, my absolute most favorite, undeniable holy grail nearly 6 years and running is also one of my must-haves for handling scalp psoriasis.

And here's why.

As a co-wash, it absolutely has that lovely itch-soothing tingle I love, and does a great job at softening psoriasis scales for removal. When I don't want to go all-in with a shampoo (either the Home Health Psoriasis Wash or Be Kekoa's own Be Clair), Be Clean is what I reach for. But beyond that, I've found that it's absolutely essential to use Be Clean before I put the Home Health Psoriasis Wash on my scalp.

As I mentioned earlier, the Home Health Psoriasis Medicated Scalp and Body Wash has zero slip. Like, none. Not even on detangled hair. It's a medicated shampoo with sulfates, and not at all designed to be friendly for natural hair. So in order to not destroy my strands, I coat and detangle my hair with Be Clean Cleansing Conditioner prior to using the Psoriasis Medicated Scalp and Body Wash. Important to note: I don't rinse the Be Clean out before applying the Home Health Psoriasis Wash.

The end result? My scalp gets the attention it needs, without making my textured strands suffer. For more on my love affair with Be Clean, read my review here. 

• Do the Curls n Roses products work?
• What's the difference between the original tgin Moist Collection and Curls n' Roses?
• Is this really a new collection, or is it the same ol' same with a few extra ingredients?
• How do I know which products to use?

• Water
• Rose Flower Extract: Derived from rose petals that works to hydrate and soothe the skin and hair. Contains antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, pH balancing, soothing, and blood-circulating properties along with antioxidant Vitamins A, C, D, and E, and essential fatty acids.
• Extracts of Acai, Ginger, Lavender, Calendula: Stimulates and encourages hair growth while providing antibacterial and scalp-soothing support to hair follicles. Fights signs of aging and damaging in hair.
• Marula Seed Oil: Lightweight oil packed with nutrients and fatty acids that fight aging and signs of damage.
• Sugar Cane Extract: Moisturizing ingredient and humectant derived from sugar cane.
• Sugar Maple Extract: Natural antibacterial and exfoliant that aids in repairing damaged caused by free radicals.

A note on extracts:

$17.99 for 12oz

Where to Buy

All Curls n' Roses products are available exclusively at Ulta.

Active Ingredients

• Water
• Rose Flower Extract: Derived from rose petals that works to hydrate and soothe the skin and hair. Contains antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, pH balancing, soothing, and blood-circulating properties along with antioxidant Vitamins A, C, D, and E, and essential fatty acids.
• Extracts of Acai, Ginger, Lavender, Calendula: Stimulates and encourages hair growth while providing antibacterial and scalp-soothing support to hair follicles. Fights signs of aging and damaging in hair.
• Marula Seed Oil: Lightweight oil packed with nutrients and fatty acids that fight aging and signs of damage.
• 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.
• 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, and prevent breakage.

Protein Free?

Yes

Curly Girl-Friendly?

Fine. I'll indulge you guys. It contains cyclopentasiloxane and dimethicone as the very last two ingredients on the list.

The Good

Like it's nutrient-dense counterpart Honey Miracle Hair Mask, the Rose Water Hydrating Hair Mask is thick, rich, and packed with good for hair and scalp ingredients. It smells amazing, has tons of slip, and leaves hair feeling soft, hydrated, and shiny without weighing it down. Honestly, the Rose Water Hydrating Hair Mask is one of my favorite products in the entire collection. It will detangle, bless, and nourish your strands from root to ends in 30 minutes or less. 🙌🏽

Having multiple textures and porosities, it can be hard to find products that treat my trifilin' sections just as well as they treat my not-so-trifilin' sections. I never ran into that issue with the Curls n' Roses collection — especially with the Rose Water Hydrating Hair Mask. Y'all saw how my hair looked in the video before I started wash day! The Rose Water Hydrating Hair Mask was CLUTCH in terms of reviving the disaster atop my head. And did I mention how BOMB it smells?!

The Bad

While I absolutely LOVE the Rose Water Hydrating Hair Mask, I must admit that for me, it doesn't pack as much of a de-frizzing punch as I had hoped. And in all honesty, I'm not mad about it. The Rose Water Hydrating Hair Mask is designed to provide lightweight hydration for finer and lower density hair. I don't particularly fit the bill on either of those, so some extra frizz is to be expected. Had the product been made any heavier, it would likely not work for those with fine and low density hair. 🤷🏽‍♀️

What's the Difference?

Both the Honey Miracle and Rose Water Hydrating Hair Masks are thick, rich, nourishing, and smell delicious — but that's about where the similarities end. The ingredient lists are totally different. How they perform is totally different. The end results on the hair are also totally different. Honey Miracle is humectant and oil rich — honey, glycerin, olive, jojoba...and the list goes on. Rose Water Hydrating, however, leans on lighter weight ingredients and extracts to hydrate the hair. In the end they both work — but in different ways. It all boils down to what your hair needs.

The Bottom Line

The Rose Water Hydrating Hair Mask is a rich, penetrating deep conditioner that can correct a whole host of hair woes — especially for low porosity. If you have challenges getting deep conditioners to penetrate, or feel like as soon as you rinse, the softness goes down the drain with it, definitely give the Rose Water Hydrating Hair Mask a try. Oh, and for those that care — it's glycerin-free!

Would I Buy Again?
Yes, yes, yes, a million times yes. Before this review was even a thing, I had already ordered 2 jars from Ulta. And I'm gonna send my mama some for her cute lil' TWA.

Cost

$14.99 for 13oz

Where to Buy

All Curls n' Roses products are available exclusively at Ulta.

Active Ingredients

• Water
• Rose Flower Extract: Derived from rose petals that works to hydrate and soothe the skin and hair. Contains antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, pH balancing, soothing, and blood-circulating properties along with antioxidant Vitamins A, C, D, and E, and essential fatty acids.
• Extracts of Acai, Ginger, Lavender, Calendula: Stimulates and encourages hair growth while providing antibacterial and scalp-soothing support to hair follicles. Fights signs of aging and damaging in hair.
• Marula Seed Oil: Lightweight oil packed with nutrients and fatty acids that fight aging and signs of damage.
• 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.
• Cocoa Butter: Antioxidant and mineral rich butter derived from the cocoa bean known for its ability to moisturize, protect, fight damage, and improve elasticity.

Protein Free?

Yes

Curly Girl-Friendly?

Yes

The Good
Y'all know I LIVE for a good leave-in, and let me tell youuuuuu — the Rose Water Smoothing Leave In Conditioner does NOT disappoint.

At all.
In the slightest.
Period.

It's got crazy slip. Imparts tons of moisture and hydration. Smooths my frizzies while still penetrating even the lowest porosity sections of my hair. It plays nicely with other gels and creates the perfect foundation for my wash and go styles.

The Bad
NOT. A. THING. You hear me?! Nothing.

What's the Difference?
To be honest, I had the hardest time differentiating between the Rose Water and Green Tea Leave Ins. They're both so so so so sooooo good that I can't really call it. Of course, there's a difference in fragrance and texture — with the Green Tea Leave In being a little thicker and richer than the Rose Water Smoothing Leave In. But by no means should you count it out. At the end of the day, you can't go wrong as long as the bottle says tgin.

The Bottom Line
Just do yourself a favor and grab the Rose Water Smoothing Leave In Conditioner, k?

Would I Buy Again?
In a heartbeat.

Cost

$14.99 for 8oz

Where to Buy

All Curls n' Roses products are available exclusively at Ulta.

Active Ingredients

• Water
• Rose Flower Extract: Derived from rose petals that works to hydrate and soothe the skin and hair. Contains antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, pH balancing, soothing, and blood-circulating properties along with antioxidant Vitamins A, C, D, and E, and essential fatty acids.
• Extracts of Acai, Ginger, Lavender, Calendula: Stimulates and encourages hair growth while providing antibacterial and scalp-soothing support to hair follicles. Fights signs of aging and damaging in hair.
• Marula Seed Oil: Lightweight oil packed with nutrients and fatty acids that fight aging and signs of damage.
• Maltodextrin/VA-Copolymer: Naturally derived hair styling polymer.
• Cetrimonium Chloride: Compound close in composition to Behentrimonium Chloride. In addition to having the same penetrating, conditioning, and anti-static properties, centrimonium chloride has been scientifically proven to strengthen the hair when activated by heat.

Protein Free?

Yes

Curly Girl-Friendly?

Maybe? Contains a water-soluble silicone (coco glucosides hydroxypropyl dimethicone copolymer).

The Good
I'll be the first to admit that I'm not really a mousse girl, so my understanding and experience in this area is a little shaky. I will say that I liked how the mousse kept my curls clumped together during the styling process, which definitely lent itself to more frizz-free results.

I also noticed something else.

You know how as you style in sections, the parts you're not working on tend to dry out? Whenever I combined the leave-in and mousse, all my hair stayed soaking wet until the very end. No need to spray or re-wet. Where I'm from, we call that a win! 🙌🏽

The Bad
I couldn't find anything wrong with the Rose Water Curl Defining Mousse in terms of how it applied or performed in my hair. It didn't make my hair feel sticky or weird, so nothing to report here!

What's the Difference?
While I do have the Honey Whip Hydrating Mousse in my stash, I can't say that I've done too much with it to rightfully compare it to the Rose Water Curl Defining Mousse. They both appear similar in consistency, but have very different ingredient profiles. For starters, Honey Whip contains more humectants (like honey and agave) while the Rose Water Curl Defining Mousse relies on the blend of extracts we discussed earlier in the post.

What does this mean for your hair? Sorry sis, I couldn't tell ya.

The Bottom Line
One of the reasons I'm a lil' late in posting this review is because I wanted to thoroughly test each product — and one of my points of comparison was testing wash and go performance with and without the mousse present. As it turns out, I liked my results more with the Rose Water Curl Defining Mousse included — my hair had more definition, lasted longer, and even had a lil' extra shine to it. For those reasons, I can definitely say it's worth the buy and try.

Would I Buy Again?
Yes! Next up, I'm going to try the mousse on a different kind of style — so I'll report back and let you guys know how that turns out!

Cost

$14.99 for 13oz

Where to Buy

All Curls n' Roses products are available exclusively at Ulta.

Active Ingredients

• Water
• Rose Flower Extract: Derived from rose petals that works to hydrate and soothe the skin and hair. Contains antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, pH balancing, soothing, and blood-circulating properties along with antioxidant Vitamins A, C, D, and E, and essential fatty acids.
• Acai Fruit Extract: Powerful, antioxidant rich extract that revitalizes the hair and fights signs of aging and damage.
• PVP/VA Copolymer: Form filming vinyl polymer used as a hair fixative and binding agent (aka provides hold). It's a common active ingredient in many gels and styling product formulas.
• Polysorbate 20: Emulsifier that enables oil and water to mix. It helps product disperse, is a thickener, and stabilizer of essential oils.
• Extracts of Ginger, Lavender, and Calendula: Stimulates and encourages hair growth while providing antibacterial and scalp-soothing support to hair follicles. Fights signs of aging and damaging in hair.

Protein Free?

No. Contains hydrolyzed wheat protein.

Curly Girl-Friendly?

Yes

The Good
Listen, the results speak for themselves.

The first thing that caught my attention about the Rose Water Gel is the consistency. During my unboxing on IG Stories, I caught a jello jiggle wiggle motion that I hadn't seen from tgin before. Curl Bomb is a thicky-thick gel (which I love, and we'll get to that later), but The Rose Water Curl Defining Styling Gel is thick and wiggly. The consistency reminds me of Camille Rose Naturals Curl Maker, without the tackiness.

The Rose Water Curl Defining Styling Gel is thick, has tonssssss of slip (be careful, it might just slip outta your hands 😭), and provides lasting definition with the perfect gel cast to definition and volume ratio. In these photos y'all, my hair is on DAY ONE. My hair never looks like this on the first day. Y'all have seen the videos and pictures. Day one hair for me is flat, crunchy, and and you can practically see through it.

This hair? This day one hair? Simply phenomenal. Volume without sacrificing definition. Just enough crunch to let me know that day 3 and 4 hair is on the menu. Bawwwdy and bounce. Just excellence all the way around.

The Bad
Not. A. Single. Thing.

What's the Difference?
I hope it's clear by this point in my review that the Curls n' Roses collection is not just the tgin Moist Collection with some extra extracts sprinkled in. Curls n' Roses is a completely different collection that stands on its own two — and that becomes even more clear when you compare the Rose Water Curl Defining Styling Gel and the OG Curl Bomb Gel. Curl Bomb is thick-thick and a lil' stiff, Rose Water Gel is wiggly with tons of slip. Curl Bomb feels heavier, whereas Rose Water Gel is lightweight and dries with more volume and a bit more gel cast. Both great gels  — but your choice ultimately depends on your preferences and styling goals.

See my Curl Bomb review here!

The Bottom Line
When it comes to finding a gel that's strong enough to provide multi-day hold while not leaving your curls flat and ramen-like on day one, the Rose Water Curl Defining Styling Gel is about as close as it gets. This is the gel you can use on your hair the same day that you need it to look good. No styling and waiting 3 days to get that perfect hair day over here!

Would I Buy Again?
Sure would. Glad I bought two bottles from Ulta online, too!