October swept in like a good reminder that even though we don't have actual, dactual, factual seasons, it's always a good idea to revisit my haircare regimen periodically.

I mean, if I'm gonna rotate my sneaker collection, I can at least swap out some of my favorite products to match, right?

Right.

For me, fall is all about rebounding from summer. The summer months place a unique set of demands on our strands - from prolonged UV exposure, to chlorine, salt water, and dry heat. From pool parties to scorching sun, summer certainly does a number - and by the time fall rolls around, our tresses are in dire need of some TLC.

Here's why.

Chlorine
It strips hair of its natural oils, and weakens the structural integrity of the hair by disrupting chemical bonds, and damaging the cuticle layer. If left uncorrected, the hair becomes dry, hard, dull, rough, and easily broken.

UV Damage/Exposure
By all means, soak up the sun you melinated queen! Just understand that excessive sun exposure leads to degradation of hair proteins and loss of pigment (melanin). This leads to thinning, weak strands that are unable to protect themselves from the impact of free radicals that damage and age hair prematurely.





Dry Air
If you've ever spent 5 minutes in Vegas, then you know what's up here. Dry air is NO kin to our curls. While humidity (moisture) in the air can wreck your style, a severe lack of moisture in the atmosphere can wreck your hair. When the air is dry, it literally sucks the water molecules from your strands - leaving them crispy and crunchy. Trifilin', huh?

Salt Water
I love the beach. I even work across the street from the beach. But what I'm not going to do is make a habit out of soaking my hair in God's saline pool. While there are plenty of "texture sprays" out there with salt in them, prolonged exposure to or immersion in salt water is a no-go for natural hair. You ever eaten a reeeeeally salty meal? You know that dry, puckered feeling you get around your lips? That's basically what happens to your hair with prolonged salt water exposure. It's dehydrated, dull, and more susceptible to breakage. Not to mention, the buildup is nothing nice.

Be Kekoa Be Lola Handcrafted Hydrating Masque
$20 // Be Kekoa Website
First of all, can I just say I've been waiting for a Be Kekoa deep conditioner FOREVAH?! Like, forever-ever! But if Be Lola proves anything, it's that this jar of goodness was well worth the wait.

Packed with pH-balancing aloe vera, hydrating honey, and exclusively sourced kukui nut oil, Be Lola restores lost moisture, protects against damage, and brings hair back into balance. Cold pressed avocado oil, Vitamin E, and rosemary work to nip free-radical damage in the bud while rehydrating and nourishing the scalp.

15-20 minutes is all Be Lola needs to bring your hair back to life. Apply it in sections using your fingers to detangle as you go, or a wide-tooth comb. Process with heat for better penetration, and rinse with cool water to lock the nutrients in.

Be Lola is also incredibly special in the fact that Brandie's (Be Kekoa CEO) mom Lola was very hands-on in the creation of this product - from creation and ingredient selection, to fragrance, and labeling. The Be Lola Handcrafted Hydrating Masque embodies the bond between mother and daughter, while simultaneously healing and uplifting through tumultuous times. A portion of proceeds from each sale goes to support Lola's fight against cancer.


EDEN BodyWorks Almond Marshmallow Split End Repair Masque
$12 // Amazon, Eden BodyWorks Website
Hands down, this is the BEST deep conditioner that EDEN has ever dropped. Yes, you can @ me on that one. If you slept on the Almond Marshmallow collection, I suggest you wake up and cop a jar or three, ASAP.

Loaded with nourishing sweet almond oil, softening glycerin, and the restorative power of coconut oil and baobab, the Almond Marshmallow Split End Repair Mask deeply penetrates to rehydrate, strengthen, and shield against damage.

If you've got a little extra time to show your hair some TLC post summer fun, Almond Marshmallow Split End Repair Masque is the move. Curl up with a good book and set your timer for 40 minutes to allow this miracle masque the opportunity to work its magic.


Garnier Fructics Smoothing Treat 1 Minute Hair Mask + Avocado Extract
$8 (or less) // Amazon, Target
If this list is starting to feel like I've been keeping a few secrets from you, it's because I have. Truth be told, this is like my 4th or 5th jar of Garnier Fructis Smoothing Treat. And here's why.

This product is truly a triple threat. You can use it as a deep conditioner, a pre-poo treatment/detangler, or leave-in. I've used it every way, and it performs beautifully. Formulated with nourishing go-to ingredients like shea butter, olive oil, sunflower seed oil, coconut oil, and avocado oil, it detangles, moisturizes, and banishes frizz like a charm.

Let it soak in for a quick 1-10 minute restorative session, or apply and wear it as a leave-in before you head outdoors. Either way, this drugstore shelf standard is a winner.


Soultanicals 'Fro Despair Vitamin Hair Repair
$16 // Soultanicals Website
While the first four may be new to you, there should be no surprises when it comes to 'Fro Despair. We are in a committed, year-round deep conditioning relationship.

Something like a shot of green juice for your hair, 'Fro Despair is perfect for bringing starved, dried out tresses back from the brink. Fortified with biotin and a blend of supergreens, 'Fro Despair fights and reverses signs of damage and aging while putting a lil' bounce back in your curls. It's a must-do - especially if you've been out in the elements and/or have color treated hair.

Don't forget to read my full review here.


tgin Honey Miracle Hair Mask
$17 // Amazon, Target, Sally's
I've been rocking with this deep conditioner since 2013, and I don't ever see that changing. tgin Honey Miracle Hair Mask is like an instant makeover for dry, damaged, or overexposed strands. With an impeccable blend of raw honey, olive oil, jojoba, and aloe, it transforms distressed hair from roots to ends.

It moisturizes thoroughly, providing a decadently nourishing punch while making the hair feel super smooth and shiny. And the slip? Off the chain. I can't get enough of Honey Miracle Hair Mask - From heat damage, to healthy, to color damage, recovery, and the road back - Honey Miracle Hair Mask has seen it all. And performed beautifully in each scenario.


Genedor Beauty Moisture Resuscitate Deep Conditioning Treatment
$21 // Amazon, Genedor Beauty Website
The Moisture Resuscitate Deep Conditioning Treatment most certainly lives up to the name. Packed with an amazing assortment of moisturizers and humectants - from aloe vera and honey to Tahitian vanilla and mango butter, this deep treatment hydrates, nourishes, and leaves hair supple and buttery smooth. Not to mention, it's packed with slip - making product distribution and removing tangles easy breezy. Don't believe me? Just watch...the video. Trust me - you're gonna wanna put this one in your rotation ASAP!

Read my interview with Genedor Beauty founder Leketia Bradley here.

It's grow + retain length season, y'all. Let's shampoo regularly, deep condition often, drink water, stay on top of our trims, and make moisture a priority! #wegotthis

Get ready to wow your guests this season!

Christina - you talkin' food and drinks now?

I shole am, I shole am!

Hopefully, y'all rock with me as I start mixing things up over here at The Mane Objective.

For those of you that may be wondering why - listen. I've been running this blog since 2012, and virtually every topic you can think of regarding natural hair, I've covered to some extent. Hang with me as I spread my wings a lil' bit and start integrating more of who I am and what I love outside of hair into this here thing.

As you probably know, I'm really into creating a healthy lifestyle for myself. Healthy isn't just about eating right or working out - it's about balance, spiritual wellness, and mental health, too.

And while I'm always down for a sweet glass of wine or pomegranate margarita with extra limes (because that's how I roll), I like to make sure those are weekend treats here and there - so as to not derail me from my goals (and dry out my skin). But that doesn't mean I don't mix it up!

And if you're hosting get-togethers this spring and summer (hi Easter/Resurrection Day, Mother's Day, Memorial Day, Grad Parties, Father's Day, and 4th of July), you gotta go hard or go home in the beverage department. Why not use these opportunities to introduce your peeps to some healthy, refreshing, pretty to look at (aka highly Instagrammable), and great tasting non-alcoholic cocktails?

I mean of course, you can add a splash of liquor to these recipes if you like, but trust me on this one - if you keep 'em virgin, you won't even miss the alcohol.

The three cocktail recipes I'm going to share were inspired by the new Eden BodyWorks Citrus Fusion Collection. Yep - the line that smells of bright, refreshing goodness and is packed with amazing ingredients like lime, orange, coconut, acai, sea kelp, and quinoa.

The products smell just like you'd imagine this picture to smell - bright and beautiful!

The moment I sniffed each product, I knew exactly what I wanted to create - and I couldn't wait to share.

In this video, you'll see me craft each drink by hand. The full recipe and step-by-step direction for each mocktail follows. I have to thank Antoinette of Sup x Dine and The Flatlay Photog for collaborating with me on videography, photography, and creative direction. There's no way I could have done all this on my own!

So without much more delay (because I hate super chatty recipe intros and backstory lol), let's get to cocktailing!


Charcoal Lavender Lemonade
Easily my favorite drink of the list. It's tart, slightly sweet, with the perfect hint of lavender. This recipe is inspired by my favorite drink from Pressed Juicery and has the same benefits, with a much cheaper price tag.

Thanks to this recipe, I'm no longer pressed to go to well, Pressed.

Benefits

• Activated Charcoal adsorbs toxins and chemicals, helping to detoxify and removes impurities from the body while alleviating bloating, joint pain, and inflammation.
• Lavender balances blood sugar, restores skin complexion, is packed with powerful antioxidants to reduce aging, and helps improve eczema and psoriasis.
• Lemon stimulates the digestive system to help flush toxins, and 1 lemon gives you your daily recommended dose of Vitamin C.

You'll Need

• 3 large lemons
• 1 teaspoon activated charcoal (I used these)
• 3 cups water
• 5-7 fresh lavender sprigs
• 1/4 cup sugar
• ice

Before I dive into this review, I want you to promise me something:

that you won't judge me for using a kids product on my grown @$$ hair. 

You've skipped to this line, so apparently you've agreed not to judge me (and even if you are secretly judging me in the back of your mind, thanks for the clicks boo!). Let's get on with this thing.

If you know me, then you know that I've got a soft spot for a handful of brands, and Eden BodyWorks is one of them. What's not to love about a brand created and ran by a young Black woman (who also happens to be a brilliant engineer...#lifegoals) that has responsible ingredients, stellar performance, and affordability at its cornerstones?

You can only imagine how excited I was when I saw their booth at BeautyCon LA this past weekend. I was super stoked! They were running an insane deal -- 2 of any product for $10. Now, by the time I got to the booth, most of the stuff was gone (save for edge control and a few products from the peppermint line). But there was a good amount of their new kids products left, and the Berry Natural Smoothing Gel caught my eye -- because it's a fairly new release and not available on the ground anywhere out here yet. Because I LIVE for the wash and go, and it smelled like a sweet berry dream, I had to try it out. Plus, I was NOT about to pass up $5 a jar. 

So how did it fare against some of my faves? Keep reading to find out!

Availability: Right now, I'm only finding the Eden Kids Cocoa Shea Berry Natural Smoothing Gel on the Eden BodyWorks website. Like I mentioned previously, I purchased mine on the ground at BeautyCon LA. I'm hoping that it hits Sally's soon, like the rest of the Eden Kids line has.

Affordability: On the Eden BodyWorks website, the gel is listed for $7.99 for an 8oz jar. To me, that's affordable -- especially when ingredients and performance are factored in.

Ingredient List: Water, Glycerine, Polysorbate-20, Carbomer, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Hydrolyzed Keratin, Coco Nucifera (Coconut) Oil, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter, Aminomethyl Propanol, Fragrance

Top Ingredients 411:

• Glycerine: Generally vegetable-based humectant that absorbs and retains moisture from the air.
• Polysorbate-20: Emulsifier that enables oil and water to mix. It helps product disperse, is a thickener, and stabilizer of essential oils.
• Carbomer: Chemical composed of acrylic acid monomers that acts as a viscosity controlling agent (thickener).
• 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.
• Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein: Emollient moisturizing protein, also adds some strength to hair by temporarily attaching to damage and cracks along the cuticle of the hair.

Product Claim/Description: Cocoa Shea Berry Natural Smoothing Gel is the perfect accessory for textured hair, ponytails, and curly do's to control frizz, enhance shine and add definition. This product was made without sulfates and contains no mineral oils (petroleum), dyes, or parabens, and is cruelty free.

Performance/Delivery: Oh. My. Goodness. Can I just be honest here and say that I really don't want to write anything -- I just want to flood you with a picture testimonial. Soooo..that's what I'm gonna do.





As you see, I'm feelin' my curls. They're springy, well defined, shiny, frizz-free, and just all around awesome. Yes, these curls are 100% dry!!! The Berry Natural Smoothing Gel has DELIVERT my curls! You guys know I'm all about the wash and go, and this summer is no exception. I've been in a bit of a slump lately, as far as styling goes. It seems like many of my favorite curl definers are not doing it for me as of late. I was just preparing to resign to a summer full of tubs of Eco Styler Gel, and Berry Natural Smoothing Gel came along to save me -- or at least give me something to rotate with. 


Off the cuff, the smell is amazing. I've sniffed around the Eden Kids collection, and it has a gentle, sweet berry scent. It's not overwhelming at all, and an absolute pleasure to get a whiff of throughout the day. As far as the consistency and texture is concerned, its not quite like anything I've ever encountered. The thickness is somewhat of a cross between old school Let's Jam and Obia Natural Hair Curl Enhancing Custard. The spreadability and overall result really reminds me of Aunt Jackie's Don't Shrink Flaxseed Gel (which I loved, but the company paid me dust), minus the janky-ness. In fact, the top ingredients are very similar. I loved Don't Shrink, but refused (and still do) to give Aunt Jackie a single coin of my money. I'm so glad that I've found an alternative from a brand that I can fully support.


Speaking of Don't Shrink, I've noticed something else interesting with Berry Natural Smoothing Gel. Now, don't run out and buy up all the product when I say this, but I did notice an elongating effect with this gel. While it did not completely and totally prevent shrinkage, I will say that my curls seemed a lot more smooth and elongated. They didn't poof, frizz, or shrink up as much as normal. I didn't even pin my hair back in the front to stretch -- I just let it hang all out all day. 


Drawbacks: Performance-wise? Absolutey none. The Berry Natural Smoothing Gel is truly the perfect product! I only wish it came in a 12 or 16oz jar, and that I had access to it on the ground. Keeping my fingers crossed -- I wished for Eden BodyWorks to put their Coconut Shea Hair Masque in a jar (instead of those darn packets) and my wish came true! So there's hope...

Or maybe Eden BodyWorks will come out with a similar Coconut Shea gel.... #pleaseJesus

Bonuses: I love that the Berry Natural Smoothing Gel works as an edge control (even though I am addicted to the glory of the Coconut Shea Control Edge Glaze), and that it provides phenomenal hold. I was a bit skeptical of a kids product, but this totally blew me away. And, it plays nicely with a variety of leave-ins and creams. But the REAL bonus? IT TAMED MY CROWN. My janky, never-wanna-curl-let's-just-frizz-and-not-let-Christina-be-great crown got served.This is all without a mud rinse, too!  Allow me to introduce more photo evidence:

Pardon the reddish... #leftover henna stain + red color boosting conditioner

Bottom Line: Phenomenal, A+ gel -- hands down. If your hair is prone to frizz, super shrinkage, or poofs up in the blink of an eye, Eden Kids Cocoa Shea Berry Natural Smoothing Gel is a must-try.

Overall Product Rating: 5 stars. Hands down.

Best Practices: For wash and go styling, apply on soaking wet hair that is already covered in leave-in conditioner or moisturizing cream. Apply generously from root to end, smoothing and raking to distribute product thoroughly. For more tips on the perfect wash and go, click here.

Wash Day: Eden BodyWorks Coconut Shea Cleansing CoWash Review

Have you tried anything from the Eden BodyWorks Kids line? What did you think of them?

I initially set out to do two separate product reviews, but after using both products for a while I decided that doing a head-to-head might be a little more fun and informative -- and could possibly help some naturalistas and transitioners decide which product to drop dough on. With summer knocking at the door, light, bodified, and touchably soft hair is what's hot in the streets. So which product is going to give you all that? Keep reading to find out!

Ding! Ding! Ding! Let the battle begin!

Showdown Round 1: Ingredients (top 6) & Analysis

Eden BodyWorks: Water (Aqua), Aloe Barbadensis (Aloe Vera) Leaf Juice, Cetyl Alcohol, Stearyl Alcohol, Butryospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter, PEG-50 Shea Butter

Ingredient Analysis:

• 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.
• Cetyl & Stearyl Alcohol: Fatty alcohols and emollient conditioners known for giving products a creamy, thick texture and feel.
• Shea Butter: Emollient fat from the nut of the East or West African shea nut tree, used to moisturize and soften hair.
• PEG-50 Shea Butter: Emulsifying form of shea butter that is water soluble, and commonly used in water-based products.

Camille Rose Naturals: Deionized water, behentrimonium methosulfate (BTMS)cetearyl alcohol, prunus dulcis(almond milk), prunusdulcis (almond)oil, cucurbita pepo(pumpkin)seed oil

Ingredient Analysis

• Behentrimonium Methosulfate: Mild detangling ingredient made from the rapeseed (canola). Known for great detangling without leaving product buildup on hair.
• Cetearyl Alcohol: Combination of cetyl and stearyl fatty alcohol. Emollient conditioners known for giving products a creamy, thick texture and feel.
• Almond Milk: Mixture of sweet almonds and water, with high nutrient and protein value for nourishing and strengthening hair.
• Almond Oil: Smoothes hair cuticles, promotes hair growth and thickness, boosts shine.
• Pumpkin Seed Oil: Antioxidant containing omega-6 fatty acids to aid in hair and skin regeneration, softness and shine.

And the winner is: In this round, I've got to give it to Eden BodyWorks, by a CLOSE margin. Both have a very similar composition (which shows in terms of the similar texture/feel of the products), but the Aloe Vera Juice in EBW truly sets it apart. My hair loves Aloe. The fact that it's a part of the product base sets it ahead of Camille Rose Naturals.
Showdown Round 2: Affordability, Availability & Value (Size)

Eden BodyWorks: The Coconut Shea Pudding Souffle is 16oz (pretty hefty) for around $8.99. It can be found online, at Sally Beauty Supply, and at select WalMart stores.

Camille Rose Naturals: The Almond Jai Twisting Butter is 8oz for around $16.99. It can be found online, and at select Target stores.

And the winner is: In this round, Eden BodyWorks takes the cake by leaps and bounds. I had to literally talk myself into spending $13.99 at Target for the Camille Rose product (it was on sale, and that was the ONLY way I was going to buy it). There's no way on God's green Earth that I'd pay $16.99 for 8oz of product. With such a similar composition, the price difference baffles me.

Showdown Round 3: Product Claims & Performance

Eden BodyWorks
The Claim: Add moisture to dry, thirsty tresses using this exotic blend of all natural ingredients formulated to reduce frizz, enhance textured styles, and provide a soft, shiny finish.

The Truth: Moisture, yes. Frizz reduction, absolutely. I used EBW to twist my hair up, and when I took the twists down, I had way more definition than I thought I would. My hair was soft, shiny, and most importantly not greasy to the touch (not a fan of that feeling). When you get past the "exotic blend" marketing mumbo-jumbo, you still have a solidly good moisturizing and styling product. It doesn't give a strong hold, but they tell you that on the front of the jar :)

Camille Rose Naturals
The Claim: The Almond Jai Twisting Butter is a  botanical blend of oils and butters that will aid in managing course/thick hair, leaving a soft and smoother feel. Softens and moisturizes hair while nourishing the scalp and stimulating growth.

The Truth: I used CRN for my satin strip braidout, expecting that a twisting butter would provide my hair some weight and hold. It didn't give me the level of hold I was expecting, and my braidout lost definition quickly. My hair definitely felt moisturized and softer, but it didn't have that velvety feel that I have come to expect from most butters, puddings, and whips. Not quite sure how CRN was going to achieve the scalp nourishment and growth stimulation by being applied to my hair only...but my hair was shiny!

And the winner is: In this round, Eden BodyWorks does it again. Can't deny the fact that the proof is in the pudding. What a label says isn't important -- it's all in how it works!

Showdown Round 4: Bonuses & Drawbacks

Eden BodyWorks
Bonuses: With Aloe Vera Juice and Shea Butter in the top 5, this product would also make a great light summer sealant.
Drawbacks: It's called Coconut Shea, but there's no coconut in it. What's up with that? It made me a little sad to realize that too, because it smells so yummy and coconut-like.

Camille Rose Naturals
Bonuses: Although the product is listed as a butter, it's not butter greasy or heavy. Good job!
Drawbacks: It's not a huge one by any means, but I didn't see the point in having little almond flake thingies in the mix. Perhaps for the aesthetic appeal of feeling like the real-deal almonds were going into your hair -- but other than that, I found them pointless.

And the winner is: Camille Rose Naturals! Although artificial fragrances don't bother me (so long as they're toward the very bottom of the list), my product pet peeve is when a product is named after an ingredient that it doesn't even have in it. A few drops of coconut oil could've turned this verdict around.

The FINAL Showdown: The Bottom Line

When you get down to the nitty gritty, both are really good product options if you're looking to add moisture to your hair without weighing it down or making it terribly greasy-feeling. Although I felt the Almond Jai Twisting butter was a good product, the Pudding Souffle really just did it for me. Across the board, hands down. You get more bang for your bucks, good quality ingredients, and a viable alternative to Shea Moisture's Curl Enhancing Smoothie. That last point is really important for me as a transitioner. With my new stuff taking over, but still having some heat damaged ends, finding something that will take care of all of my hair is really important. Eden BodyWorks Pudding Souffle is just the right consistency to get the job done -- leaving my hair soft and moisturized, without making the heat damaged part oily and stringy. In fact, it reminds me of my cohiloe mixture that I used last summer.

And the winner is: You already know. Eden BodyWorks Coconut Shea Pudding Souffle! I'm about to have an EBW habit....

Have you tried either line? What was your experience?