Product Review: Shea Moisture Jamaican Black Castor Oil Strengthen & Restore Treatment Masque

Hey Guys!

As you know I recently made a trip to Switzerland and while there I decided to update my hair product stash. I’m not necessarily a ‘product junkie’, but I love trying new products. I definitely don’t have a set of go-to products either. However, while searching through the stores I realized the prices were the same as back home, if not more after the conversion rate. Therefore, I only settled on a necessity – a deep conditioner. There were many brands to choose from, and ultimately price and previous noted reviews helped me decide.

Product Description

This deep conditioning masque restores strength and resilience to damaged, brittle or chemically processed hair. Perfect for those who regularly color, straighten, perm or heat style their hair, as well as kinky, curly or wavy natural styles. Formulated with nutrient-rich Jamaican Black Castor Oil and certified organic Shea Butter to replenish moisture and soften while strengthening hair. Helps promote natural growth by supporting hair elasticity, reducing the appearance of breakage and shedding. Peppermint stimulates the scalp for an invigorating experience. Leaves hair soft, manageable and shiny.

http://www.sheamoisture.com

As you can see from the description above this product is suitable for natural, chemically processed or heat styled hair. It is also sulfate free and color safe. I always love and appreciate Shea Moisture’s labeling as they break everything down for you. At the reverse side there’s a display of the main ingredients along with the benefits they provide. One example is, Jamaican Black Castor Oil (JBCO) – loaded with reparative omegas that promote healthy hair growth. Another side of the label lists all the items the product DOES NOT contain i.e. no sulfates, parabens, phthalates, propylene glycol, mineral oil, animal testing, and petrolatum.

Product Line

This is one of Shea Moisture’s most well known and extensive collections; it includes:

• Shampoo
• Conditioner
• Styling Lotion
• Conditioning Design Foam
• Blow Dry Creme
• Max Hold Gel
• Hair Serum
• Leave-in Conditioner
• Edge Treatment
• Conditioning Shine Gel
• Loc & Braid Butter
• Anti-breakage Spray
• Smoothie
• Thermal Protectant Set & Hold Spritz

Product Review

Before I get into the review I just want to mention something I noticed. At the beginning of this post I stated that I was looking for a deep conditioner and the product description also called it a deep conditioning masque (noticed this after). However, me being me thought a “masque” was a deep conditioner or served as one. I’m still a bit confused, but I did some “research” and apparently there’s a difference between ‘deep conditioner’, ‘masque/mask’ and ‘treatments’. Obviously the words have different meanings, but I assumed ultimately you’d get the same results.

Further research also showed me that Shea moisture’s JBCO treatment masque is actually a (light) protein treatment. The ingredients list Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein PG-Propyl Silanetriol (purpose: strengthen, fortify, and revitalize dry and damaged hair) and Hydrolyzed Keratin (purpose: increases the hair’s ability to retain moisture and reduces frizz) which are both proteins that aid in restoring damaged hair. So maybe this product is a 3-in-1?

I knew from the beginning all the wonderful benefits of using JBCO on its own, so choosing this product wasn’t hard for me. The mixture has a nice thick consistency and weirdly reminds me of play dough. While doing my hair I realized a little goes a long way and how easily it melted into my hair. From one application I knew it was going to be a hit. Thus far, I’ve tried this product twice without any regrets. The second time was a more in depth application process where I did my hair in small sections and twisted them. After rinsing I was shocked at how shiny and bouncy my hair was instantly. Maybe my hair just needed some protein and I didn’t know.

During my online research I also saw people complaining about the formula for the product. Apparently it didn’t always contain Apple Cider Vinegar and persons thought this addition wasn’t making the product work for them. I wouldn’t know what it was like before, but I’m definitely adding this to my favorite products of 2019 list! [Check out my favorite products from 2018]

RATINGS

Overall: 4/ 5
Quality: 4/ 5
Fragrance:  4/ 5
Effectiveness: 4/ 5
Price: $ – $$

I’m not ready to give any product 5/5 haha. Plus I paid way more for this product than its online marketed price, so I’m a little salty. I bought this from a store next to the train station in Geneva and it was about 20 Swiss Francs (CHF). CHF and USD are almost 1:1. The price online is $11.99. That’s what you pay for convenience huh.

My biggest dilemma right now though is how often should I use this product. Lately I’ve been washing my hair once a week and also deep conditioning. Even though it’s a ‘light’ protein treatment, does it matter? I think I’ll either use it once a month or every two weeks. This should give me a chance to use up my regular conditioners.

Have you ever tried this product before? How did it work for you?
Share your experiences below.

FYI: This post is not sponsored. All products were purchased and views are solely mine.