Review: ORS Hairepair Nourishing Conditioner & Invigorating Shampoo

Hello my lovelies, it’s been a busy few weeks for me of late wrapping up the last few treatments on my Beauty Course juggling the kids and planning a holiday so I’ve been a little of track with me blogging but with everything winding down now for the 6 week hols I will sure enough have a minute to catch my breath.

As you know I am a Brand Ambassodor for the fabulous company ORS part of the perks is that we get to test out their products. I was sent last month their shampoo and conditioner from there Hair Repair range. Now to be able to give an honest response/ review I like to use a product for a good few weeks to really be able to give the most accurate account. I never have understood companies sending you a tiny sachet to sample like what is a one time penny sized amount of anything going to do? 😦

Conditioner & Shampoo by ORS hair Repair

So with that said, may I start with the ORS (Hairepair) Invigorating Shampoo made with Rosemary and Mint extracts it truly is really invigorating like I know you think I’ve got to be saying this because I’m an Ambassador for this company but believe me if I didn’t like the product I’d say. Afterall how is a company going to appeal to customers if everyone’s doing the smiley dandy dance. No, for me honest reviews are the way forward. First of all it lathers up beautifully and my 4c curls really took to it. The mint leaves a nice tingling sensation on your scalp and if your anything like me I love a good ‘instant feeling’ product. After two washes my hair doesn’t feel striped or dry and it smells gorge.

Mid wash with Invigorating Shampoo

I follow my Shampoo wash with the Nourishing Conditioner. Can I just say whoever discovered that putting Banana in your hair is good for your hair actually needs a medal, because of this conditioner I’m actually in the process of trolling the Internet looking for good Banana Hair Masks for natural hair (if you know of any please let me know- faaaaanks :))). Thick and creamy you really feel like your hair is getting everything it needs from this conditioner. I usually cover with a plastic bag and leave on for about half hour once I rinse with Luke warm water. My hair feels moisturised, soft and is at a great point to style. I personally think it would make a great leave-in but unfortunately you do have to rinse it out

A close-up of Nourishing Conditioner

All in all these have become staple products of mine I prefer the feel and results my hair gets with the Invigorating shampoo than say their olive oil shampoo and like I said the conditioner really is devine.

Have you tried these products if so what did you think?

Review: ORS Hair Repair intense moisture Creme

So at the end of March I was involved in The ORS Hairvolution event was a a great evening meeting loads of fantastic bloggers and natural hair enthusiasts. And at the end of the night we were all given these fantastic goodie bags.

My Fabulous ORS Goodie Bag

One product that particularly stood out for me was their Intense Moisture Creme. At the event I had a scalp analysis done, I was astounded to discover that me seemly healthy head of new growth was actually masking a severely dehydrated scalp. Being new to this natural journey I had made the mistake of buying up all these natural oils and butters but I was using them in the wrong way. Using castor oil on my scalp when in fact I needed to moisturise with something else. That something has become the Hair Repair Intense Moisture Creme.

ORS Hair Repair Intense Moisture Creme

Light in texture but supper supple and offering the moisture that a thirsty scalp like mine needs. I was worried about ingredients not being ‘natural enough’ but with a blend of coconut, avocado and other essential oils this Creme has it covered. It smells divine too and doesn’t leave your hair smelling like an oily frying pan even after you remove your headscarf. Another plus is this can be used on both natural and relaxed hair, It was light enough for me to use daily and my scalp really seemed to take to this formula. If your looking for a moisturising Creme that doesn’t leave your hair uber greasy then I’d highly say to give this a try. I just wish I had received a bigger jar 🙂

Review: Shea Moisture’s Curl Enhancing Smoothie

So by now you’ve all heard of possibly every natural or newly naturals’ staple product Shea Moisture. Whether it’s the Curling Soufflé or the Deep Butter Treatment Masque. Shea Moisture is fast becoming a staple product within natural haircare and with their non harmful ingredient philosophy they easily put our naturalists minds at ease.

CES

As I’ve just started out on my journey (Jan 2014) I’ve been looking for THAT Product THAT regime – that ‘agrees’ with my hair and helps me show the full beauty of my 4c-ness. It can be really overwhelming looking at all these different blogs/bloggers who agree with this agree with that, to co wash not co wash, Curly Girl Method etc *phew* it’s a lot!! Out all this natural advice Shea Moisture seemed to be almost universally agreed upon so I thought I’d give them a try. I decided on the Curl Enhancing Smoothie and the Deep Cleansing Shampoo-African Black Soap ( will do a separate review later)
Since my BC Eco Styler gel has become my best friend I love the way it defines my curls and gives my hair this gorgeous shine. I alternate between the Olive Oil and Argan Oil ones. However they do leave my hair feelin quite hard and I wanted to try something that leaves a more natural feel.
So Friday night I did a mini twist out on my hair. I washed and dried my hair then I directly applied the CES (curl enhancing smoothie) to each section I then did a two strand twist in total it took me about 1hr and half to do * bear with me I’m learning here peoples!!* I then tied it down over night with my silk bonnet

Smoothie & my mini twists

My mini twists morning after

The next day I unveiled and I must say although my curls were not as defined as they are with Eco Styler they were uber soft and my hair smelt delish. My hair felt highly moisturised and althought my twistout was a bit of a flop I do think when my hair has more length it will look better

Twistout Reveal

I will definately be using CES again *at £15 pop I really can’t afford not too! (UK prices are always so much higher than our Stateside familia ) but putting price aside I think it’s a fabulous product one that my hair will thoroughly enjoy getting to know 🙂

ORS Hairvolution Event!!

So you’ll remember a few weeks back I told you that I’d recently become a Brand Ambassador for the staple brand ORS (formerly organic root stimulator). Part of being a Brand Ambassador for ORS means not only am I one of the first receive the brands newest products for testing and reviews but I also get to attend events at fab locations where I get to smooze with fellow bloggers and talk lady talk about haircare, beauty and what’s what in the land of womanhood (hard job but someone has to do it)

Hairvolution was my first such event. Held right in the hub of East London’s Brick Lane Market at the very Americanised bowling alley All Star Lanes.

Brick Lanes’ All Star lanes (cocktails sweeeet)

We were briefed on what to expect in the coming hours, asked what my size was? Then told to pick out a dress pre personalised with the ORS logo. I needn’t have been worried the dress fitted like a glove and I was glad I brought my simple black Gwenda heels from TopShop accessorised with an ORS necklace I was good to go.

Hashtag #orshairvolution

Guests started arriving shortly after 5pm I immediately recognised some the UK’s top black haircare bloggers UKNaturals, CFYH (UK), Crystal Afro and the ladies behind Natural Hair Week to name a few familiar faces. Guests were encouraged to tag pics with the #ORShaivolution to either their Twitter or Instagram accounts and were given print outs as keepsakes from the event. Gliiter lips were provided on the night by international Kamanza Make-up which came in a gorgeous array of colours * colour shy me ended up with a vibrant blue* eeek!! Patricia Ramgolam-Singh then treated us to an upbeat demonstration of ORS’ new strengthening and straightening product which went down a treat with even the most staunch curly haired sister.

Patricia performing the demo

Me with some of the ORS team and guests

After a brief introduction of all Ambassadors both from the UK and in Europe I had a few women come forward to sign up and the winner of the bowling competition was read out (we were in a bowling alley afterall!). Winning prizes ranged from a Hairdryer to an mini IPad!

For food we were treated to mini hamburgers, goat cheese/red onion tarte Not to mention the best non alcoholic cocktails I’ve had in ever! ( no drinking on the job for me )

Some of the contents of the Hairvolution goodie bag

Overall I give my first ORS event a major Thumbs up!! Not only was I a part of hugely popular brand’s product being showcased but I also met some incredible women who had so much to say on hair, As a newly natural I felt like I was sponge soaking up every drop of haircare tips and tidbits and I was inspired by how positive an event like this could be. Guests left with an ORS goodie bag containing full sized products and I left with some invaluable advice on moving forward in my natural journey…

To Hair infinity and beyond!!

Since embarking on my natural hair journey I’ve been sort going through a bit of ‘natural everrythang’ looking at what I’m eating my diet do I exercise enough etc. while at an ORS meeting the other day one of the girls got to talking about the Hair Infinity Pills. I was astounded when she claimed that they most definitely work and she reckoned she’d seen at least an inch of growth in a MONTH!! So I’m like super skeptical of these kinda pills that make all these radical statements so I decided to do a little research before I decided to put these things in my body next thing I’m getting hair in places I’d rather not *grimace*

What I ended up uncovering was the story of a go getting black couple who created a niche when there wasn’t one and it left me somewhat inspired. Hair Infinity founder Tymeka Lawrence was sharing tips to women on how to maintain healthy hair when she noticed that there was a gap in the market for a product that used safe ingredients to assist with hair growth.

Together with her husband Brock they formed a company called Brock Beauty and Hair Infinity has become one of their best selling products. With their celebrity client list such as the likes as Miss Brand Endorsement herself Kim Kardashian to name a few I can only imagine where this brand can and is going.

Kim with her Hair Infinity pills

I wish this couple well. More than anything it’s a positive story of how an intelligent married black couple created an opening when there wasn’t one – motivational stuff wouldn’t you agree?

Love me, love my hair

When I first did a Big Chop back in the summer of 2012 I was pregnant and stressed. My once nourished relaxed hair had become a dry, thin, limp mess and quite frankly I was left with the option of wearing a hideously unrealistic wig or to continue fighting with the unfair hormonal in-balance that my pregnancy was insisting I deal with. After searching the net I uncovered ‘natural hair’ and armed with a little boast from the sistas I went to my nearest natural hair salon and cut it all off. My sense of liberation soon turned to dread as I realised I no longer had the safety net of ‘my hair’ and was faced with dreaded question “Am I still sexy?”… Now before you go all India Arie on me yes, I know I’m more than my hair and yes it is the ‘inside that counts’ but I wasn’t convinced (yet) I mean relaxer and weaves are all I’ve known from the age of 14 and in the midst of all of this I still wanted to be appealing to my man. For so long I’d associated glamourous hair with silky long tresses and not coily, loud Afros. Call me ignorant I call it ‘not yet enlightened’. So as soon as I could I was back to relaxing my locks quicker than you can say ‘has she had the baby yet?’

Me and my many many many hairstyles

Fast forward to January 2014 and I’m longing for another change of hair. A discussion with my partner left me utterly surprised when he told me he loved my 2012 twa. He told me he loved the fact I ‘appeared’ to be confident in my own skin and was shocked when I told him I actually hated that hair phase because I felt so unfeminine and unappealing. I told him I wanted to embark on real natural hair journey this time using protective styles as a medium to change things up but that I wanted no chemical manipulation of my natural texture and he was so supportive that on that very evening I let him do my big chop for me ( yes I was scared he’d go too low). Ladies, it was a beautiful moment to have the man you love fully support a decision that very often can turn the average man off ( we’ve all heard the looking like a man comments). The benefits are even better too he can touch my hair uninterrupted (no under weave cornrows in the mix) AND I get impromptu head massages wooo hooo!

8 weeks in he’s still loving it even when I’m mad cause my curl pattern isn’t looking too fierce. He told me he loves the non conformatity of my natural hair, the fact that when we go out I could be the only near bald headed woman in the room but I’m still ROCKIN IT… And then it hit me it’s my CONFIDENCE that he finds so attractive and y’know he’s right I am feeling incredibly sexy. The discovery I’m on right now is amazing Im so excited to see my hair in 3 months 6 months from now.I feel comfortable with my choice to BIGCHOP this time because it’s not been forced upon me because I have damaged hair but because I’ve realised that my natural hair texture isn’t something to be embarrassed about- this is was what being the true Esther is all about.

So Girl, if your thinking of big-chopping or just letting your natural hair see the light of day go for it! Your sexiness/attractive-ness should stem from your confidence NOT your hair, after all YOU are what makes up the finer details of you *insert India Arie lyrics here*