I Put the Curly Community's Most Popular Shampoo to the Test By Gerilyn Hayes

Thousands of NaturallyCurly readers voted Babassu Conditioning Shampoo by Mielle Organics as the Best of the Best in 2017, so I tried it myself.

After 6 months of rocking box braids and 2

weeks of wearing my hair in its natural, coily state, I have learned one thing: I miss shampooing my hair. However, when I took my braids down, a conundrum entered my thoughts with dizzying speed. It was a war of sentiments: my love for a squeaky clean scalp via clarifying shampoo versus a moisturizing, deep conditioning treatment to help my curls bounce back.

What was I to do?

Fortunately, I have an entire community of curl girls to turn to. Yes, that's right - I sought out your Best of the Best 2017product recommendations. You all voted and said that Mielle Organics Babassu Conditioning Shampoo was your favorite for clean curls and a healthy scalp, so I gave it a try.

Here's what happened.

First impression

Why did you wait so long to tell me how excellent this shampoo is? Really. My first impression was a good one based on the fact that I am already a fan of pretty much everything Mielle-made because the line is all natural. However, I was not prepared for the power-punch this conditioning shampoo would have on my scalp. The reason is because of its thin viscosity. My fingertips and palms are used to rubbing highly viscous shampoos into my dense curls; if it's not thick-textured, I tend to either use too much of the product (and waste money) or use too little (and have semi-clean, mostly-dirty hair).

Fortunately, the lightweight feel of the shampoo was not indicative of performance. In fact, I like that it's so lightweight and easy to work through to my scalp when my protective style was taken down.

Ingredients

As mentioned, my fear of a dry scalp led me to your Best of the Best decision. In addition to the fear, I chose this recommendation because babassu is a primary ingredient in this shampoo. What I learned about babassu may surprise you, but doesn't surprise me because I've seen the results firsthand:

If you apply a small amount of babassu oil to the scalp, or mix it in with a shampoo or conditioner, the emollient qualities will help lock in moisture, preventing hair loss and dandruff. This can also help stimulate the growth of new hair and stimulate blood flow to the scalp. - Organic Facts

There are many other certified organic ingredients in this conditioning shampoo that contribute to its effectiveness such as deep moisturizer sweet almond oil, natural cleanser pink grapefruit, hair fall preventing hibiscus, follicle stimulating basil, and so many others.

Application

Fair warning: Follow the instructions on the bottle's label - Do not follow my instructions! Seriously - I am not a "pour a quarter-sized amount into your palms" kind of girl, but rather a "pour at least a quarter of the bottle onto your hair because your hair is low porosity and you know it; don't play yourself" woman.

Although I am pictured in box braids in this testimonial, I also used the shampoo on my natural hair. In both instances, applying the lightweight shampoo to my scalp was easy and quick because it has such a thin consistency. The scent is especially pleasant; it is bright with a hint of mint and fruity undertones, the perfect makings for an energizing aromatherapy session.

Results

The conditioning shampoo gave me a tingly, almost spa-like experience because it contains peppermint, an antifungal oil that is perfect for those of us who rock protective styles on a regular basis and want to keep our scalps free and clear of the bacteria that might develop with extended braid wear. When I wore my box braids, I was very pleased that the shampoo gently cleansed my scalp. Now that I am wearing my natural hair, it is great that the shampoo helped me replenish lost moisture without drying my scalp, which I was afraid of, as mentioned above.

The only con, if you can even call it that, is that I didn't know whether or not I got all the suds out of my hair. Babassu oil generates lots of lather in soaps, so it's no wonder why every curl was covered in bubbles (plus I used an unnecessary amount of the shampoo - whoops!).

Price

This high-quality, all-natural conditioning shampoo costs $15 per 8 ounces. It is well worth it because you do not need to use half the bottle in one sitting, meaning that the Babassu Conditioning Shampoo by Mielle Organics will last you a while. Oh, what am I saying? You're the one who told ME that I should get this miracle shampoo; you knew this already. I should be THANKING YOU so without further adieu:

As ever, stay curly!

Source: naturalycurly