Hey All!
I have been meaning to do this review for a little bit now, so I've finally sat down and made myself do it! This is a product that I have been curious about trying since the beginning of my transition in 2009. I have been using Elasta QP's Olive Oil & Mango Butter for a few weeks now and I have got to say, I love it! Now it is technically Curly Girl Approved though it does have natural ingredients, (I'll do a post on what makes a product Curly Girl Approved soon) because it has cones, but I have never been one to only use all natural products. It all boils down to personal choice.
I use it in my L.O.C method, and it works wonderfully. I have very fine 4a hair, so a quarter size dallop is enough to moisturize my whole head, sometimes less. I have used it on dry hair and it perks up my thirsty strands. I can say that it's great for styling as well because I always do the L.O.C method after cowashing.
The product comes in a yellow 8.25oz jar. Apparently not only is it a "New & Improved" formula, but also 80% free. (Lol) So I'm assuming it was once sold in a smaller packaging. Once you open it, is a light yellow, think banana pudding. It actually could fool you into thinking it actually is banana pudding sans the scent and packaging. The scent is of mango, kind of hair product-y, but mango which is something I love. I need something that smells good after using
Vidal Sassoon's Color Protecting Conditioner. My hair loves it, but I hate the smell.
Like I said, it smells great, it's good for moisturizing even on dry hair. I would be mindful about the amount you use because it is a pudding texture it's hard to tell how much you need. It is spreadable, meaning you can rub it in between your hands before applying, it is also a good way to keep track of how much you are using. I would stick to a nickel-quarter size, though really it depends on your hair's porosity. Oh another thing I should mention is the shine/sheen, this products leaves my hair with the loveliest gloss. It is sold in any
BSS or your local Rite Aid/CVS etc. It retails for $3.99 USD, so very easy on the pockets of curly/kinkies on a budget!
On the Jar it also states that it can be used as a thermal (heat) protectant as well, I have yet to test this theory as I am staying away from heat since contracting heat damage. Yes y'all I said contracting, because there is no cure for heat damage. (Lol)
The ingredients are as follows...
Ingredients:
Water/Aqua/Eau, Olea Europoea (Olive) Fruit Oil, Capric Caprylic Triglycerides, PEG-75 Lanolin, Behentrimonium, Methosulfate,
Cetearyl Alcohol, Ceteareth 20,
Cetyl Alcohol, Dimethicone, Phenyl Trimethicone,
Mangifera Indica (Mango) seed butter,
Theobroma (Cocao) Seed Butter, Cocoa Nucifera (Coconut) Oil, Retinyl Palmitate
, Tocopherol, Ascorbic Acid,
Biotin, Unoleic Acid, P
ersea Gratissima (Avocado) Oil, Parfum/Fragrance, Imidazolidinyl Urea, Methylparaben,
Hydrolyzed Silk, CI 19140 (FD&C Yellow 5)
I'm not sure if it will work for my hair during the warmer months, but right now this product and I are best of friends! 5/5 for me.