Product Showcase: Cantu Shea Butter Leave-in Conditioning Repair Cream

This is a reasonably-priced item that I find at Wal-Mart, Wal-Green, CVS, or any dug store; on the "ethnic" hair aisle. I would never use it as a leave-in. When I would spray my hair with water to re-style it, the cream would coagulate in my hair,leaving me with white beads everywhere.One thing I have noticed, is that people with hair textures of 3c and below don't have the "white-bead coagulation" problem. So as a leave-in it is best for women with textures between 2b-3c.

However... I do use it as a deep conditioner. I apply it to damp hair with a processing cap. Then I leave it in overnight or sit 45 minutes under a hooded-dryer.Another reason I like it is because shea butter is at the top of the ingredients list,as it should be.

Product Showcase: Lustrasilk Shea Butter Cholesterol

My mother and I fight over this everytime one of us buys it. ( I'm so serious!)First off, this smells soooo great! It provides much slippage, is great as an overnight treatment,and when washed out leaves hair soft.

How to use: Apply ample amount to freshly washed hair. Place plastic cap on hair. Sit under the dryer for at least 20 minutes or go to sleep with cap on. Or it can be used as a pre-poo treatment.

However you choose to use it , the results will be great.

Total Cost: $2.79; low price, high quality

Your "Bottom Line".

American society perpetuates the idea that our appearance is a defining statement about who we are and what we want people to think of us. African-American women have been trying to manipulate, control or find solutions to their "hair problem" since pre-reconstruction times. Our demand for beautiful hair in whatever form is what fuels the machine called "the Black Hair Care Industry". Product manufacturer's are sizing us up, assessing our needs, crafting and passing out the products. We turn around and giddily dole out our dollars on the next new "hair stuff".

Even though you may not be a conformist anymore because you've gone or are going natural; now you're free from chemicals, limitations on what activities you can participate in for fear you will mess up your hair and monthly salon visits. But has a price tag been put on this "freedom" already. Ethnic hair care products are a very lucrative market. The black hair-care industry collects billions of your dollars every year. Statistics show that black Americans spend more on hair than any other ethnic group. Blacks are one in every ten Americans in the U.S., but spend seven of every ten dollars spent on hair care and hair products in this nation. In 2000, studies showed that the median net worth of a household headed by a non-Hispanic white adult was $79,400. The median net worth of a household run by a black adult was $7,500. How can we be seventy percent of the hair care market with only ten percent net worth in the country, hmmm.

As the population of natural hair wearers increase a whole new avenue has opened up to demand its share of the black dollar. In my opinion we should definitely re-examine our spending and carefully consider every promo, sales pitch and new product that comes our way. "Money is Power", but not if you spend all of it on your head. Even though there is a little of a product junkie in all of us, maybe you may think twice before your next purchase. The bottom line? Try creating some strategies to keep that new look red hot and your wallet in the black.

Also, here are some very informative videos about the Black Hair Industry. Although they aren't directly targeted to natural hair, they are very informative. Enjoy the videos and thanks for visiting Symone's "Monee" blog-spot!