[Review] Philip Kingsley Flaky Itchy Scalp Toner (Final Thoughts)

Philip Kingsley Flaky Itchy Scalp Toner

Price: $30.00 for 250ml/8.45oz 

Purchased at: Amazon or PhilipKingsley.com

Promises: Soothing leave-in Scalp Toner with an anti-microbial and anti-flaking formula that provides immediate and long lasting relief from irritation. Clear and odorless.

Ingredients: Aqua (Water), Alchohol Denat, Benzalkonium Chloride, Camphor, Piroctone Olamine.

INGREDIENT	BENEFIT
Camphor	Cools & soothes
Piroctone Olamine Benzalkonium Chloride	Long lasting relief from flaking.   Helps to prevent recurrence of flaking.

Directions:
- Cleanse with Flaky Itchy Scalp Shampoo to increase effectiveness and follow conditioner.
- Lightly towel your dry hair and apply Flaky Itchy Scalp Toner directly to your scalp from nozzle in 3cm (1”) partings
- Distribute with your fingertips
- Do NOT rinse
- Comb through and style as usual
- Can be reapplied when required on your wet or dry scalp/hair
- Suitable for use on color treated hair

My Thoughts:
Late October, my partner in crime, Keyda, asked me what she could do about her itchy scalp and shedding. I recalled an awesome blurb I read in November 2012's Glamour mag about Philip Kingsley's Flaky Itchy Scalp Toner. The key to healthy hair is definitely a healthy scalp. Philip Kingsley is one of the world’s leading Trichologists; a hair doctor. Like a dentist, but for your hair. He has an amazing line of products, but at the core is his belief in the importance of scalp health. A few days afterwards, she bought it and now uses it faithfully. After 2 months, she told me that her scalp feels amazing and her shedding is under control.

Glamour November 2012

I usually massage an essential oil blend every wash day into my scalp to simulate and prevent flakes, but I wondered---could PK's toner be my key to a shed free Spring? (I usually shed in the fall and spring) Instead of being reactive this year, I decided to be proactive and ordered a bottle for myself. My first use was awkward. The toner concoction is very watery, yet has a pleasant underwhelming scent. Its nozzle opening is entirely too large unless you want to soak your head with the product. Of course with water as the first ingredient, I knew that it would revert my new growth--so I applied to my scalp on dry hair about 8 hours before I washed. I'm going to use the product for a few weeks to decide how I like it and if it prevents another Spring Shed Situation.

Final Thoughts: 
I applied the treatment at least once a week for almost 6 months. I ended up replacing the giant nozzle applicator with a fine mist spray top to prevent myself from wasting the product. No allergic reactions or adverse effects to report. I haven't had one incident of shedding like crazy, the way that I did last year and my shed hair on wash days has been smaller in diameter than a penny. Whilst, I can't say that PK's Toner is the only reason that I've avoided a shedding fiasco this Spring, I think that it has definitely helped. De-stressing, PK Toner, and green tea rinses #ftw! All four are in my regimen for the long haul.

This one is definitely a keeper! If you've tired it, let us know!

Besitos!
KLP

[Review] CC's Naturals Lavender & Chamomile Tea

Price: $6.00 (plus shipping)

Purchased at: www.ccsnatural.com

Promises and Ingrediants:

• Chamomile- Works as a great natural conditioner
• Lavender helps stimulate growth and balance oil production
• Green Tea Stimulates Hair growth, soothes Dandruff and psoriasis, As well as strengthens and conditions.
• Peppermint stimulates your hair follicles and promotes hair growth, used as a moisturizer for the hair shaft, Helps rid the scalp of dryness and itchiness as well..

Directions: Add 3 tablespoons or 1 large tea bag to a large pyrex glass cup or bowl and fill with boiling water and cover. Steep for about 30 minutes. When the tea is warm, apply to scalp and hair and massage thoroughly. When pouring tea onto hair and scalp, hold a bowl at the end of hair strands to catch the tea and reapply. Repeat several times. Leave In or rinse out if desired. If you use a conditioner, use this tea rinse after you condition your hair. You can also put the tea into a spray and spray onto your hair as a refresher. And then move on to your final styling regimen...


My Thoughts: I personally steep the tea for about one or two hours before beginning my wash day. I have not officially tried steeping my tea overnight, but that is a possibility! I love LOVE this tea! Shout out to Jen at www.justgrowalready.com for posting about this in her regimen! It smells delicious and I noticed softness, growth and less shedding while using this tea regularly. Even when I do not place conditioner over the tea in my hair, my hair is never too rough or hard with this tea. So, you do not necessarily need to use a smoothing conditioner but it just adds a lil extra bang! I will be trying other products from CC's naturals!


Let me know if you try it!

Muahz xoxo
Keyda

[Review] Tropic Isle Jamaican Black Castor Oil

Price: 15.09 for 8oz

Purchased at: Amazon

Promises: Topic Isle Jamaican Black Castor oil is made the traditional hand processed way. Use in hair, skin moisturizer, and massage oil for aces and pains.

Ingredients: 100% Natural Jamaican Black Castor Oil

Directions: Apply to hair like hair grease for moisturizing purposes Massage into scalp for healthy hair growth and scalp problems. If you have dry, perm and colored hair, add 3 tablespoon black castor oil to your favorite conditioner. It adds extra moisture to your hair and seals it in. Use for hot oil treatments: warm three tablespoon castor oil and massage into hair then put on heating cap for half hour. Or massage 3 table spoons of black castor oil into hair, put on heating cap then go under dryer for 10 minutes. 

My Thoughts: In 2010, after struggling with scalp irritation after my relaxers, I started using regular castor oil to base my scalp. The results were great; the itchy, tight, and flaky scalp that I has come to associate with the days following a relaxer was gone. I researched other ways to use it in my hair regimen, but I found it too greasy to use daily with my sleek, straighten hair. Most hair boards and blogs are run a muck with Castor Oil challenges and have advertised its benefits for years. I just couldn't convince myself to buy into the hype. That is until last September. Whilst chatting with my good friend (a natural diva who runs I DO Wedding Connection in Maryland), she mentioned the growth that her sister-in-law saw with she committed to daily JBCO scalp massages. That's when I said, "Self: YOU need to get on this." That night I ordered my first bottle. 
After almost 7 months of using JBCO weekly, I'm just running out of my 8oz bottle. This product is very very thick and a little goes a long way. Once I realized how little I needed to use, I was able to avoid that greasy feeling that had turned me off in the past. My nose is easily offended by smells; I actually don't care for the scent at all. It's that same earthy/burnt scent that accompanies a lot natural products. When I first started to use it, I swear that it felt like my scalp couldn't breathe. I guess that I just needed some time to adjust to the tingly feeling on my scalp and the scent. Now, I don't notice either.

How I've used it:
(1) Pre-poo: I'll massage in my essential oil blend then top it with a little JBCO and conditioner. 
(2) Mid Week Scalp Massage: Once a week I'd use a tiny amount to massage into my scalp whilst moisturizing and sealing. I just couldn't convince myself to do it and more than that. 
(3) Sealer: When I went on my heat detox, I didn't have to fret over weighing down my straight hair with oil. I would moisturize, seal with JBCO, then pin my hair into whatever style I fancied. 

Will I replace my bottle? Yep. Here's why:
- I can't say that my hair is thicker, because it is naturally very thick.
- I can't say that my hair grew any faster, I experienced the same 2 1/2 - 3" of new growth that I see every 12-16 week stretch. 
- My ends fared much better this stretch than ever before during my HHJ. This just be because they were more moisturized and I was participated in the L4LPSC for the last 3 months. 
- My roots well much more manageable during my most recent stretch. They felt more moisturized and seemed to retain moisture better throughout the week.

So, If I can protect and nourish my roots plus maintain my ends with JBCO--then it is definitely a winner in my book!

How do you use JBCO in your regimen?

Un mil besitos!
KLP