How To Save Your Damaged Hair: Shea Moisture Jamaican Black Castor Oil Strengthen & Restore

After a summer of abusing my hair with heat tools, I have been babying it with a suite of Shea Moisture products to great success! My hair is on the mend due to their gentle, hydrating qualities (and cutting down on my flat iron addiction). And thank goodness, because I was sick of my hair feeling dry, damaged and kinda like a bale of hay.

Recently, Shea Moisture products became widely available at Walmart in Canada (and online at www.walmart.ca). This is so convenient as I have really been enjoying this brand which prides itself on using clean, sustainable and organic ingredients.

While visiting the Walmart in my neighbourhood, Shea Moisture’s Jamaican Black Castor Oil Strengthen & Restore with Shea Butter, Peppermint and Apple Cider Vinegar line caught my eye. Upon reading the label, I knew it was for “Dom”. Why you ask? Well, this particular set of products are sulfate-free and made with Jamaican Black Castor Oil and certified organic shea butter which are super hydrating. Geared towards those who colour, straighten, perm or heat style their hair, these products repair hair and reduce breakage and shedding caused by chemical processing. In addition, the invigorating peppermint oil stimulates the scalp too, increasing blood flow to hair follicles resulting in healthy growth.

I nabbed the Jamaican Black Castor Oil Strengthen & Restore Shampoo, Leave-In Conditioner and Edge Treatment and skipped along to the cashier. Since it was wash day, I immediately washed my hair with my new goodies to amazing results. I filmed the process too along with an in-depth review for you guys to view right here on my YouTube channel:

Before we get into the review though, I wanted to share with you all that I’m pretty proud to be using these products due to Shea Moisture’s Community Commerce Initiative.

Community Commerce – A More Beautiful Life

Shea Moisture’s Community Commerce program seeks to fight poverty and create better lives for women around the globe. The brand achieves this by using fair trade ingredients. Also, all products are cruelty-free, paraben-free, sulfate-free, phthalates-free and free of mineral oil, synthetic fragrance, and artificial colour.

Of note, this brand is family-owned, uses sustainably produced, certified organic ingredients and supports numerous charitable foundations and scholarship programs. So, while enjoying your great hair courtesy of Shea Moisture, you can feel really good about using products from such a stand-up brand.

Shea Moisture’s Jamaican Black Castor Oil Strengthen & Restore Shampoo

My relaxed hair gets bit dry leading up to relaxer time, therefore making it look a little dull. Couple that with me using heavy styling products and moisturizers, this girl can use a good clarifying shampoo.

This sulfate-free product removes build-up and replaces it with hydration and moisture. Clarifying shampoos are great too as they allow deep conditioners to really work their magic on your clean, build-up-free hair. Those who regularly colour, straighten, perm or heat style their hair will find this shampoo to be a lifesaver. It’s also really effective on kinky, curly and wavy hair.

After using this product with the leave-in conditioner (more on that below), my hair felt light and bouncy. As this shampoo contains apple cider vinegar, it made my hair really shiny too! Bonus? This whole line smells like candy…think “marshmallows”. So, not only can I not keep my hands out of my shiny, soft hair, I love swishing it around to relish in that soft vanilla scent!

Shea Moisture’s Jamaican Black Castor Oil Strengthen & Restore Leave-In Conditioner

Leave-in conditioners save my hair and keep it soft and manageable. This one by Shea Moisture is a stand-out though due to its light, yet highly moisturizing formula.

After washing my hair with the shampoo and drying my hair with a microfibre towel, I added a healthy amount of leave-in conditioner and blow-dry. Using my trusty flat iron set to “low” to create a sleek style. My hair felt like silk and I was pretty much blinded by the shine. This leave-in conditioner is the new darling of my hair care arsenal!

Shea Moisture’s Jamaican Black Castor Oil Strengthen & Restore Edge Treatment Gel

My relaxed hair is generally always smooth, but the regrowth  – especially leading up to a relaxer – tends to get out of control. The struggle is real on those days that are humid or after working out. This yummy-smelling treatment gel not only keeps my edges looking straight and silky, it promotes the growth and conditioning of your hair to stop breakage. This product is fantastic for those who have weak edges or those who have suffered damaged to the hairline due to tight extensions, ponytails and chemical processing.

This product is particularly great for creating sleek buns and styles as it completely tames flyaways and prevents “reversions” (when you straighten your edges and they return to their curly state “ruining” a sleek look).