I Tried Dove's New Hair Collection On My Type 4 Hair — Here's What I Think
When I heard Dove was releasing a line for natural hair, I was curious. They could either surprise me and the products are lit or it could be a complete fail. To be honest, I don't usually check for Dove products on wash day but I wanted to see how it would work for my type 4 hair and if it can possibly be a part of my weekly routine. Spoiler alert: Not only did it work, I liked the entire collection.
The Amplified Textures collection enhances the texture of coils, curls, and waves while adding moisture and nourishment to our hair. So if your hair likes a lot of moisture, this is for you! The line features 6 products and is made with Dove's moisture-amplifying blend of honey, aloe vera, jojoba oil, and coconut milk. Now, let's get into the breakdown of each product…
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What’s In The Collection?
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Amplified Textures offers six products:the Dove Amplified Textures Hydrating Cleanse Shampoo, the Dove Amplified Textures Super Slip Detangling Conditioner, the Dove Amplified Textures Moisture Recovery Mask, the Dove Amplified Textures Moisture Lock Leave-In Conditioner, the Dove Amplified Textures Twist In Moisture Shaping Butter, and the Dove Amplified Textures Shine & Moisture Finishing Gel.
I started my wash day by pre-pooing my hair with water and jojoba oil so I had enough moisture and slip for detangling. Then, I moved on to the Dove Amplified Textures Hydrating Cleanse Shampoo which I immediately noticed had a light floral scent and a serum-like consistency. My hair tends to soak up liquid or products with light consistency better than heavy creams can. I really like how the line starts with a product that can easily work its way into the strands. When I applied the aloe vera-infused shampoo, it gave me a lot of slip and suds very nicely so a little goes a long way. As I massaged the shampoo into my scalp and strands, it gave me moisture like a conditioner, but a very gentle clean. I washed my hair two times and moved on to conditioning.
The Dove Amplified Textures Super Slip Detangling Conditioner is very hydrating and clearly has even more slip than the shampoo! The creamy coconut milk blend provided immediate moisture to your curls softer and easier to detangle. When I applied the conditioner into my hands, it softened and moisturized my skin. It does that very same thing to your hair. I left the conditioner on until my hair was completely detangled and moved on to their recovery mask.
Krissy Lewis/xoNecole
No wash day is complete without a deep conditioner and, because dryness is a problem for me, I have to deep condition every time I wash my hair. One thing that really stuck out to me with the Dove Amplified Textures Moisture Recovery Mask is that it's recommended to stay in your hair up to five minutes. I'm used to leaving my masks/deep conditioners in for at least 30 minutes. Another thing I noticed is, the recovery mask can be used as a mask or a conditioner. Leave it in for a while if you want to or wash it out after detangling. I left the creamy honey-infused recovery mask in for five minutes to add another layer of moisture then rinsed it out and began styling.
For my style, I'm doing twist outs with the leave-in, cream, and gel method. I used the Dove Amplified Textures Moisture Lock Leave-In Conditioner to start styling my hair. Although the leavin-in is a cream, like its conditioners, it melts nicely into your strands if your hair is wet or damp and locks in the moisture.
Krissy Lewis/xoNecole
Next, I used the Dove Amplified Textures Twist In Moisture Shaping Butter, which is one of my favorite products out of this entire collection. This is actually the first time I used a butter like this. It's not a cream by any means, instead, it has a runny, liquid-like consistency. I'm not mad at it though, like I said before my hair soaks up liquid-based products very well. As I was applying the cream to my hair, I noticed that the butter is recommended for curls and coils; however, I think it will work well for waves too.
Lastly, I added the Dove Amplified Textures Shine & Moisture Finishing Gel. The gel is also like a serum; it has a very light hold, gives you a moderate hold, adds shine and eliminates some frizz. When I applied it after my cream, I was worried that the gel would be too much and cause flakes. I did notice small clumps after adding it to my hair, but it dried without leaving any flakes (thank God). It wasn't recommended to use after the butter cream and is labeled for only curly and wavy hair, not coily. In the future, I probably won't use it together. Instead, I would swap the gel with an oil when I'm doing twist/braid out styles. The gel would work better for perm rod styles and maybe a wash n' go.
Overall, What Do I Think?
Krissy Lewis/xoNecole
Overall, I think this is a great line to try if you need extra moisture and shine to your curls. I think this line was specifically created for those who tend to have dry hair or want the moisture in their hair to last longer. This may be too much for those with oily hair, so keep that in mind. I also think it was formulated with curly, coily, and wavy hair in mind. The line also does a good job with product consistency; it has a great mix of cream- and liquid-based products and that variety allows your hair to soak up product regardless of if you prefer creams or liquids.
The Amplified Textures collection solves the three biggest problems for textured hair: moisture, tangles, and curl definition. If you can't run out and get the line, the Dove Amplified Textures Hydrating Cleanse Shampoo,the Dove Amplified Textures Moisture Recovery Mask, and the Dove Amplified Textures Twist In Moisture Shaping Butter are the highlights of this collection. You'll still get the moisture, ease of detangling, and definition with these products. Although I liked the gel, it is arguably the weakest product of this collection and my only feedback is to have an oil instead of the finish gel. An oil could have still added shine and moisture and would be more useful than the finishing gel.
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Featured image courtesy of Krissy Lewis/xoNecole
Freelance writer, content creator, and traveler. She enjoys the beauty of simplicity, a peaceful life, and a big curly fro. Connect with Krissy on social media @iamkrissylewis or check out her blog at www.krissylewis.com.
ItGirl 100 Honors Black Women Who Create Culture & Put On For Their Cities
As they say, create the change you want to see in this world, besties. That’s why xoNecole linked up with Hyundai for the inaugural ItGirl 100 List, a celebration of 100 Genzennial women who aren’t afraid to pull up their own seats to the table. Across regions and industries, these women embody the essence of discovering self-value through purpose, honey! They're fierce, they’re ultra-creative, and we know they make their cities proud.
VIEW THE FULL ITGIRL 100 LIST HERE.
Don’t forget to also check out the ItGirl Directory, featuring 50 Black-woman-owned marketing and branding agencies, photographers and videographers, publicists, and more.
THE ITGIRL MEMO
I. An ItGirl puts on for her city and masters her self-worth through purpose.
II. An ItGirl celebrates all the things that make her unique.
III. An ItGirl empowers others to become the best versions of themselves.
IV. An ItGirl leads by example, inspiring others through her actions and integrity.
V. An ItGirl paves the way for authenticity and diversity in all aspects of life.
VI. An ItGirl uses the power of her voice to advocate for positive change in the world.
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You've Never Seen Luke James In A Role Quite Like This
Over the years, we've watched Luke James play countless characters we'd deem sex symbols, movie stars, and even his complicated character in Lena Waithe's The Chi. For the first time in his career, the New Orleans-born actor has taken on a role where his signature good looks take a backseat as he transforms into Edmund in Them: The Scare—a mentally deranged character in the second installment of the horror anthology series that you won't be able to take your eyes off.
Trust us, Edmund will literally make you do a double take.
xoNecole sat down with Luke James to talk about his latest series and all the complexity surrounding it—from the challenges taking on this out-of-the-box role to the show's depiction of the perplexing history of the relationship between Black Americans and police. When describing the opportunity to bring Edmund's character to life, Luke was overjoyed to show the audience yet another level of his masterful acting talents.
"It was like bathing in the sun," he said. "I was like, thank you! Another opportunity for me to be great—for me to expand my territory. I'm just elated to be a part of it and to see myself in a different light, something I didn't think I could do." He continued, "There are parts of you that says, 'Go for it because this is what you do.' But then also that's why it's a challenge because you're like, 'um, I don't know if I'm as free as I need to be to be able to do this.' Little Marvin just created such a safe space for me to be able to do this, and I'm grateful for everything I've been able to do to lead to this."
Courtesy
Them: The Scare, like the first season, shines a light on the plight of Black Americans in the United States. This time, the story is taking place in the 1990s, at the height of the Rodney King riots in Los Angeles. While the series presents many underlying themes, one that stands out is Black people and the complicated relationship with the police. "For the audience, I think it sets the tone for the era that we're in and the amount of chaos that's in the air in Los Angeles and around the country from this heinous incident. And I say it just sets the tone of the anxiety and anxiousness that everybody is feeling in their own households."
James has been a longtime advocate against police brutality himself. He has even featured Elijah McClain, the 23-year-old Colorado man who died after being forcibly detained by officers, as his Instagram avatar for the past five years. So, as you can imagine, this script was close to his heart. "Elijah was a soft-loving oddball. Different than anyone but loving and a musical genius. He was just open and wanted to be loved and seen."
Getty Images
Luke continued, "His life was taken from him. I resonate with his spirit and his words...through all the struggle and the pain he still found it in him to say, 'I love you and I forgive you.' And that's who we are as people—to our own detriment sometimes. He's someone I don't want people to forget. I have yet to remove his face from my world because I have yet to let go of his voice, let go of that being [because] there's so many people we have lost in our history that so often get forgotten."
He concluded, "I think that's the importance of such artwork that moves us to think and talk about it. Yes, it's entertaining. We get to come together and be spooked together. But then we come together and we think, 'Damn, Edmund needed someone to talk to. Edmund needed help... a lot [of] things could have been different. Edmund could have been saved.'
Check out the full interview below.
Luke James Talks Ditching Sex Symbol Status For "Them: The Scare", Elijah McClain, & Morewww.youtube.com
Featured image by Getty Images