

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.
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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.
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‘Sistas’ Star KJ Smith Reveals How She Learned The Value Of Divine Timing
Actress KJ Smith's inspiring journey within the entertainment industry is a testament to how believing in oneself and trusting in divine timing can pave the way for success.
Over the years, Smith, whose acting career began in 2009, has appeared in various television shows and films before landing her leading role in BET's Sistas in 2019.
Since then, the 38-year-old's success has skyrocketed as she starred in other projects, such as Fatal Affair alongside Nia Long and Omar Epps, The Family Business, and Power Book III: Raising Kanan. Smith recently opened up about her experience during Black Love's The You Retreat discussion panel.
KJ On Success
In the panel last month, Smith revealed that despite her past achievements, she doesn't consider success to be a linear path but rather a continuous process.
The star shared that she gained this logic through the numerous times she auditioned for roles and has either received rejections or landed job opportunities. During that process, Smith added that she learned that if something was ordained in her life, that said thing would come to her.
"I think the phrase ‘made it’ is a little deceiving. It's a process of continuing to make it. How you know it's for you is when it's undeniable," she said.
KJ On Divine Timing
As the conversation continued, Smith recalled a particular moment when she didn't land an undisclosed role she thought was destined for her and expressed how heartbroken she was.
Still, the actress preserved and ultimately got the next gig she auditioned for a day after reading for that role.
"Actually, my first pilot, it was written for a white male, and at the time, I had just lost out on a role I had tested for. For something that I was like, 'This is actually me!' I tested for it, didn't get it. At the time, I was so heartbroken, " she explained.
“The next thing I booked... it was the quickest audition I had ever done. I literally went into the room. I did one scene, and then the next day, they were like, 'You're booked. We need you to fly to New Orleans.'"
Later, Smith mentioned that since that moment occurred in her life, she had shifted her mindset about not receiving certain things and that divine timing plays a role in "everything."
"That was mine, and no one else could have had that. That belonged to me, so now I'm like, 'No, it's going to be good thing, after good thing, after good thing, after good thing. Because nothing happens to me, everything happens for me," she said.
Smith continues to inspire her fans by using her social media platform to spread the message about trusting God's plan for one's life.
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