I recently had the pleasure of revisiting Pantene’s Relaxed and Natural Line. I tried the Intensive Moisturizing Conditioner (eh…) and fell back in love with the mask! Below, you’ll find a slightly modified review of the Deep Conditioning Mask (originally posted in 2008), and a quick review of the Intensive Moisturizing Conditioner.
(6 0z/$5.99 )
Product Description:Created for women of color. Unique Amino Pro-V Complex. Deep penetrating formula. This repairs and protects hair to reduce shedding. Essential oils and moisturizing condition.
Ingredients: water, stearly alchohol, amdimethicone, behentrimonium choride, cety alcohol, coconut oil, jojoba seed oil, panthenol, pathenyl ethyl ether, fragrance, lysine hcl, methyl tyrosinate hcl, histidine, benzyl alcohol, disodium edta, methylchloroisothiazolinone, methylisothiazolinone, sodium hydroxide
My Experiences:
I use this twice a week after co-washing and detangling. On lazy days, I actually use it to detangle! I slather it on thick…I mean real thick (I go through a jar a week), don a plastic baggie, my micro heat cap, and let it sit for 30 minutes to an hour. Upon rinsing, silky, strengthened, shiny tresses are revealed. This is a sure keeper. Give it a try!!!!!!
Pros:
- Detangles like nothing I’ve ever used…ever! The slip factor is RIDIC!
- Leaves my hair ridiculously soft and shiny
- My ends break less– but this could be due to several other factors
- This drugstore deep conditioner is definitely comparable to its pricey salon counterparts.
- The price is great!
Cons:
- I wish it came in a larger size.
- It contains a cone at the top of the ingredient list- if you experience build-up easy, this may actually be detrimental to your retention.
- Sometimes it’s hard to find (that’s why I stopped using it), it must be very popular!
I can usually find it at Walmart ($5), Lowe’s Food ($6.25), or in bulk from Amazon.
**As of last week, this conditioner is going back in rotation! I don’t know how I’ve survived without it! It is truly a keeper, and worth a try.**
Product Description:
- Oil-enriched formula helps seal in moisture
- Get up to 99% stronger hair against damage
Ingredients:
Water , Stearyl Alcohol , Dimethicone , Behentrimonium Chloride , Cetyl Alcohol , Coconut Oil- Cocos Nucifera , Jojoba Seed Oil- Simmondsia Chinensis , Fragrance , Panthenyl Ethyl Ether , Panthenol , Lysine HCl , Methyl Tyrosinate HCl , Histidine , Disodium EDTA , Sodium Hydroxide , Methylchloroisothiazolinone , Methylisothiazolinone , Benzyl Alcohol
My Experience:
Overall my experience with this conditioner was lack luster. I was hoping for a multi-purpose product- – a detangler and leave-in. Needless to say, I was a bit disappointed.
I stepped into the shower, and shampoo’ed to rid my hair of any build-up- – my attempt to give this new great smelling conditioner a fair chance. After my hair was clean and soft (thanks to a Poo Bar from Mehandi), I generously applied the Intensive Conditioner from root to tip. I allowed it to marinate while I took my shower and after 15 or 20 minutes began the detangling process. As I detangled my hair with my fingers under the shower stream… I noticed something dreadful! My hair felt more tangled than before and had a rough texture. The strands felt stripped of all moisture 🙁 I was expecting an experience like the Deep Conditioning Mask, but this was totally the opposite. I had to rinse the Intensive Conditioner, and moisturize and detangle with old faithful. Obviously, I never got around to trying it as a leave-in.
I gave it one more chance a few days later… thinking it was a fluke. I didn’t shampoo this time, and instead applied it directly after water rinsing. Again, my hair became matted and felt stripped/dry. Oh well, this one’s not for me!
Bottom Line:
My experience with the Intensive Moisturizing Conditioner is a shining example of how every product is not for every head! I get tons of emails from you gals asking me if I’ve tried this conditioner, and what I think. It’s very popular, and many of you are rocking great smelling, shiny, defined, moisturized curls because of it. Well not me, lol! I need to pinpoint exactly which ingredient my hair detests so much so I can avoid buying similar products in the future.
Later Gators,
Nik
I also loved the relaxed and natural deep conditioning mask and was devastated that it was discontinued. What do you reccomend that mirrors the way it made my hair feel
Had read rave reviews about the mask but uhmm…no thanks to the Sodium Hydroxide.
(As a chemical engineer, I understand how chemicals interact with each other. I still decline to use a product that contains the NaOH. It's highly basic (alkaline) and reacts with ACIDS to form a salt and water)
CatEi
Considering getting a microwave heat cap to curl hair – after microwaving, cap is placed onhead, over curlers, for few minutes. Sounds great but does anyone know if there is a cancer danger with this product. Thanks.
The Intensive Moisturizing Conditioner works miracles in my hair – it detangles, moisterizers & softens my hair – it's like magic to me! The Pro V Relaxed & Natural Breakage Defense Deep Conditioning Mask
seems interesting, I need to give it a try!
Hey Nikki i love patntene's mask for my hair!! I was wondering have you tried pantene's shampoo and what were your thoughts?? I have Miss Jessie's Shampoo but I think I want to try out the Deva No Poo Shampoo 🙂
Wanted to introduce you to a state of the art all natural product line called Natures' Natural. Recently I used their "Twist and Grow Loc Gel", which I tried, and I am very excited and pleased. The twists set in two hours and gave me a tight pattern to my hair. Overnight when I untwisted my hair, I got a very defined, shiny, twist out. Some of the strands of my hair are so defined it looks like the hair one purchases for weaving. My hair has never been that defined, even when I use Ms. Jessie's. She states that the ingredients in her product is "designed to strengthen, repair and bring fullness to each strand of hair and stop frizzes." I can attest to the fact that it really eliminates frizzes. I have very kinky, 4B hair and this gel worked a miracle on my hair. This is an amazing gel! It looks as if I went under a dryer, I did not! She also carries a Sheen Hold, which I plan to be trying in the very near future. She states that this special spray brings extra ordinary shine and hold to all hair textures!
Another product that I have tried is Aloe Conditioning Moisture Mist, one of Nature's Natural's most popular products for twists and locs, which is literally "liquid gold", as it has the very higly prized argan or morrocan oil in its formulaztion. Chatto is the only one using this highly prized oil in her products. EVERY TIME YOU USE ALOE CONDITIONING MOISTURE MIST, YOU ARE LITERALLY INFUSING STRENGTH and Moisture INTO YOU HAIR, and it detangles too! In comparasion I had used the Jane Carter's Revitalizing Moisture for a daily spritz which made my hair frizzy and tangled. The Aloe Moisture Mist detangles the hair when used.
For wash & gos she offers "6-Plus Formula 1" to bring out the curl pattern in naturally curly and wavy hair. For tighter curls it brings moisture and manageability.
All I can say about Nature's Natural Hair products is look out Miss Jessie's!
To see all of Nature's Natural Products Go to: www.chatto.com
Thank you.
Angel
Thanks Cygnet!!! Point taken. I haven't tried the mask but I've been co-washing with the conditioner and my hair loves it! Different things for different people 🙂
And your point is?
Hi, Nikki! Being visually impaired, I offer up my observation for you to double-check on your own or take at your own risk with a grain of salt; but in multiple comparisons of the ingredient lists for both products as you have presented them, I noticed two things, and these may account for why your hair reacted so differently to the two products. First, all the ingredients in both products are the same except for a difference in the cone. The DC Mask has amodimethicone, whereas the conditioner has dimethicone without the amo- part. Second, while all the rest of the ingredients appear to be the same, some of them are in a different list order from one product to the other; for instance, sodium hydroxide is last on the DC Mask ingredient list but fourth from last on the conditioner ingredient list.
In looking at ingredient lists for different conditioners in the same line, I've noticed sometimes that the only differences between them are the changing out of one ingredient for another or changing the amount of one ingredient from one variation to another. These variations may seem small just reading them, but if the result is that you end up with more of an offending ingredient in one product than you have in another, this can wreak havoc on your hair.
One more thing for my fellow curlies in general: Chemicals that are harmful and chemicals the names of which are unpronounceable to you are not interchangeable, nor are they mutually exclusive. In fact, that it is always harmful simply because it is man-made is generally an incorrect assumption, since the general evidence overwhelmingly abounds that man-made and harmful are not interchangeable or mutually exclusive characteristics any more than are all-natural and safe. Case in point: poison ivy, poison oak, and poison sumac are all-natural, but they are not safe. I very willingly agree that there are some things better left off our heads for the benefit of said head, and I'm all about avoiding things my hair doesn't like. If there's a product I like or want to try, and I find it contains ingredients that are questionable to me, I also am all about discovering exactly what the ingredient does and how much is a safe amount before dismissing the product out of hand.
Of course, you can make yourself sound scientifically officious and be the envy of all your friends 🙂 by trying this trick for any future words you can't pronounce, based on how well you understand the structure of syllables: Simply say it one syllable at a time. Well, it worked for Mary Poppins' chimney sweep friend :-)!
I didn't have to read it twice. It's clear that if you do choose to use this product you will have to use a sulfate to remove it completely. The article states it is NOT water soluble. I wonder what happens to the hair once it is removed? If it provides that shine and gloss and manageability, when it is removed it must make your hair appear dull and unmanageable, right?
I use the regular conditioner and have not been able to find a replacement. I love it as a leave in and a mini DC before my main DC with Jessicurl WDT. I think that the Pantene doesn't play well with the poo bar or it's residue because I experienced the same thing.
I LOOOOOOVE that pantene conditioner, just discovered it last week. I used it after I colored my hair, it smells GREAT and had my hair feeling really soft. LOVE it…
seems like this product has too many ingredients I cannot pronounce or define…
Okay, I'm very confused. Can someone break it down for me? I went to the link that Nikki just posted about this not-so-bad cone. Read it twice. Got to the end and read the part that seemed to say this cone DOES require a *sulfate* to completely remove. Did I misread this? It seems it also says that it's not water soluable once it's on the hair. Did anyone else interpret this the same way? Or am I off and need to read a third time?
seriously…the sodium hydroxide is used as a preservative and is found in lots of other cosmetics such as eucerin calming creme which got rid of my son's eczema. if you,ve had any chemistry, you'd know that sodium hydoxide mixed with other compounds create an entirely different compond and a salt…bottom line the sodium hydroxide in this is not a relaxer.
This must be a sign. I was in Walmart last night and saw this stuff. I had heard other curlies say it was great but I never could find it, well I grabbed it and bam you do a review on it today! I think its meant to be! lmao, I cant wait to try it!
This stuff is like hair crack1 you intruced it to me and I owe you the world Nikki! I buy 5 at a time, and I go through a jar in about a month. It works best when it seats in your hair for about an hour either the dryer or heating cap. LOVES IT!
i think it's the sodium hydroxide.
i remember teri taking this off of her list of products. does anyone know what the not so great ingredient is?
Hi, Nikki!
I've been watching the topics on this site and it's been really helping me with my transitioning period 🙂 however, with this product I noticed it has Sodium Hydroxide AKA LYE.What long term effects would this have on natural hair or would it even be a concern in this product?
Thanks for the review of both items, Nikki. The Intensive Moisturizing Conditioner does the same thing to my hair. I tried to use as much of the product as I could since I paid for it, but it matted my hair each time. That was about a year ago and I finally chunked the shampoo and the conditioner.
How do you feel about the Methylchloroisothiazolinone and Methylisothiazolinone? They seem to be in so many products, but a couple of articles on the connection to cancer and allergies frightened me.
~Lori/Free2Be
Well, this is a must have for me! I've been using it since I saw it here on this site! I thought I was the only one having trouble finding this condish lately. I can no longer find it at Target (it appears they don't sell it anymore) so Wal-Mart is where I usually purchase mine. Also, I recently bought a new jar last week and I noticed the price was much lower than all the previous times I'd bought it. It was $4.85 and it's usually $6.50-ish. I started to grab 2 jars but I'm still on the hunt for Aubrey Organics White Camelia (spelling?) condish…my friend who has a similar texture to my hair RAVES about that one so I'm itching to try it. But I digress…
-CurlySwan
This product is hard to find. I searched high and low and was finally able to find it in an "ethnic" bss in the middle of Roxbury (Boston). Is it discontinued or something? Anyway the slip is absolutely amazing with the dc mask! I would buy it more often if it weren't for the fact that I can never find it. I give it two thumbs up.
Sorry my comment was for the Deep Conditioning Mask,lol
I been in love with this stuff since it came out.I actually gave up in finding here on my island it sells out too quickly and then they raise the price. i always have to order it from Amazon so i try not to use it too much. I also pick up a few jars almost every time i visit the mainland.I Think I'm going to start buying 6-8 @ a time. I ran out last month, 🙁
I use the mask as well. I love it.
This stuff is like HAIR CRACK! lol! it gives my hair strenght and defines the curls. I was against puting this product on my curls, but I was 100&% blown away by the results. This product is also very popular because I had to go to three different places before I was able to find it. I purchased the last one they had at my local target. I've told everyone about this products! it's amazing! I suffer from knots and they are all smoothed out or gone! this stuff is the TRUTH! even if the product does contain cones in it still worth the 5 dollars in GOLD honey!
I just used this stuff today, and the only thing I an say is hooray!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I love how soft it made my Kinky hair look! I’m going to start useing the Divacurl lines pretty soon because I’m trying to get away from all the chemicals, but this stuff right here is the bomb and it will stay in hair routine when I feel like useing the stuff. Another product that I thik would be cool to do a review on is Garner fructic fortifying cream conditioner Hydra-Curls. I tried it today and it worked out great for my hair. I was actually going to buy the hebral essence hello hydration, but I purchased this one by accident. It still worked out great.
Hey Nikki,
I just found this product based on your recommendations and love it. I know it has sodium hydroxide as one of the ingredients, but it is so low on the list. This product makes my hair so soft and moist and beautiful. What a great find.
This product has sodium hydroxide (lye!) I’m surprised that no one on this ingredient conscious site has pointed that out. I’ve read almost unanimous good reviews about this product until I came upon one commenter that mentioned that almost all the pantene relaxed and natural product have lye in and lo and behold this mask has LYE. Is lye okay now? Is it okay as long as it’s not in relaxers?
Hey nikki,
do you think this product would work as a good leave in occasionally?
Nikki! Thx so much for putting me onto this product! It works GREAT in my hair!I’ve passed on purchasing this product a few times, but after hearing you rave about it I said let me give this stuff a try. And I’m so glad I did! Thx again chica! I’m loving the blog 🙂
*CurlyTD*
I picked this up after you raved about it, my hair can’t thank you enough. Its like a totally different head of hair.
Hey! How long does that microwave heat cap stay warm? Do you find yourself re-heating the gel packs? I’m trying to decide between this and the Mastex electrical heating cap.
I use that conditioner. It really does give you a great slip.^_^ I appreciate you telling us about that product.^_^
Hey lady! I use this conditioner because of you and it is here to stay! Love it!
Curlynikki, congratulations on your blog! I was wondering where you were, since I hadn’t seen you on NC.com as much as usual. Officially sending you much love(lol) and am looking forward to reading often.