Continuing my quest to find curly girl approved products that actually work for my hair, I stumbled across Flora & Curl, a company creating plant based hair products especially for curly hair and free from chemicals. They aim to simplify curly haircare routines and have only a handful of products. For me, this sounded perfect as I sometimes struggle with the overwhelming variety of curly hair products. I’m just not sure which products I need and which order I should apply them in.
I read lots of great reviews about the Flora & Curl products which are apparently suitable for all curly hair types. I mentioned in this post that I find lots of curly hair products are just too heavy for my hair. I’ve got quite fine, low porosity hair and I find it almost impossible to get moisture into my curls. The majority of the time, it feels like products just sit on my hair and can make it look quite greasy.
I decided to order the Flora & Curl Moisture Discovery Kit which contains mini versions of most of their products. The products are more expensive than other brands I’ve tried so I was reluctant to buy anything full sized without being sure that they would work. At the time I ordered, the kit came with a free sample of the hair butter which was a bonus as it sounded like it would be great for my hair.
First things first – I love the labelling. It’s so colourful and summery and looks pretty sitting in the bathroom. However, I absolutely hate the mini bottles that the products came in. The plastic is too thick which makes getting the product out tricky as you can’t squeeze the bottle. I ended up having to remove the whole cap and shake quite violently to get the thicker products out. Not the end of the world but frustrating when you’re trying to have a super quick shower before the baby kicks off! Although they didn’t all suit my hair, I think the products themselves are brilliant.
African Citrus Bloom Shampoo (60ml)
I tend to shampoo my hair once or twice a week. I find that leaving it longer than that leads to product build up and my hair goes flat and greasy looking. This shampoo does the job, with the added bonus of smelling divine. It’s definitely the best smelling shampoo I’ve ever used but I’ve never really found that the type of shampoo I use has a massive effect on my hair and this was no different. As long as my shampoo is free from sulphates etc, I think that’s all I really need so I won’t be repurchasing this one as the scent alone just doesn’t justify the price for me.
Curl Refresh Clay Wash (50g)
I’m still making my mind up about this one. The clay wash comes as a powder and you mix it up with warm water before applying to your hair. I had never used a clay wash before trying this one and the first time I used it the difference in my hair was amazing. It felt like all of the product had been thoroughly removed but my hair didn’t feel stripped or dry. I was so excited to have found such a great product. The second time was a slight disappointment and I didn’t get quite the same feeling of squeaky clean hair. I don’t think I did a great job at applying or rinsing it out as I was in a bit of a rush so I’d like to try it again before deciding whether or not to repurchase. It recommends only using it every three to four weeks so will need to give it another couple of weeks before trying again. If the results are the same as my first go, I will definitely buy this again.
Rose & Honey Milk Leave-in Detangler (60ml)
This is my favourite product from the range. Back before I started the curly girl method, I always used a leave in conditioner but I’ve not managed to find one that works for me since going silicone free. This one is perfect. It’s light enough that it doesn’t weigh my hair down but gives it enough moisture to get through the day. A little goes a long way and it has a lovely floral scent. I don’t personally think it smells as good as the African Citrus products but it is pleasant and lingers for a few hours at least. I’ve already bought a full sized bottle of this one.
African Citrus Bloom Hair Oil (60ml)
As with the shampoo, this smells amazing. Oils can be hit or miss for my hair, usually miss if I’m being completely honest. I only really use oils as a treatment before I shampoo my hair and tend to use either coconut or argan oil. I’ve never managed to use them as part of styling as they don’t absorb well in my hair and end up looking greasy. This oil however is so light that I occasionally use it to give my ends a bit of definition and shine. I also use it on days I don’t shampoo/condition my hair by massaging a drop onto my scalp and using the praying hands technique to apply a couple of drops to the length of my hair. It makes my hair smell freshly washed and adds a bit of moisture back. I’ve still barely used any of the 60ml bottle but will likely buy the full sized bottle once I run out.
Floral Hydration Hair Mist (60ml)
I was really looking forward to trying this as I’d read such fantastic reviews on it with people using it to refresh their curls in between wash days. Unfortunately for me, it does nothing for my hair and I don’t particularly like the smell either. It’s a bit overly flowery for me and I find it just sits on top of my hair. I’ve realised that I need heat to open my cuticles if I’ve got any chance of product absorbing into my hair so this just doesn’t work for me.
Flower Garden Hair Styling Butter (55ml)
This is the product I thought would be perfect for me but I actually find it too heavy and I can’t get my hair to absorb it. Again, it’s one of those products that makes my hair look and feel greasy, especially if I apply it to wet hair as it’s harder to judge how much to use. I’ve been using the tiniest amount imaginable to add some definition once my hair is dry but that’s really just to use it up – I could get the same effect with the leave in conditioner. I think this would be a dream product if you have higher porosity hair and I’m really sad that it doesn’t work for me.
I am so glad I opted for the Discovery Kit as otherwise I think I would have bought totally the wrong products for my hair. I’ve been using the Shea Moisture Curl Enhancing Smoothie in addition to the Flora & Curl leave in to give it a bit of hold and that seems to be a good combination of products for my hair everyday. I’m very pleased to have finally found a curly girl approved leave in that hydrates my hair so well and would recommend giving it a go if you struggle to get moisture into your curls.