I have fine hair that's dry and damaged, I needed to find something that would nourish my hair and also not weigh it down. Last month, I went to Target and was checking out the Carol's Daughter section. I've been using mostly Carol's Daughter products for a while now because they're made with the best ingredients and they really work! Plus, her line at Target is much more affordable than the regular line, yet just as effective. I also love that her shampoos and conditioners come in pump bottles...they're so convenient to use in the shower.
Last Winter, I used the Sacred Tiare line which is supposed to help strengthen your hair and prevent breakage. I really liked it but I'm the type of person who always has to try something new. I guess for me, using the same thing all the time is boring! So I picked up a bottle of the Black Vanilla shampoo and gave it a quick sniff (yes, I am one of those people that you see sniffing shampoos in the hair aisle, but scent is very important to me, okay? LOL). I realized at that moment that I had never smelled anything as wonderful as this...
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| Carol's Daughter Black Vanilla Shampoo and Conditioner ($10 at Target |
It's not a straight up vanilla scent...it's deep, it's luscious, and it's sooo sensual. It's a grown-up vanilla that's so warm and sweet and comforting...and just over-the-top amazing. It's not one of those chemically vanillas that give you a headache either...it's just perfection. I realized after I used it for the first time that vanilla isn't a typical scent for a shampoo- most of them are fruity or smell like some sort of perfume...once in a while you'll find a coconut scent. But this is hands down, the best shampoo I have ever smelled in my life. The best part is, the scent stays in your hair all day!
The Black Vanilla Shampoo is sulfate free but I find that it still lathers really well and gets my hair feeling clean but not stripped. The Black Vanilla Conditioner feels lightweight and my hair seems to just soak it right up while I'm in the shower, so at first, I thought it might not create enough slip for me. As it turns out, it's actually way better than a conditioner that just leaves a coating on your hair. The fact that it soaks right in means that it's actually nourishing my hair rather than just sitting on top. After I get out of the shower, I use the Carol's Daughter Monoi Anti-Breakage spray on the mid-shaft to ends of my hair. It's super lightweight so it doesn't weigh down my fine hair, yet it just adds an extra layer of protection against heat styling and helps nourish my dry ends. I've been using it for over a year and this is my second bottle of it. Carol's Daughter does make a Black Vanilla Leave-In Conditioner spray, so I might try that next!
After using the Black Vanilla line exclusively for about a month, I can honestly say that it does a fantastic job of hydrating my hair and adding shine...it's Holy Grail status for me. At first, I was worried about something so moisturizing weighing my hair down, but it doesn't. In fact, my hair almost seems thicker somehow...it's probably all in my head but it definitely has more bounce and shine and the ends don't look all parched and straggly. Plus, my hair actually feels soft and healthy, instead of straw-like.
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| Carol's Daughter Monoi Anti-Breakage Spray, Black Vanilla Shampoo, Condioner, and Pure Hair Oil |
I really wish Carol's Daughter would make a Black Vanilla bath and body line...that would be amazing! Confession...I love this scent so much, I actually use this shampoo as a body wash too! I also bought the Black Vanilla Hair Oil (which I find is too thick to be used on my fine hair) and I use it as a body oil on damp skin. It has all natural ingredients (corn and safflower oil) and no silicones so it's great for my super dry skin and makes me smell delicious. Now if Carol's Daughter would make a Black Vanilla perfume I'll be all set!
You can buy Black Vanilla at Target (I've also seen it at Bed, Bath & Beyond if your local Target doesn't have it).
You can buy Black Vanilla at Target (I've also seen it at Bed, Bath & Beyond if your local Target doesn't have it).
Have you tried the Carol's Daughter Black Vanilla line? What do you think?
Ha! I do the same thing. A girls gotta know how it smells before you commit to a purchase! I'm going to give this a sniff next time I'm in Target.
ReplyDeleteDo it! LOL I'm betting you'll fall in love with it, just like I did.
DeleteOh my goodness, if you love those, you should try the Black Vanilla leave in conditioner! I can't live without it. Been using it for over a year and I'm still on the same bottle. I have fine hair that tangles constantly and it's the only thing that keeps my hair manageable after washing it!
ReplyDeleteThat's next on my list! I really liked the Sacred Tiare one. :)
DeleteI was going to say the same about the leave-in conditioner. It smells divine!!
DeleteI've seen this line at Target but its in the ethnic hair section and I'm Caucasian so I thought it might not work on my hair if it is formulated for African American hair. I'm glad to see it works for you. I think it sounds wonderful and I am going to pick it up next time I'm in Target.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad I could help! Anyone can certainly use this line, as long as you choose the formula that's appropriate for your hair type. This one is very moisturizing so someone with oily hair might find it too heavy. But if you have a ton of damage like I do, it's great!
DeleteI wondered the exact same thing. I saw Carols Daughter on HSN (the more expensive line) a while back and I saw them using it on all ethnicities, including people with fine hair, caucasians, etc. but in Target they have it in the ethnic section. Weird.
DeleteI looked at these on the Target website... the conditioner has FIVE different silicones listed in the ingredients (and one of them is listed twice). Wow. Unfortunately my hair would hate that. :(
ReplyDeleteAww...my hair is prone to frizz so silicones are a necessary evil to keep my hair smooth. But that being said, I do have to shampoo with something stronger once a week to make sure they don't build up. I like to use Fekkai Apple Cider Shampoo...it clarifies without stripping too much. :)
DeleteI saw this at Target and was worried it would weigh my hair down, but after reading your review, I'm going to give it a try next time. (Katherine T.)
ReplyDeleteDefinitely give it a try! I only use the conditioner on the mid-shaft to ends of my hair and that helps keep it from weighing it down. It's always a catch-22 with my hair because I need the moisture so badly, but the fine texture means I can't have too much weight. So the one thing that I've found that helps is to not put conditioner on my roots. :)
DeleteMy hair is fine, color-treated and mostly dry, except for my roots, which are oily. I've lost count of all the sulfate-free shampoos that I've tried, but this is the only one I've found that actually works for me! It cleans my roots and scalp as well as a regular shampoo, but without drying out and damaging the rest of my hair. Sadly the conditioner doesn't work for me, as it weighs my hair down too much. Same with the the leave-in spray conditioner, though sometimes I can get away with using that if I wash my hair in the mornings.
ReplyDeleteAnd agreed on the scent! I love the smell so much that I almost want to start a letter-writing campaign asking them to use it in their body lotion and perfume. I might steal your idea of using the shampoo as body wash, even though my current bottle is running low...
Hi Jenny! Same here with the shampoo...it's the best sulfate-free I've tried. My hair is dry at the roots too...it takes a few days of not washing for mine to get oily so the conditioner is ok for me. I also don't put it on the roots of my hair because that's where I want to get volume. That helps a lot! :) And yes, let's start writing to Carol's Daughter about Black Vanilla body products! :)
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