My DNA product review

Ahhh it's been a while... life can get pretty crazy. I recently lost my uncle and just went on a hiatus from blogging, social media, everything. We all grieve differently and I just became very distant and kept to myself but enough about that I am here to share my oh so traumatic experience with you all from using some of the My DNA product line! *Disclaimer* although these products did not work for me, they may work for you. All I can do is give you my honest truth and help you be an informed consumer.

April 26-27 was the World Natural hair show in Atlanta, GA and I attended both days. Blog of my haul/experience is in the works :) While I was there, I watched a demonstration being done by My DNA and they had a special where you could purchase their entire product line for $30. If you review the Co-wash, you just give them a call and share your thoughts and they will send you a check for $15 so I was like hey that's a deal. I haven't called yet so I can't say if that is legit or not the hours are funny and I'm at work when they are open. The deal was so great, I didn't ask any questions about ingredients nor did I read them I just figured they had to be up to the typical standards most naturals look for in products... oh my was I wrong!!!! These products maybe "made" or "intended" to style natural hair but they are the furtherest thing from being natural! If you log onto their website, no ingredients are listed?!? Now that's sketchy. So, without reading the ingredients or anything I proceeded to style my hair in a braid out. I didn't style it on freshly washed hair so that could have had an affect on the reaction I had but I doubt it. The following will be a brief overview of each product, how I used them and my thoughts. 

1. Showing how well it defines; 2. The set; 3&4 the braid out

My DNA Leave-In Conditioner & Detangler

This product states it is a lightweight conditioner treatment that detangles and moisturizes hair. I agree with this statement and this is probably the only one of the three products shown I will use again. It did a great job at allowing me to easily and quickly finger detangle my hair. A few of the ingredients towards the bottom are questionable and definitely not naturally occurring but I don't feel they caused any build up and there are no cones listed. I did look up the more unfamiliar ingredients listed and they happen to be water soluble which makes me feel better about using this product while being on a bi-weekly wash routine. The consistency is of a creamy, light weight conditioner that really hydrated my hair. I would recommend this product and will use it again but not combined with the next two products.

My DNA Hair Butter 

The product states it provides moisture and conditions to revitalize the hair while eliminating frizz. I do agree that this is a very moisturizing product as water is the first ingredient. However, if this is supposed to be a 'butter' why is it so runny like liquid? To me, this is not a butter but rather a heavier leave in conditioner or a hair cream. Besides being moisturizing, I can say this product defines your curls very well! My curls were popping. But, mineral oil is one of the main ingredients as well as several cones. Mineral is the seventh ingredient listed so if it's in the top 10, there is a significant amount of it. I can say my hair felt very soft to the touch but it had a coated feeling. Imagine putting Vaseline on your leg, once it's absorbed it feels smooth to the touch but you can still feel the vaseline. That's how my hair felt and it did not eliminate any frizz when I wore it out as this Georgia humidity is something serious. In the pictures to come you will see how it was almost impossible for me to get my hair clean and rid it of this product and the custard. I will never blindly apply a product or make a purchase again without checking the ingredients first. 

My DNA defining Custard 

This custard says it turns dry, frizzy, natural hair into springy, bouncy, soft well defined, frizz-free curls or spirals, with less crunchiness. Now that is a mouth full! This product has a lot of claims. I can say yes, it is high moisturizing. I layered it onto of the hair butter before I braided my hair up to give em some hold. My hair was super defined. I tried to get a picture to show how well it defined my curls but you can only do so much with an iPhone lol. My hair was not crunchy at all but it still frizzed up but as mentioned above I'm sure there is nothing to prevent that in this humidity. The only thing it was lacking was hold. My hair was defined but it didn't have the hold I like so if you have hand in hair syndrome, your style will not last the day. This was the runniest custard I've ever used so I was shocked it was able to define my kinky curly hair. 

FLAKES!!!

My hair doesn't like mineral oil or cones

That afternoon, I noticed my hair was flaking really bad but I didn't think nothing of it and wanted a more defined look so I added a little eco styler gel for hold... big mistake! The flakes got worst and I had to immediately wash my hair. Sadly, it took 4 washes to only have to resort to having my folks go monkey style on my hair and pick out all the gunk section by section after it had dried some. I used a sulfate shampoo, then I used Trader Joe's tea tree tingle and followed that with Pantene clarifying shampoo. My final step was a ACV rinse but alas it still would not come out. My hair went through so much torture this past weekend I am so close to becoming a purist and buying only all natural made in somebody's home products or getting back into my DIY products! My hair felt awful by the time my folks finished going through my hair and from all the harsh washing I did so I slept in my deep conditioner and steamed the next day! I still had a few flakes after rinsing out the dc but I got the rest of them out while detangling. I had to pull my wide tooth comb back out.. it was the only way.

Finally, fresh clean hair! 

Now that was my hair nightmare. Never again! I still have the shampoo, conditioner, and serum from the line to test but I don't know I'm scared! All that's in my hair now is my home made aloe vera juice and water spray, ynobe shop coconut moisture cream and silky shea cream! All natural, no mineral oils, no cones, no weird chemicals, just natural *safe* goodness lol Oh I forgot to mention, the products all smell the same like a loud flower perfume smell.... beware it attracts flies and bugs.

So in conclusion... take a lesson from me and don't 'assume' just because you're at a hair show the products will adhere to the norm of what ingredients most naturals avoid. The only product with cones I use is the Cantu Shea Butter leave in on wash day on my ends to combat breakage.... nothing that *unnatural* will touch Zoe again! 

What are your thoughts? Does your hair prefer more natural or the not so natural products?