Argan Oil for the Hair? Yes!

I received the products mentioned in exchange for an unbiased review on my blog. This post contains affiliate links, meaning that I receive a small commission if you click on an Amazon.com link and make a purchase.  

I have a mix of 3B and 3C curly hair. While it may sometimes look "big," my hair is fine and naturally dry. Therefore, I like to regularly use a leave-in conditioner. In fact, I usually don't use any styling products in my hair unless I'm going out to visit friends or family. 

I love my curly hair!

My secrets to having soft, naturally shiny hair include:

• Shampooing my hair every other day.
• Using hair conditioner daily.
• Using a leave-in conditioner in lieu of styling products, unless I go out for an important event. 
• Never straightening my hair. 
• Letting my wet hair air dry. 
• Using a hair serum that protects against heat when I blow dry my hair. (I rarely blow dry my hair.)

Leave-In Conditioners

The leave-in conditioners that I've purchased in stores work well. They do their job of keeping my hair hydrated. When I shop for leave-in conditioners, I go to the section of the store with African American hair products. I find that these products work better because they're made for curly hair (and they tend to cost less).  So far, the leave-in conditioners that I've tried tend to leave my hair a bit frizzy.

Argan Oil

When InstaNatural offered the opportunity to try its Argan Oil Hair Treatment & Elixir Serum, I  was excited to use it. I had never tried argan oil in my hair, but had read about the good results.

At first, I was skeptical about using argan oil in my hair. After all, who puts oil in their hair? I was apprehensive because I associate the word "oil" with grease. The last thing I want is for my hair to look greasy and feel gross.


I was pleasantly surprised when I used InstaNatural's hair treatment after washing my hair. When my hair dried, it felt soft and the curls were frizz-free. I couldn't stop touching my hair, which did not feel greasy at all. I found that the serum gave my hair a boost of volume.

The next morning, ran a brush through my hair. If you have curly hair, you know that doing this is a big no-no for countless reasons. My brush, however, only encountered a few tangles. I was sold on argan oil.

The InstaNatural Argan Oil Hair Treatment & Elixir Serum has a blend of argan oil, shea butter and olive, coconut, grapeseed, sunflower and jojoba oils. What's great about the serum is that a little goes a long way. I have long hair and find that two pumps of the oil is enough for my whole hair. After I apply the oil to my hair, I brush it to distribute the product better.

My husband tried the argan oil in his beard (he has a big beard), and like it. He generally uses a dry oil that he enjoys, but he said that he liked how the Instanatural product felt just as much.

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. This post contains affiliate links.

Getting a Handle on Dark Circles

I received the products mentioned in exchange for an unbiased review on my blog. This post contains affiliate links, meaning that I receive a small commission if you click on an Amazon.com link and make a purchase.  

Despite the amount of sleep I get, I have dark circles under my eyes. They look worse when I'm sick. One of my greatest beauty expenses is on concealers to hide the dark circles, which never seem to work.

Reasons for Dark Under-Eye Circles

The thinnest layer of skin on your face is around the eyes, so those spots are vulnerable to puffiness and dark circles, according to WebMD. Other reasons for having dark circles under your eyes include:

• Genetics
• Thinning skin that naturally comes with aging
• A few too many alcoholic beverages
•  Allergies
• Illness
• Sleep deprivation
• Smoking 
• Dry skin 
• Not using sunscreen when you go outside

To tell if the dark circles are a result of natural pigmentation around your eyes, gently pull the around your eyes to the side. If the color of your skin looks blotchy, your dark circles are the result of excess (darker) pigmentation.

Remedying Dark Circles

One of the ways that WebMD recommends treating dark circles under the eyes is to use a moisturizer at least nightly. I thought I'd give it a chance with the InstaNatural Youth Express Eye Gel, which I had the opportunity to review.

InstaNatural states that it creates its eye cream is safe for all skin types and helps reduce the appearance of dark circles, sagging and puffiness. It creates the product in  an FDA-registered facility and the ingredients are 100 percent natural, 75 percent organic and paraben-, alcohol- and sulfate-free. Ingredients include hyaluronic acid, plant stem cells, and Matrixyl 3000.

The first thing that I have to say about the eye gel is that a little goes a long way, so the product will last you a long time. The product has a nice, light citrus smell and the gel feel refreshing around my eyes.

The gel does feel a bit sticky, so I let it absorb into my skin for a few minutes before applying my face moisturizer or makeup. InstaNatural says that you can use the gel as a moisturizer for your whole face, but I thought that it felt too sticky to do so. However, it did add adequate moisture around my eyes.

So, the big question is: Did it work? Yes, I believe it does. However, the eye cream does not work instantly. I used it twice a day for a few week and did notice an improvement. I'm sure that with continued use, I'll see even more improvements.

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.