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Living in the Caribbean, accessibility to “natural” hair products is not so simple. Of course products can be ordered online, but with the cost of shipping, customs, and duty tax, it becomes very costly. Finding Afrotique, a line based right in The Bahamas, I definitely wanted to try it and share it with my readers.
I found out about Afrotique through a mutual friend’s page on Facebook. The line is based in Nassau, Bahamas and available at Afrotique Hair & Nail Studio located on Soldier Road near the entrance of Kennedy Subdivision (upstairs in the pink building with white trim). The products I’ll be reviewing are the Moisture Cream Daily Lotion, Moisture Cream (butter), Today Oil, and Sweet Hair Jelly. Of all the products in the line, my favorites were the Sweet Hair Jelly and the Moisture Cream (butter).
Moisture Cream Daily Hair Lotion (8oz for $12):
Ingredients: deionized water, shea butter, jojoba oil, glycerin, cocoa butter, natural lemongrass blend, xanthum gum, tea tree oil, vitamin E, neem oil, cetearyl alcohol and cetearyl glucoside.
My thoughts: I used this as a refresher and moisturizer for fluffing out my wash & go on second and third day hair. It is very moisturizing. My hair usually doesn’t like cream products that contain shea butter so high in the ingredients (with a few exceptions), but this one was ok. My hair felt moisturized when I used it. The texture reminds me of a slightly thicker Hair Dew. The product smells of lemongrass and tea tree, which I think would work for both males and females. I don’t like lemongrass or tea tree, but since I don’t smell it throughout the day, I don’t mind.
Ratings:
Price: 5/5
Packaging: 5/5
Fragrance: 3/5
Performance: 4/5
Customer service: 5/5
Moisture Cream (butter):
Ingredients: shea butter, coconut oil, jojoba oil, vegetable glycerin, vitamin E, essential and/or fragrance oil.
My thoughts: I mentioned this was one of my favorites. I used the teeny tiny amount each night to seal while putting my wash and go into chunky twists. A small amount of this goes a long way, and it gives a very nice sheen to the hair. I think the original texture may have been that of a whipped butter, but since it’s 90° F and above here, it partially melted before I got home. When I refrigerated it, it looked like solid coconut oil. When melted, it has the texture of mousse. I love that this contains vegetable glycerin because I feel like my hair is still attracting moisture even though I’ve sealed with a heavy butter. I’ve also used this on my legs to get a nice shine, and it works well for that also. It smells faintly of shea butter and something else that I can’t pinpoint.
Ratings:
Price: 5/5
Packaging: 5/5
Fragrance: 4/5
Performance: 4/5
Customer service: 5/5
Today Oil (4oz for $8):
Ingredients: safflower oil, jojoba oil, grapeseed oil, shea butter, lemongrass blend essential oil, citric acid and neem oil.
My thoughts: I used this to seal. It’s an oil blend so there isn’t much to say for or against it. I will say though, it isn’t overly greasy, which I like. I don’t want to touch my hair and feel the oil in it. It is in a spray bottle, but it comes out in a stream, not a mist. I sprayed it into my hands and then applied to my hair. The product smells of lemongrass, which I think would work for both males and females.
Ratings:
Price: 5/5
Packaging: 3/5
Fragrance: 3/5
Performance: 5/5
Customer service: 5/5
Sweet Hair Jelly:
Ingredients: distilled water, aloe vera gel, shea butter, jojoba oil, aloe leaf juice extract, glycerin, citric acid, vitamin E, grapefruit and coconut fragrance.
My thoughts: First off, LOVE THIS!!! I used this as my sole styler for a wash and go. The definition from this is amazing! It was white while my hair was wet but dried clear. I was a bit heavy so I got a bit of crunch, but I misted my hair with a mix of water and Tresemme Naturals, scrunched, and was good to go. I think it’s easy to be heavy handed with this because it’s so creamy. When I do a cold rinse after application, crunch is gone. The texture is that of a creamy gel, but it moves in the jar as one blob. I know other stylers that do that, but right now the names aren’t coming to me. It smells exactly like Oyin Handmade Honey Hemp Conditioner. However, since I have, a 4oz and have used half of that already, I don’t think I’ll have any issues with spoilage. Love the scent and performance on this one!
Ratings:
Price: 5/5
Packaging: 5/5
Fragrance: 5/5
Performance: 4/5
Customer service: 5/5
I think this line is a nice option for local naturals. The labels are some of the cutest I’ve seen in a long time. I’d love to see stronger preservatives used in the water-based products and more fragrance options. My overall ratings are below as well as the contact information for Afrotique Hair & Nail Studio.
Overall Ratings:
Price: 5/5
Packaging: 4.5/5
Fragrance: 3.75/5
Performance: 4.25/5
Customer service: 5/5
Overall: 4.5/5
Afrotique products are currently available at the salon/store located at the entrance of Kennedy Subdivision on Soldier Road upstairs in the hot pink two-story building. Contact: +1-242-323-7979 for more information.
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Sincerely,
AC
