At long last, the conditioner gods have deigned to smile on me. I have, after many, many years wandering in the shampoo wilderness, stumbled across milk and honey. Well, honey. Alaffia Shea & Honey Nourishing Conditioner (a mere $11 for 8oz) has made my hair soft and shiny. I'd even go so far as to say it looks like a young person's hair, or hair that hasn't (as mine has) been chemically treated.
I posted the other day that I came across Alaffia in Whole Foods and the Shea Butter Antioxidant Body Cream is my new favorite hand cream. Alaffia is big on shea butter and sources it from a cooperative in Togo, West Africa. A portion of Alaffia's sales goes to helping African communities.
Alaffia Shea & Honey Nourishing Conditioner has a really good antioxidant for promoting hair growth, rooibus (a South African native plant also known as red tea). There is African wild honey and a mild de-tangler that has an alarmingly chemically-sounding name, behentrimonium methosulfate, but actually comes from rapeseed oil. There is panthenol (pro-vitamin B), oat protein, a few essential oils and a nice, mild preservative, potassium sorbate.
If I am absolutely honest and own up to being the First World snob that I am, I must say that the packaging looks like a hair spray that could be bought in Poland in the 1970s. That aside, Alaffia is making great products and I get to assuage my guilt by donating to Bicycles for Education.
April 1, 2013
by Kate
I haven't tried the conditioner, but the hair lotion is the best leave-in I've ever tried. I have type 3c, 3b naturally curly hair and it is better than Carol's daughter and Deva as a leave in. A great value. I wish it came in larger bottles though as I go through one every 2 weeks or so.
March 14, 2009
by Nhan
Has anyone tried the Alaffia shampoo with henna and shea?
February 12, 2009
by nicole
I just used Alaffia shampoo after stumbling across it at Whole Foods. I was deciding between Alaffia and Aubrey and I decided to go with Alaffia because of its made with black soap and shea butter. I'm so glad I did. My hair is so soft. I'm currently growing out my relaxer and I've been trying to educate myself on the best *real* products to use on your hair. When I found out sodium laureate sulfate was bad for hair (especially curly, coarse hair), I went looking for a natural alternative. I'd recommend Alaffia for any type of hair, but if you have dry or curly hair, this is the thing for you. Great product and it's a plus that it's helping out poor people in another country.
September 1, 2008
by Sara
<p>Please don't insult Poland. They were under communist regime. Not their fault....</p>