Product Review | Dr. Miracle's Miracle Repair 3-Step System

Hey!

If you follow me on Instagram or Snap Chat (@kingteeuhh, which you totally should if you aren't already) you know Dr. Miracles sent me a box of goodies from their new and improved "Feel It" Formula collection to try a few weeks ago. I have been slowly working my way through all of the products to provide you  with a thorough review, but THIS. ISH. RIGHT. HERE. THOUGH (*claps for emphasis), I tried yesterday 12/13, and could not wait to share my thoughts. I think you all know I am honest about any products I try, but since Dr. Miracle's sent me these products to review, I will reiterate that my opinion about these products is still as honest as it would be if I paid for them.

This new Miracle Repair kit is actually a conditioning and treatment system to "Replenish, Rebuild, and Renew" hair in three simple and easy steps. The box includes the No Later Conditioning Shampoo, DuoCare Reconstructor, and the Intensive Moisturizing Masque in little sachets.

Cost: $5.99 at Walgreens, CVS, Sally's, Target, and Walmart-- For a total system, you can't beat that with a bat.

Step One: No Later Conditioning Shampoo

No Lather Conditioning Shampoo

Claims: "A blend of Extra Virgin Coconut Oil, Elastins, Amino Acids, and Collagen work together to bind and strengthen the hair shaft while gently cleansing and conditioning."

I enjoyed this shampoo. I found it to be very gentle and nourishing and I didn't mind the no lather formula. The formulation is very creamy with a delicate scent. I always wash my hair at least twice and I washed my hair twice with this and had some left over. Even after two washes, my hair didn't feel stripped at all.

Ingredients: Water (Aqua), Polyquaternium-10, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Cetearyl Alcohol, PEG 150 Distearate, Glycol Stearate, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Ricinus Communis (Castor) Seed Oil, Olea Europaea (Olive) Fruit Oil, Carthamus Tinctorius (Safflower) Seed Oil, Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil, Zea Mays (Corn) Oil, Prunus Amygdalys Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oil, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Polysorbate 20, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Tocopheryl Acetate, Ascorbic Acid, Biotin, Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Methylchloroisothiazolinone, Methylisothiazolinone, Diazolidinyl Urea, Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate, DMDM Hydantoin, Fragrance (Parfum)

Step Two: DuoCare Reconstructor

DuoCare Reconstructor

Claims: "Penetrates and reinforces strands to strengthen the hair's cortex and rebuild structural integrity."

To be honest I wasn't exactly sure what this product was supposed to be, as reconstructor could mean many things, but my guess was a protein treatment since step 3 is to replenish moisture. But this step 2 ya'll, it was everything! Same delicate scent as the shampoo but this formulation was super thick. I parted my hair into 4 sections, applied the product, then went back and combed through for even distribution and to detangle. The directions say to let the product sit on your hair, covered (optional), for 20 minutes. I did this using heat with my hot head cap. It seemed like as soon as I applied this product, my curls were like "hey, girl hey," the definition was amazing, almost immediately. Once the 20 minute processing time was done my hair was unbelievably soft and curlier than I've seen it in a while. I did snapchat the results. Shameless plug. As you may be able to tell, my hair is super thick, so usually these packets come up short on the amount of product. However, similar to the shampoo, I had some of this left over after a very generous application. Win.

Yes Dr. Miracles. You had me for real for real at Step 2.

Right after applying Step 2 

Ingredients: Water (Aqua), Stearalkonium Chloride, Cetearyl Alcohol, Ceteareth-20, Stearamidopropyl Dimethylamine, Carthamus Tinctorius (Safflower) Seed Oil, Olea Europaea (Olive) Fruit Oil, Polysorbate 20, Glyceryl Stearate, Peg-100 Stearate, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein Pg-Propyl Silanetriol, Panthenol, Polyacrylamidomethylpropane Sulfonic Acid, Wheat Amino Acids, Diazolidinyl Urea, Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate, Fragrance (Parfum)

Step Three: Intensive Moisturizing Masque

Intensive Moisturizing Masque

Claims: "Rehydrates and revitalizes with three natural oils- Extra Virgin Coconut Oil, Shea, and Olive Oil- to restore moisture balance to weakened hair. Eliminates frizz and smooths cuticles without silicones and heavy oils to weigh hair down. Produces a beautiful, brilliant, shine and body."

So after the utter curl shattering life that was given in step two, I was really thinking to myself what on earth is left to offer in step three? Well, I went about applying it in the same manner--parted into four sections, applied product, used a wide toothed comb to detangle and distribute evenly, then covered with my hot head cap. Even as I was applying the product I could see immediately how well it was imparting moisture to my hair. After having it sit in my hair for a while...my hair felt like two feather stuffed pillows. Or your granny's skin. You know Granny's always have ridiculously soft skin. It was amazing. It didn't leave me with the curl definition step two did, but that was completely fine considering the way my hair felt. I did use the entire packet, and honestly could have used a bit more.

Ingredients: Water (Aqua, Eau) Cetyl Alcohol, Carthamus Tinctorious (Safflower) Seed Oil, Shea Butter, Cocoa Butter, Avocado Butter, Glycerin, Dimethicone, Behentrimonium Chloride, Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil, Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Sebaic Acid Copolymer, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Fragrance (Parfum), Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Hexylene Glycol, Yellow 5 (Cl 19140), Red 4 (CI 14700) 

Final Thoughts:

This Miracle Repair system is a hands down favorite. Every step delivered on its claims and did it very well. I didn't really think my hair was 'damaged' but I could definitely see and feel a huge difference in my hair from the results of my regular routine. For $5.99 I think the system is priced very well, especially when you consider that individually this protein/deep conditioning treatments run anywhere from $1.99 to $2.49. There were a couple very minor things I didn't like about this system overall:

• Portions-- The amount of product across all the steps seemed unbalanced to me especially if the system is intended as a single use treatment. There was more shampoo and reconstructor than necessary (such that I found myself trying to use more than I needed as not to waste product), and not quite enough moisturizing masque. I noticed all the steps have the same volume of product, which I think is weird because I would think the different functions of each would call for a different amount of product. Now I am definitely not complaining about getting more than one use, I am only saying that if that is the case, these packets (which are intended for one time use) aren't the appropriate packaging.
• Wasn't 'feeling it'-- See what I did there? As I mentioned, this system is a part of the 'feel it' formula collection, where the products all have a tingly sensation to engage the scalp. I didn't get that with any of the products in this system. This didn't cause me to enjoy them any less, but I did expect it and felt like it was something worth mentioning.

The Miracle Repair system is Tee Approved, and gets a 9.82--I like the number 2-- from me and not a 10 ONLY because I didn't "feel it" and had left over product, but not enough for a second application. I hope these products will also be available in bottles soon because this is a system I would definitely like to have on hand. You knocked it out of the park with this one Dr. Miracles!

Let me know if you would like to see a video of how I used this system on my youtube channel. Have you used the 3-step Miracle Repair system by Dr. Miracle's? Let me know what you thought of it in the comment section!

My Curls Understood Subscription Boxes are Here!!

Hey Loves. I'm sure many of you are familiar with subscription boxes as they are pretty popular these days for pretty much everything from pet goods to the popular hair products. Particularly for a new natural, subscription boxes can be a great way (saving time and money) to try different brands and products to see what you like and don't like for your hair. The popular platform Curls Understood has created a hair subscription box called "My Curls Understood," which launched Oct.1st!

What is it?

"Taking the mystery out of curls. One box at a time." My Curls Understood is a hair subscription box specifically curated by your hair's needs.

How it Works?

You complete a short hair quiz to personalize your hair profile which is used to cultivate a box with 5-7 full size products to specifically address your hair needs. As you provide feedback your boxes will get better!

How Much?

$26.99 per box + free shipping!

Where Can I Get One?

Visit My Curls Understood to subscribe. The launch theme is 'texture' and there are limited spots available so be sure to get yours today! Curls Understood is offering 10% off your first box with the coupon code: CUBOX2015.

Do you currently subscribe to a subscription box? For what kind of products? What is your favorite thing about them? Least favorite? If you don't currently belong to a subscription service, would you consider joining one? Comment down below!

Requested:: Everything you want to know about Faux Locs

Hey Loves!!

Happy FierceFitFoodieFriday! **praise dance**. Do you love the look of locs but don't want the commitment? Have you wanted locs but not sure how they would look on you? You might want to give Faux Locs a try!

This topic has been highly requested since I initially wore this style late last year so here is everything there is to know about Faux Locs!


First things first, before you think about doing ANY protective style:

1. Thoroughly CLEANSE your hair and scalp
2. DEEP CONDITION

NON-NEGOTIABLE. Of course this is just my (not a professional hair stylist) opinion on the matter, but I don't care how much you "hate" shampoo, if you are putting your hair away for 3 or more weeks--you need to shampoo it (shampoo, not co-wash) and deep condition it. The preparation step before any protective style is SO IMPORTANT for preserving the health of your hair. Don't skip it.

K, so now that I've said that...on to the Faux Locs.

What you need (Based on how I achieved this style, but there are plenty of ways):

• 1 pack of braiding hair
• 7-8 packs of Marley Braiding Hair (in any assortment of colors of your liking) The number of packs you need totally depends on the size of your locs.
• A cream styler of your choice, I used Shea Moisture's Curl Enhancing Smoothie 
• A lighter
• A good movie
• A glass of wine** Optional but you'll probably need it

Because I wanted to make sure there wasn't too much stress on my hair, I braided my hair first with some kaneklon hair in box braids. These do not need to be perfect, cute, or precise. Also, no need to braid to the end, just far enough so that your hair is not out. I used the cream product while braiding to add more moisture to my hair.

When researching how to do this style I browsed through a lot of tutorials, but this one by ImShineStruck is the one I found to be the best not only because of how she explains it, but how it looked afterwards (pretty natural). She also walks though how to braid your hair (not the way I braid) should you not know how. And it's short!! Only 5 min :).

The key to doing these well in my opinion (which I learned AFTER *insert side eye here*) is while you're wrapping to OVERLAP the hair. This is because the locs will snag on each other, so if you didn't wrap your braids well, the locs will start to unravel when they snag.


Quick Facts:

• How much does it cost: About $40 depending on how many packs of hair you need vs at least $100-150 if you pay someone else to do it.
• Install: I've only done these once and it took me about 8-10 hours over two days
• Maintenance: Spritz daily or every other day with a mix of water/conditioner/oil--use your favs
• Take Down: I just take some scissors and cut each loc high enough to eliminate some work, but low enough that you know you aren't cutting your hair. How much would it suck if you cut your own hair??
• How Long Do They Last: Especially because of how long these take to install, I wouldn't wear them any less than 3 weeks. That's just me though I needs my ROI (return on investment). It is recommended not to wear protective styles more than about 2 months or 8 weeks so I would go with that,
• But What About my Edges: I would say your're fine as long as you don't wear them in updos/pontytails too often because those types of styles are going to add MORE stress to your edges.

Time for Pictures!!

Interested in trying to install faux locs for yourself? Have you already done it? Tell me about your experience. How long did it take you? How did you install them? Did you love them? Hate them? Let me know in the comments section! Like, Comment, and Share with a Friend!

Heat Free Hair:: Color, Install, First Impressions

Heat Free Hair 2/1/15

Hey Beauties!!

Happy FierceFitFoodie Friday to you all! It has officially been two weeks since my color/trim/straightened and one week since my Heat Free Hair install, and I am here for a first impression review with lots of pictures! I was really hoping to make this a video review but I need some things for my camera but I may still do one once I get everything I need. Anyways lets get right into it starting with my color.

 

As many of you know I coloured my hair last year, first an over all light brown, then I went back in a got blond highlights. Since that time, I had not retouched the colour (or gotten a trim). So two weeks ago I got my colour retouched, straightened, and a much needed trim, shown below:

I've gotten a lot of questions lately about this colour so I want to mention a few things about it. You may have noticed that the retouched portion appears quite a bit darker than the rest of my hair. Summer and all that sun exposure lightened the original colour over time. Second important note is, I got this colour and the highlights professionally done. I do NOT, I repeat I do NOT apply colour/chemicals on my real hair. I know plenty of people who do (and successfully), but it is a risk that I personally do not feel is worth taking. My actual point here is it was a custom colour & highlights, so you can't just 'buy it'. Coupled with the changes over time and the highlights, if this is a colour you'd like to achieve, I'd recommend showing it to your preferred stylist.


I waited two weeks between my colour and my install to allow my hair some time to sort of recover from the processing. This picture below is right after a wash, my best deep condition EVER (which I explain here), and blow dry.

On my way to install

For this install, I opted for a side part (part is on my right side), and of course very minimal leave out. This picture below is while I was getting braided up but you can see the amount of hair left out. The portion at the top with the pink/white clip is my part to cover the track, and the bit by my ear to cover my edges on that side. DASSIT. There is no leave out anywhere else along my perimeter.

Leave out

If you're familiar with sew-ins you know you typically arrive with washed/blowdried hair, which is this case doesn't match the flow of the hair I installed. Instead of a heat style we did a simple wash and go. After installing the hair she wet it all down, applied some conditioner and rinsed. Then she did a light towel dry, applied product to my leave out to 'hold' the curl, a very light trim to frame the face, and a bit of edge control on one side and that is it!

So again, I have two bundles of 16" Heat Free Hair from the "For Kurls" Collection that I had coloured to match my natural hair as shown above. I really really love my color. By the way, shoutout to my stylist @beautybycyndi_lajuan for the great work and these photos. Check her out on instagram!


Now here is my review of the hair thus far:

• I LOVE it. I can't tell you how many people (especially people I see on a regular basis) who think this is my real hair. It looks so natural. I received a lot of compliments from men and women this weekend.
• The colour doesn't seem to have changed the curl pattern at all and it is still as soft as when I first received it.
• Unfortunately there aren't a ton of reviews on Heat Free Hair online but from the ones I did see I saw a few mention tangling in the nape area (which is common for curly hair in general), and this collection vs "For Kurls" requiring more time and attention. Obviously I don't have both collections but I haven't experienced a problem with tangling. I have rinsed it once since the install and I found it very easy to deal with. Detangles quick and easy.
• The bundle lengths are measured straight or extended, as in if you get 16", it isn't 16" in its curly unstretched state. That being said, this seems to me like longer than 16" considering where it falls curly. But maybe it's because I'm short. *Kanye shrug*
• As I mentioned in my previous post, Heat Free Hair is pretty expensive (in my opinion) but I have to admit the quality is outstanding. Would I recommend it?? Definitely---depending on your intended use. If you are someone who will use hair for protective styling (whether it is the clip ins, wigs, or wefted hair) a few times throughout the year--Heat Free Hair is definitely worth considering. If you wouldn't wear it more than once or twice it may not be worth the investment.

 Again, if you're interested in finding out more check out the Heat Free Hair website, check out
 their instagram account @heatfreehair to see the different collections/products and styling on people, or their page on facebook.

I will do another review maybe after a month. Is there anything you'd like to see me cover? Questions you have? Let me know in the comment section.


Have you tried Heat Free Hair? What did you think of it? Sound off in the comments below and don't forget to like and share!


Here are a few more pictures from this weekend:

Post install

Fresh Wash & Go

Product Review - Paul Mitchell Soft Style Heat Seal

Product: Paul Mitchell Soft Style Heat Seal

Price: 12.75 at Ulta

Promises: Builds body, provides light hold and enhances shine. Guards strands from damage caused by heat styling.

Review:

I have been using this heat protectant for over two years.  This is my favorite  heat protectant to use because it doesn't weigh down your hair and it leaves your hair light and feathery.  I have previously used tresemme thermal creations heat tamer spray and Got 2 be guardian angel.  I would say that the tresemme product did well but I prefer this one.  I can really tell a difference in the feel and lightness of my hair when I don't use this product.

I definitely will repurchase this heat protectant again.  It is a staple for me and I don't plan to get rid of it any time soon.

What heat protectant do you use?

Manetabolism Results & Update 1/29/15

Hey Beauties!!

I wanted to do the recap on my Manetabolism use/results for a few reasons: 1) I never posted about it at the end of my time frame in 2014, 2) I sort of fell off of using it towards the end of 2014, and 3) I've decided to sort of re-dedicate myself and try again.

If you weren't following FFF last year, you can see my original 2014 Hair Growth Challenge post here.

Right before starting supplements in 2014

As a quick recap, here were my goals while using Manetabolism:

• Thicker hair--I know. From the pictures I've shared my hair probably appears thick. IT IS. But it used to be thicker (circa 2.5-3 years ago), and I miss it.
• Stronger Edges/Nape --Not sure what it is lately, but definitely one of my "problem areas." They thrive for a while then break.
• Length! --Yes I have achieved significant growth in the last 2 years (with no supplements) just by taking care of my hair. However (I want more!), the pace of my growth seems to have tapered off a good deal.

In 2015, I have the same goals.

Now, you are probably wondering, "does Manetabolism work?"

• Yes it definitely does. And it did for me. HOWEVER (isn't there always a however?), as good as I was taking care of my hair 95% of the time, most of the time I would go to sleep without a headscarf/bonnet (and no I do not have silk pillow cases). I know I know. I broke a sacred afro-texture hair rule. As a result, despite gaining ~2-2 1/2 inches of growth, my hair was breaking at the same damn time. Ugh. So much for progress right? But I learned the hard way I guess. I'm doing better in 2015 though!!
• I also found myself with THICKER and FULLER hair, which is always a plus!
• I did also find myself skipping days every now and again (just forgetting to take them), I am not sure how or if this affected my results.

Are there side effects?

• I remember when I first started using Manetabolism I got light headed once or twice. It is recommended that you drink a lot of water while using those pills and on those instances I was simply dehydrated. Outside of that, I have experienced no side effects. I have heard some women having breakouts when taking in higher levels of biotin (not just with Manetabolism, any similar product with a lot of biotin), but again I did not experience that.

  More important facts

• Similar to last year, I just got my hair colored and trimmed (1/26/2015)
• Started Supplements January 19, 2015
• Again, I love a sale, so I usually purchase when the company has a discount going which is most holidays. (anywhere from 20-40% off)
• Still drinking a gallon of water a day (not specifically for the supplements, but overall good health)
• Continued Clean Eating

Hair Regimen (A few changes from last year)

• Shampoo once a week, deep condition once a week (due to color, moisture retention is key)
• Limited heat -- I did well with this in 2014. Rarely applied heat (only to straighten every once in a while)
• Again moisture, moisture, moisture-- Every 2-3 days applying moisture and sealing 
• Protective styling--simply because I need a break from her! 
• Consistent edges TLC (JBCO)

More Pictures from 2014 & early 2015:

5/16/14

6/6/14

6/13/14

6/26/14

6/26/14

6/28/14

July 2014 (clean, naked hair)

July 2014

After highlights/straighten/trim 7/2014

8/2014

9/17/14

Blow out before sew in 11/2014

 

Flat twistout on blown out hair 12/2014

Curlformer set 12/31/14

Color/Straighten/Trim 1/16/2015

 

After color/straighten/trim 1/19/15

 Have you used Manetabolism or any other hair growth supplements? Did you see results? Comment Below & Share!




Disclosure of Material Connection: Items in this post were purchased with my own funds. I have not received any compensation for writing this post. I have no material connection to the brands, products, or services that I have mentioned. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255:"Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."