Are you on “The Juice”? Oyin Handmade’s Greg Juice Product Review

Preface: Before we get into the actual review, here’s a little background on me and my hair journey. On July, 29, 2012, at approximately 3AM, I decided to big chop after 4 months of transitioning. (I was going through some ‘thangs,’ people.) My hair texture is mainly 4b/4c with some looser 4a curls in the back. Finding products that moisturize my hair without leaving it oily or sticky has been a true challenge. Lately my hair as been feeling especially dry, and I’m desperate to find something that softens and moisturizes my hair consistently. That said, let’s see how Oyin Handmade’s Greg Juice measured up.

Review:
I’d heard about Oyin Handmade’s Greg Juice in passing before receiving a bottle as a gift recently. Oyin Handmade prides themselves on the use of natural, chemical-free ingredients. This is true for their popular Greg Juice Herbal Leave-In as well. According to their website, the secret to their leave-in is “pure water, strongly infused with a variety of herbs known to help condition and stimulate the scalp, thus encouraging hair growth.” Obviously, I won’t be able to assess the claim regarding hair growth, since I’ve only used the product twice. The herbs used in the Greg Juice include :

 shavegrass leaf, lavender buds, nettle leaf, chamomile flower, and red rose petals. organic flax seeds; organic aloe leaf juice; vegetable glycerin; lavender oil, orange peel oil, grapefruit seed extract; citric acid, and, of course, love. How sweet!

I have used Greg Juice twice–once on completely dry hair to refresh a two-day old twist out and again on freshly washed, mostly dry hair. (As any 4b/4c girl knows, styling on wet hair is a no-no. Trust me.) In both instances, I achieved similar results and was quite pleased with the look and feel of my hair. Even while it’s still in twists, you can see the luster and sheen on the hair. And it’s soft. No crunchy twists here.

 My first experience with Greg Juice truly surprised me. I refreshed a two-day old twist out by spritzing it with the Greg Juice and following that with Oyin’s Whipped Pudding. The next day, I had to film scenes for a movie, outside in the mountains, starting at about 7am. The air was damp and filled with mist and fog–in other words…moisture. I just knew my puff was going to turn into a tiny cotton ball within the hour. Thankfully, I could not have been more wrong.

This is a photo of me on set, approximately 8 hours after my initial   outdoor scene in the fog and mist. (Don’t worry. I only look sad because the scene called for it. 😉 While there is some frizz, I consider this a WIN! I still had some definition, shrinkage was minimal, and my hair was incredibly soft. Moisture and softness are two of my primary goals when trying new products. No girl wants hair that feels like burnt hay–natural or not. Typically after encountering that much moisture in the air, my hair would be a frizzy, TWA, (teeny-weeny afro).

Overall, I’m really feeling the Greg Juice. I love that is sprays in a very fine mist, so as not to soak or over-saturate the hair. The smell is pleasant without being overpowering and the results were a success in my book. The reason, I am focusing on the Leave-in rather than the styling butter here is because in my experience, butters are only as good as what’s underneath them. Sure, they’ll seal the hair and add a little sheen, but if your hair isn’t moisturized underneath all that, you’re left with dry, frizzy, oily hair. For me, the leave-in makes all the difference. Kudos to you, Oyin Handmade, you’ve got a new fan.

Until next time, friends!

Oyin Handmade’s Greg Juice is available at Target, Amazon.com and thru OyinHandmade.com