Hey Guys! Meet our new reviewer at DeLush, Toya! Check out her quicklook info in the sidebar and her bio here.

I am so excited to be reviewing my first product here on DeLush. Thank you so much to Melissa and Jen for giving me this opportunity! Here we go!

What They Say: “Magical Melanin Moisturizer: 83% Organic (8 oz. SRP $22) A natural sun protectant, melanin is so magical; and we all have it. Indulge your melanin in this luxurious, super moisturizing, super organic skin nourishing treat. It has the super powers of a body butter, and sinks right in. Select ingredients magically feed, pamper, and nourish your soon to be healthier sexy skin. You can say thanks to all the natural fruit extracts, organic and fairly traded African butters and oils like wild-crafted raw shea butter and organic Moroccan Argan oil. Naturally loaded with a magical dose of super antioxidant vitamins A, E, & D.”

Toya's Experience: I’m pretty disappointed that I’m so unimpressed with the very first product I’m reviewing for DeLush. The first thing I noticed was the overwhelming scent. I actually gagged just a bit – it smells exactly like a York Peppermint Patty. I hate York Peppermint Patties. I knew that made me biased against the product, from the start, so I asked my husband, who likes peppermint patties – he hated the smell, too. It was just way too overpowering – I applied the moisturizer after my shower and right before going to bed and the next morning the chocolatey peppermint smell was just as strong. Not good. I had to take another shower in the morning so that the smell of the moisturizer didn’t conflict with my perfume.

The moisturizer comes out of the bottle thick like shea butter, which I like because I have dry skin and like to apply thicker creams at night. The problem is, when the moisturizer is emulsified, it becomes greasy. It doesn’t sink into your skin at all, contrary to the blurb sent along with the product. I looked like I’d fallen into an oil slick. It took quite a while before my feet weren’t extra shiny from it.

Retail Price: $22.00 (at inkylovesnature.com as well as some Whole Foods markets)

Toya's Rating: – the scent is cloying, the product is heavy and greasy and doesn’t sink in well at all. I can’t recommend it, but maybe some of you will like the scent and appreciate the extra heavy moisturization.

What They Say: (about the Curls Milk Shake) "The perfect 4-in-1 leave in for all curlies ... especially for those with needy, dry curls. It is guaranteed to define, defrizz, revive, hydrate and soften dry, kinky curls. Derived from natural milks (coconut and sweet almond milk), this moisturizing cream will bring life back to your overworked tresses." (about the Spiral Curls Cream) "For perfect curls with the hold you've been looking for! It performs like a gel, but with much more sheen and moisture. This miracle worker glides easily on the hair and dries without a producty feeling. Great for all hair types."

Toya's Take: I am always more than happy to try a new product for my naturally curly/kinky hair. I have to say that I really like the Curls products. They smell awesome and are made from natural, moisturizing ingredients that work great on curly hair of all kinds. The Curls Milkshake made my hair feel instantly soft and supple and really made it much easier to detangle after washing. And the soft coconut scent is quite pleasing. I like the Spiral Curls Cream, too, but I don't think the product is heavy enough for my dry, thick hair. However, I think it would work quite well on someone with a more fine hair texture. At these prices and with such good results, I will be making the Curls Milkshake part of my regular hair routine and will be trying other Curls products, as well.

Retail Prices: $16 (Curls Milk Shake) and $15 (Spiral Curls Cream) (at curls.biz or go here to find a salon location that carries Curls products near you)

DeLush Ratings:
Curls Milk Shake -
Spiral Curls Cream -