After I bleached my hair twice, I started to feel the damaging effects that the bleach had on my hair. Split ends, tangled locks, and a little bit of breakage were daily occurrences. I have some tried and true methods of combatting this damage—natural oils such as argon or coconut oil, protein masks, a deep conditioner—but I am constantly looking for better solutions to keep my hair as healthy as it can be.
I had the pleasure to try Maple Holistics Silk18 Conditioner this weekend. Silk18 is pretty cool because it contains 18 silk amino acids, and it is all natural. Silk amino acids are the 18 amino acids that make up Sericin, a protein created by silkworms when they produce silk. Sericin is known for its elasticity as well as its hydrating properties. Since I already use natural hair products, I wanted to see if Silk18 Conditioner would have the same benefits.
On opening the bottle, this conditioner has a pleasant vanilla scent to it that’s not too overpowering. I use a purple shampoo to maintain my hair, but it can be drying because it deposits dye in the hair. Once I applied the Silk18 Conditioner to my hair, I could already feel that my hair was silky and smooth even before I washed it out. I let my conditioner sit for a few minutes and then washed it out.
I let my hair dry naturally overnight, and I had braided my hair to make it wavy the next day. Usually, I apply gel to hold the waves all day, especially in Seattle where the humidity and rain straighten my hair in no time, but I was running late and didn’t have the chance to. Of course, the next day it rained and poured all day. By the time I got home (after a wet trip to the dog park), my hair still held the waves. They even stayed until the next day!
I guess it makes sense, though, because amino acids make up protein, which can help hair hold curl. A pleasant surprise and my hair felt easier to brush through. My ends looked healthier than before, but no conditioner can permanently fix split ends or breakage. This conditioner was on part with the higher end brands I’ve tried but can’t afford to use regularly, but it’s only about $10 online. I feel better putting something with such simple ingredients on my hair. You won’t need a translator to understand what’s in this conditioner:
Water, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Argan Oil, Shea Butter, Certified Organic Pomegranate, Hibiscus, Green Tea and Sea Buckthorn, Silk Amino Acids, Jojoba Oil, Natural Vanilla Fragrance
I also think this conditioner is a great alternative to using oils on my dry ends during the day. It contains many of the oils I already use for this. I haven’t decided if I’ll replace my $3 Suave conditioner to use Silk18. But, I want to see if the benefits Silk18 has last over time. If you are interested in trying out Maple Holistics’ products, they have a free sample program where you can try out their products for free.
Note: this article contains referral links. I received this product for free to review. All opinions are 100% my own.
Cover photo by Maria Morri on Flickr.
