Curly-ever after: A BLM NATURAL PRODUCT REVIEW

I discovered BLM (black like me)  naturals last year when I started exploring with curls.  It was around the same time when I was obsessively trying wash n gos, twist outs, and bantu knots. Every product I tried was not working for wash n gos. I couldn’t get any satisfactory curls out of my afro. I first found BLM at ShopRite and bought their curl hydrate pudding.  I’d pretty much given up—more like taking a break— from trying wash n gos. But with this product, came a breakthrough for me. Finally, I could see some curls!  Later, I bought their curl hydrate wake spray which, along with the pudding, is what I am going to review today.

This Is how we will go through this:

1.   Details of products followed by my personal experience.

2.  How to get curls

3.  How to keep the curls.

4.  Other Uses

5.  final thoughts

let’s get right into it!

1.   Details of  products and personal experience 

BLM curl hydrate pudding 

Consistency: jiggly and jelly-like

Texture: Creamy and smooth

Colour: white

Smell: pleasant and mild

Claims:

•    Helps to clearly define curls and coils leaving them soft and moist for longer.

•    Leaves little buildup

•    Makes it easier to style and comb as desired

personal experience:

I used to watch a lot of YouTube videos and drool over other girls’ curls. They would start off on regular 4c afro and end up with some pretty enticing curls after their wash n gos. I tried copying regimens from several of them, bought several products hoping to have something to compare.

It was not all a disappointment because I did learn a lot about my hair, but my wash n go did not go half as well as theirs did.

Not even close!

My wash n gos would get my hair crunchy and shrunken with little definition. It was a sorry sight to see. 

Using BLM naturals hydrate pudding for me, as I said, was a breakthrough. I was able to do my very first successful wash n go! 

And boy was it exciting! 

...And all after trying a whole truckload of products!

In my experience, the claims this product made were fulfilled. i.e I got very defined curls that were soft, moisturized and long as opposed to crunchy, shrunken and not defined. 

The  product did leave some buildup, though not heavy.

BLM curl wake-up hydrate spray

Consistency: liquid spray

Smell: pleasant

Claims:

•    Instantly adds extra moisture and gloss to curls and coils.

•    Non-greasy to help prevent build up. A quick way to keep your naturals fresh and hydrated.

Personal experience:

At first, I was not keen on using this product, hence why I bought it later. Not because I hated BLM's spray specifically. 

No, somehow I don’t get the point of using sprays. I can’t see their benefit. So, it took a while for me to wrap my head around getting this one. 

Apart from heat protectants, and now this one, I literally have no other sprays in my products collection. 

This spray had me thinking that maybe I had it all wrong for sprays. 

I  did need some motivation to get this one though.

The motivation was one of the downsides of  BLM curl hydrate pudding. My wash n gos could barely make it through the week.

I noticed that when I go to sleep, my curls would get messed up, obviously. But I wanted them to last! …A whole week at least. 

BLM made up for that by this spray. I use it every morning to awaken the curls, that way my wash n gos actually last a little long.

   2. How to get curls

My Afro normally looks like this

after using BLM naturals. Day 2!

On wet hair

• To get curls, after shampooing, conditioning, and detangling hair, towel dry it then part and put it into small sections for better manageability. 
• Start to work on one section. 
• Detangle hair once more then apply a generous amount of the pudding.
• Rake it in with hands until some curls start to form. At this point, you want to get the hair as curly as you want. 
• You can continue to rake it through with your hands until you are satisfied with the curls and then leave it to dry.

 Or 

• you can continue to detangle with a brush or wide tooth comb to ensure even distribution of the product. 

Repeat this on all the remaining sections.

On dry hair

You can also get curls without washing your hair first by following some similar steps (it is recommended to have freshly cleaned hair). The only step you will have to add is to get your hair wet before applying the product. 

The product works better on wet hair…moisturizing natural hair works better on wet hair.

NOTE: DO NOT DRENCH HAIR!

After the hair is wet, it is pretty much the same routine from parting the hair into section and working the product in section by section until the curls pop.

If you are doing this in the morning before going to school or work, you will have to use a  dryer or a diffuser to make it dry quickly. If not, you can leave it to air dry.

3.   How to keep the curls for a while.

Note: I have only ever kept my curls for most five days

To make your curls last, just make sure you tie your hair and wear your satin bonnet or scarf before going to sleep. It should preferably be in a loose bun to keep the curls together. The next morning all you need to do is to use BLM curl wake-up hydrate spray to awaken your curls.

4.  Other uses?

This product is a very good moisturizer. You will feel it when you touch your hair that it is nothing short of moisturized.

 To moisturize using this product you just, work in sections to apply the product to your hair. The difference this time is that you don’t need to use as much product as when you are doing a wash n  go and you don’t need to wet your hair.

5.  Final thoughts:

There is much to get out of these products. Besides giving defined, soft, moisturized and elongated curls, they are very good moisturizers. 

Above all  is not just empty claims, they products really do deliver.

Final thoughts

The pros of this products are:

•    Get curls almost effortlessly

•    Great definition

•    Less buildup

•    Good moisturizer

•    Affordable!

Cons

In this whole post, I’ve been going on about mostly the good things that the product does. This would not be an honest review if I do not mention the product’s shortcomings. Everything has those.

•    The curl pudding may not last that long if you do wash n goes every week. You’ll probably use it three or four times. The spray, however, can last you a lifetime! (of course, in hair products lifespan)

•    Curls may not last as long as anticipated (the spray makes up for it)

•    Hair may feel too greasy for comfort 

In case you were still wondering after this what I think about this product, well I give it two thumbs up.  If you are looking for a cheap way to get some curls that will not disappoint (because these products really do not disappoint. I can tell the tale!),  this is your product. No flakey, crunchy and shrunken curls.

What products work well with your hair? have you experimented with curls on your afro? how was it?