I have been a fan of Shea Moisture Products for quite some time now. Shea Moisture (exclusively found at Target and Walgreens stores) offers a full line of organic and natural hair and body products. Most of the items that I have tried from this line, I have absolutely loved (Shea Butter Moisture Retention Shampoo and Conditioner, Curl Enhancing Smoothie, Baby Eczema Therapy Butter, Curl & Style Milk, Black Soap Balancing Conditioner etc., etc., …).
Imagine my excitement when I learned that a new product would be arriving on Target shelves on August 28th. Organic Coconut & Hibiscus Curling Soufflé with Agave Nectar & Flax Seed Oil sounded pretty darn great to me. If it was anything like my vision, it would be an awesome gel alternative that would allow me to smooth my edges AND create curl poppage without drying to a hard crisp. This should be a score! So I hit the store on launch day halfway knowing that the product wouldn’t be stocked yet. And it wasn’t 
. Finally a few days later I found a jar tucked away in the Shea Moisture bath and body section (kept separate from the line of hair care products) AND at a cost of $11.99 ($2 more than the rest of the hair care line). Hmm? Oh well, into the cart anyway. This stuff must be good.
When I opened the jar, I noticed the consistency to be pretty much what I expected, a clear gel-like formula. And the smell was wonderful as per usual with Shea Moisture products. However, what I got when I dabbed a little bit on my fingers was quite off-putting. This stuff was greasy and sticky. Somewhat like a silicone. I already knew that this would leave some sort of film on my hair.
I thought maybe it would be ok if it also added an abundance of moisture and shine without the hardness that can be left by many products after the hair dries. But I can’t even say that it left much shine or moisture. And the residue was overwhelming! The jar claims that it eliminates frizz. Not so much. I tried it on my edges and not only did it provide no smoothing hold, but it seemed to UP the frizz factor (???) No comparison at all to my beloved EcoStyler Olive Oil Gel. I tried it as a blow-drying aid as indicated on the jar. No bueno! The residue made me nauseous . I tried it on a wet twist-out. A little better here as it did provide some definition. But again with the residue!! I didn’t even want to touch my hair. I didn’t even take the time to use it on a wash n go. There was no point.
What I like about this product:
- Decent twist-out
- Smells great
- Great ingredients (I thought)
What I don’t like about this product:
- Silicone-like RESIDUE!!!
- Didn’t dry hard, but no hold whatsoever
- Actually costs $2 more than the rest of the Shea Moisture hair product line
Although the Curling Soufflé might work for some heads of hair, it was definitely a miss for me. It had potential if not for the sticky yuckiness. What a disappointment! But hey, I still love you Shea Moisture and I’ll keep my eyes open for the next product launch.
Peace,
SPC
P.S. Just checked out a few other reviews online and I am definitely not alone I see!
