You may be familiar with the Queen Helene product line if you’ve ever slathered your hair in Cholesterol for a strengthening protein treatment, rid your kneecaps and elbows of ash with the Cocoa Butter lotion, or gave yourself a DIY facial with the line of masks and scrubs (love the Mint Julep masque for unexpected blemishes and the Apricot scrub for reviving dull skin!) Queen Helene has been around for ages and is definitely a household name. So imagine my delight when I noticed that the line has expanded to join the “natural hair frenzy” with its new Royal Curl products.
I picked up two products that just happened to be on sale for $6.99 each at Target that week.
The Royal Curl Moisture Rich Conditioner claims “to powerfully remove frizz, define curls and smooth waves” with “the nutrient packed super-food that feeds the Queen Bee in her hive. Packed with 17 amino acids plus vitamins A, B, C, D, and K, the Royal Jelly in Moisture Rich Conditioner works with Jojoba Seed Oil and Green Tea antioxidants to deliver luxurious shine and ultimate softness while defending hair from heat and humidity.” Royal Jelly, which is a honey bee secretion that is used in the nutrition of larvae and adult queens, seems to be the star of the Royal Curl line.
And the product claims all natural status with no alcohol, sulfates, petrolatum, parabens, or phthalates but does actually have cetearyl alcohol (which is known as a “fatty” alcohol that helps condition the hair) and Behentrimonium Methosulfate which is an extremely mild detangling agent made from rapeseed (no not grapeseed) oil and not actually a sulfate.
The conditioner appeared to be everything I look for in a conditioner. It was extremely thick and creamy and smelled wonderful . I washed my hair like usual in the shower, applying the conditioner after, and detangling with a large toothed shower comb (with conditioner still in). Immediately, I noticed that the Moisture Rich Conditioner did not have the “slip” that I’m used to with my beloved favorite conditioners like Herbal Essences Long-Term Relationship and Hello Hydration or Neutrogena Triple Moisture. For me, the slip is soooo important because it prevents my delicate strands from breaking off during the detangling process. Also, Moisture Rich didn’t seem to impart much moisture =( And my curl definition was just…regular. So this product was a no go for me. Maybe it would work better as a leave-in or for co-washes.
WHAT I LIKE ABOUT ROYAL CURL MOISTURE RICH CONDITIONER:
- Smells great with great consistency
- The price is definitely right at about $7.99 for a 12 oz. bottle
- Although I didn’t love it for it’s actual purpose, it could work for someone who doesn’t need copious amounts of moisture or a detangling aid. Or for leave-in or co-washes
- Does not contain harmful additives
WHAT I DON’T LIKE ABOUT ROYAL CURL MOISTURE RICH CONDITIONER:
- Almost non-existent slip to aid in detangling and curl definition
- My hair didn’t feel much softer, smoother, or moisturized
Next up…
The Royal Curl Curl Shaping Créme claims to “transform kinks to defined curls and soft waves” (still not sure how I feel about this…I think kinks are beautiful too…but I digress) and “to naturally tame frizz, define curls and smooth waves with silky hold. Pure Aloe Vera Gel and Agave Nectar quench your hair’s thirst without the grease, while powerful Green Tea antioxidants and intense moisturizers defend against damaging heat and humidity.” Again with no alcohol, sulfates, petrolatum, parabens, or phthalates.
The consistency is like that of jelly. It’s pretty similar to the Shea Moisture Curl Soufflé from my review here but WITHOUT the icky silicone feeling. I had high hopes for this one! I applied on soaking wet hair and finger combed through hair that was detangled in the shower. I must say my curls were pleased. The Shaping Créme didn’t feel sticky or icky and didn’t dry to a super crunchy finish. HOWEVER…this product had one major flaw. It left a white flaky residue on my hair!! This is something that I hate hate HATE in a leave-in/curl cream. Generally, products like this look beautiful on wet or damp hair and then you go about your business thinking your hair looks fly and all of a sudden you catch a glimpse of what looks like a mound of dandruff perched atop your head. Just tacky. 
I tried using less product and still the same result. So disappointing. Ah well…
WHAT I LIKE ABOUT ROYAL CURL Curl Shaping Créme:
- Smells wonderful and promising consistency
- Again a great price at about $7.99 for a 15oz. jar
- Does make my curls POP and doesn’t dry overly crunchy
- Great ingredients and all natural: No alcohol, sulfates, petrolatum, parabens, or phthalates
WHAT I DON’T LIKE ABOUT ROYAL CURL Curl Shaping Créme:
- Terrible terrible terrible white flakiness when dry =(
Overall, the Queen Helene Royal Curl line is promising and may be great for someone else but didn’t quite work out for me. I do appreciate that the line is free of harmful additives and the price is right. I’ll probably try the Moisture Rich conditioner in my leave-in mixtures and as a co-wash from time to time. And I still want to try the Smoothing Oil from the Royal Curl line which claims to “add Moisture and Shine, Strengthens to Prevent Future Breakage”. Hmm, could be the treasure I was seeking.
Until next time my pretties,
SPC
