Oyin Handmade Product Review: Nourishing Herbal Leave-Ins



Product Description: Our nourishing herbal leave-in tonics have been our most popular products since we first introduced "Greg Juice," the original citrus-herbal version, in 2004. Now available in three unique scents, this oil-free mixture of vegetable moisturizers and herbal essences remains hugely successful! The secret is this: spring water, strongly infused with a variety of herbs known to help condition and stimulate the scalp, thus encouraging hair growth; vegetable ingredients for detangling, moisture and suppleness; vegetable glycerine for humectancy and shine; and an essential oil blend nutritious to the scalp. This formula, like Greg Juice, is excellent for a daily pick-me-up on cornrows or twists. My sisters say it keeps their locs moisturized without weighing them down. And if I tried to detangle my hair without a bottle standing nearby, it would stand up and laugh at my comb. Many uses, this potion has.

Greg Juice contains: purified water infused with horsetail, lavender, nettle, roses, and chamomile; organic flaxseeds; aloe vera juice; vegetable glycerine; essences of lavender, sweet orange, ylang ylang; grapefruit seed extract; citric acid. It is naturally preserved with grapefruit seed extract and citric acid. Please use within 6-12 months, refrigerate for extended storage.

Juices & Berries contains: purified water infused with horsetail, lavender, nettle, roses, and chamomile; organic flaxseeds; aloe vera juice; vegetable glycerine; essences of lavender, sweet orange, ylang ylang; grapefruit seed extract; citric acid. It is naturally preserved with grapefruit seed extract and citric acid. Please use within 6-12 months, refrigerate for extended storage.

Frank Juice contains: purified water infused with horsetail, lavender, nettle, roses, and chamomile; organic flaxseeds; aloe vera juice; vegetable glycerine; essences of lavender, sweet orange, ylang ylang; grapefruit seed extract; citric acid, fragrance. It is naturally preserved with grapefruit seed extract and citric acid. Please use within 6-12 months, refrigerate for extended storage.

Prices: 2oz mini for $3.50; 8oz for $11.00

Availability: Order online from OyinHandmade.com or CurlMart.com. If you stay in the Baltimore, Maryland area, you can buy it directly from the store. The owners, a really sweet married couple, seem very nice. (I have watched their podcasts).

How I Use It and My Experience:
I use this herbal leave-in spray as a humectant to add moisture and draw moisture to my hair. I spray it on in the morning to my dry afro, step in the shower with my hair uncovered, and allow the steam of the shower to add moisture. I love that it contains not one, not two, but three humectants -- flaxseeds, aloe vera and vegetable glycerine. As far as the smell goes, I currently own the Juices and Berries and Greg Juice scents. I love both of them, but I lean more toward the Greg Juice. It has a light herbal scent that I like, and the Juices and Berries smells more sweet, like Kool-Aid. The bad news is that the smell never lingers for long, because I seal the moisture in using the Oyin Handmade Burnt Sugar Pomade. But if you don't like the smell, that can be a good thing. Note that I use this to add moisture to the hair whether it is an afro or in twists. Be careful not to spray too much on the scalp. It caused some build-up when I went two weeks without co-washing. I does not, however, cause build-up on the hair. Spray lightly, not with the intention of making your hair wet, just damp on the surface. In conclusion, I plan to repurchase and reuse. I will probably only buy the Greg Juice scent from now on, since that is the one I like more, but not before giving the Frank Juice a try.

If I ever run out of this and want to use something with similar benefits, I will use my own homemade humectant spray recipe using aloe vera juice and/or vegetable glycerine added to water.

Product webpage can be found HERE.