I’ve been dying to try Shea Moisture‘s Raw Shea Butter Deep Treatment Masque. I’m a big fan of their products I’ve tried so far – the Curl & Shine Shampoo and the ever-popular Curl Enhancing Smoothie. The folks there really seem to understand a head of curls (mine anyway).

The Deep Treatment Masque has all kinds of naturally nourishing ingredients: sea kelp to smooth the hair cuticle, argan oil for shine and elasticity, and shea butter for deep moisture. As with all of Shea Moisture’s products, there are no sulfates, parabens, mineral oil or synthetic fragrance. This stuff is good for your hair!

I’ve heard such great things about this product that I really wanted to put it to the test (evil laugh). In the last week, I’d gone swimming three times in a chlorinated pool, and this Saturday, hubby and I spent the day on Tybee Island. That means my already-dry-from-the-pool hair was exposed to hours of salt water and burning sun. Sounded like a good time for a deep conditioner!

I applied the masque to freshly washed and conditioned hair by separating my hair into four sections and raking a dollup of product through each. I then twisted each section into a bun, put on a plastic cap, and went to bed. The next morning I rinsed out the product completely, moisturized with Giovanni Direct Leave-In, added a bit of coconut oil and gel to the ends, and let air dry.

Overall, I was pretty happy with the results, though I wasn’t blown away (I think I was hoping for a total hair transformation). My hair still felt a bit dry, but nothing compared to the way it felt before the masque, so that was good. I do think that if I used this masque consistently for a few weeks, it would definitely improve my dry areas. My hair was shiny and the curls were more defined. I’ll definitely use this product again, though next time I think I’ll try it with a heating cap.

Has anyone tried this product consistently for a couple of weeks? Did you see improvement over time?

~Thaïs