If you’ve heard talks from beauty enthusiasts and the natural hair community, you know that Cantu is a brand that arouses mixed reactions and for different reasons.
Like most, my grievances used to lie on the price point which was quite high, making Cantu a brand that I could only look but never touch. My friends on the hand complained that it was a bit overrated and that it didn’t perform as much as it was overhyped.
Their efforts in trying to massage my ego worked as this is what I believed until the day I tried the Cantu Leave-in conditioner. This was a huge leap on my part, considering that I had been using the Mikalla line of products. However, as I would find out Mikalla was not made for my hair needs so I let that boat sail.
Cantu leave-in conditioning cream infused with shea moisture became my resort. Having bought it at Ksh 950 this wasn’t a case of if it doesn’t work I will just get a different one. As you can see the size of this container just doesn’t allow it. Clearly, that would be a waste.
Hair type and choice of products
My hair type is 4C high porosity. That means I have coarse hair that needs intense moisturising as it tends to dry out really fast. To address this issue, I am more attracted to butters – a reason why I fall back to Shea moisture products – and when that runs out, I fall back to thick oils like castor oil, and almond oil which make up my holy grail.
The best oils to use on 4C hair
For this reason, I had to choose the Cantu leave-in conditioner with shea butter, instead of the one with coconut oil. To say the least, I was not disappointed.
Size
The product comes in a big container giving you almost half a litre worth of cream for Ksh 950. Its exact weight is 453g or 16oz, hence size wise I was sold.
Scent & Texture
The scent can be described as flowery, a little bit fruity, but also with a freshness that mint exudes. This makes the nose love it, people around wonder what that scent is and the hair loves it even more.
In the words of my sister, ” It makes my hair smell healthy.” What more is there to life?
The texture of the Cantu leave-in conditioner is a thick consistency that coats the hair strands fully, lays down the cuticles leaving you with silky soft and manageable hair.
Ingredients
When it comes to the ingredients infused in the Cantu leave-in conditioner this product packs a list. Some of the best ingredients in the product include, shea butter, canola oil, hydrolysed wheat protein, silk amino acids, hydrolysed collagen, orange peel oil, sage oil, rosemary, aloe vera, kiwi, glycerine, dimethicone and other silicones which makes it a humectant.
More on: Humectants, Dew points and Humidity
Since my hair is high porosity, when it dries it becomes prone to tangles which only lead to breakage. With this Cantu leave-in conditioner that is a tale I can’t relate to because these ingredients do not only provide enough moisture for my hair, but they also add strength and curb frizz.
Overall verdict.
The Cantu leave-in conditioning repair cream (shea butter) is a product I would be willing to repurchase. It is worth every dime, given that it does condition and moisturise as it’s supposed to.
In terms of;
Quality – 4/5
Quantity – 4/5
Cost – 3/5
Moisturizing power – 4/5
Still having problems with tangled hair, knots and frizz?
- In a spray bottle, mix this product with water and your favourite oils until it forms a liquid consistency. Use this mixture as your detangler. That to say you don’t need to buy a detangler if you already have this conditioner.
- For moisturising, use this product with Jamaican black castor oil. To emulsify the castor oil mix it with extra virgin olive oil and voila, you would’ve made magic in a bottle. Use this as a sealant before adding styling creams or gel.
Looking for a deep conditioner instead? Here’s a review of the Shea moisture manuka honey deep conditioner.
