I’m sure by now you’ve heard of big name natural and curly hair subscription boxes, like curlBOX and CurlKit. But have you heard of Curl Collection? According to their website, Curl Collection is:
“The ultimate experience for women and kids with curly hair. Sample FULL size products, from the hottest brands, delivered to your door.”
You had me at full size.
As a natural/transitioner (I’m almost there!”> with thick hair and long layers that reach a little beyond bra strap length (BSL for you acronym lovers”>, I get a little frustrated with sample sizes. It’s difficult to determine whether I want to actually spend my money on a product based upon a 1oz sample packet. Enter, Curl Collection with the brilliant idea to ship nothing but full sized product lines to your door. Yes, lines. So not only is everything full-sized, there is some continuity in terms of what you get in the box itself. Let me stop gushing over how much I love the concept and get to the actual review. Here are a few basics:
Founded by Nadja Renise, Curl Collection is built on supporting small business, and getting the hottest brands out to customers at a great price. Curl Collection prides themselves on being ingredient conscious, and promises to never send products with sulfates, parabens, drying alcohol, sulfates, and more. The goal is to help natural women find products and brands their curls will love.
Curls Collection Review
Cost
$35 every other month, or $40 for a one-time box. Both include free shipping.
Frequency
Curl Collection boxes are delivered every other month. The box shown above is the October Box. The December Box is soon to come (I heard it has $80 worth of goodies in it”>.
Contents and Value
- Coconut Sublime Conditioner, 14.5oz ($16″>
- Whipped Cream, 8oz ($17″>
- Curl Ecstasy Hair Tea, 14.5oz ($20″>
All prices are according to the Curls website. The value of the products alone is $53 – which is nearly a $20 savings. So far, so good. Some variations of the Curl Collection box contained a styling product instead of one of the conditioners. Honestly, I wasn’t even mad. With the way I go through conditioner, an extra bottle is always welcome!
Now, on to the actual products. I won’t go into a too-detailed review, because this is about Curl Collection itself. However, the review wouldn’t be complete without some product information!
Coconut Sublime Conditioner
I had been eyeballing this and the Hair Tea at a local beauty supply store, wondering if it was worth giving a try. Short answer: it is a good conditioner. Not phenomenal, but not bad either. I like that Curls chooses to use organic extracts and oils in their products, which plays into the price point. The conditioner has a nice amount of slip, which is great for in-shower detangling. It moisturized my hair, left it soft, and shiny – like a good conditioner should. It was nice to be able to try the Coconut Sublime, just to quell my curiosity.
Whipped Cream
I also had my eyes on whipped cream, curious about what it could do for my hair. Turns out – a LOT! I didn’t expect to love this stuff, but I do. The light, sweet scent is reminiscent of Soultanicals Knot Sauce, and it is a great moisturizer. I used it consistently for my satin strip braid-outs, because it worked so well with EcoStyler gel to keep my hair soft and moisturized for days without weighing it down. Not to mention, the incredibly healthy sheen and shine. I got so many compliments on my hair whenever Whipped Cream was in the mix – seriously! I loved it so much, that it made the list of best moisturizers for transitioning hair.
Curl Ecstasy Hair Tea
Now here is a deep conditioner that is worth the price tag. Even though it is labeled as a heat-activated conditioner, I tried it without heat just to gauge its effectiveness. I. Am. In. LOVE. Seriously, my hair had a love affair with Hair Tea – with and without heat. It is a little thick, but spreads easily. While rinsing out, it has tons of slip and made it ridiculously easy to detangle my hair. My hair was buttery smooth and shiny, soft to the touch, and felt really moisturized. I always say that I shell out extra money for two types of products – curl definers and deep conditioners. Hair Tea is one that I will, without a doubt, be purchasing again. And again.
My conclusion
Overall, my experience with the Curl Collection box was pretty awesome. I like the idea that it only comes bimonthly, which gives you plenty of time to play with and use up the full-sized products. Or if you discover you don’t like a particular product, giving it away doesn’t make you feel as though you’ve lost money – because the box contents are provided at a bargain cost. I would confidently, and without a shadow of a doubt say, that if you are looking for a subscription service with quality contents, great value, and great customer service, Curl Collection is the way to go.
Now, to see if I can get my hands on that December box….
Photos courtesy of Curls.Biz & TheManeObjective
