The key to having healthy hair is using the right products and having an efficient hair regimen. When I shop for new haircare products, I look for a few key elements — that it has natural ingredients, restores moisture, promotes hair growth and retention, and is offered at affordable prices. I want products that are good for me and my pockets, okurrr.
Mielle Organics' Rosemary Mint collection offers five products that use biotin and rosemary as key ingredients to lock in moisture and promote healthy hair growth. The line includes Shampoo, Edge Gel, Oil, Hair Masque, and a multivitamin Styling Creme capped at $10 each.
I tried the entire Mielle Organics' Rosemary Mint collection to see if it held up to its claims and this is how it did:
Rosemary Mint Strengthening Shampoo Infused with Biotin
Krissy Lewis/xoNecole
The Rosemary Mint Strengthening shampoo provides your hair with a deep clean plus soothes your scalp upon application. The shampoo felt so good, I went ahead and massaged my scalp during my wash. Another benefit of the biotin infused shampoo is that it has a lot of slip — making the detangling process very easy and working into your strands to provide moisture. I love shampoos that add moisture; it makes wash day much easier and your hair more manageable.
I want to note that, although the shampoo smells very minty, it's not too much. Also, it has a good lather to it, so a little goes a long way.
Rosemary Mint Scalp and Hair Strengthening Oil Infused with Biotin
Krissy Lewis/xoNecole
I've used the strengthening oil everyday and it's almost finished! Like the shampoo, it soothes your scalp instantly. I apply it to my hair every night to promote hair growth and combat any dryness. I also apply this before using the hair masque and massage it into my scalp. I find that adding the oil and masque increases blood circulation and opens up my pores to get more moisture.
Rosemary Mint Strengthening Hair Masque Infused with Biotin
Krissy Lewis/xoNecole
I skipped my usual conditioning step and went straight to the hair masque. First, I made sure my hair is damp, which I would highly suggest and once my hair was damp, I worked in sections and applied it to my hair. I noticed immediately that it gave my hair definition. I was very generous with the amount of hair masque I used because I wanted to make sure my hair got all the moisture it could get.
I left the masque on for 45 minutes and used my hot head so the masque can get into my strands. I would recommend to go under the dry or use a Hot Head if you tend to need more moisture. I also suggest that you leave the masque in for at least 15 minutes — applying it to your hair and rinsing immediately, would not allow the product to work as well as it could.
When I rinsed out the masque, I was really impressed with my results! My hair was defined and very moisturized. I honestly could have applied a leave-in conditioner and rock a wash-and-go at that point.
Rosemary Mint Multi-Vitamin Daily Styling Créme Infused with Biotin
Krissy Lewis/xoNecole
To be honest, the multi-vitamin styling créme caught me off guard a little bit. Due to the fact that it can be used for daily use, I thought it can act as a leave-in conditioner. Instead, it acts more as a styling créme and gel in one, so it had a strong hold to it. While I love that, I would still use a leave-in conditioner to soften my hair prior to adding this. I used way too much the first time and my hair was very firm, but surprisingly, not stiff. It gave me more definition and hold, without any while flakes (and I used a lot).
I would suggest using a moderate amount — just enough to coat your strands. Its definition and hold make it perfect for twist-outs, braid-outs, and wash-and-go styles.
Rosemary Mint Strengthening Edge Gel Infused with Biotin
Krissy Lewis/xoNecole
The strengthening edge gel gives you a very sleek laid finish without making your edges too firm and crunchy looking. Although it has a jelly-like consistency, it has a soft hold and makes your baby hairs feel moisturized. I suggest applying small amounts at a time and add more as needed.
My Results:
Krissy Lewis/xoNecole
Overall, I would definitely use this line again. In my opinion, the all-star products of this line is the hair masque and styling créme. I know frizz is a big issue naturals battle with, and the styling créme is perfect for reducing frizz without any flakes. And, if moisture is your biggest plight, the hair masque makes a great deep conditioning treatment.
Check out my tutorial and review of each product in real-time by watching the video below:
Featured image by Krissy Lewis/xoNecole
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Originally published on November 29, 2018
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Okay, but is that actually true — or is the thrill of a honey packet in folk’s heads more than anything? And if it does actually work, is there anything that you should be concerned about before giving a honey packet a shot? These are the questions that I am going to try and answer for you today, my friend. Because, although I truly am an ally of you having the best time possible in your bedroom, I also want it to come with as few side effects or unexpected surprises as possible.
Honey packets. Let’s get into it.
Why Are Everybody and Their Grandma Raving About Honey Packets, Chile?
Video credit: @blackcircuitmedia via TikTok
Okay, so the video that you just watched? Oh, believe you me, there is PLENTY where that came from. LOL, shoot, even offline, I’ve had people personally sing praises to me about certain honey sticks and honey packets. However, the one that, by far, seems to get the most standing ovations — umm, so to speak — is Royal Honey. If you’ve never tried it (or even heard of it) before, what makes Royal Honey such a big damn deal? Well, according to the website, it is designed to give men increased testosterone levels and longer erections.
When it comes to the version that is made for us ladies (Royal Honey’s site also sells the Pinky P*ssy Gummies that some of you may have seen before), it’s supposed to help regulate our hormones, help to tighten vaginal muscles and enhance sexual pleasure.
As far as the reviews on the site go, there are consistent five stars on many of the product pages. That’s cool. Okay, but did you know something that I didn’t see listed? THE INGREDIENTS. At least on the main website that I checked out, if you look under the description and additional information tabs, nothing is said about what is actually in the Royal Honey brand that is helping everyone and their granny to climb all of the walls in their house.
And so, y’all, already out of the gate, as awesome as it is to have some of the best orgasms ever, thanks to a lil’ pack of honey, not knowing exactly what’s causing them? Yeah, you should be pretty concerned about that, especially since the FDA is.
So, Why Do Some Health Experts (Including the FDA) Frown Against Them?
GiphyAnd that brings me to the serious side of Royal Honey. Because social media had been raving so much about honey packets, apparently, it caused health experts — including the FDA — to wanna see what’s going on, and you know what? They weren’t exactly thrilled about what they discovered. For one thing, one article that I checked out said that it took a “lab analysis” to find out what was even in Royal Honey, to begin with (which pretty much confirmed the red flag that I shared about there being no listed ingredients on the site or packaging). What was discovered is there is a drug known as tadalafil in it.
And just what is that? Tadalafil is a type of medication that is used to treat erectile dysfunction (ED). It does this by increasing blood flow to a man’s penis. Okay, so a man takes something that will make his penis stay hard for a longer period of time. No problem, right? Chile, listen. Even with people who have ED, they are advised to alert their healthcare provider before consuming tadalafil if they have a history of blood, liver, heart, or kidney disease, if they struggle with high or low blood pressure, or if they have diabetes. Oh, and if a woman is trying it out, she should let her physician know if she’s pregnant, breastfeeding, or trying to conceive.
Beyond that, there are certain medications that shouldn’t be mixed with tadalafil, like (high) blood pressure meds, medications for prostate issues, treatments for HIV, and even grapefruit juice shouldn’t be mixed with it. And again, if you’re a woman, prescriptions like fluconazole (which treats yeast infections) should not be taken with the drug. Plus, tadalafil can potentially jack up your or your partner’s nitrates. This matters because nitrates are compounds that can increase blood flow, which makes them a good thing.
The flip side to the nitrate coin, though, is they can also cause your blood pressure to become dangerously low — and that can potentially lead to weakness, blurred vision, dizziness, heart damage, or strokes. Lawd, this is what’s in the beloved Royal Honey packets — and again, the manufacturers don’t appear to be very upfront about it. Shady boots that want y’all to knock boots. For shame, for shame.
Is Honey An Aphrodisiac, Though?
GiphyIn fact, all of this is a part of the reason why honey is mentioned in the article, “12 'Sex Condiments' That Can Make Coitus Even More...Delicious.”
Still, this doesn’t mean that if you suck on the tip of one of those honey teddy bear bottles that you see at the grocery store, you’re going to end up with the same close-to-immediate extreme results that Royal Honey is able to give you — again because there is a damn drug in it. So, you should be real with yourself about that.
Also, I should mention here that, of course, there are other honey packet brands on the market. For instance, Black Thai Honey seems to get a fair share of attention, and I’ll at least give it props for letting its customers know that it contains ingredients like maca, ginseng, and bueta superba (an herb that also treats ED) in it. Still, drugs are drugs, and herbs are herbs, and it’s always a good idea to alert your doctor if you’re about to add something new to your system — just to be on the safe side.
____
Aight y’all, if you were paying close attention, I’m sure you noticed that there is nothing “oddly spectacular” about honey packets. Apparently, the ones that seem to work the quickest and most intensely share the common thread of some sort of something that treats erectile dysfunction — and if you don’t have that issue, you should be careful about taking something that is used specifically for it.
That said, honey packets are so deeply ingrained in sex culture these days, that I already know that folks aren’t gonna stop using them, no matter what I (or the FDA) say. Hell, at this point, I’m just glad that you literally know what you’re getting yourself into.
And if Royal Honey is something that you use or want to try, at least give a little bit of side-eye to something that has a drug in it and yet prefers not to mention or discuss it with its customers. You know what they say — even when it comes to sexual enhancements…when something seems too good to be true, there can be some truth to that.
Bottom line: Have fun, yes. More importantly, BE SAFE.
Whew. Honey packets, included, please.
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