My Thoughts on Shea Moisture

Having been shopping in the ethnic section for over 20 years, I knew about Shea Moisture. I had heard great things about them, but never really looked into their products because I thought they were a bit out of my price-range. After going through bottles of cheap conditioner like VO5 and Suave, I figured there had to be a better way. Not only did I feel bad for going through so many containers, but the ingredients in those two brands left a lot to be desired. Added to that was the fact that the "cheap" conditioner was looking to cost just about the same as a more expensive bottle of conditioner since you had to use loads of the cheap stuff. 

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Now, I know that they have had many issues recently. Early in 2017, they had a controversial ad, which they later pulled. They've been bought out by Unilever and while the owners feel happy with the deal, many people have accused them of selling out. It didn't help that their ingredient labels started changing which prompted many customers to say that they changed their formulas. However, this happened in 2015 and again in 2017 and 2018. Shea Moisture denies this and says they are simply meeting the INCI labeling requirements. Who knows? Unless you get it lab-tested, you really don't.

As for all the political issues they've run into, I'm not one to get into politics, but with that being said, I do have an opinion. I know that I prefer to work with niche companies since they usually have smaller products lines. Shea Moisture is an exception. They have so many products that it's often overwhelming to try to figure out what you want. I know that some people like having so many choices. They were a black-owned company that creates products for black people. Their recent decisions shows that they are trying to expand their market and reach more people. You would think that financially speaking, this would make sense. More people, more money. However, the backlash has been staggering. They're getting horrible reviews on Facebook and people are saying that they shouldn't forget who got Shea Moisture into the position they're currently in.

I'm white (although everyone thinks I'm Latin American and since I speak Spanish many people don't believe me). For the record, my background is eastern and western European, but I don't have any Spanish or Italian in me. I've actually got some German, Russian, and Scottish in me, believe it or not. My personal opinion, as a white person, is that they screwed up. If a white person wants to buy Shea Moisture products, they will. While Shea Moisture may gain customers with their ads, they're surely going to lose others. As for the white person who wants to buy products from black companies. They don't need ads that target them. All they have to do is explore all the health and beauty aisle at the store. That's it. It's really that simple. There are so many choices out there. There's no reason to be limited. Plus, what works for you in the high summer might not work for you in the dead of winter. Try different products and different brands.

I have 16 Shea Moisture products listed below. However, about half of the products I have I bought before all this happened with Shea Moisture. The rest were given to me as gifts. One was given to me by someone with a wheat allergy. Supporting small businesses and self-starters are important to me, as are ingredients. I don't agree with their recent practices, but I will be using up what I have and not throwing it in the trash. I suppose I could give away the products I already have, however, to be honest, I'd rather not spend the money to buy new products when I have enough to last me a few months.

Customer Service

I have had some interactions with their customer service. My first complaint was about shipping and I voiced that on their Facebook page. I never got a response. My second was about the ingredients being changed on the labels and they said that they were just following INCI regulations.

Products and Prices

They have so many products, it's overwhelming. In addition to hair products, they also have skincare, bath and body, men, mommy and baby, and cosmetics. I've tried their hair products and mommy and baby products.

Their prices are not cheap but they're not going to break the bank either. I've found that since the products are usually thick, they last a decent amount of time, so while you may spend more at the beginning, it usually evens out at the end, at least for me. I have low density hair though. I've heard that for deep conditioners, some people get about 8 uses of so out of each tub. It's going to depend on your hair density, thickness, and length. I personally get a lot more uses out of each container. I probably use about half an ounce each time. A 12 oz container lasts me about 24 applications.

Ethics

They have a number of community commerce programs. They state that 10% of the sales goes toward women-led businesses, to support communities that supply their ingredients, or to support the Sofi Tucker Foundation. They also have the Babson Scholarship, Dartmouth Fellowship, Smart Liberia, Hope for Youth, and the Jackie Robinson Foundation Scholarship.

My Reviews

Below are the Shea Moisture products that I have reviewed. I have reviewed other companies and their products as well and you can find those on my complete list.

• African Black soap: read my review.
• Baobab and Tea Tree Oils Low Porosity Protein-free Conditioner: read my review.
• Baobab and Tea Tree Oils Low Porosity Protein-free Leave-in Detangler: read my review. 
• Coconut & Hibiscus Co-Wash Conditioning Cleanser: read my review.
• Coconut & Hibiscus Curl and Style Milk: read my review.
• Coconut & Hibiscus Shea Butter Soap: read my review.
• Fruit Fusion Coconut Water Weightless Hair Masque: read my review.
• Jamaican Black Castor Oil Strengthen & Restore Treatment Masque: read my review.
• Manuka Honey & Mafura Oil Intensive Hydration Hair Masque: read my review.  
• Manuka Honey & Provence Lavender Baby Nighttime Soothing Shampoo & Bath Milk: read my review.
• Olive & Marula Baby Head-to-Toe Lotion: read my review.
• Raw Shea Butter Chamomile & Argan Oil Baby Head-to-Toe Wash & Shampoo: read my review.
• Raw Shea Butter Deep Treatment Masque: read my review.
• Raw Shea Butter Extra-Moisture Detangler: read my review.
• Raw Shea Butter Restorative Conditioner: read my review.
• Superfruit Complex 10-in-1 Renewal System Conditioner: read my review.

Sales and Discount Codes

I write about all the sales and deals that I know of. Here is the label for all the past sales and deals. You can also find a list at the bottom of this post.