I bet you didn’t even know you were waiting for a product review, did you? Well it seems many of my readers have been!
Since I went natural, the drumbeats have slowly been building. When I started Afrobella back in August, they almost became deafening. Must. Try. Miss. Jessie’s. Curly. Pudding! And I wanted to so, so much. But like I said then, playing with my money is like playing with my emotions. $58 is a LOT to shell out for a hair product. Even if it’s one that’s got the Oprah seal of approval.
Miss Jessie’s has become the holy grail of curly hair products for many a well-to-do afrobella, and I’ll admit, I was skeptical. But the drumbeats kept going strong. Of all of the 234 posts I’ve written so far, my one little Miss Jessie’s post has gotten the most reader feedback. Months after I’ve written it, they keep coming. 73 comments and counting, from bellas who have tried it and liked it, hated it, want to dish dirt about the salon, or came out transformed by the experience. I didn’t know WHAT to make of the disparity of comments. But recently, I was lucky enough to get my hands on all four Miss Jessie’s products. Now that I know the score for myself, I’m gonna break them down for you as raw and honest as you’ve come to expect.
Finally I understand why these items are so darn expensive — you’re paying for a full, heavy 16 oz of product. That’s a pound of hair goop! They’re salon size, with detailed instructions included. I use a LOT of hair product, so usually I go through jars of moisturizer very quickly. But my experience so far with Miss Jessie’s definitely proves that less is more when it comes to this stuff. And having started to use them, I think I’m gonna have enough to last me till 2008.
The first product I tried was the Baby Buttercreme, which costs $58. I will definitely be passing this jar along to my niece Dominique when she comes to visit in May! I think it’s exactly what her mom’s been looking for — a super hydrating hair product that leaves hair soft, moisturized, satisfied, and manageable. The scent is my favorite of the four, it’s like mild vanilla frosting. I like the baby buttercreme, but my mistake may have been in using too much at once; it left my curls limp and heavy, albeit very moisturized. But just a dab when my hair’s still wet from the shower is all I need for a day of moist, well behaved, deliciously scented hair. It’s perfect for parents who need something to make their little afrobellas’ hair behave before you pack them off to school.
I can’t decide which is my favorite Miss Jessie’s product — Curly Buttercreme, or Curly Meringue. I love the results from both! The meringue is a heavier product, and smells like lemon creme. The Buttercreme is a thick, mint-scented moisturizing cream that slathers on thick and leaves my curls super-moist and heavy. It has a strong scent that eventually fades, and it also has a refreshing minty tingle on the scalp. But both products really worked to bring out the existing curl pattern in my hair.
Each tub of Miss Jessie’s comes covered in teeny text that gives directions for their best styling methods. Seriously, my friend Jessica spent like 15 minutes just reading the jar!
Buttercreme is perfect for two-strand twists, puffs, and wash and go styles, and it’s definitely more of a moisturizing hairdress.
Meringue is a styling product that comes with detailed fingerstyling and shingling instructions, which I definitely plan to try when I have the time. Those processes could take ages with the amount of hair I have! Just to comb out my hair takes a while, then to part it all, liberally apply product, Stretch it, position it, THEN sit under a table top dryer and completely dry it? Oh, man. That’s more than a three hour tour.
How I’ve been using this stuff is a shortened method that I just tried because I was in kind of a hurry — combed my hair out in the shower, then when my hair was still very damp, I applied Curly Meringue and stretched out my curls as best I could. Then I was gonna be late for work so I had to go! But I left my windows partially down on my commute, so my hair dried. Sort of. These products REALLY keep your hair moist, to the point that that I touched my hair mid-day, and it still felt kind of cold and more moist than I expected. But I couldn’t be happier with the curl results.
My hair texture tends to be very dry, and my hair usually tends to frizz out, leaving my defined curls with lots of loose halo hairs emerging. But both the Curly Buttercreme and the Meringue made my curls behave, and the weight of the product made for guaranteed curlage and touchability. Which is what makes me not love Curly Pudding as much as I thought I would.
As arguably the most well-known product in the line, I waited last to try the pudding. I expected to fall in love the hardest with this lilac colored, minty hairdress. But surprisingly, no.
Don’t get me wrong, Curly Pudding defines my curls better than almost anything else I’ve tried so far. But it makes my hair really crunchy. My curls dried into perfect spirals, and if you’re going somewhere fancy, styling your hair for a night out on the town or for a wedding or some special event — you can’t go wrong with curly pudding. But I don’t use gel or mousse for this very reason — I like my hair to be touchable AND defined. Curly Pudding made it picture perfect, but I won’t use it on the daily.
And the bottom line is, Miss Jessie’s is a really good line of hair products, and if your hair is dry and unruly, you definitely should check them out. BUT, and this is a big but… it’s not a miracle worker. If your hair doesn’t already have naturally defined ringlets, slapping on some Miss Jessie’s won’t transform kinks into curls.
Those before and after photos you’ve been admiring all are after hours of styling processes, some of which involve chemicals. So if you’re planning to purchase and you have very kinky, very thick hair, don’t expect your hair to look like Rachel True’s after using Miss Jessie’s. Your hair will be nourished and sated, but unless you take the time to shingle, finger curl, and dry your hair, the results won’t be as dramatic as the befores and afters.
Everyone’s big beef with Miss Jessie’s is the PRICE. Few of us can afford to drop a minimum of $38 on a product that isn’t guaranteed to work. Well, there’s good news in that department. Miss Jessie’s will soon be unveiling 2 oz travel sizes that range from $7 to $9! So that’s a GREAT way for curious afrobellas to give the products a try and decide which one works best for them.
Stay tuned to find out when they hit the shelves, and to hear about some NEW Miss Jessie’s products set to debut soon. And keep reading for a big interview with the one and only Titi Branch!
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April 26th, 2007 at 9:43 am
Great review bella. Do you think Miss Jessies would be good for 2b/2c hair?
April 26th, 2007 at 9:49 am
Hey,
Do you think the butter creme is worth the try for locks. I have spongy, very kinky thick hair, and I need a really good daily moisturizer that will last all day. . . .
Any suggestions?
Thanks.
April 26th, 2007 at 9:58 am
I was a huge Miss Jessies fan until I came across some products called Kinky Curly. Miss Jessies curly pudding is really good but too thick. These products are fabulous. My hair is very tight curls but frizzy at the same time and I absolutely adored it. I must agree with Afrobella, the curly pudding would leave my hair corky but not with a lot of volume. It would elongate my hair but it would be straight at the same time.
April 26th, 2007 at 10:04 am
I bit the bullet and tried Miss Jessie’s products a couple of months ago. I got the Curly Pudding and Baby Creme. I didn’t like the smell of either and they did nothing for my hair. BUT,what I did like was the amazing customer service at Miss Jessie’s. I called the company to say I would be returning the products but first wanted to know if I was doing something wrong. The representative was really nice and told me I had probably used to much. She asked that I try it again and if I still didn’t like it, return it. I didn’t like it and returned the products. I sent an e-mail to let them know to expect a UPS box with the returned items and got several follow-up e-mails and was told when my refund would be processed.
So….now I am trying Carol’s Daugher Black Vanilla Leave-in Conditioner and Hair Milk. I am in love!! My curls are well defined and not as tight and my hair is soooo soft!! My old standby is Gariner Fruitis Leave-In conditioner for Curly hair which only costs about $3 with tax, but I wanted something all natural and Carol’s Daughter fit the bill!!
April 26th, 2007 at 10:16 am
Oh wow, my friend sent me an email and I just wrote about this too!
This will definitely be a big hit for Miss Jessie’s.
April 26th, 2007 at 10:20 am
I just recently received a jar of Curly Meringue, courtesy of theorganicbeautyexpert.com. Both my daughter and I have twist extentions so I’m like dying to try this product But I think I’m going to take out my daughter’s twists and try it on her hair tonight.
April 26th, 2007 at 10:57 am
thanks for the view afrobella! i recently shelled out for the curly pudding and was DEVASTATED that i made my waves even straighter. definitely not a good look. so i sold it to my sister for $20 and that really hurt, because – yes – her hair is much thicker and coarser than mine – but she has a relaxer – and it worked great for her! i was thinking of trying the buttercreme, though, because my hair is very fine and i’m experiencing a little breakage around their hair line. i was also thinking of carol’s daughter stuff – do you have thoughts/recommendations, for a ‘bella that actually needs to increase curl?
April 26th, 2007 at 11:01 am
I gave up on these products long time agao as to the mineral oil and yucky additives. I used the Buttercream and did not like it and it built up my hair dirty like crazy and the Curly pudding left my hair hard as a rock. I gave up with Miss Jessies. Good Luck to all whom love them
April 26th, 2007 at 11:20 am
I tried the curly pudding last year, and i was not impressed. It left my hair hard and it flaked up. I didn’t have the patience to shingle my hair, I’m more of a wash and go type. The price was a turn off too. I’m using Curls Milkshake now and I like it. I just ordered some stuff from Kinky Curly and I can’t wait to try it. Bella keep up the good reviews!!
April 26th, 2007 at 11:33 am
hi bella,
good post.
you need to post your before and after pics. I would love to try buy the price is to high. My hair wouldnt be the right length any way.
April 26th, 2007 at 11:46 am
I’ve tried Miss Jessies when I first went natural 2 1/2 years ago and I too was not impressed. I do think they need to lower the price just a little….but hey…that’s just me….i’m cheap.
I know my Nappturality fam can suggest many other options for a cheaper price. Try Oyin Handmade or Qhemet as well….
April 26th, 2007 at 11:46 am
Yeesh, I hate re-reading my work and discovering typos! So sorry, bellas. I wrote this as I was rushing to leave for work this morning. Will fix when I get home from the o-face.
April 26th, 2007 at 11:48 am
Bella,
I am glad you had good results with these products. I would like to see the before and after pics as well! After using my second jar of Curly Pudding, I think I prefer my cheap-o curl activator gel from Sally’s. That grape kool-aid smell is so strong and all the fragance burns my scalp a little. I love the Curly ButterCreme though. It is great for days when I don’t wet my hair. The only one I haven’t tried is the Curly Meringue. Now that they have trial sizes I will definitely check it out.
April 26th, 2007 at 11:53 am
Good suggestion, Keysha… I try not to post too many pictures of myself on the site. I can’t stand when bloggers load up their sites with photos of themselves. You know who I’m talking about! But in this instance, it will really help. I got a hair cut so expect some updated photos of me to come up soon as I write about that experience!
April 26th, 2007 at 12:40 pm
Just chiming in on the choir to post before and after pics. Some of us may find them helpful to determine whether to shell out the cash for the products (but I’m one of those type bloggers, huh?)
April 26th, 2007 at 12:41 pm
Miss Jessie’s is the ISH! It is well worth the bucks. Just use sparingly.
April 26th, 2007 at 2:06 pm
Rei, I wasn’t talking about you! I love hair blogs like yours, and looking at Fokti pages. But because I’m essentially writing a blog that’s kind of meant to almost be a magazine for women of color, I don’t want to come across as a self-promoter or someone trying to be famous. I was referring to a particular, very popular site that I’m desperately trying to wean myself away from. You know…
April 26th, 2007 at 2:07 pm
I used to use the Curly Pudding and after a while, I was itching for something else. Right now the combo that works for me is the Curly Milkshake and the Kinky Curly Curling Custard. Right now my hair is the hair I’ve always wanted.
April 26th, 2007 at 3:00 pm
Bella,
I had the same issue with the Curly Pudding at first but what I have realized is that if I emulsify about a dime worth in my palms and scrunch it into my curls at the very end of my styling process it gives hold without crunch. It took me a while though, the consistancy/amount was sort of difficult to figure out.
April 26th, 2007 at 3:20 pm
hi afrobella, just out of curiosity, could you list for us the first three ingredients on the label. thanks.
April 26th, 2007 at 3:27 pm
Bella, the travel sizes are currently available! I just ordered the 2 oz. versions of Curly Pudding and Curly Meringue to see which one might stretch out my 3C curls. Love your site!
April 26th, 2007 at 4:23 pm
I read two other posts and I see I’m not the only one who is trying the Kinky Curly products. They are really good and well worth it. For those of you interested here is the website: http://www.kinky-curly.com
April 26th, 2007 at 4:47 pm
there website is informative , i would also like to visit the salon !! I want to try the pudding the meringue and the creme!
April 26th, 2007 at 4:49 pm
I have two unfinished jars of meringue and Curly Pudding. I don’t like how they make my hair dry.
I’ve had far better success with some styling gel, water + olive oil spritz, and Curls Whipped Cream on my ends. Much cheaper than $58 too.
April 26th, 2007 at 5:30 pm
I bought the Curly and Baby Buttercremes during their BOGOF sale over Christmas. My hair is fine with a mix of every-which-a-way strands and tight coils that shrink 50-75% or more (aka “plain ol’ nappy”). Using VERY small amounts of either Buttercreme to create two-strand twists produces great twistouts with moisture for days… however the build up is crazy and the lanolin caused a small breakout along my hairline. I also don’t find my hair to be as “touchable” as when I use Qhemet Biologics products — mixing Honeybush Hair Gel with a little Alma & Olive Heavy Cream or Sidr Butter gives my twistouts the same softness, moisture, and definition as with the Buttercremes without the buildup and greasiness. So, won’t be repurchasing.
A hairdresser recently used the Curly Meringue with the Buttercreme on me to produce a twistout after deepconditioning with BBD Stretch. Something “seized,” producing white precipitate throughout my hair like a horrendous case of dandruff… which I washed away, like my money, the next day. So “boo” to the Meringue.
For the person who asked about the ingrediants of Curly Buttercreme: acetylated lanolin, bees wax, butter(shea), butter (cocoa), carbomer-940, castor oil, deionized water, dilauratelaneth 15, fd&c yellow 5, fragrance, glycerine, glyceryl sterate, glyceryl hydrolyzed animal protein, imadazolidinyl, jojoba oil, laneth 15, mineral oil, methyl paraben, milk protein, panthenol, paraffin, peg 400, peg 100 sterate, peppermint oil, petrolatum, placenta, propyl paraben, triethanolamine, urea, vitamin e, wheat germ oil.
Given the beeswax, I don’t think this is a good product for locs.
April 26th, 2007 at 7:26 pm
Thanks for your thoughts. I am pretty much in agreement with all you’ve stated. My least favorite is the Curly Pudding for the very reasons that you mentioned. I actually like using the Baby Buttercreme the most. I have yet to try the Meringue.
April 26th, 2007 at 7:33 pm
I am new to this site and also newly natural. I love all of the suggestions. I have short hair and had a texturizer up until a couple of months ago. I got it cut down to the new growth and per your suggestion, used Garnier Fructis Sleek & Shine Fortifying Deep Conditioner 3 Minute Masque followed by the Curls & Shine leave-in treatment. Reading the information on this site and the posts has made the transition pretty painless. I think I will try Carol’s Daughter products next. Thanks!
April 26th, 2007 at 8:39 pm
Bella,
You have a captivating and wonderfully addictive site. I doubt any of your readers would ever find you self-promoting, but since your judgment has gotten you this far, keep it up! I don’t know the other site (I’m slow today), but apparently that’s because it hasn’t been worth finding. I’m glad to hear the trial sizes are available, I think I may play guinea pig a little.
April 26th, 2007 at 8:40 pm
Yeah, it is the ish! I normally use curly pudding,but I dilute it with a little water and put it in a spray bottle and it works just as well
April 26th, 2007 at 9:14 pm
Hey Bellas…
I am interested in hearing more about the Kinky Curly products–I’m transitioning (six more weeks to go!) and I’m trying to decide between the Kinky Curly, Miss Jessie’s, or the Curls products. Thanks!
Great post Afrobella–I’m an avid writer myself and I it’s inspiring to see another sista doing her thing!
April 27th, 2007 at 4:24 am
Well I think Ms Jessie’s is good for the time being..the ingredients give me pause for long term use and healthy hair. Tho listed low, mineral oil. petroleum,beeswax, all things that are hair killing. Be light with this and wash it out at least.
April 27th, 2007 at 9:44 am
This is a great review. I used Miss Jessie’s when I was a natural girl and I did not like the curl pudding AT ALL because of the reasons that you stated. I do love the baby buttercreme more than the regular buttercreme. When I did my two strand twists…they lasted longer and held a nice curl pattern without frizzing.
I would highly recommend the baby buttercreme. I still use it to this day.
April 27th, 2007 at 10:15 am
I love the Curly Pudding and the Buttercreme. I usually wash my hair every three days and finger twist with the Curly Pudding. In the morning I use the Buttercreme to smooth out any frizz. Hey if you have any unused jars sale them on Ebay. Lot’s of people want to try the products without having to pay an arm and a leg
April 27th, 2007 at 10:34 am
Hi Afrobella, so I have been to Miss Jessies website and I have naturally curly hair that looks the same as the girls in the pictures…however, to get my curls to be loose and flowing I have to do a number of tricks. Luckily, I work right down the street from a retailer for the product and your review along with the information I got from Miss Jessies website has convinced me that the 38.00 dollars will be well worth it. Thanks –Royann
April 27th, 2007 at 1:07 pm
I LOVE the Curly Buttercreme for my hair..I found that I could re-activate the product the next day with just a spritz from a water bottle. It gave my natural hair a “wet” look even after it dried. I WAS NOT impressed with the Curly Pudding…feels like buid-up on my hair..yuck.
April 27th, 2007 at 1:21 pm
I have short, curly hair — I cut my locks (7 years’ worth) down to about 3 inches. Now, I’m about 5-6. I use John Frieda’s Dream Curls, believe it or not. All I do is wet it, squeeze the excess water out, spray it on, and it holds my curls, and keeps them shiny all day.
April 27th, 2007 at 7:47 pm
WOW…I have a lot to say about these products. I was introduced to the website by my sister, who said I just had to look at the before/after photos. I did, and was thrilled to see girls with huge hair like mine in their before pictures come out with gorgeous, chem-free ringlets. But, I was in DC and broke. Sigh.
Fastforward about 2 years to Feb 07. I’m in grad school in Baltimore, and have recently discovered the brilliant Afrobella. Reading through one of the comment sections, I found that MIKO, head stylist and founder of Miss Jessie’s (Curve), had relocated to DC!! FLush with a pocketful of student loans and birthday money, I jumped on the marc train to my hometown.
Like many black girls I know, I entered all salons with high hopes and INVARIABLY left with a broken heart. That’s what led me to stop faking the funk 8 years ago and go natural– clearly I was reaching for a standard of beauty I could not attain. I learned to accept my hair, but n ever could really embrace it– it was way too puffy and had a wierd shape to it, so I was unable to wear it out after it reached my shoulders. I wore it pinned up or in a large pouf on top of my head. SOme days it looked ok, others…ugh. Most importantly, I was forced to wet it in the shower every day in order to get it too look passable. About four years ago, I noticed my hair was far less thick than it had bee, and it fell out copiously in the shower. All this changed, however, after my appointment with Miko.
Yes, she’s expensive, but she’s worth it. She’s a small lady with a calm demeanor, mellow. WHen I met her, I noticed that her natural hair is perfectly thick from root to tip and reached well below her shoulders– clearly she knows how to take care of her own hair. (Which made me think– how many hairdressers had I been to whose own hair was broken off and damaged, or who covered thier hair with weaves? Clearly these were NOT the right people to teach a young girl how to care for and respect her hair.)
Anyway, she combed out my hair to see the overall shape, noting that it was very uneven and had a lot of breakage. She gave me a haircut– and I won’t lie, she had to cut a lot off in order to even it out, but she still managed to leave some length. Next: wash, deep condition. Then, her assistant singled my hair with curly pudding, showing me how to do it to get good results at home. Tnen, I sat under the dryer FOREVER! But when I was finally able to look in the mirror, I was thrilled. For the first time ever, I was both happy with how my hair looked AND knew I’d be able to maintain it mayself! Miko added baby buttercreme after my hair was totally dry for moisture.
The one flaw with Miko’s salon is that she was not selling the Miss Jessie’s products at the time: I had to walk a few bloks to another place to buy them. I shelled out almost $100 for the curly pudding and baby buttercreme. WHen I got back to Baltimore, I bought a little $30 Gold n’ Hot tabletop dryer, a rattail comb, and large plastic clips from the nearby beauty supply. My style from the salon lasted about 10 days before it needed to be refreshed. I’ll admiot, I was nervous my first attempt would turn out crazy, but it looked good! It took about 5 hours cuz I did a 30 min deep condition, which I do not do all the time. I was able to leave for a quick trip abroad with full hair confidence (corny, but true!) knowing I wouldn’t have a bad hair day f-ing up my pictures. I just packed a travel-size container of buttercreme and my satin sleep cap.
Since that first self-style my technique has improved. Washing, condtioning, and Shingling takes about one hour. I am under the dryer for about 2 hours, so I just do some reading or listen to the veganfreak podcast. (I am a new vegan). ALl in all, it takes about 3 hours, once a week. If that sounds like a lot, let me remind you that I don’t wet my hair every day, fuss with it in the morning, or fret about how the style has deteriorated throughout the day. Belive me, that saves a LOT of time– and stress.
I sleep in a satin cap and fluff my hair up with buttercreme in the morning–and that’s it.
I know it’s wierd that I just wrote this whole long thing. No I am not Miko or a friend of Miko. I am just a one time client (although I plan to return this summer) But I am so grateful to her because through one session with her, my self-confidence and overall qaulity of life has improved, a lot. MOST IMPORTANTLY, my shit has stopped falling out– prob because I am not wetting it and scraping it back everyday, duh. I wholeheatedly recommend anyone with the extra dough go see Miko at least once. Unless you’re hair is fairly silky or “silkened,” I DO NOT recommend using the Ms. Jessie products without shingling!! Belive me I got lazy last week and tried. ALso, the buttercrene is rather thick and sticky and I would not nec. recomend it. I am currently looking for a new hair balm, ( but there’s no rush cuz I still have more than half a jar left!). The most nec. product for me is the curly pudding, which is only $30 or so. One jar has lasted me since mid Feb, and I think I have enough left for one more shingling.
To prove I am a real person, I am sending a pic to Ms. Afrobella. NOT TO POST– I’m a private person! But so she will know this is not an advertisement.I hope she does not mind i took up all this space on her messageboard! I wish I had a before pic available, but I generally avoided them unless my har was pressed. ( sad I know). Well, my hair is dry…I cen get out from under this dryer now! I hope this message helps someone out there. I’d like to end by suggesting all you afrobellas decolonize your diet and GO VEGAN!
–D. Darling
April 28th, 2007 at 4:02 pm
I don’t know, i saw another post on 2 forums and a woman shelled out like $225 for finger coils! She also felt pressurised to get a silkner ( how can a chemical procedure cost the same as simple styling i don’t know)
April 28th, 2007 at 5:49 pm
My curly puff loves this stuff! Great Review.
April 28th, 2007 at 7:10 pm
I just love Happy Hair stories — thanks for sharing yours, D. Darling!
April 28th, 2007 at 9:11 pm
I too am a vegan and want to share with D. Darling that ALL of the Miss Jessie’s products contain animal products esp. the curly pudding and buttercreme.
I will share my comments on my recent visit with Miko when I have more time.
April 28th, 2007 at 10:41 pm
umm i know that this is late as a comment but do you have any before/after pics that you could share with us? the ones at Miss jessies are so dramatic i’m still too scared to buy it!!! my hair aura is telling me otherwise though! LOL
April 29th, 2007 at 2:09 am
MAra– Dayum, even the curly pudding has animal products??? Boo.
April 29th, 2007 at 7:56 pm
At D: I really enjoyed your testimony, too bad you won’t have your pics posted for the rest of the readers to see, anyway thank you for your opinion.
Does Miss Jessie products work well on transitioning hair, or all natural?
April 29th, 2007 at 8:02 pm
I meant to ask does it only work on ALL natural hair?
April 30th, 2007 at 8:51 am
Designdiva,
I tried to use the Curly Pudding when I was transitioning, it didn’t do anything for me since the relaxed part of my hair did not curl at all. But the Curly Buttercreme is and was great for moisture, even during my transitioning period, and it helped me slick up my ponytail (my signature style back then when my hair wasn’t braided or twisted.)
April 30th, 2007 at 10:02 pm
RJ and Design Diva–
If I can manage to blur/obscure my face out, I will certainly email you some pics, perhaps thru your myspace pages?
–D. Darling
April 30th, 2007 at 10:18 pm
It occurs to me that a forum might be a good next move for this site…
May 1st, 2007 at 4:24 pm
Wow, just discovered your site and I’m addicted. I’ve tried curly puddng and buttercream. I find I don’t need buttercream if I condition properly (I use Ouidad for that and love the gel also). Curly pudding looks great is used on very wet hair in serious moderation…I separate into sections and run through with very little product. Although I love the Knot Today from Kinky Curly…I hate the gel. Too crunchy, from everyone’s review I’m wondering if I got a bad batch. Any advice on how to use it, right now I barely put any in and it’s still a crunchy mess.
May 2nd, 2007 at 3:57 pm
Hey, Well i say hats off to Titi and Miko Branch when they created Curly Pudding because that was the beginning of my curly hair regime. When I spotted the product in the Essence Magazine, i was like FINALLY an all in one product. Previously, I had been using oil, water,mousse,gel,everything, and it was just a lot of gunk and build up! My findings? Curly Pudding smells really sweet, like bubble gum, it worked when my hair was shorter,and still had relaxed ends, but not so much now. I LOVE Curly meringue! IT works well for me. I love the hold I get, and it gives me that weighed down look that I love when I wear my hair out. I didn’t fancy the Buttercreme, but wud def try the Baby buttercreme. I loved the moisture but not the scent of the Curly Buttercreme. I don’t use Miss Jessie’s anymore, I guess that’s cuz i can use CURLS and get GREAT results for such a reasonable price!!! But if i were gonna buy any miss jessie’s products again it wud be the Curly Meringue/Baby Buttercreme.
May 2nd, 2007 at 9:26 pm
I LOVE ALL THE PRODUCTS -especially Baby Buttercreme – it is the only thing I use in my baby’s hair and it makes her hair so soft and manageable….I say since there are trial sizes available that you should defintely give it a try – again, every product is not for everyone but just reading reviews you will never know what the product can do for you until you try..YES,,I am a product junkie if you saw my bathroom you would think that 6 other women lived w/me – but I live w/a 9 month old baby..LOL
May 7th, 2007 at 7:49 pm
For those who think the shipping is a bit high, naturallycurly.com is also offering the 2oz sizes and for priority shipping its only 4.99!!
May 31st, 2007 at 4:41 pm
I just got my curly pudding in the mail! It is 8 oz and I must say that the packageing is alittle different then the 16oz but its all good.Once I got it in the mail I went stright to the bathroom to wash my 3c hair type. I used pantene relaxed& natural shampoo and conditioner it made my hair soft and I brushed it with a soft brush w/ conditoner in it and the I rinsed and put on the curly pudding and I was amazing!!! This is by far the best thing I have ever tried my curls are so defined. this is my HG!
July 10th, 2007 at 4:15 am
Thanks for the post. I have one question though. I would’ve emailed it to you but I couldn’t find the address. What do you mean by shingle? Where can I see what that style looks like and how would I create the style?
September 7th, 2007 at 7:35 pm
D. Please please please let me see a pic. I have an appointment with Miko October 2007 in DC I was on the unt and I found her. I am so excited, please if you don’t mind I would LOVE to see a pic b4 I go to DC.
DivineNubienne@aol.com
November 3rd, 2007 at 3:58 pm
Thank you for the overview. I was on my way to buy the product and you have helped me figure out which one to try.
Thanks
November 30th, 2007 at 1:31 am
[...] I might as well just out myself as a Miss Jessie’s stan right now. I had real reservations about the price point way back when, but having tried the products, I know now that there’s a real reason that post that I wrote back in August 2006 has over 100 comments of bellas testifying. Now that Miss Jessie’s has come out with smaller sizes, I have no complaints. I can wrap my mind around a $9 2 oz jar of product, and for the Curly Pudding, that 2 oz can go a longer way than you might think. Not so sure about stretching a jar of Rapid Recovery, though. I have a pretty thick mane, and that recommended “golf ball size dollop” sometimes needs a little extra heft. And $48 is a lot to shell out for a product if you’re a bella on a budget. So here’s a little Thanksgiving cheer for you all. It’s the Miss Jessie’s Rapid Recovery giveaway! [...]
January 18th, 2008 at 5:56 pm
i have been wearing my hair natural with an occasional texturizer in it for out on the town events. i just recently heard of miss jessie’s hair products and i am very interested. i live in new jersey. where can i purchase?
February 4th, 2008 at 10:19 am
[...] the big jar will set you back $58. But is it worth it? In my opinion, yes — I loved it the first time I tried it. And if you don’t believe me, check out the Organic Beauty Expert. Or the ladies of the Long [...]
June 20th, 2008 at 10:21 pm
I have recently started using Miss Jessies products in the past month. I have the Curly Pudding and Curly ButterCream and I love these two products. My hair is naturally curly and thick and was previously VERY dry. I normally do a shake-and-go.. Wet in the shower, apply product while wet and shake my hair to seperate my curls. i have been natural for 10 months and this makes my hair look alot longer than previously. Once my hair has dried, the secret is to use a blow-dryer to really elongate and stretch my curls.. I just ordered the Curly Meringue so I cant wait to try the third product. I recommend this product for those of us who have a natural curl pattern. My cousin’s natural hair is more corse than mine and the products do not work well for her..
July 5th, 2008 at 7:40 pm
I’ve been working on a hair post (well, working on it in my head) for quite awhile because I always get comments in real life and in blog life on my hair and how I got it to ‘do that’, etc. Great reviews. And I am particularly fond of Curly Meringue and Curly Pudding. I know that Curly Meringue is best for wet hair but I like it a lot better than Curly Buttercreme and for some reason it does wonders for my hair even when dry. It holds the curl better than Curly Buttercreme which make it feel a lot more greasy.
Anyway to each her own and I have had ZERO problems with any Miss Jessie’s products. Totally worth the money.
November 27th, 2008 at 11:15 am
Bella,
How do I find out what type of hair I have? I’ve heard other women say they have 2b/2c hair from UTube and other places.
Thank you!
Monique
December 11th, 2008 at 7:05 pm
Curly pudding works! I use it alot during the summer because of the heat. I keep the curly pudding locked up during the winter because it takes too long to dry. I would never use this product on a daily basis because it causes build up and believe me it starts to feel like glue and that aint pretty ladies. My roommates hair began to shed really bad when she used it for a straight month! I say it’s best used when you seat under a dryer so that you can get more defined curls. My friend used this and nothing really happened to her long natural hair. It gave her waves, but no curls! This product works best on hair that has curls, because this product will not give you curls it will only enhance and define them. The price is too high, and I’m still on the first bottle I bhought last summer!
December 11th, 2008 at 7:25 pm
Oh yeah, I’m not crazy about the rest of the products. I can get the same results by using my regular products.
December 11th, 2008 at 9:26 pm
I am in the process of trying the Miss Jessie’s products. I tried the Curly Buttercream for a twist out and it looked nice and shiny but not really moisturized. I used the baby buttercream to moisturize daily. Everyone liked my hair and i was able to rock it for four days so the Buttercream is pretty good. The Curly Pudding is a big upset. I will take my Kinky Curly Curling Custard anyday over this mess. At least it is natural and won’t dry my hair out. It gave me a curly fro but nothing impressive. Next is the meringue that you like to so much, I am going to do a twist out and pray for decent results. take care and check out my youtube page for results: http://www.youtube.com/user/lyndaespratley
December 24th, 2008 at 1:02 pm
I know what the problem is – it seems all these product companies are slapping the name “Kinky” on their products and don’t know what the hell kinky is! so, let’s define, since now everyone has kinky hair all of a sudden. Before trying ANY product, you have to determine which kinky you are: White girl kinky, spanish girl kinky, or black girl kinky. there is a big difference in these kinkys, since two of the catagories is NOT KINKY AT ALLLLL! and because of this greed, i have to go out and waste money cause some company wants to sell products for EVERYONE when there is no such thing. there is no ONE product for EVERYONE. these companies need to pick their target customers, and handle the products as such.
December 24th, 2008 at 1:25 pm
Now, i said all of that to say this: last night i got soooo fed up with my KINKY, nappy, dry, coiled, short mane, that i went to Ricky’s and brought Miss Jesse’s products. i was originally in there to get Hair Rules products (i ordered it online before i realized they sold it in the stores locally, but got so desparate last night, i went to buy it in the store). while there i remembered reading about Miss Jesses’s on the same site i read about Hair Rules. so i figured, no sense in buying Hair Rules in the store and also having it come in the mail, without confirming if it works or not. so i decided to get something else besides Hair Rules to compare it to. well i got the Miss Jesse’s shampoo, the Culy Pudding and the Merigue. Now, i just washed it this morning, the shampoo is great as far as i’m concern (since my hair is black girl nappy and kinky and dry and this shampoo cleaned it without stripping it, and softened it, gave it a nice smell). then i put in the pudding before running out the door. well, i must say, i am happy with the results i got so far. why? because nothing else did what this did up to this point – which is something at least. I haven’t found a product i like at all in 33 years, which is why i always wore weaves up until a year ago. anyway, i like the Pudding because it actually gave me a tight coily curl look. i have been touching it every few minutes or so and yes it is a little stiff, so i can’t wait to use the merigue when i get home today, i have been following along and know that will soften it up a bit and moisterize it. so i’m not sure why some of you didn’t have any results. i’m not sure what kind of hair you have, but i can assure you it’s no where near as nappy as mine is. black girl nappy that is. might as well get that out the way, since i’m sure everyone will start saying they have nappy hair in the near future. so, like most people on here or every other site trying to find products that work, good luck and keep in mind you can’t really tell by the wording on the product, or word of mouth for that matter, since you wont know which catagory of KINKY their products work on. Also, i’m still looking forward to using the Hair Rules products as well. as long as something does something to my hair, i look at it like that’s a milestone.
December 24th, 2008 at 1:31 pm
sigh, and if there is any companies tuned it to this review, or if you are thinking about selling hair products PLEASE do yourself and your customers a favor, if you care about quality faithful customers that is, please catagorize your products for white girls, spanish girls and black girls. why? BECAUSE OUR HAIR IS TOTALLY DIFFERENT! us nappy mommas don’t mind heavy, thick, rich, strong smelling products in our hair. I THOUGHT THAT’S WHAT THE POINT WAS????? some of us don’t really like perfumes and colognes and to have a nice strong smell coming from our hair wouldn’t be a bother at all. (remember Muslim oils and heavy lotions, etc… THAT’S WHAT WE LIKE) we would just have to find the right scent and ta da. you have a permanent customer. whatever happend to quality vs. quanity.
December 24th, 2008 at 2:45 pm
and since i’m in a “venting about product mode”, can everyone STOP PUTTING THE WORDS “SHEA BUTTER” ON YOUR PRODUCTS!? you don’t know what the hell shea butter is, and who SHOULD be using it. and its very annoying buying silly little lotions that state its in there, when they forgot to state “just a smudge of it”. put something else on the product box like Aloe or something. shea butter is from Africa. it also works very good in repairing and restoring our skin. so, use another marketing technique please, we don’t have that many products for melanin skin as it is now. thank you.
December 24th, 2008 at 2:47 pm
whatever happen to keeping business small and intimate, for us by us? when the wrong hands get a whole of what works for us, they start marketing it to EVERYONE and then those same people are the ones complaining about the too greasy, or too thick, etc… WHICH IS WHAT WE NEED – then next thing you know we have a watered down product. so…..please, keep it in the family, if you know what i mean.
January 13th, 2009 at 11:56 am
Has anyone out there tried Etae products? I love them. They are all natural and they really nourish the hair.
Miss Jessie’s Curly Pudding did not work for my combo texture. I don’t have any kinks, just curly roots (4A), with very straight ends (2B) and some wavy (3C) in-between hair in some sections.
A little heat goes a long way, whether blown dried or under a dome dryer.
This has led me to believe that the only way for me to achieve curly afros and spirals in to buy some hair and add it on.
January 26th, 2009 at 12:55 pm
Miss Jessies! Miss Jessies!!Miss Jessies! You are right Afrobella! This product is hot! Finally something we can use that has us in mind! Not knocking pantene and clairol, but Titi and Miko are making ground in tailoring products professionally toward our natural patterns and simultaneously making gains in an Industry that abuses our consumer dollar! Lets get use to our new looks! Oh and if you are having trouble using the products correctly.. Study first! Complain later! oh and here come’s Kinky Curly!!!
March 19th, 2009 at 12:35 am
I have really thick and course hair and am thinking of using her products…thanks for the review!!
March 20th, 2009 at 11:05 pm
After more than 10 years of using crappy hair products from walgreens, cvs etc., I am so happy to have found and started to use Miss Jessie products. My hair is naturally curly 3C and due to my past uses of cheap hair gels (nexxus, Aussie or whatever mentioned the words “curl refiner” in them)my hair is suffering from extreme dryness. I’ve seen the Miss Jessie products before at Rickys NYC, but was releuctant to buy since I;ve used so many products before and not get the results that I want, plus I was afraid to cough up the cash and then not liek the product. After doing tons of research online, reading reviews and checking out the Miss Jessie home site, I decided to buy – and I’m so glad I did. The money that I spent on it was well worth it (I saved up some cash from my tax return). I bought the Rapid Recovery Treatment – which is amazing-very thick, creamy and it really feels like great moisture on the hair. I bought the Curl Pudding which is also great. I really don;t mind the smell – it actually smells great to me. And the whole shingling process is something that I’ve been doing way before I’ve even seen it on the Miss Jessie site so applying it was no big deal for me. After using the pudding, my curls were beautiful, soft the pudding does make it a little stiff but I like that because that just makes the curls last days longer. However, Since my hair is suffering from extreme dryness, the pudding didn’t really moisturize the crown of my head or my front hairline (the dryest parts of my hair, most likely caused by years of using hair gel). So I also bought the Buttercreme which is AMAZING! This stuff really moisturizes the hair. I do not mind the smell or the greasiness because this is what MY hair needs. I was so happy after I put it on, I just can’t stop looking at it in the mirror or touching it. My boyfriend also noticed how great and hydrated my hair looked and he loves the smell. I’ve read through most of the reviews above and I can understand the frustrations of some. But I really think if you go natural, you need to do research on what products you are goign to use on your hair. And also, make sure you know what your HAIR TYPE is. I think that is crucial b/c a lot of girls (and guys) go out and buy something that won’t necessarily work on their hair or it won’t give them the result that they want. I think that if you’re at the 4 level hair type, start with the Rapid Recovery Treatment and use the Buttercreme to lock in moisture. Once you fell that your hair is better moisturized, use the pudding and use the shingling process. It really doesn’t take long, it takes patience. Natural hair takes a lot of patience and trial and error. Believe me, I’ve been extremely frustrated with it and on the brink of straigtening. But I love my hair. If you’re still iffy b/c of the cost, buy the smaller bottles. But another thing is that the cream are so thick, you really don’t use as much as you think you would. So it’ll end up lasting longer.
I love the Miss Jessie products!
March 26th, 2009 at 1:43 pm
First, let me say that I love this website. Very informative. I have a question for you though. What products do you recommend for a 10 month old infant? I have a daughter who has beautiful curly hair but when it gets dry…its so hard to comb. I want to use something 100% organic/natural so its not harsh or damaging. Any suggestions?
May 22nd, 2009 at 1:32 am
I LOVE MISS JESSIE’S PRODUCTS.IF THEY ARE USED PROPERLY AND IN SMALL AMOUNTS YOUR HAIR COMES OUT CURLY. I JUST STARTED GROWIN MY HAIR NATURAL 3 MONTHS AGO AND COULDN’T FIGURE OUT WHAT I WANTED TO DO. A FRIEND SUGGESTED MISS JESSIE’S CURLY BUTTERCREME AND THE SHAMPOO N CONDITIONER (CREME DE LA CURL N CREME DE LA CREME). I DON’T EXPECT IT TO WORK FOR EVERYONE SO TO EACH HIS OWN. BUT IF YOUR JUST STARTING OUT CHECK OUT MISSJESSIES.COM
June 2nd, 2009 at 2:47 pm
I just wanted to let you know that I love your blog. I do am not such a fan of Miss Jessies. I get better results from Jessicurl and Kinky Curly.
July 30th, 2009 at 8:57 pm
I used Miss Jessie’s curly pudding (scented) and had an allergic reaction to it. I got hives everywhere the pudding or my hair touched. My whole face,my shoulders, neck, ears, everywhere. In all my 20 years of using thousands of products, I’ve never had a reaction to any of them. I looked at the ingredients and there were a few things that I have never seen before, probably one of those items did it. So test it first ladies.
September 8th, 2009 at 11:54 am
Thanks for the review. I love your blog and I love that you dont post tons of pictures of yourself like curlynikki.
November 16th, 2009 at 11:15 am
I used the Sniffer Sensitive Curly Pudding for the longest. I have been wearing my hair natural for about 7 years now and wore a fro of varying lenghts for all that time. I didn’t transition. I just shaved my hair off to get rid of my relaxer. I was the most liberating thing I’ve ever done. Back on subject, sorry; I used the Curly Pudding. I would shampoo or no-poo every morning and work it through my hair. (Shingling never worked for me). I would then let it air dry. I works well to define the curls, if you apply it evenly. Otherwise, you will have some parts that are not as defined. It left my hair very dry and dull though and that was my chief complaint. I didn’t feel like it moisturized very well at all. I don’t like alot of product in my hair and maybe I should have used something else in conjunction with the pudding to bring the moisture. I also felt that there was some breakage. When I checked the ingredients, I wasn’t that pleased. I checked some sites ont the ‘net and saw there were alot of good reviews for Kinly Curly Curly Custard. I went to Ricky’s and bought it. I have been using it since Thursday and I have to say I really like it. My curls are more defined that with the Pudding and the air drying time is a fraction of what it was. My hair is also very moisturized and very shiny. My only issue is that my hair feels a little crunchy. I think I may be using too much. I have to say that I prefer the latter product overall. The price is also an insentive. A 16 oz jar is $25.00 at Rickys as opposed to the $22.00 8oz. jar of Curly pudding.
December 22nd, 2009 at 10:43 am
Wow you’re in Miami? I think I need to visit YOU.. because I try all of these products and they just really suck.
Well the Kinky Curly line is probably the only line of stuff that does it for me. YEAH!
January 22nd, 2010 at 1:29 pm
Hey I tried the pudding and didnt like it. I saw this girl on youtube prettydimples01 and she had some great reviews and instruction on how to do our hair.
I tried her shea butter and it worked wonders, I love the stuff, though its like 8 dollars plus shipping.
January 24th, 2010 at 8:04 pm
I started using Miss Jessies products after reading about them online about a year ago. My hair is fine and I was tired of water based products because it seems that they cause my hair to knot on the ends a lot. Miss Jessies Buttercreme helps to prevent those knots and I have noticed that my hair stays moisterized longer and is growing longer since using this product. However, I am going to try Kinky Kurls as well, because I like the reviews.
January 25th, 2010 at 3:18 pm
I am curious, is the silkener the only product by miss jessie’s with chemicals in it?
February 25th, 2010 at 4:40 pm
I was wondering which product is good for thining hair?
March 5th, 2010 at 10:55 pm
Hey guys. I’ve been natural for about 3 1/2 years now and was using cheap shampoos and conditioners that would give my hair that ’squeaky’ clean feeling that I just HATED because my hair would get very dry and all tangled up afterwards. In Dec 09, I stopped being cheap and bought the Miss Jessie’s products when it was buy one get one…It was the best decision ever. I use the curly pudding for twist outs and leave my hair alone for like a week or two, then I use their shampoo and conditioner which let the comb SLIDE RIGHT THROUGH MY HAIR. I dunno, I guess you either love it or hate it and as of this year, I swore off cheap hair products. Just remember not to use too much pudding when twisting because it’ll leave white residue on your hair; besides, not much is needed to get the twists to hold:)