Product Review: Monoi Deep Moisture Milk Souffle by Design Essentials

If you are searching for an intense moisturizing treatment, you may just want to try the Coconut and Monoi Deep Moisture Milk Souffle by Design Essentials.

This is a triple dose of moisturizing botanicals that provide hydration, softness and shine. It is the perfect treatment for dry, brittle hair. It also can be used on wet or dry hair. This product is not a styling aid or deep conditioner. It is simply made to add moisture to your curls.

So, what’s in this stuff?…

The milk soufflé contains shea butter, reparative milk protein and sunflower. There is no parabens, petroleum, gluten, phthalates, DEA or TEA. Wondering what monoi is? click here.

Just thinking…

This product can be used all year round. During the summer months, it provides the extra moisture needed as you spend more time at the pool or beach. You also don't want to spend a lot of time on your hair as you engage in outdoor activities. It also works during the winter months, when your hair screams for moisture during those bitter, cold days.

Walking through the process…

I found this product works very well for moisturizing hair. I used this product twice:

1. On my wash day (wet)

2. During my weekly touch-up (dry)

Overall, I preferred using it on dry hair. However, that’s only my preference. You may beg to differ.

I did not use a deep conditioner on my hair, but I did use an instant conditioner (Tresemme). I also did not use any other products because I wanted to give an authentic review without the influence of any other product being subject to the cause and effect of the product. I used the L.O.C. method in which I used flaxseed oil prior to adding the milk soufflé. It’s very concentrated, so a little goes along way! 

The cream feels like…

The cream is water-based and light-weight. It is very similar to a paste and unfortunately reminds me of mucus. (I understand it’s not the most appealing attribute, but it’s realistic.) The cream feels like a body lotion. It is absolutely not greasy or sticky. It is one of the things that made me purchase it. (And yes, I dipped before I bought it.) J

Wet Hair Results

After applying the cream and twisting each section, it was very well-moisturized. I noticed it tends to have shrinkage which is probably due to the glycerin in the ingredients. Normally, I do not like glycerin in my hair products, but for some reason, I didn’t mind it much. I really liked how this product glided onto my hair and it penetrated easily. It did not sit on the surface but actually absorbed into each strand. I also didn’t have to use any products in my hair for 2 or 3 days.

Cons

It had a slow drying time. My hair was still damp the next morning so plan accordingly. If you have 4c or thicker textures, you may want to keep that in mind if you’re planning to attend any activities while prepping your hair. I would recommend using a blow dryer on a light setting to pass over each section prior to untwisting. 

Another downfall, it did not deliver shine as promised. That’s not a biggy on my list because you can always use your favorite natural oil. One of my favorites is almond oil for sheen either before or after styling.

Pros

I loved the ringlets of curls when I first applied the product on wet hair. The curls were possibly due to use of a cream-based leave-in conditioner and oil prior to adding the souffle.  This product does not define your curls, but it does promise super moisture. Over a two-week span, I noticed less breakage in my comb and my hair actually feels much stronger.

Dry Hair Results

I used the milk soufflé on a day where I knew my hair needed to be moisturized. I simply re-twisted my hair with the product and organic coconut oil. I really didn’t need the coconut oil, however, it tends to be my staple and simply a preference when I’m untwisting my hair to avoid snags and unnecessary fairy knots.

Pros

There was instantly a boost of moisture and I felt like my hair was doing a happy dance! It was incredibly soft and my twist was swollen and plump.  It also improved elasticity. There was absolutely no flakes or residue. My hair was properly moisturized and felt amazing! 

There are no cons on the dry hair method besides additional shrinkage. Overall, it works like a charm!

Blow-drying Results

This product seems to work well with blowdrying too! I just had to update the post to include my results! I applied my leave-in conditioner with the Monoi Moisturizer Milk Souffle and it provided extra moisture which helped with the elasticity during the blowdrying process. 

Pros

Usually, my ends tend to pop off in balls as the heat penetrates and transitions my hair strands from a tight, kinky texture to straighter tresses, however by using this moisturizer, it protected the ends from extreme dryness that heat exposure causes. I didn't experience any frayed or popped off ends! 

Cons

However, you still have to use caution as it does not include any silicones so don't expect the blowdry to slide through your hair. You must still be patient and use care. However, the ending results were amazing! I followed up with sealing the ends with olive oil and my ORS Olive Oil cream.

Final Comments

Love it! I was searching for a product that hydrates hair on a whole other level and this product doesn’t disappoint on hydration. It gets rid of frizz and snaps those curls back into formation. 

However, it does not provide any hold so you will definitely need to add a styling aid. A few recommendations would be the ORS Olive Oil pudding or Miss Jessie's Curly Pudding, a mousse or hair gel to lock in your two strand twist. 

It's best to shy away from products that contain alcohol or products that leave your hair feeling hard and dry since that will defeat the whole purpose. If you can’t bare shrinkage, this may not be the right product for you.

If you’re looking for a product to deliver moisture-rich nourishment, this is the truth! I can't stress this enough...just remember, it’s not a styling aid, so if you're looking for hold and definition, you need to apply a product that will define your curls.

Just a few more perks, it’s economical, concentrated and effective. Yay!