Back in August, Weusi was working the National Black Theatre Festival and attended a vendor market. He came across a new, all natural, body and hair product line, Zuresh, and got to talking with one of the creators. The seeds of a possible Hairscapades/Zuresh collaboration were planted and the plan was to try to get a Zuresh rep to our September Meet-Up. Alas, the meet-up was never to be, thanks to Irene. But, don’t worry, I’m working on a new date! Until then, check out this review by Michelle, who had a chance to get her hands on one product out of the line last month!
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by Michelle of Radiant Brown Beauty
When I attended the Circle of Sisters event in October, I stumbled upon a new brand. It’s not new to some, but it’s new to me in the sense that I had never heard of it before that day. Ever the sista desiring to try something new, I caved to my product junky ways and purchased Zuresh’s Smoothing Detangler & Curl Definer.
I was excited to try this product because the manufacturer boasts it being able to define your curls – which I’ve had little success with using other brands. Although my excitement was firm, it took me a couple of weeks to actually use the product. When I did, there were definitely some things I liked about the product and ONE thing I did not. Read on …
Zuresh Smoothing Detangler & Curl Definer is formulated with the following:
Ingredients: Distilled water, Aloe Vera Juice Puree, Tahitian Coco Palm & Gardenia Oils, Rosehip, Hemp Seed, Carrot, Meadowfoam, Vitamin E Oils, Silk Peptides, Amino Acids, Guar Gum, Essential Oils, Fragrance
With those luscious natural ingredients, it has to be good right? Well, here’s my take:
PROS: Smooths and gives the appearance of thickened hair, like it says. I did my first flexi rod set using this product and my hairstyle held up pretty well. I was glad too, because it was the night of the Curly Nikki event in NYC. Hence, the claim that it “brings your curls to life without the crunchy hold and feel,” is right on the money.
This product also claims to remove tangles and knots. I can’t speak for that since I didn’t have any. Now on to the CON (notice, it’s singular).
CON: While Zuresh did a good thing by making this product with fabulous natural ingredients, it smells HORRIBLE! I just can’t take it. It smells like it has gasoline in it. I can’t tell you how I had to hold out until now to share this.
Unfortunately, the smell is a deal breaker for me. I can’t possibly see buying it again unless it’s reformulated to smell better. I even sprayed it on my daughter’s curly weave and she turned around to ask what it was that smelled so badly. So, I’m not the only one.
Sorry, Zuresh. The product claims are on point, but the smell is way off. Maybe drop that fragrance (which is hard to believe is causing such a ruckus, since it’s last on the ingredient list).
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Does the smell linger once dry Michelle? I don’t love the smell of Wonder Curl Butter Than Love, but it works so well and fades a lot once dry, so it doesn’t bother me. I’d be really torn about a product that does what it claims, but does it with a scent that is distasteful. And dang, gasoline?!?! Yeah, that’d be a hard one to stomach. Maybe take a little sample of it and add an essential or fragrance oil to see if it helps?
Have you ever discovered a product that you absolutely loved everything about … except for the scent? Is smell a deal breaker? Have you found ways to get around, mask or eliminate undesirable scents in products that you otherwise love?
hairscapades 
Gasoline?!?! Lawdddd!!! LOL. Scent is always a deal breaker for me!
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Deal breaker for me too! I can’t imagine a hair product smelling like gasoline? ‘Eau de Mobile’? Lol! That’s a first.
Your curls came out really pretty and smooth though Michelle. Hopefully they will re-formulate.
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Thanks Viv. I need to redo the flexi rod set though for when I have more time to sit down and do them a little smaller.
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I will try your suggestion of adding an essential oil to a little sample of it. However, that smell made me nauseous! The smells doesn’t linger though but the time I need to put it in I just can’t take it.
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First of all Michelle, I always love your reviews, you go hard!!!! I’m with Shelli, if I can stand the smell and it wears off later and it gives me great results, it’s a keeper. I remember using Ghee from my local indian store (review to follow) to pre-poo and oh, boy the smell was horrible. I smelt like old rotten butter, but the results where great on my hair.
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🙂 I just try to keep it real. I’m not sugar coatin’ nuthin! Just as if I love a product, I’ll sing it’s praises I do the same for if I don’t quite love it.
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i brought this same product at a loc event in philadelphia and it smells nothing like you describe. Weird. me and my husband use it and i know he wouldnt use it if it smelled bad. i like the ingredients but it did nothing to define my curls it actually seemed to stretch them out making them less defined and ym hair has tight curls.. One thing we both love from the Zuresh line is the Lemon Cake body wash and body butter! addictive!
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Hmm now you have me wondering if I have a bad batch. Who knows how long the bottle I bought has been sitting.
At any rate, I still won’t buy it again. I’m not the only one in my house that thought it stunk so it’s definitely not me.
As for the defining of my curls I may agree with you. See, since I used it to curl my hair with the flexi rods, the set came out sleek. Perhaps the product helped stretch my curls and that made it sleek.
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I have to agree with lilindian. I have the same product and it doesnt smell bad either. i like the definer and the body butter and full body cleansers (which they say you can use to wash your hair) alot. Lemon cake is nice but my faves are Poetry and Speechless.
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Maybe the product was either a bad batch or it had no preservative since one of the main ingredient is aloe vera juice which is suppose to be stored in the refrigerator.
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I just tried this product for the first time today, and you are right. The smell is HORRID. It smells like my hair has been burned. I have been trying to leave a comment on their ‘contact us’ page, but I keep getting an error message. I am so disappoitned that I spent my money on this product!
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Hey people,
I too am wondering if you all had a bad batch. My friend brought this product and it smells like coconut cake with whipped cream or something similarly delicious…
I also have to give props to this product. I had my natural hair in a ponytail for three days. It was matted, dry, short and did I mention dry?
What I did was take my hair in sections, wetted it first with water and a hint of Jane Carter leave in. Then I spritzed the Zuresh on the sections, finger combed through and sealed in the moisture with Jane Carter Nourish and Shine. I then two-strand twisted in about 15 medium twists.
I had to take my hair out a few hours later because of an event I was attending, so I put some Loreal Studio Hair Putty in to hold the curls, not too much…
My hair was very soft and defined. So I gotta say, I’m sticking with Zuresh for now. I was doing a search for their online shop when I stumbled upon your blog.
I hope you’ll try some things twice. I would contact Zuresh and see if you can either get a refund or a free new bottle to try again. The smell is actually what I liked, and others commented on how good my hair smelled as well.
Hope this helped…
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Cake and whipped cream??? You had me at cake! LOL!! Wow, that sounds crazy! Does sound like a bad batch as you don’t go from cake to gasoline!! Maybe something got into the bad smelling ones and polluted the product? Adjoa, have you ordered anything else from the line yet? Just wondering what other stuff in the line is like! And thank you for YOUR review!! It’s good to have some different experiences with the smell of the product in the comments!!
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I have thick hair that gets horrible ratty tangles in it and it takes forever to brush through my hair! But Shielo’s Leave in Protectant make it so easy, my hair is so soft and shiny, I apply to my hair wet and dry and it does not build up and it does not get greasy. PLUS, it controls frizz throughout the whole day. And i look so much better that way. . .
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Don’t you all kisten to that fool. ZURESH IS # ONE BEST PRODUCT ON THE MARKET!!!!!!!!!!!
you just had a bad batch, and you should have contacted her before you criticed her product. Think before you speak remember, how you criticize someone you best believe someone is talking about you 10 times more.
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How was she to Know that she had a bad batch if she never tried the product before? She has every right to give her opinion on the smell. Just how you are putting her down you best believe that I am put you down and sharing how silly your comment is on my Facebook Hair page. Too bad you didn’t want to share your name or picture but I can see why.
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I agree. Bad batch – it happens on extremely rare occasions. The products are all-natural with no preservatives. You would have been given an exchange if you reached out to the company, but I understand being a new client, you may have thought that it was supposed to smell like that. I’m a Chicago rep for Zuresh who has been using SD&CD for over 4 years. It defines my curls like crazy and gives me incredible shine. People stop me all the time and ask what I use on my hair – EVEN ON BAD HAIR DAYS! LOL I’m sorry for your bad experience, but I hope the next time you see our table at an event, you stop by, share your story, and let us immerse you in a more heavenly Zuresh experience. 🙂
– Sabrina Ewell
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The smell was a deal breaker for me as well. I thought it smelled like baby puke. So needless to say, I haven’t use it again. I don’t know if it was a bad batch or not. The next time I try it it will have to be a gift or a give-a-way item.
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