Posts for Hair Category

Fontana’s Project Natural was a huge success!

Hair - Paula-Nicole Campbell - July 19, 2018

Fontana recently held its inaugural staging of Project Natural at its Montego Bay location on July 29. The aim of Project Natural is to acknowledge and celebrate the natural hair community. The event was geared towards existing and potential naturals of all ages. The event showcased Fontana as the leading natural hair retailer. The event was well supported by natural hair influencers such as Vivianna Grant, Tiffany Samantha, Jessica’s Curls and Daina Dyer. The day’s activities included; discounts, giveaways, demos, instore promotions, natural hair runway and hair consultation.

There was a host of natural hair brands who participated namely; Alikay Naturals, Ettenio, TGIN Naturals, Kurlee Belle, Garnier Whole Blends, Garnier Fructis Curl Nourish, ORS, Aunt Jackies, Creme of Nature, Curl Care, Grandma Dots, Gwen Estelle Naturals, Jamaican Mango and Lime, Kera Care, Kumea’s Hair Perspective, Lady Shelly Beauty, Lotta Body, Mielle Organics, Orion, As I Am and Shea Moisture.

Marketing Administrator, Craig Wilmott-Simpson says ” We’ve heard the requests from our customers for more information and dialogue regarding natural hair and we had to respond. Fontana carries alot of products that caters to the natural hair community and it offers a space where customers can shop in confidence.”

Since the staging of this event, many customers and online fans have sinced asked Fontana where the event will be.

Let us know in the comments which branch you would like to see Project Natural next.

 

 

 

 

 

0
Continue Reading

Announcement! Jamaica International Beauty Expo (JIBE)

Hair - Nixx Woolery - July 19, 2018

Big things are happening in the world of beauty and makeup! We are happy to announce that Fontana Pharmacy is the platinum sponsor for the Jamaica International Beauty Expo. This year marks the inaugural staging of the event and promises to showcase the best in beauty, hair, makeup, skincare and wellness. The event is scheduled for August 10-12 at the Montego Bay Convention Center. Fontana will be an exhibitor at the event and we promise to give you discounts, giveaways and much more. Join us and JIBE with us!

It doesnt stop there because guess what? What’s better than one big announcement? Another big announcement! Fontana has partnered with JIBE to bring to you “Beautylicious.” This event will be held in Fontana Mobay on July 28th and we have so much planned for you!

Here’s a quick snapshot below of everything confirmed:

  • Discounts
  • Giveaways
  • Beauty Demos
  • Games
  • Music

Mark your calendars and come see us on on July 28th and August 10-12!

0
Continue Reading

Special product review and giveaway!!

Hair - - November 29, 2017

All those who suffer from visibly dry hair, please raise your hand.  Is it hard to find the right regime to give your hair moisture, hold and shine?

I’d like to help you by giving you two good product reviews and a giveaway.  As a former struggler of dry feeling, and looking natural hair, I empathise with your cries for moisture and shine.  I tried everything to get the right balance and I’ve found a duo that works. Nature’s Collection’s Shea Butter Hair and Scalp Moisturiser, and Argan Oil Herbal Revitalizer.

             

Nature’s Collection’s Argan Oil Herbal Revitalizer was made to repair, soften and protect hair.  The instructions say that it can be used daily before styling.  I used this product as my moisturiser and styler.  It made my 3b/3c hair soft to the touch and really helped to form my curls and coils.  It’s lightly perfumed and offers a fragrance that’ll transport you to your favourite tropical isle.

After I’d thoroughly moisturised and partially curled my hair, I used just a little of the Shea Butter Miracle Growth on my hair and massaged some all over scalp. I wanted this product to act as a coat on top of the Herbal Revitalizer.  It gave my hair very nice shine and held my curls together for three days.  During those three days I did nothing but pick my hair to give it some fluff and body since I’d flattened it during my sleep.

Although it is a Shea Butter hair and scalp moisturiser, it does not smell like Shea Butter.  It has a rather fruity, tropical, sweet fragrance and its colour is just as tropical being a mango/orange mix.  It is infused with castor and coconut oil so that it can help with healthier, shinier and faster hair growth.  I must say that even four days later, my hair is still shinny, and I really appreciate this product for that property because my hair is very easy to get and look dry.

For this one timely blog exclusive giveaway, I want to bless a fellow naturalista with a Nature’s Collection Shea Butter Hair and Scalp Moisturiser and an Argan Oil Herbal Revitalizer.  Comment below ‘Fantastic Giveaway’ and the winner will be randomly selected on a date to be announced.  Also feel free to ask in the comment section any burning questions you may have.  Local entries only.

 

0
Continue Reading

Fight frizz with Alikay Aloe Berry Styling Gel

Hair - - November 14, 2017

 

 oh snap
Time to get real! Here’s everything you need to know about the Alikay Aloe Berry Styling Gel.

For a while I was stunned as to how to prepare an intro to tell you about Alikay Naturals Aloe Berry styling gel. I was stuck for a while because every time I thought I had something to work with, I’d counter myself by remembering that there are other gels that persons are more familiar with and have already read and viewed raving reviews about; so who am I to come to you with something different?

Truth is, I can only come to you as the truthful hair enthusiast that I am. I absolutely love when people find products that’ll help them to fall more in love with their hair.  So, I have no choice but to bring it to you as is.

My friend Kamaya and I have been long time fans of Eco Styler Gel. However, whilst walking throughout the hair aisle at Fontana Pharmacy, arbitrarily reading what some of the hair products could do and their ingredients, the Alikay Aloe Berry Styling Gel particularly piqued her interest.

So you know as the hair enthusiast that I am, I was all …

treat yoself

The first thing I gotta tell you about this product is THE SMELL. This product is a candy store on its own ! I guess that’s where the ‘berry’ element comes in because it smells like strawberry heaven; even it’s consistency is keeping with the fun theme, closely resembling jello/pudding.  Watch out for the ants with this one, the scent is pretty strong.  However, don’t worry, as it dries the scent goes away.

On the other hand, I must admit that the only downside to this product is that it’ll leave behind its strawberry goodness on your fingertips, tinting your fingers to a reddish hue. But don’t worry guys, it’s nothing that some good ole’ water can’t fix.

Nonetheless, the packaging is just as tropical as the scent, using a mix of colourful hibiscus flowers and other tropical flora to call forward the kinky, curly, wavy and straight hair types to indulge in the natural goodness.

Aloe Berry Styling gel

The problem many people can’t seem to escape with gels is its ability to make the hair crunchy, stiff and hard.  Kamaya noted however, that this gel in particular allowed her hair to have movement unlike her usual Eco Styler.  She explained that her curls felt free and loose and was soft to the touch.  She was equally amazed when she realised that once fully dry, her hair had no flakes.

Kamaya’s hair is 4a and although she was initially a little heavy handed with the product, she remarked that had her hair been wetter, less product would’ve been needed.  Nonetheless, she marvelled at the moisture her hair had despite the amount she’d used.  The next day she was happy to report that even though she’d slept on her hair, her curls were still in tact and didn’t even need a touch up … not even at the roots y’all.

disbelief

The instructions advises using a nickel size (about the size of $20 JMD) and work it through wet or dry hair.  BUT!! Let’s be for real, nickel size amount does NOT exist in the natural hair realm.

Alikay’s products are made from all natural and organic ingredients which was one of the major selling points for Kamaya.

The product contains Aloe Vera, coconut oil, almond oil, vitamin E and a lot of other hair flourishing stuff.  What’s also good about this product is that it’s safe for coloured hair.  Why not style and treat your hair at the same time? It’s a great addition to your product stash, especially for the minimalist naturals out there.

Below are Kamaya’s results.

Kamaya's before

Kamaya's results 1
Pass through the Fontana Pharmacy nearest you and pick yourself up Alikay’s Aloe Berry Styling Gel.
0
Continue Reading

This Jamaican-made leave in conditioner is the truth

Hair - - November 3, 2017

Oh Yes! Leave-in-conditioners; they really make the world go round.  It can be used to moisturise your hair, help fight frizz, act as a styler and the list goes on.  Local brand, EG Wellness Brands went to work in the lab to come up with a leave in that would serve up some serious moisture. True coconut & olive oil leave in conditioner was made to protect and repair dry, brittle and damaged hair.

What better way to get honest feedback but directly from the horses mouth, right?  I spoke to  my friend Tracy, who is seemingly addicted to this stuff and has already gone through THREE bottles! It must be good because Tracy is a natural hair enthusiast and only goes after credible products; so if she went for this THREE times, well it must be good.

“When I was about to buy it at Fontana I was hoping that it would actually work for my type 4 hair and that it would live up to the hype.  It actually smells nice; like mint.  When I was applying it, it felt tingly on my scalp which I really liked; it felt like if I had put some peppermint oil on my scalp.”

FUN FACT! The leave-in contains peppermint oil which will leave the scalp or any part of the body feeling cool and refreshed.  It promotes hair growth because of its ability to stimulate blood circulation.

“I got great slip when I’d apply it to my wet or dry hair and it feels so moisturised, even days after I felt the moisture still there. The formula isn’t oily, ‘wetty’ or greasy either; it’s thick and rich.  I love to use it to detangle my hair.  When I put it in my hair was instantly softer.  The day after application it felt SO moisturised and soft.  It stayed on my hair and didn’t leave it feeling weighed down.  I grew from ‘in-like’ to ‘in love’ because of all these things PLUS I didn’t have to apply it everyday, unless I felt the need to.  I’d keep buying it and would recommend it to others because I believe it’s moisturising and a very good product.”

You can stop into a Fontana Pharmacy near you and snag yourself this early Christmas present.

 

 

0
Continue Reading

The answer to dry hair! Ettenio Crème de la Crème Moisturiser

Hair - - October 26, 2017

Dry hair … It’s our biggest nightmare and has the ability to ruin any colour treatment, wash and go, twist out or bantu knot out.

Can you imagine a wash and go with just the right amount of volume but it’s dull, and looks and feels dry? The root of the problem? Your roots; more specifically your scalp.

Dry hair is usually brought on by a dry scalp that does not produce enough natural oils (sebum) to moisturise the scalp and by extension the hair shaft.  In other cases of dry hair, enough sebum is not produced to coat the entire hair shaft which lends to breakage since parts of the hair are drier than others.

The most obvious and common solution to this problem is to simply add moisture to help your hair. Products such as conditioners, hair masques, hair lotions, leave-in conditioners, moisturisers and oils were designed to do just that, help provide and lock in moisture.

One product worth taking note of is Jamaica-made Crème de la Crème Moisturiser by Ettenio.  It was made to combat dry and damaged hair by infusing some of the best moisturising agents nature has to offer.  The all natural moisturiser contains ingredients such as distilled water, marshmallow, coconut milk, Jamaican black castor oil, aloe vera juice, honey, shea butter and many others. Having been made from organic ingredients, its smell is subtle and not heavily fragranced.

The formula is heavy, thick, and creamy; very similar to a body cream.  Such a consistency lends to a lot of added moisture because it has its own ability to moisturise, and having been infused with natural oils, it has it’s own sealing property.

In the previous blog post, you would have noted that I’d cut my hair off because I didn’t like how dry it looked and felt.  Even with short hair, my dry hair problem had not gone away.  I picked up this product at Fontana Pharmacy to be my moisturiser, but as I read more into the product description I realised it could be a styling product for coils and braid outs etc.

In the picture below, I’ve only used Ettenio’s Crème de la Crème and Kirby’s 100% Pure Jamaican Black Castor Oil.  Here are the results after I stretched my roots to add volume.

I spritzed my hair with water, raked in some of the product, followed by castor oil.  I then smooth the product into a very small section of my hair using my fingertip and twist the end around my index finger to form the coil.  When air dried, my hair was soon soft and was visibly moisturised.

   

If you’re tired of dry hair, try combining Kirby’s 100% Pure Jamaican Black Castor Oil and Ettenio’s Crème de la Crème Moisturiser to style and ensure your hair’s health.  Both products were made in Jamaica and are available at any Fontana Pharmacy near you.

0
Continue Reading

The Ogx Conditioner you NEED!

Hair - - October 20, 2017

Do you ever just want thick, full, long, healthy hair in the quickest and fastest way?

I’m always looking for a conditioner or styling product to help strengthen and grow my hair since I’m way too lazy to do a protein treatment – even if it’s every 6 weeks.  While at Fontana Pharmacy, I crossed the OGX Biotin and Collagen Conditioner and after reading the label, I became really intrigued. It promises to infuse nutrients into every strand and create an appearance of thicker, fuller, healthier looking hair.  I bought a bottle for myself and here’s why it should be a staple product.

  1. The ingredients.  This conditioner has an exclusive blend with vitamin B7 biotin, collagen, and hydrolysed wheat protein.  All these cook up to make the perfect agent to grow, strengthen and thicken hair.  It can be used to strengthen hair after bleaching, colouring, flat ironing/heat styling, and can be definitely be used for relaxed hair on wash days.
  2. Very moisturising.  It feels very moisturising and makes the hair feel soft whilst its still in and conditioning the strands.  Even when I washed it out, my hair felt like a freshly washed blanket; so smooth, soft and fluffy.
  3. It has slip. The consistency of this product makes it great for detangling.
  4. Smells great. It’s hard to pinpoint the exact fragrance but I promise you, it smells SOOOO YUMMY and the scent lingers even 2 days after.If you’re battling dry, limp, or brittle hair I encourage you to stop in the nearest Fontana Pharmacy to pick up and take a nice whiff of the OGX Biotin and Collagen Conditioner.  Your hair will definitely love you for it.

 

0
Continue Reading

HOLY GRAIL !! Kirby’s 100% pure jamaican black castor oil

Hair - - October 19, 2017

I had been struggling to find products to moisturize my hair for a long while.  It bothered me so much I resorted to cutting it off.

     (Yeah. Dramatic. I Know).

I’d been using some of the best products on the market, I would watch YouTube videos and follow the girls’ regime to the T, I’d even try my best to muster up the strength to deep condition each week … and as soon as my hair would air dry, it would feel soft for a few hours then it would look visibly dry and coarse, at least in my opinion.

After I had summized that my bleached ends were to blame, I’d cut even more hair off.  THEN the very next day it hit me like a tonne of bricks … CASTOR OIL!!

I had given many many oils a try; from the infamous coconut oil, olive, argan, avocado, jojoba … and nothing.  My hair would still look and feel dry.

I decided to switch up my regime and give castor oil a try again since I had stopped a while back.  I thought it was a bit too heavy and ‘stink’ for my liking, but it always made my curls pop and have hold and shine.

I went through the hair aisle at Fontana, making sure to go after a Jamaican brand of castor oil so I can get a good quality product; nothing imported. I took my time reading the labels and checking for consistency, and I settled for Kirby’s 100% Pure Jamaican Castor Oil.

This product makes my hair soft and SHINNY !! Alas, I’ve found a holy grail product to add to my hair product stash.

I put a little oil on my fingertip and massage the oil on to my freshly washed scalp. I then section off my hair, distribute and rake Shea Moisture’s Curl Enhancing Smoothie into my hair, followed by Eco Styler’s Coconut Oil Gel, then I seal everything with some castor oil. Lastly, I’d give my hair a nice shake to help my curls naturally clump together.  I had been doing this process for some time without the castor and my hair would still get dry and frizzy.

I’m absolutely in love with this product and I will DEFINITELY continue to buy.

What was especially appealing to me and this brand was the packaging. It didn’t feel cheap and it wasn’t fading.  As for the smell, it has an odour which should tell you that it’s very natural as castor oil does have an acquired stench to it.  However, once the hair dries and a couple hours pass the oil will work into your hair and smell like any other hair product and not necessarily castor oil.

If you have dry, dull hair and you’re out of ideas, go into Fontana Pharmacy and pick up Kirby’s 100% Pure Jamaican Castor Oil.  I promise you WILL NOT regret it !

0
Continue Reading

Cleanse and Moisturise your hair in half the time

Hair - - October 6, 2017

Co-wash! Co-wash! Co-wash!

The As I Am light, no-suds, cleansing cream formula, also known as the As I Am Coconut CoWash is designed to remove product residue and preserve your hair’s moisture.

Cowashing is the best go-to regime for naturals who need to save time.  It produces the after effects of shampooing and deep conditioning combined, giving you a 2 in 1 in half the time; visibly clean and moisturised.

s

It smells like a tropical coconut explosion; gentle yet prominent.   It’ll hold on to your strands even when you’ve rinsed it out and have begun to put in your styling products.  It’s consistency offers so much slip because it’s a balance between ‘watery’ and creamy.  It literally melts away the tangles in your hair.

I’m pretty sure this isn’t the first place you’ve heard about products melting away tangles but this one actually does.  For extra stubborn tangles, work a generous amount of the product into soaking wet hair, cover it with a shower cap, and you can either sit under a hooded drier or allow your body’s heat to create a steam reaction in your hair.

Carry about doing your chores or watch some TV, and after 15 minutes the product would have not only moisturised your hair but it would have loosened up your tangles.  Comb through with your wide tooth comb in sections to detangle, give your scalp a nice, massaging scrub and then rinse the product out.  Be sure to comb the product throughout the hair and massage your scalp in a downward direction so you don’t cause tangles.

The product is said to be gentle enough for use everyday and has the ingredients and moisturising benefits to provide the hair with the right conditions to grow.

If you’re always on the go or you’re looking for a cleansing product to give you clean, moisturised hair, visit a Fontana Pharmacy near you or visit fontanapharmacy.com to snag yourself the As I Am Coconut Cowash.  You won’t regret it !

 

 

0
Continue Reading

The Jamaica-made edge control you need to know about

Hair - - September 21, 2017

The photo above has been us all at one point.

You’ve got your slick pony tail going, snatched wig, neat box braids or your messy bun, and then the sight of it stops you dead in your tracks.  UNLAID EDGES! And your reflection is now staring back at you like, “sis what is you doin’?”

Although used synonymously, our edges are different from our baby hairs, and Jamaican brand, Your True Shade has taken the time to develop a paraben free gel to put fly away baby hairs at bay and help you get the look you want!

The formula is said to have super hold, is non flaky and can be used for all hair types including weaves and wigs.  Simply use a small amount on your fingertips and distribute at the roots, baby hairs or plucked hair on wigs – of course add more as you see necessary.

This product will make the above image a thing of the past.  I tested the product out on hair types ranging from 3 – 4, and  without having to plaster on the product, our hair received hold throughout the day with very little to no flakes.

Although it’s a gel, the consistency also lends itself to be a softer form of edge control.  It distributes throughout the hair far better than an edge control ever could on weaves and wigs or a slicked back look, for example.  Additionally, the slight edge control consistency provides additional hold to the gel.  Think of the consistency as if edge control and gel had a baby – it’s hybrid.

If you’ve found yourself out of luck with gels and other edge controls, come in to a Fontana Pharmacy near you and pick up Your True Shade’s Baby Hair Slayer.

0
Continue Reading