EcoSlay Review: Everything but the Orange Marmalade

Ecoslay is a black-owned natural hair brand that includes cleansers, conditioners, stylers, and oils. To see my ode to the Orange Marmalade Gel, please visit this blog post. I purchased Ecoslay products several times with my own funds, namely the Orange Marmalade Gel, Banana Cream Deep Conditioner, Rice Pudding Leave-In Conditioner and Jello Shot (gel). I then reached out to the founder (who is extremely kind) and she sent me duplicates of the aforementioned products along with the Peppermint Schnapps Hair Wash and Matcha Boost Protein Treatment. This review is designed to focus on Ecoslay's cleansers and conditioners (all of which are color-safe).

Peppermint Schnapps Hair Wash

If you are looking for a cleanser that is somewhat clarifying but does not strip your hair, Ecoslay's Peppermint Schnapps Hair Wash is a great choice for you. The ingredients are simple and clean. The peppermint scent is invigorating. The shampoo is runny but manageable. When you apply it, you are able to generate a nice lather. Some of the star ingredients are essential oils including lavender, peppermint, rosemary and tea tree. I love these oils as they stimulate hair growth, and can sooth an itchy scalp. The inclusion of coconut oil, jojoba oil and honey keep your hair moisturized. I typically cleanse my hair 2x during every wash day. I used this product twice without issue. 

Would I re-purchase this product? Maybe. I like it very much and particularly drawn to the use of essential oils to stimulate hair growth. But I have a lot left, and some other cleansers on hand too. So I will not need more shampoo for another 6 months or so. If you are on the hunt for a good cleanser that is somewhat clarifying, check out this Hair Wash. 

Would I recommend this product? Yes. 

Matcha Boost Protein Treatment

This protein treatment is great for low or high porosity hair. On the bottle, the directions indicate how long you should leave this treatment in your hair before rinsing based on your porosity. Since my hair is high porosity, I can leave this product on for 5 minutes and then rinse. This is perfect if your hair is protein-sensitive and/or prefer not to do long protein treatments. The directions indicate that you should follow this treatment with the Banana Cream Deep Conditioner. When I rinsed the product out of my hair, my curls were a little more clumped than usual. My hair also felt moisturized and mildly strengthened. The matcha scent is fine and does not linger after you rinse the product out of your hair. With protein treatments, I usually use them 1-2x a month.

Would I repurchase this product?  Maybe. The jury is still out and I have two more uses left. (I get four uses out of the 8oz bottle.) I think my hair is somewhat protein sensitive and so doing a shorter protein/strengthening treatment is appealing to me. 

Would I recommend this product? Yes. 

Jello Shot (L) Orange Marmalade (R)

Banana Cream Deep Conditioner 

This deep conditioner is super thick.  If you turn the jar upside down, the product will not move. You also get 16oz for $20 which to me is a great deal. As expected, the product smells like banana, but the scent does not linger after you rinse it out. The slip on this product is great. I can finger detangle my hair in the shower. The product also includes moisturizing oils like argan, jojoba and avocado. I suspect I will get roughly 6+ uses out of this jar (at least.) This moisturizing deep conditioner is also color-safe which is a huge plus. If your hair is dry and craving moisture, I encourage you to check out this product. Also, as an added bonus, this deep conditioner can be used as a leave-in conditioner. 

Day 2- Jello (L) Orange Marmalade (R)

Would I re-purchase this product? Yes. The ingredients are clean and you receive a good amount of product for your money. The only recommendation I would make is for the product to be in a pump. I am always wary of using products in jars while I'm in the shower because I don't want the water to contaminate the container. This product is so thick though it might be impossible to put in a pump. 

Would I recommend this product? Yes. 

Rice Pudding Leave-In Conditioner/Moisturizer

This product was added to the Ecoslay collection in 2020. 2020 seemed to be the year of rice water products and I am okay with that. I love products with rice water as it saves me from having to make my own rice water. ✊ With a leave-in conditioner, I am looking for moisture, slip, and a product that really softens my hair. This product does just that. The texture is similar to that of most leave-in conditioners and it is concentrated. The scent of the vanilla and jasmine essential oils is noticeable but soft. I am not a huge fan of jasmine but I love the scent of this product. I do not find that the scent lingers in my hair. The price is $16oz for $12oz which I think is reasonable. I suspect I will get around 6-8 uses out of this bottle. Plus, the founder often has sales. I am able to use this product on consecutive wash days without issue despite the fact that rice water is a strengthening ingredient. 

Would I re-purchase this product? Maybe. My go-to wash and go gel is the Ecoslay Orange Marmalade gel and this product pairs well with that. I also find that my Innersense Color Conditioner pairs well with the Orange Marmalade. I like the idea of using a product with rice water as a styler to strengthen my hair and stimulate hair growth.

Would I recommend this product? Yes. 

Jello Shot (Gel)

Jello Shot was another product that launched in 2020. The texture is completely different from that of the Orange Marmalade. It is very thick, similar to Eco Styler Gel but with better ingredients. This gel is super strong. There is no need to be heavy-handed. The strawberry scent is light and like the other products, does not linger. This product pairs well with the Rice Pudding Leave-In Conditioner/Moisturizer. It also pairs well with my Innersense Color Conditioner. When I use the Jello Shot on one side of my head and the Orange Marmalade on the other, the Orange Marmalade side feels and is a little more moisturized. 

Would I re-purchase this product? No. I find the Orange Marmalade to be more moisturizing and I prefer the looser texture of that gel and the packaging (yay to the pump.) 

Would I recommend this product? If you are yearning for a very strong hold gel then yes. If your hair responds well to hard hold gels sure. But if your hair is dry like mine and craves moisture, no. 

Interested in trying Ecoslay? Get ready for a great Black Friday sale! 😄 Not ready to take the plunge on full-size products? Try out some of their travel sizes. 

                                                                                                                        - Rachel