“Con amor, from one curly girl to another” is how each hair care product from Rizos Curls is marvelously signed. After going through many phases with her curly hair, L.A. born and raised Afro-Mexicana Julissa Prado spent years searching for the perfect formula to create a product made with quality ingredients that could celebrate all curl types. “From my Tía’s coily strands to my sister’s loose waves,” Julissa finally turned her dream into a reality with Rizos Curls.
I remember scrolling through my Instagram feed a year ago and encountered a Rizos Curls advertisement; as a curly head looking for the ideal product for my hair, I began watching several reviews on YouTube, all providing positive feedback about Rizos Curls.
After constantly waiting for a sale to purchase the Rizos Curls System Trio – which includes the Hydrating Shampoo, Deep Conditioner, and Curl Defining Cream – I finally managed to purchase it a week ago, for $45.00, plus $9.99 in shipping to Puerto Rico (originally $61.97). If you want to purchase each product individually, the Hydrating Shampoo and Deep Conditioner are currently on sale for $17.99 each (originally $19.99 each), and the Curl Defining Cream is also on sale for $19.99 (originally $21.99). They also sell the Travel Kit for $12.99.
However, Rizos Curls posted in their Instagram account great news for Puerto Ricans who live in both Metro and Eastern areas. These products will now be available in the following salons:
Personally, I have been dying to try out these products, so I decided to give the Rizos Curls System Trio a try to see if it’s completely worth the price. None of these products contain Sulfates, Silicones, or Parabens, and are Cruelty Free. Their formulas feature “Key Natural Ingredients including aloe vera, coconut oil, shea butter, moringa oil, and sunflower oil.” During the morning, I started using the Hydrating Shampoo, which is described to “softly clean the hair and scalp, deeply moisturizing and strengthening the hair, while treating dry scalp.” I shampooed twice, like I normally do when I wash my hair, and I am marveled by its clean, fresh scent. It also has a light-weighted texture and, as I lathered my hair, I felt my hair cleaner and softer by the second. The best part is it didn’t leave any residue after rinsing my hair.
Next, I tried the Deep Conditioner, which allegedly “strengthens, nourishes, and deeply moisturizes the hair, promoting hair growth, while controlling frizz.” I totally fell in love with its soft flower-like scent and its great slip. For curly-haired peeps, the slipperier the product, the easier it is to run your fingers, a wide-tooth comb, or brush through your hair. Since the instructions didn’t specify how long I had to leave the conditioner in, I let it sink in for five minutes to rinse it out. Many other conditioners I have tried, such as Cantu and Shea Butter, are too heavy on product and leave my hair either clean or soft (never both). However, I felt this light-weighted conditioner left my hair BOTH clean and soft, which is something important to think about. It was a great feeling after I rinsed out my hair and dried it up with my microfiber towel.
After drying my hair, I detangled my hair and decided to only add the Curl Defining Cream, to see how it works alone. This cream also contains a subtle, clean scent as you distribute it through your hair, and left me in awe how I instantly began seeing results after detangling and scrunching my hair. I let my hair air dry for about three hours, and felt in total surprise how clean, soft, and defined my curls looked throughout the day. When I arrived home from college at night, I just had to take a selfie because my curls looked even juicier than they were during the day. This meant that the Curl Defining Cream has great hold, and maintained my curls defined all day.
Even if this product is intended for all types of curly hair, we must be aware that not everybody will get the exact same results. Keep in mind my hair is short, and it is a mix between types 3A and 3B. This means I have loose curls and spirals (3A) on the back of my hair, and I have voluminous springy curls (3B) on the rest (front, sides, and crown). I also have fine hair texture, which means my hair is naturally smooths and responds to heat styling easily (which I don’t do anymore) and doesn’t need much product to coat my hair. My hair also has low porosity, which means my hair already has a big amount of moisture, and I should use liquid-based products that won’t sit on my hair and leave it oily or greasy.
Overall, I feel I made a wise choice by purchasing the Rizos Curls System Trio, because it worked wonders with my hair, and it took me to where I wanted to go with my curls. My hair goals are to achieve clean, soft, and defined curls, and I feel Rizos Curls did this job flawlessly. My biggest advice is to purchase the Rizos Curls System Trio – especially on a sale – because it is more expensive to buy each product separately. I still feel the prices should be more accessible to reach out curly/kinky heads from diverse financial incomes.
I also love the idea that it is one of the few Latina-owned curly hair lines on the market, which also serves as inspiration for other Latinxs who want to enter the world of entrepreneurship and achieve their marketing goals. I am highly looking forward to try out a Puerto Rican-based curly hair care product and apoyar lo local, but I am still on that search.
I love how Julissa Prado expresses in an interview how she began to love her big hair unapologetically, especially with the current “political climate where the culture of people of color is being stolen from us for profit.” Letting her hair au natural is her way of “protesting and owning space in a white, corporate America,” and Julissa always hopes that in places where minority representation lacks, her hair can stand out and say “I’m a person of color, this is my natural hair, and no I will not straighten it to make you feel more comfortable.” These words will always bestow me with hope and confidence, and I hope many curly/kinky heads out these also feel inspired to bring out representation in them and show the world the beauty of embracing one’s own natural hair.
For questions/comments, you may contact Julissa Prado on Instagram @RizosCurls or Email her at Julissa@RizosCurls.com