As a curly girl, l’ve had to test out a lot of different beauty products to figure out what works for me and anytime a new hair care brand enters the space, I naturally tend to raise a brow. Admittedly, I’m more of an approach-with-caution kind of consumer, but when I saw Shakira was launching her own line for curly folks my curiosity kicked in, and I was eager to try it.
The brand, called Isima, launched with eight products all of which by the way have super fun Latin-inspired names like “Superbomba,” “Delicia,” and “Suavisima.” Currently available is a clarifying shampoo, hydrating shampoo, hydrating conditioner, restorative leave-in conditioner, curl cream, hair oil, scalp oil, and hair mask. The line has everything you could need for your standard wash-day routine or those days when you want to give your hair a little extra love.
In the past, l’ve found that many curl formulas don’t give my 3B/3C curls the hydration they need, but when it came time to try out the products I was hopeful. Curious to see how Isima holds up? Read on for my honest review.
How I Used Ismia
Since this was a standard wash day for me, I opted to use about half of the products in the line. During the previous wash cycle, I used a clarifying shampoo, so this time I went with the Riquisima Hydrating Shampoo. I started by sectioning my hair into three parts and massaging it into my scalp. The first two things I noticed were the scent and the generous lather. In hindsight, I can honestly see myself skipping perfume for the day entirely because it was on the stronger side with notes of kumquat, peony, and tonka bean. FYI: the scent is the same across the whole collection, which I love because sometimes too many different fragrances can clash. I also appreciated how the biomimetic ceramide and Mexican aloe extract keep my curls from feeling dry while shampooing.
From there, I went in with the Suavisima Hydrating Conditioner, made with key ingredients like GluconaBond which recreates lost hydrogen and ionic bonds to strengthen hair and biomimetic ceramide to boost shine and reduce breakage. It’s recommended to leave in the conditioner for one to two minutes, but I applied it from mid-shaft to tips and didn’t rinse it out until after all three sections of hair were detangled. The consistency felt like a mix between a cream and a lotion-not too heavy and not too lightweight.
After rinsing, I kept my hair soaking wet and started applying the All In Restorative Leave-In Conditioner, keeping the focus on my mid-lengths to ends. In addition to the GluconaBond and biomimetic ceramide it also contains squalane, glycerin, and FiberSeal to smooth and seal the hair cuticle, replenish lipids, and add moisture. For added definition, I used the Curls Don’t Lie Curl Perfector cream, which has a light hold and offers heat protection for up to 450 degrees. It has all the same ingredients as the leave-in plus linseed and chia extract. Finally, I used the Delicia hair oil to keep my curls soft and shiny.
Isima
Súperisima Discovery Hair Kit
Pros: Same scent across all products , leaves hair soft, defines curls
Cons: Scent may be too strong for sensitive skin, brand doesn’t offer a gel or moose
The Results
After allowing my hair to dry, I found myself really surprised by the results especially since I didn’t use anything like a moose or a gel to lock my curls into place. I found that even with just the leave-in and curl cream, I managed to get defined curls that also felt soft and still had volume. I’m not a big fan of trading body for definition, so the fact that I didn’t have to compromise that when using this line was great. I was also shocked at the fact that I didn’t have to do any touch-ups on my hair until day three, which is ideal since I try not to wet my hair every single time I style it. I also really liked the fragrance. However, it was a bit strong in the beginning but slowly faded throughout the day. That said, if you like hair products that leave a lasting fragrance on your hair, this still gets the job done and lasts all day.
Before Isima
(Image credit: @sabrinasamone_)
After Isima
(Image credit: @sabrinasamone_)
Is Isima Worth It?
In short, yes, Isima is worth it so long as you’re not highly sensitive to fragrance. I really enjoyed how soft the products made my hair and how easy it was to get defined curls that held up over several days. I also appreciate that the whole line is relatively affordable with price points all less than $45. The only thing I would flag is that while the fragrance smells great, I can see those with sensitive skin being overwhelmed by it. I also with the line came with a gel or a moose, but even with the leave-in and curl cream my curls lasted 3 days before I needed a touch up.
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