I was recommended to try Ojon’s Restorative Treatment, after complaining to a saleswoman at my local Sephora about how dry my hair was. She told me that Ojon was a new line of that made hair products that were great for women of color. She also said that everyone who bought it raved about how much they loved it. So I headed toward the Ojon aisle and was intrigued after reading that the product line was based on the oil of the nuts from the Ojon tree. This tree only grows in a certain region of a rainforest in Central America, and one tree produces about eight thousand nuts, which makes about three cups of oil. The oil was pretty much unknown to the world but had been harvested and used for centuries by a tribe called the Miskito’s who call themselves Tawira, or “the people of beautiful hair,” because they use the oil religiously on their hair. But after noticing that the treatment cost $55 for a jar, I decided to leave my intrigue at the door, and headed off to find a more affordable conditioner.
This all changed after watching QVC one afternoon and noticing that Ojon was being featured on one of their beauty segments. I tuned in and learned that the brand had a great story behind it . The company started after the wife of current president of Ojon Haircare, Denis Simioni, noticed that her hair was feeling extra dry one day. She decided to use a hair paste that her grandmother, who had visited from Honduras, had given to her. She’d bought the small jar of paste from an Indian who comes down once a month, from his home in the mountains, to sell it on the street. The paste was made from Ojon oil and it made Simioni’s wife’s hair look fabulous. So he decided that he wanted to make hair products for the masses using the oil and flew down to the Mosquitia region to learn more about what it was and how it was processed.
Upon arrival he realized that everyone in the Miskito tribe had great hair and skin even though the sun was blazing down on everyone. Most of the women had hair down their backs that was in excellent condition, it was soft, vibrant and healthy looking. Luckily for Simioni, and us, the people were willing to show him the process for extracting the Ojon oil, which is time consuming because it’s all done by hand, and they agreed to go into a partnership with him. After a few years of testing different formulas they wound up with several products named after the oil.
After hearing the story, seeing Simioni’s wife who’s the model for the products (she’s drop dead gorgeous even without her killer hair), and hearing several testimonials from excited customers about how great the line was, I was sold. A week or so later I arrived back at the Sephora, my tail tucked between my legs and bought the treatment. It’s sold in a small jar which is supposed to last for about thirty treatments, depending on hair length. The treatment, has a nutty/coffee scent, and is supposed to be used while it’s in a solidified form. Because it’s made from 95% all natural Ojon oil it can melt at room temperature so you have to keep it refrigerated in order for it to remain as a paste. To apply all you have to do is scoop it up with the comb included in the package, rub between your hands to melt it slightly and then apply enough to your dry hair to fully saturate it. Then shampoo and condition as usual.
After trying it once, you won’t be able to live without it, especially if you depend on any kind of chemical process, or heat to style your hair. It seems to reverse all the damage you’ve done to it. You don’t even have to wait a long time to see the results because as soon as you start apply your first treatment, your hair will feel softer and more manageable, less frizzy and damaged. It made my hair feel the way hair is supposed to feel and even helps to delay or prevent split ends.
Ojon recommends that you use the treatment once every week, but if your hair is really damaged you should use it twice a week until your hair starts to become healthier. If you’re in a rush you should leave it on for twenty minutes and your hair will feel luscious. But if you want to fall in love with yourself, leave it on overnight and your hair will be soft as a baby’s bum. For best results use it consistently every week so you can have the hair that you always wished you could have.
