When I was young, I had some natural curl. Now I have a little girl, and her curls have a mind of their own—mind-boggling and messy! Most mornings I’m frustrated and fatigued before I walk out the door having to deal with getting two little girls ready for daycare and school and me getting ready for work. The fact that I have no control over my youngest’s head of hair, just adds to my morning stresses.

As I was visiting with a friend, I learned about It’s a 10 (miracle leave-in haircare product). I couldn’t wait to try it. When I went to my local Walmart, I saw that Walmart also had its own store brand of this product—Equate Complete 10. Because it was considerably cheaper, I had to give the store brand a try. But I also purchased It’s a 10, just to ensure I had something that would work.

Here’s what I found:

Both products work great, and I couldn’t really tell any difference in terms of end results. The curls were tamed and life just seemed a little brighter.

While both brands seemed to work equally as well, my complaint about the Equate brand was with the packaging. The pump didn’t work very well, which had me pumping over and over again without a full stream of product spraying out. While that may seem like a small issue, for a busy momma (or dad), simply trying to get kiddos ready for school/daycare and out the door on time, it speaks volumes to having as few frustrations during the morning routine as possible.

Perhaps the Equate brand had a bad batch of pumps (quality assurance checks are very important), or maybe they’re always this way and are poor altogether. I will say I won’t buy another bottle to find out. While I enjoyed paying less for a very similar product, I’m not sure it’s worth the potential frustration every morning!

It’s a 10 Haircare retails for just under $18 (4 oz bottle) at Walmart and over $23 for the same size bottle at Kroger. (Note to self – purchase at Walmart.) While I’m sure the pricing won’t remain static, I was able to find the 4 oz bottle on Amazon for just under $12, with an Amazon discount coupon applied. (Note to self – scratch Walmart and check Amazon first.) Walmart’s version of this product retails for just under $10 for a 4 oz bottle.

Overall, if you have time to waste and are dead set on saving money, then the Equate version of this product might suffice. However, if you don’t mind spending a few extra bucks for a frustration-free experience, then I highly recommend the It’s a 10 Miracle Haircare Leave-In Product.

Either way, it’s an IMBHO-Yes to using this product and keeping the curls in check.

IMBHO Contributor: LD

Note from the IMBHO Editor: Here’s a link to the It’s a 10 Haircare site. This is a woman-owned company, founded by entrepreneur and philanthropist, Carolyn Aronson. She is a self-made woman, with over 20 years as a hair stylist and salon owner. You should definitely visit the site and read more about her journey. She’s amazing!

While I don’t fight curly hair (just the opposite), her story makes me want to check out her other products, and you should, too. Be sure to tell Carolyn IMBHO sent you!