Frequently Asked Questions
What hair type is Crown Reserve made for?
Crown Reserve is made for natural hair, especially Type 3 to 4 textures and low porosity hair. The oils are light enough that they will not sit on top of your hair or weigh your curls down.
What is the difference between the three oils?
Scalp Oil goes on your scalp. It is a 12 herb blend made to soothe dryness and keep your scalp comfortable, and it absorbs without leaving a heavy film. Use it 3 to 4 times a week.
Strands + Ends Oil goes on your mid lengths and ends. It is lighter, and it seals in moisture after you have added water or a leave in. Use it on wash day and whenever your ends feel dry.
The Original Formula is the 14 herb oil I made first. It works on scalp, strands and ends, so it is the one to pick if you want a single bottle that does everything. It is on its final batch.
If you are only getting one, start with the Scalp Oil.
What ingredients are in Crown Reserve?
Carrier oils including grapeseed, jojoba, avocado, sweet almond and amla, infused with herbs. The Scalp Oil has 12 herbs including rosemary, bhringraj and saw palmetto. The Original Formula has 14. Full ingredient lists are on every product page and on every bottle. No alcohol, no sulfates, no silicones, no synthetic fragrance.
What does a four month infusion mean?
After the initial double boiler extraction, the oil keeps steeping with the botanicals for four full months before it gets bottled. Most oils on the shelf are made in an afternoon. Mine take a season.
How do I use the oils?
Scalp Oil. Part your hair into sections. Apply 3 to 5 drops directly to your scalp with the dropper. Massage gently for 2 to 5 minutes. Use 3 to 4 times a week.
Strands + Ends Oil. Apply a small amount to your mid lengths and ends after you moisturize. It also works as a hot oil treatment. Warm it slightly, apply, leave 20 to 30 minutes, then shampoo.
I wrote out the full wash day order, gel and oil together, here.
Does the Flaxseed Gel work on low porosity hair?
Yes, and it is the product low porosity customers come back for. Low porosity hair beads water and pushes product back out, which is why the first shampoo often will not lather. The gel is water based, made from real flaxseed and slippery elm, and it does not lay a film over hair that already struggles to absorb. Use it on wet hair, in sections, and do not comb after it goes in. Here is the science behind why it helps, and here is how to tell if your hair is low porosity in the first place.
Why does flaxseed gel flake, and how do I stop it?
Flaxseed gel flakes for four reasons, and three of them are how it is applied, not the gel. Applying it to dry hair, using too much, and raking or combing after it has set are the big three. Add water first, use less than you think, and leave the curls alone once the gel is in. The full fix is here.
What does it smell like?
Herbal and warm. You will notice the rosemary, the clove and the peppermint most. There is no synthetic fragrance in it, so the smell comes from the herbs themselves and it settles down within an hour or so.
Will it make my hair greasy?
Not if you use a little. These are light oils chosen for low porosity hair, which is the hair type that usually gets weighed down. Start with 3 to 5 drops on the scalp. You can always add more.
How long does one bottle last?
A 2 oz bottle lasts roughly 8 to 12 weeks with regular use, meaning 2 to 4 applications a week, depending on how long and how dense your hair is.
How long does it keep once I open it?
Twelve months from opening. Keep it out of direct sunlight. The amber glass is there for the same reason.
Does it work on locs, braids or protective styles?
Yes. Use the Scalp Oil directly on your scalp with the dropper, between your locs or along your parts. Go light so you do not get buildup where you cannot easily wash it out.
Is Crown Reserve safe for color treated hair?
Yes. There are no sulfates, silicones or harsh solvents in these oils, so nothing in them will strip your color.
Is it safe to use if I am pregnant?
Please ask your doctor before using it. I am not a clinician. Some of the herbs in these blends, including rosemary and clove, are ones people are often told to be careful with during pregnancy.
Is there anything I should know about if I have allergies?
Yes. The oils contain sweet almond oil, which is a tree nut. Full ingredient lists are on every product page and on every bottle. Patch test before you use anything new, and stop using it if your skin reacts.
Do you offer a bundle deal?
Three sets, all priced below buying the pieces one at a time, and none of them need a code.
The Oil Duo is any two oils for $50. Choose Scalp Oil plus Strands + Ends, Scalp Oil plus the Original Formula, or Strands + Ends plus the Original Formula.
The Wash Day Duo is the Flaxseed Gel plus Strands + Ends for $40. The gel defines, the oil seals.
The Wash Day Trio is Scalp Oil, Flaxseed Gel and Strands + Ends for $65, which is the whole routine from root to end.
Every set clears the $40 free shipping line.
Do you have reviews from real customers?
Yes. There are unpaid video reviews filmed at my booth, plus customer photos, on the Results page. Written reviews are on each product page. Nobody is paid for a review and nobody is given a script.
Where can I buy Crown Reserve in person?
Around Baltimore and the rest of Maryland at farmers markets, expos and pop ups. The current schedule is on the Events page. Market pricing at Druid Hill Farmers Market is a little lower than online, and it is the only place that is true.
How much is shipping?
Inside the United States, shipping is free on orders of $40 or more. Below $40 it is a flat $8. Express is $15 if you need it faster.
International shipping is calculated at checkout based on where you are.
How long does shipping take?
Orders leave here within 1 to 3 business days. Standard shipping inside the United States takes another 3 to 7 business days after that. International orders take longer, and the time depends on the country and on customs.
What is your return policy?
If it is not right for you, email me at hello@alysiatawanta.com within 14 days of delivery and I will refund you in full.
You do not need to ship it back. You do not need to have kept it unopened. Just tell me what did not work, because that is how the next batch gets better.
Is Crown Reserve tested on animals?
Never. Crown Reserve is 100% cruelty free. I only test on curls.
Where is Crown Reserve made?
Every bottle is handcrafted in small batches in Maryland, by me.