My Natural Hair Must Haves to Promote Healthy Natural Hair

Here is a list of my go to products and essential must haves:

SHAMPOO

One'n'Only Argan Oil Moisture Repair Shampoo- I really like this shampoo. I got it from Sally's for like $3.50 since I have a beauty club card. I cleanses really good and adds moisture. It's sulfate, phosphate, and paraben free.

I really really want WEN by Chaz Dean! Check out the official site here!

CONDITIONER

Herbal Essences Hello Hydration Conditioner- This was the first conditioner that I ever tried! I love it. It smells so good just like coconuts on a tropical island. LOL. This product was so gentle to my hair that I have even used it as a leave in. I also tried Totally Twisted Conditioner too. But I prefer Hello Hydration. They are both like $4 at Walmart. TRESemmé Flawless Curls Conditioner works extremely well to. I still would go with Hello Hydration though. I think it maybe the smell lol.

HAIR OILS

I use a wide range of hair oils. My all time favorite is extra virgin olive oil. I also use coconut oil and  sweet almond oil which I got from Whole Foods. I use Castor oil but I got it out of the pharmacy section in Walmart.

 

FOR ADDING MOISTURE

Shea Moisture has been really good to me as far as MOISTURE is concerned. I have the whole line of Coconut & Hibiscus. The Curl & Style Milk is a great moisture product in general. I use it after I co-wash. The Curl Enhancing Smoothie does not enhance my curls as far as definition is concerned but it does moisturize and add a nice shine. I typically use this when I'm wearing a puff of some sort. The Hold & Shine Moisture Mist is okay. I use it to add a quick boost of moisture especially when I am wearing an afro.

CURL DEFINING
Kinky Curly's Curling Custard works really well for me. I love the wash and go look. I have used the Knot Today with it and without. It is a great leave in product even when your not going to style. The Spiral Spritz worked really well for my twist outs. My twists were really defined when I used it. ECO STYLER Olive Oil Styling Gel works wonders! I use this especially when I don't have the time to set my hair.  I just wet my hair, apply the gel, and put on my  half scarf to lay my hair down and define waves. When I get to my destination, I remove my scarf and put on a stretchy headband.

                                                     


NIGHT CARE

Before bed, I will detangle with a spray bottle of water and a leave in. Then I use a satin bonnet. On lazy nights, I'll sleep on my satin pillow case instead of bonnet.

GROOMING

Every natural needs to at least have a good wide tooth comb and detangle brush. I bought most of my wide tooth combs from my local beauty supply store. They usually have a bundle of different types of combs for under $5. The famous Denman D3 Classic Styling Brush is really good. It is expensive but you can get it from Sally's Beauty Supply for cheaper if you are a beauty club member. Membership is just $5 a year.

If you still don't want to pay too much but want a similar brush, you can definitely find one. I got one from Kmart for my daughter. It was buy Conair. I think it was like $3.

NOT FOR ME

Organix Rejuvenating Cherry Blossom Ginseng Conditioner- This conditioner did not add moisture to my hair at all. I was not very fond of the smell either. I was pretty disappointed especially because it wasn't cheap. It's a small bottle and you don't get a large amount of product.

Giovonni Direct Leave In- My hair absorbs this product to quickly. I'm not sure why. I get lasting results better when I use Hello Hydration as a leave in. I will try the other Giovonni leave in products in the future I'm sure.

Miss Jessie's- I tried samples of the Baby Butter Creme and Curling Pudding. They both made my hair feel hard. I didn't like that feeling. I am also not willing to pay that much for products. It's the most expensive product that I have found and tried.

SAMPLE SIZE

Cantu Shea Butter- This product makes my hair feel amazing. It was so soft and shiny. The problem was that it left white residue. It didn't matter how little or how much I used.

REMEMBER THAT HAIR VARIES FROM PERSON TO PERSON. EVEN IF YOU HAVE THE SAME HAIR TYPE, A PRODUCT THAT WORKS FOR ONE MAY NOT WORK FOR ANOTHER. VISE VERSA. GOOD LUCK!!!

A Few Natural Hair Tips

I have been asked a lot in general from co-workers, family members, and even strangers about what hair products I use. Since the Big Chop (BC) on May 21, 2012, it honestly has been trial and error. What works for some won't work for others. I do not know what number my curl pattern is. Its very strange because I have some ringlets, soft curls, waves, straight pieces and more all kinda mixed in there. I can just tell you what I have used and what works for my hair.

CLEANSE WITHOUT THE LATHER

I love washing my hair. The soapier the cleaner right? Wrong! I was completely shocked that tradition shampoos actually do more harm than good. Traditional shampoos lather which actually strips your hair of natural oils and nutrients. I can remember that feeling too. It is suggested using a shampoo that is free of sulfates. Sulfates are what causes your shampoo to lather. The research that I have done explains that you don't have to shampoo as often as you think. Many people shampoo everyday to every other day. Try using conditioner instead and limit your shampooing to a few times a month. Now I don't shampoo often. I co-wash or conditioner wash every other day. I probably shampoo just once a month, typically the last Friday of every month.

RETAINING MOISTURE 101

This is the most important thing for any natural. MOISTURE! African American hair tends to be dryer than other cultures. For that reason we must add moisture to our hair. I have tried a lot of things. One thing that worked before was the LOC method or Liquid, Oil, Cream. Now that I am about 7 moths post BC, that doesn't work for me. Basically the LOC method is what use use after a co-wash or wash. The liquid (L) is water. The oil (O) is any type of oil that you like. Most naturals use olive oil or coconut oil. I use a oil moisture: Olive oil, sweet almond oil, coconut oil, and castor oil. For cream you can use a number of things, raw shea butter being one of the most common. Moisturize  as often as possible. Don't wait until your hair is bone dry to add moisture to to. Check out my post on my Natural Hair Must Haves.

GOOD LUCK ON YOUR HEALTHY HAIR JOURNEY!!!