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1– The first product that I began to avoid when I first started my natural/healthy hair journey was hair grease/food. As mentioned in my moisturising black hair post, greases contain synthetic ingredients such as mineral oil and petroleum that can clog hair follicles, blocking moisture from getting into your hair and oxygen from getting to your scalp. Instead, I use natural oils such as Organic Virgin Coconut Oil (cold pressed and unrefined), Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Castor Oil etc (check the Label to make sure these ‘pure’ oils don’t contain any other ingredients) Being natural, these oils have the ability to penetrate directly into your hair strand instead of just sitting on the outside creating a shiny and greasy barrier.

 

2– I still use hair gel if I want a slick style that lasts all day, however I don’t use gels such as Pink as this one and many other popular gels contain alcohols which dry out your hair resulting in breakage, split ends and so short and/or damaged hair. I usually use Olive Oil Edge control or Eco Styler Gel which doesn’t contain any drying ingredients. You can also make your own natural hair gel at home out of flaxseeds and natural oils.

 

3– Many ‘old school’ moisturisers that I used to use or see other people use when I was younger (and still do now) such as Soft n Free, Pink, Dark & Lovely etc contain the same synthetic ingredients that hair greases do, smothering your hair in a film of chemicals and not moisturising it as well as other products could. With the natural hair movement becoming bigger and more people researching into black hair care and products, there are many brands and products on the market today that use more natural ingredients and so have the ability to work on the inside and out providing better care and results. One of my favourite brands is Aunt Jackies and I also like Cantu Shea Butter’s Leave in Repair Cream (I’ve recently gone back to using Cantu’s leave in cream!) I’ve also heard good things about Shea Moisture (they use a lot of natural ingredients in their products) and Mielle Organics and can’t wait to try their products out.

 

I wouldn’t necessarily say that these old products are ‘bad’ but ingredients wise they aren’t the best on the market. Let’s compare the ingredients in a bottle of Soft n Free to the ingredients in a bottle of Shea Moisture Curl & Style Milk.

 

Soft & Free Curl Activator Lotion:

Water (Aqua), Glycerin, Propylene Glycol, Behentrimonium Methosulfate (and) Cetearyl Alcohol, PPG-10 Cetyl Ether, Cetearyl Alcohol, Dimethicone, Cyclomethicone, Isopropyl Lanolate, Propylparaben (and) Methylparaben (and) Ethylparaben (and) Butylparaben (and) Phenoxyethanol, Imidazolidinyl Urea, Fragrance (Parfum), Tocopheryl Acetate, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Panthenol, Triethanolamine.

 

Shea Moisture Curl & Style Milk (Leave in Conditioner):

Deionized Water, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter)*, Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil*, Sugar Starch, Silk Protein, Essential Oil Blend, Melia Azadirachta (Neem) Seed Oil, Caprylyl Glycol, Sorbitol Esters, Algae Extract, Hyssopus Officinalis Extract, Salvia Officinalis (Sage) Leaf and Equisetum Arvense Extract, Daucus Carota Sativa (Carrot) Seed Oil, Lonicera Caprifolium (Honeysuckle) Flower (and) Lonicera Japonica (Japanese Honeysuckle) Flower Extract, Tocopherol (Vitamin E), Hibiscus Flower Extract
*Certified Organic Ingredient

 

4– Constant/regular use of heat appliances such as hair dryers and straighteners/flat irons dry out your hair shaft and scalp leading to dry hair which leads to hair breakage. Regular use of heat appliances can also cause heat damage (when your natural curl pattern loosens). Majority of the time heat damage has to be cut off as like a relaxer/texturizer, it’s a chemical change within the hair shaft and so can’t be undone. Instead of using hair dryers to dry my hair, I’ll moisturise my hair with the L.O.C Method and then set my hair in twists or braids until it is dry. When my hair is dry and I take the twists/braids down, I am left with stretched and moisturised hair with a curly/wavy pattern. This is called a twist out or braid out.

 

5– Fine tooth combs are black hair’s worst enemy, especially if your hair is natural, dry and hasn’t been moisturised. (Remember moisturisers are water or water based products). Fine tooth combs put stress on our hair and should only be used to create partings or when straightening in small sections. When detangling and styling, moisturise your hair first to avoid friction between hair strands which leads to cuticle chipping (damage) and then work through your hair in sections with your fingers or a wide tooth comb starting at the bottom and working your way to your roots.

 

6– A final product that I avoid which isn’t pictured is shampoo. Many shampoo’s contain harsh, and drying ingredients called sulfates which leave your hair stripped. Instead of using shampoo, I co-wash weekly (conditioner wash = washing your hair with conditioner) usually with Aunt Jackies in Control which states that it can be used as a co-wash on the label and use shampoo once a month for a good deep clean making sure that I definitely deep condition afterwards. Co-washing is a great way to clean your hair while keeping it moisturised at the same time. Other options are sulfate free shampoo which can still contain drying ingredients, just not as many or washing your hair with a mix of clay, apple cider vinegar and natural oils mixed into a paste. Clay washes are good for cleansing and conditioning hair while battling frizz and defining curls at the same time.

 

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