Natural Hair Care 101: Product Review
Hola Buppies! So far it's been almost 1 year since I've gone completely natural (after a couple failed attempts) and my hair has grown like CRAZY (almost shoulder length already). So as you can imagine, it's been quite an experiment with different hair products and techniques to keep my hair looking its best. It has to be one of the most humbling and rewarding experiences to go from shoulder length relaxed hair, to no hair, to reintroducing yourself to your natural hair texture.
So today I'll just give a brief synopsis of the products that have worked best for me. If you have any feedback, please share with the community!
1. I'm using most of the Miss Jessie's line: specifically the Curly Pudding daily (and Baby Buttercreme every other day), which keeps my hair moisturized for straight out of the shower curls.
2. I'm also using the Miss Jessie's curly meringue for my straw sets and two strand twist outs. I don't necessarily like the smell but it works like a charm. I despise hair spritz or setting lotion or gels because it hardens my hair and dries it out, this is a great alternative. It gives a slight hold that actually doesn't dry your hair out or leave residue. Good deal. (btw, I also add Carol's Daughter Tui Jojoba & Shea Butter Sheen as a finisher for my twist out styles).
*Note with the MJ products, be sure not to use it too heavily (I've been there and it looks like I have a gherri curl! - not a good look unless your hair is still short and manageable).
3. I know it sounds like I'm getting paid by Miss Jessie's but for real, you MUST do the rapid recovery treatment once/week. Even if you don't try ANY of the other MJ products, this one is magic. Made with avacado cream and shea butter, this product will transform dull, matted, dry hair back into shiny manageable curls in a matter of minutes (this chick should give me a job). To further extend the benefits of this deep conditioner, you can try an overhead hair dryer for the best results. But if you're anti-heat products like I am - add it to your wet shampoo'd hair and add a shower cap before you shower. The steam from a 15 minute shower will be more than enough heat for it to work.
4. One of the main reasons I went natural is for hair health. I'd been noticing thinning around my hair line and breakage along the ends of my hair. However, during this past year I have consistently been using a product recommended by my stylist, and it's AWESOME. It's called "Ces Cheveux Hair & Scalp Revitalizer" It's pretty difficult to find, but worth paying shipping and buying online. Luckily I have a store a few miles away that carries it. I attribute the thickening and growth of my hair mostly to this product - the rest is just genes.
5. Okay, now for my regular shampoo and conditioner (I wash my hair about 3 times/week and rinse daily). For shampoo I alternate between Nioxin Cleanser and Nexxus Botanoil Treatment Shampoo. For conditioner I use Nioxin Scalp Therapy and occassionally Hair Rules Nourishment Leave-in Conditioner.
Well I know this sounds like a LOT of products, but I'm still testing the waters to see what really works best. I'm also playing a lot with accessories and styles and will share that along with my daily regimen soon.
Here are some of my questions to you natural ladies (and fellas):
- What are some of YOUR favorite products?
- Do you wrap your hair in a silk scarf at night? I don't unless I have a new style...should I?
- Do you sleep on silk pillow cases/sheets? - I don't...probably should.
- Do you pre-poo (condition your hair before shampooing)? - I do this about half the time.
- What has been your largest problems with your hair since your transition? - Mine has been moisture! Not to mention matting when I don't stick to my regular regimen or after certain styles.
- How often do you get your hair trimmed? - I used to every 4-6 weeks, but can't remember the last time I had a trim. I asked for one the last couple times at the salon (which is like once every 2 months now and they said I didn't need it). Not sure if this natural hair salon is looking out for hair health - shouldn't I have a trim by now?
Smooches.
