Worried about how many natural hair products you actually need? You may think going natural requires just only ditching the relaxer but that way of thinking will cause lot of problems, breakage and setbacks. Going natural takes practice, patience and the correct natural hair products. This natural hair blog for beginners is all about teaching you what you need and how to use them and that includes day ONE on your journey.
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The natural hair movement has been growing steadily with blogs and sites giving you information on everything from what’s the best product to wash your hair to the best curly diffuser to use. They do skip over what a new natural will need when first going natural. We’re here to not only show you the basics, but what you need after the big chop or at the beginning of your transitioning journey. Check out what natural hair products you need on day one of going natural so you start off on the right foot!
A clarifying shampoo is a ultra-cleansing shampoo that remove all traces of dirt, product build-up. They are necessary for removing hard water deposits and chlorine. They are relatively new to many black women but so are a lot of products that we didn’t even realize we needed just like heat protectant. It was a long time before I even knew I need this type of shampoo so don’t fret if you don’t have one but know they need to be added to the list.
They also are great for getting all the relaxer products you’ve been using in your hair out so your natural hair products will work better. They won’t strip the relaxer out of your hair but instead remove all traces of dirt, product, pollutants and hard water deposits.
Moisturizing Shampoo, 10 Of The Best For Natural Hair
There are quite a few out there but as our strands are delicate, here are a few that are gentle yet powerful enough for our natural hair.
Something very new to naturals is washing hair with a botanical conditioner (plant-based) to remove all traces of dirt, product build-up and pollutants without stripping hair of it’s moisture. Our natural strands are delicate and shampoo is often too harsh for our strands. Most curly-haired women have ditched shampoos altogether and have found better hair with these co-washers.
They are necessary and a new staple for many and here are a list of the best of the best:
Sulfates, surfactants or cleansers are too harsh for our strands. Clarifying shampoos have them in their formulas (most of the time) and one of the reasons we don’t use them often. Simply put, a sulfate-free shampoo is free of sulfates or primary surfactants. They are just milder detergents that don’t completely wash away hair’s much needed moisture. Most do not lather and are great for 3 & 4 hair textures or color-treated hair.
Many naturals who have not embraced or don’t care for cowashing opt for sulfate-free shampoos and find them to be perfect for removing all traces of dirt without stripping all their moisture.
10 Best Cowash Cleansers For Natural Hair
Here are some of the best and most favorite of veteran naturals:
Leave-in’s are light, water-based conditioners that have been specially formulated to allow for more frequent use than regular rinse-out conditioners. Leave-in conditioners don’t require rinsing and can be used daily without excessive build-up. Many leave-in conditioners contain humectants, which draw water into the hair. This makes leave-in conditioners perfect for moisturizing and preventing dryness.
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Some regular conditioners can do the same. I personally LOVE and use regularly, Shea Moisture Manuka Honey & Mafura Oil Intensive Hydration Conditioner as my leave-in. Honestly, you just need to find what works for you and here are some excellent ones.
Deep conditioners are penetrating conditioners that adds moisture, maintains elasticity, and strengthens the hair strands on a deeper level. They are some of the most used natural hair products on the market! They actually penetrate the hair shaft and not all products have that ability. That’s the magic behind a deep conditioner. Deep conditioners have fortifying ingredients that should be free from drying alcohol, parabens, and mineral oil. It should have humectants and emollients such as oils and good fatty alcohols such as cetearyl alcohol.
They should be used on every wash day and often if you suffer from continuous dryness, you are not doing this faithfully and with heat! Here are some superb ones that many naturals love.
There is no point to moisturizing your hair if you skip the vital step of sealing it in. Choosing a great sealant for your helps keep hair moisturized but also protects hair from damage and aids in hair growth by keeping hair strong. The best sealants are natural oils but not all oils are the same. Some oils are too heavy or are moisturizing in nature like coconut or olive so here’s three of the best. Blended oils are excellent too so know that you have options. Many of these beloved natural hair products also double as hair growing aids. Many use Black castor oil to help regrow edges. The benefits are pretty endless.
Hair stylers aid in giving hair hold, definition, and even preparing hair for your desired style. From gels, to foams, to souffle’s; natural hair stylers complete the hair regimen and give hair life. There are tons of styling natural hair products to choose from and your style will dictate which type of styler to use. Finding just the right one will take trial and error but here is a list of a few favorites.
There are thousands of hair accessories great for our hair but there are quite a few that will damage your strands in a heartbeat. Cotton pillowcases, hair ties with metal attachments, regular towels are all dangerous to our strands so the items mentioned below are specifically designed to keep our hair from frizzing up, drying out and losing your style. If there are a million cleansers and conditioners, then there are billions of natural hair products when it comes to hair accessories. To make it easier, I’ve listed a few staples that I always keep on hand because they are vital to keeping hair protected and moisturized:
Optional Products are ones that are not necessary to maintain natural hair but may be used from time to time. Don’t feel you have to get them but know certain styles require them. Some are heat styling tools so make sure to also use a heat protectant to protect your hair from heat damage! Here are a few that are popular:
This natural hair products list may seem overwhelming and many of these items you will not use every day or every week. This is just a comprehensive list of what you will need when first going natural. Most of the products you used while relaxed are not ideal for your natural or transitioning tresses so don’t break the bank getting everything but know you will need all of these things at one time or another as a natural woman.
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Is there something I missed on this natural hair products list that you think or wished you had when first going natural? Share below!
Sabrina
