It’s a new year, which for me means new hair! It’s a time for the naturally curly community to share all of our treasured hair secrets, keepsakes, and staple products that we love so we can help our struggling and future naturalista sisters to thrive. To start off this new year and begin the voyage to fan-tabulous hair; (fantastic and fabulous at the same time”>, I’ll be sharing my all time favorite hair products–every product in my arsenal from top to bottom that my Type 4 coils love.
Not sure what your hair type is? You can find out your curl pattern with this guide.
Shampoos
- SheaMoisture Raw Shea Butter Moisture Retention Shampoo, $10.99 (in CurlMart“>
SheaMoisture is one of the first natural hair product lines that was introduced to me when I first started my natural journey back in college. One of my favorite aspects of this product is that each ingredient is natural and its animal safe. Some of my favorite ingredients of the product are the Shea Butter, Sea Kelp Extract, and Aloe Vera Leaf Juice. I implement moisture into every step of my hair process. This doesn’t strip my hair of its natural oils, either.
- Carol’s Daughter Tui Color Care Hydrating Sulfate Free Shampoo, $13.00 (in CurlMart“>
This product has been a favorite of mine from my relaxed hair, to multiple transitioning stages, and even today. My favorite ingredient in this product is the Aloe Vera Juice because it works very well as a basis for infusing moisture into hair strands. Not only is the smell of the shampoo fabulous, it also works great for color care. As I’ve become more courageous in my experimentation with hair color, I’ve used this product more than ever to protect fading of my custom hair color. While using this, my hair color has remained vibrant for much longer.
Conditioners
- Tresemme Expert Selection Perfectly (un”>Done Conditioner $4.99 (in Walgreens“>
I recently discovered this product late last year when my favorite store didn’t have any of my go-to conditioners. This product is marketed as a daily conditioner; however, I use this conditioner as a co-wash. The sea kelp extract in this my favorite ingredient because it helps to lift a good amount of product and sweat build up from the scalp. I liked that my curls were completely defined and frizz-free. This is a good, inexpensive daily conditioner or co-wash for naturalistas on a budget.
- SheaMoisture Yucca & Plantain Anti-Breakage Strengthening Conditioner, $10.99 (in CurlMart“>
Lack of moisture is one of the many causes for breakage, which hinders length retention. This conditioner got me through a tough phase when I couldn’t keep my hair moisturized. Aside from establishing a proper wash regimen, this conditioner possesses many ingredients that my hair loves. The yucca and plantain conditioner has is packed with ingredients that to moisturize and infuse light protein particles throughout the hair. The plantain extract infuses moisture into the strands, while the baobab oil bonds to chips in the hair strands to increase resistance to styling and friction. This product is great for naturals with low porosity hair.
Deep Conditioners
- SheaMoisture Jamaican Black Castor Oil Masque $12.99 (in CurlMart“>
Once again as a frequent user of hair dyes to change up my style, this deep conditioning masque does a great job in restoring moisture to over-processed and chemically treated hair. This product is filled with tons of hydrolyzed protein that help to fill the areas of the hair strands that have been weakened by overuse of heat. This product helped revitalize my strands after dyeing my hair. I also loved using this product after performing a deep protein treatment on my hair to balance the moisture and protein level. Lastly, I love this product as a great moisture preparation for when I plan to heat style my hair. The proteins and moisture enriched ingredients help prevent a barrier to the lengthy process of drying and flat ironing.
Co-washes
- Crème of Nature Pure-licious Co-Wash $6.99 (in Walgreens“>
There aren’t enough words to describe how much I love this co-wash. It does a phenomenal job at ridding the scalp of dirt and debris without leaving a trace behind. I love that this co-wash makes my hair soft and full of moisture. Shea Butter is a main ingredient of this product and is the source of the intense moisture infused into the strands alongside glycerin and of course water. This is great for naturalistas that hit the gym every day and need that clean feel to their hair before they can start the day. And for my naturalistas with coarse and kinky hair this product is for you.
- Eden BodyWorks All Natural Coconut Shea Cleansing Cowash, $8.50 (in CurlMart“>
This is for the naturalista who likes to keep her wash process short and simple. It is one of my favorites because it’s complete with ingredients that I love such as Coconut oil, Shea Butter, Aloe Vera, and water. I couldn’t ask for anything more simply put together. This product has a light lather when mixed with water. It’s a great product for naturalistas with thick hair strands.
Stylers
- CURLS Crème Brulee $8.99 (in Target“>
I love this styler for more reasons than I can count. To start with my first love for this product is that it smells phenomenal. But more importantly, this product contains Shea Butter and glycerin, which moisturizes the strands very well even after the cleansing process. I use this product all year long because in the summer months my hair attracts just enough moisture but my style stays intact. In the winter months, my hair doesn’t attract dry out from the lack of moisture in the hair. One of the best things about this product is the soft yet firm hold. This product is really good for naturals that are not fans of using gels.
- Carol’s Daughter Healthy Hair Butter, $17.00 (in CurlMart“>
This is another one of my long time staple products. I love that this product works as a styling defense against friction and dryness. This hairdress is great for frequent protective styling and styles that require lots of tension on edges. I attest to this as someone that lived by “baby hairs on fleek” until my edges came out. This product was great for reviving my edges and preparing them and my ends for any stress I was about to put on my hair. As someone that loves my poetic justice braids I also use this product to prep my scalp for the tension used during the braiding process.
Which natural hair products were your faves in 2015?
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