Category: natural hair products

Natural Hair Now–Stores Are Taking Notice

Posted on by Michelle
natural hair products in stores
NEW Product Display at Sally’s Beauty Supply
geared towards Customers with Natural Hair

When I started transitioning in the summer of 2008 (well relaxer stretching that led to transitioning), there wasn’t a lot of products available locally for natural or curly hair.  That was fine by me because thanks to YouTube and online hair forums I found a lot of information on how to make my own.  I learned all about making whipped shea butter, sulfate free shampoo and hair oil mixes.  I pretty much tried everything.  Then one day I discovered a natural hair product line called Kinky Curly.  On YouTube ladies were raving about the curl definition the Curling Custard gave and did tutorials on how to use it.  It also had natural ingredients so I thought it would work great for me.  Then I saw the price.  This is where I started shakin’ my head.  Just because the product stated it used all natural ingredients meant I had to fork over thirty bucks?!  No maa’m, I didn’t feel the need.

Natural Hair Products in stores
Loads of Curly/Natural Hair products now
available at Walmart

Since then there have been lots of other products lines that have come onto the scene.  All of them using the words, “natural,” “curly,” and sometimes “organic,” to hook new customers.  The thing that made me really start considering paying for one of these products, was the availability.  Yes, I’m that lazy person who doesn’t really want to go through the process of ordering something unless I KNOW it’s the bomb.  I remember though stopping dead in my tracks the first time I saw Miss Jessie’s, Kinky Curly and Shea Moisture hair products in my local Target store.  Seeing the items every week while doing my regular shopping was very tempting.

The selection for Curly and Natural hair products has probably tripled since then.  I even found a full display of products once only available online in Walmart!  Even Sally’s is trying to catch some notice by moving these products from the back of the store towards the middle (where the other products for “ethnic” hair began).

If I were newly natural right now, I would probably be a total PJ  (a.k.a Product Junkie).  The displays in stores hold so much styling pomade, cremes and whipped concoctions that it must be really hard filtering through all of that.  Thankfully though I have gotten past the stage of trying things out to see what works.  I pretty much know what works for me and I’m sticking to that.  Still, I just find it funny how stores spent years practically hiding hair products for us somewhere in the back or on bottom shelves and now they’re on full display.

What do you think about stores changing it up in the hair product aisle?  Are they viewing Natural Hair as a trend to make money from or is this going to last?

Updated Hair Regimen and Products List

Posted on by Michelle

I was looking through my blog the other day and noticed that I still had my old regimen from Fall of 2010 up.  There were lots of products listed that I haven’t used in ages so I figured it was time to update it.  Here is my current regimen and products list.  I may make some changes (I always do) but this is what is working for me right now.

NOTE: where products are bulleted I just use one of the items listed

Pre-Cleanse

I part my hair in 4 sections and apply conditioner prior to cleansing with shampoo or conditioner.  This helps to stretch out my shrunken hair and remove any shed hairs.  This step also helps with detangling.

Shampoo-1-2 times per week
  • Elasta QP Creme Conditioning Shampoo 
  • TheraNeem Naturals Moisture Therapy Shampoo (sulfate free)
  • KeraCare Dry & Itchy Scalp Anti-Dandruff Moisturizing Shampoo
  • Neutrogena Triple Moisture Cream Lather Shampoo
Co-wash-1-2 times per week
  • Suave Naturals Coconut Conditioner
  • Tresemme Naturals Nourishing Moisture Conditioner
Rinses-After Shampoo
  • Oil Rinse-I use grapeseed, olive or coconut oil.  I sometimes do this in place of deep conditioning.  This step also helps with detangling.
  • Apple Cider Vinegar Rinse (ACV)-I do this step after using shampoo to help my hair get back to a normal pH.  I either do the rinse before or after applying conditioner
Detangling Method
I detangle while my hair is soaking wet and saturated with conditioner.  The hair is parted in four sections.  I start by finger combing and then use a denman brush on each section.  I do this 2-3 times per week when wearing wash n’ go’s or once per week if wearing stretched styles.

Deep Conditioning Treatments* 1x per week 
  • Hot Oil Treatment with Coconut, Olive or Grapeseed Oils
  • Tresemme Naturals Nourishing Moisture conditioner with Honey or Olive Oil added
 *I do most of my treatments under a hooded dryer for 40 minutes

Moisturizers*

  • Extra Virgin Coconut Oil
  • Aloe & Veg. Glycerin Spray (homemade)
  • Paul Mitchell “The Conditioner” Leave-in
  • Garnier Fructis Leave-in (for heat styling)
  • Hollywood Beauty Olive Creme
To Seal Ends*
  • Coconut Oil mixed with Castor Oil
  • Olive Oil
  • Shea Butter
  • Grapeseed Oil
*I apply Leave-in conditioner after each wash for moisture.  After that I moisturize when needed.

Curl Definers
  •  Eco Gels-The Pink version and Argan Oil (red)
  • Kinky Curly Curling Custard
  • Curls Unleashed Take Command Curl Defining Creme (trial)

*I always use my Paul Mitchell The Conditioner Leave-in under a curl definer for added softnes and moisture


Styling*

Roller Sets, Curly Braidouts,  Wash n Go’s, Puffs, Buns, Banded Ponytails, Flat Twists, French Braids
*Currently taking a long break from heat styling
Henna-Once every 3 months
I have started doing the 2 step Henna/Indigo process which gives me a natural black tone  














What I add to my Henna mix

  • Green Tea and Water (enough to make it the right consistency)
  • Olive Oil (usually add this right before application)
  • Lemon Juice (when I want more color)

    I sometimes add powder to darken the hair and maintain curls.  For my Indigo mix I only add water and a little salt.  For each step (henna & indigo) I make sure to co-wash after rinsing out.  This helps to keep the hair soft.

    Review: Hollywood Beauty’s Olive Creme for Dry Hair

    Posted on by Michelle

    One of the most popular topics over at the K.I.S.S. hair forum (or any forum for that matter) is which moisturizer works best.  For a long time the word “moisturizer” was a bad word in my newly natural regimen.  I had become accustomed to avoiding products that contained mineral oil and petroleum which is often found in “moisturizers” for curly, relaxed and afro textured hair.  Still, the homemade spritzes and butters I learned how to make were either too heavy or too wet for my hair depending on the style.  For a while I started using leave-in conditioner to moisturize and sealed that with one of my favorite oils.

    Finally, I decided to purchase a product to add to my regimen after reading a suggestion in one of the discussions on K.I.S.S. .  That product was by Hollywood Beauty which I have to admit was never a brand I thought of ever trying.  I guess I assumed that there would be a lot of the “no-no” ingredients in their products.  I was surprised to find that their Olive Creme was mineral oil and petroleum free.  Instead I found ingredients like, Olive oil and Calendula extract.  I decided at $4 (USD) it was at least worth a try.  I’m on my fifth jar now and can’t say enough about it.

    The Ingredients:

    Deionized Water (Aqua) , Isopropyl Myristate , Glycine Soja Oil (Soybean) , Olea Europaea Fruit Oil (Olive) , Stearic Acid , Stearyl Alcohol , Glyceryl Stearate , Vitamin E (Tocopheryl Acetate) , Matricaria Extract (Chamomilla Recutita) , Calendula Extract (Calendula Officinalis Flower) , Vitamin B (Yeast Extract) , Macademia Oil (Macademia Ternifolia Seed) , Vitamin A (Retinyl Palmitate) , Coconut Oil (Cocos Nucifera) , Rosemary Extract (Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf) , Sage Extract (Salvia Officinalis Leaf) , Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid) , Great Burdock Extract (Arctium Lappa Root) , Triethanolamine , Methyl Paraben , Propyl Paraben , DMDM Hydantoin , Imidazolidinyl Urea , Fragrance , Yellow #5 (Cl 19140) , Blue #1 (Cl 42090)

    My son likes to call it, “Yoda Creme” because
    of the pale green color

    While the ingredients are not 100% natural, I still find that this product does a good job of keeping my hair moisturized without leaving a heavy, greasy feeling.  I’m not gonna lie, I didn’t really expect much from the Olive Creme but it is now one of my staples.  It even works well when my son’s curly (3b/3c/4a) hair is starting to get the, “frizzy halo”.  I just spritz his hair down with water first and then apply the creme throughout his hair and we get another two days of soft curls before wash day.  He dubbed it “Yoda Creme” because of the pale green color and we still call it that.  


    I of course love to add it to my Argan Oil Eco Styler Gel along with some Castor, Coconut and Grapeseed oil for my DIY Eco Styler Custard.  I also use it after applying my leave-in conditoner when I pull my hair back or braid it up for air drying.  The only thing I would complain about is the scent.  It’s not like some of those other products out there that smell good enough to eat.   It just has this faint, old fashioned women’s cologne smell or something.  It doesn’t matter because I just ignore the scent.  I can always add some fragrance oil to it to make it my own.  I’m just glad to have found a product that works well and is affordable for me and my family.

    Shea Moisture Products at Walgreens

    Posted on by Michelle

    

    Shea Moisture Products
    Now available at Walgreens stores

    

    All the hair forums and blogs are buzzing about the Shea Moisture line which is now available at Walgreens stores.  The drugstore chain is doing a BOGO this week on all of the items in the line so if you’ve been thinking about trying it out, now is the time! 
    Prior to this, the Shea Moisture line was only available at Target stores or online at Target.com.  The products are made with natural and organic ingredients and are very affordable with each item going for $9.99 USD. 

    

    Shea Moisture’s
    Dandruff & Dry Scalp Elixir

    

    Even with all of the excitement on this promotion, I still wasn’t too sure that the Walgreens in my area would have the Shea Moisture line stocked yet.  So tonight I decided to stroll by the hair aisle just to check and see if they had it.  There wasn’t any Shea Moisture to be found.  I figured that maybe this Walgreens was a little bit late but then I stopped by the new items near the door and found a very small display with maybe five items from the line.  There were only one or two of each item.  I’m hoping that there will be some Curl Enhancing Smoothie left when I get around to shopping this Friday.  I already told my husband that I’m gearin’ up for a product haul this week so look out Walgreens, I’m comin’!