I have noticed that going natural this time around has required that I think differently about caring for my hair. What has improved is my understanding of the ingredients used in shampoos and conditioners and what works with the body’s pH. Trying to improve my overall health has led me to understand more about what is healthy for my hair.
What I Recommend
Look at the ingredients ALL the time. Even if you don’t go the all-natural vinegar/olive oil route that I’ve gone, it is good to try replicating the effects. Alcohol, sulphates and phosphates in traditional beauty products are not at all good for your hair and scalp. You should avoid them at all costs. Manufacturers add the ingredients to create that lather you see in shampoos, or to increase the speed at which gels and creams dry. You end up paying for it with your hair’s health.
Marketing is used to convince consumers that their products are the best for each type of hair. That’s just not the case. No matter who’s face is on the bottle, look at the ingredients inside the bottle. If they don’t provide you with that information, don’t buy it. The good news is that more consumers are asking for products that do not have these ingredients and it is becoming easier to find them at the local pharmacy, so things are changing for the better.
What About Oiling the Scalp?
You should also avoid putting any type of oil or grease on your scalp, as it clogs the follicles and blocks the natural oils from reaching the shaft. For some, the excess grease mixes with trapped skin cells and ‘flakes’. If your hair is too dry, try washing it less often and find waterless cleaning products. Twist at night or buy a silk/satin pillowcase to keep the oils in your hair and not on your pillow.
Also remember that the type of hair curls you have determines how dry your hair is. It being more dry that other types of hair does not necessarily make it a bad thing. Love your hair for what it is. What you need to watch out for is split ends and breakage. Dryness alone shouldn’t raise concerns.
As Promised! Pics!
With that being said, here’s a side profile picture of my hair when I let it out of the twists. The products I used for that was the vinegar/olive oil to start and I finished with the Blended Beauty’s Natural Hair Oil.
This is what it looks like from the front.
Okay, I’m done with the pictures. It’s not working well with my shyness…:-)
You look fabulous! Thanks for sharing your perspective on natural hair this is very helpful.
if you don’t mind me saying, you are gorgeous!
your hair is stunning too. i love the waves. do you use curl activator?
What I do is comb my hair while it’s wet. Either twisting or small braids/plats. I put in some natural hair oil (not grease) and some anti-frizz product. I let it out when it’s dry.