The post below was featured in the October Curlkit
In the
Natural Hair World there are so many products out there that claim to be the
next miracle for our hair. Beautifully packaged bottles and jars line the
shelves of every drugstore and discount store claiming to be the answer to all
our prayers for the perfectly moisturized bouncy curls that we so crave. Our emails and social media accounts are
bombarded with advertisements for even more products that are promising us
their products can do what no other product can. As if that is not enough to confuse you
bloggers and vloggers (myself included) then post about things you should and
should not put in your hair. So how do
you sort fact from fiction? How do you
know what will harm your hair and what will make if flourish? What products are truly worth your hard
earned money? After all didn’t we use any and everything on our relaxed hair
without ever checking a label for ingredients?
So why are ingredients so important now? Before you can understand how
ingredients impact hair you first have to understand the importance of water
for natural hair.
For most people when they were relaxed they
associated moisture with oil. If your
hair was dry then you needed to add some type of oil, grease or oily hair
lotion to your tresses. We all remember
the days of using so much oil sheen it looked like we had a fog machine in our
bathroom. In our relaxed days water was
public enemy number one. We would go to any lengths to keep it away from our
hair. Now that we are natural water is
our new BFF. Why the sudden change in attitude? Lean in and read carefully.
Water equals moisture. Natural hair needs moisture more than anything else. So
the key to healthy natural hair is to maintain moisture in your hair. This is
where it gets tricky because you need products that will give your hair
moisture and help to retain the moisture.
The Bad Guys
-
Sulfates-
Harsh detergents used in many shampoos and cleansers that strip the hair and
can leave it dry and brittle.
-
Petroleum-
Cannot be absorbed by hair. Causes build up on hair and prevent moisture from
getting into the hair. Sulfates are needed to remove it.
-
Parabens- A preservative in many cosmetics and
hair products that has been linked to breast cancer.
-
Silicone- A.K.A “Cones” cause products to have
great slip but can cause buildup on the hair and many can only be removed with a
sulfate shampoo. Heavier Cones can also prevent moisture from getting into
hair.
-
Mineral Oil- Causes build up on hair and
prevents moisture from getting into the hair. Sulfates are needed to remove it.
The
key is to find products that have ingredients that will moisturize your hair
(water based) and then use oils or butters that can seal the moisture in
without causing buildup on your hair.
For most of us that means using good old trial and error to find out
what works best for your individual hair needs. This is how many of us become
product junkies. In order to save money
and time keep a list of ingredients that your hair likes and look for products
that contain those ingredients. For
example my hair loves aloe vera, honey, agave nectar, coconut oil, jojoba oil and
other light oils. As a result I look for products that have these listed in the
first five ingredients. Each and every person’s
hair is different. What it really boils down to is you have to use what works
in your hair. If petroleum makes your hair look great then by all means keep
using it. But first and foremost do your research to find out what ingredients
you are putting into your hair and what their purpose/impact is on your hair. Then you can make educated decisions.
YouTube@ Nurekad
Twitter@NaturallyNu502
Blog- http://naturallynu.blogspot.com
