If you want to wear your hair with all its natural glory and say goodbye to chemical relaxers and heat styling tools, transitioning to natural hair is your way out. It is now common watching black women wearing afros, twists, and Bantu knots everywhere you go. Straight relaxed hair is being pushed away from the black community, and black girls are now loving their natural hair more and more.
Going natural is a journey, a complex process, a cycle of trial and error since you need to learn a lot about your hair and what works best for your hair type. Everyone’s hair is different and there is no one-size-fits-all for natural hair. However, once you know what works for your hair, the results will be worth the effort.
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Table of Contents
Transitioning to Natural hair
If you finally make a decision to return to natural, you have to make a transition plan which might often take a couple of months (probably six to eight months) to allow your natural hair to grow out to a certain length. Some women prefer to begin their natural hair journey with the big chop; completely removing or cutting off the chemically treated hair, while others prefer a long transition through slowly letting the hair grow on its own. There are no rules for this. You just go whichever way seems comfortable for you.
After deciding either with the big chop or a natural grow out, the next step is learning a lot about your hair. It is good to keep a journal for your journey to write down the products you have tested or tried out and your hair’s reaction to each product. At this point, you need to find your first set of products and tools.
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Natural Hair starter kit – Products, Tools, and Accessories
Many new naturals spend thousands of dollars trying new products or products they think work for another natural. The first step before selecting your first natural hair products is understanding your hair very well. Know your hair’s porosity level, texture, and density to begin with. Your hair is more beautiful than you think and do good research to know what works best for it before you open your wallet to spend on a product.
We have made days of research, read naturalist blogs and product reviews, watched YouTube videos, and came up with the following list of natural hair starter products and tools to help you begin your natural hair journey.
Washday Products – Pre-poo treatments, Shampoos, and Conditioners
Some naturalists recommend washing your hair once in a week, while others say once in two weeks is enough. That depends on your hair type and you may need to try out both and stick with what works best for your hair. Natural hair is a trial and error journey and you try out things and follow what works. Make sure you are not over-washing your hair as it leads to moisture loss and breakage.
Pre-Poo treatments
Pre-pooing is applying a treatment/oil/conditioner before the actual shampoo process. Incorporating pre-poo into your natural hair care regimen has multiple benefits.
- Protects your hair natural oils from being washed away while shampooing.
- Melts away tangled knots from your hair makes detangling super easy.
- Adds extra moisture to your hair and makes your hair soft.
Related:- How to Pre Poo Low Porosity Hair
African Pride Moisture Miracle Pre-Shampoo treatment
African Pride Moisture Miracle is a pre-made pre-poo treatment for detangling and moisturizing natural hair. It is a thick cream formulated from Aloe vera and Coconut water to nourish, strengthen, and protect your hair from breakage. Apply a generous amount of the cream to your hair 30 minutes to an hour before you shampoo.
Leave it on your hair for half an hour so that your hair retains the essential nutrients from the cream. Use your fingers or a wide-toothed comb to detangle your hair. Your hair will be soft, moisturized, and tangle-free. Rinse in water and proceed with shampooing.
DevaCurl Wash Day Wonder Pre-shampoo Conditioner
DevaCurl is a pre-poo conditioner for detangling and moisturizing super coily and curly hair. It is a lightweight moisturizing and detangling conditioner formulated from saffron flower and pracaxi oil.
After a few minutes of application, your tangled knots will be melted away and your hair will be tangle-free and soft. Rinse in lots of water before you proceed with shampooing so that it won’t make product build-up when it is mixed with your shampoo.
Shampoos
Picking the right shampoos for your hair type is critical in your natural hair journey. There are two types of shampoos you need; moisturizing shampoos for regular shampooing, and Clarifying shampoos for deep cleansing product build-ups. Look for sulfate-free shampoos for both shampoo types.
Moisturizing Shampoos
Moisturizing Shampoos help your hair to be clean from dirt and oil while moisturizing and protecting it from breakage. They also improve your hair and scalp health, encourage hair growth, and give a shiny and smooth look to your hair.
SheaMoisture Moisture Shampoo – Moisturizing Shampoo for transitioning hair
SheaMoisture is a formula of shea butter, argan oil, and sea kelp to moisturize and seal dry damaged, or transitioning hair. Shea butter is a natural moisturizer, and argan oil restores hair’s shine.
The shampoo is great for type 3 and 4 natural hair. SheaMoisture is a sulfate and paraben-free formula that you can use comfortably on your transitioning hair from chemical relaxers to natural.
Carol’s Daughter Moisture Shampoo and Conditioner Set – A combo For Moisturizing Dry Hair
Carol’s Daughter is an intensive moisturizing shampoo and conditioner set perfect for dry hair. The shampoo is a special dry and brittle hair formula that moisturizes and restores hair to its natural shine. It is a recipe that contains black vanilla, Shea butter, and lavender.
It is blended with aloe leaf juice, sweet clover, and rose extract. This is an ideal choice for hair that is prone to dryness and breakage and a perfect addition to your natural hair transitioning toolbox.
Clarifying Shampoos
As a naturalist, you apply different products and oils to your hair to moisturize and stylize it. Over time this will create product build-ups which lead to dull-looking and damaged hair. Clarifying shampoos remove product build-ups and residues from your hair that won’t come out with your regular shampoos. Since clarifying shampoos deep cleanse and remove residues, they tend to be drying. Limit the use of clarifiers to once or twice a month depending on your product usage.
Nothing But Clarifying Shampoo
Nothing But Clarifying Shampoo is a special formula for clarifying curly or coily, African American hair. It deeply cleans your hair and scalp from oils and product build-ups. It is a safe and gentle formula that is free from harmful chemicals.
You can clarify your hair with Nothing But Clarifying Shampoo at least once in a month to cleanse your hair without losing its natural moisture.
DevaCurl Build-up Buster
DevaCurl Build-up Buster is gentle and yet powerful clarifying shampoo. It deep cleanses your hair and scalp without stripping its natural moisture.
It contains Abyssinian seed oil and jojoba oil in it recipe to add extra moisture and shine to your hair. The shampoo has a refreshing and pure scent that makes your hair feel clean. It is 100% free from harmful chemicals.
Conditioners
Conditioning is a post shampoo step that softens and smoothens your hair strands. Conditioners protect your hair from breakage and split ends, make detangling easier, shine your hair and reduce frizz, and make your hair easy for combing and styling. As a naturalist, it is recommended to condition your hair every time you shampoo and co-wash (conditioner wash) between washdays.
SheaMoisture Intensive hydration Conditioner
Loved by thousands of customers on Amazon, SheaMoisture is an intensive hydration conditioner that instantly moisturizes and detangles your hair. It is a formula to restore and replenish damaged hair and protect hair that is prone to dryness.
The recipe contains Manuka Honey, Mafura Oil, and Fig extract. Apply it to your hair from the roots to the ends and rinse it out after three minutes. Your hair will be shiny, moisturized detangle free.
Styling products (Moisturizers) – Leave-in Conditioners, Oils, Creams
Moisturizers are the hydrating and styling products that give your hair the style you want to achieve. Regular moisturizing is essential for natural hair as there are no chemical relaxers and heat styling tools to be used to make the hair manageable and easy for styling. Moisturizers also help hair growth and improve scalp and hair health.
Hair porosity is the main determining factor in how your hair retains moisture. Low porosity hair faces difficulties in retaining moisture and it might need daily or every other day moisturizing.
Related:- Moisturizing and Sealing Low Porosity Hair
Leave-In Conditioners
A leave-in Conditioner is basically a moisturizing conditioner; however, rather than rinsing it out from your hair, you leave it there for styling your hair and to provide extra moisture. Leave ins smoothen your strands and give shine and hydration making it easy for styling.
Renpure Leave-In Conditioner
Renpure is a formula of Virgin coconut oil, argan oil, and shea butter. The recipe makes your hair well hydrated, shiny, and easy for any natural hair styling.
Carol’s Daughter Leave-In Conditioner
Carol’s Daughter is a lightweight leave-in Conditioner for replenishing and restoring dry damaged hair. Basically, it is a formula of Almond Oil which is rich in proteins and vitamins. The recipe also contains aloe oil and shea butter to hydrate and moisturize your hair.
Shea Moisture Strengthen & Restore Leave-In Conditioner
SheaMoisture Leave-In Conditioner is a formula of Raw Shea Butter, Black Castor oil, and Peppermint to moisturize, repair, and smoothen your hair. It is a special moisturizing formula for dry and damaged hair. On top of moisturizing your hair, SheaMoisture provides an extra protective layer to protect your hair from breakage and split ends.
Creams/Butters
Butters/Creams are essential moisturizing products for natural hair. They have extra penetrating power to moisturize and soften dry low porosity hair. They also protect your hair from damage, breakage and split ends.
Tgin Butter Cream
tgin is a daily moisturizing cream specifically formulated for dry low porosity type 4 hair. It is a formula of shea butter, cocoa butter, and vitamin E oil. It intensively hydrates and moisturizes your hair giving it a shiny and soft look.
Oils
Oils are good at making your hair feel soft, hydrated, and smooth. They lubricate your hair, reduce and loosen tangled knots, regulate hair’s natural hair, and promote growth.
OGX Moroccan Argan Oil
OGX is virgin Moroccan Argan oil that penetrates dry coarse hair. It moisturizes your hair going deep into your cuticles and delivers softness and shine.
Related:- Best Oils for Low Porosity Hair
Styling tools – Blow Dryers and Steamers
Proper blowout and steaming are essential to give your hair a style. Steamers add moisture to your hair allowing treatments and oils to penetrate your hair cuticles. Including steaming to your natural hair care routine helps your hair to hydrate and shine. Blow dryers are essential heat styling tools that should be picked carefully as excess heat may cause breakage and damage.
Related:- Best Blow Dryers for 4c Hair
BaBylissPRO Nano Titanium Full-Size Dryer
BabylissPRO is a high performing salon-grade blow dryer perfect for stylizing and maintaining natural hair. Its titanium technology makes it render even distribution of heat to your hair. It lets you adjust between 6 heat and speed settings, It features two nozzles to control the airflow and leave your hair puff and frizz-free.
Secura S-192 Hair and Facial Steamer
Secura S-192 is a portable and effective tabletop steamer perfect for home steaming. It features two switches; an on and off switch, and an ozone control switch to generate negatively charged oxygen to prevent itchiness. The ultra-fine mist it generates penetrates your hair and skin easily to moisturize and hydrate your hair by absorbing the treatments or oils to your strands.
You can make the steamer ready to use within two minutes, and after 20 minutes of use, the timer will shut down automatically. With just changing the facial steamer attachment, you can make Secura a fully functional facial steamer that cleans your skin from dirt and oil build-ups.
Styling Accessories
Accessories assist your styling and help you attain the natural hairstyle you want to achieve.
HYOUJIN Black Wide Tooth Comb
Hyoujin is a plastic wide-toothed comb perfect for everyday styling. Its round handle provides perfect control and a comfortable hand grip for free and smooth detangling. The teeth of the comb are smooth and glide smoothly over your hair without hurting your scalp. The comb is perfect for wet or dry hair.
Soft ‘N Style Spray Bottle
Soft ‘N style is great quality and a well-made plastic spray bottle for wetting your hair for styling. It holds 16 ozs., enough water to use for longer without refilling. It features an adjustable nozzle to spray your hair with various intensities, from a mist to a single stream.
Ms. Remi Extra Jumbo Day and NightCap
Ms. Remi is a satin sleeping cap perfect for protecting your hairstyle and keeping it for longer. It is a comfortable jumbo size headwear that will cover any volume of hair and any kind of style (with or without wig).
