So You Want To Be Natural Pt.5 – Products & Tools

Now that you have decided on where you will get your products from, either the kitchen or the store let’s talk about some of the products that you will need to make your natural hair journey  a healthy journey.

The first and most important step in having healthy hair is moisturizing it. So you have to have a product that is a moisturizer. To be an effective moisturizer it’s first ingredient MUST be aqua, water, H20. Water is by far thee BEST moisturizer for our hair and skin. In fact it’s such a great moisturizer that it alone can be your moisturizer (I speak from experience as water is my primary moisturizer), when your hair is in its naturally curly state of course (if you straighten your hair and moisturize with water it will revert your hair back to its curly state).

Another product necessary is a leave in conditioner to continue to moisturize your hair as the days go on. I’ve seen some naturals go without this step. I was one in my pre loc journey, now that I am experimenting with the LOC and LCO techniques I’ve incorporated it into my regimen.  My hair seems to be a lot softer and stays moisturized longer.

You will also want to invest in a cream or butter moisturizer to assist the leave in with providing more moisture to your hair and other benefits such as shine.  This is the second step in the LCO method and the third step in the LOC method.

All of this moisturizing will be done for nothing if you do not invest in a sealant. There are a multitude of oils you can use to seal the moisture in your hair. Without this vital steps the moisture will leave your hair causing it to be dry and breakage will occur.

Where we would be without a good cleanser to help us clean our scalp and rid it and our hair of all the other products we put in it.  Selecting a cleanser will require some consideration on your part. Biggest choice being to shampoo, cowash, or,both. Some naturals swear by cowashing alone, others stick with tradition shampooing.  If your a neo in the natural world cowashing is the act of using a conditioner to cleanse your scalp. Many naturals use both in their regimens, like yours truly 🙂

Another essential product is a moisturizing deep conditioner. This beneficial treatment aids in providing deep penetrating moisture to your hair and scalp. There are many natural, non natural and home made products that fall under this category.

In Order to provide strength to your tresses you should use a protein treatment. Just like the moisturizing deep conditioner the protein treatment will aid in the overall health of your hair and it to can be purchased or made in the kitchen.

This is not low on the list because it is least necessary! A Hot oil treatment is one of the best things we can do for our hair.  It is the spa treatment for hair.  It helps condition, strengthen, moisturize and heal your hair.  It can be purchased or made.  It is one of the easiest of the home products to concoct.  A journey without this is missing an important part of healthy hair.

Last but certainly not least is a rinse out conditioner, this is also used by some naturals after washing the hair but before the leave in is applied. It is another method of conditioning for those who feel it is necessary to help their hair be more manageable and moisturized. I do not incorporate this in my regimen.

Styling tools will also be necessary, items such as wide tooth combs or tangle teasers for detangling, Denman brush used for smoothing and clumping curls, butterfly clips and elastic bands for
separating hair. A spray bottle or two is also a necessary tool.

Previous: Pt. 4

Next: Pt. 6

Disclaimer: Everything listed here is basic and is meant to be a starting point. The links I’ve including will take you to some of the products I use for the various steps of maintaining my natural hair. I am no expert on hair care, I do not have my costmatology license, nor am I a chemist, biologist, or scientist. I am a natural women who’s been researching natural hair care since 2012. I am however an expert in my own hair story and that’s what being natural is all about…developing a relationship with the hairs on your own head. I share what has worked for me in hopes that it may work for you as well. 

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Chronicles of a Dry Itchy Scalp

Some times we have to journal about our issues, good and bad, in order to improve our current situations or to maintain a good state. You can look back on your journal to see what reaction your hair had. You can use it as a guide as to what not to do ever again. The list goes on of the phenomenal ways a journal can help us. And please understand this is not just for hair but for our daily lives as well. Below is a journal of when my scalp becomes dry so I can make it better by seeing what works best for me and when.

1/25 Sunday – wash day; shampoo, protein treatment and moisture DC
1/26 Monday – scalp fine
1/27 Tuesday  – scalp fine
1/28 Wednesday – itching in back
1/29 Thursday – itching all over and a little dry looking but no patches or flakes; oiled scalp
1/30 friday – scalp fine
1/31 Saturday – itching all over

2/1 Sunday –  wash day; cowash, no DC only L.C.O.
2/2 Monday – scalp is okay
2/3 Tuesday – slight itching and dry scalp visible, sprayed with moisturizing mix and sealed with jojoba oil
2/4 Wednesday – scalp fine
2/5 Thursday – scalp fine
2/6 Friday – scalp has some dry patches scattered and little itching
2/7 Saturday little itching
2/8 Sunday wash day; clay wash and L.C.O
2/9 Monday – scalp fine
2/10 Tuesday – scalp fine
2/11 Wednesday – scalp fine
2/12 Thursday – itching
2/13 friday – lots of itching but no sign of dryness (when my hair is dry my scalp looks white) retwisting tonight on old hair without washing for the first time for valentine’s day. Sprayed with water lightly and applied a small amount of Miss Jessie’s Buttercreme.
2/14 Saturday – scalp very itchy and notice dry patches scattered throughout.
2/15 Sunday – wash day; cowash with conditioner, no DC only LCO
2/16 Monday – scalp is fine
2/17 Tuesday – scalp not itching but there are flakes scarcely in my head; no visible dryness
2/18 Wednesday – scalp is fine outside of flakes that are there
2/19 Thursday – scalp is fine, no visible signs of dryness and not a lot of itching
2/20 friday little itching
2/21 Saturday same as Friday
2/22 Sunday same, wash day with protein treatment
2/23 Monday – scalp flaking no itching
2/24 Tuesday – no itching but several dry patches throughout my scalp
2/25 Wednesday – slight itching and scalp very very dry still
2/26 Thursday scalp severely dry
2/27 Friday – still dry
2/28 Saturday still dry more itching
3/1 Co wash day

I’ve learned some things from this month long journal: the shampoo and protein treatment tend to dry my scalp up quiet a bit. On days when I cowash my scalp does not get dry as quickly. What I don’t know is if it’s the shampoo or the protein treatment, or both of them combined. I feel that I have to do both so I’m not going to take them from my regimen. What I will do is oil my scalp the very next day after wash day and every other day there after.

Do you have a problem with your hair? Try journaling and let me know how it’s helped you. 😉

Product Review: Naturalioius Moroccan Rhassoul 5 in 1 Clay Treatment

As part of my post loc regimen I am trying Naturalioius Moroccan Rhassoul  5-in-1 Clay Treatment.  I’ve always wanted to try a clay cleanser because of its great ties to nature…the earth and totally natural ingredients. This particular clay is a treatment because it does more than just cleanse youe hair. It also conditions, deep conditions, detangler, and works as a leave in conditioner.

When I washed my hair the first round  (I’m a 2 to 3 time washer) I said to myself that I wasn’t going to get it anymore because I’m used to a certain feel, that of shampoos and conditioner. This unconventional texture was weird to me, so I was a little worries that it wouldn’t work. And I also didn’t feel my hair softening immediately like it does with shampoo and especially conditioner.  But by the time I applied the treatment to all four of my hair sections and returned to detangler the first section my hair felt very soft and it Detangled very easily. A love connection has been made! 

While I feel that this product is good for my hair on the flip side I find it to be a little pricey, 19.99 for 12 Oz bottle.   I have to use a lot to cover my hair and get my scalp and the directions do say to use a generous amount. I suspect the bottle will only last me one more use. On my current regimen I’ll be clarifying with this once a month so the 19 bucks will last me two months. It’s cheaper than when I was relaxed..$60 every two weeks in the winter and every week in the summer. So I guess I won’t complain:). Overall I won’t complain the produce has a nice smell it did what it said it would and I love the results.

Men on Natural Hair

Almost three years ago I married my long time associate whom I met in 6th grade. We were pretty close throughout junior high school but lost touch thru high school. Then after many years rekindled in 2009. 🙂   Okay enough history, lol. Fast forward to Jan 2012 I had stopped getting my hair relaxed in December 2011 and started going to the Dominicans  for blow outs. My then fiance had no problem with this because he never saw what the Dominican stylist saw (a head full of kinky hair)..lol. when I told him I was going natural at first he didn’t even know what it meant. Then I showed him a few images and videos from Youtube. He was like Naw! Flat out, NO. I like my relationship to be harmonious so I didn’t want to argue plus at the end of day I knew he wouldn’t be really upset if I followed through with these plans. We continued to discus me going natural over the weeks. Then I did it and he called me his lil almond head..lol.

He was very supportive of my hair every month and encouraging when I had moments that were disastrous. But what I noticed  in my earlier days was  that he was very opinionated and judgmental when it came to other naturals.  He’d make little smug remarks about some styles. So my thoughts are that he’s just going through it for me but really doesn’t like it; he like it on me and no one else; he likes some of things I do with my hair and some he doesn’t. Since I took my locs out I’ve worn my hair straight, bantu knot out curls, and flat twist out and my husband preferred the flat twist out. He said he loves my curly hair like that.  BIG SMILE 🙂 Overall I think he tolerates me being natural because he loves me. I think for the most part I’m okay with that. Oh another indication that he preferred my relaxed hair or  straight styles, which he denies, is that he post more pictures of me on his social media sites with straight hair. He say’s I’m full of it! lol

My son was like, “why did you cute your hair ma?” That was the last conversation he and I has about the subject. I don’t think he cares for it much either as he often comments on kinky hair textures in a negative manner.  He’s never made me feel bad and he always treats me the same no matter who we are with. So hes’ not embarrassed but just would prefer me to have been the “norm”.

My older cousin was not a fan when he first saw that I had cut my hair and had gone natural.  He joked on me constantly about being ball headed (not knowing that a sister had severe shrinkage). It was a friendly joke nothing serious but his wife is relaxed and I’m sure if she decided to go natural he may divorce her.

These are the most important men in my life so those are the ones that opinions mean something to me. How were the men in your life effected when you told them you were going natural?  How did/does it make you feel.

My Buttercup’s Regimen

After much thought and analysis I have decided on a refreshing regimen for my 4 year old. It’s very simple but I feel it will be the most effective thus far.  As I tried something similar in the past and I did see growth when I used this method for her. The Burts Bees, Nature’s Baby, and Goin Natural Rare Moisture Butter are all new products.

Week 1
Apply 4 sections using butterfly clips
Shampoo twice  using Burts Bees Baby Shampoo

Deep  condition using  my DC mix minus all the essential oils and vitamins

Rinse

Apply leave in conditioner, kinky curly not today

Apply Goin Natural Rare Moisture Butter ( started using this for her because of its all natural ingredients on Sunday January 11, 2015); prior to that I was using my homemade moisturizer.
Seal with coconut oil
Style

Weeks 2,3 and 4
Cowash using nature’s baby organics

Deep condition with coconut oil

Apply leave in conditioner, Kinky Curly Knot Today
Apply moisturizer
Seal with coconut oil
Style

I plan to give this routin some time to see if it works if it does not I am going to try what I did with my oldest daughter: not wash her hair as much. I washed my oldest daughters hair maybe once every 2-3 months and it was very healthy and long. I’m not sure if this is because “dirty hair grows” or because you are not removing the naturals oils that is produced on our scalp. I’m even struggling with the idea of greasing her scalp with some good old fashion hair greese… either Blue Magic or Burgamont.  Time will tell. I will give it two months to see if I notice any progress.