If you have decided to start wearing your hair naturally for the first time, or even return to wearing your hair in its natural state, it can be an exciting and transforming journey to begin. But, with there being so many natural hair products to choose from, you may wonder where to start and what to look for. There are a variety of helpful natural hair products for beginners that will help to make the at times difficult natural hair journey, much simpler.
What to look for in beginner natural hair products:
Since you are just learning to know what your natural hair likes, it’s best to start with the basics to avoid wasting funds. A good shampoo and conditioner for wash day, followed by a deep conditioner will help to maintain moisture and healthy hair throughout the week. Natural oils and leave-in conditioners can serve as moisture sealants, in addition to providing shine and softness. For your hairstyles, a curl definer and / or twisting butter will get the job done. If you have any underlying hair damage, you want healthful, nourishing products that will help to alleviate any problem areas of your hair.
Keep in mind that there is no certain product that is a necessity to have for healthy hair as a beginner. You can always make your own DIY recipes for natural hair products. The products in this list are just helpful recommendations that have also made our natural hair journeys easier starting out.
Here are 10 helpful options of natural hair products for beginners, fit for any of your hair needs:
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1. SHAMPOO
Recommendation: Shea Moisture JBCO Strengthen, Grow, & Restore Shampoo
At the top of the checklist of natural hair products for beginners, is a shampoo. A cleansed and healthy scalp is at the foundation of healthy hair and growth. Every natural needs a good working shampoo for wash day to rid their hair of product build-up and to keep their strands strong and nourished. The Shea Moisture JBCO Shampoo serves as both a moisturizing and clarifying shampoo. It cleanses the hair thoroughly of build-up, while still maintaining moisture and not harshly stripping the strands of their natural oils.
Additionally, this shampoo contains a blend of natural ingredients that work together to promote growth and gradually strengthen the hair strands. This can be much attributed to the combination of peppermint oil, Jamaican black castor oil, shea butter, and more.
2. CONDITIONER
Recommendation: Shea Moisture Raw Shea Butter Restorative Conditioner
After shampooing, you are going to need a moisturizing conditioner to follow up and restore any loss of moisture that shampoos can sometimes cause. The Shea Moisture Raw Shea Butter Restorative Conditioner does just that. Featuring a blend of shea butter, natural oils, sea kelp extract, and more, you are getting a sequence of restorative and hydrating ingredients. Shea butter creates a thicker consistency that helps to smooth the hair strands and lessen frizz.
3. DEEP CONDITIONER
Recommendation: Alikay Naturals Honey and Sage Deep Conditioner
Every natural should incorporate deep conditioning into their hair regimen, with deep conditioners on the list of helpful beginner natural hair products. The Alikay Naturals Honey and Sage Deep Conditioner consists of penetrating natural moisturizing ingredients and extracts. The honey component in this deep conditioner acts as a humectant that helps to draw in moisture.
The sage additive complements the results, aiding in softness and shine. Deep conditioning with each wash day will help to improve moisture retention and manageability. Those with damaged hair strands will really find much benefit by deep conditioning routinely to help alleviate highly porous or dry hair.
4. CO-WASH
Recommendation: As I Am Coconut Co-Wash
A co-wash involves the process of washing your hair with a conditioner only. This quick process gently cleanses the hair while restoring hydration to your strands in the process. Many naturals like to co-wash sometime throughout the week to refresh their hair when they don’t feel like doing their entire wash day routine. You can always use your own conditioner, but the As I Am Coconut Co-Wash is specifically formulated for the co-washing process, providing a combination of hydrating and conditioning ingredients.
This co-wash provides tons of slip throughout your hair making it easy to detangle. It lathers and moisturizes instantaneously with the help of its creamy consistency and mixture of natural extracts.
5. LEAVE-IN CONDITIONER
Recommendation: CURLS Blueberry Bliss Reparative Leave-In Conditioner
To help seal in moisture after washing your hair, a leave-in conditioner is another choice of helpful beginner natural hair products. The CURLS Blueberry Bliss Reparative Leave-In Conditioner makes a beneficial yet also interesting option. It features blueberry extracts in the creation of the product. Blueberries can aid in the promotion of hair growth by way of their natural plant chemicals, Proanthocyanidins. These tiny components can help to boost blood flow circulation at the hair follicle.
In addition to the blueberry ingredient and luscious scent, this leave-in conditioner helps to gradually strengthen and repair the hair strands. This is done with the help of vitamins from the blueberry extract, mango butter, hydrolyzed quinoa (protein-rich plant derivative), and more.
You can read more about foods that help to promote hair growth here:
6. STYLING GEL / CUSTARD
Recommendation: Kinky Curly Curling Custard
To get the most definition and hold out of your wash and go’s or other styles, a styling gel or custard is a favorable choice of natural hair products for beginners. The Kinky Curly Curling Custard isn’t a gel but provides just as much definition as one would. This custard is comprised of a jelly-like consistency that is kind of sticky. It provides a good amount of coverage with enough hold to limit frizz. The hydrating property of this curling custard can be partially attributed to the agave nectar ingredient, which serves as a humectant and attracts moisture. The Kinky Curly Curling Custard provides lasting definition and elongates the natural curl pattern without causing too much shrinkage.
7. OR STYLING CREAM
Recommendation: Eden BodyWorks Curl Defining Creme
Naturals with thicker / denser hair textures may prefer a styling cream instead of gels to provide a more thorough coverage. The Eden BodyWorks Curl Defining Creme has a soft, creamy consistency that helps to smooth and define your natural curl pattern. If you want a more voluminous turnout with your wash and go’s, this styling cream is a good pick. To add, the thicker consistency helps to keep the curl definition in tact even in humid weather.
There is a nice addition of natural oils like avocado oil and coconut oil, that are able to effectively penetrate the hair shaft for moisture. Shea butter and aloe vera leaf juice are also present, providing a boost of nourishment.
8. TWISTING BUTTER
Recommendation: As I Am Twist Defining Cream
For your twist-outs and braid-outs, a good twisting butter makes a useful choice of beginner natural hair products. This twist defining cream from As I Am gives a lasting hold and definition to your styles that you can easily get a couple of days wear out of. The consistency of the cream helps to smooth down the hair strands and reduce frizz and flyaway’s upon take-down of your twists. The As I Am Twist Defining Cream also contains a blend of ingredients like glycerin that help to attract moisture, and shea butter that helps to seal moisture. This combination results in shiny, soft looking and feeling hair.
9. NATURAL SEALING OIL
Recommendation: Jamaican Black Castor Oil
Beginner natural hair products should include a natural oil to serve as a sealant to lock in moisture you have applied. Jamaican black castor oil is a healthful and versatile choice. It is a heavier oil, so it really helps in coating and smoothing the hair strands, alleviating dry, brittle ends. Additionally, Jamaican black castor oil consists of anti-fungal properties that help to promote a healthy scalp. Apply this oil to your edges and ends every other night for stronger, healthier hair. This is thanks to the nourishing fatty acids and other nutrients derived from castor oil.
10. DETANGLING TOOL
Recommendation: Denman Brush
One of the more prolonged parts of wearing your hair in its natural state, is the detangling process. You will really appreciate the help of a detangling tool as a good choice of natural hair products for beginners. The Denman Brush is a product you may have seen or heard of. It comes in different bristle row sizes to fit your hair density. The bristles feature a soft, pin-shaped design. These bristles help to smooth the hair strands and clump your natural curl pattern together. The result is more defined, smoother, detangled hair.
What are some of your tips for naturals just starting out on their hair journeys?
