Healthy hair starts with having a plan for it – it doesn’t just happen on its own. So if you are at the beginning of your natural hair journey, then you will need to establish your very own hair care regimen. You may be unsure of how to start, but keep in mind that creating your hair care regimen does not necessarily have to be a challenging task.
It is also important to understand that just because a certain technique or product works for 90% of the people, this doesn’t mean that it will work for you. You can perfectly be in that 10% of those who can’t use a particular product for some reason. The secret to developing a great natural hair regimen is knowing your hair and finding its ideal tolerance. When it comes to what is the best natural hair care products for a natural hair care regimen, we’ve made a list of the essentials. However, there are some important factors to consider before buying these must have hair care products.
Shampoo
Use a natural moisturizing shampoo once or twice a week based on your schedule. The best moisturizing hair care products typically don’t have ammonium or sodium lauryl sulphates, and won’t leave your hair feeling stripped and tangled. Instead, they are just gentle cleansers that leave your strands soft and detangled. If you are a swimmer or have hard water in your home, you should consider using a clarifying shampoo once a month or twice if you use grease or other heavy oils on your hair often. A clarifying shampoo will strip your hair of the product’s build-up and will leave it squeaky clean.
Conditioner
A moisturizing conditioner is an essential part of any good hair care routine. It is suggested that you condition your strands once a week for up to 20 minutes, preferably with heat (in a hooded dryer). If you tend to wash your hair twice a week, only one of these washes should be followed by deep conditioning. Apply the deep conditioner and let it stay for about 15 to 20 minutes with or without heat for that weekly wash. It’s important to mention that there are a number of moisturizing formulas on the market that don’t deep condition very well, regardless of how long they are left on your hair. These formulas are mostly instant conditioners or creme rinses that are meant to coat the outside of the strands and make them softer. They are meant for those who have very healthy and well-maintained hair. If your hair tends to feel gummy or stretchy after using a moisturizing conditioner, consider using a protein-based product for your next cleaning session.
Protein-Based Conditioner
Protein-based treatments are formulated to rebuild your hair strands and work best when they are integrated into an already high-moisture care routine. How often you should use a protein-based conditioner will mostly depend on the strength of the product you’re using and the level of damage you are trying to correct. If your hair feels dry or you notice breakage, stop using the protein conditioning. For light touch-ups, choose a protein treatment on the mild end of the spectrum. Mild-to-heavy protein conditioners are meant for more intense protein conditioning and are ideal for colour-treated hair.
Water-Based Moisturizer
Generally used for daily supplementation of moisture, the best water-based moisturizers don’t contain mineral oil, petrolatum or lanolin. Instead, they contain water or aloe as their main ingredient and often contain emollients and humectant that draw moisture into the hair to soften it. It is recommended using a water-based moisturizer once or twice a day before bedtime and in the morning.
Natural Oils
Natural oils are often used to seal in the water-based moisturizing products and to help enhance the shine and pliability of hair. All you need to do is first apply a small amount of the oil on the ends of your strands and then work your way up. Some good examples include argan, neem, olive, jojoba, coconut, rosemary, tea tree, lanolin, carrot, castor and amla oil.
Keep in mind that establishing a good hair care regimen requires experimenting with several natural products before finding the ones that best suit your needs. If something isn’t working right, your hair will show it. It will either be dry, break easily, or not grow as fast as it should. Although it might take you weeks or months of experimentation to find the formula that works best for your hair, in the end, it will be worth it.
