Learning how to shop for African American hair care products can be an overwhelming task when you don’t know what to look for and what to avoid. The list is long and the ingredients for natural hair care are many. This list includes some of the elements you should know about to make choosing the right products less difficult.

Water is always important.

It’s amazing how many people overlook water as a primary hair ingredient. Water is good for the body in countless ways, and our entire being is composed mostly of water. We need it to survive, and of course, our hair does too. When water is in your hair, it just has to be kept in with an organic sealant. There’s no reason not to take advantage of water and its benefits. It is easily found and the most inexpensive ingredient around.

Raw Shea butter is the moisturizer and sealant of choice.

Some of us enter the world of natural hair care after realizing how much damage commercial products have done. Shea butter can help to reverse much of the harm that our mane has suffered on our behalf (and due to factors outside of our control).

Shea butter hydrates and its valuable ingredients will help your hair find restoration and growth. Apply the raw butter to your hair and put it on your scalp. You will soon see you hair increasing in length and becoming much more strong and attractive.

A word of caution about raw Shea butter and natural hair: don’t over do it, especially with locs.  Too much will cause build up in your hair and that’s a challenge you don’t want to have.

Pick products with Jojoba oil.

Jojoba is an effective ingredient to look out for. The oil works with your hair to complement its natural production and growth processes. It will ward off germs and bacteria to keep your hair truly clean, and is so light that your pores won’t be clogged. Jojoba is also recommended for sensitive users because its hypoallergenic properties won’t leave you irritated or broken out.

Before moving on to the less desirable ingredients, it’s important to know more about the good, the bad, and the ugly of natural hair care ingredients.

The good thing that stems from the growing popularity of the natural hair care market is that it is able to spotlight a need that has been overlooked for so long, thus leading to more options. Many people did not know that natural ingredients were important beforehand and choices were limited.

The extra attention that is now brought to natural African American hair care pushes You, the consumer, to understand and voice your necessities. It further encourages producers to make more cautious and responsible decisions when presenting products to the public.

When people first began to realize that the chemicals in many products were extremely harmful, they began to search for more natural alternatives. This led to all sorts of “organic” products being offered to the public. Unfortunately, just because an item is listed as all-natural or organic doesn’t mean that it is.

In our society, manufacturers are able to promote a product as natural without suffering any legal consequences because the industry has many outs that make these claims acceptable.

When we buy natural, we do so for our own health and to promote the betterment of the environment and others around us. The best way to find out if a product is truly natural is by reading the listed ingredients and researching. This way, you can educate yourself on the market and what you should buy, and listed below are three things that you shouldn’t.

Avoid Isopropyl Alcohol.

Isopropyl Alcohol is an ingredient to avoid, especially if you already suffer from dry scalp. This alcohol is meant to help other products dry quickly without leaving your hair moist and having to be blow-dried. This is a good idea in theory, but in reality, the alcohol will dry out your hair along with the product. Dry hair is weak hair, meaning that it will break easily and shed more often.

Stay away from Petrolatum.

Petrolatum is the same thing as petroleum jelly. It is meant to work as a sealant, and it actually does. But, this effect is a bit of a double-edged sword. Along with sealing moisture in, it does just as good of a job locking moisture out. This keeps your hair from absorbing needed nutrients and growing at its full potential. Petrolatum builds up quickly and clogs pores.

It can be found in many natural hair care products because it is so affordable. Tradition has also led many consumers to believe that they need petrolatum for healthy, shiny hair. Little do they know, it’s all for show. Your hair is nowhere near as hydrated as it appears.

Don’t be fooled by Synthetic Fragrances.

Fragrances smell nice and are meant to make us feel good, but when it comes to hair, it can be a completely different story. These fragrances cause allergies, and are often used as a way to cover up other harmful ingredients that have been added to items. Instead of synthetic fragrances, use essential oils along with organic ingredients. They tend to have a pleasant scent and actual benefits.

Well that’s it for this week!  To see and purchase natural hair care products visit us here.

As Always …

Dedicated To Your Beauty!

Juliette Samuel

Aesthetician/Author/Aromatherapist/Publisher

Nyraju Skin Care