Let's Talk Products
September 29, 2016
Who else has been there? Standing in the beauty supply store or aisle staring at all of the different color bottles. I know I have. Let me tell you about me. I used to find myself in the store literally caught up looking at bottles and honestly grabbing the ones that looked like they would work. Though my experiences have taught me that that’s no way to pick the right products for my natural hair.
It's important to always remember that what we use in our hair plays a big role in keeping it healthy. With so many different products on the market, it may be hard to always know what to get and what works. But I started asking myself a few basic questions to narrow the search through the shelves. I try to be proactive and do a nice scan of the product label while asking the following questions:
Does it contain key natural ingredients? This one is huge for me. The way I see it, natural ingredients in the product increase the chances that my hair will respond well to it. Some of my favorite natural ingredients include shea butter, coconut oil, castor oil, jojoba oil, and argan oil. I like this Lottabody Foaming Mousse, because two of its main ingredients are coconut oil and shea butter. I use these two powerhouses in so many ways to keep my hair (and skin) moisturized. Yum!
What does the wording on the label say? A good tip I've picked up on is to study your hair. Is it more on the dry side? Does it get oily? How does it react to changes in the weather? Determining the qualities of your hair will help you target the products that are right for you. My hair can be very dry, so a good example for me would be Jane Carter Solution Nourish & Shine. When I first picked up this item, I noticed the wording on the label says that it is for dry hair and is all-natural. Hey now, we might have a winner! Then I saw that it contains various natural ingredients including mango butter (powerful and makes my hair soft) and a host of excellent vitamins. I chose it, and have been using it for awhile now. Win!
Does it contain too many not-so-good chemicals? Soooo, I admit that I get excited when reading the ingredients on product bottles. I don't always know what the ingredient names mean, but its fun to do quick Google searches and read up about them. I really love when the product has done all the work by stating what it does not contain. For instance, this Cantu Sulfate-Free Shampoo states that it does not contain sulfates, which are chemicals that can strip the hair of its natural oils. The label on the front reads no sulfates, silicones, and parabens (the not-so-good chemicals). This is great news! For more information about these, read here.
Does it smell good? *Bonus* I know this might not be so important, but smells are fun! For me, getting a feel for what the product smells like adds to my product-finding experience. Plus, I like when products make my hair smell good or great! Definitely yum!
In summary, these simple questions have been helpful to me in providing a starting point for finding what works. What are some of your basic product questions? Hit me up on Facebook. Thanks so much for reading! With love, S
