let me start by saying, i am no Hair expert. i am the total opposite, if anything. you know those natural hair categories with the numbers and letters, like 4C and such? i have no clue what they mean, and i have no clue what my hair is. but let me tell you what i know my hair is – growing. now, it is argued that genes and such can promote fast hair growth – again, not an expert, i don’t know. so this is all relative, i suppose. but i have my working theories, and if we’re all experimenting with how best to handle our natural hair, i think my theory is one worth trying.
minimalism. it’s become a school of thought in interior decor, fashion, cooking and baking, and now, lifestyle. people now choose to only own 21 pieces of clothing, people now choose to only keep one set regime of body care products, rather than that drugstore product graveyard under the sink in the bathroom. people now choose to live lightly. when i chopped all my hair off in 2014, i went crazy with the natural hair products. i thought i needed entire lines of everything, from every brand, from every store, to get best results. eventually, my college budget just couldn’t keep up and i found myself doing less and less with my hair, regarding the products i used. that’s when my hair started really growing.
i switched to using dr. bronner’s all natural soaps for everything. facial cleanser, body wash, laundry detergent for delicates/intimates, and shampoo. one product, four uses. dr. bronner’s is a fair trade, organic brand, with all kinds of great, affordable products. i wouldn’t trade it out for anything.
i stopped spending a ton of money on conditioner, because, let’s be honest, we all just want it to help with detangling. that conditioner that claims it’ll seal your split ends and bring sweet baby Jesus himself to invigorate your scalp is a scam. stop it. i get the conditioner that i know has a good amount of slip for detangling, and that has the best (lowest) price. i’ve used high end conditioners, and quite frankly, see no difference at all (but that’s just me.) here’s a random photo of me after using my cheap, basic conditioner to detangle, taken a few months ago – my hair is about 4 inches longer now.
i dropped “leave in conditioners”, store bought hair masks, and treatments. instead, i bought all natural oils: almond, coconut, olive and tea tree. whenever i do want a treatment or hair mask, i mix those in with my basic conditioner and leave it in my hair for a law and order svu episode. for a natural hair lightener, add raw honey to your masks.
for styling, i stick to one curling custard product at time. for options, i like all of miss jessie’s products, and i like the kinky curly curling custard. i never use a comb, i use a hard bristle brush. after washing and detangling, a simply brush the custard through small sections and let the ‘fro go. no work, no fancy technique.
once a week, after rinsing my conditioner out, I rinse with all natural bragg’s apple cider vinegar. i would say this is my “secret”, my holy grail tip for natural hair care. it clarifies all of the previous week’s gunk and grime stuck to your scalp, naturally. you don’t need harsh shampoos and chemicals to do that. it leaves your scalp clean, invigorated and unclogged, so your hair can breathe and grow in peace.
my theory, in essence, is stop crowding and confusing your hair with a million capitalist regimes. your hair can grow and flourish with no help at all – especially if you are internally healthy. stick to the basics, get a few styling products just so you can feel put together and pretty, drink your water everyday, and watch your hair thank you.
#everbless
