Hi there, I have a medium sized natural afro (not the relaxed hair in my profile pic)

What products do you recommend?

A mature Nigerian student at my university said Shea Butter, any other suggestions?

I have thick hair that gets dry easily and I'm noticing tiny knots in some strands (on my bleached ends)

Looking after natural hair is such an effort but I don't want to use relaxer any longer. I've been growing my hair from grade 2 since July 2010.

Will buy the most suggested products when I visit Nigeria in January.

Thanks.

@Y3MZ1

Organic Olive Oil that has been cold-pressed. It should be in a tinted bottle and check to see the date to ensure it hasn't gone rancid. They are pretty unstable after a while, so I recommend you refrigerate the latter volume to preserve it while it is unused and use on a volume by volume basis. This way, the whole bottle doesn't go bad if conditions demand.

Shampoo - should be sulfate-free,free from parabeans, alcohol, petroleum poducts and other artificial ingredients. In addition to that, organic raw apple cider vinegar (unfiltered). When done, apply the olive oil after rinse.

Shea butter is a joke compared to oil. You wouldn't sweat in hot or humid environment as a result of the oil. Olive oil is light sensitive, so it must always be in light resistance medium. Do not go for the bleached processed oil (golden colour). It should be olive green in colour. You are better of with nothing that to make such compromise.

Shopping List so far:
Cold-pressed Organic Olive Oil (tinted bottle)
Natural shampoo
Organic raw apple cider vinegar

The info you've given me on the tinted bottle olive oil is very useful, I was using a golden brown colour rice bran oil (but stopped as I much notice any results apart from greased hair), I'll keep that just for cooking.
As for the apple cider vinegar how is this used? After a shampoo and before oil like a conditioner?

Thanks for your help Trac, these are products I can get in Sainsburys so I'll be getting them sooner than Jan!

Post number 5.

The spam tool used is a total joke. It shouldn't be used at all if it isn't fully understood.

Repeated

y3mz1:

Shopping List so far:
Cold-pressed Organic Olive Oil (tinted bottle)
Natural shampoo
Organic raw apple cider vinegar

The info you've given me on the tinted bottle olive oil is very useful, I was using a golden brown colour rice bran

oil (but stopped as I much notice any results apart from greased hair), I'll keep that just for cooking.
As for the apple cider vinegar how is this used? After a shampoo and before oil like a conditioner?

Thanks for your help Trac, these are products I can get in Sainsburys so I'll be getting them sooner than Jan!

The olive oil has to be the extra virgin type olive oil. So, cold-pressed extra virgin organic olive oil that is

tinted. Extra virgin is the unrefined type. Your scalp wouldn't have to produce much of its own oil. The scalp

will also absorb it all and the follicles will not be starved. It will not grease your hair. Above all, make sure

it is not rancid.

The processed or the non-green non-tinted is no good for you. It offers no benefit to your body and to your

cooking. You are better off giving the money away or ripping it in two than purchasing that. Olive oil cannot

stand heat, so if you need a substitute for olive oil in your cooking, try avocado oil. Anything processed is not

good for your body. It will disturb the calcium level in your blood and the statistics will not be good over a

period of time.

Per shampoo/apple cider: Organic raw apple cider that is unrefined. The solution should be brown (in some cases,

the dirty brown type). When you are done shampooing, rinse the hair. Then add apple cider (ACV) to water 50/50

(not too much, just enough to apply to all your scalp and hair with your hand and let it sit for a two minutes or so

then rinse it off thoroughly. When done, apply the olive oil to both scalp and hair. The reason for the ACV is to

remove the dead skin cells that strangles the hair follicles and also remove any phase of dandruff. I said 50/50

for ACV/water. If you are strong enough to handle 100/0, go for it. It's the best. So, the answer to your

question is before oil (like a conditioner).

Olive oil and ACV will restore toughness and thickness to the strand. I don't know if you will like that (my mom

did not) but that is the way GOD made it.

If you take a shower and you are ashy, afterwards, then you need water filter. I don't know where you stay but in

the United States, the water is fluoridated (Fluoride added).

I don't know what Sainsbury is. You can find them at any supermarket/stores or the health food stores.

____Another alternative is jojoba oil. Expensive oil, last a longer longer than olive oil, far stable but isn't

rich in the constituents olive oil possesses. In excess, it will also grease you.


This is the most appropriate for the au-naturale South-of-Saharan woman, this is the natural way to go.

y3mz1,


The system for no reason would ban my post and when unbanned, would not release the post made. That explains the repetitions. It is stupid to type something long only to have you banned and your message locked.

Let me know what your outcome is. Your last resort should be jojoba. It's lightweight and would keep moist and lubricated for a lot longer than olive' but in excess will leave you greasy. It is also expensive but not as rich.

The aim of these oils is to lubricate, feed/nourish and replenish. It is not for aesthetic reasons. They all have no side effects. You can use those oils as skin oils (lotion). Your skin would suck it all up within a minute or two.

Sainsburys is a popular supermarket in the UK.
I checked there today, I guess I'll have to go to a health food store.
Sainsburys had Aspall Organic Cyder Vinegar at £1.19 for a 350ml bottle, but it's not apple, would you say apple is a must?
As for organic olive oil there was plenty in tinted bottles but they didn't say cold pressed on the labels,

y3mz1:

Sainsburys is a popular supermarket in the UK.
I checked there today, I guess I'll have to go to a health food store.
Sainsburys had Aspall Organic Cyder Vinegar at £1.19 for a 350ml bottle, but it's not apple, would you say apple is a must?
As for organic olive oil there was plenty in tinted bottles but they didn't say cold pressed on the labels,

Organic Apple Cider not Aspall. ACV does a lot of things. I don't know what Aspall is. I have never heard of such. The distilled ACV or the filtered ACV wouldn't do the job and a waste of your time. The unfiltered ACV has live strains in it. I don't know if £1.19 for a 350ml bottle is expensive but unfiltered ACV is relatively inexpensive here.

As for the olive oil, the process to which it was liquidized is cold pressed, that is heat induced is no higher than 30degC, thus preserving the flavour, antioxidants present and other properties within and nothing is destroyed. For this olive oil, it is also light sensitive, that is why it is in a tinted bottle. This is the closest thing to real olives as you can get.

O, another thing is to look in the cooking section. The process will have to be stated. I will go to the store tomorrow on my way back from church and take some pictures for you. I might go this evening since it might be crowded tomorrow. Anything short of what I have stated is a waste of your money.

I took some time to go to the store instead of as stated. I have taken some pictures to elaborate on what i am talking about.

Olive oil should be in tinted bottles







The following a just a waste of your efforts in most sphere that will concern you. It has been seriously altered from the real thing due to heavy processing. It is also not good for your health as well because most of what makes the oil different from others has been stripped away.





If it doesn't say "cold pressed" in the fore-portion, look at the rear (as the picture denotes)



For longer storage, the can would be advisable. This is after the fact that you can 'frigerate it while you use a sizeable portion for the meantime, since it goes rancid easily. If you also choose this method (which is very cost effective), your selected portion to use should be in a tinted glass bottle.




Apple Cider Vinegar

The Bragg product is the best I have ever used. I have tried spectrum but it is not as good but does its work. When selecting your choice of purchase, it should state 'Raw, Unfiltered" and it should have no chemicals to it.






In terms of shampoo, this is a typical example.






If you notice, it says no SLS. SLS in your "exploration" will come in two flavours - sodium laurette sulfate & sodium lauryl sulfate. It's basically the same thing but different strokes. In layman's terms (that is making the picture black and white to you), it is what is termed engine degreaser or mechanical degreaser. I guess it makes sense when you use petroleum products on your hair and to rid it off, tyre or engine degreaser would be needed.


You can opt to buy online as well. I did post 365 Products. I will not recommend them to you. I don't like it, I don't like their products due to the fact that I don't really get my money's worth, the olive oil is not the best you can buy for the money and I recommended it to one of my friends and she broke out. There were either presevatives in it or it had gone rancid. I didn't care which of the two.

Hello again Trac, thanks for all your help!

I checked all labels and there was nothing saying cold-pressed but if it's organic extra olive oil in a tinted bottle surely it's cold-pressed?

The Organic Aspall cider vinegar product mentioned it had a light taste of apple on the back, seems to be the right stuff, I'll shop around before I purchase it. I'll look out for Braggs!

I also took pics at the store but my laptop died as I was uploading them to iPhoto & now there lost -____-

Well I know what I need to get now thanks for all you help!

Have you heard about Jamaican Castor Oil? So many ppl I've come across recommend it, was wondering if you've tried it?

There were loads of tinted bottles, some rather pricey, I have a feeling they are cold pressed but it's not stated.
But that was only one store I checked, I'll look around. I will have my products soon

To avoid the dissapointment of losing images or anything else on my laptop I use an external hard disk drive to back-up
everything every 2 weeks. In future i'll make sure I have more charge when I upload, I usually have a good 10mins on 8% but it wiped straight out when I uploaded. Recovery mode kicked in but the images didn't surface, I have to press command + option to reboot/restore iPhoto to get it to respond.

Enough about macs! Im curious, what's your hair like? Are you interested in length or just keeping a healthy head of hair? What styles do you favour and what's your texture?

Read the user comments in this link (http://www.bobbyshealthyshop.co.uk/Apple-Cider-Vinegar.php). The very first one.

mike hughes
2010-01-20 09:53:15
I have been searching for apple cider vinegar with the mother for a while, especially in a glass bottle, most peoplem are unaware of the mounting evidence of serious toxins in plastic bottles etc. Thank you for the excellent packaging and prompt delivery. Keep up the good work guys. Warm regards Mike Hughes, London.


This is the FAQ and Intro

What is Natural Apple Cider Vinegar? (ACV)
Natural apple cider vinegar is a traditional product made from freshly crushed, hand picked apples that have been allowed to mature naturally without heat. Unlike all commercial types of ACV, natural apple cider vinegar is not processed or refined and has had nothing added or taken away. Natural ACV is cloudy and contains sediment. It also contains a substance called the ‘mother’ which is naturally produced during the fermentation process.
[back to top]

What is the ‘Mother’?
The ‘Mother’ is essentially enzymes, a natural substance created during the fermentation process of apple cider vinegar. It appears as a cob-web like formation floating in the vinegar. The ‘mother’ is alive and is made up from bacteria, enzymes and living nutrients. Many brands of ACV remove this formation, as to many it would appear that something is wrong with the vinegar, when in fact the mother is the most nutritious part of the ACV and contains the majority of its beneficial properties.
[back to top]

Why is traditional ACV not pasteurised?
Pasteurisation is a process that uses heat to in order to kill undesirable micro organisms and bacteria that can spoil many consumable liquids. This process also destroys many nutrients and enzymes present in the product. Natural apple cider vinegar contains anti-bacterial, anti-fungal and anti-viral properties meaning that it is not necessary to pasteurise and doing so would destroy the ‘mother’. The ‘mother’ is largely responsible for the main beneficial effects of natural ACV. Therefore pasteurised and processed apple cider vinegar (which you will find in most health-food shops and supermarkets) will lose many of its desirable health promoting attributes.

Wow, interesting stuff.

I've just noticed the other links you've posted, il read through them.

Have you considered blogging on hair care yourself?

I dropped a post and I got the spambot feedback. I won't repost what I initially posted since there is a possibility that it will resurface.

No, I never considered any hair blog. It is so far from my interest. I am very much into health and well-being. However, there is a possibility that I may make a website about vehicular handling or suspension for autocross or tracking purposes. Maybe, maybe not.

y3mz1:


Enough about macs! Im curious, what's your hair like? [b]Are you interested in length or just keeping a healthy head of hair? [/b]What styles do you favour and what's your texture?

H-mph, I never knew women did a trade-off between length and hair-health. I've learnt something new today.

This is a repost:

I figured you would stereotype me as a female. I am not. It's just one of the things I know how to do and

understand. I've cutting hair since I was 7 years old, fixing and dismantling things to understand how things work.

>> I don't hair-dress (would not) and I rarely spend my time about hair matters. This is why I gave you in black and

white, olive oil and ACV. I counsel some of my female friends on the matter too of au-naturale. I understand the

toxic contents due to the fact that I have some certifications in that field with respect to engineering.


>>I understand your backup method but do not forget, time machine uses an incremental form of backup. The iPhoto '11

was launched with a serious bug that many mac users have complained off. It will basically wipe your picture shelf

clean. If it's been fixed, I don't know.


This has been reposted due to the spam tool's method of inefficiently doing its work badly.

hmmmm.I get the feeling something is seriously wrong with our friend Trac,

Trac:

H-mph, I never knew women did a trade-off between length and hair-health. I've learnt something new today.

I figured you would stereotype me as a female. I am not.

About the 'trade-off', I'm just trying to grow healthy hair with some length, it's common amongst naturals! So many black woman wear weaves, why shouldn't we attempt to grown our own hair big and/or long

Also, you have assumed that I think your a female just because I have asked about retaining length,
A guy I had a crush not long ago had long well kept hair,

jovi:

hmmmm.I get the feeling something is seriously wrong with our friend Trac,

Something is wrong with me?!  Let's analyse. 
¹ A simple question is tackled by outline of personal experiences
² Maybe it's because I'm conversing with a female about how to maintain the natural hair after an entire race has been brainwashed that the South-of-Saharan hair is detestably unacceptable and does nothing but mirror primal instinct.  A counsel that Nigerians (after 60 years are not yet to get over anytime soon).
³ I did not prescribe the so-called lab formulae that is the product of minds of mischief that perpetually makes the sub-Saharan female and overstepping men money-machines for the vast majority of their lives.
⁴ Or I was dead-specific on what is right and what not to waste money on to avoid undesired outcomes.


If this thread troubled you, I wonder what your conclusions would be when I begin discussing about health and the human body of we met in person; what to eat and what not to eat and so on.  The best part of it is that they are never opinions but plain scientific facts.  One of the easiest discipline to understand is the your own body.   One thing I know, I can't stand "feminine products" around me.  If I am to give you the lists of what irritates me as per aforementioned, you'd be left with nothing to say.  What I have spoken about is harmless and benefits both genders.

y3mz1:

About the 'trade-off', I'm just trying to grow healthy hair with some length, it's common amongst naturals! So many black woman wear weaves, why shouldn't we attempt to grown our own hair big and/or long

Also, you have assumed that I think your a female just because I have asked about retaining length,
A guy I had a crush not long ago had long well kept hair,

Seriously, I never knew anything about a trade-off. I do know that if you deny your hair sunlight, it frails out and then begins splitting and in some wild cases, hair loss. The vitamins obtained from the sun cannot be substituted or negated. This is also why you use olives to as the constituents in the presence of natural conditions and sunlight integrate seamlessly with hair and scalp. All those nonsense you encounter at the departmental store does nothing but defer your candidacy for dispensing your money later on in life. There are some claims that some have mercury in them. Don't let anyone preach to you that mercury is good for the brain. The evidence will not be far from the person uttering such. I always believed everyone has a hair length that is determined by DNA and you cannot the predetermined. The main thing is to have it as GOD has designed it. The hair for the south-of-Saharan is of two purposes. The first is to cool the hair when it's hot and to trap air in it when it's cold to keep the brain at an acceptable levels of temperature. The s curl, twists or circular pattern is not accidental. It is to control the flow-rate of air thus maintaining an almost steady temperature. I can explain this better through the science of mechanics called Heat Transfer. Weave is just horse tail or hair from cadavers or impoverish people. If you can't help an impoverish person, I don't see where the logic us to purchase their hair in exchange for loose change.

Men shouldn't have long hair. That is just effeminate. It's does nothing but mess with a man's demeanour. The hip-hop culture is not a reflection of the race it portrays, same as rock. It's a fad of decadence and it doesn't appeal to all groups of people.

Interesting. . Chopped my whole hair last year october it has grown quite alot but can't seem to get products that can maintain my curls. . Any products I get just dry my hair out and it can become a very dry and frizzy. I have tried all sorts for my hair and the only thing that ever works was proline hair softener for men but they have stopped making it.

I use to use pink hair oil when I had perm but it is no use to my natural hair so now I just go on Youtube to get natural hair care info.

Trac do you know any natural hair products that maintain softness and curls?

I tried shea butter no use. .

kandiikane:

Interesting. . Chopped my whole hair last year october it has grown quite alot but can't seem to get products that can maintain my curls. . Any products I get just dry my hair out and it can become a very dry and frizzy. I have tried all sorts for my hair and the only thing that ever works was proline hair softener for men but they have stopped making it.

I use to use pink hair oil when I had perm but it is no use to my natural hair so now I just go on Youtube to get natural hair care info.

Trac do you know any natural hair products that maintain softness and curls?

I tried shea butter no use. .

To be honest with you, I don't know any natural product for hair. Besides the shampoo, if it isn't anything I can ingest, I'm not putting it on my self. That's just my rule of thumb. If the inside is sick, the outside will reflect the inner conditions. My initial response is to the original poster is the only solution I can give to you and it is relatively inexpensive and would not take a minute out of your daily routine, neither will it call for attention. In your situation, it will only be external because you are patching what the real problem is, instead of root-dealing the problem. The body heals itself but can be overwhelmed by lots of external factors that don't get along with the operation of our bodies. Rid your system of the heavy chemicals and restore. For the heavy chemicals/metals, one of the simplest and cheapest way is to introduce cilantro to your diet. I understand Nigerians wouldn't eat raw leafs, so you can steam it mildly or juice it. Watch after 20 days of continuous use! Your body now has the ability to heal itself quick and you will be a lot agile. Getting rid of candida will restore a smoother skin texture and clearer contrast, stop splitting nails and restore hair resilience. Purging yourself of metals and yeasts overgrowth is the only method that will give your body the ability to restore itself to what it is suppose to be.

If you can't eat it, just forget it.

I must say I love my nexrastore.com hair products! I know how your feeling, my hair use to be full of knots. However, recenty I started using Oyin Honey Hemp Conditioner, makes my hair feel sooo soft and much easier to comb. Love Oyin and Karen's Body Beautiful products x Here's the site: http://www.nexrastore.com/index.php?dispatch=products.view&product_id=28

http://blackgirllonghair.com/

http://www.naturallycurly.com/

Everyone's hair is different, but I've been natural for 6 years now. I've gone through a lot of trial and error to get my hair to where I want it to be. Moisture starts with your water intake. Keeping your body hydrated will keep your hair hydrated. Light oils and creams can be great, but too much can clog your scalp, create build up, and its already summertime so mix all that with sweat. If you use a light cream-based moisturizer, shea butter or oil oil can be used to lock in the moisture. There are a lot of online resources for natural hair that talk about helpful and harmful ingredients to help you avoid drying products.

Your washing regimen and the way you keep your hair also has a lot to do with moisture retention and remaining knot free. For example, I only detangle my hair when I'm washing it. Also, I wash my hair once a month and conditioner-wash in between. Conditioner-washes get the hair clean, soft, and full of moisture because shampoo usually strips the moisture away.

Protective styles are not only convenient, but they also keep your hair from being tangled and help retain moisture. This includes braids, twists, and buns. Even if you like wearing your fro in full effect during the day, a regimen of moisturizing, twisting your hair, and wrapping it in a satin/silk scarf at night can produce great results.

Let me know if you have any specific questions.

Amaka

I would like to know how I can successfully make the transition from relaxed hair to natural hair and still look good. I used to have long, full and healthy hair but right now am not liking my hair very much.

It seems the use of hair relaxers,weave-ons and braids over time has done me more harm than good, well the truth is that am really tired of these methods of hair care. I just want something new and easy that won't cause so much damage and will allow my hair go back to its former state of healthiness.

I just took off long bob marley braids, there's new under growth but am not sure I want to go through that whole cycle of retouch, wash a few days later then braid or fix a weave on. Please help a sister out I also need to grow my front hair back ghana weaving has messed it up a bit what would you recommend for effective hair growth?

The main problem most black women face with growth is breakage. our hair does grow, but we have a hard time retaining new length. Moisture plays a large role in stopping breakage. Also, what kind of tools are you using on your hair? How tight are the braids or weave? How long do you keep them in? If you create a routine where your hair can stay clean, get moisture, and rest from the stress of tension, then you'll have better results.

A wide tooth comb, a paddle brush, and detangling your hair while wet is a great retention start. Most hair braiders and people who do weaves don't know how to handle or care for natural hair so they rip your hair out to do the style. Make them STOP. Stop using those tiny combs and cutting out knots...You should take time and care to detangle your own hair and use your own products before walking into a shop or getting someone to braid it. Make sure it's not too tight. Don't keep them in too long. Once the style is done, let the hair rest for a week or two and do a good deep condition.

While excessive heat can be damaging, getting your hair straighten every once and a while can give you versatility and let your hair rest between braids. Avoid tight pony tails and pony tail holders. Also, wearing a wig may be a more hair friendly alternative to a weave, because you can let your hair breathe at night and wash it properly.

Part of the problem is that this is new for you and society hates black hair. There were days I thought about going back, but remember your hair is beautiful and it just needs care. If you look online there are tons of examples of styles, accessories, and products that can show you how beautiful your hair is. I became natural before the trend hit the states and people in school ridiculed me, those same people all have natural hair now and love it. Every one of those girls that couldn't understand me at the time, now gets it. Family and friends will criticize and try to be helpful, but know that there's a whole community around the world of women who love their own hair.

Hairstyles I rock:
Two strand twist
Bantu knots
Flexirod set
Cornrows with or without extensions
Flat twists
Afro with a colorful headband
simple bun with or without addition

Ask anything else on your mind...

Just got back to this thread to see your reply. Thanks a lot for your in-put I appreciate it you've given me ideas on what to do when I go natural.

Vanity Oils is a Nigerian based company focused on providing 100% natural oils for hair and skin care. Our product range includes Sweet Almond, Avocado, Aloe Vera, Castor, Coconut, Grape seed, Jojoba, Olive, Sunflower, Wheat Germ, Cedar, Cinnamon, Clary sage, Eucalyptus, Lavender, Lemon, Lemongrass, Peppermint, Rosemary, Tea Tree, Argan and Vitamin E oil as well as Shea butter. Contact us- info@vanityoils.com

Tips for hair care cannot be exhausted. Most times we suffer from damaged hairlines stunted growths damaged edges. Click on the link below to read more.
http://www.gigihealth.com/tips-for-hair-care-is-your-hair-damaged/

To grow and maintain healthy hair growth, i used mainly M.E leave in conditioner and Carrot oil from @mayessenceskincare. There are other range of products too but those are the two i used regularly which gave me good results. It worked wonders for me. You can try to.

Ohhh and their black soap shampoo too.