Fran checking out the situation at Duane Reed
By Fran of HeyFranHey.com
Does anyone else have the bad habit of knowing which products work well for their hair, yet still feeling the need to try new ones as they’re released? I’m not talking about those of you who genuinely enjoy having different products. That’s fine! I mean those of us who are on this seemingly never ending quest for the “perfect coil” or “perfect shine”. Obsessed with one-upping what we already know to be tried and true! I definitely have my set of reliable favs that always get the job done. So what am I still looking for? My new goal is to stick to them and fight the urge to wander! Here are my staple products and why:
Clarifying
Since I’ve removed shampoo from my beauty regimen, for being so drying, I’ve added the process of clarifying my hair once a month. This deep cleanse ensures my hair and scalp are buildup free. My 3 go-to products for this process would have to be the Aztec Healing Clay, the Braggs Apple Cider Vinegar or Terressentials Pure Earth Hair Wash. The Aztec Healing Clay is perfect when my strands feel and look dull. It’s pure calcium so the hair strengthening is a plus! I find the Apple Cider Vinegar to be helpful when my scalp is itchy and dry, since it’s also an anti-fungal and anti-bacterial. The Terressentials Pure Earth Hair Wash is the pricey one of the 3 but definitely worth it because it cleanses your hair and scalp while also restoring moisture. It’s so rich and lush, I’ve been able to finger detangle my hair with it without needing conditioner!
Co-Washing
My hair health has improved drastically since I’ve started co-washing! Every natural knows the key to health and growth is moisture, right? This method has been the golden ticket for retaining it! The Raw Shea Butter Restorative by Shea Moisture always leaves my hair feeling buttery soft and clean. The ingredients mesh argan oil with shea butter which prove to be a killer combination for proper hydration! The White Camellia Conditioner by Aubrey Organics is one of my favorite scents and leaves my hair super shiny and bouncy after every use! Not to mention it’s loaded with wheat germ oil which is extremely nourishing and minimizes breakage.
Deep Conditioning
I deep condition my hair once a week, religiously! I can always feel the difference when I don’t make time for it. Desert City! The Purification Masque by Shea Moisture always makes my hair feel amazingly soft and you can truly feel a deep cleanse. The Deep Treatment Masque by Shea Moisture is another fav I’ll never stop buying! It’s so moisturizing, I’ve seen tons of naturals use it as a leave-in, too! The Algae Deep Conditioning Mask by Camille Rose is my current obsession! It’s jam packed with vegan ingredients that provide much needed vitamins and minerals.
Moisturizing
For protective styling, I absolutely love the Bee Mine Curly Butter! It’s light enough to not weigh my hair down but penetrating enough to leave my hair feeling moisturized for days. Not only are her ingredients organic but the coconut scent is heaven in a jar. I’m also a huge fan of the Camille Rose Moisture Butter. It has a varied amount of oils in it, so I never have to add a sealant! The moisture it provides helps me keep my twists in almost double the amount of time with any other creams.
Leave-In
When I need tons and tons of volume, my go to leave-in for my wash & go look is definitely the Kinky Curly Knot Today! It’s such a light conditioner so my curls aren’t weighed down at all, but the moisture and slight hold it provides leaves my hair really shiny and defined. When I need a more tamed look I go for the Camille Rose Aloe Vera Gel. Aloe is known to keep hair under control because of its pH, so it’s my go to when I need a more sculpted look.
Sealant
My only go to sealant is the Pure Aloe Vera by Aubrey Organics! I tried every oil on the market and everything was way too heavy (I’m not a fan of the wet look all day long!). The reason I like the Aloe by the Aubrey Organics brand is because of its watery consistency, which blends better with my other products. Aloe has also held me down in a major way with this heat wave! Its pH closes the cuticle so my hair has been surprisingly tamed even amidst the 100+ degree humidity!
Have you found your staple items?
Great post and love the hair! It’s always cool to see what steps and products everyone finds useful.
–Cleanser: Water, scalp scratching ‘scritching’
–Moisturizer: Water
–Sealant/Styler: Shea oil or Pomade (DB’s Cupuacu Coconut, I like it but hesitate to list anything as HG these days).
I remember reading that Fran had a lot of success with Aloe as a sealer. I wondered if that was because its humectant properties not only brought water to her hair but ‘sealed’ it in by binding that water there as a protective shield. In this way she wouldn’t need oil. Sounds great, failed on me but sounds great for others :)
You cleanse and moisturize with just water? Wow! Talk about low maintenance. Awesome!
HHmm! Questionable would be my reply. Not interested in getting into any arguements but seeking info. Last I heard oil and water don’t mix, so I am baffled to know that one can use just water to get rid of the oil based sealant that you use. Sounds to me like build up upon build up upon build up.
Please clarify!!????!!!!!???
Daily MASSAGE loosens any product that may have built up on my scalp, daily SCRITCHING exfoliates any product that may have built up on my scalp, and almost-daily WATER-WASHING rinses any product that may have built up on my scalp and on my strands away while my scalp oil kicks in as a conditioner.
The oils I add aren’t -cones so there isn’t adhesion to my hair or scalp that requires product stronger than water to remove, I also love hot, steamy showers. For me, water and oils do mix pretty well. You’ll find more information if you look up: water-only hair washing (WO), oil-cleansing method for hair (OCM) and oil-cleansing for face. These methods have been used for a long time by many people successfully.
Hey Fran,
I love Morrocco Method (mud wash), but I can’t seem to get a grip on a permanent deep conditioner, hair moisturizer, or leave in. I’ve bought so much. I think it’s due to when I was relaxed I used a liquid leave in to wrap my hair and that was it until I washed it again. I stare into my cabinet puzzled on what to do after I wash. I do like Karen’s Body Beautiful’s products, especially the Sweet Ambrosia, but I hate ordering. Anything suggestions for on the brick and motar products.
Hey! The Shea Moisture Purification Masque as well as the Deep Treatment Masque are both available at Duane Reade, Target and Walgreens. The Kinky Curly Knot Today leave-in is available at Target. Have you tried the Curl Enhancing Smoothie by Shea Moisture as a moisturizer? Sold at Target, Walgreens and Duane Reade too! Hope that helps :)
Still searching for the perfect shampoo(Any suggestions)
Herbal Essence Totally Twisted Conditioner (best slip ever)
Shea Moisture Deep Treatment Masque(deep conditioner)
Shea Moisture Curl Enhancing Smoothie(twist outs,bantu knots)
Shea Moisture Style Milk(for my lazy days when I don’t have time to let my hair air dry I just apply this to wet hair, put my hair into a bun and go.)
Nexxus Headress Leave-In conditioner (again a lot of slip)
Raw African Shea Butter(sealer)
Hey Fran! I have a question…what’s the difference in a “moisturizer” and a “leave-in”? I thought they were the same thing. I currently use a leave-in moisturizer by Taliah Waajid before sealing with my shealoe/oils concoction. Am I missing a step?
I have been natural for eight years but I just settling into my real staple products.
Shampoo: Suave Professionals Almond & Shea Butter for dry hair
Conditioner: Suave Professionals Almond & Shea Butter for dry hair
(My hair isn’t that dry but this gives it extra moisture)
Moisturizer/Braid outs: Beautiful Textures Moisture Butter,WATER,
Hot Oil Treatments: Coconut oil, peppermint oil, extra virgin olive oil
Deep Conditioner: Queene Helene Cholesterol Creme
Styling: Eco Styler Olive Oil Gel
I have what I find to be quite the dilemma: when it comes to caring for my hair, my aim in life is to be as minimalist as humanly possible. I have mostly 3c hair with a few 4a moments in the back, and it’s a head full of fine hair that tangles very easily. My former regimen was like so: I would pre-poo and finger detangle with coconut oil, shampoo with Paul Mitchell Moisturizing Keratin Shampoo from the Wild Ginger line, and follow it up with the deep conditioner. This used to work marvelously, but I haven’t really been able to get much of a reprieve from the dry ends and constant tangling. I don’t like spending a ton of time on styling my hair, so as much as I keep reading about how beneficial protective styles are, I just don’t want to be bothered. Besides, I have more fun with my hair when it’s out! For styling, I have my hair parted in five big twists, take each section down (all while wet) and moisturize with coconut oil and follow with either Garnier Fructis or Tresseme gel. My styling takes 10 minutes maximum, and I just co-wash between weekly shampoos. Anyhow, here’s the crux of my dilemma: I have now tried washing with Rhassoul clay twice. The first time I used it was 2 weeks ago, and when I stepped out of the shower after my apple cider vinegar rinse, I was amazed at how it looked, so I decided to forgo any further conditioning and just style as usual. I thought it looked amazing! When I resumed my regular routine the following week, however, I didn’t feel the same, and I also felt that the gel was becoming a bit too drying. I decided to try the rhassoul clay wash again this week and attempt to style my hair using only coconut oil. This was yesterday, and I can say that after a night of sleeping on it, it still looks fantastic and has maintained all its definition. What concerns me is that now, I have no idea of what to do next. How often should I be cleansing my hair this way? This is the softest and silkiest my hair has ever felt, and I don’t want to lose this to using any products that are going to work against these results. Help a sista out!
Right now:
Shampoo: L’Oreal EverCreme SLS free Shampoo
Conditioner: TreSemme Naturals Conditioner (Used over night.)
Style/Moisturize: Long Aid Activator Regular or Extra Dry. They both pretty much work the same, though I am partial to the blue (regular.)
Oil: I was using LouAna Coconut oil for sealing, but recently switched to vegetable oil. I’ll probably still use the coconut oil sometimes. It’s been a constant for over 5 years!!!
Extra: Sof n Free Milk Protein and Olive Oil Strengthening Creme.. I’m still testing this out, but so far I like it.