By Chinwe of Hair and Health
Not all Type 4B/4C naturals have the same head of hair, but we do have many similarities, including susceptibility to knots, prone to dryness, and detangling woes. When it comes to finding products to care for our kinks, it can be a difficult task. If you are just starting your hair care journey or you are still searching for that staple product, these four recommendations may be a good place to begin:
1. Eco Styler Gel – for slick edges
Not every Type 4B/4C natural is going to like this product, but many may find it an essential addition to their product collection. How is this gel different from most other ones? Well, it is super heavy and thick making it able to tame our kinky edges with minimal effort. It is also non-drying and provides excellent hold. Just apply a generous amount to your hairline and nape, wrap with a scarf until dry, and remove the scarf for slicked down edges.
2. Shea Butter – for enhanced detangling
Because this butter is a great emollient, it can be a useful addition for many Type 4B/4C naturals when it comes to lubrication and detangling. Use it alone or mix it with oils to increase slip for dry, finger detangling. If you prefer to comb detangle on damp hair, melt a little shea butter and mix with some conditioner for more slip. Either way, you will more than likely notice a smoother detangling session than usual.
3. Herbal Essences Hello Hydration – for quick conditioning
A lot of Type 4B/4C naturals rave about this product for manageable strands after washing. Other inexpensive instant conditioners do not compare in terms of popularity. The product does contain silicones, so be sure to monitor for buildup or use a shampoo that will adequately prevent such buildup.
4. Castor Oil – for increased sheen
Due to our kinky strands, our hair has very little natural sheen. If you want to enhance your hair’s luster, you may want to try castor oil. According to a study published in the Journal of Cosmetic Science, castor oil was shown to increase the luster of hair.
For my Type 4B/4C ladies, what are your staple products?
All of the aforementioned products are STAPLES of mine! But I am currently obsessed with the following:
1) Loreal Evercreme Intense Nourishing Shampoo — this product is SERIOUS! This is the best shampoo I’ve tried to date! It doesn’t strip your hair at all and on the contrary it actually makes it feel soft! The price is great too.
2) Qhemet Biologics Amla & Olive Heavy Cream– this product will instantly moisturize your hair and makes it feel like butter for days. A little goes a long way! It is kind of expensive but it’s worth it in my opinion.
3) Shea Moisture Curly Enhancing Smoothie– great product for twist outs/braid outs! Keeps my hair moisturized and maintains the style.
4) Hello Hydration Conditioner
5) Henna Treatments (helps strengthen hair, adds shine, and softens it)
6) Castor Oil
YES! The Amla and Olive Heavy Cream is the bomb! I buy 10 at a time because I’m always afraid I won’t be able to get it anymore. LOL! And for my ends, the Extra Dark Black Jamaican castor oil.
Where can I buy this product at ?
Neysha-
If your question refers to the qhemet biologics prducts, you can buy it on their website http://www.qhemetbiologics.com or on http://www.sagenaturalceuticals.com
First, I want to say…I love being natural. Our hair demands attention which takes time. It takes patience and time to adhere to a routine of co-wash, moisturizing and conditioning to keep our hair healthy enough to promote growth.
I agree with #3, 5 & 6.
I’m game to try Qhemet Biologics after some investigating. It sounds like a good product.
I don’t purchase ANY L’Oreal products bcz I think they are perpetuating a false sense of style/beauty in regards to African American women. Out beauty comes in all colors not just “light bright”.
Love that everyone is helping each other out <3
Could I ask what people are using as a good DC?
My hair does not go for coconut oil and I tend not to add oils to DC anyway as it always turns out crunchy. TIA.
My favorite DCs are 1) Bee Mine BeeUtiful Deep Conditioner (i think coconut oil is in this), expensive but worth every penny, 2) Shea Moisture Deep Treatment Masque (its inexpensive & I can buy at my local Target!!), or Trader Joe’s Tea Tree Tingle Condish with added olive and castor oil!!!
I also like Trader Joe’s Nourish Spa Conditioner as well (and is really cheap too), it gives good slip and is very moisturizing, and I tend to have really dry hair. Also, I really like avocado oil, actually better than olive oil or castor oil. Castor oil doesn’t do a lot for me and olive oil is a little too greasy for me. Mizani Botanify shampoo is also good well.
I thought I posted this for a second @stephanieb. Both of these are great for my hair. I also like Aussie conditioner and Shea Curl enhancing smoothie. I need to try that Qhemet product. I also like the Trader Joe tea tree shampoo.
Hi Jenny,
I just recently used B.A.S.K Cacao Deep treatment overnight andI must say that I am a fan!!! My hair was sooo soft the next morning and I have a normally dry TWA. Even after I use the LOC method, my can get get dry towards the middle of the day. Not with B.A.S.K., my hair was soft and stayed that way for days. Literally, I’m not kidding and not I don’t work for them nor am I affiliated with them in any way. It smells and looks like chocolate ice cream. It worked for me. I also found that DCing overnight works best for my hair. Next up would be Curl Junkies Hibiscus and Banana DC. I also use this sometimes as a leave in. Hope this helps!
Hi Jenny, I love the Herbal Essence the blue one….uggh its amazing or VO5. I doubt I’ll ever buy the expensive brand conditioners again. They’ve been working so well that my hair is actually getting to soft so now I don’t get curl definition when I do twist outs.
Anybody know any good curl definers?
I use the Olive Oil Replinishing Pak by Organic Root Stimulator works well for me. It is inexpensive and an effective follow up moisturizing conditioner after my Henna treatments.
I just recently started using Aussie Moist 3-minute Miracle mixed with Coconut oil, but you can always substitute Coconut oil for olive oil, castor oil, etc.
My hair loves shea butter mixed with coconut oil as a creme and I use castor oil for extra care on my ends. I don’t use any gel because I’m on an “edges challenge” and I try to be extra soft on them and Herbal Essence products because it’s hard to find them in France but I’ve made major discoveries for my hair last year:
1) jojoba oil works wonders on my low porosity hair as a sealant
2) rhassoul and shikakai powder as an alternative to shampoos mean less breakage, less SSKs and moisturized hair
3) apple cider vinegar mixed with water is great as a final rinse especially if you have hard water at home or “eau calcaire” as we call it in France
4) henna treatment once a month makes my hair feels soft and shiny and my strands are stronger
Now all of these are my staple products and I can feel the difference!
I totally get what you mean about not being able to get certain products. I hear about all these wonderful products i would love to try but can i find them in this country?! I’m in England btw. And you can order certain things of eBay and what not mais c’est difficile to know whether they are kosher. Let me just experiment with what I do have :)
I totally agree. And at the same time, it saves us from being product junkies right?! :) I only order online what I cannot find nearby. If you’re looking for kosher products, I can imagine it’s even more difficult. Homemade products could be a great solution for you then.
Hi ladies, I live in London and although there are a lot of Afro beauty shops I can’t always find the products I want, which is why I buy online. My favourite sites are:
Gidore – I buy the As I Am range; the co-wash, leave-in, clarity shampoo and when I’m feeling rich the Hydration Elation Deep Conditioner.
Mariposaimport – This is the European supplier for the Qhemet Biologics range. At the moment I’m using the Moringa Tree Conditioning Ghee and the Burdock Root Butter Cream and I have to say that these products are the truth! They’re expensive but as others have said, a little goes a long way.
britishcurlies – I haven’t used this site yet but I’m sure it’s legit. They sell Shea Moisture, Kinky Curly, Bee Mine, Mixed Chicks and lots of other well known natural hair products.
So all this lot should keep you entertained. Even when I have no money I still like to look :-)
Late.com reply, but thank you =)
Awesome! I’m a natural moving to Paris for the summer and I was so worried about what I was going to do with my hair while there but if I can find Hello Hydration and shea butter then I can make it work.
My staples are:
1. VO5 conditioner – I have a lot of 4 type hair so I can go through bottles of conditioner like nobody’s business and this is a great and cheap conditioner that gives a lot of slip when trying to detangle
2. Hello Hydration – Of course!
3. Shea Moisture Curl and Style Milk – Absolute FAV!!!
4. Black Jamaican Castor Oil – Every 4 type hair saving grace, I apply it my scalp first and smooth down to the tips, it helped me grow back my edges when I stopped wearing weaves and started transitioning. Complete transformation!
What are you doing for your Edge Challenge? Right now I am massaging every night with Jamaican Castor, Jojoba n a tiny bit of Neem oil.
Hi DeeRose,
I still haven’t tried Neem oil but I massage my scalp with Coconut oil right after my washing session and Castor and Jojoba oils every other day. Mostly, for the challenge, I avoid puffs (which I love) and keep my hair in medium twists pinned-up updos for the week. On weekends, I would rock a twist out for a change. I plan to keep doing this until summer.
any protein sensitive naturals here (as in coconut, avocado and even aloe vera makes your hair dry and brittle)?
My hair cannot handle heavy butters either. It’s been extremely hard finding products that work for my hair and I’m really jealous of people that have found staple products or can try 500 products with their hair soaking it up. I’ve almost given up on being natural. Really contemplating going back to relaxing.
I understand how you feel, I’ve almost given up on being natural myself several times because of how difficult it is to find good products to moisturize my hair. Perhaps a good product for you, although rather expensive, is Jane Carter Solutions Nourish Shine pomade. As far as I know, it doesn’t have any coconut, avocado oils, etc., and although it’s a butter, it is a very light butter but is longer lasting than just using an oil. I thought that I was rather protein sensitive too and can’t use coconut oil because it makes my hair hard and crunchy, but for some reason I can use avocado oil which is supposed to have the highest protein content of all oils. My hair seems to really like avocado oil, at least so far, and really soaks it up, so I don’t know why I get the opposite reaction with coconut oil, it’s quite interesting. I think that it really comes down to trial and error and just seeing what works for you. Hope everything works out!
I’m protein sensitive but my hair loves Coconut oil. Unfortunately most of the products aimed at the natural hair community contain protein. I might try Jane Carter because most of their products are protein free. I’m doing well with mud washes, Kinky Curly knot today leave in, coconut oil and shea butter on my ends.
Have you tried a whipped shea butter? It’s a bit lighter than regular shea and you can make it yurself with oils that agree with your hair. You can also make it lighter by laving out the heavier oils. I use whipped shea and it gives my hair really good defintion and seals it well along a shine all day long. HTH.
I can relate to alot of people comments. I live in London and my hair also has the same issue with coconut oil and Aloe Vera. What I will reiterate, is what I’ve told alot of people before, see if you can get to a Whole Foods, they have a large range of natural shampoos and conditioners.They have lots of samples and knowledgeable staff. This is what I did when I first went natural. I also looked on websites and youtube for recipes etc.
I have type 3 hair, so I’m not sure whether any of my suggestions can help you, but there are other oils like jojoba,grapeseed, olive, sesame seed,almond,Argan, etc. I use shea butter butter but to a very light consistency and only after I wash my hair or in the winter. One range I use is
an Australian one called A’kin. It is not labelled kosher but it is 100%vegan and uses organic and botanical sources where available.
Going natural is about finding out about your natural hair and coming to terms with it.It is not a quick process and you have found out with the coconut oil and Aloe Vera that your hair is individual and that you are going to have to work a little bit more to find out what your hair likes and what is going to make it grow and flourish.The thing is, are you prepared to put in the time and effort? Maybe its not the right time. And that’s cool.The choice is yours.
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I know what my hair likes but it’s been impossible to find a leave in that doesn’t have what my hair hates. That’s the dilemma. Luckily, I’ve found something I believe works and it has parabens and silicones which I hoped to avoid but I’m very desperate at this point. I actually got it from a local BSS.
Thanks for your recommendations. I’ve also tried most of the things in your regimen and tried coconut oil/avocado oil in hot oil treatments and got the same dry, brittle hair with SSK’s.
oops i mixed up my replies! the first paragraph is a reply to you and the second paragraph is to “Nikki” below. I need sleep gah…
I’m protein sensitive so I use certain products sparingly, if at all. I’ve found that I can handle proteins depending on how I use it. Shea butter by itself is too waxy for my hair and it just sits on top of the hair shaft still dry so I mix it with castor, jojoba oil and tablespoon of raw honey and that makes it easier to apply.
I only use coconut and avocado oil when I’m doing a hot oil treatment because it is known to be some of the only oils to penetrate the hair shaft. Try doing deep conditions and hot oil treatments twice a month for 2 months and see if that helps. My regimen:
Deep condition/hot oil treatment – After washing apply hello hydration and detangle, leave in. Mix Vatika oil (or just plain coconut oil), avocado oil, vitamin e oil and a teaspoon of raw honey – 1/4 cup, heat in microwave for 30 seconds put in bottle shake and apply over damp detangled hair, cover with plastic cap and sit under dryer for 45 min – 1 hour. Rinse lightly with cool water.
Air dry or blow dry on low, apply Shea moisture curl and style milk and black Jamaican castor oil, style as usual.
Side note: Raw honey seems to be the secret weapon for my hair so I always use it in my mixes but use lightly, you don’t want a sticky feel to the mix or in your hair
For DC, I either use a cheap conditioner and add honey + olive oil OR I use organic greek yogury, honey, and olive oil. This works wonders. Also, doing castor oil hot oil treatments makes my hair feel like silk. Many people don’t like it but the Cantu Shea Butter works well for my hair and all Shea Moisture Products. You don’t need an arsenal of products to have gorgeous hair.
Never thought to add honey and olive oil to conditioner. I will try this idea to use old conditioners that I have and no longer want but I’m too cheap to throw away. Thanks!
aphogeee has a wonderful balancing moisture conditioner. i use it for deep conditioning and i also use the aphogee protein treatments whenever i start to see an increase in shedding.
i use all of the aforementioned products. love, love castor oil. it is a must for all type 4 naturals. trust.
I am still experimenting with different products. What I have discovered is that Shea butter mixed with coconut oil works well for me. The mix also adds amazing shine to my hair. my sister and i call it “miracle cream”. lol. i have never thought to use it as an aid to detang,e tho, iv always just smothered my hAir with leave-in conditioner. shall have to try that. I realise importance of moisture, but to me adding moisture via water-based conditioners just seems to shrink my hair right up. Anyone know how to combat this ?
I hate # 1 and #2 but I cannot live without #3 and #4!!!
Hi Ladies!
I’m newly natural with 4C hair and I could REALLY use some advice on how to keep my hair moisturized! It is seriously always dry and I don’t know what to do. I don’t know many other naturals and definitely no one who has 4C hair. Can someone share some tips about their daily routine maybe?
I would sincerely appreciate any help!
Much love!
World of Curls – Curl Activator. It’s a gel curl activator, conditioner, and oil-sheen all in one for extra dry hair – A LIFE SAVER
Hi Sidellis,
I have combination hair that includes 4C hair. I use the trusty LOC method (leave-in, oil, cream/butter). This works really well. As I mentioned in an earlier post, you can try deep conditioning your hair overnight. This make my hair really soft and it’s been moiturizing all night so it should help with the dryness.I use karen’s Body beautiful leave-in (smells heavenly), a mixture of jamaican black castor oil, coconut oil, rosemary, vit. e and sweet orange-to cut the smell of the castor oil and then as my cream I use either Shea Moistures Cul ehancing smoothie or my whipped shea butter mix. I DC after each shampoo with my favs. B.A.S.K cacao deep treament or Curl Junkies Hibiscus and Banana Deep fix- i might use this as a leave in sometimes as well. But you’ll have to choose products that work for your hair. I’m also a newbie but YouTube has helped me immensely by pointing me in the right direction fo rmy mutiple hair types. Hope this helps!
The Green House Effect works wonders for dryness, especially during the harsh winter months. Google the method and give it a go!
A couple of things worth considering:
.Hormones
.Lack of iron or other supplements
.Not drinking enough fluid
.Any other medical complaint
.Side effects of any medication taken.
I would also consider the weather, if its cold, we maybe spending too much time wrapping our heads and in the central heating. If the weather is hot, remember we need to protect our hair against the fiery heat of the sun.
Another couple of things to try along with everybody else’s excellent suggestions:
.Try washing your hair without shampoo and using conditioner for a couple of weeks or so to get that conditioner deep.
.When you get home from work or before bed, spray your hair with a little water or oil and put a plastic cap on your head to create your own natural moisture.
Love.
Kera, Nicole, Caramel and JustLeavingaComment, ladies thank you so much for your advice thus far I truly appreciate it and any further tips you have definitely keep them coming! It definitely sounds like I have a lot of products to try out.
I see a lot of advice about washing/conditioning. How often do you ladies wash your hair and how do you know when it’s time?
Also, is it just me, or have you ever felt like a lot of the general advice for management and products regarding natural hair does not exactly work for your 4c hair, as if 4c is in a whole other world of natural?
Much love!
Hi Sidellis! Hopefully the suggestions you were given are helping you. Regarding your last question, it seems to be a natural hair in general, not 4c hair specifically, issue with regard to advice. You have to keep in mind that the suggestions people give that work for their hair are based on how they style their hair, climate/weather where they live, and preferences in how they expect their hair to look & feel. I am 4c, transitioned for 13 months before cutting off my relaxed ends, and have been ‘fully natural’ for 3 months. Thank the good Lord that I was able to really learn my hair for a year during the transition!
Within the last 2 weeks I just found out what my hair feels like when it is at optimal moisture levels, and how it responds! No amount of YouTube videos or blog posts was going to teach me that (and trust me, I darn near have an obsession with them). Your best bet is to start yourself a good old hair dairy and make note of what you use on your hair from week to week. This has been a HUGE help for me – I can look back and read exactly how I achieved the perfect condishing treatment, leave in mix, twist n curl, etc! Best of luck darling ;-)
I have never tried Hello hydration. I recently purchased Eco styler argan oil gel and I have only used a small amount when I put my hair up in a bun for the first time. I’m participating in a challenge for protective styling. I love shea butter, but never used it as a detangler. I have used shea butter as moisturizer for my hair and skin. I recently whipped up my own shea butter cream adding coconut oil, olive oil, vitamin e, and few drops of peppermint and rosemary essential oil. Also I have used castor oil and mixed it with other oils (jojoba, peppermint, and rosemary) to rub on my scalp at night.
I LOVE Camille Rose Naturals Algae Deep Conditioner! Its thick and delivers extreme moisture! My hair is left soft and moisturized for days!!!!
Wen Cleansing Conditioner — the price is steep but the results are so worth it. I joined the club online so I get discounts
Either The Generic Paul Mitchell Leave-in Conditioner carried at Sally’s (it seems to have more water than the real one and provides better slip!) Or Kinky Kurly Knot Today when I can find it.
Infusium 23 leave-in in a spray bottle for twist sets and also to re-hydrate for styling when I don’t want to wet my whole head.
I do use Ecostyler but sparingly. I like the finish it gives but overuse can be rough on the hairline.
And as all you well know, the trial and error never end. I love exploring new products, though!
Hi dancesistah. I never thought about keeping the products I used on my relaxed hair once I went natural. I used to live by Infusium and Pantene when I relaxed.
Me too!! I happened to find a big old bottle under the sink at my mom’s house and started using it.
I love Infusium 23! I pour some in a spray bottle with a little bit of Kinky Curly Knot Today, Aloe Vera juice, jojoba oil and the rest is water, about 80% water 20% everything else, and that’s what I use in between washes when I need to hit the reset button on my hair for moisture. I spray that on and add my shea moisture twist and set. My hair feels soft and manageable in the morning.
Thanks Nikki!
Can’t wait to try your recipe, like I said, trying out new products and new techniques has become a passion. Moreover, I find everyone in the natural forums to be so very generous with their hair-wisdom!
First I’d like to say thank you to the author for thinking of ME, if you know what I mean. Secondly, I have to give Eco Styler a second chance, since I re-chopped, before I can say its just not my friend, but I did develop a dislike for it from past use. The only product on this list I haven’t tried is castor oil so I’m excited to see what it does for my hair. This article was on point–Shea Butter and Herbal Essence are my friends, but I’ve given up on wearing my hair in a ponytail without a headban(hair just won’t lay down).
Good luck Kaye! I am going to try the castor oil, too. And maybe you can try double strand twisting, letting them loose and NOT trying to make it lie down? One of the things I love about natural hair is how it defies gravity to make awesomely creative shapes. Now if you work in a bank, that may be another story all togehter!
Best,
dancesistah
Kaye I agree with you, my hair never took to eco styler gel, too dry, but most 4 types live for it, as for me I went back to ole’ faithful, ampro pro style gel or as we call it in the hood “black gel”. I twist my hair, apply black gel to my edges, smooth lightly with a soft bristle toothbrush, tie down with a scarf and I’m good to go! It doesn’t dry my hair out the way eco styler did, I think I still have a big tub of it sitting in my closet barely touched from my product junkie days lol.
When I want to get my edges to look smooth, I my spray castor oil,lemongrass oil and water mix along with aloe vera gel. Then i wrap my hair in my scarf for about 20 minutes and voila…it’s all good.
I love the Wonder Curl Butter whipped for my hair. It’s the only product that keeps my hair moisturized and soft.
I love the DR. Miracle curl care line for my hair. And I use the Creme of Nature Argan Oil Deep Treatment conditioner as my deep conditioner. I use water and coconut oil to rehydrate my hair daily and I also use a rosemary spritz
Loving all this information….
Has anybody got any ideas for oils that are really absorbent my hair 4b – 4c doesn’t like oils much – but i feel it needs it! i just have to find the right one!! I want to try – Neem oil, or hemp oil? Has anyone tried these oils and what did u think about them? Someone here mentioned avocado oil – so will try that! Coconut oil does nothing for me – castor oil is horrid far too thick and only good to lift a scaly dry scalp! It works wonders here! But nothing else… any ideas welcome!. Looking for a really moisturising absorbent oil. Hair is very fine and dry. Natural 2 years 8 months! Thanks
Morrocan argan oil may not be too heavy. Good luck!
Try jojoba oil! It is super light and penetrating. Also olive oil is supposed to be really good. If you find that your hair needs more moisture with the penetrating oils, try mixing aloe vera gel/ juice, distilled water, and jojoba oil in a spray bottle and use this to lightly mist your hair before covering with a silk scarf/ bonnet / conditioning cap for bed. Your hair may like this and respond with healthy fluffy bouncy hair. It works really well on my 4c hair.
Hi! Love all the info. Just found this site and with so much information out there, it is hard to know what to do. So, please help! I have 4 daughters, one is transitioning and has medium-sized braids. She is 13. Right now, I just put coconut oil mixed with olive oil on her scalp every Friday night. Is this enough to moisturize her scalp until the braids come out and help with dryness?
Secondly, I have one daughter who is 4a (10) 4c (8) and 3b (6) I cannot keep their hair moisturized and it’s driving me crazy. I think these are the right hair types?!
Look at my 10 year old hair, dry & brittle and I refuse to perm. However, by the time she comes home from school — it’s a fro! Her hair was longer but it keep breaking, so I have to cut it… Any suggestions?
Daughter 2, her hair draws up to her head like a sponge. She looks bald, but she actually has hair — other than braids … What else can I do to prevent this compact state? What to wash, how often, DC???
I don’t want to perm their hair y’all but I need some love from you Naturals!
Daughter 3 has what black folks call “good hair” but it’s thin – how can I thicken it up and grow it?!
Three daughters, same parents, 3 hair types … Any advice would be greatly appreciated! No chemicals please.
Ladies, I am a recent convert to natural hair…..4B. I hear a lot of people mentioning a hair care regimen. Can someone give me an example of where to start. Thanks!
Herbal Essences Hello Hydration is a great product. I love it. Great post