How to Achieve Shine with Natural Hair

[Candycane044]

Hello ladies! I have a friend who has a question about natural hair, and I just want additional input. She asked me what products I use to get my hair to look "shiny." I responded that I deep condition, rinse and then seal with an oil and tie my hair with a satin scarf. My moisturizer is actually a conditioner called Giovanni which I reapply everyday.. and then I also seal with an oil. I told her about the forum and told her I would ask other people as well...so here it is...What do you all use to make your natural hair to look shiny?? She has 4a/b texture.

 

[SEMO]

I use (not necessary at the same time):
Coconut oil
Proclaim Olive Oil glosser
IC Fantasia gel (for color treated hair--which is more moisturizing)

Also, using no more than 2 or 3 products at a time can really help with shine. Putting too many products on the hair at once (though it can make the hair feel good) tends to coat the hair and block light from reflecting off of hair strands and making it look duller.

Good luck to your friend. She should join us on LHCF. Unless you're keeping this site a secret or something.

 

[ShaniKeys]

I DC once a week, rinse, apply leave-ins and seal with oils during the summer/hair butters during the winter - coconut oil is best for shine. It's important to seal when the hair is damp, that way the oil will dry into your hair (hope this makes sense) instead of just laying on top of your hair.

 

[MCMLXXII]

She should try Aveda's Brilliant Emollient Finishing Gloss! It's pricey but fabulous. Another fave is castor oil. My hair loves it...I apply it immediately after my co-wash!

HTH

 

[HollyGolightly1982]

Castor oil works great for me

 

[Bigghair]

My hair had more sheen after using henna.

 

[Candycane044]

Thanks to all of you! She did join LHCF yesterday but I don't think she can post yet.

 

[Auburn]

Long Aid Activator Gel

 

[QT]

yes to the castor oil. a little goes a long way.

 

[adw425]

How I first got my hair to shine three years ago when it was so dull was by adding honey to my conditioner. I pretty much add honey or honeyquat to everything and my hair is always shiny. I also seal with camellia oil, but not all the time. When I don't, my hair is still very shiny, so it might just be the honey.

 

[Soliel185]

I agree with honey + con

I also really like Aloe Vera Juice/Glycerine ( I use them together in a spray bottle for moisture) It sinks into my hair, so the shine seems to come from within if that makes any sense.

Coconut (Vatika or Virgin) and Castor Oil will make your hair SHIIIIIIIIINY - esp if you put on damp hair, and then just enough to grease your palm smoothed over the top of dry hair.

For the synthetics - Lacio Lacio works great as well. And it's a creamy texture, so it doesn't make hair sticky or greasy.

Oh - I almost forgot. One time I mixed WS Acai Oil (from lotioncrafters) and Olive oil in a little plastic pot, and it had a chemical reaction I guess...? It got really thick like it had been whipped and turned into a pomade. It made my hair RIDICULOUSLY shiny and sealed like no other...I may have to try making another batch... :scratchch

 

[Mook's hair]

Subscribing.

 

[lwilliams1922]

great thread!

 

[truequeen06]

Coconut oil or olive oil. But to be honest, my natural hair shines so much more now that I've started caring for it by deep conditioning and moisturizing.

ETA: Cold water rinses.

 

[Chicoro]

The ladies have some good advice. I think that different products work for different people. What I have learned is that the healthier the hair, the more it shines. Once your friend begins to take better care of her hair and nurture it, it will shine more.

Hair strands that have the cuticle, or topmost layer intact, with the cuticle lying tight and flat, captures the most light. When hair captures light, it reflects light. The more hair reflects light, the shinier it looks.

By caring for and nurturing the hair with gentle and low manipulation, deep conditioning and protein (if her hair likes it), these things will help to create a smoothed cuticle. These things over time are part of the solution.

Shine products by themselves can create shine, but like make-up over blemished skin, they just cover up the issue. Shine products on healthy hair create super bling!

PS:
Some afro textured hair is shaped like an elipse. Afro textured hair can be flat and not cylindrical (rounded and circular). Flatter shaped hairs tend to have more sheen, than shine because of their shape.

 

[NOEChic]

hairveda cocosta oil and whipped cream

 

[justNikki]

For shine, on wet hair I add Coconut oil. Something else that works very well is adding a little seyani hair butter (from shescentit) to dry hair.

 

[stardust1222]

For shine right now for the moment till my money situation improves.I'm use beauty supply stuff like Hollywood Beauty creme mixed with worlds of curl gel then seal with either Hawiian Silky 14 in 1 or olive oil then baggy over night,then just go in the morning if I where my hair out which is very rare but like others stated deep condioning maybe once or twice a week may help and hot oil treatments may do the trick as well as well as upping water intake and taking some internal oils like omega 3-6-9 ,flaxseed , cod liver oil supplements all of this did my hair some justice esp. in the winter time when my 4/b strands gets brittle. Also a humidifer also helps .IMHO. HTH

 

[Candycane044]

The ladies have some good advice. I think that different products work for different people. What I have learned is that the healthier the hair, the more it shines. Once your friend begins to take better care of her hair and nurture it, it will shine more.

Hair strands that have the cuticle, or topmost layer intact, with the cuticle lying tight and flat, captures the most light. When hair captures light, it reflects light. The more hair reflects light, the shinier it looks.

By caring for and nurturing the hair with gentle and low manipulation, deep conditioning and protein (if her hair likes it), these things will help to create a smoothed cuticle. These things over time are part of the solution.

Shine products by themselves can create shine, but like make-up over blemished skin, they just cover up the issue. Shine products on healthy hair create super bling!

PS:
Some afro textured hair is shaped like an elipse. Afro textured hair can be flat and not cylindrical (rounded and circular). Flatter shaped hairs tend to have more sheen, than shine because of their shape.

Chicoro you ALWAYS have very helpful tips/advice. Thank you.

 

[donewit-it]

After doing a search, I am a little confused. Many say to apply coconut oil to wet hair for shine; others say to apply on dry hair. Wouldn't it just sit on the dry hair and not necessarily absorb into the hair for shiny result?

Another thing about honey. I notice that I do have shine to my hair when wet, but when dry not so much.

I quess I have to give up expecting my natural hair to have shine versus sheen.

Lastly,

Ingesting flaxseed oil is said to be beneficial to hair and skin; so that too can possible give us the shiny hair. Right?

 

[blackbarbie]

Just to add to what some of the other posters said already, if you are nurturing your hair with DC, etc. your hair will have a natural sheen, but what I like to use for extra shine is exactly what you said (candycane). I use Giovanni Direct Leave In, apply my coconut oil and when my hair dries, not only do I have softness, but I have shine as well.

To someone else that asked, yes, I have applied coconut oil to dry hair and it works just as well.

 

[CurlyMoo]

Sweet Almond Oil; it's not heavy and it absorbs into the hair without leaving your hair oily. Leaves my hair shiny and moisturized especially after a DC.

 

[BeautifulRoots]

Doing an ACV rinse while washing your hair can help with shine. Since ACV helps the cuticles lay down, the hair would reflect more light as mentioned earlier.

 

[Fhrizzball]

my olive oil mouse helps me best. Oils seem to do nothing.

 

[gissellr78]

If i apply oil to my dry hair it feels toasted....I apply it only on wash day or the day before.