Naturals: Question?

CalJay

New Member
I have recently decided to transition, But I'm wondering what the naturals do for their routines? I feel lost and unsure if Im doing everything I need to do!! Do you make your own products? Or are you using a specific product line?
 
I dont really mix up a lot of products myself. I have a butter that I mixed up from butters I already owned, and I have a rosemary spritz. Other than that, I use commercial products, and I will add honey or some type of oil to some of them sometimes.

I dont use a specific brand. I just pretty much use what feels good. And that's pretty much my whole haircare routine too. I wash when I feel I need to. Condition when I feel I need to. And that's been working for me.

I'm not sure if any of this answer your questions. lol
 
:D
CalJay said:
I have recently decided to transition, But I'm wondering what the naturals do for their routines? I feel lost and unsure if Im doing everything I need to do!! Do you make your own products? Or are you using a specific product line?

Hi, well I think it's great that you are thinking on transitioning to natural! I will tell you, your transition routine, will be different then when you are fully natural. I can only speak on the natural side. It all depends on what you want to do for products, through trial and error, what your hair likes an doesn't like. I know my hair doesn't like shampoo(sls/als), but loves shampoo bars, no mineral oil/petroleum,no cones (dimethicone,silicone). my hair loves whipped butters(shea/cocoa/mango) WATER,WATER,WATER, castor oil, natural conditioners (on cones) gentler shampoo bars, honey.
I find that over time, I've noticed what my hair likes. Example: you wash it w/ a commercial shampoo/conditioner and when your hair is dry, it's hard. That's a sign that your hair doesn't liek it. I do know that during your transition, that's a great time to try twistouts/braidouts, buns, work on twisting/braiding skills. so when you get to the end of your transition, you are equipped. That way you can decide, if you want to go all the way, or if you still want to perm. I wish you best of luck whatever you do! :)
 
Hiya!
I don't really mix my own products either, as I LOVE to buy cosmetics! I do have a conditioner spritz I made myself which contains 1 part conditioner, 1 part sweet almond oil, a few drops of lavender oil and the rest is filtered (or bottled, or destilled) water. It's an 8 oz spray bottle. I use this at night time to braid my hair and in the morning to refresh my hair. Now that my hair is a bit longer I braid at night time to prevent the tangling and cut down the knots. I still get them, but not as bad as before. Make sure you cover your hair with a satin scarf at night or sleep on a satin pillow, but you probably know that already.
I wash twice a week now, but when my hair was shorter I washed nearly everyday (though these were co-washes). As mentioned, I also did conditioner washing, so maybe this is something you may want to look into if your hair is really dry.
I use Aveda Brilliant shampoo at the moment (as you can see in my siggi). I'm not specific on my conditioners, as I buy them by the truckload! However, Aussie Moist is a great conditioner!!
I also recently bought Qhemet Sidr Tree Balm (which is the lighter version of the heavy cream). I really like it, because it keeps my hair soft, and I don't need to use a lot, so it will last me for ages. You might want to try that too.

I don't have much of a routine other than washing twice a week and braiding my hair every night. Then again, maybe that IS my routine. Make sure you keep your hair moisturised. I read that you are transitioning? If you can (or want to) make sure you keep your ends trimed regularly to prevent excessive breakage because of your two textures.
Um, don't be like me and buy everything you read about...... Oh, what the hell -- knock yourself out!!!!! tee hee

Hope this helps! Good luck!
 
ajargon02 said:
:D

Hi, well I think it's great that you are thinking on transitioning to natural! I will tell you, your transition routine, will be different then when you are fully natural. I can only speak on the natural side. It all depends on what you want to do for products, through trial and error, what your hair likes an doesn't like. I know my hair doesn't like shampoo(sls/als), but loves shampoo bars, no mineral oil/petroleum,no cones (dimethicone,silicone). my hair loves whipped butters(shea/cocoa/mango) WATER,WATER,WATER, castor oil, natural conditioners (on cones) gentler shampoo bars, honey.
I find that over time, I've noticed what my hair likes. Example: you wash it w/ a commercial shampoo/conditioner and when your hair is dry, it's hard. That's a sign that your hair doesn't liek it. I do know that during your transition, that's a great time to try twistouts/braidouts, buns, work on twisting/braiding skills. so when you get to the end of your transition, you are equipped. That way you can decide, if you want to go all the way, or if you still want to perm. I wish you best of luck whatever you do! :)

Gosh, I wish I knew as much about my hair as you know about yours! ;)
 
I don't really mix my own products either. Tried a shea butter mix but the smell was a little funky for my tastes.

I use the Oyin Handmade line and have just started using Kinky Curly. I also love castor oil. :)
 
Hmm, I'm still learning too. I love using the kemi oyl shea butter pomade (great smell!), and extra virgin olive oil. As a spritzer for moisture I mixed glycerin, water, and infusium leave in conditioner. For my twists/twist outs I use the kemi oyl shea butter and when I rock a shake and go i use my spritzer and finish with evoo.

http://public.fotki.com/Suitelady/
 
I just use what my hair responds to; it likes the Hello Hydration shamp and conditioner (and Dove, and Herbal Essence Blackberry, Avocado and MAngo), I use Proclaim natural 7 oil after washing- usually, sometimes I use coconut oil, sometimes that silken child moisture stuff, but there is no set pattern.
I don't follow trends much because I have so many different hair types on my head, usually what is popular on the board doesn't work for me so I tend to branch out on my own and do my own exploring.
 
My hair routine changes all the time because of the different hairstyles I wear! :D

Right now, I've been daily washing, plopping, and wearing a shrunken fro.
 
Like other posters, my transitioning routine was different than my natural routine.

I transitioned for 12 months:
*Deep conditioned/conditioner only washed once or twice weekly (in six braided sections, detangled and rebraided each section)
*Spritzed my hair w/Chel's moisture spritz twice daily
*Whole head baggied my hair when needed
*Wore flexirod braidouts, ponytails, and buns for most of my transition
You can look at my transitioning album in my signature below--I pretty much documented the entire process.

As a natural, I:
*CW most days, detangling in four sections (starting this week) about once weekly. Occasionally low-pooing.
*Wear mostly shake and gos.

My hair doesn't generally like: curl activators, propolyne glycol, too much protein (although silk protein it likes), silicones, sulfates, and styling products to be left in my hair.

I use a variety of products, but mostly conditioners and moisturizers. I use natural products about 60% of the time, and products with synthetics the other half.
 
When I transisitioned I kept my hair in braids and kept it moisturized with braid spray and leave in conditioner. After 8 months I chopped it off and used whatever conditioner and shampoo that worked on my hair. I found out that some of them worked while I had a relaxer but don't work as well on my natural hair. Moisture,moisture,moisture.
 
i know when i was transitioning i could do damn near anything i wanted until the NG started to attack my relaxed ends! hahaha.. but i found a good line while i was transitioning (and MOST DEFINITELY when i became natural and i had some products left) was Oyin Handmade.. very good products and cheaper than most natural/organic brands...and plus for $14.00 (correct me if i'm wrong) they have a trial starter kit with a few of their top products which was how i got turned onto the larger sizes...

also... i've been dying to try Qhemet products and a couple of carol's daughter ones... i'm not really a big fan of Carol's Daughter actually, i think they are wayyyy too over-priced and to me appear to be of cheaper quality but i LOVE their Tui Hair Oil.... and i've burt's bees to be around the same price as other natural/organic brands and that its perfect to use when you don't have time to wait for these products to be sent to you! lol!!!

My transitioning period lasted for a year and some change....but honestly, i felt so much better when i chopped it all off and just went natural..it was easier to grow the hair out and to care for it appropriately...;)
 
i'm natural- in terms of commercial shampoo and conditioners- my hair loves SalonCare Shampoos and Conditioners ( Sally's), Curecare conditioner (Sally's).

In terms of natural Shampoos ( i use castile soap all the time)- i get it from trader joes- www.thechemistrystore.com and www.drwoodsproducts.com .

In terms of natural conditioners- the only one i use is jungle conditioner bar from Lush (www.lush.com) i also use the hard shampoo bar and soft shampoo bar and karma komba shampoo bar from them- i have had stellar results with these.

Oils- i have so many- vitamin e and castor oil are great for thickness and softness, i also have grapeseed oil, palm oil, coconut oil, safflower oil, sweet almond oil, rosemary oil and tea tree oil. I love them all.

I love shea butter too- works great.

The only thing that i do make is spritzes: my recipes are glycerin, water, liquid aloe vera. Also Infusium 23 and liquid aloe vera.

I also add glycerin and liquid aloe vera to my conditioners that i use for my daily co-washes.

At nite i oil scalp and ends- spritz with leave-in and apply a thin plastic cap and a satin scarf on top. I take my vitamins and lately i have been hennaing weekly.

HTH. BTW - i'm a 3c/4a and have been natural fro 3.5 years.
 
My routine and the products I use are in my album. No pw needed.
 
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