As a new natural I wanted only the best, most complex products for my hair. I had to have the perfect ingredients, from the most well known product line, and my products had to be all the rage. I don't know if I thought this would make my hair different, or if I only wanted what was best for my hair. At any rate I have learned that sometimes the products you least expect to work for your curls will be a really good fit. I have learned not to class my curls. I have learned this with some trial and some error. I have also learned that the ingredients and the amount of those ingredients are important also. Just because a product contains an exotic butter, oil, or extract, doesn't mean it's a good product. It may only contain a quarter teaspoon of that ingredient in an eight(8) ounce container or larger. Now realistically speaking how much will that ingredient benefit your hair? I say very little benefit if any. Below are my guidelines for selecting products that are beneficial to your hair's needs.
1. Get To Know Your Hair: The single most important thing in selecting whats good for your mane is knowing the needs of your hair. Become familiar with what is needed to give your hair moisture. Does your hair need protein, or deep conditioning? What is the porousity of your hair, and if it would benefit from a heavy sealant. Knowing your hair will help you know which products to evaluate and which products to avoid. Your hair will definitely guide you in the right direction.
2. Do Your Research: I think it is important to know the effects of products on different hair types. This helps to give you realistic expectations of the products performance. I always read reviews and watch Youtube videos before buying a new product. Knowing what to expect from a product will keep you from buying a product not suited to meet a particular hair need. I can't expect hold and definition from a leave-in conditioner when that's not its purpose. It is important to know what a products intended uses are.
3. Know How Individual Ingredients Work: The best consumer is an educated consumer. Knowing Your hair's reaction to common ingredients in hair care products will help you to select products that give favorable results. If you are protein sensitive, you know to avoid products with a high protein content. If your hair doesn't like shea butter, buying products with a shea butter base may not be a good idea. If your not familiar with how your hair reacts to an ingredient or a product, buy the smallest, and least expensive product to try as a sample. If you have unfavorable results you won't feel it as much in the pockets.
4. Never Say Never: Unless a product or ingredient is proven to be caustic, or damaging to your hair, don't rule out trying it in your routine. When I first went natural I completely stopped using products containing mineral oil, or petroleum. I've recently revisited several products which contain these ingredients and I have really benefited from them. A couple are now part of my routine. I've found that the products I used didn't contain a large amount of mineral oil, or petroleum, but that the amount contained in my choice products worked good with my hair. It should all be done with the best care for your hair in mind.
5.Product Pricing Isn't Everything: I have purchased products that were expensive and weren't worth the box they were shipped in. I've also purchased a $4.00 conditioner from my beauty supply store, that worked as well as my $20.00 mail order conditioner, and contained twice the volume. This further taught me that my hair didn't know what my conditioner costed and that I had placed price/quality expectations on my product choices. Now, in some instances you do get just what you pay for, and I'd advise putting those label reading skills to the test. But if a product contains the right ingredients, and is a good value, why not try it. You may find something you like.
Overall my best lessons were learned from experience, and the experiences of others. I still found it fun and interesting to try new things. I learned not all things worked for all hair types. Not all techniques worked for me, and that sometimes the basics were sufficient. So as a word of advice be open, try new things, and most of all do what's best for your hair.
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