Natural curls aren’t professional. …at least that’s what I’ve been told most of my life.
Luckily for me and many other naturally curly-haired women out there, times are a-changing. The first time I competed in a competition with my trial team at Wake Forest, I pulled my hair back into a bun. I knew my personal style choices could affect my team’s overall score, so I decided to play it safe.
The great thing about my teammates, though, was how inclusive and accepting they were of my personal style. I mentioned that I preferred to wear my hair natural and they encouraged me to go with it. Reassured, I wore my hair just how I wanted for our final competition together, in all of its natural curly afro glory.
Nowadays, I wear my hair out and curly all the time. The important thing about wearing my natural curls is making sure that they are tame and tidy. These six products have made all the difference and help me to keep my hair in check. Click the product names to find out where to buy them!
#1 Castor Oil (here)
My hair gets incredibly dry and it’s hard to keep it moisturized. To counteract this issue, the night before I wash my hair, I douse the entire thing in castor oil. No, not kidding. After I coat all of my hair with castor oil, I put a plastic cap over it and go to sleep. The next morning I wash it out and my hair is soft and moisturized (and there’s no weird castor oil smell after washing it out either).
#2 Shea Moisture Raw Shea Butter Moisture Retention Shampoo (here)
It smells amazing and it doesn’t leave my hair feeling dry.
#3 Shea Moisture Jamaican Black Castor Oil Conditioner (here)
Great smell, and it’s pretty easy to use it to detangle while I wash my hair.
#4 Shea Moisture Jamaican Black Castor Oil Strengthen and Restore Leave-In Conditioner (here)
After I wash my hair, I section it out and use a generous amount of leave-in conditioner. This product smells like heaven and doesn’t leave product build-up even when I use way too much of it.
#5 KeraCare Defining Custard for Curls and Coils (here)
This product is kind of like a gel. If you don’t like the feeling of products that act like gel, I’d stay away from this one. I like it because my curls need a fair amount of definition and KeraCare’s Defining Custard does a great job of defining my curls. I combat the hard-gel feeling by using the next product while I blow-dry my hair with a diffuser.
#6 Argan Oil (here)
After I apply the Shea Moisture leave-in and KeraCare gel, I blow-dry my hair using this diffuser. I usually stop twice while drying it and apply some argan oil. I don’t use much, just enough to add some shine and softness to my hair. I previously used coconut oil, but I like that the argan oil I use doesn’t leave an oily residue. I always play in my hair during the day and I hate pulling my hands out and having them coated with oil.
Try these products out and let me know how you like them!
Pictured above: suit (Express), blouse (H&M), shoes (Jessica Simpson in tan/khaki).
Pictured above: suit (Express), blouse (H&M), shoes (Jessica Simpson in tan/khaki).
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