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by
Christina Patrice
I spend a lot of time in Sally’s. In Target. In Ulta. In beauty supply stores in general. If a store has a hair aisle, I’m on it. Perhaps you’ve noticed that stores are cropping up with “Natural Hair” sections on their aisles. It’s been a long time coming… started from “Ethnic Hair” now we here! Haircare for Black women has been a booming industry for decades. In fact, we spend millions of dollars a year just to keep it looking right and tight. Over the past 6 years, we have all witnessed the popularity of natural hair soar — and the subsequent decline in the profitability of perm kits. The dip in sales of relaxers and related straight-hair products coincide with the rise in popularity of natural hair products, bloggers, and vloggers.
There’s nothing like a pinch in the pocket that makes an industry listen. Here are a few lines known for their relaxed products that have rolled out natural lines in an effort to win you back:
1. Naturally Silk Elements
Silk Elements, widely known for their relaxer and heat straightening line rolled out a natural hair line recently. Their line includes Moist Cream Shampoo, Deep Nourishing Conditioner, Leave-In Conditioner Cream, Curl Defining Pudding, and Curling Cream Gel. With all products ranging from $8.99 – $9.99, this is generally accepted as the standard pricing for natural products. Silk Elements got it right when they eliminated parabens, mineral oil, petrolatum and alcohol. Where they missed the mark is not including the oils and extracts that most naturals need to have soft, moisturized hair. I don’t know about you, but if I’m paying $10 for a “nourishing” conditioner, I am expecting some oils, vitamins, a free cup of Starbucks, or something. I’m in no rush to try this line.
No longer do you see the hand in the mirror (fast forward to the 40 second mark), helping ladies turn their played out kinks into buttery smooth straight hair. Dr. Miracle’s recently decided to help ladies embrace their natural textures, through a line including Soft Hold Creme, Weightless Moisture Cream, Boosting and Defining Leave-In Conditioner, Curl Friendly Blow Out Foam, and Strong Hold Gel. This line’s price point falls right in the typical range — $8.99 – $9.89. Unfortunately, many of the Feel It Formula founder’s products contain mineral oil — a red flag for many naturalistas. Whatever natural products Dr. Miracle is dealing out of the bathroom mirror, he can keep. There are plenty of other inexpensive oils that work great on our hair, helping to soften, retain moisture, and nourish — mineral isn’t one of them.
Softsheen Carson is definitely double-dipping in the natural hair care pot. The Dark n’ Lovely brand recently launched their Au Naturale line — Curl Defining Creme Glaze, Coil Moisturizing Souffle, 10-in-1 Styling Gelee, Sheen Sealing Nectar, Hydrating Soak Shampoo, Knot Out Conditioner, and a super cute product label (lol). Their products are all around $9.99 each, again within that general range. The shampoo contains sulfates, and is definitely not worth $10. Some of the other products contain isopropyl (drying) alcohol which is a no-no for those with already dry textures. If I do get around to trying something from this line, it will only be the 10-in-1 Styling Gelee. I’ll pass on everything else. Better yet, I’ll just go for Softsheen Carson’s other natural line (told ya’ll they were double-dipping), Roots of Nature.
This line is currently on clearance at Sally’s. You can find most of the products for $5 or less. I smell a repackaging and new product formulation coming soon. The perm-turnt-natural line rolled out a Smoothing Conditioner, Moisturizing Cleanser, Radiating Gloss, Deep Conditioning Masque, Hydrate My Curls Pudding, and Define My Curls Creme. Apparently, Motions didn’t get the memo about the different needs of natural hair — their conditioner is ‘cone-heavy, and styling products are based in mineral oil.I won’t be going after this line anytime soon. I’ll wait for the new stuff to roll out, and see if it is any better.
5. Sof n’ Free Gro Healthy Nothing But
The Nothing But line features a Clarifying Shampoo, Healing Mask, Cleansing Conditioner, Mold & Hold Wax, Pure Pudding, and Curl Wake-Up Spray. Just like everyone else, their products are $7.99 – $10.99. With the exception of two products (Cleansing Conditioner and Curl Sealer both contain mineral oil), Sof n’ Free got it right for naturals. The oils may not be as high up on the list as I prefer, and I’m a little concerned about the artificial fragrance, but there are some products in this line that I would give a try. The other bonus here is that Nothing But products don’t contain any artificial coloring, which I totally respect. I personally find it awkward (and a bit alarming) when hair products are artificially colored. What are you hiding? I will definitely be picking up the Nothing But Intense Healing Mask on my next trip to Sally’s.
There’s been a lot of buzz about the salon-level line, Design Essentials. Of all the new lines that have rolled out recently, theirs is easily the most expensive. Their line touts a Moisturizing Conditioner, Curl Defining Creme Gel, Curl Stretching Cream, Curl Enhancing Mousse, Twist and Set Lotion, Daily Moisturizing Lotion, and a Curl Cleanser. Their products start at $12.99 and go all the way up to $29.99. Their line is definitely natural-friendly; not a mineral oil, petrolatum, or drying alcohol found in sight. The Curl Stretching Cream is the $30 product in this bundle. If you’re truly fascinated with sweet almond butter (the base in this product), try Hairveda Almond Glaze for under $10.
Well, it looks like many relaxer-based companies heard the demands for natural hair products loud and clear — from gentle cleansers to hold and styling products. Apparently, some of them haven’t fully gotten the message that there are certain things naturalistas don’t want to see in their products. But at least they are headed in the right direction (so they can take all of our money, haha). What other straight-hair lines have you seen go natural recently?
For more from Christina check out her blog, The Mane Objective. You can also find her on Instagram and Facebook.
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All I can say is wow, you trash the products and havent even tried them. Yeah I get it they have the so called “bad ingredients” but just because a product as mineral oil or silicones doesnt mean it wont work. Cantu Leave In as mineral oil listed in the middle of the ingredients and it delivers a flawless, defined twist/braid out!
I say try the products “at your own risk”!
I don’t think they’re necessarily bashing these items. A lot of naturals are looking for certain ingredients in the products they use on their hair and this article is just catering to it and explaining which ones are generally natural-friendly and which ones aren’t. I know people that use some of these products on their hair and I personally wouldn’t. I refuse to pay a bunch of money for a product whose first 5 or so ingredients aren’t beneficial to my hair.
However, I LOVE Cantu Leave In too lol ^_^
Yeah, it’s not a case of bashing the products themselves or the ingredients (for me anyway). It’s a case of corporate conglomerates wanting to once again pick up on the latest “trend” and try and make a profit. I don’t think they really care about anything else. I know it will make some people’s lives easier but I’m happy with what I’m using (a lot of it is natural things) as well as products that have been recommended. I’m not going to drop what I’m doing for the likes of Dark and Lovely!
Thanks for the rundown! I also recently noticed the shift into natural-land for the mainstream hair care companies. The sad thing is that they are basically marketing products with ingredients that don’t benefit the health of our hair, just like the lines geared towards relaxed hair. Although it’s nice that they are becoming more aware of the natural hair audience, profits will always outweigh substance. I’ve received a few samples of some of these products and won’t even try them because of the shameful list of ingredients. At least these products may encourage someone to go natural! Not everyone wants… Read more »
@ G true!
I can’t deny my full interest in this article. I love that someone went out of the way to look at ingredients and find products besides the typical’s in most women’s regimens (shea moisture products, miss jessies, carols daughter etc). I read through the whole thing and I fully appreciated this article. However, I have to agree with G, to knock something without trying it isn’t helpful for anyone. This article as a whole however is really great. It’s just that one little thing that kind of irked me while I was reading it. I have products with mineral oil… Read more »
I heard Aunt Jackie’s is pretty good…main natural soaps for ingredients. I may try that. This is a good article! Yes, good people we need to read and find out what they want us to buy. If it’s not going to help my hair(hint-the first five ingredients), why bother why buy it for $9.99+ my hair is dry enough and now they add x,y and z to make my hair drier?! NOOOOOOO… If you want to buy it and think it will work for YOUR hair great. They–the natural hair industry need to cater truly toward us and not just… Read more »
Goes to show how powerful black women are lol we could say hey forget out natural hair lets go bald and rock our scalps you would all new razors and scalp shinning oils lmaoo!! But anyway I’ve tried a few of the products design essentials has alway been a fave of mine even when I was relaxed and the motions define my curls creme is really nice I use it as a substitute for eco gel. Yeah the ingredients aren’t great but then I’m not on the bandwagon bashing mineral oil and cones smh. If it works well and gives… Read more »
Also their no such thing as anti shrinkage so umm I would pass on dark and lovely :gives the sideeye:
I agree Dark n LOVELY have not changed spots or stripes..lol so i would not buy from them.
I prefer to buy something like TRESEMME naturals or VO5 that isn;t marketed at me but works as opposed to a brand that is wanting the natural dollar for the sake of it.
i’m sorry but i’m not supporting any of these, especially the ones owned by l’oreal. Now us black women have power to move an industry and in no way am i going to give my money to other races who have dominated black hair for years. It’s our turn to get rich off of our own hair. No more 92% korean owned and white- less than 2% percent black owned (pre 2005). I’ll stick with shea moisture and the many other black owned hair care companies. (I’m so proud that us naturals are beginning to take over the wig and… Read more »
Co-sign 110%
Can anyone provide some names of black owned hair lines?
Also entwine couture is 100% Black owned and I believe Oyin Handmade(Which I LOVE) is Black owned as well
Shea Moisture!
For Canadian naturalistas, I recommend Earthtones Naturals.
Mainelement:Love, Curls of the World and The Good Hair Shop. They all have websites and facbook pages and they are all companies that I have had personal contact with the owner.
Hydratherma Naturals and Koils by Nature are both black and women owned!
Ilovemyfro she has a small business but her products are great and natural. Her website is http://www.ilovemyfro.com.
If you are in the UK, curl harmony is a great line. I have used her products and I thouroughly recommend. Check her website :http://www.curlharmony.co.uk/
PREACH!! @anewmeep! Truer words have never been spoken. We really need to support the black-owned lines. They will be the ones to invest the money back into the community.
@anonsince87 Karen’s Body Beautiful is black-owned. I’ve met Karen in person and she is amazingly sweet with gorgeous hair! They recently started selling her line in Target so I’m super-excited that her products is more easily accessible to a wider audience.
@anewmeep …so good i read it twice!
Me Too LOL
i actually read it three times lol i love to see so well-written posts
You are absolutely right. I’ve discovered camille’s naturale product line and fell in love. I love it because its a small business owner who is female and black and produces an outstanding product. And no I don’t work for her I’m just reinterating that we need to start taking care of our own and benefiting from our ingenuity and creativity. These mega companies would continue to sell damaging, caustic chemicals to us if it wasn’t for the natural hair community. They changed their tune because it was effecting their bottom line. Some food for thought….we need to understand our value,… Read more »
Well said @anewmeep we definately have power to achieve anything we put our minds to and it is time that we use our spending power to support black owned businesses
This line:
“They want our money but don’t want us, be wise, we have great potential.”
Yes mam!
anewmeep I agree. Damn I agree. I can’t even add anything becaue its how I feel and your post was emotional and true to the core. They want our money but don’t want us, be wise, we have great potential. This line here speaks VOLUMES of where we are today. I think the veil really lifted in 2008. I know that was the year I made my decision to not want to be anyone but me…took me awhile to commit to being natural but the racism and hate being directed at my people around that time made me want to… Read more »
2008?
The presidential election of Barack Obama, this country showed its true colors ya know since everyone thought we were living in a “post racial” America…hmm.
Oh GMAFB with that, the first bi-racial/non white president has been elected TWICE with whites supporting him in the majority so lay off the old evil and racist America angle.
Racism of course still exists but to act as if the big bad “man” is the majority is ridiculous considering the way the election went with one of the worst economic downturns in history.
RMFE sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo missing the point.
amen to infinity !<3
Such wise words from a 19 year old! I love your perspective, you couldn’t be more on point. You make every other opinion irrelevant with sheer facts.
I’m sorry, but all this says to me is that the hair industry thinks black women are naive and gullible! As natural beauties, there is no denying that we spend a whole lot on products and concoctions to help us maintain our gorgeous hair and skin, but from this, sometimes stems ignorance. As @Cleo above stated, it does go to show how powerful black women are. Spot on! The power we hold can change a whole industry; yet this power is oh so often treated as stupidity as I’ll be the first to admit I was once an unnecessary product… Read more »
So true! These companies slap the term “natural” on a product, put it in brown packaging with some afro art on the front and expect us to run to the stores, wallets wide open ready to receive the perfect twist out results! I’ll have to pass on companies that for years have enforced (or brainwashed) a specific guideline for beauty for years. Now they jump on the bandwagon, and we should follow? Its just another way for them to muscle out the smaller haircare lines owned by Black women.
I’m completely turned off by the names of these product lines. And these companies haven’t shifted at all…they still make all the relaxed hair products, they’re just trying to hitch a ride on the natural hair care train now. They’re obviously pandering to earn a dollar. The “anti-shrinkage” language is a gimmick. If you have very kinky hair moisture is going to cause it to curl up aka shrink – no product can combat that and if it does it’s b/c it’s not moisturizing! I think we should all continue to support black owned hair care lines.
hey i’m happy they didn’t add oils and extracts because alot of these natural lines have the SAME oils and sometimes extracts and if your hair doesn’t like these same oils (shea, coconut, avocado) then you are screwed.
If they don’t have oils, at least I can add them at will.
My hairstylist used Design Essentials products on my hair while I was relaxed so that’s about the only line I would be interested in trying, but the price point is a bit much. I don’t care too much about the rest of the companies listed above. I’ll stick to Shea Moisture and the Mom & Pops companies for products with ingredients I know will work for my hair.
I thank Meosha for this article. I for one won’t be trying any of these basically because I have my favorite products. This is most helpful to new naturals who hopefully aren’t trying too many new things at their own risk. It is odd too that they didn’t do proper research just threw an Afro on the packaging. I will continue to support the black owned lines that thought our hair in its natural state was worth the effort. I would embrace some more articles highlighting all the black owned hair lines, knowledge is certainly power.
“I will continue to support the black owned lines that thought our hair in its natural state was worth the effort.”
i love this so much 🙂
There’s no doubt anymore…there’s definately a natural hair revolution going on. Lol. Like other naturalistas, I’m still searching for the right hair products. So luckily quite a few of these brands are available in Jamaica for me to tryout when I go product shopping again.
[img]https://bglh-marketplace.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Malta.jpg[/img]
Wish I had a Malta right now! 🙂
I’ve had the opportunity to try a couple of the products from the different lines through my CurlBox subscription, and I can tell you, even though the Motions line isn’t 100% “natural friendly” their Moisturizing Cleanser is one of the few shampoo/shampoo-like products that don’t leave my hair feeling stripped. And the Design Essentials Twist and Set lotion is THE TRUTH.
Re-branding themselves as natural, and actually using natural ingredients are quite apparently two different things.
I think the line I’m most pissed off with is Dr. Miracles. I too remember those commercials with the wild head and mirror then the glorious straight hair reversal. When I saw their products in the store for natural hair I did buy them but when I got home I read the ‘story’ behind his natural brand about his sister trying for years to find a product to enhance her natural curl and he promised her that one day he would find something for her. That pissed me off and have not bought another product since…so how come this natural… Read more »
Lmao he probably doesn’t even have a sister! And his commercials were straight trash ugh.
Cleo he probably doesn’t. not to mention that if he did he was making her feel like crap for years with those commercials and his ‘beauty’ belief in straight hair…
Oh yes I remember those commercials too, it’s crazy. Hopefully in the future we’ll be seeing black women in hair commercials flipping their afros with a smile on their face instead of screaming in the mirror when they have an afro and run to get it straightened. smh, The nerve.
I’m sure you will be in that pack!
THANK YOU. Glad someone else remembered those ads. For them alone I won’t buy anything labeled Dr. Miracle. As for the rest of the products, the only one I’ve tried is the SofNFree Nothing But Pure Pudding. I was very pleasantly surprised by it. It sort of reminds me of Miss Jessie’s Curly Pudding but unlike MJCP it doesn’t have mineral oil in it. It does have cones though which I found funny 🙂 but my hair likes cones so I was fine with it. I’m not mad at these companies (except Dr. Miracle, lol) for jumping on the natural… Read more »
Yeah I agree with most of the reviews. I’ll stick to my Shea moisture, because of the reasons above and I keep thinking that someone might put a relaxer in one of the products I buy and label it as something else lol, it’s far fetched I know. Also, I can’t stand how some of these brands still sell relaxer/have sold it in the past?! I understand it’s all about the money, but they’re not getting mine.
I’m really not trying to support these johnny-come-latelys. I’d much prefer to see Shea Moisture and Carol’s Daughter put these companies out of business.
I have tried the Motions line – it is horrible. Would NOT recommend.
But I love the 10-in-1 Styling Gelee by Dark n’ Lovely Au Naturale, it is really great. A little goes a long way & it is the right balance between moisture & hold, especially for twist & coil outs.
One other new line is Pantene Pro-V Truly Natural, while not a “relaxer” company, it was definitely not catering to naturals until recently – not a big fan of this line either, heave residue left on my hair with all the products.
I can’t remember who asked about black owned natural hair lines but here are a few Mainelement:Love, her products are awesome (I love, love, love her Shea Smoothie for my cornrows) and she is also a personal friend. Curls of the World is another awesome company, they have a shop less than 5 minutes from my house and their daily moisturizer is the best. The other one that I know of is The Good Hair Shop. They have wonderful quality products as well. (all of these businesses have websites and facebook pages) I personally would not use any of the… Read more »
I would not use a product from a company that makes relaxers — clearly they don’t value kinks and coils.
I’ll stick to Black owned natural hair care lines. Shea Moisture is my fav and I’d like to try Oyin Handmade.
P.S. Side eye to Cantu Shea Butter hair care products — I saw how they copied Shea Moisture ingredients and names in their “Cantu for Natural’ Hair” line.
Another new line is http://www.Sheabotanica.com They have a Facebook page and can be purchased on etsy too.
Thank you ladies so much for your support on this article. I’m so glad everyone is really on point and on board with the message I was laying the foundation to convey. We have purchasing power. The money we invest in products we love speaks loud and clear. I’m so encouraged by you all!!!!
I just want2thank u sooooo much!!!4ur courage2speakout&tell the honest truth w ur opinions that r truley on point,I was blown away iv never seen any1who says the truth w out no type of hesitation I wish their wer mor n this world lik u& ima firm beleiver the way that u r doin it is the only way!!!these companys will1day get it right!!!im very encouraged by u&every product u talk about im takin notes&will not b using KEEP DOIN WAT UR DOIN very proud of u~GODBLESS~
The Design Essentials Natural Line Verdict: HATED IT!
Yeah, I actually still use their shampoo and conditioner for the relaxed hair. Well it is for relaxed and natural hair, but I don’t really care for the natural line. But I do love their shampoos and conditioners because they worked on my relaxed hair and do a good job of cleaning my natural hair. I use the organic cleanse when I really want to get the oil and buildup off my hair. Your hair will be super dry though, so use a deep conditioner.
I wouldnt of have any problem trying them if it wasnt for the fact that they are priced the same as shea moisture or giovanni but yet there ingredients list sucks. Idk why it is that just because a product is geared towards natural it has to cost so much for a bottle of conditionner, like wat am i paying for the bottle? Lol its like the cantu line for relaxed ladies compared to it line for naturals the price suddenly went up an extra $1 for the same amount of product with the same crappy ingredients…-__- am not knocking… Read more »
I personally think it is a waste of money. I agree with Dani there is no way I would spend this amount of money on something with crappy ingredients. I am allergic to most harsh chemicals and so making sure the product is natural is important. I think there should be an article on some of the great websites/stores selling natural friendly hair products besides Sally’s not that I’m criticizing Sally’s however it would be great to see some reviews on the great websites that sell at least a majority of natural products like vitacost. com if possible.
I’ve seen Kera Care put out their Natural Texturea line which I find similar to the Kinky-Curly products. I like it a lot.
There’s nothing like a pinch in the pocket that makes an industry listen.
very, very TRUE! naturals watch out, corporations will do anything to get your $$$
I turn away from any product with ingredients like mineral or soybean oil,alcohols,pertroleum,etc. It cracks me up that these companies think they can put sub-par ingredients they were using 20yrs ago in our hair products& think we’re dumb enough to jump on their bs bandwagon!if they can’t use quality ingredients and keep the cost reasonable,ill stick with the few lines that really try to get it right for us naturals.these companies have no excuse for not doing research abt what naturals want. They’re just trying to have low production costs with high profit margins!
Great article! 🙂 However, I have one correction: Sof n’ Free’s Curl Sealer doesn’t have mineral oil in it. I don’t own the conditioner so I’m not sure about that. The Curl Sealer doesn’t have petrolatum, mineral oil, sulfates, parabens, colorants, or phthalates. Also, I loooooove that product. It really gives my twist outs amazing definition! 🙂
Hey Danielle,
Thanks for the support!I could be wrong, but it was my understanding that the Nothing But Curl Sealer contains C13-4 Isoparaffin. According to the EWG Cosmetic Database, it is “a mixture of hydrocarbons (mineral oil)derived from petroleum”. I hope this helps clear some stuff up 🙂 But even if it does, we have to always do what works best for our hair!!!
It goes to show the consumer who reads the labels wins! What I always do is research ingredients when they claim “free from” as it means they are hiding something else! Marketing claims are there to sell and not be factual it’s sad but true. Good article Christina by the way. 🙂
Oooooo! I didn’t know that. Thanks for letting me know! 🙂
YUO GO GIRL U R REALLLY DOING UR HOMEWORK&TEACHING ME A FEW THINGS N THE PROCESS!!THANK U~GODBLESS~
Mannn, call me paranoid, but I don’t trust these so called hair lines for black hair not owned by black folks, I don’t even buy hair products out of “black beauty supply stores”. I’m convinced they have been putting crack in hair products for us for years, not just the perms either! It’s a conspiracy yall!
lol
@Miss T…wait are there any “black beauty stores”(black-own) cause these days all I see are Asian own beauty supply stores that sell “black products” claiming 100% shea butter, tea tree oil, mango butter, organic coconut oil blah,blah blah Everyone is getting on this bandwagon and want our $$$$. The sad part is we are going to give it them…everyone but US
sad but true…sorry that is another topic/post
You are right, I live in Texas and 98% of beauty supply stores are Asian owned around these parts. I have been to maybe 2 or 3 black owned beauty supply stores but I don’t trust them neither, they sell the same crack filled perms and products the Asian beauty supply stores do.
Oh, but you can catch me buying some cheap cute earrings or headbands from them, but I promise that is all.
haha, right!!!
I don’t go to “black” beauty supply stores, but I do everything I can to support black-owned businesses that carry high quality materials.
The problem is these companies do not genuinely care for the natural haired consumer. They are more concerned with making more money by hoping on the bandwagon. They all should take their time to do the research on what is truly good for natural hair. Every time I see these products I think eww perm company lol.
LOL!!!
thank you christina for this article.
i cant believe dr miracle has the nerve to try and sell natural hair products after his rude in your face your natural hair is ugly commercials.
I remember trying Dr. Miracle’s Anti-Breakage deep conditioner (I think that’s what it was at least) when I was relaxed. I followed the directions on the box to a T, and my hair broke off horribly afterwards–like almost a full inch of length was just gone. I will NEVER trust products made by that lying jerk!
i have an aunt and a friend of mine who use dr miracle products. it’s supposed to be moisturizing products but when i read the ingredients, water is not the first ingredient and the oils which are supposed to nourish the hair (i.e shea butter) are among the last ingredients. plus their products actually contain petrolatum and it’s supposed to be natural lol i mean come on anyone who has the basic knowledge about the science of (black) hair knows that a product which claims to be able to grow your hair faster is lying and when the brand is… Read more »
Well yes, you’re correct. Anyone with a general knowledge of science and Black hair would have known that. But as I was 17 and proper hair care was a foreign idea to me at the time of the Dr. Miracle incident, you can imagine how my mistake may have been an easy one to make.
Now, at 22, I know better 🙂
well i’m not judging you when i was 17 i didn’t know i could take care of my own hair neither nor did i know how to choose the right products to put on my hair; now i’m 22 too and i know better ^^
You ladies are SO on point!!! I have been so inspired by your responses, that as a result of the dialogue here, I will be launching a Small Business Spotlight on my blog, The Mane Objective in April. If you are a natural hair SBO, know of one, or have a favorite brand that you think deserves more shine, let me know at info@maneobjective.com!
True! Read what is in it why waste time with low quality product. As much mooney as I pay for some of it. I could make it for half the price and actually KNOW FOR SURE what is in it. #makeyoutubeyourfriendtoo
Don’t really care for companies that thoroughly ignored promoting natural hair/products when the market was smaller. My opinion, stick to the companies that have been there from jump… Something about being shown love in the days of less popularity that demands loyalty & respect! They got mine 🙂
Amen! Amen!! I totally agree. I plan on sticking with the black owned products that were there for us in the beginning.
Totally agree..Something real culturally wrong about a company whose products’ main objective was for you to feel bad enough about your ‘kinky, unruly curly hair’ to ‘straighten it, make it manageable’ and then that same company jumping on a ‘natural’ bandwagon without a care of accurate knowledge about our type of hair and what it takes to nourish it properly..Why would I give them ANY money? Sorry, don’t care if they’re ‘trying’…never tried hard enough in my opinion, especially when others succeeded, starting that way from the beginning…
I’m glad that hair companies are trying to accommodate us, but it does make me a little angry because they CLEARLY are only interested in taking our money & haven’t even looked into the oils & natural conditioners & butters that we love most. They probably have NO idea what mineral oil, drying alcohols, & silicones/sulfates do to some of our hair. So, at least they’re trying but until I see that they’ve done their research, I can’t really give them too many props.
Wow ladies im so loving this,somebody is speaking up w true reviews as far as ingredient listing of som thats hiden but bought2light w all of us working2gether OMG!!!! keep it comin!!!this is wat iv always been looking for
My entire family used one or the other Dr. Miracle product when we were relaxed and to be honest they worked really well. On one of my rare visits to a salon (my mom did our hair usually)I left my reading materials so i was looking through a black hair magazine and i saw the Dr Miracle ads and it upset me for reasons at the time I couldn’t explain because I really didn’t like dealing with my natural hair. Anyways in another magazine at another place and time they had an interview with the guy who was in charge… Read more »
[…] junkie-ism). There are indie brands who have made it big, big brands who continue to grow, and brands that really focused more on relaxers in times past who have come to realize the wisdom and pr…. […]
For years these big name hair products suppliers have been trying to define how we should wear our hair. Trying to get us to conform to how they want to see us outside of our homes, in school, and in the work place. Making us feel that natural hair is not an acceptable standard of beauty as though having relaxed hair is some how gonna make the world a better place for us. But now that we have woken up and realized that what God gave us naturally is just fine, it is them having to conform to us. So… Read more »
Hi,just want to know,I have grey hair and would like to try your Dr. Miracle relaxer,but everytime I relax my hair, turns yellow and although I wash it with silver shampoo to get the yellow out it still remains yellowish.
When I use to relax my own hair at home, it rarely turned out right. Please let a professional help you with it and the issues you are dealing with or try going natural like I did and just embrace what grows out the scalp and the grey! All the best to you.
I’ve seen design essential products discounted at JC Penney Hair Salons…fyi
your old could you just stop using the chemical products in your hair it damage at times
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Remember New Options Hair Care.
[…] Business Spotlight on The Mane Objective, I was really focused on showcasing alternatives to those not-that-much-improved-really relaxer turned natural brands. But as the feature space has evolved, I have grown to realize that these small business brands are […]
I personally recommend the 10 in 1 Gelee by Soft and Natural. It’s really wonderful for coil-outs specifically on my hair.
The other brands have not worked well at all with my hair – seems like the general rule is a company that has spend decades catering to relaxed hair is not a good source for natural hair products.
I saw the Dark n’ Lovely au naturale line in Trinidad, but when I read the label and saw that it contained sulfates, I put it back and its really expensive too.
I think it’s great that this is happening. It’s an indication of the size and strength of the natural community and should bring down prices of natural products, many of which were ridiculously pricey when I first went natural just 3 years ago. I don’t really care whether these companies “really care” about naturalistas–I honestly don’t even know what that means, like does the CEO care? the head of marketing? the chemists? As natural hair becomes more accepted and even mainstream, we’ll have to accept that this will become less and less of a community dominated by youtubers and ladies… Read more »
You are saving a lot of money so no need to kick the habit of homemade products. The moment the number of women with unprocessed hair increased, that’s when all these natural companies new and old (MOST OF THEM NEW) started distributing all of these HIGH PRICED products taking advantage of women.(Some women have been spending more Natural than they did when they were relaxed) When I did noticed Natural Hair care products that were reasonably priced on the shelves and also realize a lot of them were from Relaxer Companies. Business is Business so they make sure to continue… Read more »
I’m with you. Homemade all the way. Thanks Whitney (Naptural85)
I tried the dark n’ lovely au naturale moisturizing souffle and it is actually very moisturizing 🙂
long live unrefined shea butter!
Nothing But is a has a pretty good clarifying coditioner and their intense healing mask is great.
What I noted about these lines is that they are usually filled with silicones, mineral oils and lots of cheap fillers. I’ll pass.
Ive tried the dark and lovely leave in style mango butter creme and it didn’t do anything but make my hair smell like a fruit salad and feel greasy. It didn’t moisturize my hair at all.
I actually like the Naturally Silky line because it’s free of nut oils which I am allergic to. Maybe they can add extra oils like rice bran, avocado and olive oil. Especially to their deep conditioner because that dried my hair out.
I know I’m tardy to the party, but I have no love for these companies. They know Black women spend more money on haircare than any other race/ethnicity and they know the natural hair biz is BOOMING! It doesn’t matter if the market is for relaxed or natural sisters (talk about double dipping!) either way, these companies are making big profits. I can’t speak for anyone else, but I’ll stick to companies like Shea Moisture, Eden Naturals and others along with my occasional splurges from Oyin, KBB and Qhemet Biologics.
[…] BGLH. In truth, this personal movement began after I wrote an article in which I researched many relaxer product brands that had attempted to launch natural hair product lines. The general consensus among readers is that we ain’t buying it. As it stands, I am currently on […]
i am thinking of going natural but I have a very stubborn and a hair that never relax . i live in Belgium and haven’t seen any of the natural hair relaxers or products in any shop. please can i get a recommended site where I can buy natural hair products on the website? any recommendation please ?
I am very late to reply to you. Are you looking to relax your hair as it straighten it? Or are you looking to make your hair softer and more manageable? Miss Jessie’s Curly Meringue is supposed to be really good for giving your hair more defined curls. Eco styler gel is non drying and helps hair to hold styles. Also, Ouidad has several products, including a heat and humidity gel which helps holds a curls’ shape so that it doesn’t frizz up. If you have access to Amazon.com, you can order these and more natural hair products there. Black… Read more »
Have a look at Naptural85 recipes for hair products. I have resisted giving my money to those jumping on the bandwagon. I am also not a product junkie. The prices for some of these in the UK are a joke.
I use Hugo shampoo to keep my grey hair from turning yellow or looking dull. Also Aubrey hair care products work for me too. Check out these products on their respective websites and perhaps you will decide to give them a try. I find these products at Whole Foods or Sprouts in my area; however the websites will provide you with locations for your area. Hope this information will help you in choosing great products for your hair care.
All I have to say is I loooove Design Essentials. I use the shampoo, conditioner, and almost every thing they make. It always gives me soft shiny hair and smells ohh so good . 😀
You may first use a (sulfate free) flattening shampoo and conditioner (sulfates dry out your hair) then after you condition it, pat your hair dry with a towel and use a pump of argan oil. It’ll smooth the frizz down and make your hair look nice and soft. It’s not oily or heavy, or at least the one I have isn’t, mine is by the Pro naturals brand which is only sold online. It doubles as a heat protectant too so your hair won’t burn when you have it relaxed.
If you dry your hair with a t-shirt, there will be no frizz, no matter what products you do or don’t use.
None of these product options are a better alternative to natural oils. I would be downgrading if I bought these.