10 Natural Hair Products To Add To Your Routine
My first and main priority when it comes to my hair is always hair health. When I'm shopping or testing new products it has to cater to my hair type and texture, moisturize, and use beneficial ingredients that either build my overall hair strength or promote a healthy scalp. Promising to define or elongate my curls is cool, but it's simply not enough for me.
Lately, I've been trying new products from both mainstream and startup brands to add to my collection, especially during the warmer weather. I noticed a few differences in my summer hair routine in comparison to the rest of the year. During the summer, I have to:
- Wash my hair way more frequently to avoid build-up and to just clean my sweaty scalp.
- Keep my hair moisturized.
- Protect my hair from the sun.
- Condition my hair very often.
- Use more oils.
Basically, I had to establish a routine and have the right products to properly care for my hair. If you're looking for ways to improve your summertime hair care, here are some natural hair products to add to your routine before the summer is over.
Aunt Jackie's Curl La La Defining Curl Custard
Amazon
Although it's labeled as a curl defining custard, the formula adds a ton of moisture and shine to your strands regardless of your hair type. It's kind of like an all-in-one hair cream and leave-in conditioner. It's paraben- and sulfate-free and enriched with olive oil and shea butter that will leave your curls juicy and refreshed for a few days.
Moisture Love’s Now & Forever Leave-in Conditioning Serum
This is a brand new product to me and girl, it's staying in my collection. I've never used a leave-in conditioning serum before but it definitely made detangling less time-consuming and a less dreadful process. The plant-based product is very runny which makes it easier to travel through your strands. Whether you apply it to damp or dry hair, it immediately softens and moisturizes your hair, making it easier to comb through.
Pro tip: You can also use this on your roots and ends while it's in a protective style.
Oils
Oil is pretty much the GOAT product for hair, skin, and nails, so of course, it was going to find its way on this list. Oils are essential to my summer routine for two main reasons. One, it helps seal in moisture. After I apply a condition to my hair, I seal it with either tea tree or jojoba oil (castor oil is cool too, but depending on the style, it can be too thick for some). Secondly, I use it to protect my hair from drying out in the water. Before I go into the pool, I apply oil to every strand on my head. Chlorine will literally strip all the moisture from your hair and oil helps combat that.
Moisturizing Mousse
I tend to give gels a little break in the summer. With the amount of frizz-control that I need, it requires a lot of gel and to be honest, I can't bother with any extra buildup. So instead I use a mousse that not only provides hold but moisture too.
I recommend three different mousses for the summer: Smooth'n Shine Bodifying Mousse with sweet almond oil for protective styles. It adds moisture and shine while keeping flyaway hairs in place for a longer-lasting style and protects your hair from extreme heat conditions. Next, is Design Essentials Almond and Avocado Mousse. It's good for moisturizing, adding shine, and reducing frizz by creating a strong hold. Lastly is Lottabody's Milk & Honey Curl Defining Mousse. This is for the girls who don't want such a strong hold but want to keep the curls in place. It adds shine and body to your curls with a medium hold.
Curlmix Pure Homemade Flaxseed Gel
Curlmix
So I know I said I didn't use gels, but this is the only exception. To be honest, it doesn't even feel like a gel, it feels more like a conditioning cream. The vegan and cruelty-free brand has several different formulas for all of your hair needs: hair growth, hair repair, and hair softening amongst others. The one I recommend is moisture formula. It adds a ton of moisture, especially if you're using it with another cream or custard, but it can also do wonders alone. The best part is, it doesn't leave any flakes or white residue.
Revlon Realistic Strengthening Conditioner And Butter Creme Leave-In Conditioner
Black seed oil has a number of benefits for our hair; it soothes the scalp, eliminates dryness, increases shine, nourishes hair strands, and promotes healthy hair growth. Revlon Realistic Strengthening Conditioner and Revlon Realistic Strengthening Butter Creme Leave-In Conditioner are dedicated to strengthening your hair and stimulating hair growth. I like to use the conditioner as a deep conditioner to bring my hair back to life and follow up with the butter creme for better results.
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Freelance writer, content creator, and traveler. She enjoys the beauty of simplicity, a peaceful life, and a big curly fro. Connect with Krissy on social media @iamkrissylewis or check out her blog at www.krissylewis.com.
ItGirl 100 Honors Black Women Who Create Culture & Put On For Their Cities
As they say, create the change you want to see in this world, besties. That’s why xoNecole linked up with Hyundai for the inaugural ItGirl 100 List, a celebration of 100 Genzennial women who aren’t afraid to pull up their own seats to the table. Across regions and industries, these women embody the essence of discovering self-value through purpose, honey! They're fierce, they’re ultra-creative, and we know they make their cities proud.
VIEW THE FULL ITGIRL 100 LIST HERE.
Don’t forget to also check out the ItGirl Directory, featuring 50 Black-woman-owned marketing and branding agencies, photographers and videographers, publicists, and more.
THE ITGIRL MEMO
I. An ItGirl puts on for her city and masters her self-worth through purpose.
II. An ItGirl celebrates all the things that make her unique.
III. An ItGirl empowers others to become the best versions of themselves.
IV. An ItGirl leads by example, inspiring others through her actions and integrity.
V. An ItGirl paves the way for authenticity and diversity in all aspects of life.
VI. An ItGirl uses the power of her voice to advocate for positive change in the world.
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7 Black Men On TikTok Making Everyday Living Look ThirstTrappy
You know how many of us, ladies, keep wondering why men don’t have the same sexy, handsome looks of yesteryear? That look from the ‘60s to the ‘90s? I FOUND THEM. And guess what? They’re doing what “real” men do best…simply making themselves handy (and not just in the traditional, gendered sense of the word). These fellas make it easy to fantasize about the reality that there are still good men out there – men who come into the lives of women and make it easier and softer by contributing every day but meaningful ways.
No, I don’t know them in real life because I found them via TikTok, but that’s the fun of fantasizing. You get to take one piece of the pie and make up the rest of it as you go alone. It’s like a game of MASH–choose your fighter and then go from there.
When I was watching their videos, I was totally unaware that my libido had been laying so low OR how attractive a useful man was until I tuned in to these guys (it started with Cam, and you’ll see why shortly). And I don’t mean to make it sound like men are only as good as what they can do for you, but I think it’s safe to say that far too many men are weaponizing their incompetence and enjoy being cared for but aren’t as quick to pour back into the women keeping their day-to-day afloat. Not even in minimal ways.
That said, these men seem to be a breath of fresh air on a sunshiny day. And, allow me to be wholesome and candid for a minute but they made me optimistic that there is hope for us after all. That we can find husbands and fathers who allow us to exist in this world with less harm and hope.
And, on a less wholesome note… never mind. I choose to keep it cute, but you’ll soon know exactly why this feels like a helluva task in just a moment. The other refreshing thing about many of these videos is the ASMR vibes – very cathartic to watch; really brings a sense of peace and calm over you. And, not to gas it, but if watching a man in action in that way via TikTok does that, JUST imagine what having the real thing would be like. My God.
Here are seven Black men on TikTok making everyday living look thirstrappy AF.
Cam
@renaissancecam subsist ⚙️ #vlog #dailyvlog #sundayvlog #peace #adayinthelife #gardening #handyman #rotties #bbq #pitmaster #juicing #health #healthy #fruit #fyp #explore #foryou #viral #menshealth #farming #country #outdoors #dogs #landscaping #food #vibes
Not only does Cam (28 and single) understand the assignment when it comes to carefully selecting Sunday’s cleaning playlist but he also was handcrafted by God himself, giving us #TradMan in only the best ways possible. Based on my lurking/Inspector Gadget deep dive through his content, he chops wood, gardens, fishes, and cooks–it’s no mistake that his handle is Renaissance Cam. And, ladies, I was able to get a few other little details about him because we all know curiosity kills the cat. No need to stay curious when we can just know. Yes, he’s single. He’s a Leo. And his ideal first date is a picnic at his favorite sunset island near one of the spots where he likes to fish.
Derwynn
@lifeofdwho Look how dirty my washing machine was 🤢🤮 . . #sundayreset #sundayroutine #cleaninghacks #cleaningmotivation #homefragrance #fyp #explorepage
Next up is Derwynn, who is more of a modern man. His content centers on his Sunday resets which entail deep cleaning his home–and, if you know, you know–Black household law is that this type of cleaning must occur on Sundays. And, man, ol’ man, does he make cleaning look good. It’s no wonder more men don’t do this willingly. Most have speculated that he’s a Virgo, but he’s actually a Cancer (but maybe he has other Virgo placements throughout?)
Deon
@chakmahtheking Brcome someone you woukd be proud of‼️ Don’t settle, you’re a KING! Follw me on IG @chakmahtheking #fyp #diy #motivation #jackofalltrades #king
Mister DIY himself, in living color! Admittedly, I did have to mute that Rocky music, but all the fix-it action 100 percent makes up for that. I don’t know him, but it’s giving “my man, my man, my man” type of delusion the minute I saw him handle that power tool (like my little pun). Unlike the first two, Deon isn’t quite as subtle in his understanding that he is indeed a prize (not to be confused with thee prize, y’all). But, he is, in fact, a man that adds value in many ways. And, this is what we mean when we say bring back these men – the good with their hands, easy on the eyes type men – and we’ll bust out the apron and the table settings.
Oklahoma Cowboys
@oklahomacowboys0 🤠 #oklahomacowboys #rodeo #blackcowboys #fyp #explorepage #cowboy #blacktiktok #fypシ #losangeles #countryboy #billpickettrodeo #race
When Destiny’s Child said, “they always be talkin’ that country slang,” I imagine these are the type of men they had in mind. Cause the video alone gone bring out my Southern ancestors in my spirit, and I was born and raised in Michigan. Babbbby, this is a retro type of man, and I’m here for it. It’s also a personal belief of mine that it speaks volumes about a man’s ability to nurture in the way that they care for animals and, in turn, the way animals respond to them. What’s that they say about animals and children being the best judges of character? Unfortunately, we don’t have a name for this cowboy, but fortunately, this page is action-packed with other cowboys.
John Doe
@atvmvp #honda #hondaaccord #carsoftiktok #cars #bodywork #painting #spraypaint #restoration #accidentrepair #southcarolina #blackmen #cartok #cartiktok #7thgenaccord #blackentrepreneur #blackdudes #budgetfriendly #voiceover #countryboy
While it’s always safest to have a bald-headed daddy to handle all your car issues, it definitely doesn’t hurt to have a car-fixing zaddy on call, too. Well, here you go! Out in the garage, in the hoop shorts and the slides – now him coming inside smelling like outside, car parts, and fading cologne. We also stan a frugal, problem-solving king! Peep how he purchased a used car and a five-dollar can of spray paint and got to work. The definition of getting it out the mud, if you ask me.
Stephen
@styleunrivaled #fyp #trending #viral #atx #car #ignitioncoil
Impressive, I must say. This gentleman, Stephen, walks us through replacing his ignition coils, but he also makes himself useful in other ways. That’s word to his other TikTok, where he offers the young fellas who want to argue about why women aren’t submissive instead of giving them something worth submitting to advice.
Lee
@leeshomeimprovement Deck for the chicken coop #fyp #foryou #dmv #blacktiktok #watchthis #explore #HousestoHomes #HomeImprovement #BuildingstoCompanies #blackmenbuilds #building #constructing #StayFocused #menwithdreads #follow #share #baltimore #HGTV
While this video doesn’t quite show Lee’s face, it does show his craftsmanship. I mean, it looks secure enough–I don’t know too much about building decks, but I do know this looks about right.. As for the rest, I scoped out the facecard on his other videos, and he is worthy of this list.
These men were difficult to come by, and I’m not sure if it has to do with the ratio of podcast mics to rakes/power drills/etc. Or because they’re simply not documenting themselves. But you should know that we’re looking for some more of these men folk to lust after while they check off the one honey-do list item within their reach through the internet … the one with my Rosé. Send more over! Tag them. I might even start a Make Men Great Again campaign on behalf of these brothas.
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Feature image by @renaissancecam/ Instagram, @steviie_j/ Instagram, @derwynnwho/ Instagram