by Cherekana Feliciano
A few weeks ago, I shared with you all my ode to wash-n-go’s. Now, I’d like to share with you lovelies my product review of what’s currently in my natural hair care arsenal.
So here are my wash and go staple products for natural hair.
Cleansers:
Like a good kinky haired chick, I bode farewell to shampoos with harsh sulfate cleansers, opting for the sulfate free life. Here’s my current-though rotating- cleanser stash:Curls Creamy Curl Cleanser
Wen Cleansing Conditioner
Karens Body Beautiful Pomegranate Guava Ultimate Conditioning Shampoo
Apple Cider Vinegar- with The Mother
Ok so, the breakdown: The first two work similarly. They smell great and leave my hair fairly supple. KBB is a great option when you just want some suds in your life. Smells delish, too. However, the product build-up struggle gets real after a few weeks and at that point traditional cleansers just don’t cut it. That’s when I reach for the ACV. Yup. Apple Cider Vinegar is an awesome clarifier that melts the product residue & gunk away.
Detangling Conditioners:
This is a tricky category for me because for some reason my hair tends to grow immune from detanglers after awhile, and I have to rotate my detangling products. But here’s my current circuit:Trader Joe’s Nourish Spa
Herbal Essence Conditioner
Hair Rules Quench Conditioner (not shown)
My Two Cents: You can’t beat the first option. I mean, it’s got natural ingredients, it’s easy to get and the jawn works. Plus, it can double as a leave in if you so choose. The Herbal Essence line of conditioners are just too fun. They smell good, the bottles are cute, they’re creamy...but they are chock full of chemicals. I’m trying to wean myself off conditioners with too many unnatural ingredients but hey, baby steps. And last but certainly not least - Hair Rules Quench. Listen. Listen. This conditioner has my hair feeling some kind of silky something. It costs a pretty penny but, such is life sometimes. It’s worth it!
A note on detangling: Whenever you’re having an unusually hard time detangling, it may not be the conditioner. It may be that time of the year - trim time. Yay!
Leave-In Conditioners:
- As I Am Leave-In Conditioner
- Aloe Vera Gel (Lily of the Desert brand) water mixture in a spritz bottle
Ok so, the breakdown: The first is nice, light, smells nice and doesn’t leave residue. When you have fine hair like me, that can be an issue. Aloe vera is super nice for the warmer weather and it leaves my hair soft. Since aloe vera can smell a little weird, I like to add a few drops of essential oil to the mix.
Stylers:
The Lowdown: The first two are easier on the pockets but I. Love. Them. All. They’re clear so they won’t show in the hair, they apply to my hair easily and make my coils pop. The trick is to make sure your hair is nice and fully detangled before applying any styling gel/jelly. It makes the application quick, easy, and painless.
So, there you have it! My wash and go product review. I hope this was helpful and maybe encouraged a few wash and go converts, too ;)