Natural hair loves natural ingredients. Black hair has texture and curls so it's more prone to dryness, frizz, and breakage. Giving it plenty of tender loving care is absolutely essential to its appearance and health. What’s that one thing Black hair definitely can't get enough of? Moisture. Here are 10 powerful ingredients to use in your hair or to look for in hair care products.

01. Water

This is as basic as it gets, but water may go a long way in restoring hydration to Black hair. By nature, that's what H2O does. Get a spray bottle and spritz your tresses with water for a moisture pick-me-up. If you avoid washing your hair frequently because you believe it's drying, know that water's not the culprit. It could be the hard water in the shower leaving mineral deposits on hair, leading to dryness and brittleness or your shampoo containing sulphates. Always go for a sulphate free shampoo.

02. Vegetable glycerin

This has been a staple in my hair care routine for a couple of years now and it works wonders. Vegetable glycerin is a less obvious ingredient to look for in products, but it's a true MVP. It attracts and retains moisture; therefore, it works best in humid climates. Add this to water in a spray bottle for instant hydration.

03. Coconut oil

I mostly use pure organic coconut oil straight from the a jar but it is also so good in hair products. Use it as a leave-in conditioner or as a hair mask. Warm a generous amount between your hands, and work it through from scalp to ends. For deep conditioning, use extra coconut oil and leave it in for a couple of hours or overnight—the longer, the better. Then style as usual.

04. Shea butter

The best shea butter I’ve had the pleasure of using is straight from the streets of Ghana. It is so pure and smooth. It’s such a high performer in Black hair products. Pure shea butter is usually firm, but it melts easily and is absorbs well into dry hair. It should be pale yellow and smooth; if it's gritty, white, dark yellow, or green, it's either too refined or possibly even rotten.

05. Jojoba Oil

It’s composition is similar to that of your scalp's natural oils. It's lightweight and won't weigh your hair down. Use it on its own or mix a few drops into your conditioner or hair mask.

06. Olive oil

I have been using this since I was a child and I still use it today. One of my mom’s favourites. Olive oil is perfect for hot oil treatments and for mixing with rinse-out conditioners. It is a heavy oil so it can feel heavy in your hair if you use too much at a time. Use sparingly.

07. Avocado oil

If you've ever used mashed avocado as a deep conditioning treatment, you're familiar with the potential moisturizing properties of this fruit. It is rich in fatty acids and helps replenish moisture.

08. Castor oil

As a Jamaican I can tell you that this product is heavenly. Widely used back home in everyone’s hair care routine. This oil helps with cleansing and detoxifying the scalp. Use it once or twice a week, but only a little at a time (it’s a heavy oil). Jamaican Black Castor Oil (or JBCO), in particular, is believed by many to promote thicker hair growth.

09. Aloe Vera

Aloe may help retain moisture. I add aloe vera gel or juice to DIY conditioning treatments like hair masks.

10. Almond oil

Almond oil is incredibly rich in nutrients but still lightweight in texture. It has the essential fatty acids that can help in moisturising the scalp and strands, leading to healthy smooth hair that has a soft texture. Almond oil, when used regularly, penetrates to a cellular level to help soften the hair at the roots and calm the frizzy texture.

These nourishing ingredients will keep your hair hydrated and well moisturized. After all, healthy hair is good hair.

WHAT IS IT?
Mielle Organics rosemary mint scalp and hair strengthening oil is a product by Black entrepreneur Monique Rodriguez. It features more than 30 essential oils, including castor oil. Since it’s release it has been praised for retaining hair length in kinky, coily hair. This review will outline the benefits of this oil, my personal experience and whether it’s worth it or not.

I started using this product about 2 years ago when one of my friends lost her edges and used this product to achieve full regrowth. I was definitely intrigued. I ran to Sally Beauty and got a bottle. It has been a fundamental part of my hair care routine ever since. I use it 2 to 3 times a week.

BENEFITS:
I use this oil for my dry scalp but it’s loaded with many other benefits:

• Infused with Biotin: a vitamin known to help prevent hair loss
• Use for daily hair care or specialized scalp treatments: Section hair into 4 parts exposing scalp. Apply a small amount of oil to scalp, massage oil in with fingers and comb through to ends of hair. Leave in and style as desired.
• Features more than 30 essential oils and extracts
• Helps improve length retention
• Smooths split ends: Apply oil to ends of hair, place a processing cap on head and leave on for 10 minutes. Rinse and proceed with shampooing.

IS IT WORTH IT?

YES! It is definitely worth every penny. It made my edges fuller and my hair just looked better. I change my hairstyle very often which can be a lot for my hair so it definitely needs that extra love. I have 4c natural hair but I do think this oil would work on all black hair types. I’ve seen a lot of great testimonies on TikTok recently from black men and women of all hair types. Consistency is key when using this product do you can get the desired results. It is very important that you put the oil directly on your scalp for it to work best and don’t forget to massage the scalp after to enhance blood circulation and promote hair growth.

This hair oil has helped in strengthening my hair and minimizing hair loss. It contains more than 30 essential oils that are beneficial to black hair and still manages to be affordable and lightweight. Will you be giving it a try? Share your results if you do.

Click “SHOP” below with purchase this product. (I use to get it from Sally Beauty but it’s no longer sold there. I was told a few months ago that the company has put a new ingredient in it that is not allowed in Canadian hair products and if you see it in stores it’s more than likely the old formula before the new ingredient was added).

What are scalp massages?

A scalp massage is a head massage designed to relax the mind and encourage circulation. Many times, tension is felt within the head and neck, so scalp massages can be very effective as a stress reducer.

What are the benefits?

Scalp massages increase the flow of blood to the hair follicles, which allows the follicles to enjoy better nourishment, leading to the creation of more and healthier new hair cells.
In addition to promoting hair growth, scalp massages reduce stress, promote relaxation and conditions and lubricates the scalp. The natural oils produced by the scalp are more readily spread throughout the scalp and is also better able to make the journey along the length of the hair, which makes the hair more shiny and manageable.

How to do them?

I do a scalp massage once a week or at least twice a month. While I can just use my fingers sometimes I use a scalp massager. Scalp massagers essentially enhance the massage experience, making it easier to do. I do circular motions, paying special attention near the temples and neck to enhance the relaxation element. I also use gentle pressure and make sure I don’t tangle my hair too much. I do scalp massages either when my hair is wet on wash day while shampooing or for better results and to get additional benefits from the process I do one after I’ve oiled my scalp. Oils provide their own set of benefits to the hair and scalp. Depending on the oil used, the benefits may differ slightly so choose an oil that addresses any hair or scalp issues you may be experiencing at the time. I use oils that are as natural as possible. My favourite oil to use is the Mielle Organics rosemary mint scalp and hair strengthening oil but you can use other oils like jojoba oil, castor oil, sweet almond oil, avocado oil and coconut oil. You can even add an essential oil such as tea tree oil, peppermint oil or rosemary oil to these natural oils.

Final verdict

I definitely think adding this step to my hair care routine on wash day or the days I oil my scalp made improvements to hair and scalp health. It removes dandruff and it improves circulation to make absorption of my hair oils easier. Trying adding it to your routine, it will work wonders.