what do u consider??

For the first 9 mos. after my BC I was really strict about no cones, no parabens, no sulfates, etc. I dunno, is that the Curly Girl Method? I don't know. Anyway, I noticed that Nikki posted how she used to be like that as well until she noticed her hair had no problems with some cones. So I expanded my all natural/organic stash to include Herbal Essences products first. Never had a problem with dryness, still no breakage, no unusual shedding, so I figured it was all good. I began to add other hair products that contained some cones and sulfates and still had no trouble with my hair. And I was washing my hair every single day, not just cowashes, but actually shampooing.

Next, I'd heard/read about people being protein sensitive so I was trying to steer clear of proteins, until I realized my hair LOVES protein. So I added that to my regimen.

Knowing that I can use cones, sulfate shampoos, and proteins with little to no ill effects has really simplified my routine and added dollars to my pocketbook. I don't stress out as much about, "What's in that?" I don't have a problem with ladies who do the completely natural hair product regimen. I did it for several months, but I don't feel my hair needs that particular regimen at this stage, so I experiment. We all should do what works for our hair.

There are a lot of good articles at NaturallyCurly.com that speak to the pros and cons of different chemicals in hair products. I like researching for myself and experimenting then determining what works best for MY hair.

Here are some articles I found to be helpful at NC.com when shopping for hair products (more articles can be found under Curl Reading/Chemicals at NC.com):

CurlyNikki's Product Criteria

NC.com - Explanation of cones, good/bad/otherwise

Safer Sulfates

Good Alcohols

When looking at products the first thing I look at is the ingredients. I look for the ingredients that have worked in my hair, so far. I look for water to be the first ingredient and then aloe vera gel/juice and glycerin to be the second and third ingredients since my hair loves them. I make sure that it doesn't have shea butter or if it does it's not in the top five ingredients because my hair doesn't like shea. The second thing I do is look for product reviews on CurlyNikki and Youtube.

I'm trying to avoid parabens.

1) What do I need a product to do and what does it purport to do- This is my first consideration.

2) I have 2 resources that I posted a few days ago that help me out with $20.00 words.

3) I also have a list of harsh ingredients and personally I tend to gravitate towards products with more organics or unrefined/natural (but you have to be careful with that word because the feds have given companies alot of latitude with the term "natural."

4) I have learned several ingredients and their purpose, so I can scan ingredients list now better than before.

4) I am more in tune with what my hair smiles at-- Water and aloe.

5) Also, I have investigated a number of herbs (still investigating 'cause there are so many) and I have identified some that provide the benefits I am looking for in a hair product.

6) If the ingredient list is top heavy with butters, I tend to pass.

7) I am protein sensitive, so my eyes always looking for protein sources

For oils - I want to see organic and unrefined. If not, I keep moving

9) I don't get caught up in the hype(latest and greatest, i.e. Argon oil). If it is way down the ingredient list, I keep moving. Just companies trying to make a buck with no appreciable amount of this beneficial oil in their product.

After 1 - 9, I am about done!

I think part of it is knowing what your hair likes, and that only comes from using a certain amount of products and taking note of the first 5 ingredients. After that, I look at it this way:

1. No Silicones, mineral oil, and hopefully no parabens.
2. Water should be at the top of the list, along with castor oil or olive oil. My hair also likes a few products that have herbs infused into the water. Things such as aloe vera, shea butter, coconut oil, jojoba, etc should be near the bottom or not included. If they're near the top I keep it moving, because my hair doesn't like those ingredients.
3. Products with Behentrimonium Methosulfate and marshmallow root make detangling go a lot smoother, so I like to see those listed in a product.
4. I don't buy products that have like 5-6 ingredients that I mix up myself with no hassle (even if I miss out on a few ingredients that they have listed). It may just be me being cheap, but I'd rather spend my money on things I CAN'T make myself
5. I always read reviews of a product before I even consider buying it...it's especially helpful when you're thinking about buying an online product... who wants to pay a bunch of $$ + shipping just to find out the product sucks?? Also, I don't even bother with products that claim to do magical things to my curl pattern (stretching/elongating).. chances are it won't live up to it's own hype.

My product must haves:
1. Organic and Natural ingredients
2. No Animal Cruelty/Testing,
3. Made in America (preferably California or Hawaii)
4. My hair LOVES GDLI, so all products must have those first 5 ingredients, preferably in that order. If not, there will be hair drama.
5. My hair loves protein so, I balance moisture and protein
6. I consider Curly Nikki’s and this forum’s recommendations, but I am not controlled by them
7. Must be available locally or have a very low shipping fee.
8. I prefer to spend less than $15.00 per product.
9. It must smell and look good.

Naturally Esq. you reminded me of the animal testing/ cruelty - I look for that too. I also like, but not essential if the company promotes civic responsibility, business with fair trade partners, environmental conscience, etc.

naturalnolagirl1900 wrote:Naturally Esq. you reminded me of the animal testing/ cruelty - I look for that too. I also like, but not essential if the company promotes civic responsibility, business with fair trade partners, environmental conscience, etc.

I agree. I try to think of the big picture.

This was a great post idea and ironically I just stumbled upon the following info while looking for something else. As a resource, some may be interested in a book called: Don't Go Shopping for Hair Care Products Without Me. Apparently, the author conducted extensive research on various products from a variety of product lines. I have not looked at her research methods because I just saw this. I do not know her credentials, if there are any disclosures on her part, or anything about the author. I noticed the guide is available at Amazon.com and is upwards to $19.00 new. There are 50+ reviews from people who bought the book. I have my go to references, but anyone interested may want to see if your local bookseller has a copy or if they can order it. That way, you can peruse it and if you feel it is biased or inaccurate, no money lost. Here is the ISBN in case you are interested. Call your bookseller and provide the ISBN and they can do a quick search and let you know if it is available in their system. It is: ISBN-13: 978-1877988318. The author is Paula Begoun. Apparently, this book has been around since about 1999. I would think there would be revised editions based on the age. Hope this helps someone.

I forgot to add I prefer distilled water, I want the product to be under $15 for 8 oz and under 20 for 16 oz. I'm also looking for AA owned small businesses to support. I prefer to get it on the ground here in Atlanta.

ok..ty so much ladies, i appreciate everything bit of information u all have posted. i am also now really skeptical about products and their ingredients....i have run into sooooo many errors when it comes to products and it's definitely wuite a task when ur newly natural.....i have been 3 months natural now and i'm still working on my twa, but its getting better, i suppose.

Paula Begoun
Also known as The Cosmetics Cop. She has vreated skin and hair products. I have not been able to find her "hair" book but I have seen the cosmetics book in stores.

Nikki references Begoun whe she addresses heat styling in the FAQ section:

Is there a safe way to flat iron?
"One hundred percent protection from heat damage with protectant products simply doesn't exist. Period. Many flat and curling irons can reach excesses of 350 degrees Fahrenheit. There is no way to prevent that kind of heat from causing some form of damage to your hair. Paula Begoun said it best, "Could you imagine protecting skin from that kind of heat with a hair-care product?" Right...it's not gonna happen".

Falcon, I was thinking the same thing. There is a beauty salon here that is capitalizing on the benefits of steam treatments. They use the Design Essentials line, do a steam treatment for 20 minutes then use ionic blow dryers and ionic flat irons. So many ladies go there each week $65.00 a pop). I just couldn't rationalize going there so often. I know I will probably get my hair flat ironed a couple or so times a year, but I don't want my healthy hair efforts negated in a few minutes.

This may sound silly nut why exactly are naturals against mineral oil?

Shay, no question is silly. When you ask a question that shows you are not blindly accepting everything people say. I don't believe in coincidence, so it wasn't one that I just yesterday morning stumbled upon this article. Now, this is not an article from a science journal, but a blog; however, her theme is "mineral oil clogs pores." No moisture = hair dryness= breakage. IF the pores are clogged, how can moisture get in? Very simplistic, logical point. Also, when I think of petro, I think of oil and gas. Do I really believe there is any benefit of putting anything related to something as viscous as grease (heavy, cannot penetrate and doesn't let the good stuff penetrate either) in my hair?--not

Hope this helps a bit

Wow, I saved it now I don't see it. The article referred to hair grease. I will see what happened to it and post it in a bit. I thought I actually bookmarked it.

Okay, here is the link: http://nappyme.wordpress.com/hair-facts/ditch-the-hair-grease/

idk y people are so against mineral oils and such b/c growing up..i've never heard anything negative about mineral oils and diff things in that category

Yes, I know what you mean. I always say when you know better, you do better. Perhaps people in high places were aware a long time ago, but because of "that almighty dollar," the information was not readily available to the common person. Happens all the time.!