9 best afro hair products, tried and tested

BREAKAGE, dryness, and damage are the three things we all dread when it comes to our hair, but having the best afro hair products to hand can be a real game-changer.

It’s no secret that afro hair requires a lot of TLC and every texture needs a different level of moisture in order to maintain healthy locks.

Many of us have paid the price for subjecting our hair to heat, bleaching, and even chemical treatments in the name of switching up our tresses, and having quality products is crucial in restoring hair.

From leave-in conditioners to sulphate-free shampoos and curling cremes, when it comes to products to nourish your natural hair there are now a plethora of amazing offerings to choose from.

Thicker hair types will benefit from richer, heavier products to style hair and make curls pop whereas thinner textures will require lighter products to avoid weighing tresses down.

One thing many of us with afro hair can relate to is being faced with the lengthy task of making our way through the shelves of products in hair shops to best serve our hair.

Luckily, we are on hand to help you navigate your way through the world of afro hair care with our pick of the best tried and tested products.

If you click on a link in this story we may earn affiliate revenue.

1. Mielle Babassu & Mint Deep Conditioner

  • Mielle Organics Babassu & Mint Deep Conditioner with Protein, £12.98 from Amazon – buy here

Anyone with afro hair will know that investing what can feel like a lot of time in the maintenance of your tresses is essential.

We have become used to applying endless amounts of deep conditioner to our hair followed by wrapping it in a trusty plastic bag or cap to ensure the product penetrates the strands. However, selecting the right deep conditioner is crucial if you're going to truly replenish your hair.

We have had our eyes on Mielle for some time now so the prospect of giving their deep conditioner a try was very exciting. Founded by a registered nurse, Monique Rodriguez, Mielle is a brand that is dedicated to ingredients and creating healthier options for all the family.

The Babassu Oil Mint Conditioner works to restore and add moisture to dry or damaged hair, as well as help to reduce frizz. After letting this sink into our hair for the recommended 15 minutes, we washed this out and styled our hair.

Our hair felt super soft and moisturised making it perfect for anyone who suffers from dryness. If you have heat-styled or coloured your hair, this is a great product to have to hand if you want to bring your tresses back to a healthy state. Our curls were super defined plus, the out-of-this-world scent still remained after styling.

READ MORE:

  • The best sunscreens for black skin and dark complexions, tried and tested
  • We tested out the best foundations for dark skin
  • These award-winning cosmetics have revolutionised my skincare routine

2. Cantu Conditioning Creamy Hair Lotion

  • Cantu Conditioning Creamy Hair Lotion, £5.99 from Look Fantastic – buy here

Whether you have just washed your hair or need to give it a bit of a refresh, this conditioning lotion is great for achieving curl definition and softness. We applied the product to freshly washed hair and it didn’t take long to notice the curls beginning to pop in all their glory.

Our hair felt healthy and renewed after letting it dry naturally; however, this would also work a treat with a diffuser to maintain definition. The lotion contains a number of nourishing ingredients including Coconut and Avocado Oil as well as Shea Butter to add extra moisture.

This also didn't disappoint when it came to applying a small amount when our curls needed a bit of a pick-me-up. Product build-up is always a big concern when it comes to styling our hair, but this didn’t feel thick or heavy making it perfect for styling. A simple spritz of water and a bit of this lotion brought the ringlets back to life.

3. ORS Olive Oil Sulphate Hydrating Shampoo

  • ORS Olive Oil Sulphate Hydrating Shampoo, £7.28 from Amazon – buy here

Afro hair already requires a lot of moisture and there is nothing worse than having to contend with a shampoo that strips the hair of oils, leaving the tresses feeling dry and straw-like.

This is where sulphate-free shampoos come in, and this offering from one of the leading brands, ORS, is a must-have.

Not only does this shampoo feel thick, but it also smells amazing and is by no means overpowering. It’s easy to go through bottles of shampoo when you have thick hair but this product goes a long way.

It also feels nourishing, unlike other options which can often feel like they are having the opposite effect. This contains a blend of Olive Oil and Rosemary to soothe and condition the scalp leaving the hair feeling refreshed and clean.

4. Afrocenchix Smooth Moisturising Hair Cream

  • Afrocenchix Smooth Moisturising Hair Cream, £14.95 from Superdrug – buy here

When Afrocenchix burst onto the hair scene, we were blown away by the brand’s core ethics and commitment to creating safe, effective, and responsibly-made products that we can trust.

We gave the Moisturising Hair Cream a try and were instantly amazed by its quality. The cream feels thick and applies smoothy, which is probably thanks to the inclusion of shea butter and coconut oil.

If you're on a healthy hair journey, then this is the product for you as it works to minimise breakage —a problem many have had to deal with at some stage, particularly after large amounts of heat styling or bleaching. After application, the product was easy to work into the hair and it didn’t take much styling to bring our curls to life.

If like us, you love a product that smells divine, this is an absolute steal. With no parabens, silicones or artificial fragrances, you can rest assured that you are treating your hair the right way.

5. Tangle Teezer Curly Detangling Hair Brush

  • Tangle Teezer Thick and Curly Detangling Hairbrush, £9.95 from Amazon – buy here

When it comes to the best brush for afro hair, it doesn’t get much better than the Tangle Teezer. The struggle to find hair brushes that didn’t tear our tresses or fail to fully detangle knots came to an end when this product launched in 2007.

The unique shape of this brush alone makes it super easy to get to the root of the hair and gently detangle hair whilst preserving curls. This is equally amazing to use after completing your wash routine or even as a final stage after finger detangling with conditioner.

The Thick and Curly Detangling Brush is a treat to use on the hair and with so many amazing colourways to choose from, it should have a firm place in everyone's haircare collection.

6. Mielle Strengthening Oil

  • Mielle Rosemary Mint Scalp & Hair Strengthening Oil, £16.95 – buy here

There is nothing worse than being faced with an unbearably itchy and flaky scalp. This common issue can be down to a number of causes, with dryness and product build-up being major culprits.

Scalp oils are great to reach for when you find yourself trying to relieve the itch and this bestselling product from Mielle is a real saviour.

A few drops of this Rosemary Mint Scalp & Hair Strengthening Oil worked into the roots helped to keep itching at bay and provide instant relief. But this product goes far beyond just treating the scalp; it also helps to smooth split ends as well as encourage hair growth.

With so many amazing benefits, this versatile oil is perfect for applying throughout the hair. A few drops had our tresses feeling nourished and moisturised making it particularly handy if you are on the hunt for a product that truly combats dry hair.

7. Good Wash Day Organic Jersey Cotton T-Shirt Hair Towel

  • Good Wash Day Organic Jersey Cotton T-Shirt Hair Towel, £27 from Amazon – buy here

Having a good hair care routine goes far beyond the products we use: using the correct towel can change everything when it comes to maintaining and promoting healthier hair.

The towels that we become accustomed to using can cause the very things we don’t want for our hair, including frizz, breakage, and split ends.

Switching to a softer hair wrap is a great way to care for hair and Good Wash Day has well and truly changed the way we dry our locks. It’s easy to see why these towels are amazing for the hair because of how soft the jersey cotton material feels to the touch.

With plenty of material to wrap the hair comfortably, these towels work a treat at removing excess water from the hair without feeling as rough as regular towels. We were surprised at how quickly our hair dried using one of these hair wraps and the strands felt soft.

With a variety of colours and patterns to choose from, you can dry your hair in comfort and style.

8. EcoStyle Moroccan Argan Oil Styling Gel

  • Eco Styler Moroccan Argan Oil Styling Gel, £6.42 from Amazon – buy here

We love nothing more than a slicked-back look on days when we want our hair tied back and if flyaways are a common occurrence, the Eco Argon Oil styling gel is a must-have. Rich in Vitamin E to help nourish the hair, this gel is super versatile when it comes to styling an updo.

Not only does this keep the hair back and in your preferred style whether it be a sleek bun or ponytail, it also smooths tresses to keep any hairstyle looking as neat as possible.

We used the gel to create a low bun and this made what can often be a lengthy job so much easier. A little of the gel worked into the front of the hair made slicking our hair back a complete breeze.

After securing the bun, we simply finished the style with a bit more gel to secure our edges and any possible areas where flyaways could occur. For such a good price, this gel is great for creating any look.

9. Sofnfree Curling Crème

  • Sofnfree Curling Crème with Coconut & Jamaican Black Castor Oils, £4.99 from Sofnfree – buy here

After launching its new range of products focused on caring for natural hair, Sofnfree has us completely hooked. We’re always in search of products that nourish and have our hair looking as healthy as possible.

The Curling Crème does just that with a blend of coconut and one of our holy grail ingredients, Jamaican Black Castor Oil, which is perfect for restoring dry and damaged hair.

The Crème is thick in consistency making it great for spreading evenly across the hair. This can be applied generously to create a volumised and defined look.

We used this on freshly washed hair, working the product in from roots to ends. After styling and diffusing our hair, we were amazed at how bouncy and shiny the strands looked. Our curls looked coily which is always a dream to achieve, and the hair felt light. This product is a great go-to if you long for your curls to look their best.

Curl types explained

Curly hair comes in all different forms, but knowing your curl type can be beneficial when it comes to selecting the products that are right for you and your texture.

Curl types range from type 2, which covers looser curls and waves, to type 3, when curls begin to appear more defined and take the form of ringlets, right through to type 4, which includes tighter and more coiled curls.

Every curl type requires different products. For example, type 2 hair benefits from moisturising products that will not weigh hair down, while type 3 hair needs nourishing products but also thrives with the use of deep conditioners. Type 4 hair can handle heavier products including oils and deep conditioning treatments to help prevent breakage and hydrate the hair.

MORE FROM SUN SELECTS BEAUTY

TANTASTIC

The 10 best fake tan for your face to buy in 2021

No Shine, Sunshine

The 8 best non comedogenic sunscreens you can buy in 2021

PERFECT COVERAGE

9 best foundations for dark skin, tried and tested

SUN KISSED

13 best sunscreens for faces to buy in 2022

If you enjoyed our roundup of the best afro hair products, you might be interested in our pick of the best non-comedogenic suncreens.

We've also picked out the best gel nail kits for the perfect at-home makeover.

Head to Sun Selects Beauty for more reviews, roundups and recommendations.

    Source: Read Full Article

    Previous post Amy Schumer Responds to Accusation She Stole Leonardo DiCaprio Oscars Joke From Twitter
    Next post Spiders use their webs as giant HEARING AIDS, study finds