It’s been 3 weeks since I did the big chop and I’m still loving and learning my natural hair. I’ve found products that’s been working for me and even have a routine, go me! #winning lol. A lot of you guys have been asking what products I’m using on my natural hair. So here’s my little army. I’ve been using the LOC Method for my wash n’ go’s, which is an abbreviation for leave in conditioner, oil, cream and the order in which the products are applied.
First of all, a spray bottle with water is a must to keep my hair from drying out while I’m styling as it dries very quick. I also use it to revitalize my wash n’ go’s daily since I only wash my hair twice a week. I sleep in a satin bonnet to protect my hair and style, and when I wake up I usually saturate my hair with water and restyle my hair with my fingers without applying additional product except to my edges.
Since my hair is very dry I’ve been using the SheaMoisture Raw Shea Butter line since it’s geared toward dry hair. It’s thick, rich and loaded with shea butter and argan oil which makes my hair feel great. I wash once a week with the Moisture Retention Shampoo then let the Restorative Conditioner sit for a few minutes before I detangle with a wide tooth comb then rinse out. I don’t rinse it completely and leave some in for styling.
On my other wash day I co-wash with Trader Joe’s Tea Tree Tingle Conditioner. I generously apply it all over my hair and massage it into my scalp. It makes my scalp feel really good and it has a lot of slip making it easy to comb out my tangles with a wide tooth comb. After I rinse it completely I apply the SheaMoisture Restorative Conditioner as a leave in.
After my leave in I apply Trader Joe’s Coconut Oil to help lock in the moisture. Since it’s cold my oil is solid so I rub it in my palms to warm it up and melt it before I apply.
I then apply SheaMoisture Coconut & Hibiscus Curl Enhancing Smoothie to seal in the moisture and help with the frizzies. Although the name suggests it, it does not make my hair curly but it does help with styling. I then give my hair a good spray with water to make sure it’s saturated before I apply my styling gel to avoid that white residue.
The Eco Styler Gel is suggested all over the web for naturals so I decided to try the olive oil version and it works well for me. I put a generous amount in my palms and rub it throughout my hair while it’s soaking wet. I then use a soft bristle brush in circular motions to create my coils. I define the coils around the front with my fingers. I apply a small amount of Creme of Nature Argan Oil Perfect Edges to my “baby hairs” to lay them down and moisturize, and then apply the Eco Styler gel on top. This combo keeps my edges from looking crunchy.
Even when my hair feels moisturized, sometimes my scalp feels dry and itchy. When this happens I spray my hair with water and apply a small amount of Mixed Chicks Replenishing Oil to my scalp and massage it in. It immediately soothes my scalp and makes my hair feel more moisturized as well.
This is pretty much how my hair looks on a daily basis. When I first did the big chop I washed with my SheaMoisture African Black Soap Shampoo to clarify since I had just taken out my braids, and deep conditioned with the African Black Soap Purification Masque. I plan to do this at least once a month to remove product build up and thoroughly condition my hair. I’ll probably do the deep conditioning part every other week though to amp up my moisture since my hair can still be very dry and my scalp gets irritated easily. I am new to hair typing and my hair is still really short, but I believe that I am a 4c for those who use type to choose products. Keep in mind that just because these products work for me doesn’t mean that they’ll work for you as everyone’s hair is different. Although these products have been working, I’m still learning my hair and plan to experiment with other products as I go along in my natural journey. I have other products that I have yet to test and a few on my list to try.
I am going to try to film a tutorial this weekend to visually show you guys how I’ve been styling my hair. Let me know if you have any questions and I’m open to suggestions 🙂
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23 Responses
I think this is awesome! I have many of those products under my bathroom sink. Your hair looks fabulous
Thank you!
My hair twin…You have 4c like me!. its beautiful , love how shiny your hair is do you use henna?
Thank you. I haven’t tried henna since high school. I only have what’s listed here in my hair in this pic.
UGGGHH Your hair is drop dead gorgeous chica! Can you give us some tips on how to use the SM Curl Enhancing smoothie?
KLP @ SavingOurStrands
Thank you so much. I’m still learning how to use it but check out my latest post with a video tutorial on how I style my hair to see how I use it. You can see it here
Love the print satin hair wraps where’d you find them?
Check out this post
Hi, i’m peatically a new beginner with the twa. But i just really wanted to know out of all my products with the shampoo, co-wash,oils,creams.How often should I use the leave in conditioner?
Every time you wash.
Erica, do you use a hair rinse? If so, what brand? If not, you have beautiful black hair. I’m a Florida woman and the sun really damages the color of your hair down here.
Hi,I don’t use a rinse. My hair is actually a deep brown but products makes it look black. Thank you!
What is your daily moisturizing routine? My hair is the same length as yours, but while I’m at work I wear a wig. I’m using the same products as you. Your hair is beautiful.
Thank you. I don’t really moisturize daily. When I style my hair using the loc method, the moisture is locked in for days.
nice tips i’ll soon practice as i hv undergone a big chop as u did
You are friggin gorgeous! Thanks for sharing this info!!
Thank you so much, and you are very welcome! 🙂
How often do you do the coils with the gel. Daily? And how often do you wash your hair when you do the gel coils?
It lasts a few days, and I don’t add more gel when I redo, just water. I wash like once a week.
Thank you for all the tutorials. You are the reason I know how to manage my hair after going natural three months ago. I am still discovering products and styles but you have inspired me. Thanks again!
You’re very welcome. Best wishes on your natural hair journey!
How can I know my hair type after d big chop
You can do a Google search for natural hair types and see what looks similar to yours. However, your natural curl pattern may not come in right away. It may take a while after the big chop.