When it comes to toxic chemicals, women of color are getting the lion’s share dose as Americans. Specifically, hair relaxer products can be incredibly toxic and only really used because of a history of systematic racism. These chemicals that women are exposed to daily are linked to hormone disruption and cancers. So what are the best & worst hair relaxing products? You’ve trusted Mamavation to bring you topics like best & worst lotions, best & worst yoga mats, and best & worst cookware, now join us for the best & worst hair relaxers with special guest Nzingah Oniwosan of YesBabyILikeitraw.com.
Disclosure: This post was partially written by Nzingah Oniwosan of Yes Baby I Like It Raw. The investigation itself was fact-checked by Rebecca Elizabeth Sherrick Harks, RN, BSN. It contains affiliate links.
Table of Contents
Nzingah Oniwosan of YesBabyILikeitRaw.com Speaks Plainly of What Black Hair Symbolizes
As a black woman at this point in my life, I realize our hair is both a cultural and a political extension of ourselves. It helped our ancestors survive during the transatlantic slave trade. As we used our braids to transports seeds so we could grow foods we were familiar with to eat like okra.
In today’s time, black hair can be used to identify social status or can also be a symbol of the rejection of buying into the status quo. As women of color, we have an unspoken love-hate relationship with our hair. It would allow us to be accepted or rejected. It speaks unapologetically to our otherness.
It also is a place where experienced trauma in just the simple act of styling from our hair being braided or pressed as a child as well as the aftermath of relaxers scabs and open wounds on our scalp.
Chemically Treating Your Hair Starts When You Are Young
Coming of age for many black women in my age group and older involved having our hair relaxed in some cases pressed. We were silently taught that when you become a woman you would no longer wear your hair in its natural curly state.
Preludes to this notion are that our hair needed to be altered in order for us to be acceptable is the need to straighten our hair temporarily for school pictures, graduations, and weddings.
I had my first relaxer around the time I had my first menstrual cycle. It was the beginning of a painful ritual that involved open wounds and scabs but it was most important that was my hair was straight.
It was in high school I sought to take a different road. I wanted to go natural. I toyed with the idea of going bald or growing locs. My mother was totally against it. So much so that despite the fact that by that time I was paying to have my hair done she told my hairdresser I could do anything to my hair (relax, dye, or cut) but take it back to its natural state.
Irony: Natural Hair is Radically Different Yet Healthier
In the summer of 2001, I decided to step into my power. It involved a radical lifestyle overhaul.
As a teenager, I was diagnosed with a pituitary tumor, a rare autoimmune disorder, and PCOS. I spent a lot of time at the doctor’s office and was told I would have to be on medication for the rest of my life.
After some research, I decided that a natural protocol was necessary to heal my body. It involved me changing my diet and removing toxic products out of my daily regimen. On top of the list was me going natural. I stopped relaxing and dying my hair that year and have been natural ever since.
I did not realize how important it would be to my overall health until the next year. I noticed some lumps in my neck. I scheduled an appointment to see my primary care physician and he immediately referred me to ENT. When I arrived to the appointment I was nervous and concerned. I had so many diagnoses that I was unsure what I was going to be told.
Upon examination, the doctor said the lumps were from hair products that I had been using. He informed me that most of the products we use on our hair are pretty toxic and enter our bloodstream rather quickly. Instead of letting these toxins move around in our bloodstream our body in its intelligent design packages it up by way of our lymphatic system.
That doctor’s appointment cemented that I would never use a relaxer or dye my hair again. Nineteen years later and I still have remnants of those lumps although they are significantly smaller.
Dying to Be Beautiful
The biggest takeaway from that point on was women globally are literally dying to be beautiful.
It is only now we are really starting to see research around this topic as well as understanding the impact of the products we use. Women of color, in particular, are the most impacted.
Recent studies have found the products marketed to us are by far the most toxic. There are also studies that show connections between fibroids and the products women of color specifically use like relaxers.
There has been a movement towards women of color wearing their hair in its natural state but there is an unfortunate assumption that products designed for natural hair are clean which is often not the case.
There is a lot that needs to be done around the topic education is key as well as holding companies across the board accountable for knowingly exposing us to toxic products.
I hope this investigation will be useful to guide you in which ones you want to purchase.
The Politics of Black Hair
A larger issue is the politics of black hair. Many women of color do not have the luxury of wearing their hair in its natural state because they fear being reprimanded both in mainstream society and in their communities.
It is seen as unprofessional, unkept, and unclean.
This is partially driven by media but has its roots in divisions created during the time of slavery. All hair and all its textures are beautiful. We all deserve to have clean products that help us maintain our hair.
This issue is so prevalent that in 2019 the State of California passed a law to prevent schools and employers from discriminating against people of color that wore natural Afros, braids, twists, cornrows and dreadlocks — or locs.
“Workplace dress code and grooming policies that prohibit natural hair, including afros, braids, twists, and locks, have a disparate impact on Black individuals as these policies are more likely to deter Black applicants and burden or punish Black employees than any other group,” it said.
The Price You Pay to Twist & Treat
In Califonia, Senator Holly J. Mitchell said that African-American men and women have often had to endure expensive, painful and even dangerous chemical treatments to change their hair to conform to these beauty standards.
Why do we have these standards? Can we change them together?
In Washington, black women’s hair has become increasingly political as a central figure has come out with an alopecia diagnosis and revealed her bald head from the disease.
Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley has recently revealed her bald look and alopecia diagnosis and has shocked the nation after being known for her twists. But after twisting her hair, it started to fall out and she tells her story of how this affected her emotionally and how hair is such an emotional burden to bear for women of color.
Alopecia is the medical term for baldness, and according to the National Alopecia Areata Foundation, is a “common autoimmune skin disease, causing hair loss on the scalp, face and sometimes on other areas of the body. The condition affects as many as 6.8 million people in the US with a lifetime risk of 2%.”
According to a July study from the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, African Americans experience alopecia areata at a higher rate than other racial groups, particularly traction alopecia – which can happen when hair is pulled at the roots for over long periods of time.
Women of color are exposed to far more dangerous chemicals, it’s no wonder alopecia is becoming more common.
Black Girl Magic & Textured Hair Heroes
More and more attention has been paid to textured black hair in Hollywood. Hair Love, an Oscar®-winning animated short film from Matthew A. Cherry, tells the heartfelt story of an African American father learning to do his daughter’s hair for the first time.
Despite having long locks, Stephen has been used to his wife doing his daughter’s hair, so when she is unavailable right before a big event, Stephen will have to figure it out on his own. This sounds simple enough, but we soon come to find that Zuri’s hair has a mind of its own.
Another unsung hero is Tola Okogwu. Tola Okogwu is a British blogger and founder of the hair and beauty blog, My Long Hair Journey. Through her blog, and wider writing, she is an active participant and voice in the natural hair movement and seeks to inspire, educate and empower young girls of color to take ownership of who they are and everything that makes them unique. You can find her series below.
Dangerous Ingredients Found in Hair Relaxers & Other Hair Products Used by Women of Color
We looked through over a hundred products marketed to women of color and found several very concerning chemical usage that is linked to chronic disease and cancers.
- Benzene: This is a toluene, which can damage the respiratory system, irritate the skin, and cause developmental damage in fetuses.
- Diethanolamine (DEA) Triethanolamine (TEA): These stabilize the pH of hair products, and are common allergens and eye irritants.
- Formaldehyde: Formaldehyde is another preservative and extremely irritating to the skin and eyes. It is a known animal carcinogen, and may increase cancer risk for humans as well. Keep in mind that certain preservatives release formaldehyde! So by extension, also look out for
-
- Diazolidinyl urea
- DMDM hydantoin
- Glyoxal
- Imidazolidinyl urea
- Polyoxymethylene urea
- Quaternium-15
- Sodium hydroxymethylglycinate
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- Fragrance: This is a catch-all ingredient. If the manufacturer put this on the bottle, it means they don’t want to tell you what else is in the product (and Fragrance is often a term used to hide Phthalates as an ingredient.) Note: at NaturAll Club we only scent our hair products with natural essential oils.
- Isopropyl Alcohol: This does its job of stripping away oils from your scalp a little too well, leaving your hair dry and brittle. Ethanol Alcohol, Ethyl Alcohol, Isopropanol Alcohol, Propyl Alcohol, and SD Alcohol are also known to do this. Lye is often seen in these products as sodium hydroxide and potassium hydroxide and calcium hydroxide. I’ve seen it in the lye free ones too.
- Methylisothiazolinone: A common preservative in hair products, linked to lung toxicity, allergic reactions, and possible neurotoxicity.
- Mineral Oil and Petroleum: These are petroleum products that coat your hair and scalp so effectively, they suffocate them! These ingredients can cause acne, hindered skin respiration, imbalanced oil levels in your scalp, and skin irritation.
- Parabens: Parabens are xenoestrogens, included in shampoos as a preservative. They can disrupt hormones and even pose a cancer risk. You’ll see them labeled on hair products as propylparaben, benzyl paraben, etc.
- Phthalates: These were banned from use in toy manufacturing in California, 2009, because of links between them and cancer. However, they are still often used in hair products.
- Retinol: This is very common in skin and beauty products, but has potential associations with developmental and reproductive toxicity. While it is usually safe to use, it might not be safe to use during pregnancy.
- Retinyl Palmitate: Considered a gentler version of retinol, but it is often added to personal care products in greater concentrations than retinol in order to be effective. It still has potential associations with developmental and reproductive toxicity, and has been found to enhance photocarcinogenicity (heightening the risk of cancer when exposed to UV rays.)
- Sulfates: Sulfates strip oil and dirt out of your hair so well, they deplete the naturally produced sebum that moisturizes your hair. While sulfates can be beneficial for hair that gets oily quickly or has looser curls, they’re usually a no-no for naturally curly hair. Common sulfates: Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Ammonium Lauryl Sulfate
- Synthetic colors: Synthetic colors such as D&C Red 27 or FD&C Blue 1, are derived from petroleum or coal sources. These synthetic colors are suspected to be carcinogenic, skin irritants, and linked to ADHD in children. The European Union has banned the use of these ingredients, which is a big red flag.
- Toluene: Also used as a solvent that can dissolve paint and paint thinner, but it is also found in some hair color/bleaching products. This chemical can affect the respiratory system, irritate the skin, and even cause developmental damage in the fetus if expecting mothers are exposed to it. Commonly labeled as benzene, tuluol, phenylmethane, or methylbenzene.
- Triclosan: This is a common antimicrobial chemical used in personal care products, but it is also a known endocrine disruptor and skin irritant.
Lab Tests Discovered Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals in Hair Products for Black Women
In addition to seeing these chemicals on the label, research has shown that black women, in general, have higher rates of uterine fibroids, infertility, early onset of puberty, endometrial & breast cancers. The Silent Spring Institute commissioned a study placed in the Journal of Environmental Research that found most products used for women of color as hair relaxers, hot oil treatments, anti-frizz & leave-in-conditioner contained the presence of a hormone-disrupting chemical. Specifically, they found:
- 11 products contained 7 chemicals prohibited in the European Union (EU) or regulated under California’s Proposition 65. Hair relaxers marketed at children contained the highest levels of 5 chemicals prohibited in the EU or regulated under Proposition 65.
- Parabens, fragrances, nonylphenols, and diethyl phthalate were commonly found in root stimulators, hair lotions, and hair relaxers.
- Cyclosiloxanes were more frequently detected in anti-frizz products and at the highest concentrations of any chemical measured.
- All products contained fragrance chemicals and 78 percent contained parabens.
- 84 percent of the chemicals detected were not listed on the product label
All of these findings are problematic, ESPECIALLY the part where 84% of the chemicals detected were not even listed on the product label. That’s illegal and very concerning. So for the purposes of Mamavation’s investigation, we took some liberties and held some brands back into “bad” when they had similar ingredients as other bad brands but didn’t have “parabens” on the label, just in case.
Toxic Vs. Non-Toxic Treatments for Curly Hair
There are several ways that women with curly hair straighten their hair. Some methods permanently change the hair while others straighten the hair for a short period of time. The methods that permanently straighten the hair are often the most toxic while the more temporary ones are the least. Here are some methods used to straighten curly hair .
- Chemical Relaxer/Perm/ Relaxer: Is a chemical process that changes the curl pattern. It is permanent and cannot be reversed. As new hair grows in at the roots the chemical treatment is applied on the “New Growth” The process is quite toxic and known to leave individuals with chemical burns. This is usually done by a professional, however, home kits are sold at local drugstores.
- Texturizer: Is a mild relaxer. It is not used to straighten the hair but instead loosen the curl pattern. The toxicity is the same as relaxer the only difference is the application time which is shortened. This is usually done by a professional, however home kits are sold at local drugstores.
- Brazilian Blowout/ Keratin Treatment: Is a semi-permanent process used to straighten the hair. A treatment can last a few weeks or months. Keratin treatments usually slowly wash out . As Keratin is the main ingredient for this process which makes it toxic over time. Keratin treatments contain unsafe levels of formaldehyde and other chemicals. This is usually done by a professional, however, home kits are sold at local drugstores.
- Natural Relaxer: A natural relaxer uses clay and herbs to loosen the curl pattern by conditioning the hair. Here is the science behind it: dry hair shrinks moisturized hair loosens up. So be clear natural relaxers do not straighten the hair. It can be used as a precursor to blow drying or flat ironing the hair. As the curls are looser less heat is needed to straighten the hair. The main two natural relaxers on the market are as follows:
- BaKa Natural-Laxer Mix the ingredients are sahara Clay, myrtle, rose petals, fenugreek, nettle, sage.
- Supernatural Curl Tamer Herbal Hair Mask the ingredients are Henna (Cassia Obovata), Multani Mitti (Fuller’s Earth), Neem, Amla, Acacia, Rose Powder
- Flat-Ironing/Blow Drying/ Pressing: Are non-chemical methods to straighten one’s hair that involves heat. For pressing a hot comb is pulled through the hair to straighten or loosen the curl pattern. The same action is involved for flat ironing but instead of a comb a flat iron is used, which is two flat heated plates. The blow-drying method involves brushing the hair while applying heat by way of a blow-dry. All these methods are temporary. It can last a few days or weeks. Although there are no chemicals involved, the heat can be damaging to the hair. This method can be done by a professional or at home.
Are There Healthier Hair Ingredients For Black Women? Yes and No.
For women with highly textured hair, no product will permanently straighten your hair and is completely free of chemicals at the same time. Traditional, lye-based relaxers are still around because there is no replacement that acts the same. So using the word “relaxer” may be confusing to people because these products don’t really do the same thing. By doing that ‘the curls soften” which gives length and makes the hair more manageable but it does not straighten the hair. Only a chemical process will permanently straighten the kinks and curls out of highly textured hair.
However, you can use natural products to make the curls seem more relaxed simply because your thirsty tresses respond happily to moisture. These natural products may also require heat-styling to fully straighten hair. But upon shampooing the texture will revert back. These ingredients are safer for women to use in general as replacements. Look for products with the following ingredients instead.
- Aloe vera (contains proteolytic enzymes good for healing scalp problems and stimulating hair growth)
- Avocado (dermatological benefits for scalp, with vitamins A, D, and E; effectively lubricates hair strand, preventing breakage)
- Shea butter (a hydrating emollient; protects the hair strand)
- Castor oil (antifungal; cleans the scalp, clearing follicles and promoting hair growth)
- Coconut oil (a hydrating emollient that seals moisture around the hair follicle)
- Extra virgin olive oil (a hydrating emollient and moisturizer, effective at softening hair)
- Grapeseed (lightweight conditioner and moisturizer; mildly astringent, thus effective at fighting dandruff; easily absorbs into hair and scalp and is packed with healthy fatty acids)
- Honey (humectant and antifungal)
- Jojoba (hair strengthener, rich in vitamins C, E, and B; dermatological benefits for repairing scalp dryness and inflammation)
Mamavation’s Investigation of Best & Worst Hair Relaxers & Hair Care Products for Black Women
Most Toxic Companies to Avoid
These brands may contain some of the following: Parabens, Formaldehyde (hiding inside Diazolidinyl urea, DMDM hydantoin, Glyoxal, Imidazolidinyl urea, Polyoxymethylene urea, Quaternium-15, or Sodium hydroxymethylglycinate), Diethanolamine (DEA), Triethanolamine (TEA), Toluene (benzene, tuluol, phenylmethane, or methylbenzene) or Cyclosiloxanes (Cyclotrisiloxane, Cyclotrisiloxane, Hexamethyl, Cyclotrisiloxane, Hexamethyl-, Hexamethyl-Clotrisiloxane, Hexamethylcyclotrisiloxane). There were also some brands that did not disclose their ingredients at all online and we put them in this category as well just as a precaution based on the results of what the Silent Spring Institute found.
- Africa’s Best Coconut Creme Ultra Conditioning Relaxer Kit
- Africa’s Best Dual Conditioning No-Lye Relaxer System Super
- Africa’s Best Kids Organics Relaxer System
- Ampro Pro Styl
- Ampro Pro Styl Clear Ice coconut oil styling gel
- Avlon Affirm Fiberguard Sensitive Scalp Relaxer 9 Kit
- Avlon Textur Release System
- Affirm Care Color Sensations
- Beautiful Textures Naturally Straight Texture Manageability System
- Bigen – Black/Brown Permanent Hair Color Powder
- Bigen Dust Free Powder Lightner
- Cantu Shea butter for Natural Hair Conditioning creamy hair lotion
- Carol’s Daughter Black Vanilla Conditioner
- Carol’s Daughter Black Vanilla Sulfate-Free shampoo
- CHI Transformation Solution Formula B
- Clariol Textures
- Cream of Nature PLEX Strengthening Relaxer System – Regular
- Cream Of Nature Argan Oil Con Honey Knot Away Leave-in Conditioner
- Creme of Nature Argan Oil Relaxer
- Creme of Nature Moisturize Dry Defense Conditioner
- Creme of Nature Moisturizing Dry Defense Shampoo
- Curls Poppin Pineapple So So Clean Vitamin Curl Wash
- Curly Qs Curlie Cutie Cleansing Cream -Sulfate-Free Cleanser
- Curly Qs Gel-les’c -Curl Jelly
- Dark and Lovely Original Black Permanent Hair Color
- FiberGuard Conditioning Relaxing System
- Ion Smoothing No-Friz Foam
- Just for Me No-Lye relaxer kit
- Just For Me Relaxer Kit – Kids
- Just For Me Texture Softener System
- Keracare System
- Luster Pin Smooth Touch Extra Virgin Olive Oil No-Lye Relaxer
- Luster Pink Short looks texturizer curl softener
- Luster’s Pink Oil Moisturizer
- Luster’s SCurl Texturizer
- Luster’s Shortlooks 3-N-1 ColorLaxer
- Miss Jessie’s Coily Custard
- Moistur Color System
- Olive Oil Girls Built-In Protection Plus No-Lye Conditioning Hair Relaxer System
- Optimum Care by SoftSheen Carson Care Defy Breakage No-lye Relaxer,
- Optimum Care No-Lye Relaxer
- Organic Root Stimulator Hair Mayonaise
- Organics Texture My Way No-Lye Conditioning Texturizing System
- ORS Hair Mayonnaise Conditioning Treatment
- ORS Olive Oil Girls Soft Curls No Lye Creme Texture Softening System
- ORS Olive Oil Hair Relaxer, No-Lye, Built-In Protection, Normal
- ORS Olive Oil Professional. No Lye Built in Protection Relaxer
- Shea Moisture Coconut & Hibiscus curl enhancing smoothie
- Shea Moisture Coconut & Hibiscus frizz free curl mousse
- Soft and Beautiful Ultimate Protection No-Lye Regular relaxer
- Soft Beautiful Botanicals Texturizer
- Softsheen Carson Laboratories Gold Hair & Scalp Spray
- Suave Professionals for Natural Hair Moisturizing Curl Shampoo
- TCB Hair Relaxer No Base Regular Relaxer
- Gentle Treatment No-Lye Conditioning Crème Relaxer for Gray Hair
- Soft & Beautiful® Regular No-Lye Ultimate Conditioning Relaxer System Kit
- SoftSheen-Carson Optimum Salon Haircare Defy Breakage No-Lye Relaxer, Regular
Better Companies to Purchase
These companies are not perfect, but they have less intense problematic ingredients. In this section, you may still find some PEG compounds, sulfates (Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Ammonium Lauryl Sulfate), synthetic colors, Retinyl Palmitate or fragrance. This category would be for someone who really wants the efficiency of a product, but still wants to use some of their favorite brands. Please note that some brands had certain products in other categories.
- Aunt Jackie Don’t Shrink Flaxseed Elongating Curling Gel
- Bigen 20 Volume Cream Developer Lightener
- Bronner Brother Pump It Up Spritz Gold
- Bronner Brother super gro
- Cantu Grow Strong Strengthener
- Carol’s Daughter black vanilla leave-in conditioner
- Carol’s Daughter Hair Milk
- Creme of Nature Moisture Whip Twisting Creme
- Curls Blueberry Bliss Reparative Hair Mask
- Curls Aloe & Blueberry Juice Curl Moisturizer
- Curls Poppin Pineapple So So Moist Deep Conditioner Curl Mask
- Curly Qs Coconut Dream Moisturizing Conditioner
- Curly Qs Milkshake -Curl Lotion for Fine Hair
- Eco Style Professional Styling Gel
- Ekoeh Brasil HAIR FOOD COLOR CREAM Black Dye
- Fantasia IC Hair polisher styling gel
- Ion Hard To Hold Hair Spray
- Just For Me (children) Curl Peace Tender Head Detangling Treatment
- Just For Me Soft & Beautiful Curl Peace Smoothing Ponytail and Edge Control
- Linange Shea Butter Cream Relaxer
- Miss Jessie’s Multicultural Curls’
- Miss Jessie’s Pillow Soft Curls
- Miss Jessies’s JELLY SOFT CURLS
- Mizano Butter Blend Fine/Color Treated Relaxer Kit
- Motions Classic Formula Mild
- Organic Sprout Classic Styling Balm
- ORS ORS Olive Oil Curl Stretching Texturizer
- PhytoSpecific Phytorelaxer Index 2 For Normal To Thick Hair (7 piece)
- Phytospecific Phytorelaxer Kit 2
- Revlon Mild Conditioning Creme Relaxer
- Revlon Regular Conditioning Creme Relaxer
- Salon Care (From Sally’s) – Professional Cholesterol Cream Conditioner
- Schwarzkopf Glatt Professional Keratin Care Complex-Normal Hair Relaxer
- Shea Moisture Yucca & Plantain Anti-Breakage Strengthening Styling Milk
- Shea Moisture Coconut & Hibiscus Curl and Shine Shampoo
- Shea Moisture Coconut & Hibiscus co-wash
- Shea Moisture Coconut & Hibiscus Curl and shine conditioner
- Shea Moisture Coconut & Hibiscus Curl and style milk
- Silk Elements MegaSilk Relaxer – Coarse
- Splat 30 Wash Original Kit (Pure Sapphire)
- Suave Professionals for Natural Hair Moisturizing Curl Conditioner
- Suave Professionals for Natural Hair Nourish & Strengthen Leave-In Conditioner
- Proclaim No-Lye Argon Oil Relaxer System
- Uncle Funky’s Daughter Thirsty Curls Leave-in Curl Refresher
Best Companies to Purchase
These brands are “free-from” most of the contaminants we were looking for. It was incredibly hard to find products for this list, but more and more brands are popping up every year which is very encouraging. (If you are a brand that didn’t make this list, please email me at leah at bookieboo dot com for free insertion.)
- Camille Rose Naturals Moroccan Pear Conditioner
- Camille Rose Naturals Coconut Water Leave-In Detangling Treatment
- Carol’s Daughter Mimosa Hair Honey Shine Pomade
- Curls Blueberry Bliss Twist-N-Shout Cream
- Curly Qs Moist Curl Moisturizer & Detangler
- Hair Print Chelating Shampoo
- Hair Print Jasmine Silk Hair Masque
- Hair Print True Color Hair Color Restorer Plus
- Hair Print Wash and Grow Conditioner
- Henna Guys – Henna Jet Black Hair Dye
- Henna Guys – HERBAL KATHA POWDER – COLOR ENHANCING HAIR MASK
- Kinky Curly Curling custard
- Kinky Curly Knot Today Conditioner
- Kinky Curly Knot today natural leave-in conditioner
- John Masters Organics Repair Hair Mask with Honey & Hisbiscus
- Organic Sprout Classic Curl Calmer
- Organic Sprout Leave-IN Conditioner
- Moroccan Ghassoul Clay
- Shea Moisture Raw Manuka honey and Mafura Oil conditioner
- Shea Moisture Raw Manuka Honey and Mafura Oil Shampoo
- Shea Moisture 10 in 1 Renewal System
- Shea Moisture Raw Shea Butter conditioner
- Shea Moisture Raw Shea Butter Detangler
- Shea Moisture Raw Shea Butter Shampoo
- Shea Moisturizer Jamaican Black Castor Oil Shea Moisture Masque
- SheaMoisture Curl Pudding – Red Palm Oil & Cocoa Butter Curl Stretch Pudding
- Surya Naturals Henna Chocolate Cream
- Surya Naturals Henna Dark Brown Cream
- Surya Natural Curls Modeling Gel Surya Brasil
- EarthTones CURL DEFINE™ CURL ENHANCING GELLY
- Uncle Funky’s Daughter Curly Magic Curl Stimulator
- Uncle Funky’s Daughter Curl Finding Creme
- Uncle Funky’s Daughter Midnight Train Leave-In Conditioner
Hi,
Is the Just Me Children’s No-Lye Conditioning relaxer safe? It’s listed as being free from sulfate, paraben, phthalate, DEA, and formaldehyde. If so, please include in the list.
https://www.amazon.com/Just-Me-Conditioning-Kit-Childrens-APPLICATION/dp/B0755B2WZ2/ref=psdc_11057241_t1_B012HIRASC
How about curl smith fragance-free products? Also, Fekkai is good?
Cantu is listed as bad and better. Some of the products have fragrance and alcohol.
It is this brand clean?
I have
Cantu Shea Butter for Natural Hair
Cantu Argan Oil leave-in conditioning
This is wonderful and I use your website as a guide for all my products. I’m wondering more about the Shea Moisture Manuka Honey and Mafura Oil because it’s given me brain fog snd headache. I’m sensitive to fragrances and perfumes and this one is very strong. https://amzn.to/2wrtmBb
I’ll try the moisture retention one to see if it’s different.
This one isn’t really a problem other than the fact that they don’t tell you what essential oils they are using. So whatever they are using, you may have a sensitivity to…but I guess you already know that. I would email them to ask them what they are using so you know…and can avoid in other brands.
Hello there,
You have the wrong Amazon link for the Shea Moisturizer Jamaican Black Castor Oil Shea Moisture Masque. Please fix?
Do you know anything about Miele?
THANK YOU!!! a million times over! As a Black woman who is also a natural health coach, I cannot tell you how long I have been searching for an investigation like this. I provide suggestions of clean, natural hair products on my website and I can tell you that my list is super slim at this point. I am also severely sensitive to fragrances and it is difficult to find natural, clean, haircare product that is fragrance-free or that include peppermint essential oil as I am able to tolerate mild mint fragrance well. I learned about Hairprint about a year ago and I love their product. Their grey restorer works wonderfully :). Thanks again for all you do.
Yes! Email me at [email protected] and tell me which changes would help you!
Great read! Very informative especially on which products to look for and not to look for for Naturals.
Do you know anything about Miele? My son said he’s been using that brand for gel after I sent him and his wife this article (which is excellent I might add!)
Mielle*
This is awesome. So great to see you two collaborate on this topic that needs light shed on it for sure. Thank you both!