Makeup by Maggie Thach For Ariebella Beauty
Caring for my natural hair has been a struggle over the past year. I’ve spent my time trying to figure out what my hair likes and dislikes, and how it reacts in different weather conditions. While it has been a struggle I have enjoyed every minute of this Journey. I’ve hopped on and off every natural hair bandwagon I’ve seen on YouTube… “No-poo”, “pre-poo”, “sulfate-free”, natural products only, eco-styler hair gel, the list goes on and on. I’ve discovered that my hair is only as restricted as I allow it to be. I don’t need to put “us” in a natural hair box or natural hair category to have healthy thriving hair.
I’ve found a balance between DIY natural products, and store-bought generic brand products that have allowed my hair to thrive over the past few months. Number 1 on my must do list for my hair is MOISTURE! Early in my journey I used to confuse oil with moisture, thinking that drenching my hair in my DIY oil concoction was actually moisturizing to my hair. EPIC FAIL. Water is moisture, and our hair needs it!! I don’t always drench my hair in water, but I try to lightly mist it with water from a spray bottle at least every two days. I also have to make sure that once I get that moisture on my hair I have to find a way to seal it in. This is where that oil Concoction comes in. It’s a mixture of coconut, olive, grape seed, castor, jojoba and avocado oil with a few other essential oils mixed in. I then use whatever cream or pudding I would like to style my hair with. I didn’t know it then, but I came to find out that this is known as the L.O.C. method (Liquid, Oil and Cream ) in the natural hair community. It works perfectly for my hair right now. I know that as my hair continues to grow, I will have to change the products I use in my regimen, and I’m hesitant to list any of my store-bought products in this entry because I haven’t consistently used one product. I’m still looking for my OWN holy grail.
One thing I have discovered from this journey is that you should always do what works best for you. Someone will always have an opinion on how and what you should do with your hair, but it is important to do what works best for your budget, time and abilities. So maintain a healthy scalp, and baby your ends to be on your way to a head full of healthy natural hair.
Story by: JB
