Moisturizers: List of my Faves

It has been some time since I have done a “hair” post and it is probably about time.  A little about my natural hair story.  I started transitioning in the summer of 2007. Perms were putting my scalp through physical pain and I was just tired of it. The chemicals and all of the mess that came with it was just not worth it to me anymore. I was already stretching out relaxer time as much as I could to avoid the pain, so I knew something needed to change. I transitioned for a while with a few bumps in the road. I did a lot of twist sets, roller sets and flat-iron styles. After I had my daughter, I decided minimal heat (if any) was going to be my goal. The twist sets got better and my hair was growing. It was hard to start with it when my hair was at that awkward in-between stage. Most of my hair was natural and the perm was still on the ends. November of 2011, I let my guy chop off any remnants of permed hair.  I was afraid every time I heard the snip of the scissors but as of now, I am so happy I went through it. Soon after the cut, my hair grew like crazy.

Not sure of my hair type but I am sure I am somewhere in the 4  (a/b) range. I have small, coily curls. When my hair is dry, it has a lot of shrinkage and tangles easily. The easiest way to get it all moisturized is to do it by section, and usually, I do this as I am starting my new set of mini twists. The twists are my go-to style. It takes me about 8 hours to do my complete head of hair but I can wear it (and wash it) for three weeks. I keep it moisturized and then for another week, I can wear a beautiful twist out and then a puff until wash day.

You do not have to spend a lot of money on good products but I decided that on my search for quality, money would not be the deciding factor for me. If it works, I will find a way to buy it. My hair needs a lot of moisture. After I have co-washed, I apply a leave-in conditoner, de-tangle and then moisturize section by section. Here are a few of my favorites:

1. Camille Rose Naturals Moisture Milk  – This has a light fragrance that I just love.  This product is creamy and goes on smoothly. I put a nickel sized amount in my palm and rub through a section of wet hair. By doing this while my hair is wet, it tends to hold the moisture longer. I can refreshen with a smaller amount of product the next day and use mostly water.

2.  – It really does smell like cocoa. When I am moisturizing my daughter’s twists, she always says “I want to use the chocolate one today, mommy.” It is a light, cream but a small amount goes a long way. I usually spritz my hair generously with water and then apply this product. I will use this on my hair most days right before doing a puff. This definitely softens my texture; sometimes to the point that I cannot stop touching my hair.

3. KeraCare Natural Textures Butter Cream Everyday Moisturizer – This was one of the first products I tried once my hair was completely natural and I fell in love with it. This is a nicely whipped cream that will always be on my list of must-haves/faves. I use this product the same as I do the first two mentioned. My hair seems to retain moisture just a little bit longer with this product. I have mixed this with the Camille Rose Moisture Milk and the Cocoa Bean and the end result is wonderful.

Once I have got a section moisturized, I seal with my an oil mixture of grapeseed oil, coconut oil, almond oil, and castor oil. Sometimes I will just use one of those to seal in the moisture and sometimes I mix. It just depends on the day.

If I had to choose one of the products above to always have on hand, it would be the Darcy’s Botanicals Cream. As of now, I have been using her products 80% of the time for my daughter’s hair and my own. The smoothing cream plus the Madagascar Vanilla Styling Cream and Avocado & Honey Twisting Cream are staples in my hair regimen, especially for my mini twists. I like the sheen and softer texture my hair has after using Darcy’s Botanicals products. It has taken me some time to find just the right products that work for me, and I am glad I did not stop looking.

Thanks for visiting!