Reader question:
“I am seriously confused, i feel like my hair is very weak and I just found out that mineral oil is not good for the hair and almost everything i use on my hair contains mineral oil*.I also just found out that my hair is not supposed to be combed or brushed when there is still relaxer on my head. i do not want to cut my hair but i think i might have to.
I am also very confused as to what exact products I should use for my hair. please could you make a list. Thank you so much for this website. Please reply. I live in Nigeria and it is very hard for me to get information.”
Our answer:
Hello, I’m sorry to hear about the problems you are having with your hair. It may be difficult to get the same hair products we use here so it probably won’t do you any good for me to write you a list. Don’t be too hasty with chopping your hair off however, as long as you understand that from now, you must treat your hair gently like a silk scarf* in order to allow it to grow, To tell you the truth, you do not need any fancy products to grow your hair long, all you need is a good protein conditioner and a good moisturizing conditioner* and a natural oil to seal in moisture. Most supermarkets have a good range of conditioners and as long as one of the ingredients is not mineral oil then its fine (I usually buy 4 bottles at a time!). I would avoid black hair beauty stores as many of the products will have mineral oil*. Go for good quality brand names which are made for ‘dry hair’, many women make the mistake of assuming that these products are made for white people which is not the case. Black is dry hair so a conditioner made for this purpose will be perfect. If you cannot find a specific protein conditioner then all you need to do is to add a couple of egg whites to your regular conditioner to make it a protein conditioner. Pure henna* powder is also an excellent hair strengthener.
I would advise against shampooing your hair for a few weeks but washing with conditioner only every couple of days until your hair has regained a good moisture-protein balance.
You may have to accept that your current hair will all have to be cut off eventually if it is really weak, damaged or overprocessed. All you can do at the moment is keep it on your head long enough to allow for stronger hair to grow! Don’t worry, hair grows constantly and if you treat your hair right it will grow longer than you ever imagined it could.
I can point you in the direction of a lady who also lives in Nigeria, she has an album on fotki click here She makes her own hair products with natural ingredients and she has beautiful hair. Bear in mind her hair is natural and she is currently locking it but she can give you pointers on making your own products.
Also, if you are looking for general hair care advise just read the articles on BlackHairInformation.com in a systematic manner and you will have all the information you will need to begin your journey to healthy hair.
All the best of luck
