Top 15 Shampoos for Natural Hair

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By Akshay Joshi · Published May 7, 2018

Hi, NaturallyCurly world! I’m back with more natural hair care product recommendations that are surely going make you go “Hmmmm… where can I get that?”

black woman with bantu knots wearing white top and purple sunglasses

Amazing Bantu Knots and slick edges || @mark.c for nappy.co

Since our natural hair can be remarkably temperamental, it’s no wonder we get a little frustrated when products don’t work. Well, I am here to tell you that I understand, especially if your hair refuses to stay moisturized and soft.

There are a few things you can do in order to achieve any of your texture goals, the first being: get the right shampoo for your hair care needs.

Alright – enough yappin’! Let’s get started:

Clear your scalp and hair strands of product buildup.

Keeping your natural hair free from product buildup is crucial to its growth. According to natural hair enthusiast Sabrina Perkins, “When hair stays coated with products for too long, moisture is prevented from nourishing the strands.” This is so true! No matter what your hair goals are, you won’t achieve them with hair strands that suffocate under the weight of product.

I recommend using the following shampoos once or twice a month (this is dependent upon how often you use heavy stylers such as gels and custards”> to clear your natural hair of product buildup and to keep your scalp in tip-top shape:

black woman with afro wearing overalls and smiling on city street

Gorgeous, fluffy twist out! || @photosbyphab for nappy.co

Add moisture to your hair strands.

As mentioned, keeping your natural hair moisturized is critical to its overall health. Since you will want to do this every wash day, you will want to use moisturizing shampoos that contain emollients such as Jamaican black castor, almond, hemp and flaxseed oils.

If you are not allergic to them, it is also helpful to use shampoos with proteins because of its ability to strengthen your hair strands. The following shampoos are perfect for adding moisture to natural hair

Elucence Extended Moisture Repair Treatment – paired with the Elucence Moisture Balancing Conditioner
SheaMoisture Manuka Honey & Yogurt Hydrate + Repair Shampoo
Bounce Curl Pure Silk Moisturizing Shampoo
Eprouvage Fortifying Shampoo (Great for those wanting to prevent hair loss!”>

Love wearing protective styles, wigs, or weaves? Keep your scalp clean!

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Protective styles are so beautiful, but can be taxing on the scalp. In just a matter of a few days, you could experience a dry, flaking scalp AND product buildup simultaneously, and that is no bueno, my friend. Since I am obsessed with protective styles, especially box braids, I have found that the best way for me to maintain them, my scalp, and my sanity is to cleanse my scalp every week and then apply a cocktail of serum and oil.

To prevent your scalp from undue stress and dryness, I highly recommend that you keep it clean by using either of the following remarkable cleansers every week:

Taliah Waajid Protective Styles Refresh And So Clean Bamboo, Avocado And Peppermint Dry Gel Shampoo (PSST: This one delivers a fresh feeling tingle and smells delightful!”>
Girl+Hair Clarifying Apple Cider Vinegar Rinse

black woman with braided natural hair and zig zag parts wearing diamond earrings and sunglasses

These parts are on point. ||@createdbyjarrod for nappy.co

Quickly detangle knots.

After much trial and error, I have found the easiest way for me to detangle my curls is in the shower. Fortunately, I can rely on a couple of shampoos to help speed up the process so I’m not running my water bill up! They’re listed below, but I also want to mention that both of these are good because they contain super moisturizing ingredients that will nourish your hair. You’ll love them!

Prime your curls for extreme definition and sheen with a good shampoo.

No matter what curl pattern you have, we ALL want defined curls that shine. For those of us with Type 4a-c hair, that tends to be very difficult to achieve. I mean, essentially, our hair doesn’t really work like that… without A WHOLE LOTTA HELP.

One method I recommend to prime your hair for shine-inducing gels and oil mists is to use the shingling method when shampooing (and, of course, when adding in styling products”>. It may not seem necessary at first, but I have been trying this and my curls POP whenever I shingle shampoo, especially with these