Why Switching up Natural Hair Products is Necessary
Once a curly girl finds a product that works for her hair – it is like finding the HOLY GRAIL, and she won’t ever go back or try anything else. Yes, it is great to find a product that works 100% for your hair but it is also good to lay off it for a while. Why?
1 | Too much of one thing isn’t good for you – Have you ever heard that saying? Well, if you have or have not, it is true. Too much of one product may not be good for your hair. Once your hair works well with a product then it will adapt. Your hair will be flourishing and growing then after continued use it won’t work anymore. Yes, the product is bomb and the ingredients have not changed so why does it do that? Well, hair changes. Your hair may have gotten use to the product or your porosity and the texture may have changed. So, after a while you should take a break from the use of one product and try something new! Then, when the break is over you could find another holy grail or you can return to the same products.
2 | Season change – When the seasons change the atmosphere depicts how well your hair will thrive during that time. In the winter, because of the cold air our hair tends to be dry than in the hotter times. So, look for any products high in moisture such as deep conditioners, moisturizers and even conditioners. These products set the foundation for the moisture to be sealed in on wash days in order to keep your curls hydrated in the days after styling. In addition, your scalp tends to be the most dehydrated in these times so use oil and butter based products to help with locking in the moisture. However, in the summer, look for products that reduce frizz because of the heat and the high humidity, product like extra taming gels and leave-ins. These keep our hair frizz and flyaway free. In addition, since during the Summertime it's hotter and you sweat more oftentimes you accumulate dirt and product build up, therefore, clarifying shampoos that rids of product build-up from your scalp are ideal during that time.
3 | Health changes – You may be allergic to certain ingredients in a product that causes you to switch it up. An ingredient may cause an allergic reaction or may also cause pomade acne (acne on your face) or back acne because you let down your hair a lot. So, in order to preserve the well being of your body you switch from using the old products to trying something new.
4 | Lifestyle changes – Your body and your life continues to change and there are things that you can choose to change and things that you have no control over, like aging and changing hormones. When I was pregnant with my son I noticed my hair was full, thick and shiny, but after my son was born my hair was dry, limp and shredding. Also, sometimes the hair phases change with age where the Anagen phase (shedding phase) is longer than the Exogen phase (growth phase).
However, there are some lifestyle changes that you can control like having an all-natural lifestyle whereby you strictly use 100% natural products on your natural hair which causes you to switch from cheap store-bought items with toxic chemicals to 100% natural products, such as bentonite clay, aloe vera gel, and virgin oils. You might also decide to have a more active lifestyle where you exercise frequently, this will also cause you to switch up your products in order to preserve the health of your hair.
Switching up products may be mandatory or just because you desire to do so, however, it is not a bad thing, It is actually good to switch up your products from time to time because it the end it could provide many benefits for your hair.