The Best Hair Products For African Hair

As an African girl, I want a product that will minimize breakage and leave my hair well hydrated but these products are hard to find. Our hair is different and using just about any product in the market without prior knowledge of the ingredients will continue to break your hair. This is why I have done my research sharing products I love and products other women love for their haircare journey.

It is time to take your haircare game to another level as I will be sharing the best hair products many African women with healthy long hair use to keep their hair that way. You will understand what key ingredients like sulfates, surfactants, silicones, and oils do to your hair and the best products that is worth your money.

I will not just be sharing products, I will go over these key ingredients so that you are not just buying any product, you will understand the benefits, side effects and common misconceptions about these ingredients so that you can make informed choices about your haircare journey.

Let’s start!

Natural Vs Relaxed Hair – What’s In Our Products?

The products I will be sharing will either be for natural or relaxed hair or both. When I say my hair is “natural,” I’m referring to its texture, untouched by chemical straighteners or relaxers that alter the natural curl pattern by breaking and reforming disulfide bonds.

Whether your hair is natural or relaxed, there are products for everyone. By regulation, the ingredients in these products should appear on the packaging in order of their amount in the formula, and labels are supposed to be transparent and accurate. However, one study found that products often used by African women contain mixtures of chemicals that may disrupt hormones—and 84% of these detected chemicals weren’t even listed on the label.

This is an issue I’m particularly mindful of, as it highlights the importance of making informed choices in our hair care routines.

The Best Hair Products For African Hair

1. Sulfates-Free Products

Sulfates are a very common ingredients in skincare and haircare. They are detergents agents that remove natural oils from our scalp and hair. The stronger the sulfate content in a shampoo, the more it strips away oils and we don’t want that. While sulfates remove oils and other buildup, they also remove the moisture that our hair thrives on. This leads to dryness and breakage.

One of the most common sulfate compounds used in shampoos is lauryl sulfate, which is typically found in shampoos meant for oily hair or high porosity hair because it has a strong sebum-removal ability. If you have low-porosity hair, using products with lauryl sulfates can lead to excessive dryness and make your hair harder to manage.

If you’re using a shampoo with lauryl sulfate, try to balance it out by pairing it with a product that has conditioning agents to add moisture back into your hair. Alternatively, sulfate-free shampoos can be a gentler choice for regular use. These shampoos use other surfactants that still cleanse, but with less intensity, making them kinder to African hair.

Any shampoo product that contains sodium laureth sulfate is good too. This type of sulfate is more common in shampoos for normal to dry hair. It’s a bit gentler than lauryl sulfate, offering solid cleansing power while leaving hair more moisturized and manageable.

Try these products:

2. Behentrimonium Methosulfate – Hair Detangler

You might think “methosulfate” is a sulfate, but it is not. Unlike sodium lauryl sulfate or sodium laureth sulfate, which are used as cleansers, behentrimonium methosulfate is a conditioning agent. It’s a cationic (positively charged) compound that helps to reduce static, lock in moisture, and keep hair smooth and frizz-free.

Please note that behentrimonium methosulfate isn’t water-soluble. This means it doesn’t rinse out completely with just water, which can lead to buildup over time. To avoid this, consider using a gentle clarifying shampoo occasionally to help remove any residue while keeping your hair healthy and fresh.

Try these products:

3. Cationic Surfactants and Polymers – Hair Softeners for Natural Hair

Cationic surfactants and cationic polymers are powerful ingredients often found in hair care products, helping to soften and detangle hair for easier manageability. These ingredients work well for natural African hair because of their unique interaction with the hair’s structure.

Our hair is made up of keratin proteins, which are naturally negatively charged. When we apply products with cationic (positively charged) surfactants or polymers, these positively charged ingredients bond with the negatively charged keratin. This electrostatic attraction helps smooth out the hair cuticle, reducing friction between strands and making hair softer and more manageable. This process also helps to maintain curl patterns, making it easier to style and detangle natural curls and coils.

These products use Polyquaternium to add moisture, improve texture, and enhance the feel of the hair, making it easier to detangle and style.

Try these products:

4. Know Your Styling Gels

Some popular styling gels contain surfactants like triethanolamine and tetrasodium ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA). These ingredients have been flagged as potential carcinogens in some reports. However, current research does not provide enough human or animal data to definitively classify them as cancer-causing agents.

For those who use styling gels, you can minimize your exposure to these ingredients, choosing products that don’t contain triethanolamine or tetrasodium EDTA might be a suitable option, especially if you’re concerned about ingredient interactions on your skin and scalp.

If you use styling gels, use these products

5. Use Water-Soluble Silicones Products

You would find silicones in shampoos, detanglers, conditioners, leave-ins, and moisturizers. Common types include dimethicone, amodimethicone, cyclopentasiloxane, and dimethiconol.

Silicones work by forming a thin, hydrophobic (water-repelling) film around each hair strand. This film smooths the hair cuticle, adds shine, and helps reduce frizz. Silicones are particularly helpful for chemically relaxed hair, as they provide added protection against breakage and heat damage. For those with natural hair, silicones can also make detangling much easier, reducing friction between strands.

However, it is important to know that silicones are not water-soluble. Over time, this can lead to residue buildup, leaving hair feeling weighed down and potentially dull. To address this, some products use water-soluble silicones, like those with the prefixes PPG- or PEG-, laurylmethicone copolyol, or dimethicone copolyol, which offer similar benefits but wash out more easily.

6. Don’t Forget Hair Oils

Oils are a key component in many hair care products, especially for African hair, which tends to need extra moisture and protection. By coating the hair shaft, oils help to seal in moisture, reducing dryness and minimizing breakage.

You can use essential oils like tea tree oil (TTO), peppermint oil, rosemary oil, and thyme oil. However, essential oils are potent and should be diluted with a carrier oil (like coconut or olive oil) before use, as they can irritate the skin if applied directly.

You can use vegetable oils like coconut, olive, and avocado oil for their deep conditioning properties. These oils help with detangling, add shine, and prevent moisture loss, especially in tightly coiled hair. Coconut oil, for example, is known to penetrate the hair shaft and prevent protein loss, making it a favorite for natural hair care routines.

Not to forget Castor oil especially Jamaican Black Castor oil. Jamaican Black Castor Oil is celebrated in the natural hair community as an intensely moisturizing oil, and promotes hair growth. You can apply it to your scalp to combat dryness or even to encourage regrowth in thinning areas.

7. Use Mineral Oil-Free Hair Moisturizers

Mineral oil is a common ingredient in hair care products, it lubricates and coats the hair shaft. Despite mineral oils benefits, it has its own downside. Its untreated or mildly treated forms have been linked to carcinogenic potential. Though cosmetics contain only highly treated mineral oils, research has shown that mineral oil is the largest contaminant in the human body, with cosmetics being a possible source.

Try these mineral oil-free products:

Final Thoughts

When it comes to hair care, there’s no “magic product” that suits everyone. Each individual has unique hair characteristics—texture, porosity, curl pattern, scalp needs—and personal styling preferences. While one person might need deep hydration to manage dry, coily hair, another might look for lightweight products that won’t weigh down fine strands.

If you’re unsure about which products to choose, a dermatologist can be a great resource to guide you based on your specific hair and scalp needs. However, the decision ultimately comes down to your preferences and what feels right for your hair.

Hair care is personal, and your ideal routine should reflect what makes your hair look and feel its best!