Natural Hair Products That I Wanted to Like but Just Couldn’t
Picture this. You’re in Target minding your business, restocking on some basic home supplies when all of a sudden it happens. You walk past the haircare aisle and somehow get sucked in and find yourself browsing through products you definitely don’t need. I promise you’re not alone. Something about the layout, the marketing, and the general sense of ease that you feel while in the natural hair care aisle just makes you think that buying yet another hair product will somehow fix all of your problems. While I could go on and on about how retail therapy is a form of self-care, this blog post is about what happens when that bubble bursts and you realize that the $15 curl cream you just bought really is just not it.
Every natural I know has curated their own personal set of holy grail products that they return to over and over again, but there are a few products that seem to be winners with curly girls far and wide. The internet has dubbed a few of these items as certified bangers but, for a variety of reasons, I just couldn’t jive with them. As with any hair care product, it’s essential to consider your individual hair needs and preferences. What works well for one person’s curls may require adjustments for another, so it’s always beneficial to try products that are the right fit for your styling preferences and desired outcomes. So let’s get into it! While all of these products are amazing in their own ways, they didn’t quite hit the mark for how I like to treat and style my hair. Keep reading to see the natural hair products that I’m not a huge fan of and some alternative products that give me much better results!
Disclosure: All products featured on Her Elizabethan Era are independently selected and tested and some of the links are affiliate links. This means that, at zero cost to you, I will earn an affiliate commission if you click through the link and finalize a purchase.
Shea Moisture Coconut & Hibiscus Curl Enhancing Smoothie
I’m starting off hot with this first product because not only did I use this for literally YEARS, this is an OG product if you were natural before 2010. I loved it back then for my twist outs because the texture of the product used to be so fluffy, lightweight, and buttery, and this styling cream gave you luscious, bouncy curls without weighing them down. The smell was also to die for, and I’m pretty sure this product is the sole reason why coconut scented natural hair products became widestream.
Now, the texture is quite runny and a bit oily, and the results don’t quite give what it needs to give. Instead of helping to maintain the curl definition I got after the conditioning step, this product causes my curl clumps to frizz and sets back my curl setting process.
Alternative: Camille Rose Naturals Aloe Whipped Butter Gel
I do truly think that this product is a misnomer because it is FAR from a gel, however, the aloe base and lightweight emuslifiers in the first five of the ingredient list make this a winner for me! This cream shines when used on twist or braid outs on blown out hair to give me big, fluffy, and smooth waves that serve Diana Ross.
Aunt Jackie’s Don’t Shrink Flaxseed Elongating Curling Gel
If you’ve been reading my blog for long enough now, you should know that botanical gels are my jam when it comes to curl definition and elongation. While this product is marketed as being a flaxseed gel, a cursory look at the first five of the ingredients lists show flaxseed gel is nowhere to be found. In fact, flaxseed oil makes its appearance at number 13 after somewhat less desirable ingredients such as Carbomer, Phenoxyethanol, PVP, and Tetrasodium EDTA. Issa no for me.
For the sake of experimentation, I did give it a try, and I can honestly say that this gel was underwhelming. It gave me pretty good definition on day one of my wash and go, but by day 2 my hair was a frizzy, lifeless mess. I prefer gels that can give me elongation and long lasting hold, and this gel didn’t quite hit the mark.
Alternative: Uncle Funky’s Daughter Curly Magic
I use this gel as a base for all of my wash and gos, and this product is honestly bae. It also has way more nourishing ingredients like aloe, marshmallow root, and nettle extract, which also provide flexible hold, and make leave in conditioner unnecessary. I apply this product directly to freshly washed and conditioned hair for curl elongation, separation, and definition. I keep the salon size on me at all times!
Mielle Pomegranate & Honey Leave-In Conditioner.
I had really high hopes for this product! The ingredient list was promising and this leave-in conditioner is known for its moisturizing and softening properties. While I did love how soft and manageable this leave in made my hair, it seemed like the product never quite sunk into my stands, even when applied in the shower.
The product sat on top of my hair, and when I layered my favorite smoothing gel, the Innersense I Create Hold on top, my stands became oddly caked up and string like. The combo dried clear, but by day 2 the flakes were REAL. If a product doesn’t mix well with this gel, then it has to go! I still have the bottle and am planning to keep it on standby for the next time I try a twist out, but for now, it’s a no!
Alternative: Kinky Curly Knot Today Natural Leave In Detangler
This leave-in is THAT girl, okay! I don’t use leave-ins often since I’m mainly a wash and go girlie, but this product is loaded with botanical ingredients that smooth the cuticle and help me to prep my hair when I do decide to tuck it away in two strand twists if I’m not wearing a wash and go for the week. My hair slurps this up like a smoothie and I also get visible curl definition before applying any additional hair gel or styling product. If I do decide to do a wash and go, then using it with its big sister the Kinky-Curly Curling Custard is just chef’s kiss. I don’t find myself using the combo often since, at almost $3 per ounce for only 8 ounces, this stuff is NOT cheap. But when Target is having a sale or I have circle earnings to burn, I have definitely bought a jar here or there.
Eco Styler Olive Oil Styling Gel
This gel has had the natural hair community in a chokehold since “big chop” became a regular part of our vernacular. The sales of this product singlehandedly put Eco Style on the map, and they have since released a variety of formulas and collections depending on your styling preferences. It’s known mainly for its strong hold and shine, and is generally a staple for many who desire long-lasting curl definition and frizz control.
I already have a winning wash and go combo that relies primarily relies on botanical gels for definition and hold, so I tended to gravitate towards this product for slick backs or high puffs when I just want a clean and sleek look. This gel does a great job of spackling the hair down, but I personally felt like I had to use WAY too much product to get maximum sleekness, especially on my edges. I have very fine edges that don’t really need much product, but this gel did not lay them down like I thought it would. Layering on so much product caused my hair to be rock solid and the crusty buildup that I get whenever I use this gel is just not giving.
Alternative: The Doux Big Poppa Defining Gel
This alternative is three times the cost of Eco Styler but it’s honestly worth it to me. A little bit of product goes a long way towards smoothing my hair for slick backs and high puffs, and this product is much easier to wash out, even when I’ve been living in the same bun for days. It also pairs well with The Doux Mousse Def Texture Foam and does not give much build up.
Mielle Organics Rosemary Mint Scalp & Strengthening Hair Oil
I will admit, I generally do not like to use oil in my hair at all because it tends to weigh down my strands and causes me to break out all around my hairline and neck area. However, when all of the Tik Tok queens went crazy about this product earlier this year, and caused HELLA controversy, I decided to give it a try and see what the hype was all about. I have baby fine edges and some breakage near my hairline that I thought I would test this product out on.
One word to describe this oil? GREASY. I should’ve known better when I saw how high up castor oil was on the ingredient list, but I wanted so badly to believe. Upon initial application, the oil is pretty refreshing but even when using the product sparingly, and massaging it in, the grease just sits on your scalp in a way that just makes me feel dirty. I couldn’t hang, and gave the bottle away after only using half.
Alternative: Innersense Organic Beauty Hair Renew Scalp Oil
The dry oil formula doesn’t leave behind a greasy residue or oil slicks on your pillowcase, which is usually a deal breaker for me. This product nourishes the scalp and roots and is lightweight enough to be used daily. I have two dry patches near my hairline that pop up randomly, and every time I’ve used this oil they vanish and stay gone! I’m excited to keep using this more and see what my results look like!
Denman D3 Original Styler 7 Row Brush
This brush is controversial for so many reasons but imma just say this - this brush was never meant for detangling so y’all gotta stop trying to use it that way! Have you ever wrapped a gift and used scissors on curling ribbon to get nice loopy spirals on the ends? This brush works like those scissors and provides you with TENSION, to give you that loopy curl definition on already detangled hair. This is also why it works so poorly for brushing through tangled hair. When looking for a detangling brush, what you need is flexibility, NOT tension.
While this brush is trash for detangling, because that’s not its purpose, I also don’t like to use it for curl definition. Mechanical damage is real, and I’m not going to force my curls to behave in a certain way for a particular aesthetic instead of just encouraging my curls to clump as they naturally do.
Alternative (For Detangling): Tangle Teezer Naturally Curly Ultimate Detangling Brush
I originally didn’t like this brush until I realized I had been using the wrong one the whole time. This brush designed for naturally curly hair has longer flexible teeth that are meant to gently work through tangles while maintaining curl definition. I’ve started using this brush and my trusty Felicia Leatherwood interchangeably!
Let me know in the comments what hair products you love and if I’m missing anything from this list!
