I’ve heard people say that going natural is too expensive.
This could be true if you morph into a product junkie (*raises hand*), or you constantly select top-of-the-line products.
Now, I must admit, I do splurge on certain brands, but you don’t have to spend an arm and a leg to transition or be natural.
Here are some money-saving tips to help you get more for your dollars and spend even less on products by going homemade.
Search for Coupon Codes
Before you order from any online website, always do a search for either product + coupon code or website + coupon code.
For example, a search for Miss Jessie’s + coupon code revealed this website…
http://couponfollow.com/site/missjessies.com
There are a lot of coupon aggregator sites out there and their sole purpose is to feature coupons from various online sites. You can find countless deals that may not be advertised on the company’s website.
Companies often release coupons that they don’t advertise on their sites.
Shampoo Tips
Only a Dollop
It doesn’t take as much shampoo as you may think to cleanse your hair. So to make your shampoo go farther, section your hair off (you will naturally use less) and soak your hair for up to 30 seconds before applying to fully activate the product.
You’ll find you only need a dollop per section to get the job done.
Just Add Water
Need to stretch your shampoo for one or two more washings? Add an ounce of water to your bottle to make it last. In fact, many people dilute their shampoos to prevent their hair from drying out as much.
Apply to Scalp Only
Most people use way too much shampoo because they apply it root to tip. Simply focus on the scalp. When you rinse your hair, the shampoo will travel down and cleanse the rest of your hair.
No need to saturate your entire strands with shampoo. Plus, this can dry your hair out.
Create Your Own Shampoo
Some transitioners and naturals opt to create their own shampoos with castile soap, natural oils, apple cider vinegar, lemon, etc. Check out this homemade recipe by 4bnfree on YouTube.
Conditioning
Avocados
Did you know that avocado’s are great for moisturizing natural hair? They also make excellent conditioners when combined with other products.
Check out this easy recipe by happydimples39 on YouTube. No doubt you already have most of these ingredients at home.
Mayonnaise
Mayo is not just for your sandwiches! It can be a wonderful conditioner for your hair.
Some say you can buy any kind of mayonnaise, but I prefer to buy whole mayo since it’s more natural and tends to have less additives.
*Something about putting Miracle Whip on my hair just doesn’t sit right with me.* 🙂
And no need to buy the commercial brands. Get the generic store brand if available and save a buck or two.
All you do is apply it to your damp hair like you would any other conditioner. Let it sit for 20-30 minutes (feel free to add a plastic cap for deep conditioning) and shampoo it out. How easy is that?
For added strength and moisture, you can add your favorite natural oils as well.
Just Add Water
Just like with shampoo, you can add water to your conditioner to stretch it. Remember, water is a natural moisturizer so it actually adds more moisture and helps the product absorb better.
Got Dandruff? Itchy Scalp?
Add a couple of drops of tea tree oil to your shampoo. Massage gently into your scalp and let it sit for a few moments before rinsing.
Or…
Mix 1-2 ounces of jojoba oil with 1-2 drops of tea tree oil and massage into scalp. Let it sit for 20-30 minutes before shampooing.
NOTE: Do a final rinse with cool water after you shampoo. Cold water closes the pores and helps keep out dirt and flakes.
So before you spend a lot of money on anti-dandruff shampoos, try these home remedies.
Final Rinse
ACV and Water
If you have excess product build-up and want to give your hair some added shine, simply create a clarifying combo using apple cider vinegar and water.
Feel free to experiment with the amounts, but I use 50/50 water and organic apple cider vinegar (4 oz of each). You may want to start out with more water to ensure the mixture is not too strong.
Use this as your final rinse after shampooing your hair.
A couple of notes: Don’t worry, the vinegar smell will go away after a few moments. And finally, be careful not to get the mixture in your eyes — it will burn like crazy.
Baking Soda
Dissolve 1 tbsp of baking soda in 1-2 cups of warm water. Be sure the mixture is blended well before applying. Spray it on your hair after you shampoo and rinse or use this in place of your shampoo.
Note: There’s been some debate about baking soda potentially being too harsh for natural hair. I personally have never used it to clarify/rinse, but I know of many people who love this routine. Use at your own risk.
In fact, if you’re ever unsure about how a product will work, just apply it to a small section of your hair to test it.
Moisturizing & Sealing
Homemade Whipped Shea Butter
You can easily make your own sealant (to be applied after moisturizing) by getting some unrefined shea butter (local beauty supply or online) and adding some natural oils of your choice.
I create my own concoction by mixing 2-3 ounces of shea butter with a couple of tablespoons of olive and jojoba oil. Simply add the ingredients to a bowl, and use a mixer to whip them until they are in a creamy state. See more details on how to properly use shea butter here.
There are tons of videos on YouTube where naturals display various recipes. Experiment until you find the combo your hair loves the best.
Hot Oil Treatment
For whatever reason (probably laziness), I stopped doing these, but recently started up again. In fact, I’ve done one for the last three weeks. I forgot how drastically different they can make your hair feel. I think I’m addicted. 🙂
All you need is a few ounces of your favorite oils and a towel or plastic cap. Add the warm oils to slightly damp hair (to allow them to penetrate) and shampoo normally.
What a great way to revitalize your dry, brittle hair and make it super soft — especially in the winter.
Learn more about the benefits of the various oils and step-by-step instructions.
Plain Ole’ Water
The foundation for moisturizing your hair is water. So if your hair is feeling super dry, just spritz it with good ole’ H20. It doesn’t get any cheaper than that!
Now, depending on your texture and style, this may create frizz.
If that’s the case, use a thicker water-based moisturizer like Curls Whipped Cream, Shea Moisture Curl Enhancing Smoothie (Target), Oyin Hair Dew or my favorite Shea Moisture Leave In Conditioner.
If you have thicker/kinkier/Type 4 hair, the thicker the moisturizer, the better. Just make sure one of the first ingredients is water.
I have to admit, one area I splurge on is daily/leave-in moisturizers. I’ve found that many of the cheap so-called moisturizers you can buy at beauty supply stores are not actually moisturizers and are laced with many drying ingredients. If you decide to splurge, this is one area where it may be worth it. Just shop around. Many times you can find great deals on Amazon instead of the official product websites.
Protein
Protein is good for strengthening brittle hair.
No need to spend oodles of money on treatments when you can whip one up at home!
My favorite treatment is incredibly easy to make. All you need is…
1) one egg
2) 2-3 tbsp of whole mayo
3) 2 tsp of honey*
4) 1 tsp of olive oil (or oil of your choice)
Use a mixer to mix all the ingredients together. Pour into an applicator bottle and apply to hair. Cover your hair with a plastic cap and leave on for 1-2 hours. Shampoo as normal.
*Honey is a humectant, which means it draws in moisture out of the air. However, in the winter, it can have the opposite effect and dry your hair out. So I would recommend leaving the honey out in the colder months.
Also be careful with protein. Too much of it is not good for your hair. And some people are extra sensitive to it, so don’t apply this treatment more often than every 6-8 weeks.
Homemade Flaxseed Gel for Twists and Twist Outs
This is now my staple for twists and twist outs. It’s 100% natural, cheap to make, gives your hair great shine and it has hold but without that crunchy feel.
I am so mad it took me so long to try this.
And you won’t believe the cost. A large bag of seeds cost me about $2.80 but I only use about .50 cents worth per batch. And one batch is enough for at least two full head applications unless you have really, really long hair.
See my recipe and twist out results below…
The Basics
Remember, transitioning and being natural does not have to cost a fortune.
Yes, you may spend more than you’d like in the beginning because it takes time to find what your hair likes, but at the end of the day, all you really need is…
1) A Moisturizing (sulfate-free) shampoo and moisturizing conditioner (I love the Giovanni brand.)
2) A Leave-In Conditioner / Daily Moisturizer
3) Deep Conditioner
4) Sealant (shea butter, natural oils, etc. to lock in moisture)
And as you’ve already seen, you make many of these products at home. 🙂
I’m going to have to try the hot oil one for my hair. There’s an even bigger list of natural hair products you can make at home here: http://www.braidsblondesandbeauty.com/2016/09/23/a-z-list-of-items-in-your-kitchen-that-are-good-for-your-hair/
Hello,
I was wondering what would the difference between these moisturizers be: BB Oil Moisturizer with Castor Oil and Shea Moisture Extra-Moisture Transitioning Milk? I’m trying to reorganize my products into categories so I can figure out what additional products I need for the rest of my transition. Any suggestions, comments or answers?
Hello,
I have been transitioning since October 2012, and have not got a relaxer since then.
I have, however, started using a Just4me texturizer on my hair 6 months after beginning the transition.
Now, I have stopped texturizing my hair and currently learning how to maintain my hair in its natural state.
I’ve been using tons of products, but my go-to products are Tresemme Curl Hydration shampoo and conditioner, Shea Moisture curl enhancing smoothie, Aussie Moisture 3 minute Miracle, Garnier Fructis Cream Conditioner, Goddess Curls, and Selsun Blue. I have very dry scalp, so I use Selsun Blue between washes. My only issue is finding some styles that work and last for my hair texture. For, my hairstyles only last a week or a week in a half the most. I have a 3c/4b hair type, and I have yet to achieve a twistout or braid out. What do you recommend?
I have been natural for a little over a year. And I also have 3c/4b hair and I huat found out that little to no product is best for my hair. Too much product leaves no texture and frizz. So all I use in my hair is a mist that includes water,aloe vera juice, coconut oil and honey. 2 leave ins.. progenix and parnevu. I shampoo my hair every two weeks and I still grease my scalp only after shampoo, while my pores are open to lock in moisture. I keep my hair twisted unless I am going somewhere and I love the texture. I see a lot of naturals that use a lot of product but even when I was relaxed ny hair responded to less product.
Interesting In a Curly Girl World. Goes to show how everyone’s head responds differently huh. I kinda wish I had that “less product” issue. lol
I so know what you mean it’s been 5 months and I’m sitting in a salon now and I’m frustrated. I hate to say this but i wish my curl type was different cause I would chop it off. I am here debaeting why am I trying to go nautural? Hang in there
My last relaxer was Apr 2013. I refuse to do the big chop. I am sticking with the braid outs. How do I go about maintaining my hair with braids? Is it possible to go natural without doing the big chop?
To be completely honest, I didn’t do my research until after I tried out the apple cider vinegar rinse. Here is the recipe she gave:In her quest to use more natural ingredients in her hair, she used apple cider vinegar as a shampoo or hair cleanser. She said it added the bounce and shine back to her coils. I bought a bottle (a little over 3 bucks) and decided to find out if it was just as good as she said.
Your site is great. I learned about growing my naturally without the big chop through curlynikki and stumbled upon your site. Your site has much more info. People told me for years to cut it all off. I started my journey on my birthday. January 19, 2013. I had a perm since I was in middle school. For what reason I am still not sure. Because my hair was long and curly, but thick. I looked like a curly chia pet. As I became an adult, I colored it alot and even chopped it off a couple of times in my 20’s. After having my daughter,it grew very fast. But now at 37 yrs of age, I decided, due to some breakage in the center of my head, to grow it out naturally. I didn’t want to chop it all off because I am not good at maintaining a short due. When I began to grow it out, I started to notice some problems. You see, my hair is very soft, extremely thick and curly and was shoulder length in January. Now it is almost middle of my back. I have not trimmed my ends yet. But it drinks water and oil the way I drink coffee and tea. I began using Organics olive oil, after shampoo and moisturizing and applying it to my damp hair. Now my hair is shiny, soft and crazy curly. the ends are catching up. Twist and rodding helps a lot. You recommending the Co-shampooing is a God send. I hope to send you pics in September so you can see the progress. Thanks for all the info especially the protein recipe.
Does residue build-up leave your hair looking dull, oily and lifeless? You’re not alone. With the amount of chemicals pumped into the average shampoo or hair gel, even those with naturally dry/coarse locks are plagued with buildup from styling products.
Hi, I recently just started transitioning from permed to natural hair. It’s been two months already. I see my natural hair coming out. I refuse to go with the big chop like a lot of people has been urging me to do. I love my hair way too much. I would really like to know what you put in your hair everyday when you were transitioning. My hair is extremely dry and coarse and I hate it. There is one product that I put in my hair every day a long with water to try and keep it moist. It’s called Define and Shine 2 in 1 dry finishing lotion. I really like this product but I feel like it’s not enough. I could put this in my hair, walk outside and my hair gets dry all over again. Please please help!! I read everything on your website and you really inspired me to continue with my transition. At the end of this month I am going to get extensions but the Marley Twists. Also what products do you recommend to put in hair when you have extensions. I would really appreciate your thoughts and ideas. Thank you!!
If you have bad dandruff most shampoos can’t help you can find another use for the apple cider vinegar in your pantry. Just rinse hair with 1/2 a cup of it, rinse, and then shampoo. The first time it may work best to do it three times in a row. After that once or twice a week should work. Apple cider vinegar also works to get rid of product build up so you can use it even if you don’t have dandruff.
In addition to all those products I’ve found something absolutely natural that is doing great things to my hair too. That something is apple cider vinegar aka ACV, which I occasionally use in place of conditioner. I’m not using it every time I wash my hair because I still like my all-natural conditioner ( Urtekarm No Perfume Organic Conditioner ) too.
OMG…so I’m transitioning to natural hair and I have been searching for products. I googled natural hair products target and your site popped up on the first page…I’m soooo excited because the content is EXACTLY what I’m looking for and really insightful. I love the picts because I’m looking for new styles. Thanks for sharing Lisa! Tanya B. (WOW…soooo awesome)
Is this THE TanyaB???? OMG! Great to see ya here! 🙂
Hello…I just enjoy reading your post. I had my last relaxer Feb 2013. I finally decided to go for the big chop May 6th 2013. I wanted to keep my relaxed hair but got so tired of fighting with both hair textures. Are there any styles for a med fro?
Hi Brandi,
Go on youtube and look up “Coils on natural hair.” These look really good. Have you tried doing twists and twist outs?
Thanks so much…i have not tried doing twists or twist outs yet. I will be sure to try the coils as well. I know one thing for sure…my hair texture is between a 3c/4a and it sucks up alot of oils. I’m trying all kinds of products right now. When i wake up in the morning my hair is super dry. Any other tips?
I did the big chop May 24 I am glad.
Hello I’ve been transitioning as a new years resolution and I cn say I feel better without relaxers bt I feel like my hair isn’t growing its just dry crumbled and I don’t know what to do with it. I’m not a braider and sew ins are very expensive! I don’t even feel I’ve found the right products. # frustrated bt not giving up. Help me!!!!
Hi,
I’m thinking about transitioning to natural hair.. I’ve mostly been wearing braids and permed hair. When you talk about conditioning and moisturizing, do you moisturize after washing your hair and then condition from then on or do you wash, condition and then moisturize?
I shampoo, condition, then moisturize.
What is the different between condition and moisture.
I just recently got a new relaxer and my hair is shoulder-length. I was natural before and went through the “big chop”, but hearing about transitioning without it is new to me. After leaving my stylist with intense itching in burning I went to the doctor and found that I had a fungal infection in my scalp. My question is what hair products are safe to use on my now sensitive scalp?
I have been without a perm for about three months now, I’ve been trying to keep my hair moisturized but it seems its getting dryer.Its beginning to be really thick and brittle, and it comes out from even a touch, what should I do ,I am soo confused. PLEASE HELP!
I have been transitioning for almost a year and then went natural 5 months ago; my hair is growing but not curling like I want it to. What can I use to get and define these curls. I use Pantene Pro-V Shampoo and Conditioner and some Cantu but it really isn’t working like I want it to. Please Help!
I realize I am a bit late to the comment party 🙂 but I just started doin all this research with regards to natural hair and all that. The information is overwhelming the process is intimidating as my natural hair is hard as a rock! Haha 🙂 but will keep at it for this year. My question is, with the flaxseed gel twists/twist outs….did you wash your hair during that period? If not, how did you keep your scalp clean?
I didn’t and my scalp was itchy after about 10 days. But you can do a water/vinegar spray to help keep scalp clean. I don’t do this often for that very reason.
My hair was rock hard too when I first started transitioning, but that was scab hair and your hair will eventually soften with regular deep conditioning treatments and no heat.
I’m 5 months in and close to the breaking point. I really don’t know what to do with my hair now. I cut off at least six inches of relaxed hair because I didn’t want to do a big chop but now I am seriously considering a perm. I know I will regret it if I do it but my hair is driving me nuts.
I’m about 4 month into my transition and I know what you mean somethimes I get so frustrated with my two texures (natural at the root and straight on the ends) that I just want to buy box of relaxer and do the damn thing, BUT I think about why I decided to go natural and the many health benefita it has an it tends to humble my spitirt But please remeber you are not along in this beating the realxer habit!!!!
It’s just three months since my last perm and I don’t know what to do with my hair. I’ve been wearing it slicked back and to the side. Keeping it conditioned but I need a style.
Ms. Brenda my last perm was December 2012 and I have short hair so I had no clue as to what to do with my hair. I have been doing twist outs with rod sets and they have been great for me. Now I have some braids in my hair. I hope this may help some.
Im so upset with myself i made the decision to go natural October 2012 i already had short hair so i didnt have to do the big chop. I was enjoying my new natural look and i received many compliments on my little curly afro but a couple wewks ago i had a event to go to and i wanted a.different look it wasnt much i could do i went to a beautician who claimed to be a natural hair specialist i spent 65 on a hair do that i hated i even should her a.picture of the twist look i wanted so in frustration and hours away from the time of my event i put a relaxer in my head i styled it and went to the event but now im sad because i want my natural hair back so at tjis moment i am wearing a sew in missing my curly fro. I plan on going back natural but trying another way of going about it do ypu have any suggestions you can give a back slidder 🙁 im so disappointed in myself
It’s OK, girl. Happens to the best of us! When you say transition in a different way do you mean grow your hair out more instead of doing a big chop? Is that what you’re asking?