Natural African American hair, generally characterized by kinks and tight curls, is beautiful. But some women want to switch things up with an elongated and sleek style. So, they’d go for relaxing their hair.
But maintaining healthy relaxed hair requires effort. In fact, a lot of it. To take care of African-American relaxed hair, women may have to schedule their weekly wash, make time for deep treatments for extra hydration, avoid hot tools, use oils, and stay on top of touch-ups to avoid hair breakage.
In short, having healthy relaxed black hair does not just end in the styling chair. You have to be mindful of your hair care routine in and out of the bathroom.
After trial and error, we’ve compiled some of the best products for relaxed African American hair that will help permanently or semi-permanently straighten your hair.
Read on below to know what these hair products are.
Top 5 Best Hair Care Products for Relaxed Hair African American
1. Carol’s Daughter Mimosa Hair Honey Shine Pomade
Product Description
This pomade from Carol’s Daughter brand is citrus-scented that helps moisturize scalp and health, controls frizz, smoothes edges, and is ideal for daily maintenance of your beautiful and healthy hair.
A formula born in a kitchen and made with mother’s encouragement and love, Carol’s Daughter Mimosa hair honey shine gel works best not just for relaxed hair, but for curly hair of all kinds too, including kinky hair and 4c curly hair to 1c waves.
The 8 fluid ounces bottle of this product already contains Zea mays (corn) oil, Alkanna tinctoria root, rose-petal red, annatto seed, beeswax, shea butter, and fragrance in its ingredients.
Why We Love It
- Moisturizes scalp
- Conditions hair
- Controls frizz
- Citrus scent
- All-in-one miracle hairdress
- No parabens
What We Didn’t Like
- Very few don’t like the scent
- Some find the consistency “too greasy”
Interested? Purchase it here!
2. It’s a 10 Haircare Miracle Leave-In Product
Product Description
It’s a 10 Haircare Miracle Leave-In Product is a nourishing leave-in conditioner spray that makes a great addition to your everyday hair care routine. The makers of this product promise that it helps leave damaged and dull hair in the past and rejuvenate the natural oils instead.
The product also functions as a volumizing leave-in conditioner that adds shine, leaving hair feeling bouncy, silky, and soft. Unlike other hair relaxers, this product prevents breakage and split ends.
It is even safe not just for relaxed hair but also for colored hairs. It contains natural ingredients, like silk amino acids, green tea leaf extract, and sunflower seed, to help bring out the natural shine and luster of the hair.
Why We Love It
- Nourishes hair
- Protects hair color/ against hair color fading
- Contains natural ingredients
- Makes hair silkier and less tangled
- Great for dried out hair from over-styling with heat and over-coloring
- Makes hair soft
- A nice alternative to a moisturizing conditioner
Interested? Purchase it here!
3. Dr. Schedu Hair Protein Deep Conditioning Hair Mask
Product Description
Make Dr. Schedu Hair Protein Deep Conditioning Hair Mask a part of your hair care regimen. It minimizes breakage. Thanks to the healing minerals contained in this product.
For an extra bit of hair care, this product also contains Vitamins A, B1, B2, B12, B6, C, D, E, and F. This is suitable for all hair types and is sulfate-free.
With Dr. Schedu Hair Protein Deep Conditioning Hair Mask, it’s easy to give your hair some tender loving care without having to go to a salon.
Why We Love It
- Suitable for all hair types
- Free of Silicone, Sulfate, Paraffin, and Paraben
- Vitamin-rich hair mask
- Hydrates hair
- Restores the hair’s natural glow
- Easy to apply
- Works well on thick hair
- A little bit of this product goes a long way
What We Didn’t Like
- Others don’t like its slightly “coconut-y” smell
Interested? Purchase it here!
4. Shea Moisture Jamaican Black Castor Oil
Product Description
This peppermint-scented product from Shea Moisture contains organic shea butter, Jamaican black castor oil, and peppermint to make your hair soft and tamales the stray flyaways.
If you like to deep condition your hair or undergo protein treatment, this leave-in conditioner makes a great alternative. It works as a detangler (improving hair elasticity) and also prevents hair breakage.
Like other high-end leave-in conditioners in the market, this product from Shea Moisture restores and repairs relaxed hair. It is also fortified with organic raw shea butter and loaded with the reparative properties found in Jamaican Black Castor Oil to strengthen brittle, chemically-treated, and dry hair.
Why We Love It
- Promotes healthy hair growth
- Loaded with reparative properties
- Restores natural hair shine and health
- Tames flyaways
- Reduces split ends
- Works as a detangler
Interested? Purchase it here!
5. Cantu Argan Oil Leave-in Conditioning Repair Cream
Product Description
The Cantu Argan Oil Leave-in Conditioning Repair Cream is great for texturized, permed, colored, and relaxed hair.
A 16-ounce bottle of this product already helps deeply moisturize hair and protect it from damage. Containing pure Argan Oil, along with other natural ingredients, this product helps soften and hydrate hair.
And since Argan oil is high in essential fatty acids, Vitamin E, and antioxidants, it also works to restore the hair’s shine and elasticity and can even soothe an itchy, dry scalp.
Why We Love It
- Minimizes frizz
- Restores hair shine
- Works for relaxed hair
- Helps with hair growth
- Protects hair from damage
- Protects colored hair
Interested? Purchase it here!
What We Didn’t Like
- Very few users say the product leaves white residues in their hair
What to Look for in the Best Hair Care Products for Relaxed Hair African American
But before you decide to purchase any of the products we listed above or a product of your choice, there are features you should look out for in the best hair products for Relaxed African American hair.
Ingredients
When it comes to hair products, some offer hydration, others shine, and most promise cleanliness. But different products contain different ingredients.
You may choose a shampoo and conditioner that contains ingredients, like Keratin, that get rid of flyaway and frizz and help repair damaged strands. Some ingredients that help straighten the hair are coconut milk, milk and honey, and olive oil.
Sulfate-Free
Sulfates are chemicals that remove dead skin cells from your scalp and skin. However, the downside is that they can also strip the natural oils from your scalp and health, making hair brittle and dry.
So, as much as possible, find shampoo and conditioner for relaxed hair that do not have harsh cleansing content.
Scalp Health
If you have an itchy and dry scalp, choosing a shampoo with moisturizing consideration is ideal. Remember, you can’t expect to grow healthy hair if you don’t care for your scalp too.
Moisturizing effect
The straightening process using relaxers strips away a ton of natural oils in your hair. That is why it is important to replace that moisture to keep the hair in good texture and shape. That is why you need to find hair products that have moisturizing effects.
Final Verdict: Which One Should You Buy?
Overall, hair products for relaxed African American hair should address two important needs: protein and moisture. And while all these products we listed above work for different purposes, they all address your hair’s important needs.
But if we are to conclude which one you should buy, we would highly recommend the Shea Moisture JBCO shampoo and conditioner. The set already features a clarifying, moisturizing shampoo that gently removes buildup without stripping your hair’s natural oil.
The ingredients of the Shea Moisture likewise consist of a blend of shea butter, oils, and natural extracts. It has a pleasant scent and works to gradually strengthen your relaxed hair.
If you have long relaxed hair, we think that Cantu Argan Oil Leave-in Conditioning Repair Cream is one of the best products you should also consider.
