Photo by Ivana Cajina on Unsplash
Anyone blessed with natural curls is aware that it can sometimes be quite tough to look after them properly. Curls are beautiful but complex in their nature and require a specific care process to maintain. There are the basics such as not to over wash our curly hair as it is prone to dryness –once a week is more than enough! If we want our curls to be as beautiful when they are dry as when they are wet, drying them with a cotton shirt rather than a towel is an excellent move to steer away from frizziness. Another key tip to avoid further dryness of our curly hair is to choose curl specific hair care that keep away from alcohol and sulphates. These are just a few basic tips and there is so much more to remember! So, what if we also want to be environmentally friendly while maintaining the beauty and uniqueness of curly thick hair? Looking after curly hair while trying to be zero waste and sustainable appears to be almost impossible!
To make your life a little easier we have looked into 3 brands that focus on sustainable hair care products for curly hair and we are sure you will love them as much as we do!
Boucleme
Boucleme is a vegan UK based brand that recognizes the daily struggles of managing curly hair. Brand owner Michelle is aware of the many difficulties individuals with curly hair face, sharing her personal experience about learning to accept, love and embrace her curls. She was determined to create a product that excludes ingredients such as sulphate and silicone, to avoid the damaging effect it has on curls. Most importantly, Michelle did not want to compromise her morals in exchange for curly hair, focusing on creating an ethical product that would not harm the environment nor the people making it. All of Boucleme’s packaging can be recycled and product ingredients are biodegradable, ensuring beautiful curls without causing any harm to nature!
While the brand focuses on offering sustainable products for curly hair it also acknowledges the importance of education when it comes to caring for your individual hair type. The website’s curl care section informs about different curl types, texture and porosity as well their individual care and styling needs for you to make the best fitted purchase for your own unique curls. If you would like to give their products a try, the shop offers a 30-day challenge including their cleanser, conditioner gel and cream for your specific curl type!
Sienna Naturals
Sienna Naturals is a Black women-owned brand founded by Hannah Diop in her apartment in Harlem, New York and is now co-owned by Issa Rae. The brand believes in the power of healthy and strong curls while also appreciating the importance of a healthy scalp. Furthermore, Sienna Naturals makes it clear that we should not have to choose between beautiful curls and the planet, therefore only focusing on plant based and vegan ingredients. The brand makes sure to stay clear of harsh sulphates, parabens or silicones. It values integrity when it comes to creating hair products and therefore ensures that all of their ingredients are naturally and ethically acquired.
If you are looking for a little extra care and pamper for your curly head, their plant power repair mask is a good choice. The product includes one of their most frequently used ingredients is baobab oil, a plant-based moisturizer that is rich in vitamin A and E as well omega fatty acids, known to trigger hair growth and increase scalp health. If you are like me and always unsure what is the best fit for your curls, you can take the websites hair quiz that will provide you with a customized and sustainable care plan for your hair!
NaturAll
Mugha Eltigani founded her hair company after struggling with the damaging impact of commercial hair products on her own curly hair. NaturAll is a community driven black owned haircare and beauty brand that sources their products from small farmers in Jamaica and Ghana. Their ingredients such as acai berries are filled with vitamins and very effective in preventing hair loss and stimulating hair growth. The carefully sourced nature of ingredients such as these helps to decrease water pollution often caused by damaging chemicals found in a lot of hair products. The brand prides itself in the freshness of their hair products achieved by minimizing the processing of the included fruits and vegetables. You actually have to keep their hair care refrigerated due to their freshness!
One of their best-selling products is the Curl defining Ice Cream Acai Ice cream treatment, a deep conditioner that will increase moisture of your hair and prevent frizz. As offering natural hair care with delicious ingredients wouldn’t be enough the brand appreciates the importance about being sustainable through and through! Natural’s product packaging currently contains 50% PCR- packaging which means their packaging is and can be recycled and reprocessed to make new packaging! Furthermore, the shipping packaging is a 100% plastic free. We love seeing brands trying their best!
–Nadine el Garhy
