Whether you just did a big chop or are opting for a slower transition to natural hair, caring for and styling natural hair comes with a learning curve. One of the most daunting tasks is finding what products are best for natural hair. From shampoo and conditioner to leave-in treatments and curling creams, the endless options can become overwhelming.
Lucky for you, we’re committed to finding the best of the best when it comes to hair care, so we’ve done the hard work for you. Read on to find out how to build a hair care routine for natural hair and which of our products for natural hair really work.
What products should beginners use for natural hair?
If you’ve newly embraced your natural hair and don’t know where to start, we suggest investing in salon-quality products that are formulated for your hair care concerns. First look for a shampoo and conditioner system. Shampoo and conditioner systems are formulated to work together to give you the best results. When in doubt, always purchase the shampoo and conditioner from the same range. Dry strands are a common concern for people with natural hair, so we suggest looking for formulas that will moisturize and nourish your hair.
Once you have a shampoo and conditioner that you like, it’s time to invest in a hair treatment. Treatments help to target your most pressing hair care concerns. For example, if you’re dealing with breakage, invest in a strengthening treatment. Then you’ll need some styling products to round out your routine. A lightweight leave-in conditioner is a great place to start, paired with a gel or cream with a little bit of hold.
If you’re looking for specific product recommendations, we’ve got you covered. Below we’ve curated a list of our 20 best products for natural hair. From pre-shampoo treatments to heat protectants, we’ve got your hair care routine covered.
Good hair day by @ohgeezkeebs.
Our 20 Best Products For Natural Hair
Acidic Bonding Concentrate Intensive Treatment
An intensive acidic rinse-off treatment that helps reinforce weak hair bonds and repair damaged hair.
Redken Acidic Bonding Concentrate Intensive Treatment
If you have naturally curly hair chances are good you’ve dealt with breakage. The twists and turns of your curls make your strands more susceptible to breakage than your straight-haired friends. That’s why you need a pre-shampoo treatment like Redken Acidic Bonding Concentrate Intensive Treatment.
This rinse-off treatment’s two main ingredients, Bonding Care Complex, and 14% citric acid work together to repair and condition hair damage from the inside out. The higher concentration of citric acid, an alpha-hydroxy acid, and Bonding Care Complex means more intensive, immediate results; hair is left 90% more conditioned, 14 times smoother, and two times stronger after just one use!
Style Shifter Society Wonder Crown Scalp Foaming Pre-Cleanser
A foaming pre-cleanser that refreshes and balances your scalp.
Mizani Style Shifter Society Wonder Crown Scalp Foaming Pre-Cleanser
It’s no secret that great scalp care is the foundation of any good hair care routine. If you love the results of scalp scrubs but don’t want to spend precious time trying to wash tiny scrub particles out of your curls, reach for Mizani Style Shifter Society Wonder Crown Scalp Foaming Pre-Cleanser. This foaming pre-cleanser removes product build-up without stripping and helps to prep your scalp for your style journey.
All Soft Mega Shampoo + Conditioner Duo
A nourishing, moisturizing duo for severely coarse, dry hair
Redken All Soft Mega Shampoo + Conditioner Duo
One of the most common concerns about natural hair is that it can often look and feel dry. Make dry hair a thing of the past with Redken All Soft Mega Shampoo + Conditioner. Featuring a nourishing mix of sacha inchi extract, aloe vera gel, cactus extract, and Redken’s exclusive RCT Protein Complex, this system helps to transform hair from dry to hydrated and soft.
Hydrate Shampoo + Conditioner Duo
A deeply hydrating and color-preserving duo for dry hair
Pureology Hydrate Shampoo + Conditioner Duo
If you like to color your natural strands, you need a shampoo and conditioner system formulated to not only care for your salon color but also keep your mane hydrated. Pureology Hydrate Shampoo + Conditioner Duo has an ultra-hydrating formula with jojoba, green tea, and sage that replenishes color-treated hair with essential moisture so that your strands are touchably soft, detangled, and nourished. Infused with Pureology's exclusive Antifade Complex® this cleansing and conditioning dup keep the vibrancy of your color on lock.
Redken Frizz Dismiss Shampoo + Conditioner Duo
Has frizz got you ready to give up on your natural hair dreams? You need to add the Redken Frizz Dismiss Shampoo + Conditioner Duo to your hair care routine. The sulfate-free formulas feature sustainably-sourced, frizz-taming babassu oil, to help moisturize, detangle, smooth, and add softness and shine.
Scalp Care Shampoo + Conditioner Duo
An anti-dandruff duo for dry scalps
Mizani Scalp Care Shampoo + Conditioner Duo
If dandruff has begun to rear its ugly head, you need a shampoo and conditioner system that will make your flakey scalp a thing of the past while nourishing your natural strands. Mizani’s Scalp Care shampoo and conditioner restore moisture balance to the hair and the scalp and contains 1% pyrithione zinc to help control scalp flaking, scaling, and itching.
Ultra Hydra Source Deep Treatment Pack
Deeply hydrating moisture mask conditions, softens and restores very dry, thick or coarse curly hair.
Biolage Professional Ultra Hydra Source Deep Treatment Pack
Shampoo and conditioner are the foundation of any great hair care routine, but sometimes you need a little more hydration than your regular conditioner can provide—that’s when it’s time to use a deep conditioning treatment. We love the Biolage Professional Ultra Hydra Source Deep Treatment Pack because it’s packed with natural emollients like glycerin and sustainably sourced cupuaçu butter, which has a high water absorption property (124% more than shea butter).
Elixir Ultime L’Huile Original Hair Oil
Nourishing treatment and anti-frizz oil that blends Argan Oil and Marula Oil to add shine, hydration, and strength to all hair types and textures.
Kérastase Elixir Ultime L'Huile Original Hair Oil
Natural hair can sometimes look dull, but it’s nothing a nourishing oil can’t handle. Kérastase Elixir Ultime L'Huile Original Hair Oil contains a blend of five precious hair oils and absorbs quickly into hair to add shine, deeply nourish strands, and help prevent breakage.
A Curl Can Dream Moisturizing Cream for Curly and Coily Hair
Silicone-free moisturizing leave-in hair cream to give moisture and definition to curly and coily hair without flaking or crunch.
Matrix A Curl Can Dream Moisturizing Cream For Coily and Curly Hair
Searching for a curl cream that will leave your curls touchably soft? Matrix A Curl Can Dream Moisturizing Cream For Coily and Curly Hair is infused with Manuka honey extract to help to moisturize and define curls and coils without flaking or crunching.
Extreme Length Leave-In Treatment with Biotin
A leave-in biotin treatment for damaged hair.
Redken Extreme Length Leave-In Treatment With Biotin
Shrinkage may make your natural hair appear shorter than it actually is, but it doesn’t mean you can’t grow princess-length hair. Redken’s Extreme Length Leave-In Treatment is formulated with biotin and soy protein to help to strengthen weak, fragile, damaged hair in order to reduce breakage and the appearance of split ends.
25 Miracle Milk Leave-In Conditioner
A lightweight leave-in conditioner with heat protection that detangles, calms frizz, and treats damage and dryness.
Mizani 25 Miracle Milk Leave-In Conditioner
If you’re looking for an easy-to-use product that can do it all, look no further than Mizani 25 Miracle Milk. This lightweight leave-in conditioner features 25 hair-beautifying benefits and acts as a heat protectant, curl primer, color protector, curl refresher, anti-frizz balm, straightener, and so much more.
Style Shifter Society Heat Screen Heat Protectant Spray
Lightweight spray with a UV filter that protects against heat damage up to 450°F.
Mizani Style Shifter Society Heat Screen Heat Protectant
Heat styling is one of the leading causes of hair damage, but lucky for you there is a simple solution—heat protectant. Mizani Style Shifter Society Heat Screen Heat Protectant is a weightless heat protectant spray formulated with rose water extract that shields your hair from heat damage up to 450°F.
Dry Texture Finishing Spray
Texturizing spray for all hair types that adds soft texture and lightweight volume for effortless style.
Redken Dry Texture Finishing Spray
If you think texture spray is only for people with straight hair—think again. Texture spray is one of the best ways to add volume and grip to your hair without a sticky feel. Not only will Redken Dry Texture Finishing Spray give you the big hair of your dreams, but it will also refresh your mane between wash days.
Frizz Dismiss Instant Deflate Hair Oil
A hair oil-in serum that prevents frizz, puffiness and excess volume.
Redken Frizz Dismiss Instant Deflate Oil
Combating frizz starts from the very first step of your hair care routine, but sometimes even the best-laid plans fall apart. If you’re dealing with frizz in the middle of the day, reach for Redken Frizz Dismiss Instant Deflate Oil. This hair oil-in-serum helps control the effects of humidity on strands and prevents excess volume and puffiness while making hair easier to work with.
A Curl Can Dream Light-Hold Gel for Curly and Coily Hair
Flake- and crunch-free Manuka honey extract-infused light-hold defining gel for curls and coils.
Matrix A Curl Can Dream Light Hold Gel For Curly And Coily Hair
If you struggle to define your curls and waves, you need to add a hair gel to your hair styling arsenal. Worried gel will leave you with crunchy noodle curls? Fear not, Matrix A Curl Can Dream Light Hold Gel For Curly And Coily Hair is infused with Manuka honey for a moisturizing formula that’s never flakey or crunchy.
Style Shifter Society Coco Dew Pre-Styling & Restyling Spray
A moisturizing 2-in-1 pre-styling and re-styling curl spray.
Mizani Style Shifter Society Coco Dew Prestyling & Restyling Spray
If your natural hair looks lifeless by day two of your wash-and-go but you’re not ready for a full-on wash day, reach for Mizani Style Shifter Society Coco Dew Prestyling & Restyling Spray. This spray will not only leave your curls feeling moisturized but will also redefine styled coils, curls, and waves.
Upgrade your hair care routine with our best products for natural hair. Shop them all at Hair.com
Acidic Bonding Concentrate Intensive Treatment
An intensive acidic rinse-off treatment that helps reinforce weak hair bonds and repair damaged hair.
Style Shifter Society Wonder Crown Scalp Foaming Pre-Cleanser
A foaming pre-cleanser that refreshes and balances your scalp.
All Soft Mega Shampoo + Conditioner Duo
A nourishing, moisturizing duo for severely coarse, dry hair
Hydrate Shampoo + Conditioner Duo
A deeply hydrating and color-preserving duo for dry hair
Scalp Care Shampoo + Conditioner Duo
An anti-dandruff duo for dry scalps
Ultra Hydra Source Deep Treatment Pack
Deeply hydrating moisture mask conditions, softens and restores very dry, thick or coarse curly hair.
Elixir Ultime L’Huile Original Hair Oil
Nourishing treatment and anti-frizz oil that blends Argan Oil and Marula Oil to add shine, hydration, and strength to all hair types and textures.
A Curl Can Dream Moisturizing Cream for Curly and Coily Hair
Silicone-free moisturizing leave-in hair cream to give moisture and definition to curly and coily hair without flaking or crunch.
Extreme Length Leave-In Treatment with Biotin
A leave-in biotin treatment for damaged hair.
25 Miracle Milk Leave-In Conditioner
A lightweight leave-in conditioner with heat protection that detangles, calms frizz, and treats damage and dryness.
Style Shifter Society Heat Screen Heat Protectant Spray
Lightweight spray with a UV filter that protects against heat damage up to 450°F.
Dry Texture Finishing Spray
Texturizing spray for all hair types that adds soft texture and lightweight volume for effortless style.
Frizz Dismiss Instant Deflate Hair Oil
A hair oil-in serum that prevents frizz, puffiness and excess volume.
A Curl Can Dream Light-Hold Gel for Curly and Coily Hair
Flake- and crunch-free Manuka honey extract-infused light-hold defining gel for curls and coils.
Style Shifter Society Coco Dew Pre-Styling & Restyling Spray
A moisturizing 2-in-1 pre-styling and re-styling curl spray.
