20 Best Products For African American Natural Hair (2023 Updated)

Lately, I’ve switched to Carol’s Daughter products and stumbled upon this leave in conditioner and decided to give it a try. OMG! This is probably one of the best leave in conditioners I’ve ever used and its a spray on which is even better.

This conditioner keeps my hair soft (my hair does get dry easily) and it helps so much with detangling. Every time I apply it, it keeps my hair soft all day when I rub into my hair. The best part about this product is that I don’t have to apply a lot of it into my hair which save so much time.

I use this product every time I have my natural hair out. I definitely recommend this product especially for all my 4b c ladies!! 👍🏾👍🏾.

Sooooo I got this for free to try when I purchased the shampoo and conditioner. I hated it the first time. I tried it on my daughters hair and I was like “What the heck is this !?” It was like water.

It didn’t penetrate. HONEY BOO BABY! I tried it last night to moisturize my hair. Granted. I used the entire bottle 😂 But I have a ton of hair so it was necessary. MY HAIR WAS SOOOOOO SMOOTH AND SHINY.

I paired it with an olive oil moisturizer. BUT instead of using water, this stuff transformed my hair and made so easy to finger come, smooth like butter, soft and shiny. It’s currently in buns right now and didn’t take it down yet HOWEVER.

you can tell ON SITE 👀👀👀 that it’s a huge transformation from earlier in the day. It thought my hair was amazing earlier? THIS STUFF MADE MY HAIR ALLLL THAT AND A BAG OF CHIPS!.

My hair was dry after the winter months and I tried Carol’s Daughter Black Vanilla Shampoo and conditioner and saw improved results. My scalp was free from itch, my hair obtained more moisture and breakage became minimalistic.

I have tried several hair products, but Carol’s Daughter never disappoints. The smell of the black vanilla is present, but not strong. I was not smelling like a freshly baked cake. Carol’s Daughter is moderately priced and available at many local beauty supply or deugstores.

I trust Carol’s Daughter products to help with achieving and maintaining a healthy head of hair again.

I have been using the Cantu range for about 5-6 months now and I can really see and feel a difference in my hair. It was so damaged and dry due to not being cut during lockdown and, a lot of hair loss after the birth of my daughter.

It was in such a bad state. I thought I’d give this a go as it claims it’s hydrating, which is what my hair needed most. The first few washes I found my hair greasy at the roots, however, I continued with my trial and kept using it, just altering the amount until I found the right amount for my hair.

Now my hair is shiny, soft and so much healthier, even my hairdresser commented how much better it looks and how lovely and soft it is. I also use the kids range on my daughter, she is 2 and had dry hair that wasn’t growing at all.

After the first couple of months I noticed her hair was in much better condition and it had grown a bit too. Now 6 months on and there has been a significant amount of growth. I don’t think the shampoo and conditioner is some miracle hair growth product, but I think because it’s improved the condition of her hair, it’s encouraged proper hair growth.

I will continue using this range as it’s been a godsend for my hair. I recommend trying this but, persevere with it as it took a few months for me to see some real improvements. Definitely worth it though.

I’ve tried Cantu products before and they’ve always been a little disappointing. This product, however, did not disappoint at all! I was in the market for a clarifying shampoo for my naturally curly hair and stumbled upon this one at target.

Loved the price point and the scent so I bought it not expecting much. I was thoroughly impressed with how well it cleansed my scalp, which always gets a lot of buildup. It’s clarifying so it does leave the squeaky clean feeling but it doesn’t feel drying.

I’ve been using once a week or every 2 weeks for the last few months and my hair loves it. Will definitely repurchase and keep this as a staple in my routine.

I have been using this product for around a month now, with 1-2 washes per week, and I’ve really enjoyed it. For reference I would consider my hair to be wavy with some curls here and there. This was also my first time trying a shampoo for curly/wavy hair so unfortunately I can’t compare it to others.

The first time I used this my scalp did feel a bit strange, but after that first wash I didn’t experience that feeling again, so I think it was because I was so used to using cheap sulfate shampoos. Since using this shampoo I don’t think I would go back to sulfate shampoos (except for a clarifying wash every month), it truly does make you hair feel nourished.

Plus, even though the formula feels creamy, it doesn’t feel heavy, it didn’t weigh down my hair, and it left it all clean, so I would highly suggest it for wavy hair. I have noticed a nice difference in my hair too, it feels more hydrated and I’ve been getting more waves and curls.

What I do recommend if you get this product is that you don’t pour too much in your hand. Instead, really work the shampoo in, as a little seems to go a long way for my shoulder length hair. Also it has a nice smell, sort of tropical.

I have wavy hair wanted to see if I could rock curls. Usually my hair does not tend to stay in the curls even after using heat. So I tried to see if I could naturally curl without heat. I used it about 4 times now.

Right after washing my hair I curl them with my fingers and apply the cream and let it air dry. I even braided my slightly damp hair to give it shape and definition and let it air dry. After a few hours when I took it out, it was nice and curly but it only lasted for a day, sadly.

It doesn’t work for on dry hair even though it says you can use it on dry hair. I’m guessing it’s just my hair that’s difficult to deal with but my curls only stay for a day.

I love this shampoo it smells so great and leaves my hair feeling soft. It’s a shame that I have to find another brand because the customer service sucks. I will not be spending my hard earned money where I am not treated respectfully.

I ordered my products in may and received it either later June early July and to me that’s unacceptable. It doesn’t matter if you’re running a promotion your customers should not be that inconvenienced.

And to top it off there isn’t a number to call because no one answers that number you find when you google the brand. The company doesn’t accommodate their customers when clearly they are at fault. How is it possible that after an entire 2 months items was still missing out of my order and they refused to give me a refund and only offered store credit.

Like do I look dumb to purchase from you again? Be aware Mielle is not a very trustworthy brand and their customer service is horrible. If you don’t mind waiting forever to get your products go ahead and order from them.

The white brands never leave you waiting this long because they understand the importance of their customers. Do better!.

This stuff is the bomb. com! I’m so impressed with the difference the collection of the pomegranate & Honey! It makes my hair so much easier to comb through with the leave in conditioner. I’m actually seeing hair growth since i started using these products a lot quicker then some other products that i have been using for over a year.

I purchased the Hawaiian ginger, the pomegranate, honey, and the one in the green bottle with the mint and biotin in it after one month of using the green bottle and the pomegranate honey I have hair growing around my edges that I had lost from wearing protective styles that was braided too tight.

I am a true believer. This is the holy grail of hair products I am so glad I made the change, thank you for your wonderful products. They truly do what they say.

This product is complete trash. I have no idea why it’s gotten so many good reviews. I got a big jar of this stuff for my extremely damaged hair (no idea why because I’ve taken such good care of it my whole life) and used it for about two months every night.

Did exactly what the instructions said. All it did was make my hair curl up which is really gross because curls are gross (on me at least) and short hair on girls is ugly. It also made my hair look darker, and dark hair does not suit me whatsoever.

So basically it did everything I didn’t want it to do. This stuff is just a rip-off. One night without it, and my hair was back to it’s previous condition. It was lighter without Cantu which was good, but very frizzy with obvious split ends everywhere.

Not that it was much better with Cantu because this product is nothing but a quick cover-up and makes your hair look gross, curly, darker, and oily.

I’ve used many Leave-in conditioners but this one actually works! The first time I used it the instructions said to apply “generously” of course when I realised how thick and creamy it was I decided to ignore this and apply a little more than I would normally but not by much.

I noticed when I ran my hands under tap that the greasy feel came away before I’d even used soap! So, the second time I used it I applied it liberally. I have long hair and used as directed this time.

By the time it dried I was very surprised that it gave weight to my fine hair and made it bouncy! So I highly recommend this product. I’m in my 70’s and don’t usually leave reviews because they would generally be negative and knowing not everybody has the same experience thought my 2 cents worth wasn’t worth the bother.

Over time I hope to discover that it’s other promise of making my hair “healthier” comes to fruition. I’ll let you know. I don’t usually buy this product but I will in the future.

As a curly African American woman, I have kept the original formula version in my “hair box” for a few years now. I loved the smell and how it gave my hair a slight crunch to hold up a wash n go. I looked up the ingredients in this “new and improved” formula and compared them to the older version.

Beware: the first 6 ingredients are the SAME – including the (cetearyl) ALCOHOL. As we all know, ingredients are listed in order from the highest concentration, so how can this new formula be that much different if the MAIN ingredients are the same (??) Nonetheless, I will give it a try.

What I love about Target, is that they do not hesitate to take back returned hair products that don’t work out for you – opened or not. Anywho, just leaving my 2 cents, in case others are not paying attention to the actual ingredients.

I have been using My Black is Beautiful line for about a year now. I use the shampoo, conditioner and leave in tangle slayer conditioning cream. This is the first line that actually controls my very textured hair! Only complaint is that it never goes on sale!.

I mainly use Almond & Avocado Detangling Leave-In Conditioner on my chemical free clients. It is a must have for any type of natural hair. It immediately softens the hair and cuts the detangling process in half.

The product is very lightweight. Ensuring when you add any Design Essential curling product of your choice, the finish will be flawless. It can also be used alone. Whatever way I choose to use it always results in beautiful healthy looking hair.

Ok curly girls! This is a true find. I purchased this from Ulta. I had never heard of this brand before so I stumbled upon it. I thought why not give it a chance and wow so glad I did. This is a sulfate free shampoo but does lather up.

It lives up to it’s name! You want moisturized curls? Well here it is. Soft hair? Here it is. What I love about this product as soon as you put this sulfate free shampoo on your hair you can tell the difference compared to other sulfate free shampoo.

I love that it lathers up and feels slick in my hair. It really detangles my hair and when you rinse your hair you can actually run your finger through your hair. This product also helps with frizz. So yes run out and get yourself a bottle you’ll be glad you did.

Trust me I have tried so many high priced shampoos that didn’t live up to the hype. Price is decent. This is now my shampoo of choice. I will be buying this again for sure. I highly recommend this product for the curly girls out there.

And yes now I will be trying other products from this brand.

As of today the ingredients list on Ulta website does NOT even closely match the actual ingredients listed in the bottle that I got. Which are listed below. Had I known that the item had Paraffinum liquidum as the 6th ingredient I would not have purchased it.

Water (Aqua), Glycerin, propylene glycol, Methyl Gluceth-10, Polyquaternium-32, paraffinum liquidum, Fragrance (Parfum), Caprylyl Glycol, phenoxyethanol, trideceth-6, butylene glycol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Avocado Oil, jojoba oil, tea tree oil, Hydrolyzed Keratin, Retinyl Palmitate, hydrogenated vegetable oil, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oil, hypercium perforatum flower/leaf/stem extract, calendula officinalis flower extract, anthemis nobilis flower extract, centaurea cyanus flower extract, camomila recytita (matricaria) flower extract.

This product changed my life. Before I found out about Cantu, I had heat damaged, dry, lifeless hair AND I was spending $15-20 on ineffective products, hoping something would help me like my hair. Then I found this online and decided to give it a try.

I’m so happy I did because it gave me so much confidence in my 3c/4a curls! Figuring out my routine with it took some trial and error- I find that watering this down in the less curly areas and applying while my hair is still dripping wet in small sections makes my hair much bouncier and more defined.

I also scrunch after it air dries. Everything else I use is also in the Cantu line, so the smell is very consistent (I get lots of compliments!)Love this! Will buy it forever! I went from a stylist telling me my hair felt like straw to my stylist telling me it feels super soft and moisturized! (Buy it at Bed, Bath, and Beyond with a coupon- it’s much cheaper that way).

I love this product and bought extra as a gift for someone. But the way they were packaged together with sellotape ripped all the writing and information off so it doesn’t look like a new product. I was then unable to give any of them as a gift.

Which was disappointing. I can and will still use them for myself as I love love love this co-wash. So it’s not a bad thing. Just maybe package them in an alternative way. Like no sellotape x.

This product helped me with: 1. My curly hair and keeping it moisturized 2. And helped me heal Sebborhic Dermatitis. I am 53yo. I have tried almost every imaginable shampoo and conditioner for my naturally curly hair.

This journey has been long, frustrating and expensive. I decided to let my gray hair grow out naturally two years ago. I found that some products that say they have certain oils ended up stripping my hair of moisture.

Then, over a year ago, I had driven to L. A. to spend time with my dying father, I had been staying over at my sisters house helping to take care of him until his passing. While I was there, I noticed that she had this shampoo made by Cantu.

I tried it and LOVED it. Needless to say afterwards, when I returned home, I decided to buy myself the Cantu shampoo. Well, I couldn’t find it, but did find the co-wash. So I decided to only use it when I needed moisturizing.

Then, about a month ago, I noticed my scalp was super dry, silvery flakes that I could actually peel off! I was horrified and in stinging pain. I bought TGel and that made it all worse, I thought I was going to have to see a dermatologist.

But then I remembered that I had the co-wash that I reserved for moisturizing between shampoos. So I tried it and the results were instant! My scalp looked normal, felt normal, and pain free!!! My hair is nicely moisturized.

I should have been using it more often since I was using the heater due to the colder weather. I have decided to use this more often, so I highly recommend this product for moisture and keeping the curls in great shape and the scalp healthy.

I am loving the Cantu products so far.

This product was very good. It gives softness and moisture. Pretty packaging. Vey smooth going onto the hair. You can detangle your hair. Good to use for a daily deep conditioner to give your hair extra boost.

I would definitely repurchase. The price is also reasonable.

I love to use this on my long thick curly hair. I mix it with a little bit of oil and apply it after I wash my hair and it’s soaking wet. Then I plop my hair into a tshirt for a while. I wait until my hair is not dripping wet anymore and let it air dry.

The results are great with minimal effort.

Smells soooooo sooo good. I love the natural ingredients. My number 2 favorite to use in my hair. I would improve on just accessibly in stores. I only order online. I’m okay with this product. Thank you.

For reference I have 3a/3b low porosity curls. I’ve used the Kinky Curly Knot Today since 2014, and it was always my favorite product. Sadly my favorite shampoo and conditioner had a change in their formula, and I was in search of a new product.

I wanted to try the Come Clean, the Knot today, and the Curling custard as a system. The shampoo is clear which is sign to be clarifying. So it’s not shocking that it left my hair feeling squeaky clean but it also caused a lot of tangles, and an insane amount of frizz in the shower.

Overall, it did not work for my hair. On the bottle it states to be safe for everyday use and I personally disagree. However, the ingredients are great and the smell and price are good. As a clarifying shampoo this is good but not an every wash day shampoo.

I needed this shampoo because when I got braids over the summer, I put products on top of products which led to more buildup than you could imagine. This is a clarifying shampoo and I heard it can be harsh on dry hair but still needed it.

I used it but washed in twists along with reverse washing and shampooed twice. That wasn’t the smartest idea, I shouldn’t have reversed wash/pre poo, and shouldn’t have washed in twists. It should’ve been in sections.

Because I did that, I still had a bit of buildup but I definitely saw a difference so ut does work and I don’t know if it was harsh on my hair when I deep conditioned with heat after. The lather is nice, just in the middle and does remove dirt and build up.

And the smell is so natural, definitely not too much to someone who’s sensitive.

So incredibly refreshing! You can feel the tea tree zipping through the scalp to refresh and restore. As it runs down your body you get a slight tingling sensation from it rinsing down meeting your pores.

Such a clean sensation! And so Awakening. The aroma is absolutely fantastic. Stimulating the senses while in the shower. And absolutely delightful product with just as wonderful effect. Weed is my hair looking healthy and hydrated with an incredible glow that leaves My Curls looking bouncier and healthier than ever.

I like to use with the Hibiscus conditioner within their range. The mix of the two fragrances is absolutely heavenly. A little bit pricier for their products but totally worth it with African Black Soap and Tea Tree Oil.

Let’s be real. INGREDIENTS INGREDIENTS! YOU GET what ya pay for! A bargain in comparison of other brands with products featuring Tea Tree!.

All shampoos are not created equally. This is especially true for Black people and the special needs that our hair texture requires. Shea Moisture Shampoo and Conditioner worked great for me, and more importantly, it worked wonders on my son’s tight and curly hair.

My son’s hair has been a problem since the day he was born. We have tried every ‘ethnic’ hair product on his hair. When I got the box I immediately applied Shea Moisture Shampoo and Conditioner to his head, leaving it in for a few minutes, and rinsed the product out.

My wife and I then enjoyed COMBING his hair, which had a beautiful, healthy sheen. No tangles. No tears from my son. Just beautiful hair that maintained that healthy glow all day and it smelled great too.

This shampoo is okay. The smell is decent. Definitely not the best shampoo that I’ve ever tried. I feel like it did the assignment. It cleaned my hair, but that was it. If you have afro hair and you’re looking for a product to detangle your hair while it’s cleansing, then this isn’t the one for you.

While it doesn’t claim to be a detangling shampoo, most products that are 2 in 1 like this kind of does it on its own. I have this issue with a lot of products that are catered directly to men. 🤦🏾‍♂️ It’s like they strip everything from what could be a normal GOOD product just to say that it’s for men.

Even if that means making something not so good. However, I do love the Shea Moisture brand and I am currently using the Coconut Hibiscus Curl Shine Shampoo and I highly recommend that one.

I love this product. This is my curly hair staple!!!!. I have a really hard time finding products that work for my hair. It is really soft and curly, AND I’m allergic to a lot of good stuff that is in natural hair products.

Trying to keep it clean and safe, this product checks all of my boxes. I love this, and have recommended it to all my friends and family. This brand is hands down my favorite natural/curly hair line.

I was introduced to a couple of Taliah Wajid’s products in 2018 from a natural hairstylist. From then, I have tried the Shea coco collection and the natural hair collection and I really like both line of products.

I have been natural since 2014 wearing my hair out every so often between protective styles. I have tried so many products since then and this brand of products have been by far the best for my hair texture and curls! I use the natural hair cream for twists, Bantu knots, rod sets and wash and go.

The product leaves my hair soft and adds a shine to it. Thank you Taliah for creating such great products for natural hair and for offering them at an economical cost! I also like your knowledge videos.

They are really helpful. #Taliahwaajid #TaliahwaajidBrand #BestNaturalProducts.

I like the Shea coco collection. Have been using on and off for years. Very hydrating to the hair and not residual. Smells great ; I love coconut smell and Shea butter is good for you. I would recommend to all my 4cs or 4z with fine hair.

this is your go to, good for low porosity as well. The styling cream is good; my edge love it. but that daily “leave in” is GOLD!!!.

This is the best hair mask I have ever used in my life. You can keep it in your hair while you are doing stuff around the house. It really helps my hair when it gets dry, it really hydrates your hair a lot.

A good amount comes in the container.

This hair mask is really good. I love because I can see the results immediately. It’s excellent if you are looking for nutrition

Used it for the first time last week. I have relaxed hair and it left it silky, shiny, smooth and with such a nice smell. This will be my go to product from now on.

I’m always searching for the perfect natural hair care line, and I think I may have found it. I started trying these products last year during their holiday sale. This leave in conditioner is awesome.

It smells phenomenal and it leaves my coarse 4c hair feeling so soft. I know the price point may be a bit unappealing for some but make sure you check out stock up when they have sales either on Target or on the brand website.

I also have a few other products from this brand and I love them.

My hair feels SO soft– and I have had moistur issues for awhile now. I thought it was a stream spurt at first (which I didn’t like) but when I held it a little further away from my head, it was more of a spray (not quite a mist) that spread easier.

It’s easily absorbed into my low-porosity 4c hair, and I really like the smell too. My only complaint is that the nozzle stopped spraying when I have about 1/4 left in the bottle, but I switched it out with another spray portion of another bottle I have (a different product) and it works fine now.

It is currently Winter in Chicago and my hair has been SUPER dry. It is my 12th year natural, but my second Winter wearing wash n’ go’s. The natural hair gels like Uncle Funky’s and Kinky-Curly have been drying out my hair.

High-end deep conditioners like Briogeo have provided a temporary fix BUT my hair is dry again once I apply a styler. My usual “moisturizers” have not helped either and sit on top, leaving my hair “soft” but still undefined and dehydrated underneath.

Overall, my usually shiny hair has been dull, crispy, with no definition or bounce. I finally gave Alikay Lemongrass leave-in a try, despite the strange yellow color. I cleansed my hair, deep conditioner and applied the Alikay alone, no other product.

My hair woke up once I sprayed it in. It has been shiny, silky, smooth, coils are all back and it finally feels moistured to the core. Moisturized from root to tip. This leave-in doesn’t just coat my hair and sit on top, which is technically the only job of a leave-in conditioner.

It actually penetrates and provides moisture. So I would consider it a moisturizer in a spray bottle, not a leave-in. For anyone with dry Type 4 hair or living in a dry Desert/Winter climate, GET THIS.

Save your money on the multi-step leave-in systems. Leave the hair grease and butters alone. This is ALL you need. I sometimes put a sealing gel on top (Briogeo Leave-in Defining Cream) or the Alikay Shea Yogurt, but the leave-in provides heavy duty moisture when used alone.

Miracle in a bottle.

This is my holy grail leave-in conditioner for my fine, 3A curly hair. It doesn’t leave my hair greasy or weighed down (looking at you, ), but instead tames frizz and provides the light moisture I need before going in with my chosen styling product.

I see noticeably less frizz when I use this on wet hair before applying a styling product, as opposed to going in directly with my gel or mousse. I also do not notice any build up on my scalp from this product…something us curly-headed folks like to avoid when going a couple days between washes.

I especially LOVE that there is no added artificial fragrance, so my leave-in is not competing with the scents of my conditioner, styling product, body care, and perfume. Did I mention it’s made in the USA?! This is a bit more expensive per ounce than what I would generally like to pay for hair care.

However, I am happy to pay the extra $ because (1) the ingredients are actually GOOD for my hair and (2) when I use this leave-in I get consistent good hair days. (Consistency with curly hair? What a concept!) The only downside is that I have a difficult time finding this to purchase in a brick and mortar store.

I can find it in some Targets or Sally Beauty Supplies in my area, but even when I locate the SKU on the shelf it is usually sold out! I usually end up purchasing it on Amazon, despite my efforts not to.

I have very fine but a lot of wavy hair. My curl pattern is mixed with tighter curls underneath (think ramen noodles haha) and waves on top. This makes for super easily tangled hair I’ve been trying to manage my whole life that results in lots of breakage.

I tend to go for heavy conditioners so I can get the slip I need for detangling, but that can leave my hair weighed down. And my two daughters inherited this combo of hair problems as well. Well this product really works wonders for detangling!!! I found my favorite way to use it is in the shower after I’ve conditioned.

I add product to my hair and then a little water from the shower head to help emulsify it and spread it around. I then comb through with my fingers or a comb. Don’t rinse out. Depending on how tangly my hair is I’ll use a bit more out of the shower when finishing combing.

It works better than anything else I’ve found for detangling both my hair and my daughters! Only downside is I don’t find it quite enough hydrating. If I need more moisture I have to add another leave in.

So I’m taking off one star for that because it advertises to be a leave in conditioner but really it’s an awesome detangler!.

This is a Leave in -Conditioner (light weight styler with no hold). This product contains no conditioning agents to condition the hair. This styler requires a lot of water and it is part of a system with the Curling Custard.

Knot Today acts as a primer for the Custard and it helps to decrease the amount of Custard you use and adhere to the strands better. Most botanical based gels are not formulated to adhere to leave-in Conditioners unless they are part of a system.

This is fantastic leave-in if you have hydrated hair. Meaning, you use the appropriate shampoo to cleanse your hair every 7-10 days and you don’t rely heavily on oils and butters to moisturize your hair.

This product will definitely leave your hair feeling soft throughout the week. The only con is the poor marketing for this product and that it has 7 on the slip scale. * Side note: this system has a tendency to build up on the hair in about 3 weeks.

Please use the appropriate shampoo to remove it.

This is by far the best conditioner I’ve used on my natural coily hair. It instantly makes it soft and detangles so easily. My hair feels fuller and thicker after each use. I really love this conditioner and you only need a little.

My hair is super super dry! What I love most about this conditioner is that for the first time in my life my hair does not feel dry after using this conditioner. I have tried hundreds of them but this is the one that has finally worked for me.

After using this amazing conditioner my hair is hydrated, moisturized, and very happy. I love love love the Shedavi products!! I use them all!!.