Natural hair products in Africa :Black Soap Shampoo

This is the most common complaint that people living in Africa make,that there are no products with natural ingredients for hair in Africa.I know what they mean when they say tis,but at the same time I can't help but wonder whether they know what is available.In this post and subsequent ones I hope to share some natural hair products that are available to anyone looking for natural products for their hair.

African Black Soap
This is one of the most popularly used cleansing agent in organic hair lines.African black soap

shampoo is a sought after product because it cleanses hair without drying it out completely,making it better than a lot of commercial shampoos.I am personally not surprised by this,because before the arrival of shampoos in Africa,this was the most commonly used soap for everything including hair.Most of these soaps are of West African origin,and incorporate natural ingredients like cocoa pod ash,plantain peel ash,shea butter and cocoa butter.Clearly the presence of the butter in the soap alone makes it a great moisturizing agent.And that's not all!You can use this soap for your skin and it is great for fixing all kinds of blemishes.It is also very common in the market and cheap if you live in Africa.You don't have to go buy a  more expensive shampoo when you can simply make your own with the soap.Its a very simple process.Just cut up the soap into smaller bits,put it in a container with water and leave in a cool dry place.The soap will mix with the water,after which you can add any oils of your choice to make it more moisturizing. I recommend olive oil since it penetrates the hair shaft and also doesn't cake up.Once mixed,you can put it in a bottle for washing your hair,your face or as a great natural bathing soap. Whether relaxed or natural this is a great alternative to a commercial shampoo.It may however be too harsh for regular use,so you might want to use it not too often.Its great for removing build up so in place of a shampoo

should work.Also,please make sure you get the real product and not an imitation one.The real one should be brown to dark brown,not black as the name suggests.Also,adding in aloe vera juice and a few drops of an essential oil such as lavender or jasmine gives it such a lovely smell and increases its helpful properties!
Next post I will be talking about another ingredient.Please remember to share and subscribe!Till later,Here's a video to help explain  making the shampoo:

Can you really be natural in Africa?

First off,one of my posts is guest posted on African Naturalistas,one of the most interesting African hair blogs around.Please check it out.I'm very happy about that and I hope that the information in that post reaches more people.

And on to today's post!My aim in writing this post is to try and help us make use of the natural resources we may have,instead of going to look for commercial products from other countries which may be inaccessible to us.
Basically,this post will be about localising your regimen to use products that are available and will still help you.I may end up having to split this into two because there's a lot of things to write about.This post will be especially appropriate if you live in Africa,particularly West Africa.

A lot of ladies living in Africa don't believe it is possible to have beautiful long manageable natural hair,mainly because they believe all the products they need are not available.Well today,and over the next few weeks,I hope to remove this mindset.Before we delve into products though,let's talk about the perception of being natural haired in Africa.
Growing up,every woman has had a specific image of what it means to be beautiful in her mind.Think for a moment and call up the mental image of that beautiful woman you wish you were so badly.Now,let's examine that image.Does she have natural hair?I don't think so.She probably has a perfect body with long smooth hair,heels and some nice clothes.That right there,is the first problem we are dealing with.You will need to either completely remove the image of what a perfect woman looks like,or replace that image with an image of yourself.Your physical appearance is just a little part of you.I'm not saying neglect it,but I am

Source:http://revelinks.com/barbie/

saying that maybe its time to create a new perfect image of a woman with little focus on her appearance but on the things she's made of and has been able to achieve. If you can do that you';re halfway there.This is usually one of the biggest stumbling blocks,the fear that you will look ugly without a wig or weave or straight hair.This is simple not true.You will look beautiful,because you're beautiful..period!
The next challenge is society's perceptions,and this is easier to deal with than you might think.Its easy because once you are comfortable in your own identity as a woman who is not all about her looks,specifically her hair,its easy for others to not fixate on your appearance as much,and easy for for you to ignore people who try to fit you into the mental image they have of what you

should look like.Remember that you aren't the only one who has that Barbie doll image in her head,almost the whole world does.It takes some patience to let people begin to see beyond the hair and accept you fully.You will probably be told to go get a relaxer.You may even be taken to a salon by someone who will offer to pay to have your hair relaxed.Don't allow any of this to get to you.Consider this as a way to build your own self confidence in your ability to break outside the mold.It's not that easy,but its definitely possible.If your workplace is an issue,try and wear your hair in a way that doesn't affect your work,and these days there are so many videos with different hair-dos that it will be ok. Plus,whether you're natural or not,some hairstyles are simply not appropriate for the workplace.You can't go to work as a lawyer with a blue wig for example.It doesn't matter if your hair is natural.It only matters how you style it. I have a banker with natural hair in

Source:Black Image

Ghana,and she always looks absolutely classy,elegant and professional. All it takes is a little trial and error and you will soon be wearing your own hair to the office with no fears.In the end,your own self assurance is what will help others enjoy your natural hair too!
In my next installment,I will talk about the myth of no natural hair products in Africa.Please remember to comment.I'd love to have your take on this!