How To Choose Healthier Hair Products For Black Women

How to choose healthier hair products for Black women and reduce exposure to harmful ingredients while protecting your hair, scalp and long-term health

With growing evidence linking hair products to serious health risks, healthier hair products are essential for Black women. From toxic relaxers to harmful ingredients hidden in everyday products, making safer choices can protect both your hair and your health. Wellness writer Emma-Louise Follows explains how to keep yourself beautiful safely.

As if it wasn’t enough of a blow to find out that the chemicals in widely used hair relaxing products are linked to uterine cancers, a study by the EWG has now found that 80% of hair products aimed at black women contain at least one moderately harmful ingredient, and most contain several. Even those of us who are adopting protective styles are at risk of toxic ingredients like lead found in the synthetic hair used for braids. So how do we care for our hair without all the risks? Here’s a simple guide.

Choosing Healthier Hair Products Starts With Simpler Ingredients

As we’ve found with nutrition, less is more when it comes to ingredients. You may be avoiding UPFs in your food shop, and now it’s time to be equally careful with your hair care. Check the back of the bottles and jars, and in particular steer clear of sulphates, phthalates, petrolatum, methylisothiazolinone and mineral oil. Many hair products contain alcohol, also referred to as Ethanol, and this should also be avoided because it’s drying for afro hair.

Easy Swaps for Healthier Hair Products

An average hair moisturiser found in high street black hair shops contains 25 ingredients. Shea butter is a single natural oil and makes a great moisturiser. It also helps with hair growth, unlike the toxic alternatives. 

For heat protection, coconut oil is perfect because it has a high smoke point, so it’s great to use for tonging or straightening and also gives a sheen. For hair growth, try rosemary oil; it stimulates blood flow to the scalp, which means more nutrients and oxygen are delivered to the hair follicles. Some studies suggest it can be as effective as Minoxidil for hair growth.

If you grew up using the little yellow pots of Murray’s Pomade, you’re already using pure beeswax, and as you’ll know, it’s great for edges. Beeswax is anti-inflammatory and rich in vitamin A, which promotes healthy cell growth and nourishes the scalp.

If you have time, it’s not difficult to make your own hair care recipes. A simple but effective hair mask can be made just using basic kitchen ingredients like eggs, avocado and olive oil. You can also whip up your own shampoo using Castile soap, olive oil and a few drops of essential oil for scent.

Weaves, Wigs and Extensions 

In a recent study of 10 of the most popular synthetic hair brands, carcinogens were detected in all of them, and nine out of 10 were found to contain lead. Research is underway as to what the health effects of this may be. We know lead exposure alone can cause kidney, cardiovascular and neurological damage. We aren’t ingesting the hair, of course, but it is in direct contact with our scalps and is heated up to seal when it is braided. To be on the safe side, it is best to start using alternatives as soon as possible. Consider plant-based hair options for extensions, braids and weaves.

Support These Black-owned Brands

Avoid most of the high street black hair shops that commonly stock the harmful products and toxic synthetic hair. Check out this directory of black-owned hair shops in England. 

Ruka

Founded by Tendai Moyo and a team of black women who were fed up of the hair industry ‘being dictated and driven by people who don’t look like us or understand our needs’

Ruka provide synthetic hair extensions made from high-quality collagen fibre. The hair is pre-washed, biodegradable, and looks and behaves just like real hair. Ruka also have an in-store curl bar salon located at Selfridges in London.

Almocado

Almocado is a black, family-owned business with our hair in mind. Led by Oxbridge graduate Annette Clark, they have a London-based hair salon, a range of paraben-free eco-friendly hair products and also carry specialist products for locs.

Plantmade

Founded by woman of colour Ama, at her kitchen table, Plantmade have become an internet sensation with hundreds of thousands of customers worldwide. Their philosophy is around creating effective, natural products rooted in science. Plantmade really stand by their results, commissioning independent studies which show customers experiencing real growth and improvement in their hair. One of their best sellers is a 3-step product protocol for hair growth called The Core, and they offer a 90-day money-back guarantee if your hair hasn’t changed with consistent use.

Why Healthier Hair Products Matter for Your Safety

Reading alarming headlines about our usual hair products and having to change our routines might seem overwhelming and inconvenient, but I love that these changes involve choosing products that are more natural and good for our health overall. Remember everything you put on your scalp enters your bloodstream, so a good rule of thumb is that if you wouldn’t eat it, don’t apply it to your skin or scalp. These changes also involve supporting people from our own communities who are much more likely to have our best interests at heart. It feels like it’s time for an upgrade when it comes to our hair and beauty.

About the author: Emma-Louise Follows is a lawyer, wellness writer and mum of two from London. She runs Eat Live Wellness, helping women over 35 with gut health and hormone balance. Emma’s latest e-book, A Black Girl’s Guide to Thriving Away From Her Ancestral Home, is out now Eat Live Wellness