DIY Hair Care Products

When many of us decided to take better hair of our natural hair, we began looking to use products that were more beneficial for our hair and also our bodies. Many natural hair and skin companies know that a lot of women and men are making the switch to healthier lifestyles and are marketing their natural products accordingly.  So, what does this mean for us? It means we have to be careful and watch out for some terms that are used only for "label appeal". 


Lots of companies use terms and ingredients that could be leading you to pay more than you should for some products or purchasing products looking for results that aren't possible to achieve. 


We are going to break down some of these terms and go over "label appeal" to help you all make better decisions when purchasing products.


1. "Hair Growth Serum"- Any product claiming to "grow" your hair that you do not take internally, is lying to you. There is nothing you can put "on" your hair to help it grow faster. There are some supplements that can be taken orally that can help with hair & nail growth but, again these have to be taken internally.


2. "All natural" "Organic"- Many companies big and small alike are using this on their labels to bring in health conscious customers. In reality, what many companies mean is "This product may or not contain a few organic, natural ingredients!". If the product is water based than that alone should let you know, it is not 100% natural because it will (should) have some form of synthetic preservative.  Also, some companies contain artificial fragrance (these are chemical based) but, will not list this in the ingredients, this will also keep a company from being 100% natural.  ( I am all for the use of preservatives and love many synthetic fragrances)


3. Essential Oil Claims- Not all essential oils are created equal. One brand of tea tree oil may be more potent or beneficial than another brand. Also, in some products the amount of essential oil needed to be of benefit would make the product extremely expensive so many companies go for lesser essential oils that may not be as potent. Also, when purchasing products be sure that the company hasn't mixed fragrance oils with essential oils to give a stronger smell. It is known that many essential oils wear off over time, especially in soaps and become very faint. To counteract this some companies will add fragrance oils. 


All in all, be weary of most companies big and small. If it seems to great to be true, like finding argan oil for $1.99 at your local beauty supply store, than more than likely it is. If you purchase a product claiming to be 100% natural and it smells like cupcakes...it probably has fragrance oil in it. 


So just be a conscious consumer and choose your purchases wisely. I am all for natural products (I should be since I use and sell them!) but, some companies are just out to make a buck and don't care anything about being honest or your health. 

For Your Body & Hair Butters Visit: DIY Hair Care Products

Many women make the switch to using natural hair products and run into a few bumps and then give up! Using truly all natural hair products, is different than using their chemical laden counterparts. So, if you have tried to use shampoo bars, water based leave-ins, and conditioners and haven't had much success read on to find out what may have been the problem!

Don't Mix and Match: Meaning, you can't use chemical laden conditioners with natural shampoos. Natural shampoos are gentler than commercial shampoos. Although, they do clean, they aren't made to clean off silicones and other non-water soluble ingredients. These ingredients are in moisturizers and are made to cling to the hair strand and usually need sulfates to be washed off.

Find The Right Shampoo: Using the proper shampoo is one of the most important steps (IMO, anyway) in a healthy hair regimen. When looking for shampoos be sure to read the ingredients and make sure that your shampoo matches the other products in your regimen. Keep in mind, gentler shampoos usually work for women who use less products.

Might Have To Layer Products: When using natural moisturizers, some people find that they have to moisturize their hair more often. This can often be due to the high water content in some moisturizers. For watery leave in sprays, having to apply them everyday is not uncommon. This doesn't mean they don't work, it just means you either need to seal them in with an oil or use a heavier cream. Remember, water is a great moisturizer but, it leaves the hair quickly if not  properly sealed into the strand.

Hope this helps you choose some great products for your hair! Remember to read labels and match products with your regimen!

Look out for part 2!

Do you use natural hair products? If so, how do you use them and what have you learned?

For Your Body & Hair Butters Visit:DIY Hair Care Products 

Ya'll know how much I love finding QUALITY and REASONABLY priced products for natural hair care and skin care. I have been looking for small businesses to interview and products to feature and review and I will tell you it is not easy to find a company that fits my criteria.... This company: Be Naturally Jazzy fit everything I look for in a business. After looking around their site, I asked them to do an interview for DIY Hair Care Blog and being the kind people they are, they agreed.

So let's get to it, shall we?

Be Naturally Jazzy Products

DHCB: When did you start Be Naturally Jazzy and why?

BNJ: Be Naturally Jazzy was an idea that was started in 2009. I wanted to create a brand that would energize natural women to reinvent themselves into not only looking beautiful but feeling beautiful as well. Our hair and visual imagine is the first thing people notice when they meet us. Being Naturally Jazzy promotes the fearlessness of stepping out in style, not being afraid to dress your hair up, making sure we live healthy lifestyles, and choosing products that are essentially healthy for our natural hair. Hair and self imagine is what makes natural women very unique, often times we are the stand outs!

DHCB: Do you make any of the products on your site? If so, how did you learn to make them?

BNJ: Everything featured on our site is homemade, with the exception of the bath soaps & natural herbs, which are imported from local organic growers and a natural handmade soap business partner. Our homemade products are formulated with great detail and many of our customers have enjoyed using them.

Learning to make products was a very long and worth while process. It involves hours, months, and even years of research! Many ingredients have to be bonded together using safe preservatives and that process involves a lot of trail, error, tools, and testing. The final product of our items takes special care to formulate and perfect. Production moves a lot faster now and my goal is to always keep the products wholesome and organic.

DHCB: Being a small business owner, what do you find is the hardest part of running a business?

BNJ: I think in order to have a successful business you have to be doing something you enjoy doing all day, so that it doesn’t feel like you’re working. Years ago, back when I was in grad school for business management, this was one of the many things that professors wanted students to understand. I always kept that in mind when I made the decision to make natural hair and skin products. Having been natural 8 years, I had been boot leg mixing during that time and actually enjoyed it. So now it doesn’t really feel like work but more of a hobby. There is a lot of freedom in self employment. I encourage anyone to find there passion and go for it!

DHCB: Since you've started your business what is one of the biggest lessons you have learned?

BNJ: Since opening our doors back in 2009 and online in 2010, one of my BIGGEST lessons I’ve experience was investing in partnerships with more then one supplier for obtaining ingredients. Customers don’t like wanting for their orders and sometimes having a slow supplier can slow down production. Now that I know better, I order supplies and tools in bulk and always have a back up partnership with others in getting the things I need to formulate our products.

DHCB: Would you like to share any tips for other women looking to make their own natural hair care or skin care products to sell?

BNJ: My advice would be to study what customers are looking for in a product. Understand that your products might work for some and not others. Give yourself time to learn formulations, ingredients and what benefits they have on the hair and skin. Natural and organic users like things simple, create products that are not difficult to use or over whelming to customers. And lastly, surround yourself with a supportive support system that will help you succeed at what you do. Friends and family can be very helpful in the process.

DHCB: Can you tell us more about your products? What are some of your best sellers? What products do you like making the most? What product is your personal "Must Have"?

BNJ: I have really enjoyed them all and my hair has become quite spoiled! Our products are very user friendly and are for those who enjoy treating their hair to natural essentials and treatments that promote healthy hair growth. We offer many products you can use to create your own treatments and also products already formulated with natural oils, herbs, and powders. Many of our advanced natural hair customers love to buy the raw herbs/powders to mix stuff up at home. Newly transitioned naturals enjoy trying products we have formulated for them. At our store we cater to everyone and what ever their needs are at the time. There’s something for everyone!

I have incorporated many of these items into my own personal weekly regimen. Depending on what my hair and skin tell me it needs. My personal favorites are herbal/powder deep conditioner glosses. It’s simply taking any number of powders and adding them to my conditioner as a pre-poo or overnight treatment. My hair also loves butter creams and the one I use the most is the Shealoe Herbal Paradise Butter Cream and a little bit of Castor oil to seal. It smells divine, moisturizing, and works great for twist/braid outs! For the skin I am IN LOVE with the Hibiscus and Aloe facial mask. Deep cleans, tightens the skin like nobody business and keeps break outs in check. Must haves!

~Join Be Naturally Jazzy in celebrating the beauty of natural authentic women/men who desire to be naturally free. We create with love, a large array of natural handmade organic hair & skin care products that embrace your unique beauty as you were intended.......naturally~


For more information on all of our products check us out at out http://www.benaturallyjazzy.com. Also find us on Twitter, Facebook, and Youtube!


Thanks Be Naturally Jazzy for taking the time to talk with us and share your tips! I know, I wrote some notes and will be applying the advice to my own business!




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