Homemade Haircare For Locks: Grassroots Haircare That Transcends Boundaries

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Haircare, shoes and children are just three things that unite people of all ethnicities, nationalities and religions. Still, even in the drugstore, one sees the haircare is broken up into sections with the most fancy brands near the doors, the cheap packaging at the bottom of shelves and sometimes, the “ethnic” haircare at the back of the aisle. Perhaps this is all a question of demographics and sales tactics since most Americans aspire to buy upscale products and most Americans have thin straight hair. Nevertheless, this leaves little room for the independent makers of haircare products seeking distribution for a product that focuses more on ingredients and results, and less on packaging and branding. This also forces most consumers to believe that only products made for their kind of hair are suitable, often leading them to spend more. But some products show us even the most distinct hair types and textures can share products.

Enter Princess Kayla’s Nattylocks, a small business started by Tyra Jackson and named for her oldest daughter. While working at a natural hair salon in Baltimore, Jackson witnessed that most lock creams had a beeswax base, which attracts buildup, or gels that dry the hair and scalp. Jackson experimented and found that lanolin wax was binding and moisturizing.

Fast Forward into the millennium and Jackson has her own haircare company that she makes out of her kitchen and garage in North Carolina. The line consists of the original cream, the shampoo and the hair and scalp refresher. The cream is made with water, lanolin, shea butter and lavender oil. It is meant to help bind hair and keep locks tight and shiny, which is why it is not for the lock-free individual. It would serve great for those starting out or maintaining dreads because of the waxy consistency, but the average hairdo would entangle. The cream also doubles as a body cream, likely best saved for winter. The shampoo is a great everyday wash for any hair type, with its peppermint castile oil soap base, augmented with coconut and olive oils, aloe vera and rosemary extract. The super thin consistency is a like a mix of water and oil and is not drying, which makes it ideal for summer use. Finally, the minty refresher has a base that includes water, witch hazel, aloe vera juice and tea tree oil, which is augmented by eucalyptus, clove and lavender oils. The only non-natural ingredient is polysorbate 80, which is added to bind the materials so users don’t have to shake the bottle. The spray feels cool and slightly tingly, and the combination of ingredients is said to kill bacteria and germs, ease an itchy scalp and treat dandruff. Use it in between washes on regular hair to freshen up without drying hair by shampooing too frequently. Or, try it as a refreshing body spray on the back of the neck or on the feet.

Next time you’re perusing the haircare aisle at your local drugstore or salon, venture past your usual section. You might find something cheaper that will heal your hair—and your body. Or better yet, start surfing and support a small business because the risk of trying a new product in store or online is the same.

Where:
The Nattylocks cream is $10 for a 4-ounce tub and the shampoo and refresher are $7.95 each for 8.5-ounce bottles. For more information on the Princess Kayla’s Nattylocks brand or to buy products, visit the official Princess Kayla’s Nattylocks website.