18 BEST PRODUCTS FOR 4C HAIR: HEAT PROTECTANTS, PROTEIN TREATMENTS AND HAIR CREAMS/BUTTER
As we all already know, getting the right products for your 4C hair is indispensable if you want not only good-looking but also healthy hair. The fragile nature of kinky hair makes it susceptible to dryness, breakage and frizz. But with good moisturizing products like hair creams/ butter coupled with protein treatments, your hair can overcome these challenges.
Getting good-quality hair products also enables you to wear the hairstyles you want without having to worry about damage. Take a situation where you have worked to get your coils to a healthy, bouncy state, for instance, and you want to try temporary straightening without compromising your hair’s health. In this case, with the right heat protectant, you can opt for heat styling without the fear of hair damage.
When you’re shopping for hair products, you need to ensure that you go for hair-type-appropriate products. Not all hair products work for all hair types, some of them contain ingredients that work for certain hair types but are dangerous for others. In this article, we have listed 18 hair products that work absolutely well for 4C hair.
- Heat Protectants
As we said earlier, 4C hair is really fragile to the point that it gets damaged easily. Exposure to heat from the sun or heat-styling tools is dangerous for its health. It may result in damages such as dry hair, brittle hair and hair loss. It may also result in the absence of keratin protein, an important nutrient for strong hair. Characteristics of heat-damaged 4C hair include a lack of natural curl patterns and dry, rough hair strands.
The good news is that this doesn’t mean you have to forfeit leaving your hair open under the sun or heat styling altogether. Heat protectants can protect your hair from damage caused by heat from the sun or styling tools to a certain extent. It creates a barrier between your hair and the source of heat which helps prevent dryness and ultimately reduce damage. You must note that heat protectants do not prevent heat damage, they only minimize it.
FAQ:
When do I use a heat protectant?
Answer:
Heat protectants are to be applied to the hair before it comes in contact with heat. Divide your hair into sections and apply the heat protectant to each section. Make sure it is evenly distributed by combing the hair with a wide-tooth comb before proceeding. Whether you apply it to dry or damp hair depends on the brand you use, so check directions from the producers of your heat protectant.
Best Heat Protectants for 4C Hair
This anti-frizz heat protectant contains keratin, the protein in our hair, as one of its main ingredients. This protein gives your hair a frizz-free and sleek heat styling experience and it stays like that until your next wash. Aside from protection from heat styling damage, it also protects the hair from damage from the sun. It is a lightweight product that smooths the hair and gives it a shiny finished look.
This lightweight and alcohol-free heat protectant has been around for a long time and has never disappointed. If your hair already struggles with dryness and damage, and you’re worried about adding heat damage to the mixture, then you should go for this product. It moisturizes the hair with olive oil which leaves dry and damaged hair silky, as the name suggests. The absence of alcohol helps to reduce frizz and smoothen the hair. And yes, it is cruelty-free.
This is a special one because it is infused with argan oil which is known to have many health benefits for kinky hair. Arvazallia heat protectant provides the hair with two-layer protection that repairs already damaged hair and prevents future ones. With this heat protectant, you don’t have to worry about heat styling problems like frizz, dryness, hair loss or split ends. Another great thing about this product is that it can be used on artificial hair like wigs and hair extensions. It is also lightweight, so you can rest assured that it will not weigh your hair down.
Yes, you guessed it right. This heat protectant protects your hair from damage from heat styling and environmental conditions. It is not just a heat protectant, it is also a detangler, a leave-in oil and a moisturizing product. It helps reduce dryness, breakage and frizz in the hair while protecting it from all forms of heat. Users of the product have testified that it is lightweight and that it gets easily absorbed into low porosity hair. It also works fine for color-treated hair
Color-treated hair is highly susceptible to heat damage because of the chemical processing it has undergone. But fret not if your hair is color treated because SheaMoisture’s got you! Their Jamaican Black Castor Oil heat protectant contains a blend of naturally nourishing and moisturizing ingredients like shea butter, sweet almond oil and, of course, black castor oil. This blend will protect your fragile hair from heat damage and reduce breakage by 70%. It also reduces dryness by providing the maximum moisture that your hair needs.
For affordable and high-quality heat protection, Cantu Shea Butter Thermal Shield Heat Protectant is your best bet. With shea butter as one of its main ingredients, it moisturizes your hair while protecting it from heat damage. It also reduces frizz, breakage and dryness in the hair. It is a lightweight product, so it doesn’t hold the hair down. The only downside, according to reviewers, is that it leaves a sticky residue in the hair.
- Protein Treatments
One of the needed nutrients for our hair’s health is protein. In fact, one of its main components is a type of protein called keratin. A protein deficiency in the hair causes some of the main struggles of kinky hair like dryness, loose curls, split ends and breakage. Several factors such as environmental conditions, heat damage and product build-up can cause one’s hair to become protein deficient. When this happens, the right protein treatment can come to your hair’s rescue.
Protein treatments are hair conditioning treatments that help restore protein to the hair. They work by removing dead cells from the scalp thereby allowing protein nutrients to get absorbed into the hair easily. They strengthen the hair strands and nourish the scalp’s health. They also help prevent split ends, dryness and breakage by moisturizing the hair deeply.
FAQ:
How often do I need protein treatments?
Answer:
Every 4 – 6 weeks. Protein treatments are intensive, so they should not be a part of your regular routine. Although a protein deficiency is bad for your hair, too much of it is just as bad because it causes hair breakage.
Best Protein Treatments for 4C Hair
For deep protein treatment and dry hair repair, Creme of Nature Argan Oil Intensive Conditioning Treatment is one of your best choices. One of its great features is the presence of argan oil which contains antioxidants, vitamin E and fatty acids. These nutrients help nourish the scalp’s health and encourage hair growth.
This is one of the best protein treatments for 4C hair out there. Fortified with magnesium and hair nourishing proteins like keratin, it provides a long-lasting solution to damaged, dry and frizzy hair. It helps soften brittle strands and restore elasticity to your hair. Within 4 to 6 weeks after use, it revitalizes kinky hair damaged by chemical treatments, heat or any other hair damaging factors.
Cantu Deep Treatment Masque is made with 100% pure shea butter that penetrates the hair shaft to moisturize and strengthen 4C hair. It also contains organic essential oils that help restore damaged hair to its healthy, original state. Aside from offering deep moisture to dry hair, it also helps the hair lock in and retains moisture to prevent future dryness and damage. This protein treatment contains only natural ingredients, so it is safe for 4C hair.
This protein treatment contains ingredients that both help hydrate the hair and repair damage. It contains black castor oil, pimento oil, mayonnaise, cactus oil and apple cider vinegar which protects the hair from dryness, split ends and breakage that may occur from the use of heat. It also contains fatty acids, vitamin E, minerals and, of course, essential proteins that help strengthen your curls and nourish your strands. However, many people who have used this product say that it doesn’t smell so good.
This protein treatment contains plant proteins that help in fortifying hair. It is a great moisturizing and detangling product for dry hair. It contains nutrients that help in repairing damage, split ends and dryness. It also helps strengthen the scalp and hair strands, giving room for healthy hair to emerge. One great feature of this Activilong Actiforce Fortifying Care Mask is the creamy texture that makes it easy for 4C hair to absorb.
We know the name is a bit misleading, but this is because protein treatments are considered conditioning treatments too. Each sachet of this product contains cocoa butter, amla oil, shea butter, keratin and manuka honey, all great ingredients for maintaining moisture and enhancing the hair’s natural shine. We absolutely love that it has a flowery scent that leaves your hair smelling fresh all day!
- Hair Creams, Butter or Pomade
Hair creams, butter and pomades are used on 4C hair for several reasons. Their work is similar to that of hair oils, although there are slight differences. Hair creams, butter/ pomade are used as sealants for water-based moisturizing products used on the hair. However, they also moisturize the hair and scalp. Also, they can be used to aid hair growth when massaged to the scalp. They also make your coils look shiny and alive.
FAQ:
What is the difference between hair oils and hair creams or butter?
Answer:
Generally speaking, there are no differences between the functions of hair oils and butter. They can both be used to seal in moisture and moisturize the scalp. However, what usually determines a naturalista’s choice is their hair porosity level. People with low porosity hair are often advised to use oils because their hair finds it hard to retain thicker consistency. Similarly, it is better for people with high porosity hair to use hair creams, butter/pomade because their hair may not be able to retain lighter consistencies like oils.
Best Hair Creams, Butter/Pomade for 4C Hair
This natural hair cream is formulated with natural moisturizing ingredients like cocoa butter, shea butter, castor oil, jojoba oil and wheat germ oil. These ingredients are formulated to keep your 4C coils hydrated and also to retain moisture for a long time. It contains nourishing ingredients like wheat protein and vegetable glycerine that helps repair damaged hair, split ends and brittle hair. It also revitalizes your strands into soft, smooth and more manageable coils. It contains no harmful ingredients like silicones and paraben.
This hair cream is formulated to provide daily intensive hydration and moisture to dry and damaged hair. Fortified with shea butter and vitamin E, Tgin Butter Cream Daily Moisturizer enhances the strength of your hair strands and encourages hair growth. It effectively repairs damaged, dry and frizzy hair, giving you softer and smoother hair. It also improves the natural shine of your hair without leaving it greasy.
This is an affordable multipurpose hair product everyone with 4C hair must have. It contains Moroccan argan oil and vitamin B-5 which help moisturize and nourish the hair and scalp. It makes detangling a lot easier and can also be used as a heat protectant. It also helps to control frizz and dryness in the hair. TBH, this product is an all-rounder.
For our naturals struggling with moisture retention, we present (drumrolls) Aunt Jackie’s Hydrating Sealing Butter! This hair butter is fortified with flaxseed, shea butter, avocado oil, castor oil and honey, all great ingredients for providing and retaining moisture in 4C hair. It has a creamy texture that gets absorbed into the hair easily. It is best applied to damp hair.
Trust us when we say 4C naturals have been getting the best results from this black woman-owned hair butter from time immemorial. Do you want a soft and smooth feel on your coils? Try this product out. It is also great for hair styling because of the slip it offers the hair.
This hair butter is infused with oil extracts from sweet orange, lavender, lemongrass and shea butter. It moisturizes the hair and scalp thoroughly, leaving no room for dryness and breakage. It revitalizes damaged hair and strengthens hair strands. It also helps blood circulation to the scalp which boosts hair growth. This hair butter is perfect for kinky hair because it is cruelty-free.
Wrapping up, now that you know what heat protectants, protein treatments and hair butter/creams work well with 4C hair, which ones will you try out? We await your answers in the comments section!
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