As a student who doesn’t have a full-time job yet, I can totally relate to wanting to look for cheap natural hair products for type 4 hair. I used to think that I needed to become a full-on product junkie in order to have a successful hair journey.
The reality is that there are great cheap natural hair alternatives out there and, a lot of products that you can make yourself with ingredients that you already have in your house however, the DIY route is not for everyone.
Whether you have coily, curly, or straight hair, it’s always great to scope out new hair products that may work for your type 4 hair. Personally, my goal is to achieve healthy and strong hair on a budget. I’m looking forward to sharing some of my favorite hair products that I used in the past and the products that I use today.
Let’s start with shampoo
For many years, my shampoos used to only consist of moisturizing shampoos. I was so afraid of sulfates as it was already stomped in my head that sulfates are bad for you because it’s too drying for your type 4 hair. One of the main struggles that I still deal with is dry hair and scalp. You can only imagine my aversion to it. Avoiding it may seem like a great idea in the beginning but does it really work in the long run? Well, I can’t speak for everyone but for me, it did NOT. I will tell you why, it’s not that I don’t like to use moisturizing hair shampoos because it does its job however my hair never felt squeaky clean. I would suggest that you also incorporate a clarifying shampoo to reset your hair, especially if you use heavy hair products.
My top 3 favorite shampoos:
- Creme of Nature Argan Oil Moisture & Shine Shampoo
- Creme of Nature Pure Honey Moisturizing Dry Defense Shampoo
- Head and shoulders (or any cheap shampoo that contains sulfates)
Creme of Nature Argan Oil Moisture & Shine Shampoo
This shampoo was actually one of the first natural hair products that I got my hands on and one of the main brands I would find when looking for type 4 hair that’s in my budget. I loved that it didn’t strip my hair and that it didn’t break the bank. If you are avoiding sulfates, you can use this particular shampoo without having to worry about your coily hair getting stripped of moisture when washing your hair.
Personally, I would still recommend you to have a clarifying shampoo on deck, you can look at it as starting from 0 so that all the build-up can be properly removed.
Creme of Nature Pure Honey Moisturizing Dry Defense Shampoo
Currently, I am using the creme of nature pure honey moisturizing dry defense shampoo. I just wanted to give another shampoo a go from this brand. I don’t really have much to add since it does the job. It doesn’t strip my hair and it smells wonderful without being too overbearing. I don’t want to sound like a broken record but again, don’t forget to also use clarifying shampoos to wash your hair more thoroughly. This shampoo is great for type 4 hair.
Any cheap shampoo (Head and shoulders)
I always have dealt with dry hair and scalp. I wanted something that could help reduce the flakiness that’s called dandruff from my hair. I’m not too picky when it comes to clarifying shampoos but this is a shampoo that I have been consistently using.
Don’t be afraid to use harsher shampoos in your hair from time to time. It’s a good thing to get rid of all the buildup from your scalp and it’s great for hair growth. Hair is not going to thrive when it’s constantly covered by dirt and build up so press the restart button on your scalp and get yourself a good clarifying shampoo like head and shoulders.
Conditoners
I will be honest that when it comes to rinse-out conditioner for natural hair, I tend to just go for a cheap one. It’s not that I don’t care about which one I use but since I plan to get my moisture from my deep conditioners, the main thing I look out for in conditioners is slip.
I usually just use it to detangle my hair or to moisture my hair in between washes when I’m too lazy to follow up with a deep conditioner. I do have 1 conditioner that not only has slipped but is a great moisturizer for my hair. I used it a few times and it felt like the magic was brought onto my hair.
Unfortunately, It was getting hard for me to find this conditioner in the store but, after reminiscing on all the products I used and this being among the best I will be sure to hunt it down and get it in my hands again.
Say hello to “Herbal Essences Conditioner Hello Hydration”
I used it a few times and it felt like magic was brought onto my hair. Unfortunately, It was getting hard for me to find this conditioner in the store but, after reminiscing on all the products I used and this being among the best I will be sure to hunt it down and get it in my hands again.
Deep conditioners
African pride argan mircale moisture & shine deep conditioning masque
This may not have been my first deep conditioner but it was definitely a staple for years. I would use it to detangle my hair and it always did a great job in defining my hair. Of course, this had to be on the list for budget-friendly hair products because it’s affordable and it does a great job at deep conditioning your natural hair. I also made a video using this hair product, make sure to have a look to see how I use it on my coily hair.
Garnier Ultimate Blends Hair Food Banana 3-in-1 Dry Hair Mask Treatment
Whether you consider this hair product to be a mask or conditioner, best believe that you will be left smelling like bananas. If you have a preference for neutral fragrances then this product may not be for you. I love to use it to detangle my hair and my hair feels very soft and moist after using it. The consistency of this hair masque is also on the thicker side which helps to clump my coils together and it leaves my hair more defined.
Leave-in conditioners
When it comes to finding moisturizing leave-in conditioner for my dry type 4 hair, I haven’t had the best of luck to lock in moisture however I will give credit where credit is due.
African Pride Argan Miracle Moisture & Shine Leave-in Conditioner
You probably already saw me raving about this deep conditioner and since their leave-in conditioner is part of the miracle moisture line, it’s a nice product to add to your routine.
Final thoughts
I would be lying if I said that I’m completely satisfied with the current natural hair products that I use. I don’t want to go bankrupt just to get some hair products to use on my hair however I do like to try new things.
When it doesn’t work out, it’s time to move on to the next. Unfortunately, my budget doesn’t allow me to just try things for the sake of trying. Student life is not easy, don’t even get me started on that.
I have found some products that have worked for me over the years. The point that I’m trying to make is that even after 7 years of my journey I never felt like my hair was moisturized once it dried after washing it.
It’s quite frustrating but I have come to terms with it and I embrace the challenge. I’m looking forward to sharing the hair products, styles, and tools that I will be testing out on my type 4 hair. Before, I used to just be focused on just one thing only, and that was hair growth. I never took the time to try out different hairstyles and think about the products I was getting.
All I knew is, that it worked for the next person or the brand is popping. Now, I would like to take a different approach and I’m excited to share it with you. So, what are some of the products that you are currently using, and are you satisfied with them?
