Dear ZedHair,

Which products should I use on my hair?

 Part 5: Oils

 You may find it useful to read Parts 1, 2, 3 and 4 first.

Once you have cleansed, conditioned or deep conditioned and used your leave in conditioner you can then seal the moisture into your strands. Gosh! It doesn’t take a lot to guess that conditioning is a pretty important step in your regimen, any way, I digress.

Oils can also be used to pre poo, for hot oil treatments or to enhance your deep and leave in conditioners. They are probably the best investment you’ll make in your natural hair regimen. I’m really excited about this week’s column. I mean last week was a little depressing with the lack of leave in conditioners available in Zambia. Put down the phone to that relative in the diaspora, quite drooling over seemingly unachievable hair goals on YouTube. When it comes to oils, Africa, we got this on lock. Yes, I went a little ghetto on you. I’m that excited. Here a some fantastic oils which are indigenous to Zambia:

Baobab Oil

Baobab Oil is extracted from the seeds of the tree’s fruit.

Baobab oil is very light and easily absorbed by the hair, this makes it ideal for use in deep conditioners and hot oil treatments as well as for people with fine hair or hair that is prone to product build up. Baobab Oil has a slight nutty scent a bit reminiscent of Avocado Oil.

Marula Oil

Marula Oil is extracted from the kernels of the Marula tree and is rich in essential fatty acids.

Marula Oil is slightly sticky, sweet smelling oil. It seals moisture into the hair very well, keeping it soft and well protected against harsh environmental conditions. This ability to protect against weather conditions means its great for holding styles in place.

Mongongo Oil

Mongongo Oil is made from the dried fruit of the Mongongo tree.

Mongongo Oil is a brilliant sealant; it left my hair feeling soft, fluffy and well moisturised long after wash day. This oil had me calling up all my natural haired friends to rave. It leaves the cuticle very smooth and is ideal for creating curl definition from twists, braids or roller sets as well as providing shine. It’s not the lightest of oils so I’d use it sparingly if you are prone to product build up. The only drawback with this oil is the smell. Let’s just say a fragrant essential oil could come in handy.

Avocado Oil, Sweet Almond Oil, Coconut Oil, Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Grapeseed Oil, Jojoba Oil are also great oils for your hair.

All of the oils mentioned above are carrier oils. Essential oils have proved invaluable in my hair journey. As well as providing scents for homemade concoctions they also have unique properties that can be beneficial to hair.

Do you have a question related to natural hair care? Send it in to mwanabibi@zedhair.com