The Going Natural "Butterfly Effect": Natural Products for a Natural Chica

Its very interesting how a change in hair (embracing my natural roots) has led to changes in other areas of my life. Today, I'd like to discuss how going natural has slowly led me down the path in purchasing more organic and natural products for my hair, body (external and internal).

It all started with my use of shea butter while I was transitioning. I loved that I could use it on my hair and body and loved its properties that helped my hair and skin to retain moisture. It was better than any synthetic store-bought lotion I had ever used in my life! I later learned that a lot of these "lotions" were mainly full of water, alcohols and synthetic polymers that would provide an initial moisturized feel that would quickly wear off in the ensuing hours of the day.

Then I started paying more attention to my shampoos and realized the harmful nature of sulfates (detergents) that were actually stripping my hair of dirt PLUS too many of the essential oils that my scalp was desperately trying to hold on to. It amazed me how my previous problem with dandruff disappeared within weeks of me switching to sulfate-free shampoos for biweekly cleansing and weekly washing with conditioners. Aubrey Organics and Giovanni Cosmetics are some of my favorite brands for natural shampoos and conditioners that I use.

Along with how I was washing/conditioning my hair, I started paying attention to what I would be "greasing" my scalp with. I quickly noticed that many of the top ingredients in these hair greases was petroleum. You know...what the chemical engineers derive gasoline from!! Being a materials engineer, I don't know why I didn't pay attention to that before..but hey you live and you learn right? Well my pore-clogging greases were quickly replaced with products like coconut oil, which has proven to be able to be absorbed effectively by the scalp to provide TRUE moisturizing effects. If you have problems with dry scalp, mixing this with tea tree oil can also provide some lasting relief.

Then comes products for my face. I have really sensitive skin and am prone to break out extremely easily. I used to jump on the ProActiv, Clearasil, etc. bandwagons hoping for relief. It would be the same story for each of these products: they would work for a while, but a couple months later...back to the same-o-same-o. I learned later that most of these acne clearing products work by excessively drying out the skin (since  excessive sebum production is one the main factors). However, this tends to be very drying for the skin as well, which was not a good mix for me. However, when I became a natural chica, I was introduced to the skin healing properties of oils like argan oil and the moisturizing/smoothing properties of cocoa butter, extra virgin olive oil and even castor oil. I've been using these products faithfully for the past month and am already seeing results! It also helps that I'm drinking more water and aiming to eat less processed foods (All things sparked by my natural journey interestingly enough!).

My list of changes could go on, but my MAIN POINT is this. Going natural has turned out be more than a simple hair change for me. It's about becoming more aware of what I'm putting into/onto my body and what effects this has on me as a whole person. If I'm going to take the major step of embracing my natural hair and take the steps to make sure it looks good and is healthy...what about all the other areas of my life right?

Note: There will be more updates on the Going Natural "Butterfly Effect" in my life, as there have been MANY things that have changed in my life since my natural journey commenced earlier this year! So stay tuned : )


To learn more about what is REALLY in those products that you are buying for your personal care use, check out this great resource provided by the National Institute of Health and National Library of Medicine. You can search for the ingredients in shampoos, food, cosmetics and pretty much anything you can think of!!

Its very interesting how a change in hair (embracing my natural roots) has led to changes in other areas of my life. Today, I'd like to discuss how going natural has slowly led me down the path in purchasing more organic and natural products for my hair, body (external and internal).

It all started with my use of shea butter while I was transitioning. I loved that I could use it on my hair and body and loved its properties that helped my hair and skin to retain moisture. It was better than any synthetic store-bought lotion I had ever used in my life! I later learned that a lot of these "lotions" were mainly full of water, alcohols and synthetic polymers that would provide an initial moisturized feel that would quickly wear off in the ensuing hours of the day.

Then I started paying more attention to my shampoos and realized the harmful nature of sulfates (detergents) that were actually stripping my hair of dirt PLUS too many of the essential oils that my scalp was desperately trying to hold on to. It amazed me how my previous problem with dandruff disappeared within weeks of me switching to sulfate-free shampoos for biweekly cleansing and weekly washing with conditioners. Aubrey Organics and Giovanni Cosmetics are some of my favorite brands for natural shampoos and conditioners that I use.

Along with how I was washing/conditioning my hair, I started paying attention to what I would be "greasing" my scalp with. I quickly noticed that many of the top ingredients in these hair greases was petroleum. You know...what the chemical engineers derive gasoline from!! Being a materials engineer, I don't know why I didn't pay attention to that before..but hey you live and you learn right? Well my pore-clogging greases were quickly replaced with products like coconut oil, which has proven to be able to be absorbed effectively by the scalp to provide TRUE moisturizing effects. If you have problems with dry scalp, mixing this with tea tree oil can also provide some lasting relief.

Then comes products for my face. I have really sensitive skin and am prone to break out extremely easily. I used to jump on the ProActiv, Clearasil, etc. bandwagons hoping for relief. It would be the same story for each of these products: they would work for a while, but a couple months later...back to the same-o-same-o. I learned later that most of these acne clearing products work by excessively drying out the skin (since  excessive sebum production is one the main factors). However, this tends to be very drying for the skin as well, which was not a good mix for me. However, when I became a natural chica, I was introduced to the skin healing properties of oils like argan oil and the moisturizing/smoothing properties of cocoa butter, extra virgin olive oil and even castor oil. I've been using these products faithfully for the past month and am already seeing results! It also helps that I'm drinking more water and aiming to eat less processed foods (All things sparked by my natural journey interestingly enough!).

My list of changes could go on, but my MAIN POINT is this. Going natural has turned out be more than a simple hair change for me. It's about becoming more aware of what I'm putting into/onto my body and what effects this has on me as a whole person. If I'm going to take the major step of embracing my natural hair and take the steps to make sure it looks good and is healthy...what about all the other areas of my life right?

Note: There will be more updates on the Going Natural "Butterfly Effect" in my life, as there have been MANY things that have changed in my life since my natural journey commenced earlier this year! So stay tuned : )


To learn more about what is REALLY in those products that you are buying for your personal care use, check out this great resource provided by the National Institute of Health and National Library of Medicine. You can search for the ingredients in shampoos, food, cosmetics and pretty much anything you can think of!!