The 6 Best Silicone-Free Serums for Natural Hair

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As seen on Black Girl with Long Hair!

Admittedly, I never used to care too much for finishing products for my natural hair. When I rocked my flat ironed hair before transitioning, I ALWAYS had serums and sprays on deck. And they were all full of silicones, too. But for my wash and go or braidouts, I didn't really see a purpose.

Until I tried a few.

Now, I'm hooked on that final step of my regimen (once my hair is dry). Finishing serums have elevated shine, tamed frizz, improved smoothness, and in some cases helped prevent split ends. I'm sure some of you are thinking, why not just use _____(insert oil here)? And absolutely, you can. I just personally find that serums function better as a finishing product, are more lightweight, and pack a bit more punch than most oils can do alone.

The best thing about these serums now? They're ALL silicone, mineral oil, and petroleum free. Not that I'm against silicones, I find them beneficial particularly when I choose to flat iron or blow out my hair (heat protection). However, for my naturally unaltered hair, all they do is sit on top and condition or mask damage and problem areas. These serums, on the other hand, are full of ingredients that actually help heal and revitalize the hair, among numerous other benefits. They're lightweight, and perfect for all textures (including fine hair and transitioners). Check them out:

1. Deepthi Organics - Organic Verdana Leave-In Conditioning Serum
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Organic argan, jojoba, pracaxi, coconut, and other oils are combined in this lightweight mixture to help seal cuticles, enhance elasticity and shine, and smooth hair. This all-natural, nutrient packed serum works well on straight, kinky, coily, and curly hair types to help fight free-radicals and environmental damage to hair. $18, www.organicverdana.com

2. Kinky Curly - Perfectly Polished
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Blended with apricot, argan, abyssinian and wheat germ oil, this lightweight polishing serum promotes high shine and helps undo environmental damage to the hair. Ceramides within the wheat germ oil also penetrate to help ciment damaged or highly porous hair. $18, Target and www.kinky-curly.com.

3. Curls - Blissful Lengths Oil Elixir
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Formulated with soybean, coconut, kuikui, sweet almond, and other oils, this little bottle is raved about by naturals all around. It provides shiny, lightweight, smoothness for all hair types while helping to improve elasticity and reduce frizz and friction in the hair. $12, Target and Amazon.

4. Taliah Waajid Hydrating Curl Shine
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Featuring avocado, coconut, and olive oil, this lightweight spray gives hair a healthy dose of omegas, which are vital to the health, elasticity, and cimenting of the hair cuticles. If you prefer spray serums that can better evenly coat the hair, this one is for you! $8, Amazon

5. Rapunzel The Future Of Hair - Hair Silk
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A nutritious blend of olive, castor, sweet almond, safflower, and wheat germ, this silky serum is versatile enough to be used on any texture of hair -- even straight. Packed with omegas and ceramides, this nutrient rich blend helps improve elasticity, ward off breakage, and provides the hair with ceramides essential to helping repair damaged hair and correct porosity issues. $15, www.rapunzelthefutureofhair.com

6. Jojoba Oil
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If you're not feeling the fancy serums, or don't need yet another product stuffed into your already overcrowded stash, jojoba is the perfect standalone oil that can double up as a finishing serum. It is incredibly light, and a little goes a long way. The molecular composition of jojoba is incredibly similar to the sebum our scalp naturally produces, making it an oil that responds well to virtually all hair types. Find it at Trader Joe's ($8) or your local health food store.

Do you use serums in your natural hair regimen? 
Share your favorite products or DIY blends below!

2 Comments

  1. Im confused:) you Said these serums are better than oils but it seems like all of them are different kind of oil blends. So in what way are they different to the oils i have in My cupboard?

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  2. Sorry it took me so long to reply! I'm just now seeing tons of comments. You can most certainly make your own serum blend from what you have -- that's why Jojoba oil is on the list :) Many of the serums on this list contain extractions or fractionated versions of the pure oils, that render them more lightweight and less greasy. Of course, it's always up to you and what you like for your hair :)

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