Naturally dry, Afro hair has tightly coiled curls that often prevent natural sebum from traveling down the hair shaft.

This, combined with shrinkage—where Afro hair can shrink up to 75% of its actual length when dry—makes growing it a challenge, but not impossible! The key is using the right products.

What Type of Products Work Best to Support Natural Black Hair Growth?

Afro hair is often dry and prone to breakage and tangles. Regular hydration is essential to maintain moisture in the hair shaft.

Here are the best moisturizing ingredients to promote the growth of natural Black hair:

• Chebe: Helps rebuild hair bonds and stimulate growth.
  
  
• Castor Oil: Stimulates blood circulation in the scalp, promoting hair growth.
  
  
• Argan Oil: Nourishes and hydrates dry and damaged hair.
  
  
• Rosemary Oil: Improves blood circulation and stimulates hair follicles.
  
  
• Jojoba Oil: Helps maintain a healthy scalp by reducing inflammation and protecting against infections.
  
  
• Peppermint Essential Oil: Its cooling effect stimulates hair follicles.
  
  
• Aloe Vera: Hydrates and soothes the scalp and helps prevent dandruff.
  
  
• Shea Butter: Extremely moisturizing, it protects and strengthens hair.
  
  
• Glycerin: Acts as a humectant, encapsulating moisture from the environment into the hair.
  
  
• Provitamin B5: Helps maintain moisture, strengthen the hair fiber, reduce breakage, and improve hair shine and softness.
  
  
• Postbiotics: Reduce inflammation and strengthen the scalp's skin barrier, creating a healthy environment.
  
  
• Prebiotics: Nourish the good bacteria (probiotics) present in the scalp's microbiome.

What Hair Products Make Natural Black Hair Grow Faster?

Promoting the natural growth of Black hair relies on the use of moisturizing and nourishing products that help maintain moisture in the hair fiber and nourish the hair follicles to encourage new growth.

• Gentle sulfate-free shampoos: Gently remove impurities while hydrating.
  
  
• Nourishing and softening conditioners: Help restore hydration.
  
  
• Repair masks: Provide deep hydration and strengthen hair.
  
  
• Leave-in treatments: Facilitate detangling, intensely hydrate hair, and protect against breakage.
  
  
• Nourishing styling products: Nourish, define, and elongate curls without weighing them down.
  
  
• Growth oils: Nourish follicles and promote healthy growth.

CHÉBIOTIC™ HYDRATING SHAMPOO

Formulated without sulfates, SLS, or SLES, it delivers a hydration boost, strengthens roots, and reduces breakage-related hair loss. It contains prebiotics that help maintain a healthy scalp, thus promoting hair growth.

Its Chebe Complex, made from ancient Chebe seeds that are 100 times more biologically concentrated than other varieties grown in Chad, helps stimulate hair growth and the retention of beautiful lengths.

SHOP CHÉBIOTIC™ HYDRATING SHAMPOO

SOFTENING CONDITIONER 

Thanks to its high castor oil content, it boosts blood circulation in the scalp to promote growth and prevents breakage-related hair loss. Like all Cheribé products, it contains a powerful Chebe Complex that makes hair stronger, softer, and longer.

SHOP SOFTENING CONDITIONER 

CHÉBIOTIC™ REPAIRING MASK

Rich in postbiotics and shea butter, it rebuilds hair from roots to ends while balancing the scalp. It also helps prevent thinning caused by breakage. It repairs, restructures, and protects growth.

SHOP CHÉBIOTIC™ REPAIRING MASK

LENGTH RETENTION LEAVE-IN CONDITIONER

This concentrated leave-in treatment strengthens hair and protects it from heat, UV rays, and daily external aggressions thanks to its Chebe Complex and high provitamin B5 content.

SHOP LENGTH RETENTION LEAVE-IN CONDITIONER

CHÉBÉ COMPLEX GROWTH OIL 

Rich in jojoba and rosemary oils, this dry oil seals hair cuticles and nourishes hair follicles. It also helps stimulate growth, thanks to sandalwood essential oil. Apply to the scalp and lengths to densify hair and aid in the retention of beautiful lengths.

SHOP CHÉBÉ COMPLEX GROWTH OIL 

DAILY REFRESH MOISTURE MILK

Enriched with green tea, it facilitates detangling, calms frizz, and intensely hydrates hair. It also helps prevent and slow down breakage-related hair loss. It contains glycerin that maintains moisture within the hair fiber.

SHOP DAILY REFRESH MOISTURE MILK

NOURISHING BUTTERCRÈME

It contains flax seeds, which soften, redefine, and elongate curls, and caffeine to boost growth. Ultra-rich, it strengthens without leaving residues, greasy finish, or stiffness. Hair is intensely hydrated for 48 hours.

SHOP NOURISHING BUTTERCRÈME

SHINY SOFT HOLD STYLING GELÉE

Packed with aloe vera, it coats, hydrates, defines, and sets hair in one step. It helps baby hairs thinned by breakage to grow back. It also contains sunflower oil, which nourishes hair and restores shine.

SHOP SHINY SOFT HOLD STYLING GELÉE

Additional Factors to Consider When Choosing Products for Natural Black Hair

Hair Texture

Black hair can be wavy, curly, coiled, or kinky. Each type requires specific care.

Wavy Hair (2A, 2B, 2C)

•   Specific Needs: Light hydration, breakage protection.
•   Recommended Products: Nourishing conditioner, hydrating detangler.

Curly Hair (3A, 3B, 3C)

• Specific Needs: Light hydration, curl definition, frizz control.
• Recommended Products: Light styling creams, defining gels, hydrating conditioners.

Coily to Kinky Hair (4A, 4B, 4C)

• Specific Needs: Intense hydration, curl definition, and protection.
  
  
• Recommended Products: Repair masks, leave-in hair milks, rich styling creams, light oils.

Hair Porosity

Hair porosity determines the hair's ability to absorb and retain moisture. There are three types of porosity:

Low Porosity Hair

• Specific Needs: Products rich in saturated and monounsaturated fatty acids that easily penetrate the hair fiber.
  
  
• Recommended Products: Light sprays, light oils (jojoba, argan, grape seed), leave-in products.

Medium Porosity Hair

• Specific Needs: Balance between hydration and nutrition, products that seal moisture without weighing hair down.
  
  
• Recommended Products: Hydrating creams and milks, light oils.

High Porosity Hair

• Specific Needs: Products that help seal cuticles, provide intense hydration, and repair damage.
  
  
• Recommended Products: Rich butters and oils (shea, castor), protein-rich masks.

Hair Density

Hair density refers to the number of hairs per square centimeter. Do not confuse it with volume, which refers to the thickness of hair. There are three types of density:

Low Density Hair

• Specific Needs: Lightness, maximizing volume.
  
  
• Recommended Products: Volumizing products, light mousses, texturizing sprays.

Medium Density Hair

•  Specific Needs: Hydration, maintaining lightness.
  
  
•  Recommended Products: Light to medium creams, hair milks, light oils.

High Density Hair

• Specific Needs: Products that penetrate well and ensure deep hydration, definition.
  
  
• Recommended Products: Rich creams, hair butters, nourishing oils.

What Other Things Help Natural Black Hair Grow?

Protein and Nutrient-Rich Diet

• Protein: Hair is primarily made of keratin (a protein). A diet rich in protein provides the amino acids necessary for keratin production. Best sources of protein include fish, lean meat, eggs, legumes, nuts, and seeds.
  
  
• Vitamins and Minerals: Vitamins A, C, D, E, and B-group vitamins (especially biotin) are crucial for hair health. Minerals such as zinc, iron, and magnesium are also important. Consume a variety of fruits and vegetables, dairy products, whole grains, and foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids like fatty fish and flaxseeds.

Hydration

Drinking enough water is crucial to maintaining scalp and hair hydration, promoting an environment conducive to hair growth. It is recommended to drink at least 8 glasses of water per day.

Sleep

Restorative sleep is essential for cell regeneration, which primarily occurs at night.

Gentle Detangling Techniques

Tight hairstyles and frequent manipulation can cause breakage and slow down hair growth. Gently detangle hair using wide-tooth combs and avoid heated tools as much as possible.

Scalp Massages

Regular scalp massages can help stimulate blood circulation, bringing more nutrients and oxygen to hair follicles. Massage the scalp whenever applying your usual products and, occasionally, use rosemary or peppermint essential oils during massages to boost their effects.

Protection Against External Aggressions

Use a silk bonnet or pillowcase to reduce friction and breakage at night. In summer, wear a hat or cap or, at a minimum, use hair products with UV protection when exposed to the sun.

Conclusion

To promote the growth of natural Afro hair, it is essential to combine a balanced diet rich in protein and essential nutrients, proper hydration, restorative sleep, and regular scalp massages to boost blood circulation.

Along with these good practices, adopting the right hair care routine with products suited to hair texture, porosity, and density is crucial. In terms of formulation, it is important to favor naturally moisturizing ingredients such as light oils (jojoba, argan, rosemary), nourishing ingredients (shea butter), and repairing agents (aloe vera, chebe).

Generally, ingredients that help maintain moisture and strengthen the hair fiber (glycerin, provitamin B5) are also beneficial. Postbiotics and prebiotics are recommended for Afro hair as they help maintain a healthy scalp, which significantly contributes to promoting faster and healthier hair growth.