Today we have a special guest on Alma Eko's blog , and we hope she returns more often. Ana, from Crianza Mágica , is here to tell us firsthand how to use natural, plastic-free products to care for curly hair . We hope her experience inspires you and clears up any questions you may have.

Ana's experience

I have a significant amount of hair and a curl that I now find quite pretty. It hasn't always been this way. Those of us with curly, voluminous hair are often the target of teasing and insults in childhood. That was my case.

As a teenager, I started taking care of my hair and feeling better about it. In the late 90s and early 2000s, all kinds of hairpins, clips, and hair ornaments were very fashionable. I had them all and changed my hairstyle constantly: braids, ponytails, buns, half-updos. I loved playing with my hair.

At that time I discovered that a well-known hair product brand made a special range for curly hair . I tried it, saw that it worked, that my hair was more defined, and I used that same brand for practically two decades. That's loyalty!

During that time, the product formulations changed twice, and with the second change, my hair stopped behaving the same. It felt duller, drier, and with a curl I didn't recognize. My scalp also felt irritated and itchy .

The first changes

It coincided with my becoming interested in more conscious consumer behavior , choosing brands that are more environmentally friendly and also free of potential toxins. I also discovered the Curly Girl Method . A way of caring for curly hair that seeks to get the most out of it and heal it, achieving some pretty spectacular results. There are many different techniques that can be applied to follow this method. The truth is, it can become a fairly complex routine with many different products and steps that I wasn't keen on taking on. So no, in case anyone is wondering, I don't follow this method, but I have stuck with one of its fundamental bases: eliminating sulfates and silicones from products and switching to more natural ingredients.

For me, switching to these types of products was more related to caring for the environment and my health , and not so much to a matter of personal image. I don't deny that, but it carries much less weight. It's obvious, for example, that I don't dye my gray hair. I refuse. It's a matter of principle.

But what about sulfates and silicones in curly hair? Well, here's what happens:

• Sulfates , which are surfactants that work like detergents (they generate a lot of foam), are effective at removing dirt from the hair, but they also remove the natural oils from the scalp, which is not good for curly hair, which tends to have dry hair.
• Silicones create a film that gives hair shine and softness. However, this same film, especially in the case of non-water-soluble silicones, prevents water and the products used from penetrating the hair fiber and, therefore, prevents proper hydration . Only a shampoo with sulfates would be able to remove these silicones, so we'd be back to square one.

Armed with this information, I decided to make changes almost three years ago, and I have to say I didn't get it right the first time . I'm not going to name the brands that haven't worked for me because, if we curly hair types know one thing, it's that one size doesn't fit all . Every hair needs something different. Just because it didn't work for me doesn't mean it won't work for others.

I started with naturally formulated products, free of potentially toxins, silicones, and sulfates, but packaged in plastic , even though I didn't know about solid shampoos and conditioners. The curl definition was good, but my hair felt even drier. I started making homemade masks with avocado, aloe vera, and coconut oil, but I couldn't get my hair to stay hydrated.

Furthermore, although they were products, a priori, better for my skin and less polluting to the water, they were packaged in plastic and, a few months later, I had already advanced enough in the Zero Waste movement to know that I wanted to take a step further and opt for solid products.

I tried several brands of shampoo and conditioner bars, including homemade ones, and the results were bordering on disastrous . I also couldn't find any solution to define my curls after washing that wasn't packaged in plastic.

Do you know what happened? For a few months, I went back to the conventional brand I'd used for 20 years.

My ultimate routine

While I was in this state of frustration, my friend Stella set up the online store Alma Eko, and I noticed it had a brand of solid shampoos and conditioners I'd heard great things about but hadn't tried yet. I decided to give LaMalvaflor 's dry hair shampoo and conditioner a try. What a success! From the first wash, I noticed significant changes . In fact, the results were so good that for the first time in many years, I dared not to use any curl-defining products after showering. There was some frizz, yes, but it was quite tolerable.

Soon after, Alma Eko introduced Matarrania Anti-Frizz Oil . I decided to try it. Absolutely wonderful! Finally, a curl-defining solution packaged in a glass container!

In short, my curly hair care routine is very simple and I will explain it to you below:

• I washed with LaMalvaflor's avocado shampoo for dry hair . It smells amazing (which is another thing that put me off in some cases because I'm a bit of a scent freak) and it's very creamy and moisturizing . In fact, the brand indicates that it can also be used as a conditioner. This isn't my case because I have a lot of hair, very curly and prone to dryness, but I'm sure it would be enough for many people with "easier" hair.
• I hydrate and help detangle with La Malvaflor conditioner . As I said, I do need this extra boost. In fact, I still need extra hydration, so I also use a mask, but I'll tell you more about that later.
• I remove excess moisture with a towel, comb my hair, and finish detangling with a beechwood and natural rubber brush . It's plastic-free, so it doesn't frizz . It also doesn't have balls at the tips of the bristles, so it detangles without breaking the hair . Stella gave me this brush to try. Since it's worked so well for me, she's going to include it in the Alma Eko catalog. It will be available in a couple of weeks.
• On wet hair, I use Matarrania's anti-frizz hair serum . The brand indicates that, depending on the type and amount of hair, you may need more or less product. They talk about between 1 and 5 drops. In my case, I need more to achieve the result I want. I use two full applications with the diffuser. But again, I have an overwhelming amount of hair. I apply this product from the mid-lengths to the ends and perform the completely simplified scrunch technique . You can watch this video , which explains this technique in detail, but I don't do all of that. I just apply the product all over my hair (I don't bother doing it strand by strand) and do the movement you see in the image.

And that's it . That's my routine. I don't use a hairdryer; I don't have one. I let my hair air dry. I don't use special towels, or satin pillowcases, or do the most suitable updos for sleeping or anything like that.

Extra hydration

The only thing I do about every 10 days is apply a homemade mask . My hair and skin are extremely dry. It doesn't matter what I use to remedy it. I'm afraid the key isn't so much the moisturizing products I use, but rather the fact that I don't drink enough water, no matter how hard I try.

Again, for simplicity, I usually just use coconut oil . But you can mix in other ingredients like egg, avocado, aloe vera, etc.

Coconut oil has regenerative properties, is very moisturizing and nourishing, but doesn't leave a greasy feeling. I apply it from the mid-lengths to the ends, for at least half an hour, before showering. It leaves my hair very soft and shiny.

Shea butter can also be used as a mask. It provides even greater hydration, making it recommended for damaged hair , such as hair straighteners or dyes, and also as a rescue treatment during or after the summer , for example.

Another option is to use both ingredients together, creating this calendula balm, the recipe for which can be found on Alma Eko's blog and which can be used as a hair mask.

If any curly girl is reading this , she'll be clutching her head and probably would love to ask me the following question: "Can you imagine how your hair would look if you did the full routine of the method?" Yes, it would look even better. I'd get more out of it. But I like it this way already and I'm not willing to invest more time in hair care . In general, in my life, I need things to be simple. I consider myself a minimalist. If you're interested and enjoy doing the full method, go for it, of course.

Another option: Beauty Kubes

In recent weeks I have been trying out another of the hair care brands available at Alma Eko: Beauty Kubes .

I have to admit I was surprised. I tried the shampoo and conditioner for dry hair. Here are my impressions:

• As for curl definition , I think it's the same as with LaMalvaflor. After washing, I used Matarrania's anti-frizz hair serum. But one day I tried not using anything, and the result was worse than without the serum, but tolerable and practically the same as when I made that change with LaMalvaflor.

• Regarding hydration , I do think I've noticed some change there. LaMalvaflor products are especially creamy and, I think, more hydrating. My hair hasn't noticed any drier in the last few days, but my scalp has felt itchy. Be careful, this could be due to the seasonal change in temperature. In any case, something I could try is Beauty Kubes' sensitive scalp range to see if this improves.

• And speaking of the format , I admit that at first I wasn't convinced by the cube format. I thought it was a bit cumbersome, but I've since seen that I was wrong, because it's quite the opposite. I was wondering if one cube would be enough for all my hair, since I have a lot of it. And yes, one cube is more than enough. This makes me think that other people with less and/or short hair can use only half a cube with each wash, so the product will last longer.

What I liked most about this format is the conditioner. With the LaMalvaflor bar, I feel like I'm not distributing the product well, especially when there's only a small amount left. The way the Beauty Kubes are used makes it very easy and more even to distribute.

And of course, this format is perfect for traveling or if you're going to the gym. Only once, while traveling, I got distracted and didn't leave my LaMalvafor shampoo drying in a soap dish with a drain (something that's very important), and it broke. That doesn't happen with dice.

This is what works for me. I'll emphasize again that in the world of curly hair, we're very clear that not everything works the same for everyone. In fact, in recent weeks I've been trying out another brand available at Alma Eko , Beauty Kubes . I'm hesitant to give you a verdict yet because I've used it a few times, but you'll find my review on Alma Eko's social media later this week.

I hope this post has helped you get inspired to switch to a curly hair care routine that's better for your hair and the planet .