4 Natural Hair Hacks for the College Curly Girl

College- one of the best and also most stressful times in our lives. In between studying and class, there’s almost no time for anything else. Being in college can be especially difficult if you are in the beginning stages of a natural hair journey.

If your school is on a campus removed from different stores, you may not have any clue how to get what you need to help your natural hair. Below are five hair hacks to make things easier for the college curly girl:

Use conditioner for more than one purpose

Conditioner is definitely your best friend during any hair journey. A good conditioner gives us added moisture, great slip, and eases our detangling sessions. Conditioner is an interesting hair product because it can be used for so many different purposes.

To save money, invest in a few bottles of a good conditioner. It can be your cowash, rinse out, deep conditioner* and leave in all in one. Learn how to manipulate your conditioner to get it to serve these different purposes.

Add a little tea tree oil* to a handful of conditioner to get rid of excess buildup; add your favorite oil mix to more conditioner and let it sit for 20 minutes underneath a heating cap to deep condition. You will find that you’ll have a steady stream of conditioner, but you won’t have to kick out the excess cash for other hair products if you don’t want to.

Use plastic bags for deep conditioning*

I actually learned this trick while studying abroad in college! Although it’s extremely important for us to deep condition our curls, don’t feel like you need to buy thousands of shower caps* if you don’t want to. There’s a much easier alternative: using plastic shopping bags that we probably already have laying around!

After washing your hair and applying deep conditioner*, place the plastic bag on top of your hair and smooth it down until it’s flat on top of your head.

Tie the handles together and tuck them under. For extra deep conditioning* (or if you need to run out), put a hat on top of the bag. Nobody will know the difference! Using plastic bags takes away the extra expense and it’s super convenient.

Invest in at least one good oil

Don’t feel like you need an entire array of products to maintain your hair. If you’re limited in either space or money, you can continue your hair regimen with the essentials.

There are plenty of oils out there that have benefits for natural hair. Pick your favorite oil and use it for different purposes, just like with conditioner. Oils* are good for pre-pooing, oil rinses, hot oil treatments, sealing hair, and even reducing frizz when taking styles down.

You can also find most oils (like coconut* and EVOO) at the supermarket, so if you have one near campus it’ll be much easier.

They are also a cheap investment, with some oils* being less than $10. Play with different oils and see which have the most benefits for your hair. If you feel comfortable adding more into your regimen, you definitely can.

DIY some recipes

Even if you’re living in a dorm, it’s still possible to become a curly DIY mixtress! Sometimes, the best products are the ones we make ourselves. Do some research into different DIY mixes, and find out what works best for you hair. Order things like bentonite clay*, that can have multiple uses.

You can make your own butters*, gels, stylers, and cleansers that may possibly work better than something store bought. The best part is that most ingredients are pretty cheap, and DIY products can be made in larger quantities so that they last longer.

Shop online

Like I said before, your school might be somewhere that you can’t get to a store or access to certain products that you need. Luckily, we live in the age of technology, so what you need may only be a few clicks away!

Since the natural hair movement is getting so popular, you can find new brands almost every day on different social media sites like Instagram and Twitter.

There are always competitive prices online on websites like Target and Walmart. For extra deals, you can try websites like Amazon and Loux.

Amazon offers two day shipping and discounts almost all the time. MyLoux.com is made specifically for hair products, and they have products separated by need. Save yourself the hassle of trying to hunt for certain products, and just let them come to you!

If you decide to embark on or continue a natural hair journey while you’re in college, don’t think it has to be a major drain of money or time. You can make a few alterations that can actually make the journey easier. Once you learn exactly what works for you and your mane, stick with it and your hair will thank you!