Straight From the Kitchen: 100 Homemade DIY Hair Recipes by Marquette Bragg is a nappy natural girl’s dream resource for her hair. It is an affordable, easy to use, and very extensive book of recipes. From pre-poos to special treatments, it is all in this book. However, Marquette shares so more than ingredients. We learn the nutritional value of each ingredient and the benefits of using the ingredient in our hair. This book is straight to the point, easy to read and follow.
Plus, the ingredients most of the recipes call for are shared and affordable. The book also highlights some key advice for using food products in your hair. For example, Marquette reminds us, “The better quality products you purchase, the better results.” The book shopping list only calls for 26 ingredients. A great deal of them can be found at your local farmers market, e.g., about straight avocado, carrots, and lemon.
Marquette was gracious enough to answer a few questions about Straight From The Kitchen: 100 Homemade DIY Hair Recipes.
NNG: Which recipes out of the book do you find yourself using the most?
MB: Coconut and Olive Oil (Pre-Poo) it helps my hair not become so dry during the shampoo process. Shampooing can often strip the hair of oils and moisture. Also one of the Avocado Conditioners; my hair loves Avocado so any one of the avocado conditioners. I’m mixing up Spritz with Aloe Vera Juice I use daily to hydrate my hair.
NNG: I watch a lot of natural hair videos, and I see lots of natural sistas mixing up their hair recipes and pulling off beautiful styles. Can women who have relaxed hair use food products and still get good results? If so, what recipes would you recommend?
MB: Anyone with any hair type, relaxed, natural or transitioning can use these recipes. The relaxing process just changes the hair texture, but hair is hair. You still have to care for it and maintain it. Using hair recipes, you know exactly what is being put in your hair, and you can adjust accordingly.
NNG: I see naturals complain a lot about shrinkage. What ingredients from Straight From the Kitchen will help with shrinkage issues?
MB: Lol! I’m part of the high shrinkage club (HSC). To lessen the shrinkage, I use almost any regiment, but those containing oils and doing a treatment under a plastic cap and dryer can help. The key is to stretch the hair with chunky twists or braids. I love my shrinkage.
NNG: One of the things that make me nervous about using food recipes is that I am afraid that it might get stuck in my locks. What advice do you have for your locked readers picking recipes?
MB: You can substitute most ingredients with a baby food (e.g., bananas, carrots), dilute with water and strain. I sometimes wash my hair with braids or twists. At first, didn’t know about using baby food or straining. I had a hard time with the avocado and banana.
NNG: Are there any more Homemade DIY books in your future?
MB: I may do another one because there are so many recipes that I didn’t include, and people love the option of having options when it comes to hair recipes.
If you have been looking for good hair recipes this is the book.
This is great information. As we transition to fall I’ll use this.
Love all of this information as a naturalist and DIY loc wearer. I appreciate the conversation about shrinkage too as i do my daughters extremely curly and extremely long hair that appears shorter due to shrinkage. Thank you
I’m excited about getting this book! I’m about to start a DIY self-care series for my Youtube channel so this will be helpful.
I’ve never made a hair recipe. I watch the how to videos but I fall short. I need to get a fall remedy lined up.
I was just telling someone that I have to moisturize my daughters’ hair before I shampoo and use conditioner. The coconut oil and olive oil recipe will be the next one I try.
I’m entirely too lazy (I think) to make my hair concoctions on a regular basis. I usually do it two or three times in a row, but then fall off for a while and then go back. Having recipes at my fingertips would help so much, especially with winter, and hats coming!
I used to make my own pre-poo. My hair was doing great with it too. It became too much of a task, so I stopped and my hair is suffering. I’ve been considering doing it again.