KaDasya’s (Twitter: @dasyalove, IG: @mindofdasya) is here to shed some light on weird things that can help our natural hair strengthen and shine!

As naturals, we’re known to put everything and anything in our hair. If it gives us shine moisture and enhances our curls we’re trying it. Nothing is off limits, from mayonnaise, eggs, and any fruit or plant oil we can get our hands on. Below are four items that’ll work wonders for your tresses. They may seem crazy, but they’re definitely worth it.

Beer

Yes, you’ve read it correctly. With the acid, protein, and malt, beer can be used to soften, revert heat damage, thicken and add shine to natural hair. Simply use either before shampoo and conditioner or after. My best bet is before to assure the smell of beer is completely gone. Make sure beer is completely flat (no bubbles) before using. Pour the beer into hair, saturate, let sit for at minimum 2 minutes and rinse. Hair should be left feeling soft, curly, and shiny. For the ladies in the under 21 club like myself non-alcoholic beer can be used just as well. It’s even preferred. Nonalcoholic beer can be purchased at stores like Target, Wegmans, and Wal-Mart.

Blackstrap Molasses

We all heard of using honey in the hair but not always molasses. I personally don’t like the taste but if it helps my hair in any way I’ll add it to the grocery cart. Blackstrap molasses is filled with essential minerals such as zinc, copper, calcium, and iron, which results in stronger thicker hair, and it can even promote hair growth. Blackstrap molasses also combat gray hair, either preventing it or returning hair back to its natural color. In order to see results in hair, take two teaspoons of blackstrap molasses daily. It can be put into coffee, tea, milkshakes, smoothies or even cakes and cookies as a sugar replacement. Blackstrap molasses can be found at stores like Wal-Mart. While researching I also found that blackstrap molasses is a powerful home remedy curing anything from cancerous tumors or acne to menstrual cramps.

Black Tea

Tea is not only good for your inside but your outsides as well. It can help with toning, acne, and your hair. But let’s focus on the hair shall we? Has your hair been falling out? No matter what you do on wash day is there always a lot of hair left in your detangling tools? You should add black tea into your wash day regimen. Using black tea will alleviate the breakage and reduce shedding. Due to black tea’s high caffeine levels, the caffeine stops an enzyme DHT (dihydrotestosterone) which causes hair loss. Black tea also darkens hair. To get the full benefits of black tea take 2- 4 bags of tea (depending on amount of hair), add it to 2 cups of boiling water, and let steep for a few hours, pour tea on freshly washed hair, let sit for 30 minutes, and then apply deep conditioner while tea is still in, let sit another 30 minutes, then rinse. Do this constantly and take notice to how the breakage and shedding increase.

Emergen-C

Did you do a semi-permanent color on your hair that didn’t end up the color that you wanted it to be or not as pictured on the label? You don’t want to wait the weeks until the color washes out to re-dye it. Here’s the trick you need. Adding Emergen-C or Vitamin C powder to your shampoo will suck that color right out. Due to Vitamin C’s high levels of ascorbic and citric acid, it opens the hair cuticle, allowing it to extract the color returning it to the color before the dye. You can use this method also if you want to naturally lighten your hair; just add the powder every time you shampoo. If done without shampoo and added to plain water instead, Vitamin C can lock in hair color, allowing it to shine and keep the color vibrant for a longer wear. Just add one packet of the powder to water allowing it to make a paste consistency and add it to wet hair, let sit five minutes, shampoo out and bask in the longevity of your beloved hair color.

Who knew all these products had such great prospects? It’s like striking gold when we find new products that works for our hair. Try these out and let us know how they worked for you.

Have you used any of these unordinary products? Did it do what it was supposed to? Do you have any other peculiar hair product not mentioned above?