Where do I buy my all of my black hair care products in Spain?

If you’re a black woman thinking about moving to Spain, you might be wondering…

How will I take care of my hair? 🤷🏾‍♀️

…Where will I buy all of my favorite products??

Do they even sell black hair products at the local stores??? 🤔

I’m about to give you all the answers!

I live in a city about 30 minutes from Barcelona, so finding what I need can be a challenge sometimes. My hair is natural, and I usually wear it out in a fro or twist out. But when I first moved here, I had a really hard time finding the right products for my hair. Mercadona is the most popular grocery store chain in this country and they do not sell anything for afro hair types. I didn’t know where else to look, so for a while I relied on Garnier Fructise for the first few months. Big mistake. My hair was always dry even though I used coconut and olive oil to moisturize it. But at least it always smelled good af! 💁🏽‍♀️

There’s also another really popular store called Carrefour. It’s basically the Spanish version of Walmart. It’s an amazing place to shop for anything, except of course hair products. You will only find shampoos, conditioners and leave ins for finer, silkier hair types. I’ve only come across a couple stores that actually sell afro hair products, (Im sure there are more in Barcelona and other large cities) and while they do have a wide selection, they also tend to over charge.

So with that being said, while living in Spain, Amazon.es has become my new best friend! You can find pretty much anything you’re looking for, for a decent price. However I did notice that the Shea Mositure products are VERY expensive. Im talking like 20-30 euros per bottle. Here’s some of my favorite hair care products I have bought so far.

Organic Shea butter: (15.95€ for a whole Kilo or 2.2 pounds, I bought 2 of these buckets) which normally lasts me about 6-8 months. No more fancy scented lotions or body butters, shea is all I need! The winters here aren’t that cold but it can really dry out your skin, so make sure you stock up if you want your skin to stay silky and smooth.

Twisted Sista leave in conditioner: (10.31€) This stuff is amazing!! It’s perfect for keeping my low porosity hair hydrated and has a light, refreshing scent.

Extra virgin coconut oil: (8.99€) Its vegan, and comes in this big jar, which should last me 6 montgs since I dont use it for cooking. You can also find coconut oil for half tge price at Mercadona and most of the other grocery stores, but they usually only have one or two different brands.

Pure sweet Almond oil: (9.99€) I had to make sure I got a good light weight sealing oil, because even though I love my shea butter, it’s way too heavy for my hair. This bottle is half a liter, and lasts me several months. My husband, who is Catalan loves his oils. He asked me if my almond oil was edible and I said umm…yes but don’t even think about it eating it! 🛑 🙅🏽‍♀️….by the way, when are there going to come up with emoji with afros??

Bentonite Clay: (11.99€ for a kilo)This is probably one of the best things I could have ever added to my natural hair regime. I use this clay mask once a week on my hair and face. Sometimes twice if I have extra time. Since using bentonite clay on my hair, I’ve honestly stopped using shampoo, as it removes all the build up and toxins from my scalp and strands, AND leaves my hair super soft and defined. I mix Apple cider with my clay but to be honest, I just buy the stuff that comes in a big ass plastic bottle from Mercadona for only 0.60€. Raw Apple Cider on Amazon.es is crazy expensive, and I think they only sell the Bragg brand, which is like 20€ a bottle. However I have seen some other spanish websites that sell other brands for much cheaper.

Castor oil: (8.99€ for a 250ml bottle) I’ve been putting this oil on my scalp since way back when I was a kid. It’s the only only my mom ever used on my hair and I really believe it does promote faster, thicker hair growth! Especially for eyebrows and lashes.

Novex deep conditioning mask treatment: (12.99€) It smells like fresh coconuts, and really helps penetrate my hair and get all that moisture in.

Denman Brush 5 rows: (10.31€) This is the best hair brush I’ve ever used! It does an amazing job at detangling my kinky curly hair. I think I might upgrade to a 7 row brush at some point since my hair is super thick! I’ve only had this brush for a few weeks and it’s already looking all bent outta shape.

These are just some of the products I have been using lately. I really like to experiment with different leave ins and hair masks, mostly because I like to switch it up with different scents. One day I might want to smell like a tropical forest filled with coconuts 🥥 and the next day maybe I’ll wanna go for a more flowery scent 🌺. Buying your favorite hair care products while abroad can be really easy, but you may have to get used to making all of your purchases online. It can be kinda hard when I want to try out something new, because I can’t see what the products smells like before I buy it. So normally I’ll do a little research on YouTube first to get some opinions.

I love wearing out my natural hair. And to be honest, while living here I haven’t even really come across any stores that sell bundles or lace front wigs. In the summer natural hair can seem overwhelming at times cause it gets so hot. But the best thing about the heat in Spain is that for those few months I feel like my hair is no longer low porosity! My hair dries crazy fast and whenever I put any products in my hair, it’s actually gets fully absorbed into my strands!

If you are a black woman living abroad, have you had a hard time finding the right products for your hair in the stores? Have you found any new leave ins or conditioners that have worked well for your hair? ( I like stuff that smells amazingly good 😉) I have always wondered if other black women living in Europe are able to easily find hair products without having to shop online. Feel free to share your experiences or recommendations!