What is SOFT???

So the other day on CN, there was a post about soft curls. I started thinking about it and realized that I really don't think I've ever had soft hair. I just kept a DC in for like 4 hours (doing my mom's hair) and it felt like..ummm...

Oh, it felt like Barbie doll hair that's been uncombed and the hair feels rough but able to comb. Not quite straw-like, but not what I would call soft! Don't act like yall never jacked Barbie's hair

I've gotten rid of protein in my products, so I don't know what I'm doing wrong!

What do you ladies do to get cottony soft hair? Is soft hair an objective experience? Someone needs to come feel my hair and tell me what you think

Hi there, you must be referring to the softer hair post
anyways, I think it would be alot of trail and error in order for you to get the results you are looking for but I know when my hair is soft it has a gentle silky feel to it and i have to put handcuffs on because of HIH syndrome I don't know if I answered your ? or not what have you been using

Hi Mel, when my hair is "soft" it has the feel of a really good "real" cotton ball. The only things that I do are:

1. pre-poo with some type of oil, EVOO, EVCO, etc
2. shampoo every week with KC Come Clean
3. DC every other week, with HH Hello Hydration, honey and EVOO. Sometimes I'll add a little Amla to it, but not all of the time.
4. Condition and detangle if needed with KCKT

HTH

Mel,

That is a good question. I never thought about articulating "soft." All I know is when I use certain products, I get "soft" hair that everyone wants to touch, including me--LOL. The following ALWAYS give me soft hair.
1. Like AJ, pre-pooing with oil. I use various combinations, but EVCO and/or EVOO is always in the mix and I generally pre-poo overnight or at least 4 - 6 hrs.
2. ACV in the 1T/1c distilled water ratio
3, Kimmaytube leave in using the KCNT
5. Bentonite clay treatments
6. KBB Luscious Locks
7. AOWC

Bueno suerte!

Hi Mel,
It could be that even with extended DCing you are not bringing your hair back into the ph range where your cuticle is closed.
What products are you using?

The thing about soft hair that I've discovered is that perception is a big part of it. I never consider(ed) my hair soft at all, but almost everyone who touches my hair compliments me on how soft my hair is and I'm always like, '.... really?!?!' So, it's weird. I don't think it's soft, but others do.

Hey everyone,

Thanks for some useful tips. Here's my current regimen:

Pre-poo with Amla Gold and EVOO before every wash (every 2 weeks)
Wash with Curls Cleanser
Condition/Detangle with Curls Coconut Condish
DC after every wash with Shea Moisture Deep Treatment Masque with added EVOO
Leave-In KCKT (just used it today)
Style with Curls Souflee and seal with EVCO

I moisturize with:
Curls Souflee and seal with EVCO (stretched styles)
water and EVCO (twists/coils, etc).

@ Falcon: I never considered Ph balance before...something to research!

Such a great point Falcon made! That is why the Kimmaytube and the ACV yields soft hair. About 1 month ago, I started using ACV solely as my routine cleanser because needing to ACV rinse after shampoo bars was adding an extra step and I have been trying to cut down on wash day time. Mel, the ACV and the aloe in the Kimmaytube )not the KCKT itself b/c it is not ph balanced helps to lower the cuticle, creating smoothness and thus softness. The thing about softness, like everything else I am discovering about hair is, there are many factors to every outcome. On the other spectrum of the ph scale, clays like Bentonite and Rhassoul cause the hair to be extremely soft but they are alkaline products (I use monthly). You will notice ingredients with emollient qualities create softness. I am including a few examples in case you and/or others are interested in the info: macadamia nut oil, shea, cupuacu butter, coconut oil (I did not list any synthetic ones). I have an entire word document somewhere with a list of many emollients and some references. I will look for that and post when I get a chance.
Bueno suerte!

@nola...Thanks so much for the very helpful information. I will be go to Kimmaytube's channel to continue reading up on it and attempt an AVC rinse. I've also heard such wonderful things about it, but honestly I've just not been too thrilled to put vinegar in my hair...sounds strange!

But I will be trying it on my next wash day. Any other info you have would be great too!

MelMelBee wrote:@nola...Thanks so much for the very helpful information. I will be go to Kimmaytube's channel to continue reading up on it and attempt an AVC rinse. I've also heard such wonderful things about it, but honestly I've just not been too thrilled to put vinegar in my hair...sounds strange!

But I will be trying it on my next wash day. Any other info you have would be great too!

Hi Mel,
Pleae note that ACV isn't the only thing that naturallynola mentioned that can bring your ph back into the range where your cuticle is closed. You can also use aloe vera juice. I don't like the odor of vinegar, so I have not tried it, but everyone says that the odor does not last.

Here is the link to the Kimmaytube video I veiwed:

https://www.youtube.com/user/kimmaytube#p/u/47/Sohj1nnCOGs

You can forward to 5:10 mark for a slide.

HTH

I thought I knew soft before, but I have to say, I did an overnight DC with MyHoneyChild honey hair mask and it was something I'd never felt before. SOFT! Like cotton wool! Like baby hair! Can't wait for the weekend to DC again! I was going to make a thread about it. I used to give people the side-eye when they said their hair was like butter!

I know I sound like an advert, but seriously! SOFT!

Falcon, I am quite sensitive to smells and stayed away from ACV for the longest time b/c of the smell. Really, it does not last. By the time I set my hair after the Kimmaytube, I don't smell it anymore. I think it is one of nature's unsung heroes. Besides cleansing/clarifying/ph balancing/giving softness/imparting shine/ it also has antiseptic qualities & its cheap. I use the Bragg's Organic and its about $3.00 at WF for 32 oz (I think). Its a winner in my book. Now that it is warmer, using it twice a wk, I haven't noticed anything but favorable results! Give it a try.

LOL @ Jo "cotton wool". I'd be happy if my hair felt like "polyester" at this point...LOL! I'm really going to try the ACV rinse. I have to re-read on humectants too, because when my hair was overly porous, I stayed away from aloe and honey...but now, I may be able to incorporate them back into my regimen.

Mel, I don't know why I didn't mention this before, but some ""food"" items result in softness: bananas (I buy the baby food- imparts great moisture and softness, honey, EVOO, EVCO, hempseed oil (I love, love, love this oil), yogurt, coconut milk, molasses(don't use alone (humectant), and avocado. Now, if you are protein sensitive, I would tread lightly until I knew if I was sensitive to anything with any degree of protein. I discovered I can't use yogurt at all. Also, molasses is not my friend. Tried a little of Falcon's standby--Burt Bee's Avocado pre-shampoo and I was just a little sensitive to that.

If you don't pre-poo with oil overnight, I recommend this for everyone. If you can use EVCO, I find it to be super--soft hair, it has good detangling abilities, penetrates the hair shaft, strengthens hair. Its a good pre-poo oil. Olive oil is another emollient and mixed with EVCO in a 50/50 ratio will give great results (added softness) and cheaper than 100% EVCO. I think I mis-named my document b/c I shouldn't have had any problems finding it.
Bueno suerte!

Hey Ladies,

For those that use the kimmaytube leave in...do you just use it as a leave in or do you use it as a styler too? I'm hype to try it...wash day can't come quick enough.

It is my styler. I use the KCNT (and AVG instead of the juice) and usually don't add oils.

I was looking for softness too, and I have found it!! Joico moisture recovery balm! This DC is the TRUTH! Softness out of this world, felt like a didn't even need a leave in. I suggest anyone with dryness to try it!

I'm so glad I came here b/c I just started a thread similar to this one on the new curlynikki forum. My problem is hair feels soft anytime it is wet or damp but once it dries I feel like it's not as soft as before. A part of me thinks it is the products that I use and after reading some things on here today I think it could be that I never dry my hair before adding products. Now when I feel individual clumps of curls they feel soft and moisturized but my head as a whole mmm not so much...I know, confusing.