Gotta have a Big Sister faslt!

Just did my BC bout 3 weeks ago. Trying to figure this whole thing out. I BC'd because I was sick of relaxing my hair and I want my hair to be healthy like it was when I was a child. I really need some guidance before my head explodes from information overload. Please help!

LOVE LOVE LOVE your BC! Congrats on liberating your hair...it loves you for that! OK, so I know how you feel. I've been natural for a while, but I am still learning so much about caring for my natural hair.

First things first! If you haven't already, find out what kind of hair you have. Is your hair overly porous, coarse, fine, etc? This will determine what products you should use in your hair. Check out livecurlylivefree.com and she will tell you how to determine your hair type.

Secondly, familiarize yourself with ingredients. Based on your hair type and porosity, you may need extra moisture or extra protein! Therefore, it's important to know what your products have in them. There are lists of ingredients on the site listed above.

Third, don't be afraid to experiment to find the right combination of products (even though, I hate the experimentation phase...costs a lot of money). i've just learned that extra virgin coconut oil is my new BFF.

Fourth, don't fall in love with old pictures of yourself or pictures of other people's hair, thinking "my hair will look just like this one day". It may go back to the way it was when you were younger, or it may not! Either way, it will be healthy and you will look gorgeous!!! Love YOUR hair!

Hope this helps!

Peace and Love

You know what, that's what I'm having the most hard time figuring out - what type of hair I have! Because it's so short, it's hard to figure out my hair type - plus I still have random short relaxed ends. I have noticed that my hair is dry all the time. I use a veg. glceryin, jojoba oil, castor oil and water mix right now. It's working, but knowing what kind of hair I have would make this soooooo much easier.

Oh yeah, you are giving great face on that photo honey! Loves it!!

If your hair is dry all the time, you may need to consider adding more protein to the mix. I'm sure you have read somewhere that if your hair is damaged from chemicals (usually overly porous), it can take in moisture easy, but it loses moisture easy as well, so despite all your moisturizing, it will still feel dry.

The oils that you are using in your mix are great moisturizers, but if your hair shaft is damaged, it's going in and out. Protein treatments work to fill in the damaged areas, so that the hair cuticle lays flat (like fish scales) to allow moisture in and then be sealed to keep it in.

100% Aloe (from a whole foods place or GNC) is a great moisturizer. It's a humectant so it allows for your hair to take in moisture (glycerin is a humectant too). Then you need to seal it, so the moisture can stay inside. That's when you bring out your jojoba and shea butters to seal the cuticle, preventing moisture from escaping and keeping frizz away.

So with all that said try a protein treatment (Henna is an excellent protein treatment), then follow up with a deep conditioner (without protein in it). Coconut oil is awesome, it is the only oil that penetrates 90% into the hair shaft....I read that on one of my info overload days

Hope this helps!

PS- I was just messing around with my godmom's camera when I took this This was one in the many of me taking pics of random things....my feet, the sky, ants on the ground...LOL

I'm so happy you told me all this. I went to a Natural food store on my lunch break and racked up on some items. So let's do this, I tell you all I've got and you can give me some pointers on how to use them. Here we go:

Veg. Glycerin
Jojoba oil
Almond oil
Castor oil
Grapeseed oil
Avocado oil
Peppermint oil
Vitamin E drops
Rosemary oil
Tea Tree oil
Raw Shea Butter
Aloe Vera Gel
Coconut oil
Raw Coco Butter

Told you I was a product junkie. LOL

OMGosh!!! You weren't lying Madam PJ...OK, let's see.

Essential Oils (Peppermint, Almond, Rosemary) must have a carrier product when you use them. You can't apply them directly to your scalp.

Coconut Oil, Jojoba, Grapeseed and possible coco butter can be carriers for the essential oils.

Aloe Vera and Glycerin are humectants and draw moisture to your hair...if you frizz alot, then avoid these on hot humid days. Honey is also a humectant. Humectants are great moisturizers.

If you frizz, it's best to use the above products together with an anti-humectant. One moisturizes, then the other seals in the moisture (anti-humectants)

Castor Oil, Jojoba Oil, Coconut Oil, Avocado Oil (also protein), Coco butter, Shea butter are anti-humectants which lock moisture out. These are great for hot humid days if you get the frizzies. Most of these provide moisture. Some would argue about Shea butter, because it's used in African as a water-proofing agent. Therefore, the argument is that it does not really moisturize.

So you really have to experiment to find your perfect combination. Some people say castor oil and shea butter is too heavy. It works wonders for others. Make sure you look online to find "recipes" for those essential oils.

Did I hit on everything???? Probably not, I mean you had like 45 items on the list...smiles LOL

Have a great weekend!

Anyone else know something I don't????? Join in!

Yesterday I used a little leave in condish, then a glycerin oils mixture, a bit a shea butter and some gel and I have to tell you - my curls were on point! I just woke up and my hair still looks good. Thanks for everything. I think now I have to figure out what my hair likes and doesn't like. I think I'm good on products for a long time! LOL

I am really frustrated with family members making rude comments about my natural hair. In the span of two minutes I was called a "pickaninny" by my mother and was told by my cousin the my hair just is not working. Why are people so mean about natural hair? Why is it considered unattractive and unprofessional to go natural? Comments anyone? Thanks for letting me vent.

People reject what they don't understand. I went natural because I wanted healthy hair. Society has made it to where having straight hair is the norm. If you go outside the norm, your viewed negativly. People are ignorant and stupid. Keep on keeping on and don't let negative comments get you down. I bet your hair is thanking you the whole step of the way! LOL

UGH!!!

Okay so, I did the BIG CHOP about a month ago. Hair is crazy DRY..YUCK! Im turning to a porduct junkie myself and honestly have NO idea what I am doing. What's my regimen? Hmm, what is that. What products I use hmm a little bit of everything. I need some organization with my hair. It's going WILD. lol! OH and to top it off I wanted to create my own post on the general discussion board thingy and I don't know how to do that....help!! LOL!

...by the way, Hello naturally beautiful women!

Thanks! =)

Thanks for the reply. Still fighting with family put downs, but I'm really committed to staying natural.

Are you living in Germany?

No, actually Germany is my nickname. My mother startied calling me Germany when I was in HS. My name is Germaine.