BIG SIS AT YOUR SERVICE

Btw CN's swears by hennah for her thickness

Also, try using less product and fluffing your hair for thickness. Also. with my hair I find that if I use smaller sections my finished look is thicker.

@ NC - loving the new pic, your hair looks great! So healthy and moisturized - thumbs up

@NY- ROTFL @ TIA.

thnx belle it looked so good the night but I kept running my fingers through it. Needless to say by the next morning there was frizz. But hey my first wash and go was a success. I Strayed from the protective hairstyle path but I just wanted to try it. Besides I learned a valuable lesson: never spritz anything onto the hair to revive it, it will only create frizz.

Love, peace and much hairgrease

naturallychelsea wrote:Btw CN's swears by hennah for her thickness

Also, try using less product and fluffing your hair for thickness. Also. with my hair I find that if I use smaller sections my finished look is thicker.

I tried doing smaller twists and the result was much better.

Great NY did you take any pics?

I'm sorry I've been so MIA. The end of the semester is coming to a close, and I'm sure you ladies know how that goes.

Anywho, I didn't take pictures. I was tempted to, but the twists weren't as neat as I'd like them to be for pictures, lol. I tried twisting again and this time rolling them and it didn't work.

I think I want to try a different style. Maybe two strand twists aren't my thing.

Lol... don't give up yet NY. It took me awhile to perfect my styles you'll get it. I'm rooting for ya and I hear ya on the work front ugghh.

Thanks!

I had a lot of shedding, more than usual. I've been wearing my hair pulled back in a ponytail. Is that natural?

Well shedding is normal unfortunately. The point where the natural and relaxed hair meets is called the line of demarcation and is very fragile. This is probably the result of your shedding. To help manage this you can try manipulating your hair less, detangling only on wash days with a slippery conditioner. Also the tension of ponytails can cause pulling on the strands.

The best advice I can give you hun is to keep trying the twist outs, braid outs and bantu knots. Not only are these styles gorgeous but they do not create tension in the hair providing you wear your hair loosely.

HTH

I guess I'll stick to the two strand twists. I actually like the way my hair looks twisted, so maybe I'll leave the twists in.

Lucky you with your twist outs

BTW love the avi

If it's not one thing, it's another. I two strand twisted my hair last night with the intent of wearing them as they were for a few days. I even tried a different way of wrapping my hair to preserve the twists, especially the ends! When I took off the scarf and bonnet this morning, aside from some serious shrinking on one side, and long, hanging twists on the other, some of the twists were all over the place; sticking up and out. However, my hair looks and feels so moisturized, and I was ale to do a relatively cute updo (without putting tension on my hair!). I'm usually afraid to do updos on my natural dry hair because my front always looks rough, and I always have to gel it down. But not this time! I think I've found my protective style. (Or at least until I can find something else that works for me)

@NC: Thanks!

Hi ladies!!

Sorry I've been MIA lately, lots going on at work and everything.
@NY, luv the avi . I'm glad to hear you're finding your staple protective style. Have you tried shea butter on the front of your hair? My hair in the front was always looking rough and dried out but my shea mixture has gone a long way towards fixing that...

That reminds me, ladies, if you weren't aware of it, there is a sale going on at butters-n-bars.com -- 15% off through the entire month of Dec. I just found out today and I can't wait to make another purchase, luv their products

@NC - lady, how's your hair fearing so far this winter?
Have you heard from the other curlies? I wonder how they're all managing, this winter seems to be coming with a bang. LOL

Later curlies,
B

Hey belle its freezing here but amidst all of this my hair has grown!!! So the moral of this story ladies is if you leave your hair alone and stop fixating on growth it will.

but how are all you other lovely ladies who have been MIA lately. How's the weather treating you and how are those tresses?

@belle: Thanks For my recent twist outs I have been using Cantu's Leave-in Shea Butter as opposed to the hair food my mom gave me. The hair food makes my strands feel good and moisturized, but not the front. Cantu moisturizes my who head and it makes my hair extremely soft. I love it! I want to buy more of their products because I'm excited to find something that works for me.

Oh wow, i feel like i just found the best forum for me. lol I have been natural for about two years but i have had some devastating adventures (BC'd 3 times) because of lack of knowledge and extreme dry hair. I live in Chicago so our winters are devastating to my natural hair. I have kinky 4 hair and it is hard finding a good regimen. I still don't have a good shampoo or leave in conditioner. i also don't deep condition as often as i should. im still very lost in this process...please save me someone...lol i just found the herbal essence hydralicious and hello hydration and my hair seems to like it as well as the jojoba oil...but in terms of a routine can someone please help me figure this out as well as a shampoo

Hey naturally!! Congrats on your decision to begin to take care of your hair.

I can relate to you as far as weather goes. I live in the Arctic, I mean Canada and it is pretty bad here sometimes. I walked home today and the wind coupled with the cold was no laughing matter. The key for me is constant moisture. Right now I moisturise twice daily. I do this by putting a moisturiser on my hair with glycerin in it and hop in the shower to allow the glycerin to absorb the steam.

now as for the regimen earlier in thread i posted a reggie and here it is (it's long be prepared ):
CLEANSE:
-Pre pooing
that is putting a mixture of oils and conditioner in the hair to thoroughly saturate it with moisture to prepare your hair for the moisture stripping shampoo. Also, during this time finger detangling can be done on the hair. Sometimes I mix regular conditioner with olive oil as my preepoo.

-Shampoo
Have you ever finished shampooing and found yourself with a hard mass of dry hair? Well that's your hairs way of telling you it hates shampoo. Shampoos containing sulphates i.e is most commercial brands will strip the hair of most if not all its essential oils. This is especially bad for curlies who need the extra moisture. However having said this, shampoos do have their place. Due to the ingredients in some of our hair products we may need to shampoo every so often to remove the products and prevent build up on the hair shaft and scalp. I shampoo bi- weekly after pree pooing using the kimmaytube method
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P1FQ79FD2VY

-Conditioner
Condition washing, to me, is a godsend for curlies. This is a method of washing the hair using only conditoner (and yes the hair does get clean). By using this method the hair and scalp is able to be cleansed without being stripped. I love Herbal Essences Hello Hydration. It is sooooo moisturising and it detangles my hair like a dream.

MOISTURISE
-Leave in
a good leave in is essential for replacing moisture to the hair after washing. I usually leave a little herbal essences hello hydration in my hair (and yes I can see your eyes bulging at the thought but wash out conditioners can be left in the hair and for me it is just woman enough to keep the tresses moisturised)

-Moisturiser
WATER WATER WATER!! Need I say more. Water is your BFFFF as a natural. It is the main ingredient in all good moisturisers. I usually dampen my hair when it is dry and apply a leave in and a sealant (which we will talk about later)

-Sealant
After working so hard to moisturise your hair I assume that you will want that moisture to stay put. The key to maintaining moist hair is locking moisture in. Some curlies use light oils like jojoba but I can't get enough of my shea butter. I usually whip it by adding oils like olive and coconut to it to make it lighter and easier to spread on my hair. However, I apply very little to my relaxed ends to prevent them from being weighed down etc as the two textures have very different needs.I also use the raw shea to slick my edges as an alternative to gels.

DEEP TREATING
I don't know quite how to stress the importance of deep treating hair, especially in the transitioning phase to natural. It is one of the best ways to strengthen and moisturise your hair.You can buy many commercial brands but I'm a lil mixtress so I usually start with normal wash out conditioner and add ingredients like olive oil, coconut oil and honey for moisture and egg and mayo for light protein. I normally apply this mixture to small sections of my hair and don a shower cap and leave it in for hours (but it can be left for like an hour or less if heat is used).

So there you have it and if you need anything clarified you know where to find me

Ur a God send, thank you so much. I know I need to start deep conditioning because that's something I never do, so thanks for the advice. I will definitely do better since I know I have support in this adventure. No need to keep making the same mistakes. I will let you know how it works out

Good Naturally and we'll be on your back to make sure you stick to it.

P.S if you have any more questions ask away

I definetly need your support sis! My name's Vette. I BC'd 8/19/10, so I'm a little over 4 months. My staple style after my BC wuz finger coils(the only style I felt comfortable with since I had no choice but to wear my natural hair out---used to wearing bra strap length braids, neck/shoulder length sew ins). My staple product for cowashing/detangling is HE Hello Hydration, I switched between Garnier Triple Conditioner, HE Long Term Relationship, and Giovonni Direct Leave In as my leave in. EVOO/Castor Oil as my oils, Eco styling gel w/ olive oil to do my finger coils. Since I did my BC when it wuzn't cold out yet, vegetable glycerin did well at making my coils soft and shiny. But as soon as I got used to the routine, winter hit and it hit HARD!!! I started using Shea moisture shampoo, which does feel great n my hair, HEHH still does me well(when I run my fingers thru it while I'm cowashing, there's hardly no tangles), but after the shower process and I add my leave in and oils(just started using coconut oil also), my hair dries and looks/feels harsh and dry! I'm not getting that wet, silky, shiny, baby hair look that I want. My puff just looks rough like a plain afro. No curl definition, no shine, definetly not soft...HELP!!!


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Me trying to be Glamourous after my BC!


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My finger coils at 2 months(when I was using vege glycerin)


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At 4 months, my 1st attempt at a puff(tried to shingle with Eco to make my curls pop...DISASTER!!!) It just looked dry and rough! So frustrating!


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My puff after I washed the gel out 2 days later. Only added gel to my sides. Still not satisfied my hair won't naturally curl. I really don't want the afro look...

Hola curlies,

Felices pascuas (happy holidays)!!!

Did you all do anything fun with your tresses for the holidays?
Alas, I did nothin'. LOL. I've been considering chopping for NYE but I'm scared! I go back-n-forth between itching to cut and not so I guess that must mean I'm not ready huh...sigh.

I'm getting my new butters-n-bars products this week, yay! Can't wait to do another ayurvedic (sp?) treatment .

Do share what y'all been up to!

Belle

hey v3tt3 im sorry i took so long to respond

you may be suffering from scab hair. this occurs right after cutting the hair. it is getting used to its new state and will be dry. however with constant moisture and deep treating your hair should lose the dry feeling.

also your dry hair may be as a result of improper moisturising practices. make sure you use a leave in conditioner, a water based moisturiser and an oil or butter to seal in that order.

lastly you may have to come to term with the fact that your hair may never be curly. some naturals have hair that does not spiral or wave. but do not fear there are plenty of hairstyles that will give you the look that you desire. twist outs, braid outs and bantu knot outs can give you your desired look.

HTH and ring me if you need more advice or any clarification.

Hugs
Chelsea

Well belle i tried aloe vera gel and fell in love. Christmas was also good lots of food and pressies.

Also belle back away from the scissors. Gurl if ure not ready ure not ready. Make sure this is what you really want to do. Make your choice then give it a few days and see if you still feel the same way. If you do then you can get ready to cross over to the natural side.

Hugs
Chelsea

naturallychelsea wrote:hey v3tt3 im sorry i took so long to respond

you may be suffering from scab hair. this occurs right after cutting the hair. it is getting used to its new state and will be dry. however with constant moisture and deep treating your hair should lose the dry feeling.

also your dry hair may be as a result of improper moisturising practices. make sure you use a leave in conditioner, a water based moisturiser and an oil or butter to seal in that order.

lastly you may have to come to term with the fact that your hair may never be curly. some naturals have hair that does not spiral or wave. but do not fear there are plenty of hairstyles that will give you the look that you desire. twist outs, braid outs and bantu knot outs can give you your desired look.

HTH and ring me if you need more advice or any clarification.

Hugs
Chelsea

So which conditioners are good for the leave in/water base/oil?! Right now I do HE LTR to cowash, HE Hello Hydration to detangle(leave alittle n as my leave n). I haven't been deep conditioning lately, mayb that would help. I use EVOO/EVCO/Castor oil(running out of CO, need to restock). I just started using raw shea butter, when I dig some out, it's so hard I have to rub it n my hands to get an oily substance, then put it in. After my process, my hair usually has an grayish/ashy color or white stuff and looks dirty even though I just washed(I thought it wuz from too much product). I do have some Shea moisture smoothie and masque that I really don't feel helps. I have some cantu leave in that I don't c a big deal when I use that. I just don't know what to do, what I'm doing wrong. I heard Aussie Moist and Hawaiin Silky were good, I'd like to try those. I don't know y my hair as an ashy/dry look to it?! When I'm n the shower/right out of the shower, I love the slip and the wet look. It's after I add oils/gel and it dries that I'm completly frustrated with the after look...

I'll address this in sections;
I'm not aware of classifications of leave ins. What I look for my dense hair is something creamy and thick with good ingredients i.e good herbs and oils and essential oils etc high up the ingredients list.

When leaving wash out conditioner in your hair beware. Because of the silicones in it it may cause product build up which dullens the hair. When I used it as a leave in it made my hair appear dull and it had a weird feeling to it so this may be your problem.

Yes also like I said earlier you need to deep condition more to strengthen your hair and give it shine and manageability.

Shea on its own is difficult to apply to the hair especially when it is wet. Most naturals including myself whip the shea. This is the process of mixing the shea with oils to make it creamier. You can use a hand mixture or heat the mixture and mix it until it is thoroughly combined.

I understand your frustration with your products but it is important to note that not everything works for everyone. Keep trying until you find what works for you. I loved hawaiin silky to moisturise and I use aussie to DC with as it is very moisturizing.

Lastly if you use gels then that could be why your hair is dry. Gels containing alcohols can and will dry out the hair. Especially if the hair underneath is not thoroughly moisturized.

Like I said scab hair may be the cause of your hair not cooperating. In the meantime whilst you figure out your hair routine you could try coils, twist outs, braid outs and bantu knot outs to create the curls you desire.

Also you may never develop a curl pattern. Try to think back to when you were natural or look at pictures. Did you ever have curly hair? You may have hair that has a zigzag pattern. You are actually luckier that way as your hair will hold hairstyles very well. Your styles will be very defined.

Lastly, you've only been natural for four months. Your hair is still adjusting and you are still trying to learn it. So continue to experiment and moisturize daily if not twice daily like me. You may just have hair that is dryer than most so up your moisture routine and saturate your hair and see what happens.

Oh I nearly forgot you could baggy your hair especially at nights. This involves thoroughly moisturizing the hair then placing a shower cap on top of it. This will help the moisture to seep into your hair shaft.