Need help with my TWA and getting used to my Natural Hair

Hello all!
I began to go natural in July 2010 of this Summer and it has been a journey already! I began with micro braids for a month and in August 2010 I did the big chop!! I thought it would be easy because my hair was already short before the BC, it was styled in a mohawk style but it was relaxed.
But after the BC I lost confidence and I wore my TWA for about a week and a half and I got braids again.
During that week and a half I tried Miss Jessie's Shampoo and Curly Pudding and Knot Today Leave-In Conditioner and Garnier Fructis Spary Gel and I also tried Mizani's True Textures Curl Replenish Treatment and Moisturizer. I was not able to keep my hair soft and manageable and there was a lot of product build up and I was washing my hair with the shampoo about every other night. I didn't like the way my hair felt after shampooing and once I got the braids again I researched some more. After going to different sites and reading and watching videos, I learned that shampoo washing is bad for natural hair (well at least as frequently as I was shampoo washing at the time). But I'm still struggling with my hair type and what products to use. I think I am a 3C but I am not totally sure. I need help with this phase and learning how to manage my TWA and keep it healthy. Also since I did the big chop myself I know my hair is not even and I'll need to find a natural stylist to trim my ends pretty soon. If any one wouldn't mind being my big sis for this natural transition and answering my random and sometimes silly questions I would really appreciate it.

Well i'm 4a 3c and ten months in so I dont mind answering a ques or two

thanks naturallychelsea! I was wondering, maybe you could help me, about keratin treatments. One of my friends that is also transitioning gets keratin treatments and I noticed that her hair looks really healthy and shiny but she can only wear it straight. And I also did not know if it was a chemical or not and if it's something natural women would recommend doing. I've been researching and I haven't found much information about keratin treatments on natural hair forums or sites so I'm unsure...

Well the process entails putting a chemical in the hair then sealing it into the hair using heat from a blow dryer and a flat iron. It is a chemical however, unlike a relaxer the results will only last for 10-12 weeks and will only straighten the hair 50-80%. There are some serious medical questions as to the safety of the treatment as the main chemical used is formaldehyde. When it aerosolizes it can be inhaled. If this occurs it can lead to death, blindness, eye and skin irritation or burns, respiratory problems, headaches, gastrointestinal problems, and cancer. It is also known to cause birth defects.

Some naturals use it as a texturizer almost as it loosens the curl pattern. However, I must stress that this process is very expensive which prompts some women to do this at home but I would NOT!!! This stuff is strong and smells it too. Besides there are other safer and cheaper ways to loosen the curl pattern like using henna and yogurt if that is what you desire.

thanks for the info! I was thinking about getting the treatment done but I don't want to add chemicals to my hair that was one of the main reasons for me going natural is to see how my hair will grow in it's natural state!
I have another question if you don't mind answering it! I did a co-wash today and my hair is nice and curly and soft now but I don't know what I will do in the morning. Before it would be matted down and the curls would not be as defined and I would just rinse my hair with some conditioner and let it air dry again. But I have class in the morning and I don't want to go outside with my hair wet (just got over a cold). How can I revive my curls in the morning after I co-wash at night?

Well what do you use to set your curl. Do you use some sort of gel. If you don't then you might want to try putting a leave in then some gel like ecostyler applying it in sections on wet or damp hair. Later on when you have time and I your finances allow you could browse the web for some all nach curl defining products like kinkycurly and others. HTH

Right now I use Kinky Curly Knot Today as a leave in conditioner and Mizani's Moisture Stretch cream, but I still feel like my hair is very dry and my curls look dry
I tried a little bit of Jojoba Oil last night after I co-washed and used the leave in conditioner but when I woke up this morning my hair was still very dry....

Well do you condition wash, how cold is your area, and you might want to try something heavier like leaving conditioner in your hair (yes I did say conditioner) or using a heavy butter like whipped shea, or pure shea for the full effect.

Hello All,

Let me start by saying that I am so needing some advice and help on everything from my natural hair to my makeup and everything else. First I cut my hair with a perm which was a huge thing for me. I don't know really why I cut my hair I have realized my hair was my safety net and then it was all gone. I thought that I made a horrible mistake. But what is done is done. I started wearing wigs and after awhile my hair was growing, and getting very curly and "nappy", I have a lot of people in my life that is either dreaded, natural, or was going natural around this time including my boss and the president of the company. They all encourage me at this time to go natural, which I decided to do and just always had in the back of my head that if it didn't work I could always go back to a perm. I have very soft, then curly hair, even before when I had a perm my hair was soft and staight and thin and didn't need a perm often. I continued to wear wigs everyday, then it went to only on the weekends and outside of work. Now this week marks the first week I am wearing my twa and I hated it for the first day or so, but today, right now I love it and is ready to embrace it I just need help, from, the right makeup to wear, to brighten up my face or the right brand, and the type of styles and accesories to use, the type of products to keep my natural curls, I am so lost and need help I just want to feel great. I see so many ladies who have done the bc and they look beautiful. I just want to be that way also. What is it that I need to do? I just need some natural advice.

@ Finallylovingme Well as for the makeup I am a simple gyal so you might want to google that. As for the hair it is crucial that you start a regimen and stick to it. Start with cleansing, moisturising then sealing with deep treatments when needed. If you need help figuring it all out then just ask. As for styling CN has a whole section for styling TWA's just go to the top of the page and click styles then TWA (there are some awesome how tos there.

@aduke1989 Im still with you gurl and I wanna know if you managed to fix things or if you still need help

naturallychelsea

Thank You! I do need help figuring it all out. Such as what products do I need to start out with as for cleansing, deep conditioning and etc? I have been co washing I think is the proper term, but I just started that a day or two ago because I read about it on here. It seems to make my hair more curly and my hair is not as dry. I condition or cowash with doo gro mega thick mositurizing conditioner, and it seems to do well. I cowash in the shower for the last two mornings. I would like to know if that is a good product to keep using, and also what other products should I use now that my texture has changed. I have very very soft curly hair. I have always had soft thin hair but now it is curly. Also is it alright to cowash every morning or night? I also use jam curl booster gel on my hair along with water and also kantu leave in conditioner. I just need to know if I am doing things right with my regiment and if I am using the right products. Thanks Again for responding and helping, YOU do not know how much you have helped already.

Condition wash as often as your hair can take it gurl. Personally if I could I would. Since the conditioner is not as bad as shampoo it is actually moisturising the hair and keeping your scalp extremely clean. However word of advice, listen to your hair. If it is telling you that it is getting dry then you might need to lay off the washing for every other day or less.

My hair loved the do gro line when it was fully relaxed and I haven't experimented with it since however, no two heads are alike. If you love it then use it. I live by Herbal Essences Hello Hydration to help me detangle but you don't have that prob lucky you.
I have heard good things bout the kantu and as far as gels go everyone has their preference. Just read the ingredient list and see if it contains proteins and how far up the list it is (the further up the list the more of it the product contains). I say this as some curlies report that protein makes their hair brittle so if you are protein sensitive then steer clear. But again, no two heads are alike. But an all natural gel to try is pure aloe vera gel if you can get your hands on it.

As for the regie:
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 aussie moist 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. If you want any clarification on the mountain of info I have given you feel free to buzz me. Sorry about the length

BTW always happy to help a fellow natural. I don't want anyone to go through what I went through; being to afraid to ask for help. So buzz me if you need it, no matter how significant the ques.

hey naturallychelsea! sorry I haven't been on lately been busy with school and auditions! But I think I'm finally coming into my TWA! I got so many compliments at school and I think my curl pattern is getting better; there are still a few kinky spots, but there are spots where my curls are really defined! How do I get rid of the kinky'er spots???? This week I have been co-washing every night with Hello Hydration and I did a deep conditioned with Mixed Chix Deep Conditioner and use KC Knot Today leave in. I tried Jane Carter's leave in one night and I did not like it as much. In the morning I use Shine Gel Activator Gel with Aloe Vera and Garnier Fructis Nutrient Spary with Olive, Avocado & Shea Oils.

And finallylovingme I'm still trying to figure out my hair regimen myself! But I can help you out in the makeup department!
I keep it pretty simple with my makeup though, foundation (to even my skin tone), mascara, and I fill in my eyebrows, and maybe a little blush if I feel like it, and I love lip color/gloss/stick!!!!
I use Loreal's oil free liquid foundation; so far I love it and it doesn't clog my pores or break me out like other foundations I've tried and it's also very light. For mascara I use Wet n Wild Lengthing Masacara (they sell it a Duane Reade, Walgreens, CVS, etc for really cheap like $3 or $4, it's in a blue tube) and I fill my eyebrows with this eyebrow kit by Wet n Wild also (idk if you fill your eyebrows but now with my short hair I do a little to make them stand out, but not so much that it over powers my face). Also I have a few eye shadows that I use from Wet n Wild also (Wet n Wild is a cheap and good product for me because I don't wear a lot of makeup and I'm still experimenting so I don't spend a lot of money on makeup that I may not like!) I usually take a bronze colored shadow and dab my pinky in it and apply it to the inner corners of my eyes. I don't really put I shadow on my whole eyelid because that's too much for me. But if you would be interested in more eyeshadow coverage I know it's a couple youtube videos of girls that apply eye makeup really well! (I also don't you eyeliner on my top or bottom lids) And last but not least for lip color I only use MAC (because I love there lipglass, lipgloss, and lipstick) I have a red, burgandy, pink, and neutral lipglass by MAC with the corresponding lip liner to make it pop a little more if I want to. And I have a purple-pink lipstick that I wear if I'm going out for the evening with the girls! I got into MAC because I went to Macy's and was looking at the MAC products and the girl that worked there she was so nice and showed me how to apply and what colors would look good with my skin. And they have lasted me about a year now and I'm not even half way through the bottles! But I hope this helps you!!!

@aduke1989 I'm so glad your finally loving you. I love that your experimenting and finding products that work for you. However, as a natural you are going to have to accept that you might not have a head full of one texture. Most naturals, including myself, have a multitude of textures in our hair, and we just have to live with it. However, you can watch this video to see her method and see if it can give you the results you want:
http://www.curlynikki.com/2010/02/twa-stylings-of-ni-kiya.html#comments

yea i saw that video and tried it the night before last and it came out pretty good!!

gr8 take lots of pics and keep me updated