Natural Hair Thread 2.0

[kicks]

Dec 6, 2016 15:02:17 GMT -5 threejs said:

Reviving this thread for product recs. I haven't relaxed in three years, but have been wearing crochets, weaves, or goddess braids. This week my hair is out for the first time, and I don't even know what to do with it. I never did a big chop, so I kind of have a lot of thick hair. I have a super thin part right in the front, though. My stylist set it on flexi rods last week and it was super cute for like 3 days. Now it just looks like an unwieldy bush.

I want to keep leaving it out, but need something to soften and moisturize it. I have super thick, I think it's 4C, hair that doesn't hold any type of moisture. I've got to post and run as work is insane, so will be back later.

As much as I'd love to be a product junkie, I'm just not and keep it simple. I'm 4 whatever....super tight curls, a big Afro.

I cowash with herbal essence in the blue bottle. Then I use Giovanni's leave in. I recently bought the leave in cream from Qhemet's that I had bought awhile back and never bought again, I'll like switch between Giovanni's and Qhemet's. After that I just slap on some olive oil and then coconut oil and call it a day.

I mostly wash and go these days but if I do twist I use gel...I think it's Miss Jessie's.

So that combo of products works for me to keep my hair moisturized.

[orangeblossom]

I like Qhmet products. The amyla heavy cream is awesome. I also like the twist butter. The cream and twist butter you can get in some Sephora's.  The rest of the line, you ca order from their site, or look on there and see what local stores carry it.

Oyin handmade is also a good product. They sell it at Target and just expanded to Sally's. Also, Target threejs , especially, where you are, generally has a lot of products to choose from.

I do use Cantu's shampoo.  I'm not too particular about shampoos, but more so into doing protein treatments (Nutress) and deep conditioners.  


Lastly, I like Keracare's Natural Textures LIC and defining custard: curls for days. Good luck.

[kicks]

Dec 6, 2016 19:40:05 GMT -5 @246baje said:

Dec 6, 2016 15:14:52 GMT -5 kicks said:

As much as I'd love to be a product junkie, I'm just not and keep it simple. I'm 4 whatever....super tight curls, a big Afro.

I cowash with herbal essence in the blue bottle. Then I use Giovanni's leave in. I recently bought the leave in cream from Qhemet's that I had bought awhile back and never bought again, I'll like switch between Giovanni's and Qhemet's. After that I just slap on some olive oil and then coconut oil and call it a day.

I mostly wash and go these days but if I do twist I use gel...I think it's Miss Jessie's.

So that combo of products works for me to keep my hair moisturized.

A friend recommended that blue bottle herbal essence to me and it didn't work. I wanted it to so bad because it's cheap but it made my hair feel like straw.

I've recently been using Shea moisture's low porosity line. I don't love the smell but it makes my hair amazingly soft and my curls pop.

For gel I've been using the Shea moisture curling gel soufflé. I've also had great results with the Camille Rose Naturals Curl Maker and As I Am curling jelly.

I'm 4b/c

I really have been meaning to try something new for awhile. It's all I've ever used :/ I'll check out Shea!

[andwhat]

My favorite products lately have been Shea Moisture's Manuka Honey & Mafura Oil line. Specifically the masque.

www.sheamoisture.com/Manuka-Honey-Mafura-Oil_c_1668.html

I don't like the hair typing. Really what matter is your hairs porosity and protein moisture balance. Like I have low porosity protein sensitive hair. It doesn't matter if I am a 2 whatever or 4 whatever. I need products that are for that. There are strand tests you can do to see where your hair falls.

ETA: and I use their low porosity line. Like @246baje said I don't like the smell, but low porosity.

I can't use Cantu products because they all have too much protein and leave my hair feeling like straw. But my hair can never have enough moisture rich products.

***********************
I am getting my hair done Friday. Yay. I was thinking of getting a flex-rod set, but it has been so long since I have had a style like that I don't know if I can maintain it. We will see.

[redwino]

I love Cantu products and they were my go-to for years. I've been experimenting with other products to support black businesses but haven't found anything I love yet. I just bought Naturally Smitten this week which is supposedly created for 4c hair. The tangle free pudding is good for moisturizing but I'm just meh on the curl delight mist. Shea Mositure doesn't work for me but I keep trying different lines because people rave about them. Definitely try them out.

I have thick 4a/4b hair that I think is high porosity. It's very dry and prone to frizz (even when I was relaxed) I live by a liquid leave-in, a cream, and olive oil. I have to have all three to have nice hair. Also socratic recommended this deep conditioner a while ago and it is EVERYTHING!

www.orshaircare.com/shealicious/Products

[busybodyk]

I'm 4b/c and I do either wash n go's with eco styler gel (red top) and braided styles lately because I work out daily but my loooong time go to style was a rod set using IC Setting Foam. It was the only setting lotion that actually worked for me. I like my curls a little hard. The curls start out tight and coily and loosen up throughout the week but always look good. I would set my hair on Sunday and still look good by Saturday night.





Here's an old pic of me with a rod set a few days in. It's so hard for me to take good pics of my natural hair. Pics don't show how good it looks


Routine: cowash, deep condition with mixed chicks under hair steamer, knot today leave in conditioner then add castor oil all over before starting to roll. Sit under dryer for 30 minutes then sleep in rollers. The next morning remove rollers and separate curls a little (cool around finger to make the curl pop out). Add light coconut oil and separate a little more each day with fingers. Sometimes by the last day I would pull up in a puff.

[threejs]

Okay, so dumb question because I don't have time right now for more research. What exactly does porosity mean, and how can you tell what yours is?

I really wish I could post a pic of my fro today. I'm on my laptop now, but don't know how to get pics from my phone to here. Actually, I'm going to try to take the time to figure that out, because I need someone to look at my afro and make recommendations. lol

[threejs]

Don't know if this works, but this was my hair after a flexi rod set last Friday.

Here it is today.

[kicks]

Dec 8, 2016 13:00:33 GMT -5 threejs said:

Okay, so dumb question because I don't have time right now for more research. What exactly does porosity mean, and how can you tell what yours is?

I really wish I could post a pic of my fro today. I'm on my laptop now, but don't know how to get pics from my phone to here. Actually, I'm going to try to take the time to figure that out, because I need someone to look at my afro and make recommendations. lol

I haven't downloaded the tapatap app or whatever everyone else uses. So to post pics if you log on via the mobile site at the bottom you can switch to regular web version and then can post a pic like you would if you were on a computer. There might be an easier way but that's how I posted my pic because I always log on just using the online mobile website and not via any app.

[threejs]

Sorry pics are so huge! I chose the smallest setting and will leave them until I get some answers. lol

[busybodyk]

Dec 8, 2016 13:18:26 GMT -5 threejs said:

Sorry pics are so huge! I chose the smallest setting and will leave them until I get some answers. lol

Really nice!!! What did you do to it at night? Scarf, bonnet, pineapple? I forgot to mention above that I would pineapple at night (sometimes) to preserve the style.






www.hairmary.com/2013/11/pineapples-i-wasnt-ready.html?m=1

[threejs]

Dec 8, 2016 15:16:55 GMT -5 busybodyk said:

Dec 8, 2016 13:18:26 GMT -5 threejs said:

Sorry pics are so huge! I chose the smallest setting and will leave them until I get some answers. lol

What did you do to it at night? Scarf, bonnet, pineapple?

Bonnet only.  What's a pineapple?  

[busybodyk]

Dec 8, 2016 15:19:10 GMT -5 threejs said:

Dec 8, 2016 15:16:55 GMT -5 busybodyk said:

What did you do to it at night? Scarf, bonnet, pineapple?

Bonnet only.  What's a pineapple?  

I updated my post above with pics and a link to instructions.

[andwhat]

Dec 8, 2016 13:00:33 GMT -5 threejs said:

Okay, so dumb question because I don't have time right now for more research. What exactly does porosity mean, and how can you tell what yours is?

I really wish I could post a pic of my fro today. I'm on my laptop now, but don't know how to get pics from my phone to here. Actually, I'm going to try to take the time to figure that out, because I need someone to look at my afro and make recommendations. lol

Porosity is your hairs ability to absorb moisture. So if you have high porosity your hair absorbs it all and will look like a limp noodle. If you have low all products seem like they just sit on top of your hair. So you have to apply products in a certain way to get your hair to absorb moisture and then seal it in so it doesn't get/look dry.

Here is a good explanation and it includes the simple test to see. www.essence.com/2014/07/18/found-transition-chime-edwards-hair-porosity

Then with protein sensitivity if I use products with protein my hair is like straw. My hair wants all the moisture rich products. If you take a dry piece of clean hair and pull it, it should gave a little give and then snap. If it just pulls and pulls but never breaks, too much moisture. If it breaks immediately, too much protein.

It sucks because it is all trial and error. But doing hair typing like 3c/4a/etc never gave me products that worked on my hair. Using the guide above I have finally found things that work.

[threejs]

I have been using Cantu this week, and my hair feels hard, looks dry, and is just kind of a mess. I have never used anything (even on relaxed hair) that fully moisturized it. My hair is super dry and nothing seems to actually moisturize it. Thanks andwhat,I will use that test to see if I can find something that actually works.

[andwhat]

Dec 8, 2016 18:46:35 GMT -5 threejs said:

I have been using Cantu this week, and my hair feels hard, looks dry, and is just kind of a mess. I have never used anything (even on relaxed hair) that fully moisturized it. My hair is super dry and nothing seems to actually moisturize it. Thanks andwhat,I will use that test to see if I can find something that actually works.

Many naturals have low porosity protein sensitive hair. Cantu has a lot of protein. Try the Shea Moisture masque and a heat cap or hood.

[redwino]

Dec 8, 2016 17:29:36 GMT -5 andwhat said:

Dec 8, 2016 13:00:33 GMT -5 threejs said:

Okay, so dumb question because I don't have time right now for more research. What exactly does porosity mean, and how can you tell what yours is?

I really wish I could post a pic of my fro today. I'm on my laptop now, but don't know how to get pics from my phone to here. Actually, I'm going to try to take the time to figure that out, because I need someone to look at my afro and make recommendations. lol

Porosity is your hairs ability to absorb moisture. So if you have high porosity your hair absorbs it all and will look like a limp noodle. If you have low all products seem like they just sit on top of your hair. So you have to apply products in a certain way to get your hair to absorb moisture and then seal it in so it doesn't get/look dry.

Here is a good explanation and it includes the simple test to see. www.essence.com/2014/07/18/found-transition-chime-edwards-hair-porosity

Then with protein sensitivity if I use products with protein my hair is like straw. My hair wants all the moisture rich products. If you take a dry piece of clean hair and pull it, it should gave a little give and then snap. If it just pulls and pulls but never breaks, too much moisture. If it breaks immediately, too much protein.

It sucks because it is all trial and error. But doing hair typing like 3c/4a/etc never gave me products that worked on my hair. Using the guide above I have finally found things that work.

Your explanation makes me think I have low porosity but I watched some youtube videos that led me to think it's high porosity. I'm always confused about it. The moment I think I'm one I read something else that makes me think I'm the other. I'll never figure it out I'm a product junky and I don't mind trying new stuff (see continuous Shea Mositure purchases) so I'll get by without fully understanding.

[andwhat]

redwino maybe you have normal porosity. That is the best, then you don't have to decide on products based on that. I wish that were the case for me.

I look at Naptural85 of YouTube and if I used 1/3 of the protein she does, my hair would fall out. I wish I didn't have to sit and read the ingredients of every item I purchased to make sure that something I can use doesn't also have something I'm allergic to in it.

[redwino]

andwhat I never have normal anything so I never considered that an option. Lol. I don't know where I fall with protein either because I haven't noticed clear differnces. If Cantu is high protein and Shea moisture is low protein, my hair must be a protein fan.

@246baje I always thought my hair took a long time to dry but by comparison it doesn't. I have to keep a spray bottle by me when I do twist outs on wet hair because my hair is dry before I'm done with half my head. The center of my puff stays damp and it takes forever to blow dry my roots but maybe thats a thickness issue and not due to porosity.

[threejs]

Dec 9, 2016 10:23:42 GMT -5 @246baje said:

Another tip off to having low porosity hair is that when you add products they turn white in your hair and don't absorb.

Before I found the Shea moisture low porosity line I would wash my hair and moisturizer and add gel and it would be white for hours. At the end of the day my hair would still be soaking wet.

Now I can apply leave in, moisturizer and then gel and it looks shiny, feels soft and dries in an hour or 2.

Yes! Gel always turns my hair white! I thought it was the product, not my hair. How have I lived all these years without knowing this? I can not get these Shea moisture low porosity products fast enough!

[kicks]

Oh yeah I'm going to get my hair done tomorrow. Just getting a trim and deep condition but it'll be nice to get that head massage! I'll probably get teistsvagain in a couple of months.

[orangeblossom]

I just got my hair done. I love it.

[orangeblossom]

Dec 10, 2016 1:09:10 GMT -5 socratic said:

Dec 9, 2016 19:38:44 GMT -5 orangeblossom said:

I just got my hair done. I love it. ]

Very nice. So neat

Thank you!

[andwhat]

Got my hair done in a flexi rod set. I don't love it. Not sure how long it is going to last.

[orangeblossom]

Dec 10, 2016 9:18:59 GMT -5 andwhat said:

Got my hair done in a flexi rod set. I don't love it. Not sure how long it is going to last.

Aw man, I'm sorry you don't like it. Hate when that happens. Could you pin some of it into a style and make iit any better?

[andwhat]

Dec 10, 2016 9:21:44 GMT -5 orangeblossom said:

Dec 10, 2016 9:18:59 GMT -5 andwhat said:

Got my hair done in a flexi rod set. I don't love it. Not sure how long it is going to last.

Aw man, I'm sorry you don't like it. Hate when that happens. Could you pin some of it into a style and make iit any better?

That is what I am going to do. I think the pics I wanted it to look like are actually crochet braids so I think I had unrealistic expectations. Ha

[NandaB]

Hi all. I hope it's ok if I ask some hair advice. I have a cousin who is growing out her hair, but doesn't really know how to care for it. She is a young adult, but has a developmental disability which means she functions basically at a tween level of ability. She needs an easy routine that she can do on her own with products she can easily get that aren't expensive and I have no clue where to start.

Her hair is thickish and shoulder length. Her curls are pretty tight, but I was able to comb through it after spraying it with water and some random leave in conditioner, but it's pretty dry and frizzy without product. Right now she looks too much like weird al, which is part cut and part styling. I am going to take her for a cut next time she visits, but I would really appreciate some product recs.

Thank you all!

[kicks]

Dec 10, 2016 9:18:59 GMT -5 andwhat said:

Got my hair done in a flexi rod set. I don't love it. Not sure how long it is going to last.

Aww that sucks. Maybe it'll look better to you tomorrow? Or pin it up somehow? I wasn't super in love with my twists at first but I liked them by the 3rd day.

[kicks]

The stylist I like is going to do my hair today. I walk in right on time for my appointment and she is just starting twisting another lady's hair. Ugh, this is why I can only get my hair done every 8-12 weeks. Do you ever leave less of a tip if they're running super behind? I'm usually a really good tipper, this tempts me to leave less.

[NandaB]

Dec 10, 2016 13:18:21 GMT -5 @246baje said:

Dec 10, 2016 11:01:27 GMT -5 NandaB said:

Hi all. I hope it's ok if I ask some hair advice. I have a cousin who is growing out her hair, but doesn't really know how to care for it. She is a young adult, but has a developmental disability which means she functions basically at a tween level of ability. She needs an easy routine that she can do on her own with products she can easily get that aren't expensive and I have no clue where to start.

Her hair is thickish and shoulder length. Her curls are pretty tight, but I was able to comb through it after spraying it with water and some random leave in conditioner, but it's pretty dry and frizzy without product. Right now she looks too much like weird al, which is part cut and part styling. I am going to take her for a cut next time she visits, but I would really appreciate some product recs.

Thank you all!

Does she want to wear her hair out or will she wear twists/cornrows?

Is she looking for products? It's honestly a lot of trial and error to find what works for natural hair. But I'd start with a no or low shampoo regimen and a thick conditioner. Kinky curly makes a really good leave/in that can be found at most Targets.

Thanks for the response. She likes to wear if down, or in a ponytail/pigtails when one of the staff members at her home does it for her. She wants to keep growing it out, and the stipulation from her mom is that she has to take care of it. She wants to be able to make it look good on her own,and is open to suggestions, and new products.