In Dire Need of Help w/Afro on MBL/WL Hair

ChristmasCarol · Feb 5, 2013

virtuenow said:
Here's some examples: http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showpost.php?p=17820913&postcount=308
http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showpost.php?p=17842753&postcount=320
I've never seen you post any hair pictures like this--- if this is how you wear it...and you've posted a lot of pictures, girl. When the hair becomes to long for an afro, you just have to "let it do what it do". Otherwise, you will have to go buy the Beyonce afro wig-- which is what she was wearing.

Thanks for the links and your help, @virtuenow

I haven't posted any pictures of my Sideshow Bob 'do because it doesn't look good to me :blush:

I really don't like the half-fro very much at all. Maybe when it's longer I'll like it more.

Looks like a wedge of cheese on my head :look:

ETA: Alicia James' looks nice because it's a nice, tight, uniform curl.

naturalmanenyc · Feb 5, 2013

It doesn't look like you have the hair texture to get the look you want.

You could possibly achieve this look with a straw set.

MyAngelEyez~C~U · Feb 5, 2013

I dunno, but it sure it pretty. Texture may be too loose.

IMFOCSD · Feb 6, 2013

sipp100 Wow your hair is Beautiful!... I have a friend who had mbl relaxed hair in she used a bunch of tiny (the tiniest) flexI rods or perm rods on hair to get an Afro look. I was very impressed. She didn't do her whole head though, just the crown and the rest was long but the top part was so curly and shrunken.

winona · Feb 6, 2013

I dont know but your hair sure is purrrrty

classychic1908 · Feb 6, 2013

In the 70s my mom used to tightly roller set her hair and then tease it to get a nice BAA. Congrats on the BC!

Dayjoy · Feb 6, 2013

faithVA said:
Maybe she could do a straw set and get something close to the second one?

This is what I was thinking, or a flexirod set with the skinny red rods.

LynnieB said:
Sorry Sipp but my ish flops, droops, dives for the floor, and all kind of foolery if I tried to do a BAA. Can't even do a decent puff anymore so I don't even try. Gave all that up around APL/Brastrap.

Besides the matts, knots, tangles and SSKs and broken pieces of hair everywhere I think we're fighting our texture too much. Now if you're just going for a kinky 3c/4a-ish afroflop, than that's entirely doable.

You could always plait it up and go the wig route if you must have a true BAA.

This is what my mother told me she had to do in the '70s to get a 'fro.

ravenhairedcharm said:
I'm not 100% sure this would work, but it would take some time. How about doing a perm rod set? This will draw your hair up closer to your scalp. As the days go by, the bushier it will get giving you more of the afro look you want

Agreed.

sipp100 said:
southerncitygirl

1st bolded: Nah, that's aight. Thanks for responding, though.

To the 2nd bolded: I wonder how people were wearing huge fros in the 70's without massive damage? Or was their hair jacked-up looking when it wasn't in a fro? Hmmm

My mother would let me wear an Afro only once in a blue moon because of the detangling and damage. As a matter of fact, I couldn't even wear it the whole day. At family gatherings, halfway through, she'd braid me up. Anyway, your hair is BEAUTIFUL! I've seen a lot of pictures from the '70s and sometimes women who couldn't get 'fros just had the big bushy flop-back with the wide headband. Just as pretty as the 'fro. :yep:

truequeen06 · Feb 6, 2013

I wish I could get my hair into a true afro. It's too long so it just flops. I think layers help with getting more of a fro but I'm not sure if you want to do anything that drastic.

Ltown · Feb 6, 2013

sipp100, congratulation on the long journey to being natural. I can't get a full afro, the front is too loose, the back forms a little so as it been said braidouts. You could let it dry loose over night without combing it, but from what i see you too will have straight or loose hair that won't tighen. Embace you pretty hair and rock a BA braid/twistout.

Seamonster · Feb 6, 2013

I have seen some asians get an afro on your texture, but they used mousse, hair spray and a texturizing pomade. It is really a lot of work, their curls were still 3a but it was a real nice afro.

~~HoneyComb~~ · Feb 6, 2013

Wish I could help you sis, but like many have said, your texture may be a bit too loose to achieve the look you want. I have hair that droops also, which makes it hard for me to get the fuller looks that I love.

Your hair is beautiful!!

SmilingElephant · Feb 6, 2013

Hey sipp100 i have 3c hair and i too cannot get a nice microphone afro. U sound like me...i was hoping for the same thing when i big chopped...the ability to make a real afro. :grin:

Nope

i think it would take a lot of picking. But it still won't stand up.

divachyk · Feb 6, 2013

Hey Sipp! I'm unable to help since I'm relaxed but your hair is beautiful. I would agree with what was previously posted that your length won't allow you to achieve your desired look...but that's a good problem to have. :grin:

darlingdiva · Feb 6, 2013

I too agree that your hair is too long for the Afro you want.

Your hair is gorgeous, and I Love your cheat puff, though.

Sunshine_One · Feb 6, 2013

sipp100 Congrat's on your big chop and welcome to the unpredictable world of Natural hair!

You hair is lovely. I'm 3c/4a with fine strands and my hair does not do the real big BAA fro either. My mom would let me rock to big afro puffs as a child on RARE occasions. I LOVED them but now I know why she didn't do them often. Way too much detangling etc to get back to normal afterwards.

My suggestion is to do a basic roller set (little to no product left in) with smaller rollers then gently brush/pick the curls out. The curls from the set will draw your hair in while keeping you ends smoother. Now it will probably start to flop after a few days but should at least get a big hair effect for the first two.

Let us know how it turns out!

LunadeMiel · Feb 6, 2013

When you figure it out please let me know, I've been trying for years :lol:

Lita · Feb 6, 2013

Unless you blow dry,put oil on ends & tease it with a comb/hair spray this will give you a fluffy big limpy hanging fro..But it's not the healthiest thing to do..I did this back in the day..lol..

*If you want curly hanging healthy hair,use leave-in moisture cream,soft hold gel & diffuser..That will look nice..Not a fro,but big curl hair...Ive done this too..Nice results.

Happy Hair Growing!

BostonMaria · Feb 6, 2013

Congrats on your BC! Wow I can't believe how long your hair is already!

As far as the BAA... give it up LOL Actually try looking at Taren's method:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ldYP4i1MO24&list=UU3QOklSQ4dsT0anNphOesuQ&index=5

Taren is more of a 3B but you get the idea

By the way, it might be the products you're using. Try a light gel (Aloe Vera at the Vitamin Shoppe) that will give you some hold. Otherwise your hair is going to flop to the side.

Garner · Feb 6, 2013

I agree with BostonMaria, LynnieB, and others. I do not think you will be able to obtain a BAA with waist length 3C hair. Taren's method is a good one, however she is not waist lenght. Like LynnieB stated, you would have to deal with SSK's, tangles, knots and possible breakage. I beleive this may be discouraging to a new natural. IMO

I had to wear an afro wig when I wanted a BAA. I was fine with that. Sunshine One also gave a good suggestion regarding roller set on small rollers or small rods. I also think Naptural85 has an afro video. What ever you decide, I wish you the best.

ravenhairedcharm · Feb 6, 2013

sipp100 said:
ravenhairedcharm

Sounds good! I wonder how long it would take to dry???? A regular rollerset on grey rollers takes forever and a day...

Thanks for the suggestion, I'll take a pic of the result and let you see it. Might do it on Sunday.

Oooh I can't wait to see!! I'm not sure about the drying time :sad:

When my hair was APL and shorter it took forever and a day to dry, but that was because I airdryed. I still think it would be worthwhile to try, because afro or not I know it will turn out great on your hair! :grin:

ChristmasCarol · Feb 6, 2013

faithVA said:
Most of the people that wore fros in the 70s have type 4 hair. Some had blow out kits, which I guess would be similar to a light texturizer. But mostly we just braided it at night and wore a fro the next day.

You really didn't see a lot of people with big fros. It was a lot to take care of. But a medium size fro, it was just a matter of some Afro Sheen and the right pik.

faithVA
You're probably right - my afro puff was quite large and I remember people stopping me in public to touch it, lol. I don't remember any other kids with a puff that big. The other girls I knew who had long hair always wore it plaited or pressed. Here's a pic (fuzzy because it's a pic of a pic of a pic) of me around 1974 - it's pulled back with a headband:

faithVA · Feb 6, 2013

^^ Yeah, there is a reason styles aren't popular. Even with all of the naturals now, you aren't going to see a lot of big afros. It's too much of everything. It sounds good and it's fun for a minute, but :nono:

So enjoy your big puff, and then maybe try for a curly afro and leave BAA for wigs.

ChristmasCarol · Feb 6, 2013

Seamonster said:
I have seen some asians get an afro on your texture, but they used mousse, hair spray and a texturizing pomade. It is really a lot of work, their curls were still 3a but it was a real nice afro.

Seamonster

Thanks for the suggestion! I checked out some Asian fros online, but none of them were working with really long hair...

ChristmasCarol · Feb 6, 2013

BostonMaria said:
Congrats on your BC! Wow I can't believe how long your hair is already!

As far as the BAA... give it up LOL Actually try looking at Taren's method:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ldYP4i1MO24&list=UU3QOklSQ4dsT0anNphOesuQ&index=5

Taren is more of a 3B but you get the idea

By the way, it might be the products you're using. Try a light gel (Aloe Vera at the Vitamin Shoppe) that will give you some hold. Otherwise your hair is going to flop to the side.

BostonMaria

Thanks for the link! Taren's was the first method I tried, but it was a flop - both literally and figuratively :lol:

Her hair is shorter and she has that fly Devachan cut that makes it look so :lick:

ChristmasCarol · Feb 6, 2013

Thanks for the replies, ladies!

I'll try the braid n curl first, since it's the easiest. Then I'll try the rollerset on small rollers.

If that's a no-go, I may try the perm rods. I'm wary of the skinny rods because of the bulk that will form on each rod due to the length. The drying time might be astronomical!

lijm83 · Feb 6, 2013

Sorry, I'm no help either! Have the same issue (not texture, but my hair hangs too), couldn't even get my hair to form a decent afro when I was SL. Still not happy about it. Anyway's just wanted to say that your hair looks GREAT!!

prettybyrd · Feb 6, 2013

Steam shapes a fro well. If you decide to use rollers to tighten your curls, I would suggest lightly picking the curls from the roots and then stepping into a hot shower. The steam will help to shrink the hair and shape it nicely. You will actually feel it shrinking. That's how I get my puffs to look perfectly round. HTH!

ChristmasCarol · Feb 6, 2013

SmilingElephant said:
Hey @sipp100 i have 3c hair and i too cannot get a nice microphone afro. U sound like me...i was hoping for the same thing when i big chopped...the ability to make a real afro.

Nope i think it would take a lot of picking. But it still won't stand up.

SmilingElephant

A BAA was all I looked forward to while transitioning. Every other style can be acheived during the transition. I knew silky hair wouldn't be able to form a good fro - but since my hair's very cottony, I thought it would work out...I'm kinda :sad:

kandiekj100 · Feb 6, 2013

Even with my 4a natural hair, it became difficult to achieve a fro as it grew longer (and I'm talking full SL, grazing APL. I had to cheat like you do. Or I had to go absolute minimal to no product, or would just flop. and even with all that, I had to constantly fix it. I'm sorry girly. I say just rock a huge puff and cheat it. The cheat fro is cute too!

Dayjoy · Feb 6, 2013

sipp100 said:
Thanks for the replies, ladies!

I'll try the braid n curl first, since it's the easiest. Then I'll try the rollerset on small rollers.

If that's a no-go, I may try the perm rods. I'm wary of the skinny rods because of the bulk that will form on each rod due to the length. The drying time might be astronomical!

...and, of course, we'll want to see pictures of EVERY try. :yep:

Those styles you'll be considering misses will still be hair inspiration pics to me.

In Dire Need of Help w/Afro on MBL/WL Hair

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