What do you put on your hair

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frida1980

Well-Known Member
I've finally hit my stride as a natural. It took me years of hit or misses, but I'm finally in a great place. My hair is back to BSL, approaching MSL. I put my hair in twist and flexirod them up so they don't brush against my clothes. So now I'm getting complements all the time. Big switch from 10 years ago, trust me. But the question I dread now is what do you put on your hair.

I really want to help new naturals, I really do. But that's a really complicated question! It seems like everyone is looking for the magic product that will make all their tangling and breakage disappear. At lot of people stop listening after mention the shampoo, deep conditioning, or co-washing. Apparently, sulfate free shampoo seems to extreme. When I do manage to explain the entire process, the complain I do too much. Then I try to simplify it, meaning don't treat your hair to harshly. I suggest using a wide tooth comb, avoid using drying products, and avoid heat. But that backfires too. Then I get labeled with "good hair, because it sounds too easy."

...

What the... have you seen my curl pattern?

I'm sorry, but why ask unless you want to know?
 
havilland

havilland

Magical Mythical Princess
I feel you. I stopped trying. When people ask me what i do, I say...."I deep condition my hair a lot"

That's it. I don't say anything more than that. They don't want to know. I actually had some call me "a fake natural" cus I have "good hair".

No. My hair has a good "momma" that takes care of her and is is willing to do the work every week. If I didn't work hard on my hair, I would look like a broom.

People don't want to do the work. They just want instant magic results.

I don't even bother anymore because I get too annoyed.
 
ItsMeLilLucky

ItsMeLilLucky

NotLucky no mo' just blessed.
A "fake natural"? What the blue blazes? Smh. Sometimes that's all you can do is give a simple answer and keep it moving
 
I

intellectualuva

Well-Known Member
I was recently called a fake natural too. Someonecwho has been struggling through their transition said I can do "so little" because I have "good hair" and it's not really going natural if you have "good hair." I rolled my eyes..doesn't seem like so little work to me. If my hair is "good" it's because I take care of it...invested time and money figuring out what works and doesn't.

Then I got the other "why do you want nappy hair crowd or as my cousins sister in law had the nerve to say....I'm spending money on high end hair products just to still have nappy hair...what's the point." :nono:

Anyway, when I'm asked I found a stylist whose hair length/health match my goal length/health. I balance moisture and protein and stay away from sulfates and mineral oil. I try to eat well and take supplements. Das it....

Folks still crack slick, but that's on them....
 
ItsMeLilLucky

ItsMeLilLucky

NotLucky no mo' just blessed.
intellectualuva said:
I was recently called a fake natural too. Someonecwho has been struggling through their transition said I can do "so little" because I have "good hair" and it's not really going natural if you have "good hair." I rolled my eyes..doesn't seem like so little work to me. If my hair is "good" it's because I take care of it...invested time and money figuring out what works and doesn't.

Then I got the other "...what's the point." :nono:

Anyway, when I'm asked I found a stylist whose hair length/health match my goal length/health. I balance moisture and protein and stay away from sulfates and mineral oil. I try to eat well and take supplements. Das it....

Folks still crack slick, but that's on them....
Click to expand...

why do you want nappy hair crowd or as my cousins sister in law had the nerve to say....I'm spending money on high end hair products just to still have nappy hair...Omgness, the sheer nerve of some folks.
 
CrissieD

CrissieD

Well-Known Member
So this "fake natural" phrase is actually a thing. I got called a fake natural by some of the girls at work... I've been natural all my life lol
 
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frida1980

Well-Known Member
intellectualuva said:
I was recently called a fake natural too. Someonecwho has been struggling through their transition said I can do "so little" because I have "good hair" and it's not really going natural if you have "good hair." I rolled my eyes..doesn't seem like so little work to me. If my hair is "good" it's because I take care of it...invested time and money figuring out what works and doesn't. Then I got the other "why do you want nappy hair crowd or as my cousins sister in law had the nerve to say....I'm spending money on high end hair products just to still have nappy hair...what's the point." :nono: Anyway, when I'm asked I found a stylist whose hair length/health match my goal length/health. I balance moisture and protein and stay away from sulfates and mineral oil. I try to eat well and take supplements. Das it.... Folks still crack slick, but that's on them....
Click to expand...

Exactly! If have long natural hair and they're struggling then I have "good hair." If I use natural products from Whole Foods, I'm crazy and wasting money. I use natural products like Olive and Coconut oil, I'm weird or disgusting. You cannot win with some of these people.
 
havilland

havilland

Magical Mythical Princess
whosthatcurl said:
I have to say I have not heard of a fake natural until LHCF.
Click to expand...

Then Consider yourself blessed!....I hear that *ish regularly by my friends who are natural and have tighter curls than I do.

My response used to be "you can be fake natural too if you take care of your hair!"

Now my response is "........."

I don't even bother arguing with the "I ain't doing all that" or "it's too much work" crowd.

I am now head of the "be bald then while my hair grows down my back" crowd. Lol ;)

If that seems like a mean response, keep in mind, it's come from years of being harassed about having "good" hair. My hair wasn't good to anyone when I was growin up. My whole family thought my hair was unruly as a child....but whatevs. Now it's "good".....smdh!
 
F

frida1980

Well-Known Member
havilland said:
Then Consider yourself blessed!....I hear that *ish regularly by my friends who are natural and have tighter curls than I do. My response used to be "you can be fake natural too if you take care of your hair!" Now my response is "........." I don't even bother arguing with the "I ain't doing all that" or "it's too much work" crowd. I am now head of the "be bald then while my hair grows down my back" crowd. Lol ;) If that seems like a mean response, keep in mind, it's come from years of being harassed about having "good" hair. My hair wasn't good to anyone when I was growin up. My whole family thought my hair was unruly as a child....but whatevs. Now it's "good".....smdh!
Click to expand...

Bold OMG, LOL. That is going to be my new catchphrase!
 
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intellectualuva

Well-Known Member
havilland said:
My whole family thought my hair was unruly as a child....but whatevs. Now it's "good".....smdh!
Click to expand...

This and my aunt STILL tells stories about my unmanageable nappy hair as a child that they decided to start sending me to the hair salon in the 3rd/4th grade because they didn't know what to do and didnt want the neighborhood folks to do it anymore.

Now my aunt has come around to me going natural and says I "magically have grown into my hair." The last time I wore it out she kept telling me how beautiful it was. I told her if her and my mother had some patience my hair couldve looked like this my entire life...you don't "grow" into your hair at 30 something.. it's not like it's a forehead or ears. Lol.
 
AyannaDivine

AyannaDivine

Well-Known Member
I dread this question! People always respond with "That costs too much" or "Ain't nobody got time to do all dat". Nowadays I just tell people that I have an arsenal of product and choose whichever one I'm in the mood for. I don't bother giving out my routine or length retention tips because folks don't REALLY want to know. Like y'all said, they just want a magic product and 6 inches of hair growth overnight.
 
Prettymetty

Prettymetty

Natural/4b/medium-coarse
When I saw the title the first thing I thought of was leave ins/styling products. If someone asks me what I put in my hair I say "Hello Hydration or Neutrogena silk touch cream". People in real life (outside forums) don't care about all the extra :nono: I don't go around explaining my regimen to people :lol:
 
E

ElevatedEnergy

Rooted Yet Flowing
Prettymetty said:
When I saw the title the first thing I thought of was leave ins/styling products. If someone asks me what I put in my hair I say "Hello Hydration or Neutrogena silk touch cream". People in real life (outside forums) don't care about all the extra :nono: I don't go around explaining my regimen to people :lol:
Click to expand...

This is so true! Folks that are not on a hair journey do not care about all that extra. I remember an ex co worker asking me about what I do to my hair. I gave this girl a 5 minute run down of my regimen & when I was done she was looking so confused like....wait, WHET! Lmbo

Nowadays, when I'm asked what I use I just say more conditioner & less heat. Sums up my regimen to a tee anyway.
 
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frida1980

Well-Known Member
Prettymetty said:
When I saw the title the first thing I thought of was leave ins/styling products. If someone asks me what I put in my hair I say "Hello Hydration or Neutrogena silk touch cream". People in real life (outside forums) don't care about all the extra :nono: I don't go around explaining my regimen to people :lol:
Click to expand...

I guess that's what's throwing me off. Here, I need to put down every detail of what I do and specify what type of hair I have. (natural, hair type, high porosity, protein sensitive, fine, etc.) Then if I get asked in the real world, no wants to hear details. They want the "one" thing I did to make my hair so long, shiny, and beautiful. One thing? The only thing I didn't do is go back to school and get a degree in organic chemistry. It takes a while to understand your hair and what's best for it.

I'm going to take you approach and just name something simple like putting aloe vera gel in your conditioner or something.
 
Anaisin

Anaisin

Well-Known Member
AyannaDivine said:
I dread this question! People always respond with "That costs too much" or "Ain't nobody got time to do all dat". Nowadays I just tell people that I have an arsenal of product and choose whichever one I'm in the mood for. I don't bother giving out my routine or length retention tips because folks don't REALLY want to know. Like y'all said, they just want a magic product and 6 inches of hair growth overnight.
Click to expand...


Exactly I seriously don't have time for people anymore. I just say "I wash it" when they ask lol
 
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Prettymetty

Prettymetty

Natural/4b/medium-coarse
frida1980 said:
I guess that's what's throwing me off. Here, I need to put down every detail of what I do and specify what type of hair I have. (natural, hair type, high porosity, protein sensitive, fine, etc.) Then if I get asked in the real world, no wants to hear details. They want the "one" thing I did to make my hair so long, shiny, and beautiful. One thing? The only thing I didn't do is go back to school and get a degree in organic chemistry. It takes a while to understand your hair and what's best for it.

I'm going to take you approach and just name something simple like putting aloe vera gel in your conditioner or something.
Click to expand...

Yeah aloe vera is the bees knees :yep: If I had to recommend 3 products only I would pick aloe vera juice, olive oil and Hello Hydration conditioner.
 
F

frida1980

Well-Known Member
Prettymetty said:
Yeah aloe vera is the bees knees :yep: If I had to recommend 3 products only I would pick aloe vera juice, olive oil and Hello Hydration conditioner.
Click to expand...

I've been making my own for a while. I buy large aloe leaves in a Hispanic store, peel out the middle, blend it, and extract the pulp. My hair luvs it. Last week when I went without, my hair didn't feel nearly as soft. Yep, I swear by EVOO, flax seed gel, coconut oil, and homemade Aloe Vera gel.
 
Prettymetty

Prettymetty

Natural/4b/medium-coarse
I was wondering where I could find aloe leaves... Is it like a hispanic grocery store? I will check the one near my house

Eta the store had aloe leaves. I got a 2 foot leaf for 59 cents :yay:
 
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frida1980

Well-Known Member
krissyhair said:
You can buy an aloe plant from home depot.
Click to expand...
The plants have little leaves, so they don't yield as much juice. The ones from the Hispanic store are huge, like 2.5 feet long. The only cost me $1.50. Enough for about two weeks. I use it like crazy. Hey have the same leaves at Harris Teetet for $4. Yikes, no thanks.
 
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