Are Type 4 Naturals Ignored?

I have no problem with shrinkage. Shrinkage allows me to wear my hair in a variety of different styles. I see type 4 naturals wearing afros and puffs all the time, including at formal events and at work.

I do feel like it's normal to want to do something different to your hair for a formal event. Natural hair can definitely be elegant, that doesn't mean every natural style is appropriate for every setting.

There's also nothing wrong with stretching your hair, and even with stretched styles you will get shrinkage. My hair is TBL and my twist outs still shrink to shoulder length.

I don't wear shrunken puffs and afros because of tangles, but there's nothing wrong with the style. Bottom line, wear your hair however you want.

TBH, I did not know shrinkage was a problem until I discovered the hair boards and blogs. I am in the Midwest and I see natural hair all over the place in various styles, all ages. We are being represented, at least out here.

I don't do Afros because I do not like hair tools; I just oil wash, shake, and go.

@lexi84 there are variety of type 4 on the tube...who are also quite popular. In my experience letting type 4 hair remain unstretched is often not a good idea due to being prone to tangles.

Somethings are not always an issue of self loathing, but as for type 4 naturals...there are tons. More than ever before.

An afro is a style.

Let me share some:
cynthiarf
Cassandra becai
Haircrush
Ulovemegz
Etc...

I watch type 4 naturals on YouTube all the time because of how totally in awe I get when I watch it. Most stretch but I feel like it's for manageability or length retention. Type 4 naturals that grow, retain and maintain unicorn hair are the Hair Goddesses of the world no matter how they do it.

Thanks guys for all your help. I am at peace with my texture. It took me a while, but I'm there.

I mostly watch 4a/4b types and lots of them do wngs. I wear wngs 80% of the time because I don't get tangles, it lasts for a week (until next wash), it stays moisturized, and when I wash again, I virtually have no detangling session since it stays detangled due to the hold throughout the week. And low breakage since I'm not manipulating it at all during the week.

I've pretty much given up on stretched styles. They shrink up which causes tangles, I personally have to re- twist/set every night to maintain it (which, no). Too much manipulation which leads to breakage for me.

qchelle said:

I mostly watch 4a/4b types and lots of them do wngs. I wear wngs 80% of the time because I don't get tangles, it lasts for a week (until next wash), it stays moisturized, and when I wash again, I virtually have no detangling session since it stays detangled due to the hold throughout the week. And low breakage since I'm not manipulating it at all during the week.

I've pretty much given up on stretched styles. They shrink up which causes tangles, I personally have to re- twist/set every night to maintain it (which, no). Too much manipulation which leads to breakage for me.

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Cool! What products do you use?

YvetteWithJoy said:

Cool! What products do you use?

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Mielle organics leave in, wet line gel, and olive oil.

I love my shrinkage, but WnGs are a no go for me. When I do wear them, I literally just wash and go. I think my texture looks cute. But then I try to put my hair into braids or twists for the night and the sniping starts. My ends get so tangled.

I generally wear twists to prevent tangles. I try to avoid wearing twist ours for too long for the same reason. "You" can't protect your ends of you subject them to conditions where they're constantly getting tangled.

qchelle said:

Mielle organics leave in, wet line gel, and olive oil.

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So no white stuff, clumping with this combo?

qchelle said:

Mielle organics leave in, wet line gel, and olive oil.

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Old or new Wet Line?

Alma Petra said:

Old or new Wet Line?

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Old formula

shortdub78 said:

So no white stuff, clumping with this combo?

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Nope, not for me. Im not too heavy handed with the leave in. And I put the oil on after the leave in and gel.

Wash and go on 4c hair with tips:

I'm a 4b who normally wears twist. I'm honestly frighted to try a WNG with my hair texture. I have different textures (reg, 4b and irregular 4b) and different shrinkage levels all throughout my hair.

When my hair was shorter I would rock puffs, however, now I'm too scared of tangles and knotting to wear them.

YvetteWithJoy said:

Wash and go on 4c hair with tips:

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I don't now why, but I did not think her hair looked that good for all of that work. IDK Her hair is pretty, but the style wasn't all that.

AdoraAdora24 said:

I don't now why, but I did not think her hair looked that good for all of that work. IDK Her hair is pretty, but the style wasn't all that.

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I was not a huge fan of the end result... I think it’s the gel.

LovelyRo said:

I was not a huge fan of the end result... I think it’s the gel.

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Yes! I knew it wasn't just me. The stiffness about it or something. I have seem a many good looking W&Gs.

And no way would I let her cut my hair because the W&G may not fall the same way next time *shrugs* IDK

I don't do wash n go's because of the resulting tangles and knots afterwards.

This year I plan staying in 2 strand twists. Just so much easier to deal with.

DigitalRain said:

I don't do wash n go's because of the resulting tangles and knots afterwards.

This year I plan staying in 2 strand twists. Just so much easier to deal with.

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That's what got me to WL BAYBAY!! Roll, tuck, pins twists *really excited today*

Seriously though....twist it


You can incorporate twist outs as well, but there's something about them twists that makes one keep all the hair on one's head. W & Go's are disaster/set back waiting to happened for my type of hair.

Ain't Nobody gots time for setbacks!

AdoraAdora24 said:

I don't now why, but I did not think her hair looked that good for all of that work. IDK Her hair is pretty, but the style wasn't all that.

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I didn't like the style either. I think it was diffusing instead of sitting under the dryer. The Anthony Dickey method is how I always do wash n gos including sitting under the hooded dryer. I can't do them as my hair grows out because of the looser texture in the front and back of my head but that method is the truth. No tangles, no shrinkage and it lasts at least 3-4 days and then I just wear it in a puff for the last day or 2 until I'm ready to wash. I'm almost tempted to cut my hair so I can wash n go again but I'm finally making progress so I need to chill.

AdoraAdora24 said:

That's what got me to WL BAYBAY!! Roll, tuck, pins twists *really excited today*

Seriously though....twist it


You can incorporate twist outs as well, but there's something about them twists that makes one keep all the hair on one's head. W & Go's are disaster/set back waiting to happened for my type of hair.

Ain't Nobody gots time for setbacks!

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Your gifs are something else! HAHA!

I don’t believe you’re trippin at all. I think that being on a hair board like this is kinda like being in a closed community. For example, there were long stretches of time that I thought my hair was just medium length or not really impressive at all. But out in real life, it’s rare to see my hair type on women at my length or even half my length— to the point where strangers will pull it incredulously or stop me in the street to talk about it. (Now that’s not to say women don’t have my length or hair type, but they certainly don’t have it on display as I often have mine.)
I also think that it’s difficult to discuss “social acceptabilility” without being accused of insecurity or getting some version of the prescription “rock your confidence.”
With loose WnG texture type 4 hair, there are a number of factors at play that aren’t nefarious. A lot of it comes down to lifestyle and time commitment. The other big issue is length goals. Most Type 4 women can’t find the balance between lifestyle, time commitment, and length goals. Most Youtubers or SM Type 4s have banging hair that got to its condition with the tried and true methods like stretching and shea butter and PSs. The reality is that that’s what you mostly see because that’s what mostly exists.

I can say very confidently, having mastered my WnG, that the balance ^^ is a hard one to strike. Ultimately, my hair suffered from neglect and stretches of pure laziness and carelessness. Everybody gets that to some degree I think, even members of a site full of hair aficionados. But your hair will suffer tremendously more in a loose WnG after a week of neglect than a twistout of equal neglect. Facts. Bound hair is always more forgiving than loose hair. It’s also a LOT harder to hide your damage in a WnG. When you fall off on your DCs and trims etc you will SEE it, you will FEEL it, and it will take longer to accomplish the same style...

All that being said, if you rarely see Type 4s rocking any type of WnG, whether fully shrunken or elongated with styling products, I feel that rarity creates a strangeness to the look from a lack of exposure. Not unlike the numerous stories of textured/natural hair in general not being “socially acceptable” because it was a rarity in many areas at some point, due to a lack of exposure/expression. I’m not old by any stretch, but even 5 years ago, in an office of 50 Black women, I was 1 of maybe 3 who wore her hair curly/natural. The rest were weaved/permed/wigged. The 2 others were often in braids. That’s the reality.

You are not trippin. Just look at Black models. How often do you SEE their natural hair, in any state? If one of them gets photographed with natural hair, it will go viral and people will talk about it, because it’s a rarity/a strangeness to a Black celebrity wearing their own hair. Heck, do a search on this board and you’ll find whole threads dedicated to whether or not the hair of some celebrity was even “real” to the celebrity’s claim.

Sorry for the novel. Lol

lexi84 said:

I rarely is ever see many type 4s attempt and display their wash & goes. It seems as if the only style that is socially acceptable for us are twist outs, braid outs, or rod sets. Yes there are some popular you tubers with type 4 hair but there are waaaaay more of the other textures. What’s the tea on this y’all? Am i trippin?

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You are not crazy!
It can be very hard to be an individual or part of the first wave of a new standard.
Representation DOES need to change. But only people like you can do it. The people who see nothing wrong with the way things are aren’t going to do a thing. What did MJ say? “If you want to make the world a better place, take a look at yourself and make the change. [Start with the woman in the mirror.]”
The people who think an unstretched Afro isn’t elegant probably haven’t seen one, or haven’t seen enough of them. You, looking very elegant and radiant and rocking an unstretched Afro can be part of normalizing the look. At the end of the day, a lot of people won’t change their opinion/perspective, but you MIGHT be making the difference with the other Type 4 weaved/wigged/permed up or straightened/stretched.

lexi84 said:

Thank guys!!! I still feel like representation needs to change. I read all your responses and it sounds good but what about all the people out there who think that an un stretched afro isnt elegant. Am I crazy??

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This is interesting. My hair is 4b, almost waist-length, and I never wear wash & go's. It's mainly because I'm afraid of knots and tangles damaging my hair. When you're trying to grow the hair to great lengths, you pretty much have to not take any chances with that. I can think of some cool styles for a wash & go, like letting it air-dry in even, sectioned off pieces so it forms uniform mounds all over. That would look amazing. I don't have curls that clump together, so it would have to be either, or. Either commit to wash & go styles all of the time so that knots don't really matter, or keep my hair stretched and oiled.

YvetteWithJoy said:

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It's a nice pampering session, but I couldn't do all of that work on my own for that result.

To those who don't like the wash and go in the vid posted, what's wrong with how it came out? Can you post a video of a better version?

I’m curious, people talking about tangles they’ve experienced from wng’s, is it texture or technique?

I would think a NAKED wng- literally shampoo, conditioner, out the door- on type4 hair is going to be horrible for anyone. I’m type 4ab & never had tangles after a wng once I perfected my technique & found a gel that my hair loved (original WetLine Extreme, R.I.P. ) and as a matter of fact wash day was immensely easier once I found gel-bae. My gelled coily-clumps were protected without the constant manipulation of the ends that comes from retwisting & shed hairs slid right out. I get more tangles from small twists; buns, wng, & roll/tuck/pin is where it’s at for my hair right now.

Beyond the wng debate, I feel OP.
There are some brands whose social media I’ve unfollowed because they seem to completely ignore type 4s. However, I don’t let that keep me from doing what I want.

Can someone post their 4b w&g....please!

charmtreese said:

Can someone post their 4b w&g....please!

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If you can give us a precise range for the diameter of the 4b coil, we might be able to contribute. I know that I have small coils but I don't know whether I'm 4a, 4b, or 4c. I think that they are about 3 mm in diameter.

SAPNK said:

To those who don't like the wash and go in the vid posted, what's wrong with how it came out? Can you post a video of a better version?

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Lol! I liked it, but I'll try. I felt weird 'cause I thought it was nice.

Off to Google!