Random Hair Thoughts/Thinking out loud

krissyhair said:

I love sleeping with wet hair in a bun, then in the morning take the bun down to shake and go.

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That sounds like the epitome of easy going, low maintenance hair!

I want to get some rubber thread so I can try banding my hair.

Ok so.

Today, I rinsed my hair in the shower and did a verrrrrry quick non-extensive cowash with a new favorite conditioner (it’s a baby detangling conditioner by Johnson and Johnson) and then I finger detangled my hair in sections (gonna see if I can get the hang of finger detangling; I usually use my Wet Brush which is a breeze). Afterwards, I didn’t rinse the conditioner out and finished my shower. Got out and almost immediately applied my Leave In (it’s a CRN Leave In marketed for children-Sundae Glaze something). Then I applied some SM CES to each section of my hair (I put my hair in four twists as sections and then break those twists up so I have eight twists at the end). I was worried about all of these products on top of one another because my hair is low-po but it seems like it sunk in.

My hair is so soft today. I’m so happy!
I have never gotten the hang of moisturizing and sealing my hair. I think my hair never feels moisturized because it’s never sealed.

I’m starting to understand what works for my hair.

It has to be cleaned often. 1-2x a week. Have found a shampoo that works well.

It needs to be detangled very often. Every day or every other day (this might change with my new M&S revelation). Wet Brush works well. Trying out finger detangling which is not bad as long as I have wet hair filled with a good conditioner.

I need to DC with heat. Diluted DCs aid in easy application and also I use less product.

Sectioning my hair is more helpful than not.

I’m gonna try incorporating some sort of nightly routine so that I can moisturize and seal my hair and not have to worry about it the next day when I’m rushing to get to class or running errands.

Also, I decided to do that routine today after reading the Shea Butter thread. I realized from reading that that I need to moisturize my hair with something (hence the conditioner and leave in) and then I need to seal it in with something other than my usual coconut oil. The only product I have that has Shea butter high on the ingredient list was the CES. I was hesitant to use it because it has never worked in the past. But I wanted to give the Shea Butter a try. I’m glad I did.

Sorry this post is so long.

shortdub78 said:

I need to see what is going on with that Wetline gel thread. I still have some from 2016, but is the new formula ok?

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I don't remember who, but someone said it felt like she slicked her hair with tap water and other posters agreed. The old formula has aloe vera extract a little higher in the ingredient list while the new formula has only aloe vera juice as the very last ingredient. I haven't used the new one to know the difference.

So I got my hair trimmed at Hair Cuttery yesterday. They did a very good job but the price though. Anyways I bought Elasta qp mango butter Moisturizer and a cheap Almond oil. I'm always hesitant to moisturize my hair while flat ironed because ors hair lotion leaves my hair so sticky and greasy. But I used a very small amount of cream and maybe 4 drops of oil throughout my whole head to seal. This morning my hair was still flowy and light. I failed at pincurlng my hair last night though lol.

I Am So Blessed said:

I am WL and my hair in two jumbo flat twists still doesn't reach this far down lol. That is crazy LOL



LIKE:

Me: "what does it take type 4 hair, huh? what does it take for some hang?!"

My Hair: "It takes a blow dryer sweetie" *smug look*

Me: "well you can just forget about that! "

My Hair: "Suit yourself, you still look shoulder length tho...."

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This is BEAUTIFUL and I think you could do it on stretched hair without heat at your current length. Banding or even twists and then brush through for a heatless blowout.

LushLox said:

I’ve stopped feeling too concerned about losing length when I trim. I’ve noticed I retain growth much easier when I incorporate regular trims and I quickly regain the lost inch or whatever. When I don’t trim regularly my hair stagnates so I no longer hesitate, I’ll trim every 12 weeks now, standard.

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This is me, I need to go back to doing so. I am a fine haired natural and my ends are snagging when I set my hair right now I really need to straighten and trim this weekend. My hair looked its very best when I regularly got trimmed up blunt.

LushLox said:

That sounds like the epitome of easy going, low maintenance hair!

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It really is! But the success rate is only about 80%. When it doesn't work the other 20% of the time I'm kinda stuck. But today I'm rocking the single braid and slick edges, that works too.

I saw Embracing Natural Beauty posting about Adwoa Beauty. Anyone here tried it?

@Duff @lonei

They just quoted me $280 for some box braids and i'm cheap so i'm about to buy the hair and talk my mama into braiding it for me lol. I'll youtube some videos and stretch/pull that hair myself.

Dam.....just looking back into the 90s.

TLC were so gorgeous. If "left eye" and "T Boz" had a fro Oh My goshh! History would have been shaped.

I loved TCL

"I creep yeah ....just creepin ona downlow....

Once again, I notice that my staples and holy grails are mainly NOT available on the ground and none are from the same line.

Just why.

ClassyJSP said:

They just quoted me $280 for some box braids and i'm cheap so i'm about to buy the hair and talk my mama into braiding it for me lol. I'll youtube some videos and stretch/pull that hair myself.

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If you want an easier (granted a touch more tedious) method, you can do individual crochet box braids (partially is less work).

My hair is capable of only disappointing me so I'm done trying for good.

FadingDelilah said:

My hair is capable of only disappointing me so I'm done trying for good.

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What were you trying to do?

Alma Petra said:

What were you trying to do?

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Hmmm where do I start? I have a sudden thin spot that is inconceivable so I can't even wear a twist or braid out. I also tried stretching my hair three ways just so that I can put my hair in some type of basic flat twist style, since my hair shrinks to less than an inch long when it's shrunken. I failed every time due to my hair texture and my mysteriously sensitive scalp giving me all sorts of issues every step of the way. Parting my hair into sections alone is a challenge. Moisturizing and detangling is a challenge. Any sort of style prep is a challenge because it always takes hours and nothing ends up working well for me. I'm eternally putting my efforts to rest. I'm going to stock up on head wraps since I don't wear fake hair, and focus my energy on other things.

A moment of silence for all the time I've spent on my hair. (Btw thanks for asking. You're so sweet Alma and pretty!)

FadingDelilah said:

Hmmm where do I start? I have a sudden thin spot that is inconceivable so I can't even wear a twist or braid out. I also tried stretching my hair three ways just so that I can put my hair in some type of basic flat twist style, since my hair shrinks to less than an inch long when it's shrunken. I failed every time due to my hair texture and my mysteriously sensitive scalp giving me all sorts of issues every step of the way. Parting my hair into sections alone is a challenge. Moisturizing and detangling is a challenge. Any sort of style prep is a challenge because it always takes hours and nothing ends up working well for me. I'm eternally putting my efforts to rest. I'm going to stock up on head wraps since I don't wear fake hair, and focus my energy on other things.

A moment of silence for all the time I've spent on my hair. (Btw thanks for asking. You're so sweet Alma and pretty!)

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Awww thank you dear

So how long is your hair? And are you natural or otherwise?

It's a good idea to take a short break from doing your hair in order to renew your energy. But I have to say that I have never been able to flat twist or flat braid (corn row) I think that these styles are really difficult. I remember it took @YvetteWithJoy quite some time to master them. I tried multiple times and I eventually gave up lol

And I'm sorry to hear about your scalp issues. There are so many possibilities. It could be an allergy or some product irritating your scalp. It could be a vitamin or Iron deficiency. Have you started looking into it?

I can make some suggestions regarding styling. To avoid the struggle with parting your hair, you can keep it always parted in sections and wash section by section. @Chicoro keeps her hair in braids. You can do the same or keep it in 2 strand twists or bantu knots, at least while you are rocking your head wraps. Regarding stretching, my favourite way used to be in bantu knots. You can do this whether you comb to stretch or stretch with your hands. The knots keep the hair fairly taut but not too tight. Immediately after you rinse out your conditioner, squeeze out the excessive water, LOC with a leave-in, a cream and your shea/oil mix, and then put the section up in a bantu knot.
I like this type of small bands to keep the knot in place and allow you to avoid tightening it and irritating your scalp



The knot will take some time to dry but once the hair is dry it will continue to be stretched and depending on what products you used to style you can even end up with a bantu knot out style after take down (like the one in my avatar) or you can use the stretched hair to do another style.

Detangling is, IMO, less painful and less damaging to the hair if you opt to finger detangle instead of combing. Finger detangling is much easier when you do your hair in sections specially when these sections have been kept in a stretched style such as a twist or a bantu knot.

FadingDelilah said:

Hmmm where do I start? I have a sudden thin spot that is inconceivable so I can't even wear a twist or braid out. I also tried stretching my hair three ways just so that I can put my hair in some type of basic flat twist style, since my hair shrinks to less than an inch long when it's shrunken. I failed every time due to my hair texture and my mysteriously sensitive scalp giving me all sorts of issues every step of the way. Parting my hair into sections alone is a challenge. Moisturizing and detangling is a challenge. Any sort of style prep is a challenge because it always takes hours and nothing ends up working well for me. I'm eternally putting my efforts to rest. I'm going to stock up on head wraps since I don't wear fake hair, and focus my energy on other things.

A moment of silence for all the time I've spent on my hair. (Btw thanks for asking. You're so sweet Alma and pretty!)

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Alma Petra said:

Awww thank you dear

So how long is your hair? And are you natural or otherwise?

It's a good idea to take a short break from doing your hair in order to renew your energy. But I have to say that I have never been able to flat twist or flat braid (corn row) I think that these styles are really difficult. I remember it took @YvetteWithJoy quite some time to master them. I tried multiple times and I eventually gave up lol

And I'm sorry to hear about your scalp issues. There are so many possibilities. It could be an allergy or some product irritating your scalp. It could be a vitamin or Iron deficiency. Have you started looking into it?

I can make some suggestions regarding styling. To avoid the struggle with parting your hair, you can keep it always parted in sections and wash section by section. @Chicoro keeps her hair in braids. You can do the same or keep it in 2 strand twists or bantu knots, at least while you are rocking your head wraps. Regarding stretching, my favourite way used to be in bantu knots. You can do this whether you comb to stretch or stretch with your hands. The knots keep the hair fairly taut but not too tight. Immediately after you rinse out your conditioner, squeeze out the excessive water, LOC with a leave-in, a cream and your shea/oil mix, and then put the section up in a bantu knot.
I like this type of small bands to keep the knot in place and allow you to avoid tightening it and irritating your scalp

The knot will take some time to dry but once the hair is dry it will continue to be stretched and depending on what products you used to style you can even end up with a bantu knot out style after take down (like the one in my avatar)

Detangling is, IMO, less painful and less damaging to the hair if you opt to finger detangle instead of combing. Finger detangling is much easier when you do your hair in sections specially when these sections have been kept in a stretched style such as a twist or a bantu knot.

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@FadingDelilah, many hugs!

I can relate to your post so much. I feel it is okay to just be done. I'll share my experiences, in case it helps or encourages. Thought: Have you thought about wearing a crochet install? Saved my sanity. Scalp was accessible. Hair grew. Almost zero maintenance. Can be VERY healthy if your cornrow pattern reduces tension from the installed hair and is not too tightly braided.

1. @Alma Petra is correct: It took me a looooooong time to learn how to flat twist. I don't even remember how long. Over a year maybe? I was a little embarrassed. I will post at the end of this post the videos that, together, finally made it click for me. It was sooooooooooo worth the work to learn how, though. For months I would just try to flat twist the same one, front section of my hair. It paid off to just keep trying, month after month after month.
2. I just tried to blow dry and flat twist blown dry hair. Fail!!! I think I used to much product. I posted pics in the "Low Manipulation" challenge thread. Even though I failed, I'm just going to keep trying. It will make my life so much better if I can wear two flat twists for 4 or 5 days then wear the twist out for 2 or 3 days.
3. Shrinkage-related issues! Oh, yes. I do relate! My tangles, detangling, and the resultant breakage and damage from detangling had me disturbed--highly disturbed--for years. I still worry some about potential damage from using the astonishingly amazing KareCo Tangle Buster Brush (from WalMart) and my seamless Kent 16t comb. Currently I pre-detangle (that is, elongate and separate and deweb and lightly finger detangle), and that helps a ton. A huge blessed surprise: On a whim I found a gel that keeps my tangles at bay for wash and gos. It's insane. I marvel about this every day. It may not vibe with your hair, I don't know, but I'll share the product: It's Bronner Brothers Firm Hold Curling Gel. If I apply it to naked hair, it freezes my hair. No tangles. Since leave in works against that, I must have well DC'd, well conditioned hair before applying the gel to naked hair. This is a recent change in my regimen: The day before wash day, I wear my wash and go in a ponytail puff and saturate my ends with DC all day. That evening, I began the pre-detangling process. The way that gel holds my hair frozen all week plus the prepooing-with-DC move, there has been waaaaaaaay less tangling.
4. Whipped shea butter on my ends is truly helping. My hair knots waaaaaaaay less. Check out the long, popular, fun Shea Regimen thread.
5. Still, I get you: Even with all the growth in skill and product selection I'm making, I am still ______ (near outdone, I guess?) by how much time my hair care takes. I'm trying to solve this before conceding and texlaxing.

I share not because these moves will necessarily work for you, but just so that you know that it's possible to struggle for a long time but make tiny, sometimes random bits of progress very slowly that all adds up to a better hair life.

The first few years of awkward-length hair were terrible for me. I was double minded: I felt I needed to keep trialing techniques and products so that things could improve, but I felt I was all over the place and inconsistent and spending and spending.

One YouTuber I respect posted that for newer naturals, trialing and spending are just par for the course because you need to figure things out. I tried to calm my emotions down after hearing that.

Lastly, when I watch people who've been natural for 10+ years have breakthrough moments, discoveries, etc., it just reminds me that I'll always need to remain open and patient and flexible. Some people master their hair, only for it to change on them after a few years. Sometimes a staple product will all of a sudden stop working. And then the discontinuations and the formula changes. Lawd! Lol.

I'll go find those flat twist tutorials.

@FadingDelilah, after watching the videos below, the concept of flat twisting became clear to me. That made all the difference in the world.

I went back and forth between watching the videos and trying to flat twist a section of hair in the mirror until I got it.

FadingDelilah said:

My hair is capable of only disappointing me so I'm done trying for good.

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That means you are on the brink of making a breakthrough!

When I first arrived here, I too wanted to give up. I thought I was doing most of what everyone was raving about. So, I figured there was nothing this board could offer me. I was deeply disappointed after joining. Then, over time, I started to see things about my hair and processes that I never saw before.

Most of us are here because we were disappointed by what we did, what was done or because of how our hair ended up.

@Alma Petra @YvetteWithJoy @Chicoro

Thank you guys so much for your helpful posts! Alma, a lot of your tips were really helpful to me and gave me new, much needed ideas. Btw, I am fully natural and my hair is about 6 inches long. Yvette, your posts really made me realize that failed attempts are something I'll have to accept a whole lot if I want to master my hair. I guess I was just mentally beating myself up because failing so much can honestly make you feel like you'll never succeed, you know? Thank you @Chicoro for the encouragement. I really needed to hear that. I feel ready to try again with my hair now thanks to you guys. Thanks again!

Has anyone been able to source the original Felicia Leatherwood brush? I gave up on looking for it once I found the Kare Co Tangle Buster at Walmart.
The Tangle Buster looks like the Leatherwood brush but the Leatherwood brush is a bit smaller.
(Yes, I just watched Naptural85s review of the Revlon dryer brush.)

FadingDelilah said:

@Alma Petra @YvetteWithJoy @Chicoro

Thank you guys so much for your helpful posts! Alma, a lot of your tips were really helpful to me and gave me new, much needed ideas. Btw, I am fully natural and my hair is about 6 inches long. Yvette, your posts really made me realize that failed attempts are something I'll have to accept a whole lot if I want to master my hair. I guess I was just mentally beating myself up because failing so much can honestly make you feel like you'll never succeed, you know? Thank you @Chicoro for the encouragement. I really needed to hear that. I feel ready to try again with my hair now thanks to you guys. Thanks again!

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Wow your hair is the same length as my twa 5.5-6 inches long (1 year old)

This is definitely an awkward stage. When I'm not playing with my hair and trying to master the wng, I divide the twa in 2 parts and braid it then pin it to the side of my bun (which is gelled to the gods) because it's too short to be included in the bun. You can try using this type of pins. They are very handy



On the other hand I think that at this length, you might want to try wearing wash and goes (defining the curls). The WNG can look really good at this length because the short hair does not lie limply and you can achieve good root lift and volume at the top. Sadly my hair is not all one length but I can demonstrate the concept with my twa part




And if you redo your WNG frequently detangling should be really easy. For my twa, I water wash exclusively and frequently nowadays by scrunching the water into my hair and I depend on shingling to remove the sheds (and detanlge) while I style. So I don't shampoo or comb and I find that this helps a lot.

Alma Petra said:

Wow your hair is the same length as my twa 5.5-6 inches long (1 year old)

This is definitely an awkward stage. When I'm not playing with my hair and trying to master the wng, I divide the twa in 2 parts and braid it then pin it to the side of my bun (which is gelled to the gods) because it's too short to be included in the bun. You can try using this type of pins. They are very handy

View attachment 427158 View attachment 427160

On the other hand I think that at this length, you might want to try wearing wash and goes (defining the curls). The WNG can look really good at this length because the short hair does not lie limply and you can achieve good root lift and volume at the top. Sadly my hair is not all one length but I can demonstrate the concept with my twa part


View attachment 427162 View attachment 427164 View attachment 427166

And if you redo your WNG frequently detangling should be really easy. For my twa, I water wash exclusively and frequently nowadays by scrunching the water into my hair and I depend on shingling to remove the sheds (and detanlge) while I style. So I don't shampoo or comb and I find that this helps a lot.

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Ahh you just gave me an idea with those clips! They look more stable than bobby pins. And I would try those other things but my curl pattern is much much tinier and more tanglier than yours (4b that wants to be 4c so bad ). My hair is also extremely thick so there's no chance for any type of slicking action going down at this length, lol! Thanks again for the ideas though, Alma.

I've been doing well with consistency and keeping my hair taken care of. Think I'm going to get some braids for a while to avoid daily manipulation.

FadingDelilah said:

Ahh you just gave me an idea with those clips! They look more stable than bobby pins. And I would try those other things but my curl pattern is much much tinier and more tanglier than yours (4b that wants to be 4c so bad ). My hair is also extremely thick so there's no chance for any type of slicking action going down at this length, lol! Thanks again for the ideas though, Alma.

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Hehe I laughed at the bolded.
You know what sometimes I feel grateful for thin hair lol

Definitely try the clips (I guess that's their correct name lol) My hair laughs at bobby pins but these ones are really great and since your hair is thick, you can try getting the longer size.
And you may not get very sleek styles with gel but it could still make it easier to keep your hair in place and make it look neater. It helps the ends of my two braids lie flat against the rest of the hair. Try something that is not drying, something similar to the old formula Wetline gel.

Alma Petra said:

Hehe I laughed at the bolded.
You know what sometimes I feel grateful for thin hair lol

Definitely try the clips (I guess that's their correct name lol) My hair laughs at bobby pins but these ones are really great and since your hair is thick, you can try getting the longer size.
And you may not get very sleek styles with gel but it could still make it easier to keep your hair in place and make it look neater. It helps the ends of my two braids lie flat against the rest of the hair. Try something that is not drying, something similar to the old formula Wetline gel.

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Thank you so much! I will look into the large clips and hope I can slick my hair back with some type of gel or custard.

When you just spent several hours getting a protective style installed and you can finally get out of your seat.

My hair is almost too big for my Gold N Hot heat cap that I've been using for over ten years! I just got done DCing and I'm using my arm muscles just to push all my in it. I have the plastic bag on tight too. I don't want to buy a new heat cap, this one is sentimental we go way back. It still works well. Next wash day I will try to make my hair smaller and tighter for my DCs.