How To Manage Coarse Hair Roots?

So i'm transitioning to natural hair. My concern is that i'm on the verge of just forgetting about it and just going back relaxed! It seems as if though I cant gain control over my "nappy" roots. Everyday i'm spritzing or fully submerging my hair with water trying to tame it and lay it down with a scarf - not working. Dry and not holding moisture. No matter what I do it's still puffy. I dread having to try and comb and brush it. When I place any type of hair cream on, it goes on as a white haze not penetrating. My hair is 4b &c - thick-some bald thin areas up front- and seems to me some stunted growth (due to medications).
Again my main concern at this point is not being able to comb through my coarse roots. On top of that when I do comb my hair back my front look a "hot mess". I gotta get these roots under control, if not bye bye natural hair.
What am I missing?

What I found was splitting my hair down the middle and wearing it in a bun like that helped it look smoother. I can never wear my hair in a bun with it going back or it will look puffy. Also, Soultanicals Slip n Slide Knot Proof Hair Glide will lay everything down and detangle like a dream. I don’t like using gels because I am scared of breakage. I am fully natural now but I feel you can even just put this product only on your new growth if you want to.

I also recently found that I can’t seal my hair with oils — for some reason my hair was hard at the end of the day when I was doing this.

Another thing is, I don’t comb my hair everyday — maybe once a week if that. I really don’t need to with the Soultanicals product. I have mostly 4a with 4b in the crown area.

I also keep the back of my head plaited so I don’t have to try smoothing down a full head of hair. I just put the plaits in a ponytail first and then smooth the top over that and ponytail it all and bun it.

Lastly, make sure your water isn’t hard. That will contribute to your hair feeling dry. Perhaps try putting distilled water in a spray bottle and spritzing the new growth and then adding your leave-in.

What are your main products and what’s your current regimen? What kind of relaxer were you using? Is your hair color treated? Have you ever used henna or ApHogee 2 step or similar hard protein treatment? If so, what were your results?
Do you heat style your hair? How often? How do you normally like to style your hair and how long is it?

With transitioning hair, I’m of the opinion that techniques trump products and keeping it simple is your best friend. Your current hair condition and your expectations of its improvement trajectory are going to highly inform your success stretching or transitioning to fully natural.

kxlot79 said:

What are your main products and what’s your current regimen? What kind of relaxer were you using? Is your hair color treated? Have you ever used henna or ApHogee 2 step or similar hard protein treatment? If so, what were your results?
Do you heat style your hair? How often? How do you normally like to style your hair and how long is it?

With transitioning hair, I’m of the opinion that techniques trump products and keeping it simple is your best friend. Your current hair condition and your expectations of its improvement trajectory are going to highly inform your success stretching or transitioning to fully natural.

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I really dont have a regimen per se but these are some of the products that i'm using. At this time I usually deep condition with Queen Helene Cholesterol Conditioner 1 x a week - for the rest of the week I usually just spray with water and add a leave in moisturizer such as Pink Oil or Bronner Brothers Moisturizer. Afterwards, I'll blow dry out (1x a week) and then add oil to my scalp - a mixture of Black Castor Oil & Peppermint Oil. Sometimes I'll use the Wild Growth Oil. Neck Length. I have used Aphogee 2 Step in the past but have never tried Henna.
As far as results.. it's somewhat okay after I blow dry due to the fact im using heat which will straighten and make it more manageable so to speak. But still puffy a little. Im wondering if its the products. I believe that I should be able to take a comb and comb through my hair at least for a week but this is not the case. By the 3rd day after blow drying, its most likely that I'll "pull my brain out". This isn't it.

Are you sure youre not using too much protein? Queen Helene cholesterol makes my hair hard...im a 4c natural.

Grease your roots after your moisturize. I recommend blue magic (blue one).

C@ssandr@ said:

Are you sure youre not using too much protein? Queen Helene cholesterol makes my hair hard...im a 4c natural.

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Yes...it's possible.I may need to cut back.

I Am So Blessed said:

Grease your roots after your moisturize. I recommend blue magic (blue one).

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Will try...good idea.Beautiful hair in the picture.

Learn2Gro said:

Will try...good idea.Beautiful hair in the picture.

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Aww Thank you! Please let us know if you like it. Grease is the ultimate moisture sealer.

Learn2Gro said:

I really dont have a regimen per se but these are some of the products that i'm using. At this time I usually deep condition with Queen Helene Cholesterol Conditioner 1 x a week - for the rest of the week I usually just spray with water and add a leave in moisturizer such as Pink Oil or Bronner Brothers Moisturizer. Afterwards, I'll blow dry out (1x a week) and then add oil to my scalp - a mixture of Black Castor Oil & Peppermint Oil. Sometimes I'll use the Wild Growth Oil. Neck Length. I have used Aphogee 2 Step in the past but have never tried Henna.
As far as results.. it's somewhat okay after I blow dry due to the fact im using heat which will straighten and make it more manageable so to speak. But still puffy a little. Im wondering if its the products. I believe that I should be able to take a comb and comb through my hair at least for a week but this is not the case. By the 3rd day after blow drying, its most likely that I'll "pull my brain out". This isn't it.

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Throw all them products away lol. I suspect the wetting everyday and then using those moisturizers are causing your roots to be that way.

oneastrocurlie said:

Throw all them products away lol. I suspect the wetting everyday and then using those moisturizers are causing your roots to be that way.

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Sis, it's a hot mess indeed. Them roots ain't nothin to play with. Especially when you have a majority of mostly 4 C and 4 B hair.

Learn2Gro said:

Sis, it's a hot mess indeed. Them roots ain't nothin to play with. Especially when you have a majority of mostly 4 C and 4 B hair.

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I'm in the 4s. I only comb to detangle while I have conditioner in and only use heat to diffuse. I think what you're using isn't very moisturizing and that may be why they are being petty lol.

oneastrocurlie said:

I'm in the 4s. I only comb to detangle while I have conditioner in and only use heat to diffuse. I think what you're using isn't very moisturizing and that may be why they are being petty lol.

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Well, I don't think their suggestions were petty. I truly think they were given their honest opinions.
I know you stated the methods you use when combing and detangling...that's a great suggestion.
Do you have suggestions on products you think may be great for moisturizing?

So... you wear your hair out? Straightened and down?
My experience has been that it’s unlikely that your relaxed and natural hair will like the same products or techniques.
You didn’t list shampoos or conditioners but that could be part of the issue as well. It could be protein overload (natural hair is more resilient and stronger than relaxed hair); it could be product buildup; it could also be over manipulation if you’re combing your hair everyday; or dryness from not hydrating your hair enough on wash day— thus when you use your oils and moisturizers you aren’t sealing much moisture in.
I would say consider switching up 1-2 parts of your routine at a time to see which is the culprit and then once you play around with establishing a regimen that’s working, stick to it.
You might also want to consider putting your hair in a style that lasts 1-6 weeks at a time to lower your manipulation and help with growing your hair out. Maybe bunning or twist/braid outs. That’s also gonna reduce the opportunity for your hair to tangle up or require daily combing.
If you insist on keeping transitioning hair loose, you might have to accept that tangles in your natural hair is part of that looseness.
Not seeing your hair and having just what you’ve posted to go on, I’m gonna guess that most of the coarseness/unmanageableness of your roots is a combination of your products and styling techniques, particularly if you want to comb through what is essentially blown out transitioning hair every day and just leave it loose and hanging while using a bunch of oils.
Then again, how you set your hair at bedtime could also help keep your roots smooth and soft. If you bun or tie down with a silk/satin scarf before bed, your hair should be in relatively the same state as before bed... are you sleeping in just a bonnet? Or nothing at all? Where does your hair have the opportunity to kink up after being blown out?

Learn2Gro said:

I really dont have a regimen per se... [oily products]
As far as results.. it's somewhat okay after I blow dry due to the fact im using heat which will straighten and make it more manageable so to speak. But still puffy a little. Im wondering if its the products. I believe that I should be able to take a comb and comb through my hair at least for a week but this is not the case. By the 3rd day after blow drying, its most likely that I'll "pull my brain out". This isn't it.

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Learn2Gro said:

Well, I don't think their suggestions were petty. I truly think they were given their honest opinions.
I know you stated the methods you use when combing and detangling...that's a great suggestion.
Do you have suggestions on products you think may be great for moisturizing?

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I think she meant that "your roots" are being petty

C@ssandr@ said:

I think she meant that "your roots" are being petty [/

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@oneeastrocurlie I apologize. It didn't resonate with me at the moment, now I understand. To those of you who caught it ...thanks.