4c Naturals- Naked 4c Hair

[Anaisin]

Yup, I have 4abc and my 4c looks like this. Looks exactly like the 4b spring coil or whatever just smaller

 

[almond eyes]

I think this is why the hair typing thing can get very controversial and confusing. I think that women who color and use braid extensions may have a different texture than someone who doesn't color or use braid extensions at all. Braid extensions and hair coloring can draw away moisture and lead to more raised cuticles. So two women with 4b hair one who has never used braid extensions or colored their hair will have different texture than someone who does those things. It is more a texture issue which is not a bad thing in itself. For example, I lived in both the DRC and Rwanda for many years in my line of work. In the DRC, women braided their hair exclusively (extensions) and colored their hair a lot and the water there was very harsh and vice versa in Rwanda the women rarely wear braid extensions and almost never color their hair and their water is of a better quality. Both women have the same type four hair, but because the Congolese women braid and color so often their type four hair looks more like a 4z and the Rwandan women their type hair looks like a 4b,4a and 3c in some cases. When I have met Rwandan women who started to braid their hair, they complain that their hair texture changed and not realizing that the effects can be permanent to their texture if not trimmed off.

Best,
Almond Eyes

 

[NefertariBlu]

4z? ? C'mon now

I have worn braids for years and pattern has not changed. Last year I decided not to wear them and my texture remained the same. I don't think wearing braids can change your texture. This is the first I'm hearing of it.

 

[snoop]

@snoop Love love love! These pictures make me really excited to chop in a couple weeks (currently 29mos post). Feel free to post more pics of our--I mean your--hair!

Thanks! Here is another shot of the second picture. I'd washed my hair that morning and it had air dried...so lots of shrinkage. http://www.longhaircareforum.com//www.pinterest.com/pin/create/extension/

 

[Anaisin]

Yup, I have 4abc and my 4c looks like this. Looks exactly like the 4b spring coil or whatever just smaller

Pics of my 4b/c mix in the back and 4a/4b mix toward the front

 

[almond eyes]

4z? ? C'mon now

I have worn braids for years and pattern has not changed. Last year I decided not to wear them and my texture remained the same. I don't think wearing braids can change your texture. This is the fusty I'm hearing of it.

I personally do not believe in the 4z hair.

Extension braids consistently worn as a hairstyle can change the texture of your hair. It can make the texture dry and compromise the hair cuticles making it difficult to accept moisture and look very dry and porous. It can compromise your curl pattern and weaken your hair. Accept it or not. And not wearing them for a year you still have to chop off what was braided previously for a number of years. So if you have been braiding your hair for five years taking a break for a year doesn't really help you would have to trim it because the results are permanent. And extension braids also can wreck havoc with your scalp. Many women who braid consistently complain that they have highly porous hair which is also the result of extension braiding on top of already having porous hair.

This is why some women who are natural and braided their hair for a number of years and decided to stop braiding tend to big chop again and stop wearing braids for good and start with new hair.

There is a big difference in hair that has been braided with extensions for a number of years vs. women who never use hair extensions or color at all.

Best,
Almond Eyes

 

[NefertariBlu]

^^^ This does not apply to me and had not been my experience.

My hair has been the same curl pattern and texture from a child. Braiding has never made my hair dry as I tend to over moisturise them. I've never had a problem with braids.

I think the only thing that can actually change your texture is a chemical.

High porous hair exists for many different reasons. Braids can not change nappy hair into less nappy hair. If that was the case I'm sure this would be a challenge on LHCF lol.

Yes it may make your hair dry, but that is not the same thing as changing texture.

 

[snoop]

Yes it may make your hair dry, but that is not the same thing as changing texture.

Are you both saying the same thing? I read "texture" in both of your and almond eyes posts as the way hair would feel to the touch as opposed to curl pattern thing.

That said, I don't recall extentions loosening my coils any. But in hind sight, my hair was probably to dry and damaged to begin with for me to have noticed.

 

[NefertariBlu]

When I say texture, I mean the curl pattern not softness. I do agree that braids can cause dryness if not managed properly, but to say that I would have to cut off my hair due to wearing them is just nonsense. This has not been my experience at all as I maintain my hair very well when I wear them.



After I remove them my hair is not brittle or dry and I have used them to protective style for years.

I have not had to chop of any hair due to braid extensions. I can understand having to from colour as it can dry the hair out but I don't dye my hair.

 

[virtuenow]

Thats how my hair looks. Thats how most 4c hair looks, I think. Only my hair is not like cotton, more like brillow pad, tehe. The texture is more of a hard texture, not soft.

 

[intellectualuva]

Pics of my 4b/c mix in the back and 4a/4b mix toward the front

Hair twin!!!!

 

[locabouthair]

Thats how my hair looks. Thats how most 4c hair looks, I think. Only my hair is not like cotton, more like brillow pad, tehe. The texture is more of a hard texture, not soft.

This is how mine is. Very coarse and wiry. Very prone to dryness.

Can you ladies recommend your winter regimens/products because this winter has my hair SO dry.

I use a moisture mist from karen body beautiful, ms jessie cream and some coconut oil and that's barely doing anything for it. I used to have a little sheen to my hair and now I have nada.

 

[NefertariBlu]

My hair used to be like yours. It has always been susceptible to dryness. It took me a while to figure out the combination of what works.

I wash my hair once or bi weekly with rhassoul and shikakai powder, air dry and once dried I spray Taliah Waajids protective most bodifier and seal with JBCO. Or I will add a bit of shea moisture deep treatment masque and then seal with JBCO. Since doing this my hair stays moisturised for days without reapplying. But since it's winter I would suggest moisturising more often.

If what your using is not keeping your hair moisturised you may need to find something to replace it.

Today I used a castor oil shampoo from Sunny Isle and I really like it. So now when I don't want to use my clays I will use this.

Also made an avocado and cocoa butter mix today and I'm also loving that. Try avocado butter as it's lighter than she a butter but I think it's easier to work with.

Have tried mixing your own butters to seal?

 

[Anaisin]

This is how mine is. Very coarse and wiry. Very prone to dryness.

Can you ladies recommend your winter regimens/products because this winter has my hair SO dry.

I use a moisture mist from karen body beautiful, ms jessie cream and some coconut oil and that's barely doing anything for it. I used to have a little sheen to my hair and now I have nada.

I think you should try another oil, coconut doesn't work for everyone. It makes a lot of people's hair hard feeling rather than soft. I can only use it mixed with other oils.

Also find a great dc. I went through a lot of products and layered them and most of the time my hair was still dry. Wasn't until I started dcing that my hair got really soft and pliable. After rinsing it I do lco method, the method keeps my hair soft for days but only because of the results from the dc. I used to wash, condition, then on damp or wet hair do lco. Didn't work, it just sat on top of my hair.

 

[georgie]

My hair is 4c and it looks nothing like this. I don't have springy coils like that.
Since I've been using clays to wash my hair I have noticed small coils all over my head. But they are much looser.

I think my type is more like beautyfrohair and Jessica Pettway on YouTube.

I find hair like that doesn't shrink as much as coilier hair.

I think it's not that their hair doesn't shrink but rather that they never let it. On a day to day basis you wouldn't know that my hair looks like this because I never allow it to shrink up. Even Rella's hair, from her other videos, you wouldn't think that her coils are so small and springy because she keeps her hair stretched. I think that's common among 4c folk?

Have you ever saturated your hair with water and then let it dry loose without product?

 

[georgie]

Thats how my hair looks. Thats how most 4c hair looks, I think. Only my hair is not like cotton, more like brillow pad, tehe. The texture is more of a hard texture, not soft.

My hair is only soft in the summer when the heat and humidity conspire together and one day I wake up and all of a sudden my hair is soft.

Until autumn hits

My hair looks like cotton but is more like a sponge. A dry sponge lol.

 

[Holla]

@locabouthair....I highly recommend the Anthony Dickey method. I use it for braidouts (not WnGs bc my hair will shrink too much). It is basically SATURATING hair with product. I then seal with a thick sealant to trap the moisture. When I do my hair (esp. now in winter), I use a LOT of conditioner when detangling and as a leave-in. I will even use a cheapie VO5 (that I already like) to saturate my hair and seal with crisco, hair butter or pomade before doing my braids. I also find that braids seal in more moisture than twists for me..so I do three-strand braids vs. two-strand twists. Leave about one-inch free on the ends and add a perm rod to give the ends a nice curl.

When my hair is parched, I find it is because I did not use enough product before styling. These days my braidouts stay moisturized for about 3-4 days until I wash and do them again. That says a LOT considering my hair is naturally dry, it is wintertime, and I am constantly in dry air.

Pics of my 4b/c mix in the back and 4a/4b mix toward the front

I do not believe you have 4c hair at all. More like 4a in the front and 4 a/b in the back and even then I'm hesitant because you have a lot of defined coils without even trying to get your hair to clump.

 

[Froreal3]

Pics of my 4b/c mix in the back and 4a/4b mix toward the front

Nah. That's 4 ab. That's how my hair looks too.

Sent from my Snow White Frost Galaxy S4 using LHCF

 

[Anaisin]

Nah. That's 4 ab. That's how my hair looks too.

Sent from my Snow White Frost Galaxy S4 using LHCF

I have all 3 in my head, more 4b than any other type though. But when I separate my hair I can see even smaller coils

 

[Anaisin]

@locabouthair....I highly recommend the Anthony Dickey method. I use it for braidouts (not WnGs bc my hair will shrink too much). It is basically SATURATING hair with product. I then seal with a thick sealant to trap the moisture. When I do my hair (esp. now in winter), I use a LOT of conditioner when detangling and as a leave-in. I will even use a cheapie VO5 (that I already like) to saturate my hair and seal with crisco, hair butter or pomade before doing my braids. I also find that braids seal in more moisture than twists for me..so I do three-strand braids vs. two-strand twists. Leave about one-inch free on the ends and add a perm rod to give the ends a nice curl.

When my hair is parched, I find it is because I did not use enough product before styling. These days my braidouts stay moisturized for about 3-4 days until I wash and do them again. That says a LOT considering my hair is naturally dry, it is wintertime, and I am constantly in dry air.




I do not believe you have 4c hair at all. More like 4a in the front and 4 a/b in the back and even then I'm hesitant because you have a lot of defined coils without even trying to get your hair to clump.

Hair type is only in reference to size, my 4b clumps and defines better than my 4a. My 4a in the front turns into an afro with no product while my 4b stays defined no matter how dry and brittle. I'm aware I don't have a full head of 4c but I can see the smaller coils in between my 4b

 

[NefertariBlu]

I think it's not that their hair doesn't shrink but rather that they never let it. On a day to day basis you wouldn't know that my hair looks like this because I never allow it to shrink up. Even Rella's hair, from her other videos, you wouldn't think that her coils are so small and springy because she keeps her hair stretched. I think that's common among 4c folk?

Have you ever saturated your hair with water and then let it dry loose without product?

I see. Your probably right. I braid it immediately after washing but I've noticed it really didn't shrink up that much after washing. I would never let it dry like that as that just spells tangles for me.

Good observation.

 

[Mische]

Girl... You are chopping???

JudithO Girl it's time... 3 more weeks to be exact so I can make 30mos post! I am more than ready. Can't wait to join threads like this one. So many beautiful heads up in here!

 

[georgie]

JudithO Girl it's time... 3 more weeks to be exact so I can make 30mos post! I am more than ready. Can't wait to join threads like this one. So many beautiful heads up in here!

congrats on your transition!!

 

[Adiatasha]

Soooo what's this then?

This is product free 4c hair. Well I think it's 4c.

 

[GGsKin]

Back and front shots of my 4c hair. It wouldn't look like this if I was still using my old practices. Before I ditched my combs and started MHM my hair was much drier and less defined.