At a crossroads...baking soda or texturizer?

blondemane

New Member
Hey guys. I'm a newly natural. I would say about 4b and I cant enjoy my natural hair because my ends are so small curly and spiral that they not around each other. During my transition I retained about 6 inches of hair in a year and kept it braided most of the time however I want to wear my hair out too. I was think of doing the baking soda conditioner, heat "training" (yes I know its damage blah blah blah), or texturizing. At least when my hair was relaxed I could retain better length. Any suggestions?
 

Nonie

Well-Known Member
What is stopping you stretching your hair in braids or banding and wearing it out? A lot of 4B folks wear their hair out but it has to be stretched. You have to let it dry in braids and then braid it every night to further stretch it out. You do not need to do anything drastic to enjoy your hair. If your hair stayed stretched, it'd not be curling down on itself.

I think the mistake people make when faced with 4B hair is trying to treat it as if it were another type instead of giving it the extra TLC, low manipulation it needs to thrive. Letting hair curl back down is a recipe for disaster. Even some 4A-ers whose hair looks very pretty with a WNG will tell you that they cannot avoid tangles and knots if they do WNGs. You need to keep your hair stretched. It's how most people with long 4B hair keep their hair.

Examples: Mwedzi, Sera, etc.
 

greenandchic

Well-Known Member
I agree with Nonie, as much as I love the "freedom" of a WnG, it causes too many knots and tangles if I keep it out more than a day or so. Its not a regular style for me, and cant be if I want to retain serious length. Not all 4a-ers have my issue, but a lot of us do. Twist outs, buns and updos is the only way I can wear my hair on a regular basis.
 

Evolving78

Well-Known Member
yep, what Nonie said! i am 4a and i can't do wash and gos anymore, unless i want a tangled nightmare. i have to stretch my hair out and wash/dc/detangle in sections. it is starting to not be as bad i thought. i was so used to wearing a wash and go, that i thought trying to do anything else with my hair would cause it stress and a lot of work. but you shouldn't have to hide or do anything drastic to enjoy your hair.

http://www.frostoppa.com/
check out Ms-gg's blog to you can get some ideas!
 

blondemane

New Member
Even when I wear it stretched my ends still curl up bad. I use aussie 3 min miracle as a co-wash. Then i detangle, put my hair in clamps, and twist the clamped sections. I usually use giavanni leave in which i love and ic fantasia gel which i love. I havent tried a braid out yet. Also I dont want texturized hair look from baking soda. Just something to manage these TIGHT curls. I usually never wear a wash and go
 

Uniqzoe

New Member
I feel your pain as my ends don't play nice either but there are other alternatives to baking soda and texturizers. For example when I wear twist outs and braid outs (can't do wash n go's) I always have to curl the ends with either perm rods if I want a larger curl or cut up straws if I want a more natural looking curl. Good luck.
 

greenandchic

Well-Known Member
I feel your pain as my ends don't play nice either but there are other alternatives to baking soda and texturizers. For example when I wear twist outs and braid outs (can't do wash n go's) I always have to curl the ends with either perm rods if I want a larger curl or cut up straws if I want a more natural looking curl. Good luck.

This.

I always have to make sure my ends are moisturized and sealed too. Keeps the tangles at bay.
 

Nonie

Well-Known Member
Even when I wear it stretched my ends still curl up bad. I use aussie 3 min miracle as a co-wash. Then i detangle, put my hair in clamps, and twist the clamped sections. I usually use giavanni leave in which i love and ic fantasia gel which i love. I havent tried a braid out yet. Also I dont want texturized hair look from baking soda. Just something to manage these TIGHT curls. I usually never wear a wash and go

I think you should try a braid-out and braid to the ends. Twists do give coilies at the ends, but I personally don't find them to knot up. I'm not sure why. I don't use any sticky products though...and as I shared in another discussion, products seem to make my hair knot up more (Not sure if this is your problem) but when I was trying out using a product in August 2010 on my twists, I shared that redoing the twists took more work as it felt as if my hair'd knot up. It was only after washing and ACV rinsing that my hair unraveled with ease. I have heard others say that when they start getting knots, they take that as a sign that their hair needs dusting. I dust my hair regularly so I don't know if that's got something to do with my lack of having issues with knots.

Anyway, here's the discussion where we were talking about products and knots: http://www.longhaircareforum.com/showthread.php?t=495886
 
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