Is There A Middle Ground For Fab Twistouts/braidouts + Humidity?

[HappyAtLast]

I'm 4a bsl natural and live in a high humidity area. I am constantly a prisoner to humidity. I had a big event this weekend and my family asked how I'm going to wear my hair and I told them a wig because the humidity was too high this weekend. My twistouts look awesome when there's no humidity - but that rarely happens.

I feel like a prisoner because I have to do this often or just bear it and look juvenile. It's like dang what's the point of all this fabulous hair if nobody can ever see it because the humidity has a vendetta against me!

The only thing I've found that works against humidity is high heat with flat iron, but that just gives bone straight hair, no thickness, bigness, fullness, texture or definition that I want. I get curls with it from flexis. But it's not the same effect as a fabulous and full twist/braidout.

I've tried gels, humidity blockers, twisting creams, but the humidity just won't let me be great!

What's the middle ground for this? Afro puff all the time? I refuse! Doing a sneak attack on myself by adding some relaxer to my conditioner? Lord help me! Relax? Defeats the goal of big, textured hair. Give up?
The only thing I miss about being relaxed is that the weather was never a thought.

 

[ResultsMayVary]

I had the same problem for years, I recently started sealing with hair grease and I haven't had a twist out turn puffy on me since.

 

[HappyAtLast]

I had the same problem for years, I recently started sealing with hair grease and I haven't had a twist out turn puffy on me since.

Really? I love grease. But I guess the question is what are you using under the grease to moisturize your hair?

 

[ResultsMayVary]

Really? I love grease. But I guess the question is what are you using under the grease to moisturize your hair?

(I know this is going to sound crazy but.. ) just water, I make sure my hair is drenched before sealing with grease and twisting. It seals so well and my hair dries faster (it also comes out super defined, soft, and shiny)

If I don't want shrinkage, I air-dry/stretch and then use my usual Komaza Califia Care Leave In Conditioner and that has worked as well. For me, grease is just the only product that has sealed in moisture. (and I have never had so many consistently good hair days since going natural, hth)

 

[HappyAtLast]

(I know this is going to sound crazy but.. ) just water, I make sure my hair is drenched before sealing with grease and twisting. It seals so well and my hair dries faster (it also comes out super defined, soft, and shiny)

If I don't want shrinkage, I air-dry/stretch and then use my usual Komaza Califia Care Leave In Conditioner and that has worked as well. For me, grease is just the only product that has sealed in moisture. (and I have never had so many consistently good hair days since going natural, hth)

Very interesting! I'll try it!
Which grease do you use? I have Blue Magic and Vaseline.

 

[LdyKamz]

Good question op. Because I am feeling the same lately. I'm tired of looking like a 15 year old with my puffs or hair pulled back because the humidity got me. Even my perm rod sets suffer because of this. Looking like I just wore a fro to work today with no roller set.

 

[niknakmac]

Where I live has a lot of humidity. What has worked for me this summer is using whipped shea butter with only olive oil and coconut oil(no glycerin or anything that draws moisture into the hair) on damp wet hair. My twist outs have lasted up to a week like this and very defined.

 

[ResultsMayVary]

Very interesting! I'll try it!
Which grease do you use? I have Blue Magic and Vaseline.

Softee Coconut Oil Hair & Scalp Conditioner has been the brand that works best for me. Since grease can come is so many consistencies I had to find a brand that was heavy enough (to actually seal my hair) but not too heavy to weigh it down. Blue Magic was too heavy for my hair and Vaseline was too light but definitely keep me updated! It would be amazing to know if good old grease is the answer to the sealing dilemma many of us face.

 

[overtherainbow]

Good question op. Because I am feeling the same lately. I'm tired of looking like a 15 year old with my puffs or hair pulled back because the humidity got me. Even my perm rod sets suffer because of this. Looking like I just wore a fro to work today with no roller set.

This is my struggle right here on days when I'm running late and all I got is a frizzy ponytail.

@ResultsMayVary I second the softee grease, I use it when I'm traveling because it comes in small containers. But I love me some blue magic coconut oil too.

Grease and water in the shower is how I do my stretched WnGs using big twists. Never had any crazy frizz with this method

 

[Miss*Tress]

Cantu Shea Butter Leave-In works well for me, particularly in Florida and Jamaica. Grease gives me great first day hair but then it goes stringy the second day until I wash it out.

 

[kandake]

A lady at my job swears by softee too.

 

[HappyAtLast]

Cantu Shea Butter Leave-In works well for me, particularly in Florida and Jamaica. Grease gives me great first day hair but then it goes stringy the second day until I wash it out.

@Miss*Tress Cantu Shea Butter gave me fabulous, moisturized, lasting twistouts (I posted about it previously) B-U-T the buildup was insane - definitely not being able to reapply and forcing me to wash weekly, which is too much manipulation for me.

Do you experience that? If so, how do you deal with the buildup? Thanks

 

[moneychaser]

Cantu Shea Butter Leave-In works well for me, particularly in Florida and Jamaica. Grease gives me great first day hair but then it goes stringy the second day until I wash it out.

This... I also use the cantu curling cream with xtreme wet line gel which is very a heavy gel. The xtreme wet line is the only gel that prevents shrinkage and frizz for me and I've tried a ton.

 

[virtuenow]

@Nazaneen uses a product by Aveda that combats moisture in air. It works on air dried (e.g. twist outs) or heat (flat ironed) hair. Maybe she or someone will chime in who has used the product.

 

[BGT]

Garnier has an amazing anti humidity leave in cream. It's not heavy at all. I can wear my hair straight on a rainy day with no fuzziness.

 

[Shelew]

@Nazaneen uses a product by Aveda that combats moisture in air. It works on air dried (e.g. twist outs) or heat (flat ironed) hair. Maybe she or someone will chime in who has used the product.

I have used the Aveda anti humectant but it was a no go for me. My hair felt very coated and buildup was not good. I may have used too much. Also tried to use it on flat iron hair with the same coated feeling. I wanted so much to like it

 

[virtuenow]

I have used the Aveda anti humectant but it was a no go for me. My hair felt very coated and buildup was not good. I may have used too much. Also tried to use it on flat iron hair with the same coated feeling. I wanted so much to like it

Thanks, that's not the product I'm referring to. I'll try and find a link.

Eta: it's called Aveda Naturally Straight
https://longhaircareforum.com/threa...s-is-there-really-anything-that-works.757706/

https://longhaircareforum.com/threa...aturally-straight-full-curl-reversion.729649/

 

[naturalmanenyc]

My cousin uses Moroccan Oil Curl Cream. Her twist out looked great after over a week when I saw her. It does get bigger over the course of the 2 weeks after getting it styled, but it was not a frizzy mess like my hair can get. She swears by that line so I ordered a sample set.

 

[Shelew]

Thanks, that's not the product I'm referring to. I'll try and find a link.

Eta: it's called Aveda Naturally Straight

Ok yes I know and tried that one too lol. I tried and it was just ok. Nothing special. Actually tbh I did not give it a chance because you are suppose to use it continuously week after week and I did not get past the first week. But I can say the first use it did not keep down my frizz. It puffed up just like it normally would. I think I need to hang my hat up on using Aveda. I tried and wanted to like many of their products but no go's for my hair. I can say I am dealing with extreme humidity in UAE so they may work fine on the states

 

[HappyAtLast]

Thank you, Ladies. I really appreciate all the suggestions. I'm going to to through them all by process of elimination until I hit it right!

 

[AgeinATL]

I have to use a heavier butter to keep humidity from ruining my hair style. Suggestions: Bekura Palm Tapioca or Camille Rose Aloe Whipped Butter Gel
I also find that the longer I leave the twists in, the better they hold up once I take them out.
Lastly, when installing, I make sure it is on wet hair. When I allow my hair to dry from wet to dry, the definition is better. When I install on dry or damp hair, the definition and hold isn't quite as good.
Good luck!