Misadventures of Natural Hair Styling [Lots 'O' Pics]

[Sianna]

I love my natural hair, but sometimes it can be a little... trying to find a style that works, especially considering I've been relaxed most of my life. Working with a completely different type/texture of hair, I'm learning, sometimes takes a bit of trial and error.

So here's how it all went down.

Over the weekend, I decided to put in a set of flat twists. The idea was that I'd try a twist-out.

They were hideous of course, but they didn't have to look good for a nice twist-out.

Well, as it turns out, the twist-out sucked! My hair is still waaaay too short to pull this off!

Not feeling it... AT ALL! Not even close!

So then, yesterday after work I took several hours to do my first set of box braids on all natural hair that grew out of my scalp. ...With no extra hair added. 'That might be cute,' I thought optimistically!

Not so much! I hate the braids nearly as much as I hated the twist-out! I wore them to work anyway though.

So, not even 24 hours after I sat there and did all those braids, I took them out and was, at last, left with an acceptable hair style, and my first braid-out.

Yeah, so... that's it I suppose. I guess this is sort of a mini-vent. I was so mad at my hair today, I seriously was thinking of taking the scissors to it out of frustration! Good thing I was at work at the time, else I might have actually gone through with it!

Please feel free to laugh at me, makes suggestions, or better yet, share your own styling misadventures!

ETA: In spite of the title of this thread, anyone is free to post their own styling misadventures.

 

[TressObsessed]

I love the braid out! At least you are brave enough to try some styles....I think my hair is the same length as yours and I am wearing cornrow braids underneath a wig...

 

[detroitdiva]

I recommend garnier fructis curling gel when you do your flat twist next time. They will come out with less frizz. Also, we have the same hair type and Miss Jessie's works great for my hair. Good luck!

 

[faithVA]

Sianna, I feel you girl. I am just moving through that length stage and it was aggravating. I just stopped trying and have been wearing mini twists for months. And the front is always crazy so I just put a band on it.

Your box braids actually looked pretty good. And your braids actually hang so that looks good. I think it is a good start and as you keep working with it you will modify it so it works for you.

The good news is that with each passing month you will get more and more length so everything will look better and better.

Hang in there girl. Don't touch those scissors.

 

[PaigeJessica]

My hair is the same length as yours and I can't really rock twist outs yet either...I think your braids were really cute though. I was thinking of doing that tomorrow.

 

[naijamerican]

Not feeling it... AT ALL! Not even close!

Sianna, you definitely looked like you were not feeling your hair style in this picture. I chuckled when I saw the expression on your face.

I understand your frustration; I think all of us, whether we're natural or not, have been irritated with our hair at times. Truth be told, I actually quite liked your braided style and I anticipate that I'll be doing the same style this summer. Just a suggestion for your future twist outs, based on my own experience: I would consider doing two strand twists of a small to medium size to acquire a more defined twist out. For some reason, flat twists never seem to produce the kind of twist outs I like. On the other hand, it looks like you did get some definition which indicates to me that flat twists work for you, but that you might want to make them smaller - like, ideally, two or maybe even 3 flat twists could have been made from each single flat twist you made?

At least you were willing to experiment. Sadly, my biggest misadventures come from wearing my hair out in a fro rather than using protective styles. Single strand knots galore.

 

[ceecy29]

I think the key to better definition in "out" styles on shorter hair is smaller sections, as you can tell from your success with the plait-out. That's the conclusion I made in my own journey too. It's tedious though.

 

[cabellera]

Braidout looks good! I like your styles in your signature pics too!

 

[ceecy29]

On the other hand, it looks like you did get some definition which indicates to me that flat twists work for you, but that you might want to make them smaller - like, ideally, two or maybe even 3 flat twists could have been made from each single flat twist you made?

I agree with the bolded.

 

[MsLizziA]

Oh your hair is at that "awkward" length. Yea when it got to that, i went to sew-ins and braids with added hair. Styles that lasted months at a time.. so i have no advice lol.. just hugs

 

[Sianna]

Thanks for the encouragement ladies!

You know, the funny thing about the braids is, I actually think they look alright on camera. In real life, I HATED them!! And the braid-out, to me actually looks better in real life than it does on camera.

Oh, and thanks to those of you who suggested doing smaller sections next time. I can do flat twists pretty fast so doing smaller sections won't be much of a hassle for me. I may try that... in a few months.

 

[Kneechay]

girl... if I posted my misadventures you'd laugh. No matter what length, stuff just doesn't always turn out right. I like your twist/braid outs. You know, you may like them better if you add like perm rods on the ends and bobby pinned one side up for flare. I dont really think your styles were that bad actually.

 

[leiah]

I like the braids and braid out!

 

[Janet']

Thanks for sharing!!! We all have to laugh at ourselves from time to time. Honestly, the braids and braidout didn't look bad to me But, we are our own worst critics!!! Don't worry, the longer it gets, "they" say, the better the styles- twistouts, braidouts...I'm still working on cute ones myself though!

 

[Napp]

aww i know how frustrating it is when your hair is short like that. but with the braids you could've had a cute style if you braided the roods or about 1/3 of the length and either finger curled or rod set the ends. you coulda rocked that for a while and then do a nice braid and curl at the end.

 

[Your Cheeziness]

I feel your pain!! It's nothing more annoying than me spending an hour + prepping for a style and I come out looking like "who did it and why". That's when I go to braids or kinky twists.

 

[itsjusthair88]

HEY....I'm right there with you, my hair is so awkward right now and I just hate it. I'm like @MsLizziA I am just going to be wearing wigs and braids with added hair...where did you learn how to flat twist that well? I can't do it and I need to learn, that and cornrows (with & w/o added hair) are next on my style list.

ETA: Sienna, your box braids looked fantastic!!! You have some hang time girl, I would rock them with some fly earrings, makeup and hair accessories!

 

[AmyRose92]

Your hair has grown considerably since I last saw you!
I still have problems styling my hair since it's SO uneven and I have some different textures going that won't even let me do a simple FRO without it looking jacked up xD

 

[ms-gg]

The braids were cute girl! You should have rocked them!

 

[Iluvsmuhgrass]

I like your braids! Sianna, I don't think your hair's too short at all. I think it's all in what products you use and how you place your twists. The way you have yours is how my stylist used to do mine and I could never get it to look right so I modified it lol. I REALLY need to learn how to use my camera so I can show you what I'm talking about. K... I'm back and I tried to take pics lol.

DISCLAIMER: I have carpal tunnel, fine hair, and my twists are old (and slept on.) Looking a hot wreck right now but since I work at home I don't have to be cute. #DONTJUDGEME It's healthy!! Yeah I'm going to post these in that Good, Bad, and ugly thread. HUSH!

I do rows of twists on wet hair with leave-ins. Some are flat and some are loose. It kinda depends on how well my hands hold up. I don't use gel at all for twist/braid outs (HATE the way they make my loose hair feel but I've got to find a good styler. I tried gel mixed with oils and it's ok.... but nothing to write home about.) I can get two day hair without doing anything (but I will get shrinkage.)

• For the top to the back I do three rows of flat twists with 3-4 or so on each row.
• For the very top and sides I usually do loose individual twists or a mix of flat and loose (depending on my edges)
• For the top I do a mix of loose and flat. Make your part where you want it to be and twist/braid accordingly.
• Put oil on hands and separate.
• Don't make straight parts because they're harder to blend, unless you're going to just puff it anyways.

Hope this helps.

 

[transitioning?]

Okay OP--

I also think your braids look pretty good. Also I don't think that your twist out was horrible. You couldve put a headband on since the front was kinda wonky. In the future maybe you should flat twist your bang section to the front. I think that would make your front hang better.

naijamerican I'm in the same boat when it comes to SSKs and wearing my fro. I'm so afraid that i will waste my day putting my hair into twist and they will still look bad. At last time I was natural I hated my twist. I looked like a little kid whose mom didn't care to do her hair.

 

[sunnieb]

Your twistout is actually cute. Just needed a little more fluffing here and there.

I like the braids too! Your braidout is gorgeously thick! That style is a keeper!

Sent from my Comet using Long Hair Care Forum App

 

[Nasdaq_Diva]

Try doing smaller sections on the flat twists. Even when I was APL, I couldn't put that few of flat twists in the front without it coming out wonky.

Try doing some 2 strand twists, and then combine them into 4 strand twists. Then put them into small bantu knots. I like that style alot. Gives alot of shape and body on shorter lengths.

 

[kandake]

I feel your pain. I wish I would have taken pictures of the coil out I did the other day on my twa and the twist out I attempted last week. They were HORRIBLE.

 

[Poohbear]

Sianna - I've had so many days like you have had. I totally feel you. Not too long ago, I did a flat twists on wet/damp hair and after it dried completely, I unraveled it and fluffed it out and did not like the results either. Sections of hair were all uneven. It made me re-wash my hair and straighten it with heat. I also can't do box braids either. My scalp shows and my braids shrink to nothing after a few days.

 

[darlingdiva]

((( HUGS))) Sianna

Just know that this awkward hair stage will soon be a distant memory.

I agree with everyone who said to use smaller sections & to use perm rods. Implementing those two tips always gives me that type of twist outs that I like.

 

[Sianna]

I think the next time I try a twist-out, I'll definitely twist on smaller sections. I'm no quitter, so I'll keep working on it!

Thanks for all the encouragement chicas! I don't feel nearly as frustrated as I did when I first started this post. I actually got a lot of compliments on my braid-out at work today. :Blush2:

Iluvsmuhgrass and Nasdaq_Diva thanks for sharing the pics! I thought both of you ladies had great results with your twist-outs!

Poohbear Please understand that I'm not calling you a liar, but looking at your siggy, I have a difficult time imagining that you're capable of having a bad hair day.

Side note: Those box braids really do look better on camera than they looked in real life, at least to me.

 

[Poohbear]

Poohbear Please understand that I'm not calling you a liar, but looking at your siggy, I have a difficult time imagining that you're capable of having a bad hair day.

Yes I have had some bad hair days. I just don't put many pics up in my album of those days. When I look back at old pics now, I feel like some of them were bad hair days. But at the time, I thought my hair was fly!

 

[g.lo]

I love my natural hair, but sometimes it can be a little... trying to find a style that works, especially considering I've been relaxed most of my life. Working with a completely different type/texture of hair, I'm learning, sometimes takes a bit of trial and error.

So here's how it all went down.

Over the weekend, I decided to put in a set of flat twists. The idea was that I'd try a twist-out.

They were hideous of course, but they didn't have to look good for a nice twist-out.

Well, as it turns out, the twist-out sucked! My hair is still waaaay too short to pull this off!

Not feeling it... AT ALL! Not even close!

So then, yesterday after work I took several hours to do my first set of box braids on all natural hair that grew out of my scalp. ...With no extra hair added. 'That might be cute,' I thought optimistically!

Not so much! I hate the braids nearly as much as I hated the twist-out! I wore them to work anyway though.

So, not even 24 hours after I sat there and did all those braids, I took them out and was, at last, left with an acceptable hair style, and my first braid-out.

Yeah, so... that's it I suppose. I guess this is sort of a mini-vent. I was so mad at my hair today, I seriously was thinking of taking the scissors to it out of frustration! Good thing I was at work at the time, else I might have actually gone through with it!

Please feel free to laugh at me, makes suggestions, or better yet, share your own styling misadventures!

ETA: In spite of the title of this thread, anyone is free to post their own styling misadventures.

can understand, that stage is awful and so frustrating
please persevere and you will later laugh about it!
big hugs

 

[Missjae09]

Op, I'm sure your hair has grown since this post, but just in case... you should make smaller sections when doing our flat twist... that's why your "braidout" turn out so well.. you had smaller braids. (sorry for the late post, better late than never, i guess lol )