Anyone on a natural hair jouney?

[WellWellWellifitisntyou]

Just wondering whether anyone would respond to a natural hair thread on here.
I'm in a couple of FB groups and I think I have watched every Natural Hair Journey and Big Chop video on YouTube!
I have type 3b hair and have just finished growing out heat damage, cutting an inch bit by bit. It's shoulder length now and I'm trying to perfect a wash and go with much failure and much shrinkage.
DH is 6 years in with 4b hair and has grown long locs which seem to be about 3 ft longer every time they're twisted (not jealous)!!

[NamedyChangedy]

I'm loving how quickly my hair dries in this heat! I'm being decidedly minimal with all things hair related at the moment as I can't deal with any extra exertion, it seems ok albeit a little dry perhaps. I'll deep condition tonight and see if that helps.

I know I need a trim but have no idea where to go for one. I get a bit antsy when anyone holds scissors near my hair so it'd have to someone I trust!

Also I'm thinking of getting some box braids put in for a couple of weeks over summer, I just worry that they're not brilliant for my hairline, even if my lady is very gentle.

[TeaAddict235]

How are you all doing in the peak summer sun? I've been trying to up my cowash game. It might be time to get the glycerine- spray out!

[DunkandEggAgain]

Dunno. 🤔
It's at my shoulder blades length wise.

My intention was to just grow it long down my back like how it used to be a decade ago. But with this supposed hair loss, I'm not sure.
I had a baby 7 months ago. I was on the mini pill up until a month ago - both can make hair fall out because of hormones..I can't quite figure out if I've actually got an issue or not 😕
All I know is, my mum has suffered with really thin fine baby hair all her life. No volume, super thin, poker straight. Dad is bald on the very top of his head and by his foread, although he still keeps his waist length dreads. I'm worried genetics is against me. That's why I keep examining my temples, I'm SURE my hair was long there. Now it's covered in baby hairs (good in a way as they'll grow long hopefully) and my hair feels thin at the roots and I'm sure I can see my scalp more through the hair, especially when it's wet.
Anyway. I'm going on and on. Lol. Back to the question, I thought if I do a chop, then I can keep it short(er) while I wait for my new hair to grow in and thicken it out all over.

[TeaAddict235]

Hey @legolammb , if your hair is ok with silicones then try the gold tube Pantene repair and strong hair mask. I'm a 4b-c and it works magic on my hair. I have no idea how i stumbled across it probably out of sheer desperation with the curly girl method but it is the bees knees for me.

@DunkandEgg don't do another big chop! Can't you work with your hair until it is where you want it to be? Could you trim or dust it every few months whilst using deep conditioning masks to strengthen?

[legolammb]

Fabulous, lots to try Dunk. I have never tested my hair. My routine at the moment is just to buy some kind of thick conditioner for dry hair, then leave it on for 30 mins on Saturday or Sunday before rinsing and blow drying. I need to stop being lazy and take a trip to Brixton and see what's in the hair shops there. My hair seems to do ok with silicon so Mixed Chicks could be worth a try.

[DunkandEggAgain]

I can empathise with breakage. Look into testing hair to see what it needs. If porous then you can crack on with a conditioner specific to that, or if it needs protein, then likewise you can find conditioners to fix that. Google will help you find more info, as I can't remember of f the to p of my head, sorry.
Then every week do a mask treatment. With patience you'll hopefully see an improvement.
.I like the Maui products for everyday condition. The aloe Vera does make my hair nice.
Mixed chicks gave good for my hair, but it does have a 'light' silicon in, which depending on hair type, you may not get on with.
Homemade masks are great. Honey, raw aloe Vera, mayo, raw shea butter, coconut oil etc..lots of info on Instagram but again, it'll help if you kknow what your hair needs (porous/protein and the like) before putting products onto hair. Hair can look just as bad if there's too much protein for example.

[legolammb]

So happy to have found this thread! I have 3c hair. I haven't relaxed in around 5 years but still tend to wash and blow dry straight every week. I tried wearing more curly wash and go's but got pretty bad breakage due to detangling. I also find that with blow drying and pressing, there's 90 mins of work at the weekend to do it, but it lasts the week. I couldn't get my curls to stay longer than a day before turning to frizz.

Can anyone recommend a really good nourishing conditioner?

[DunkandEggAgain]

My hair seems really thin around temples. Ive loads of baby hairs but I'm certain I had long hair in place of where the baby hairs are now. I'm confused over it. I took a video of my hair line yesterday. I'm saving it to compare for future use.

[DunkandEggAgain]

Hey Lanaa.

I'm having thoughts on doing a big chop. I'm concerned about how much hair I'm still losing and I think a chop may help me scale things back in terms of hair condition and simplicity. However, DH thinks I've nothing to worry about and what I'm losing is within normal range. How much daily hair loss is within normal range though? That's what I'd like to know. I comb gently everyday while hair is wet with conditioner water, and hair is in protective style. I don't use heat to dry (or rarely do on medium heat) or heat style. Ivetaken up scalp massaging and I'll look into oils that promote hair growth, although I've been taking bamboo extract for the past 3 weeks - reviews state an excellent hair stimulant. Not sure what else I should or shouldn't be doing tbh.

[Lanaa]

Still here @DunkandEggAgain. I'm
Having my annual Should / Shouldn't internal debate about getting braids or Senegalese twists...

[raisinsraisins]

Interesting thread. I'm white but have 3B hair, and have worn it natural my whole life. 30/40 years ago I had to travel into London to buy my products from salons, but now they're available everywhere - I mainly use Shea Moisture. For the first time I feel really positive about my hair, as the popularity of the Natural Hair movement is changing people's perceptions about looking good with what you have.

[DunkandEggAgain]

Curly Bump

Anyone still about?

[TeaAddict235]

It is liberating isn't it @Lanaa , just being 'allowed' to be, to be dressed up if you want to, to have a dazzling hairstyle if you want to, to have a simple everyday hairstyle if you want to, to not to do anything to it if you want to etc. we also have to 'permit' each other to do these things to our hair, or not. I've recently realised that a friend of mine is just not into hair, neither her hair nor her daughters' hair. She is happy to pop on a wig throughout the year, and to pull her daughters' hair into a bun. She says that she doesn't enjoy caring for it, washing it, moisturising it etc, and so she says that a wig will suffice. Interesting isn't it?

[Lanaa]

How is everyone? I got up this morning and was about to put a wig on and suddenly thought fuck it. I'm not sweating under a hat made of hair all day, just to conform to western beauty standards. I've styled my hair into two flat twists and it looks great. My scalp feels cool and is breathing and I'm not hot. I need to experiment with twist outs to get some type of definition but I think I'm a convert. It's liberating.

[MistressDeeCee]

teaaddict thanks for the tips, when I get back I'm going to try. I am sick to death of fighting with my hair and dream of one day being 'natural and free'. Yep, I'm stocking up and yep, so many men are blessed in the hair department. But unless baldness is genetic, where a man has a fine head of hair I'm convinced it's because they don't mess with their hair too much.
.

[TeaAddict235]

@MistressDeeCee when I used to go to the gym weekly (back in the uk) I would try and use a conditioner to Co wash, then just wear my hair as a kind of Afro with simple cane rowed sides to last me until home. I worked in zone 1 London at the time and just held my head up high if you can do it, give yourself a break and leave your hair out. Maybe use a few hair ties to form an Alice band etc if you have enough hair for that. Then just tend to it when you can later after work.

I agree that the hard water in the uk can really make 4c hair cakey and fragile. But you are in the best place for black castor oil!!! Stock up!! Barter and haggle and then give them a tip if they are generous to you castor oil is the bees knees for my hair at keeping it soft even if my DSis says that I smell like a petrol station

Your DH's hair sounds fine, men are always blessed in the hair department

[NamedyChangedy]

@MistressDeeCee at the gym (usually first thing in the morning) my hair is either in braids or twists, that way it doesn't really shrink - if I'm not washing it right away I spritz liberally with a leave-in conditioner and then style as normal. I don't mind shrinkage too much these days though, I like to see it as a sign that my hair's healthy!

[MistressDeeCee]

My hair has been natural for around 20 years. I do braid extensions or wigs sometimes, with my hair cane rowed underneath it tho. I find it hard to maintain my 4c hair in UK climate. I'm in Caribbean at the moment and my hair is soft and manageable

OH has very long silver dreadlocks, healthy head of hair. So I'm minded that the less you do to your hair the better. Mine grows more when I don't fuss with it, and use coconut and/or black castor oil.

Anyone with 4c hair..how do you stop it shrinking? 30 minutes in at the gym and mine is a mess

I really want to go for the big chop. I did it when pregnant and it's so quick and easy to manage. This thread has encouraged me

[TeaAddict235]

Good for you @WellWellWellifitisntyou, they're very summery, especially with the beads in. How I miss beads. How long do you think you'll have them in for? They're very neat and consistent, great work. Half way through doing them, and maybe mid packets, did you ask yourself that typical question of 'why am I doing this?', around about 2am in the morning and when you know that the next day will be busy.

Well done

[DunkandEgg]

Well done, WellWell, your braids look good. Managing afro hair gives the best arm work outs

[DunkandEgg]

I'd love love love to get wool braids. I'd get them in blues, greens and pinks. So hippie.

[Lanaa]

Thanks @DunkandEgg it's about shoulder length at its longest stretched but loads of shrinkage. I'm trying to avoid heat so don't want to straighten it. I was thinking of doing a twist out and getting some hair that matched.

@WellWellWellifitisntyou Your braids are lovely! Well done - I know how much work they are. I'm inspired now to get some braids or maybe Senegalese twists. Thank you for the tips on the clip ins. I've never thought about doing my oen but it's a good idea. I'll pop to the hair shop at the weekend and see if they have a similar texture.

[WellWellWellifitisntyou]

Lanaa I've found that the best way of doing clip-ins was to style my hair exactly how i wanted to wear it (except I wanted it longer) gel, products, etc. Wait for it to dry completely and then go to hair shop and find hair to match it as it was. The hair wasn't available in clip ins and was actually synthetic. But it matched. It was on the weft for weaving so i bought a pack of that and a pack of clips, weaving needle and thread and sewed the clips to the weft.
I find that if I dont style my hair first i always end up buying something too loose or too tight in curl. I also find that (perhaps because my hair is still damaged) I can't just go in and buy the same hair that i did last time because it suddenly wont blend because the texture of my hair has slightly altered. That's also why i stopped buying online, it's too hard to find something that matches the leaveout, and with clip ins there's a lot of leaveout. Alternatively, have you seen the crochet braids? They look so natural.

[WellWellWellifitisntyou]

I installed braids over the weekend, did it in 3 shifts on Weds, Thurs and Fri..about 8 hours in total. Was sick of doing it by Friday. I used 3 packs of X-pressions ultra braid. Before that i was wearing an afro puff.

[DunkandEgg]

I've never used them, sorry. How long is your hair Lanaa? Do you have a lot of shrinkage?