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)!!

[WellWellWellifitisntyou]

Haven't checked in for a while. Anyone found the change in weather has affected their hair? I was contemplating putting braids in with X-pressions hair, purely because I feel more confident with longer hair. I even almost caved and straightened it; considered going the whole hog and relaxing it! But I've decided to persevere and the warmer weather seems to be allowing me to do a half decent wash and go for a change. I look at online hear journeys and everyone seems to look so beautiful, whereas I look awkward

[BrightonCalling]

@MargeryFenworthy
Its really interesting reading this discussion as a white woman too, as im really ignorant of what goes into looking after black hair!

[Auldspinster]

I'm reading with interest as a 2c/3a caucasian.

[WillSheBeMyLast]

Watching this thread with interest as have a DD with 3B/3C hair and have tried many products. Most recently OXG shampoo for curly hair and we love it!! Always looking for new recommendations though, mainly for a styling product with some hold? Just for those little fly away hairs.

[DunkandEgg]

Hi everyone.
I've 3b/3c hair too, fairly porous. I'm white English and Jamaica and my hair is fine but there's a lot of it. I've lost a fair amount via post partum, but my hair has always been thick.

The only products I've really liked so far are the Maui products, the one in the pink bottle. I think its the aloe Vera that's making the difference. Didn't rate shea moisture and hate the smell of cantu as it's overpowering.
I make a daily leave in refresh spray consisting of Maui pink conditioner, olive oil, eco style olive gel and essential oils mixed together with mineral water.
I spray everyday and my hair is so soft and just..nice,really.
I could do more by way of hair routine but tbh I can't dedicate time to all these timely step by step's because of life/children/work/home..I've Yet to see any Instagram sisters uploading videos with a baby at their nipple and a toddler in the bacvkground with her hands down her nappy scooping the contents out and over the floor..(Yes, that happened today )

Anyway, I'm glad to see you all here and I'll be watching with earnest and eager to chat more .

[RatMama]

Can I ask what do all these number/letter combos mean please?

[Onceuponatimethen]

Maybe this kind of thing www.google.co.uk/amp/s/beautifullymixed.wordpress.com/2013/02/21/different-hair-types/amp/

[WellWellWellifitisntyou]

Hi all
Dunk, I feel your pain.
Willshebe Im 3b (I think. Seems to be changing the more it grows) dh is 4b with long locsed hair. DS1 has type 4 hair like dh, DS2 has type 3 like me. I am using Cantu products for me and dc, including the co-wash. I deep condition & shampoo weekly and co-wash in between. I find sulphate free products are good. I also like the Curly Kids products for the dc. I always spray mine & ds2's hair with a light leave in conditioner before he goes to the cm, whereas dh puts grease in ds1's hair before school. Dh uses the Mango & Lime products, but I find them all too heavy for me.

[WellWellWellifitisntyou]

posts like this are why I end up starting my own threads lol... To be fair to this lady people were asking about clothes etc in the summer and how to "look expensive" (whatever that means), and a few people had said they wanted a gradual tan and not to look too pale. I was going to suggest that looking pale isn't less expensive looking, skin tone is irrelevant. This lovely person, however, had other ideas
Honestly, if a woman has flawless, creamy skin in the height of summer I think it looks more 'expensive' than any degree of tan. 1 person called her out. So did I. Anyway, not to derail this thread... as we all were. Rant over. Trying a hair mask from the supermarket called Organic Shop Moroccan Argan & Amla. Purely on the basis that ir said 98% natural origin...

[Notfootball]

Glad you didn’t give in and relax it Well, you would kick yourself later. I think you have to build your confidence with natural hair, especially after years of straightened, longer hair. We’ve spent too long being told that kinky hair is bad and unkempt when it is just as good as straight hair. My natural hair is so much thicker than my old relaxed hair and it suits my face much more. No more hiding from the rain now either!

[olderthanyouthink]

I've found my people among the white swishy-haired crowd!

I'm Caribbean/white mixed and have 3b-ish hair. I destroyed it when I was younger (like 9-14) with daily straightening. Ended up chopping it off as it grew back out curly.

I'm considering growing it back out long now that I have a better handle on it -it's shoulder length now.

I use yes to carrots dry scalp which is low poo. Condition every day and shampoo when my hair starts feeling greasy, so once or twice a week. Tiny bit of coconut oil but not every day and pink ecostyler gel. Nice and simple but probably not the best.

[DunkandEgg]

It's be a shame to let the thread die. We could really do well giving each other tips and recommendations. Sometimes it's not always clear from FB posts as to what is meant or do.

[NamedyChangedy]

I'd like to keep it going too. Would be good to share styling options for work - I'm in a rut and need some inspiration! I find YouTube helpful but sometimes the styles are a bit beyond my very basic hair-wrangling skill level!

[DunkandEgg]

Tell me about it. I can manage a singular large French plait, that's as fancy as i go. Even so, if I'm doing DD hair and not concentrating then I end up with hair divided between 6 fingers and no idea how I got there.

[TeaAddict235]

@olderthanyouthink does that eco styler gel have any effect in your hair that you notice? Maybe because I'm more of a mix of 4a and 4b, but my hair laughed at me whenever I used it. So I'm ashamed to say that the large tub ~500ml that I got from the USA was binned.

Sadly for me is that I'm tempted to give it another go as I'm visiting the US again.

Also, is that Pink stuff CG recommend or just good?

[DunkandEgg]

My hair type didn't get on with Pink cream. No slippage unfortunately.

Creme of nature have brought out new ranges. It actually looks like they've ripped off Maui packaging design regarding the milk bottle look to their conditioners. But I've seen good review on IG.

[Lanaa]

Sisters. Has anyone tried ago textured clip in extensions? I'd really like to wear a big Afro but don't want the heat of the wig. I'm growing mine but it's a slow process. So think I want to try the clip ins. Can anyone recommend any?

[DunkandEgg]

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

[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.

[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.

[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.

[DunkandEgg]

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

[DunkandEgg]

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

[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

[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