You have been natural for X+ years.. and you have just found out...

[Giselle685]

OK... I have been natural for about 2 a half years now.. and I just found out that a wash and go was not really a wash and go... Why didn't someone tell me that after you wash with the conditioner... apply gel??? Now that I understand what a wash and go is.. it is my go to style and I haven't had any fray ends...


Anything you have found out after being natural for some time?

 

[ravenhairedcharm]

I've been natural for almost 2 years and I just found out that shampoo isn't necessary for MY hair. I've been stripping my hair all this time for no good reason at all. My hair feels and behaves better now with just conditioner washes.

 

[FoxxyLocs]

I didn't know about the wash and go's either. I knew people used gel, but didn't realize that most people are putting a lot of effort and product to get that curl definition. I'm thinking of trying them again when I have a few extra minutes to apply product and diffuse instead of literally washing and going.

Sent from my HTC Evo

 

[whiteoleander91]

I've been natural for a little over a year and I just realized the importance of water temperature not only for my hair, but also for my skin. I would always shower with super stinging hot water, then rinse the condish out at the end of my shower with cool water. My skin and hair would get sooo dry sometimes, especially about a month ago. One day I got into the shower and turned the knob to more of a gentle heat, just a really pleasant warmth, and my hair felt soooo good and soft, even from just running the water through it. Now I shower with warm water instead of hot. My skin isn't crazy dry and my hair feels so good and moisturized. Conditioner works better in my hair now and rinses out soo soft and buttah-like lol. I wish I had realized this sooner.

 

[PJaye]

^^^ When I tried the cool water rinse thing, my hair and body were NOT amused. For me, everything feels and behaves so much better with warm water.

 

[Rainbow Dash]

I've been natural for almost 2 years and I just found out that shampoo isn't necessary for MY hair. I've been stripping my hair all this time for no good reason at all. My hair feels and behaves better now with just conditioner washes.

^^ This right here. Natural 3 years and just got it.

 

[mallysmommy]

been natural for 6 years (yeah i know) and ive just found out that my hair really doesn't like to be bothered. (no styling, w&gs twist outs etc) just keep it clean and mosturized and let it be. after 6+ months of C&G its finally starting to flourish.

 

[MrsJaiDiva]

I've been natural-ish (just texturized half my head) for over a year now, and I've finally realized that my hair refuses to play nice. Period. There is no twist out...no braid out...no gel, or serum that is gonna make my hair fall into nice, orderly curls like all of the other Type 3 Ladies. It laughs at my attempts, and bushes out into a big frizzy poof. And the more I try to work it into some semblance of order, the more it sheds. Like "Love me as I am, or I'm out!".

I now realize the importance of Texturizer. I also realize that shampoo only gives my hair an even worse attitude...shampoo ain't welcome in my house.

 

[DarkJoy]

Been natural 4 years and JUST realized 2 things: shampoo and me don't mix and neither does wet combing. No combing conditioner through (I just glob it on and massage in) and no more styling wet hair. It seems to be staying on my head his way.

 

[danniegirl]

I have been natural for almost 2 years and I just fount out that water is not my best friend.

I have fine 4abc hair with 100 million ringlets all over and water seriously makes them tangle around each other so I have to do everything in sections it makes everything easier.

I can really wash and go as long as I wash in sections and let my hair dry a bit before taking it down.

 

[hannan]

I've been natural all of my life but I've been on a HHJ for 2 years. I recently found out that my hair:

1. l-o-v-e-s coconut oil/milk/cream. It remains so soft whenever I use products with them very high on the list or that by itself.
2. likes to be manipulated daily (daily combing). It can't handle being in a bun with "free" hair or it gets extremely tangled. I've been putting them in about 6 big braids every week for a couple of weeks, moisturizing and sealing, combing it out, and then putting it back in its braid. Happy hair! Because I wear a headscarf when I go out of the house, no one sees me in these crazy looking braids.

 

[Crackers Phinn]

I discovered that the longer I go between washes the more defined my coils become.

 

[curlicarib]

I've been natural my whole life and I just found out that my elders knew what they were doing. When I was a little girl my Mom and Aunts used to wash my hair and comb it with water and grease (moistusize and seal). As I got older, we used a family receipe for henna on a regular basis. My hair thrived. Somehow along the way I lost these practices and found the blowdryer and the flatiron and my hair suffered and hated my. Then I found this site and had to "learn" all about what I forgot.

SMH. I guess I should have just done what the old girls told me to do. Dam*it! does this mean that they were right!??!!

 

[hannan]

I've been natural my whole life and I just found out that my elders knew what they were doing. When I was a little girl my Mom and Aunts used to wash my hair and comb it with water and grease (moistusize and seal). As I got older, we used a family receipe for henna on a regular basis. My hair thrived. Somehow along the way I lost these practices and found the blowdryer and the flatiron and my hair suffered and hated my. Then I found this site and had to "learn" all about what I forgot.

SMH. I guess I should have just done what the old girls told me to do. Dam*it! does this mean that they were right!??!!

That's exactly my story! Henna and all. I should have just listened to my mom/grandma/cousins.

 

[gforceroy]

I've been natural all of my life but I've been on a HHJ for 2 years. I recently found out that my hair:

1. l-o-v-e-s coconut oil/milk/cream. It remains so soft whenever I use products with them very high on the list or that by itself.
2. likes to be manipulated daily (daily combing). It can't handle being in a bun with "free" hair or it gets extremely tangled. I've been putting them in about 6 big braids every week for a couple of weeks, moisturizing and sealing, combing it out, and then putting it back in its braid. Happy hair! Because I wear a headscarf when I go out of the house, no one sees me in these crazy looking braids.

My hair loves coconut too! I also just figured this out recently.

 

[Embyra]

Hair deets in my siggy

I cannot use lathering shampoos regardless of whether it contains sulphates or not
once it lathers and creates bubbles it will create frizz and totally disrupt my curl pattern
which takes several weeks for my hair to really settle back down



Sent from my iPhone using LHCF

 

[greenandchic]

I've been natural my entire life (33 years!) and I just recently realized that my shedding was excessive and needed to see a doctor about it. I wish I've known this a few years ago.

 

[Blkprincess]

wash n go's and I will never mix
my hair grows out only not down; mini twists or braids are not my friend.
shingling my entire head will never happen in this lifetime, bang at the most, and that is it. afros are a no no. too much work cause it has to be reset before bed in braids or twists. and hair must be completely dry before release of braid/twistout or disaster will ensue. shrinkage is just something I'll will just have to accept , no more waist-length like when I was relaxed!

 

[SEMO]

I've been natural for 6 years and I've just discovered that I think my hair likes finger combing and that separating my hair into 4 sections and working on one section at a time really does improve my results (instead of working on one whole half of my head at a time). Should've figured this out a looong time ago.

I've always liked trying new products (while trying not to be a PJ). But apparently, I got set in my ways regarding technique quite a while ago. I'm just now revising somethings in my routine to see if they can be done better.

 

[AyannaDivine]

5 yrs natural and just realized that protein is NOT the devil. Gotta find your moisture/ protein balance in order to retain growth.

 

[Triniwegian]

..How to get a perfect wash and go.
..That my hair really does not mind heat at all.

 

[Shadiyah]

I didn't know about the wash and go's either. I knew people used gel, but didn't realize that most people are putting a lot of effort and product to get that curl definition. I'm thinking of trying them again when I have a few extra minutes to apply product and diffuse instead of literally washing and going.

Sent from my HTC Evo

FoxxyLocs you know in your siggy it looks like a wng. you don't have to use gel for it to be a wng you can just use your conditioner. I don't even like gel in my hair but I do use some creams some times but now most time I just use tresemme and let it airdry. I diffuse yesterday and it was great to have your hair dry just like that. so I may do that again today since I wng everyday.

 

[ManeStreet]

1 year. My hair styles come out pretty much the same no matter what products I use for styling, the difference it almost totally unnoticable. But I still have my favorites lol.

 

[ms.blue]

I have been natural for 4 yrs now and I realize: my scalp don't like to be oiled that much at all. Deep conditioning is the truth. Finger detangling is wonderful but tedious. The biggest realization is that my right side will always out grow my left side no matter what I do and I need to stop cutting my back of my hair b/c I will never have blunt ends and stay w/ the u shape forever.

 

[Ronnieaj]

Been natural 4 years, just found out that while my hair REALLY enjoys, and needs, a thorough detangling, it doesn't need it every week. Every three, when I take out my twists, does just fine. Also, my twists can stay in for 3 weeks without super severe tangling, so long as I do them on stretched hair and in a rope style. Twisting every week is OUT the window . Last, my hair really thrives on an ayurvedic routine, and I need to just let the PJism go and roll with what I know to be successful.

 

[NaturalEnigma]

I've been natural for two years and I just realized that....
1. My hair hates wash and goes it causes tangles galore. I need to have my hair in some kind of stretched style to prevent tangles.
2. I need to incorporate more protein in my regimen if I want my hair to grow healthy and long
3. I need to wash my hair in twists or it will get matted and tangled
4. Finally applying my products in sections helps to thicken my hair.

 

[FoxxyLocs]

FoxxyLocs you know in your siggy it looks like a wng. you don't have to use gel for it to be a wng you can just use your conditioner. I don't even like gel in my hair but I do use some creams some times but now most time I just use tresemme and let it airdry. I diffuse yesterday and it was great to have your hair dry just like that. so I may do that again today since I wng everyday.

My siggy is a braidout. My texture is not uniform, which is why I don't wash and go. If I want a "WNG", it will take time and product.

Sent from my HTC Evo

 

[Country gal]

I have been natural for 7 + years, I just realized I need to get a good regimin. My hair did better with the wash and gos. I got used to flat ironing my hair. Listening to other people telling me they like me with straighter hair, I ended up getting my hair off track.

I am going to start sport my natural hair again.

 

[Ronnieaj]

I have been natural for 7 + years, I just realized I need to get a good regimin. My hair did better with the wash and gos. I got used to flat ironing my hair. Listening to other people telling me they like me with straighter hair, I ended up getting my hair off track.

I am going to start sport my natural hair again.

You know, when I was relaxed and would do a braidout or twistout, or something that showed texture, everyone oohed and ahhed over it. Now that I'm natural, every time I wear my hair straight people ooh and ahh over it. Can't win for losing sometimes .

 

[PinkPeony]

My hair likes to be cornrowed/flattwisted then moisturized and greased up and LEFT alone.
Natural 1+ years