Long haired naturals....

[morehairplease]

I know what you mean. I don't wash as frequently as I used to because its a lot of work. What helps is that I wash in about 8 sections, so I am not overwhelmed with my whole head at one time. I never comb it dry, only when its wet, with conditioner. I am also forced to wear my hair pressed more often because of little knots that form at the end when I wear it in it's natural/curly state. It's all worth it for me though...I'm currently a lil past bsl and still want to get to midback.

I get these, too. What does it mean? Does the hair need a trim or are they split ends?

 

[BrockStar]

Wow. I feel like I look busted all the time too. Just blah. I am so use to hot styles. Styles that look fierce. But, with my nappy hair and at this stage it's always lke blah. Accept early february. I did some flat twist outs and bobby pinned it up in unique ways. I was KILLIN' it. I was wow. Wow!

What I did prior to feb. was get braids. I had kinky twist that I could pin up and do different stuff with. It was lovely. Than I got tree braids and did my 40's hair styles. Victory rolls etc.. It was great.

However, I felt bad because I was neglecting my natural hair. I need to be fierce with natural hair. I always feel like a fro looks amazing on me, but too many tangles. However, if I am in a jam..I will wet my hair so quick and look AMAZING!

Anywhoo..I am trying to learn different styles with my natural hair and learn how to look o so good.

I am going to flat iron for the first time in may. About my 3rd year nappy. I am on a vitamin reg to see if I can get some amazing growth. Don't wnat to flat iron if hair isn't longer. I am reaching bottom of collar bone now.

Lol at the red! I feel like that too which is why I haven't done protective styling in forever and it's also the reason I'm contemplating as to whether or not to rollerset it when I'm deep conditioning to day, or wear my regular hair..just funny...that's all

 

[silvergirl]

i detangle my hair , before it ever needs detangling,. meaning to wash my hair everyday because if i didnt......erplexed id probably have hell to pay.

im around bsl (a lil past) right now, and its still very easy to maintain, we'll see what happens when we get to waist lenght, but i dont expect it to change much at all as long as i continue to co wash daily.

 

[FlowerHair]

I'm beginning to rethink my growth goals as a natural. Did any of you ladies start to feel overwhelmed as your hair got longer? At what length? Are you experiencing more tangling with long hair? How did you learn to manage it all that hair?

I never really wanted hair longer than APL but the longer my hair gets the more I'm starting to dread combing it. And my hair isn't even long yet. I bought some weave hair similar to my texture to have installed for my bday and I gave it a trial run this weekend. I don't think I'll ever want that much hair on my head. I couldn't imagine combing and washing and detangling all that hair. It's not so much the length but it's the bulk of the hair. I like the hair and I think it's going to be a pretty style but I can see myself getting tired of it after a month and wanting it out of my head.

It is kinda overwhelming to wash and detangle long hair. That's why I can't do it more often than 2-3 times a week at the most. It's also part of the reason why I don't use combs or brushes anymore, I just rip my hair out with those.

It takes less time to just "comb" it with my fingers after having separated the strands gently first. (With conditioner in my hair.)

I wouldn't even try combing dry hair at this point
I'm only letting it grow anoter 5 centimeters (2 inches).

 

[ladylibra]

^^^ *gasp* wowzers! look how long and lovely your hair is! i'm jealous!

 

[glamazon386]

Glamazon, have you tried a fro-hawk? They're hot. That's another way to spice up your hair a bit. Also, pinning one side up and letting the other side hang free (like a half-way fro-hawk). I tried it once before I cut my hair, and it was funky and pretty.

Give it a try and see if you feel your hair fierce-ness coming back.

I might give this a try next time I go out TSU. I tried once before but I couldn't get my hair to hang. It might work now. Thanks for the suggestion.

 

[TrustMeLove]

Lol at the red! I feel like that too which is why I haven't done protective styling in forever and it's also the reason I'm contemplating as to whether or not to rollerset it when I'm deep conditioning to day, or wear my regular hair..just funny...that's all

Yea, I am trying to learn and do some new styles as well. When I went natural. I pretty much gave away all my relaxed stuff. My friends were loving it, because I was the hair guru. They had their eyes on a couple of my appliances. Hair dryers, flat irons, curling iron, and not to mention my hall closet full of different rollers and products.

People had bags and bags of stuff.

So, I have been pretty much been lacking in the tool department. I have some combs, brushes, bobby pins, hair accessories, and products. But, that's it so my styles have come different braiding styles and different ways to pin my hair up.

I just never want to go back to feeling like I have to add hair or cover my hair to be on top of my game. So that's why I have been doing my hair in different styles weekly.

 

[beautifulisaunderstatment]

Okay maybe I can get some help. Here's my dilliema. I cant wear twists or individual braids without adding hair because my hair by itself looks crazy. And the wash n gos tangle and I dont like wetting my hair daily. What are soem other suggestions you guys have? After reading this thead all I see is twists...

 

[Sunshine0801]

Okay maybe I can get some help. Here's my dilliema. I cant wear twists or individual braids without adding hair because my hair by itself looks crazy. And the wash n gos tangle and I dont like wetting my hair daily. What are soem other suggestions you guys have? After reading this thead all I see is twists...

Rollersets, buns, fros, puffs, braided ponytails...

 

[JustKiya]

Okay maybe I can get some help. Here's my dilliema. I cant wear twists or individual braids without adding hair because my hair by itself looks crazy. And the wash n gos tangle and I dont like wetting my hair daily. What are soem other suggestions you guys have? After reading this thead all I see is twists...

Have you tried putting your hair in twists, and then turning the twists into updos/other styles? I don't like how my twists look loose - they are still WAY too short - but I usually have them up - and it makes a sophisticated and COMPLEX looking hairstyle .....

 

[glamazon386]

Alright I decided I'm going to get my hair cut into a style. Not too much of the length off but maybe some layers so it falls over my face. I'm not gonna relax it though. Just get it blowdried and flat ironed. Now I just have to call my stylist to discuss my vision and make an appt.

 

[ScandalousBeauty]

Can't wait to see it!!!!!

Alright I decided I'm going to get my hair cut into a style. Not too much of the length off but maybe some layers so it falls over my face. I'm not gonna relax it though. Just get it blowdried and flat ironed. Now I just have to call my stylist to discuss my vision and make an appt.

 

[LongHairDreams]

bumping......

 

[chocolate01]

Thanks for bumping this thread. I actually just cut my hair, I went from mid back to a little past past my shoulders. I love my natural hair and I now I don't want to relax but the time it was taking to do my hair was just too much. Wheter I decided to wear twists or straighten I felt like my hair was an all day process. I needed my weekends back so i'm hoping this haircut will shorten the time it takes to do my hair.

 

[kblc06]

One thing I've found that makes detangling super easy is letting your shower do it for. Just apply the conditioner, let set for few moments, and detangle with a large toothed or crisscrossed detangling comb (conair makes the one I have) while under the showerhead (add more conditioner as needed). It takes all of 5 minutes

 

[Amarech]

This is why I decided to relax....I just do not have the patience to deal with my natural hair when its short....what am I gonna do when it gets long? And I DO want it long... that will neva change! I want at least waist length hair and that just ain't gonna be easy with my 3c/4a thick thick hair!!!

 

[Qetesh]

i also cut my hair. i grew it to waist length but it was getting to be to much to take care of with my busy schedule. also it was starting to get raggity at the ends, so i got 6 inches cut off, or a bit past shoulder length. i no longer really want to be waistlength again. i would like to be midback tho or really just a tad longer then brastrap so thats my new goal.... for me my natural hair does best if when its natural and dry its just above my shoulders with all the shrinkage, with it being waistlength i think it was too much on my shoulders and causing to much breakage, thats jus mu theory. tho

 

[DeepBluSea]

Thanks for bumping this thread. I actually just cut my hair, I went from mid back to a little past past my shoulders. I love my natural hair and I now I don't want to relax but the time it was taking to do my hair was just too much. Wheter I decided to wear twists or straighten I felt like my hair was an all day process. I needed my weekends back so i'm hoping this haircut will shorten the time it takes to do my hair.

Wow! You did a big cut. Off to fotki stalk!

 

[MonPetite]

You all are scaring me!

Am I some abnormality in the napptural spectrum? Granted, I have a TWA now but detangling isn't an issue. When I was young and had BSL natural hair it wasn't a battle either. I even washed my own hair in the bath on occasion (to feel like a "big girl") and it took my mom little time maybe 10 minutes. And that's with awful methods. Which I now know thanks to LHCF (Pink oil be darnded) to detangle it.

I'm looking forward to that huge mass of hair and combing it out every day....

You guys are making me worry. Is all this animosity all I have to look forward to unless I relax? erplexed

Is there anyone else who doesn't have a hard time with their hair (regardless of length)? Or dare I say...looks forward to a nice bout in a steamy shower with a wide toothed comb and bottle of conditioner at the end of a long day??

 

[BroadstreetBully]

You all are scaring me!

Am I some abnormality in the napptural spectrum? Granted, I have a TWA now but detangling isn't an issue. When I was young and had BSL natural hair it wasn't a battle either. I even washed my own hair in the bath on occasion (to feel like a "big girl") and it took my mom little time maybe 10 minutes. And that's with awful methods. Which I now know thanks to LHCF (Pink oil be darnded) to detangle it.

I'm looking forward to that huge mass of hair and combing it out every day....

You guys are making me worry. Is all this animosity all I have to look forward to unless I relax? erplexed

Is there anyone else who doesn't have a hard time with their hair (regardless of length)? Or dare I say...looks forward to a nice bout in a steamy shower with a wide toothed comb and bottle of conditioner at the end of a long day??

Do not get scared! I'm approaching APL stretched and having little issues with my hair. Detangling is a breeze in the shower. Sure I get knots and such, but since I don't plan on wearing my own hair pressed, it's a non-issue for me. When I want to change things up a bit I get a curly weave. I've gotten crazy compliments on my hair/weaves and have inspired many to transition. I say don't give up until you get there. Relaxed or natural, hair is a struggle. Go with what makes you happy. Relaxing will NEVER cross my mind because I LOVE my natural hair. I feel more attractive and more unique with it. I stand out in the crowd and I love it.

Glamazon, girl do YOU! I know you love your natural hair as well, but if a Rihanna cut will make you feel FIERCE, go with your gut. You have all your life to do the natural thing. You can be fierce with natural hair too, just takes some research and creativity. I feel fierce with big hair, so natural works for me.

 

[MonPetite]

Do not get scared! I'm approaching APL stretched and having little issues with my hair. Detangling is a breeze in the shower. Sure I get knots and such, but since I don't plan on wearing my own hair pressed, it's a non-issue for me. When I want to change things up a bit I get a curly weave. I've gotten crazy compliments on my hair/weaves and have inspired many to transition. I say don't give up until you get there. Relaxed or natural, hair is a struggle. Go with what makes you happy. Relaxing will NEVER cross my mind because I LOVE my natural hair. I feel more attractive and more unique with it. I stand out in the crowd and I love it.

Glamazon, girl do YOU! I know you love your natural hair as well, but if a Rihanna cut will make you feel FIERCE, go with your gut. You have all your life to do the natural thing. You can be fierce with natural hair too, just takes some research and creativity. I feel fierce with big hair, so natural works for me.

WHEW! Thank you for this! I'm going to start buying up jumbo rakes in advance. I can't wait to have a huge mane of natural hair with all sorts of flowers, pins, and kanazashi stuck in it!

 

[FemmeCreole]

my hair is ranges between 5 to 6" on different parts of my head now and I find it gets easier to detangle as it grows. (while wet or with conditioner) I don't attempt to dtangle while dry anymore so It seems easier. Not sure if it will get harder to do later.

 

[glamazon386]

\

Glamazon, girl do YOU! I know you love your natural hair as well, but if a Rihanna cut will make you feel FIERCE, go with your gut. You have all your life to do the natural thing. You can be fierce with natural hair too, just takes some research and creativity. I feel fierce with big hair, so natural works for me.

I forgot to come back and update this thread. I ended up getting a weave and wearing it for about 7 weeks. Then last week I went and got a trim and got it blowdried and flat ironed. She cut a lot but it feels better now. It has a better shape to it. I think I'm just gonna weave it all summer so it'll grow out. I realized I feel more fierce with big hair. I've been wearing a long straight wig lately since I was in a straight hair mood and even though the men like it it's just not me anymore.

 

[glamazon386]

You all are scaring me!

Am I some abnormality in the napptural spectrum? Granted, I have a TWA now but detangling isn't an issue. When I was young and had BSL natural hair it wasn't a battle either. I even washed my own hair in the bath on occasion (to feel like a "big girl") and it took my mom little time maybe 10 minutes. And that's with awful methods. Which I now know thanks to LHCF (Pink oil be darnded) to detangle it.

I'm looking forward to that huge mass of hair and combing it out every day....

You guys are making me worry. Is all this animosity all I have to look forward to unless I relax? erplexed

Is there anyone else who doesn't have a hard time with their hair (regardless of length)? Or dare I say...looks forward to a nice bout in a steamy shower with a wide toothed comb and bottle of conditioner at the end of a long day??

I haven't had any problems with detangling so far.

 

[BroadstreetBully]

I forgot to come back and update this thread. I ended up getting a weave and wearing it for about 7 weeks. Then last week I went and got a trim and got it blowdried and flat ironed. She cut a lot but it feels better now. It has a better shape to it. I think I'm just gonna weave it all summer so it'll grow out. I realized I feel more fierce with big hair. I've been wearing a long straight wig lately since I was in a straight hair mood and even though the men like it it's just not me anymore.

Well that's the great thing about weaves! I'm weaving all Summer as well because I'm wanting to focus on growth instead of style for now. As much as I love the big hair, I'll probably do a straight bob weave with some colorful bangs for a quick minute because I like to change it up a bit. But for most of the Summer I'm contemplating some Tree Braids so I can do the big hair thing while protecting my own.

And men, let's not start on them. I've been attracting different types with my natural hair lately. But perhaps that can be a good thing.

 

[luckiestdestiny]

My hair isn't mid back or longer, it's only bra strap length, but it's really thick! I've been able to cut down on detangling because of an accident a year ago that left my hair dreading (almost). In another thread I wrote about it because someone was having problems with their hair. It was my first and only weave. It was full, and I did it to take the pressure off of styling my hair. After a year, (not consecutive of course, I had it redone every two months), I decided to cut out the weave. I just wanted it GONE. I did it in the bathroom, making sure to cut the strings. My hair was all great and beautiful. As I detangled my braids, I found it's length: past mid back, and I was combing out the braids. THen I had the idiotic idea of washing it. That's when the locking began. Maybe I needed to prepoo for a day, but I didn't know that because I didn't even know what prepoo meant. To make a long story short I had to cut my hair almost to shoulder length. It was horrible. The reason, I had to detangle my dreading hair. And when I say dread, there were sections that clumped together and clinged for dear life. Oil, nor conditioner would get it out. After five hours of detangling, I begged my mom to do a run for me to the store. She came back with the only product she could find. It helped me detangle the rest of my hair. The hair that I detangled prior to the detangler was all thin (as a lot of it broke), the rest was long and strong and thick. I couldn't have my hair looking thin on 1/3rd, and the rest thick. It looked idiotic. So I had to do a cut almost to shoulders, it was a little past. On that day, I learned about how wonderful this product was...just a little too late. Had I had it from the beginning, I'd probably be going waist length by now. It detangled the rest brilliantly,and got out the knots and dreads. Whenever I need to detangle, I use it combined with conditioner. It's called: Dark and Lovely Beautiful Beginnings Kids Ouchless Detangler. I'm not a kid but WHO CARES. It says on it that it dramatically reduces knots, breakage, and tugging. AND IT DOES WHAT IT SAYS! So anyways, it reduces my detangling time or else I would probably snap and cut it all off! Just incase you guys are looking for something to help. I don't know how it does what it does, but to me it's magic.

 

[luckiestdestiny]

I know you say your problem isn't detangling but it could be. You say it takes too long to get through it. Mine does not. Maybe five minutes at the most now. So try that product to help, and you won't want to chop it off. As for style, I feel ya. That's how I felt with the weave year. I wanted to pull it off. I didn't feel authentic, plus I thought I want to see my hair gosh darn it. I think you say last time you felt like this you chopped it off. Well why are you growing it? You must want it long. If you chop it off you'll just kick yourself and have to start all over. Just remind yourself of whatever the reason is you want it longer, and get it over with. Get on with the weave even if you hate it, because you say you don't like the way your hair is now. It's best to just not look at it. Leave it alone. It won't be thin forever. You just have layers like you stated in an earlier post.

 

[KLomax]

Hi ladies,

I'm an inch or so passed BSL when flat ironed. My hair is fine & thin. If I can get my braid out to MBL,healthy & unstretched I'm done.

Here are some of the things I do that help w/ detangling that I have learned from this board :

1. I prepro w/ oil..saturating hair..for about 1 hr..then detangle w/fingers.

2. I rarely use shampoo...I rinse w/ 1T baking soda in 2C warm water

3. I DC on dry hair w/Alter Ego Energizing & Rebalancing Cream ...$15 for 8 oz but it is AMAZING...when my product is low I use it as a leave in... it untangles like nobody's business/very moisturizing...worth every penny!!!!

4. French Perm Stabilizer Plus mixed w/ DC worked really well on my daughter 4? natural hair.

I hope this helps!!!!

 

[LongHairDreams]

bumping..... for useful info.

 

[gmw]

I have been trying different ways to do my hair. I love all of these boards, however when my hair is not looking like I want it, I sort of turn a blind eye to the hair boards, and do me.

I know we are supposed to avoiding damage and all, but if I want my hair fierce and swanging, I will go to a FRY-YOUR-HAIR salon and get my hair done. Plain and simple... Consequences be damned... IDK!!! Really.....

I am growing out this hair, and there are times I want to look very different then what I have been looking like....

Like for a while daily co-washing had to go! I wanted to do my hair in twist outs (from big fat twists) and such....

I am thinking about just blow drying it and wearing it that way for a day or two....

If damage becomes a problem, I know what to do....

Balance is the key, and of course I will do what I can to avoid damage....

I will walk into a natural shop armed with CHI (having done a dt the day before) and tell them what I want... and get it.... plain and simple...