Naturals: WORST mistakes you ever made as a natural?

[vainღ♥♡jane]

the worst mistake i made as a natural was deciding to relax. now i'm transitioning.

 

[dany06]

When being completely natural any type of heat straightening with a pressing comb and blow dryers are my biggest enemy. For some reason the after math is always those darn knots. I wont have any knots until I use either of those tool. I've been natural twice. I went 7 months without head or dye. I never had a single knot nor split that I could see. After the first time getting my hair pressed it was knot city from there. Mind you that the stylist who pressed my hair did not blow dry it or detangle it before diving in with a pressing comb. Then I relaxed the went straight back to natural again. This time I dyed my hair light brown/dark blonde. It was fun but I didn't feel like maintaining the color. I tried to dye with henna and I came out with fire engine red hair. My hair felt great but looked crazy. I then tried to henna/indgo and messed that up. I let the indigo oxidize for to long. So I panicked and purchased Bigen which tore my hair up. I have never really had any splits or super rough ends until using Bigen. It gives a pretty black color but suck overall.

The other thing is letting others not really experienced with my hair type touch my hair. They are too rough with it and lack knowledge about the fact you cant run through while dry. These people seems as if they cant work with damp hair .

Well as of recently it would be utter neglect. I get lazy about washing due to the cold then my hair tends to dry out. I cant just sit there and moisturize my hair everyday. It just too much to do while its dry. When I cowash daily I do much better. Plus I get everything out of the way in the shower. I wash my face, brush my teeth, clean my body, do my hair and few other things in there.

So over all the mistakes I've made are the following:
1. pressing comb and blow dryer. (doesnt matter how you do or who does it) It starts the knots

2. using very drying dyes . Not all dye is bad. Using too much dye or very drying type is.

3. letting people who aren't knowledgeable of my hair type nor interested in my hair type touch it. Bigen is the devil.

3. neglect. Just because its natural doesn't mean it doesn't need a little TLC. Cant go around forgetting about it and shoving it under a hat.

 

[msa]

Going to bed without braiding/twisting my hair and just putting on my bonnet. It literally rubs my hair out, kind of like a baby that always lays on its back.

I still do it because I'm lazy, but I'm really trying to work on it.

 

[Essensual]

Two words:

BROWN GEL.

 

[Tylove101]

My worst mistake was not washing my hair in twists. I usually put my hair in 6 big twist when I wash and DC but one day i wanted to try and wash it loose without the twist... that was a BIG !!! And I mean a big no-no!!! When I wash and DC in twist it only takes me less than 5 minutes to detangle because I have NO tangles at all... oh but this day... it took about 30 minutes or more to detangle! I learned my lesson once and I would never wash my hair like that again... never ever ever ever ever!

 

[nubinikki]

March 2008 I dyed my hair a beautiful deep red (which you can see in my member profile). To get it that lovely color took only one step, but I think it lifted it 2 levels. Anyway, I'm still recovering [my ends (the oldest parts of my hair) were breaking off] and I have been stuck at APL ever since. I actually cut off about 2 inches back in December 2008. Then I henna'd and stained my hair the richest black with indigo. Love it. I'm just now starting to see some growth. I vow to never lift my hair color again.

FYI: The reason why I think the color damaged my hair so much is because my hair strands are super fine and cottony soft; i.e., I do not have "strong" hair.

 

[goldenchica]

Since I read this thread soon after the BC I didn't think I'd be adding anything...but here it is:

For the sake of cuteness on my gospel choir (I wanted my afro to be big and mighty) I decided to braid my hair every single night, knowing full well I have fine strands that can't take all that needless manipulation...It took a week and a half for my hair to forgive me, and I think I lost some ends to dryness in the process. Never again!

 

[Liberianmami26]

very informative

 

[PeaceFlow]

I remember when I was younger I went through this time where my hair was so healthy and growing, whenever my hair got messy it would settle into prefect shiny curlserplexed

Anyway I saw this tip in a magazine that rubbing a raw onion on your scalp would grow your hair quicker, as soon as I washed it out my hair started falling out. Everytime I touched my head the hair would fall and fall. Eventually it was pretty much all gone

From then I NEVER put any type of food on my hair.

 

[DozenRoses99]

Great thread! My biggest mistake was combing hair when it was dry or almost dry. I've learned that my hair combs and detangles best when it is soaking wet with conditioner.

 

[carib_n_curly]

going to this hair dresser and letting her burn my hair straight back in 2007

in 2008 turning up my new straightener all th way up to 230C (446 F) and i heat damahed my hair again but it was a small patch

i love my CHI it's highest temp is 187C(368F) and no damage and it straightens my hair faster than the hotter straighteners i have plus no heat damage.

 

[Rei]

trying out that baking soda "relaxer", basically just to loosen your kinks. That thing made my hair feel so rough for WEEKS. I had to double my DC duty for so long after that, its only just now getting back to normal!

 

[Magus484]

Using baking soda to wash my hair. It created even more shrinkage and stiffness.

 

[Renewed1]

Combing my natural hair when it was dry. BIG NO NO!!! Lots of hair came out.

Then not combing my hair at all when I first did the BC'ed.

 

[oreoday99]

Wash n go's are not for me. By the end of the week it was breakage city. :-(

 

[India*32]

Thankfully...I havent had any serious mistakes as I found LHCF when I was about 8 months into my transition. So Ive had LHCF my whole natural life....LOL

I think the WORST mistake was not buying a Denman Brush sooner. I walked around with puffed out hair that refused to smooth into a pony tail, looking a hot mess for months....when I bought that Denman Brush a whole new world opened up to me, I could feel my scalp, my hair laid down.....it changed my whole natural experience. Denman and Castor Oil are a natural girl's best friends!!!

I checked out the Denman Brush on Folicia and which one did you purchase. In additon, When do you use the brush when your hair is wet and you want to brush into a bun.

Simone

 

[babydollhair]

I think for me, blowdrying to get my hair straight. I would get it done at a salon, and well i always end up with split ends that delay my progress. I think i can get away with blowdrying the roots only though.

 

[nichole21]

This is the most helpful thread for natural heads and even ladies who are transitioning!! I have learned what not to do as a natural head just reading through some of these posts!

This is a great thread!!

I completely agree. I've learned alot. I want to do this thing right!

 

[Jazzmommy]

I am just recovering from a minor set-back due to co-washing from too much moisture. So, although I need a lot of moisture due to being natural. I forgot about adding in protein during my co-washing trial.

My hair is getting stronger thank goodness...

 

[Pandora1975]

sulfates and protein dry my hair out, I use them sparingly. I also use silicones sparingly.

Just recovering from this.

 

[almond eyes]

Past mistakes:

1. Thinking that olive oil only was a moisturiser
2. Using the wrong shampoos
3. Braid extensions
4. Going to so called natural hair salons
5. Not using the right conditioners
6. Using the wrong combs
7. Colouring my hair too light
8. Blow drying my hair incorrectly
9. Trimming my hair too much
10. Thinking that a texturiser was the answer
11. Over doing it with buying hair products
12. Not detangling properly

Present mistakes (now corrected)
1. Not knowing that fine hair needs a different regiment than thick hair
2. Not knowing that fine hair has nothing to do with curl pattern
3. Using too many products
4. Not washing in sections
5. Being too heavy handed

Best,
Almond Eyes

 

[toyas08]

I flat iron my hair wit not heat protection and I got the burnt smell

 

[Auburn]

Doing the Liquid Keratin Treatment. I havent reverted back yet after months of doing it.

 

[redecouvert]

worst mistake for me was combing my hair
i've seen a difference since i tossed all my combs

 

[my1goodnerve]

Biggest mistake:
taking my hair out of braids or weaves and loving the length so much that I couldn't wait to show it off. In order to keep it up, I'd blow dry and press weekly and stayed away from water/humidity like it was poison. I DC'd, but not because I knew what I was doing, only because I'm a product junkie and I'd built up a stash. Never dawned on me to use any of the products while my hair was protected so I was always fixin' my hair and not really enjoying it. Within 2 months, my hair was always back to pre-protective style length and I would start the cycle again.

Latest lesson learned
It's been a few months since I've worn braids, but I'm in the Hide Your Hair Challenge so I'm using braids as my protective style. One member mentioned either not having the edges braided, or taking those braids out before damaging the hairline. That's my plan this time around.

 

[Optimistic]

using to much protien
self presing my hair with out heat protection

im still recovering from that press which was about 6 months ago. Ive trimmed off my ends every month since and my hair is doing better.

 

[Chameleonchick]

bumping for more to see. I just read all of it now. I am soo saving this for future use!

 

[bluediamond0829]

Okay my mistake was just recently and it was with getting a sewn weave. I guess my head and scalp has become more sensitive or something because ok out of this year ive had 3 weaves. This one being the 3rd one. The first time it was great, the 2nd time it itched like all out and i thought maybe i needed a break between the weaves, and this 3rd time caused dandruff, flakes, a very sore scalp, red areas on my scalp. And this was done within 2 weeks of having it. I also brought all the things to stop my hair from itching but whenever i would scratch my hair even just with my hand and apply the solution to stop my hair from itching it would burn. So even though i spent so much money i had to take it out. When i went to run water through my hair after removing it it felt like my head was on fire or getting a relaxer

So I'm definetly giving my poor hair a break bcuz for the last month i have been doing too much(Dominican blowouts twice which i love, but cant stay getting them bcuz i workout and i sweat it out too fast). And pressing it also.

And whats so crazy is that i transitioned by using weaves and braids. Braids only last me for 1 month now when before i could at least go for 2 months.

So i guess i'll have to stick with wearing my own hair, its not like i dont have any i just wanted a break and something that i could get up and go with and plus easy for me with me exercising alot.

 

[R4L]

Platinum. Blonde.
​

 

[TheQueenBeeMaya]

Flat ironing every week with no heat protectant
never deep conditioning
never doing protein treatments
piling my hair on top of my hair to wash
never moisturizing

Check my blog to see the results of all that, not pretty! Still trying to correct it