Caring for the TWA! (I'm getting a little discouraged, plz help?)

[maddywoo13]

I've been natural for almost 2 months now, I have a TWA. I thought I knew what I was doing but I'm not sure anymore. Basically, I'm really discouraged. I have a goal to get to mid-back length by 2011 and I'm scared I won't make it. It's extremely important to me because I wanted to make a non school related goal that I could do and actually achieve (I have commitment issues, seriously). Everything I start, I mean EVERYTHING, I give up on and If I do it this time, I'll sink into a pool of depression because it'll be one more thing I gave up on. So I've put myself in the position where there is no turning back now so I HAVE to go through with it.

I really don't see many threads and sites on caring for the TWA (In detail). I'm not even sure if I know what I'm doing sometimes. I was wondering if any one could spare their own personal tips about it, even if its just one thing.

Maybe this is just a phase, I hope so cause this really sucks. Aside from that, if anyone has any tips about caring for the baby 'fro, I would appreciate this SOOOOOOOOOOO much.


P.S. Is washing every week really bad? If so, should I do it bi-monthly or so?

 

[runwaydream]

Sorry I can't help. To grow out my TWA I put my hair in braids and they will stay in braids until im APL but im sure there's plenty if ladies here who will be of more help than I am

 

[Skiggle]

This is interesting
bump, bump....

 

[Platinum]

Hey, lil Sis! Don't give up yet! I don't think washing once a week is too often but you may want to try cowashing. Good luck, Sweetie. I hope some of the naturals can chime in to help you.

((hug))

 

[DDTexlaxed]

I don't know if this will help, but I will try. After my BC, I just co washed daily and added some gel and went. I don't know how to not style my natural hair without wetting it. My hair is long enough to twist, but I am not really good at doing them. How long is your hair and what products do you use? I get discouraged from time to time and what snaps me out of it is You tube videos. So many ladies are able to do so much with their natural hair. I'm convinced that with time and practice, I will be able to do the same. Welcome to the TWA club. I hope we can continue to encourage one another as our hair grows out. Right now, my hair is a medium sized fro. I am 5 months post BC. There is also a thread for TWA grow out. We have a lot of new naturals. I hope you will find the advice you need.

 

[danigurl18]

I wash once a week and cowash almost everyday.. i have my regimen posted in my fotki even though my hair is SL it still shrinks up into a TA

 

[tatiana]

Don't get discourage.

Natural hair is different from relaxed hair so the things you did with your relaxed hair and the products you use as a relaxed head may not work as a natural.

Washing your hair once a week should be okay but you may need to co-wash or rinse with water more than one a week. It is important to keep your hair moist as a natural. A co-wash is when you wash you hair with conditioner only but concentrate on the ends. Suave Coconut is a good one to try and it is affordable. After rinse or co-wash, seal hair with castor oil, shea butter, or coconut oil.

At night you may want to spray your hair with water only, water mix with a little olive oil, or water with Aloe Vera, glycerin, and oil and seal with your favorite sealer. If you hair is long enough to twist, twist it and cover your hair with a silk or satin scarf. In the morning you can do a twist-out.

 

[Evolving78]

i shampoo and dc once a week. i started cowashing daily again. i moisturize day and night. i do have a spray that i mixed with sweet almond oil, distilled water, and glycerin. i use this throughout the day. i wrap my hair up at night with a satin scarf. i was wearing twists throughout the fall and winter. i also use kids organics shea butter detangling lotion and qhemet biologics burdock root butter cream. if i want to define my coils, i use fantasia ic gell (green or blue). i was using megatek/ovation nightly, but now i will use it as part of my deep conditioning process. that is pretty much it. i hope this helps.

oh in my siggy i am wearing a wash and go fro. i have major shrinkage. it was a little fuller before i took this pic.

 

[Nonie]

I think setting goals is one sure way to failure. You can plan all you want but if a higher power deems it idolatry or not "that serious" then it won't happen. Plus other things could interfere with proper growth like health, allergies, hormones. So instead of focusing so much on reaching a certain length, why not focus on just having the healthiest hair ever. I never lost weight or grew my hair by giving myself a deadline. I got to the mini-goals just by doing the right thing and enjoying the journey. I suggest you do the same.

Platinum and NatrlChallenge have given good suggestions so you could try WNGs. Whether my hair is long or short, I wash it twice a week. When I had a TWA, I braided it at night and baggied and combed it out in the AM. I wore my hair pulled back, even if that meant only an inch back...and that I looked like a baby wearing a headband. Plaiting the hair at night made combing it a breeze. Here is how I wore my TWA:

Runwaydream's suggestion is what I did when I got tired of daily styling.

 

[BrandNew]

Hey girl, don't be discouraged. There is lots of help on this site and people willing to give advice. What is your regimen?

I have a TWA and I co-wash daily. I deep condition at least twice a week. Shea butter and coconut oil are my staples.

 

[suburbanbushbabe]

When I TWA'd years ago, I didn't have the resources and info we have today. I don't even think I greased it! I found a photo of it and it looks healthy but I had dryness as it grew and that led me to {gasp!} jhericurl, which led to more dryness and lead to my next cut.

If I had one today I would condition wash frequently and leave conditioner in (or a leave-in conditioner) and then just gel. I would also do oil rinses. At night I would smooth a little butter or moisturizing lotion (KBB hair milk or nectar, or Afro Detangler) on it. As it grew longer I would add gel and/or a molding product to clump it, and go for a high crown spikey look. Most important for a TWA is water and conditioners -- the same as for my midlength hair today.

 

[Junebug D]

Don't feel discouraged! It's daunting and confusing at first, but TRUST, the TWA is when you have it easiest!

As far as maintenance, I think washing once per week is fine. Just remember that moisture is your friend and this stage; rather you rinse daily or use a leave-in moisturizer.

Beyond that...keep it simple and just enjoy it while you have it! Because you'll reach that ever-so-awkward "no longer a TWA" stage before you know it.

 

[maddywoo13]

Hey girl, don't be discouraged. There is lots of help on this site and people willing to give advice. What is your regimen?

I have a TWA and I co-wash daily. I deep condition at least twice a week. Shea butter and coconut oil are my staples.

Okey dokey, My hair is about 2.5-3 inches long stretched. I shampoo with a trader joe brand once a week every Sunday, after I shampoo I DC w/ DPR-11 and sit under the dryer with a plastic cap for about 25mins (I'm gonna incorperate a oil into that DC because when I use just the condish itself, I don't retain much moisture) and that's the only time I use a comb, the rest of the week I finger comb. I co-wash every Wednesday. Other than that, thats it! =)

Another thing, I get a lot feedback as to how I style my hair, and I've been thinking about using Kinky Curly Curling Custard to style it, if that is what it's for that is... what do you think?

Thank you for the replies so far, I'm learning ALOT