4b/ 4c Naturals Growth Thread

[metro_qt]

Sooooooooo the whole back half of my head (and sides) are 4b, and has me walking around looking like a mushroom.

I wear a curly hair hat.
(Basically I'm looking like a jazzy aunty who went natural)

I have just accepted the fact that my 4b hair shrinks to about 75 percent after realizing that my nape is one inch away from brastrap.

All these months I never knew, or cared to check since my hair shrank so much, and I consistently wear wash n gos.

If you guys have any non heat stretching methods to stop extreme shrinkage, please let a girl know.

(I tried banding the other day, with questionable success.)

Right now I have put the back in twists, for my first ever twist out, on half my head.

The front half is in a big top puff/space bun.
(I hope this style works)
I used texture id styling cream for my twists, with a little kinky curly curling custard.

 

[cocosweet]

I think imma start wearing crochet braids.... for a couple years.

I've been thinking about that too. I installed some in my mother's hair the other day. It didn't turn out too badly for a first timer. I want to explore wearing straight hair and play with color; this seems like the way to go. I won't have to fight humidity and my hair won't feel like straw from coloring. Twofer!

 

[blazingbeauty]

Sooooooooo the whole back half of my head (and sides) are 4b, and has me walking around looking like a mushroom.

I wear a curly hair hat.
(Basically I'm looking like a jazzy aunty who went natural)

I have just accepted the fact that my 4b hair shrinks to about 75 percent after realizing that my nape is one inch away from brastrap.

All these months I never knew, or cared to check since my hair shrank so much, and I consistently wear wash n gos.

If you guys have any non heat stretching methods to stop extreme shrinkage, please let a girl know.

(I tried banding the other day, with questionable success.)

Right now I have put the back in twists, for my first ever twist out, on half my head.

The front half is in a big top puff/space bun.
(I hope this style works)
I used texture id styling cream for my twists, with a little kinky curly curling custard.

A Love 4 Me (on YouTube) has true type 4b hair and her wash n gos are bomb. Her WnG series helped me and she has some good heat free stretching methods you may like. She wears them almost everyday and is still retaining length.

 

[Maracujá]

Need to work on my edges and getting my roots extra straight with my hot comb. But this weather won't let my silk press be great lol.

 

[snoop]

@Maracujá I felt like you just cut your hair and now you have a lot, again! Great progress and end results on your silk press!

 

[ItsMeLilLucky]

@Maracujá I felt like you just cut your hair and now you have a lot, again! Great progress and end results on your silk press!

I know right? I was thinking “didn’t she just cut her hair?”

 

[Maracujá]

@Maracujá I felt like you just cut your hair and now you have a lot, again! Great progress and end results on your silk press!

I know right? I was thinking “didn’t she just cut her hair?”

Thank you ladies . Well, there are some reasons for that: my hair is still rather short, so I'm not being lazy with washing + deep conditioning once a week. On top of that, my entire diet has changed since the first time I went natural, I rely mostly on healthy meals . I also add all natural brewer's yeast tablets to my meals, whereas the first time I went natural, I didn't take any vitamins whatsoever. Also thinking about purchasing cod liver oil again for internal use .

 

[ItsMeLilLucky]

Thank you ladies . Well, there are some reasons for that: my hair is still rather short, so I'm not being lazy with washing + deep conditioning once a week. On top of that, my entire diet has changed since the first time I went natural, I rely mostly on healthy meals . I also add all natural brewer's yeast tablets to my meals, whereas the first time I went natural, I didn't take any vitamins whatsoever. Also thinking about purchasing cod liver oil again for internal use .

Aww, I’m so proud of you. You are really nailing this adulting thing.

 

[FadingDelilah]

Was thinking about getting locs one day. But in the end, they aren't what I truly want.

 

[icsonia22]

I really want to try a wash and go with gel and Shea butter but I feel like I've come too far to start experimenting and Jack my hair up. I'm deathly afraid of single strand knots

 

[ItsMeLilLucky]

Was thinking about getting locs one day. But in the end, they aren't what I truly want.

I want locs, then I want loose natural hair, then I want relaxed hair

 

[faithVA]

I want locs, then I want loose natural hair, then I want relaxed hair

Yep

 

[FadingDelilah]

Can you go swimming with crochet or senegalese twists? Does it mat your hair up and make it hard to take down?

 

[NowIAmNappy]

Some nice and easy protective styles for twists

 

[Cattypus1]

Can you go swimming with crochet or senegalese twists? Does it mat your hair up and make it hard to take down?

I got crochets for a couple of vacations before I went au naturale for one vaca and got my face broke! I should have done crochets but I thought I had upped my WNG game and I was so wrong! To answer your question, yes, you can swim with them. The only thing is that you shouldn’t keep them in so long that you can’t be nice to your hair especially if you’re swimming in a pool. I rinsed mine after swimming and used a cheapy condish but I didn’t use shampoo on them. I kept them in 4-6 weeks. Take down after 6 was evil.

 

[Maracujá]

TWIST IN:



TWIST OUT:

 

[Bette Davis Eyes]

Your hair looks so moist. What did you twist with @Maracujá

 

[Maracujá]

Your hair looks so moist. What did you twist with @Maracujá

Thank you . I did an overnight pre-poo a few days ago. To twist, I used filtered water + olive oil.

 

[I Am Number Four.]

I am new to posting on the forum, but I would like to join.

I usually claim 4b/4c, but I also have 4a. However, I only follow and watch tips from women with 4b and 4c hair since it is the best form of "hair porn" available to me. I currently have hip length hair and would like to achieve full hip by the end of the year and full tailbone length and classic length (longest pieces will probably be there) by the end of next year.

Since the thread is nearly 30 pages long, I am going to assume that any tips that I have have already been answered and just continue to primarily lurk here from now on. Additionally, I am not too comfortable posting pictures (and I really do not wear my hair out too much since it is rather large, I touch it too often, and it requires being extra cognizant when I want to plop down and take a nap...), but hopefully I will end up posting before the year is out if my goal is met!

Despite being new, I want to say good luck to everyone and keep posting pictures for me to gawk at and be envious of.

 

[GGsKin]

Hello and
I love a bit of hair porn. Hopefully I'll get to see a pic of your offerings one day.

I am new to posting on the forum, but I would like to join.

I usually claim 4b/4c, but I also have 4a. However, I only follow and watch tips from women with 4b and 4c hair since it is the best form of "hair porn" available to me. I currently have hip length hair and would like to achieve full hip by the end of the year and full tailbone length and classic length (longest pieces will probably be there) by the end of next year.

Since the thread is nearly 30 pages long, I am going to assume that any tips that I have have already been answered and just continue to primarily lurk here from now on. Additionally, I am not too comfortable posting pictures (and I really do not wear my hair out too much since it is rather large, I touch it too often, and it requires being extra cognizant when I want to plop down and take a nap...), but hopefully I will end up posting before the year is out if my goal is met!

Despite being new, I want to say good luck to everyone and keep posting pictures for me to gawk at and be envious of.

 

[blazingbeauty]

I am new to posting on the forum, but I would like to join.

I usually claim 4b/4c, but I also have 4a. However, I only follow and watch tips from women with 4b and 4c hair since it is the best form of "hair porn" available to me. I currently have hip length hair and would like to achieve full hip by the end of the year and full tailbone length and classic length (longest pieces will probably be there) by the end of next year.

Since the thread is nearly 30 pages long, I am going to assume that any tips that I have have already been answered and just continue to primarily lurk here from now on. Additionally, I am not too comfortable posting pictures (and I really do not wear my hair out too much since it is rather large, I touch it too often, and it requires being extra cognizant when I want to plop down and take a nap...), but hopefully I will end up posting before the year is out if my goal is met!

Despite being new, I want to say good luck to everyone and keep posting pictures for me to gawk at and be envious of.

Welcome! Would you be willing to post your length retention reggie?

 

[I Am Number Four.]

Welcome! Would you be willing to post your length retention reggie?

Sure! But I warned you, it is likely fairly similar to most type 4 women's regimens who retain hair to longer lengths.

I usually try to follow these steps weekly:

1. Wash with Obia Naturals Neem and Tea Tree shampoo bar (I used to have chronic Seborrheic Dermatitis before weekly use; now it comes and goes... thank goodness!). I try to also ACV rinse after by spritzing my scalp and hair with diluted ACV then quickly rinsing it out since the bar is slightly basic.

2. Deep condition with an Ayurvedic deep conditioner (I posted my go to recipes in the "DIY Mixtress 2019" thread) and detangle after letting it sit on for at least an hour. When I am done, I rinse it out.

3. Apply a leave-in (I am currently using Curls Blueberry Bliss) and a Shea butter mix (also in "DIY Mixtress 2019") on wet to damp hair. I try to avoid wet hair unless I am in the shower or can style my hair within 2 to 5 minutes of getting out.

4. Then, I style my hair for the entire week. I prefer to think of a style before I start step 3 to make the process simple. If I do not want to wear it out, I usually do two plaits (twisted crown or straight back). Otherwise, I will twist my hair with varying twist sizes (I let my hair dry in loose twists after step 3 and re-do the next day) that somehow resemble a wash and go if taken out. However, I really do not like to too often since the bushiness is rather stressful when I lie down, exercise, etc...

5. Optional things: I try to clay wash once a month to clarify. Also, I do a protein treatment with my deep conditioner when I feel that my hair is limp. I over-night deep condition when I feel that my hair is matted or feels like straw. And I remind myself that I have beautiful hair (I get told this and I prefer tighter patterned hair, but I never see it. Although I think that I have "hairexia" anyway).

To me, the most important steps are 1 and 4. For women without scalp conditions, steps 2 and 4 are probably the most important, but everyone is disparate. You should still be washing, deep conditioning, moisturizing, and maintaining styles that are not prone to breakage and drying of the hair regardless!

 

[blazingbeauty]

@I Am Number Four.

Thanks for posting your regimen! I think my regimen sounds similar, but I detangle before (and don’t use Aryuvedic products).

Would you say your hair is fine or coarse? And if fine, how do you reduce breakage during detangling and styling?

 

[LdyKamz]

My hair has made some progress. When I pull my hair back in a ponytail the top and sides finally lay flat which means those sections of my hair are longer even though they don't look longer with my hair out. But since my hair is so fine my bun still looks tiny

 

[I Am Number Four.]

@I Am Number Four.

Thanks for posting your regimen! I think my regimen sounds similar, but I detangle before (and don’t use Aryuvedic products).

Would you say your hair is fine or coarse? And if fine, how do you reduce breakage during detangling and styling?

I have tried detangling before, but I was wasting too much product only to have to detangle again... No worries, I just like the customizable aspect of the Ayurvedic powders!

Honestly, I am not sure. But I usually say fine just to be on the safe side. However, my hair strands are virtually all wiry, which may affect my breakage more than the strand size.

I lubricate my ends with Shea butter and rollers on and off during the week and apply Cassia to my hair once a week in my deep conditioner. I think adding aloe vera juice (great for slip and nourishment) and or apple cider vinegar (flattens the cuticle and adds definition) to your deep conditioner may help as well.

EDIT: How could I forget the fenugreek! It adds for great slip in a deep conditioner.

 

[Aggie]

I've decided that I will be washing my hair tomorrow.

My regimen:

-Prepooing with Coconut oil and AVG
-Nairobi Detox Shampoo
-Olaplex #1 followed by #2
-Olaplex Shampoo
-Protein DC - Affirm 5 in 1 Reconstructor
-Moisture DC with Nairobi Humecta-Sil DC (maybe Olaplex Shampoo again - not sure
-Leave-in with SSI Green Tea and Coconut leave-in
-M/S with QB BRBC and BM Grease.

 

[NowIAmNappy]

Been using this leave in on my hair and I'm retaining so much length.

 

[SAPNK]

Been using this leave in on my hair and I'm retaining so much length.

Thanks for sharing!

 

[NowIAmNappy]

Just sharing some length retention tips as well

 

[FadingDelilah]

I want to try weave or crochet but I have a few issues. 1) I live in an all white area where there are no black salons to braids my hair for me and put the hair in. 2) I can't braid my hair or put it in myself. 3) I can't blow dry my hair.

Then I saw this video:



Now I won't have to blow dry (avoiding the trauma, the mechanical and heat damage, and the labor), and I don't have to travel 2+ hours to get my hair done (which honestly I knew I would never do for many reasons). My life is changed. I saw another braidless crochet method, but it looked like a lot of tension and it left the hair too 'loose" for the style to last in my opinion. So I'm going to try doing this for a vixen sew in with a spiral braid pattern in four separate sections with a little leave out at all the parts. I also may try using little clips to keep the pre-made sections apart so that I can move through doing the braids faster, instead of braiding the roots of every piece individually, to save time. Just wanted to share incase someone else is in my shoes. Hope it helps