Am I A Unicorn?

[Ogoma]

I often read comments on how their natural hair takes so long to do and is so difficult to manage. My hair is pretty easy to manage and does not take me hours to wash, condition, and detangle. It is only BSL so maybe it will get difficult as it gets longer, but I don't find it time-consuming caring for my hair now.

I wore a lot of ponytails and buns as a relaxed head and I am doing it now as a natural head.

Am I alone? Is there anyone else that can wash, detangle, condition, and style their hair in a healthy way in 45-60 mins? Should I expect it to get difficult later?

ETA: This is not about those that enjoy playing with their hair. I thought that would be pretty clear without explicitly stating it. I am just trying to understand better from those that have long hair maintenance times and don't like it.

 

[sunnieb]

No, you are not a unicorn.

There are plenty of naturals here who feel the same way. Give it a minute and they will chime in about how much easier their hair is now that they are natural.

For the naturals I know if real life, I find that they have patience and a solid hair routine and it's all good from there.

 

[Mahsiah]

Maybe different hair types have difference experiences?

 

[Crackers Phinn]

Am I alone? Is there anyone else that can wash, detangle, condition, and style their hair in a healthy way in 45-60 mins? Should I expect it to get difficult later?

I don't think 45-60 minutes is Unicorn territory.

It's the people who claim they can pull all of the above off in 15-20 minutes that I want to throw my laptop at.

 

[cutenss]

I think that if you wash your hair once or twice a month, do not use any kind of tools (finger comb), and have a thicker, coarser hair texture, then yes, it seems it will take you hours.

I am natural, have a looser texture, own and utilize several combs and brushes. So I can wash, DC with steam or a heat cap, detangle and bun in an hour or less. But I also do more hair 3-4 times a week.

 

[DarkJoy]

No, not a unicorn and I'm a super kinky Type 4c+

My wash days are long because I choose it to be that way.

At my short length a wash, DC and style could be done in 15 mins. This is particularly so if the right DC with a lot of slip is used so there's not much need to detangle after. However, it's by choice and because my hair has become my hobby that I'll take 2 hours for a wash day and an hour a night to twist it up...

 

[Ogoma]

I am 4a/b with a variety of strand sizes and textures.

Anytime I read those comments, I always wonder what their hair regimen is like. I am sure it is all good and important stuff, but I just can't think what it could be

 

[Ogoma]

No, not a unicorn and I'm a super kinky Type 4c+ My wash days are long because I choose it to be that way. At my short length a wash, DC and style could be done in 15 mins. This is particularly so if the right DC with a lot of slip is used so there's not much need to detangle after. However, it's by choice and because my hair has become my hobby that I'll take 2 hours for a wash day and an hour a night to twist it up...

I get the hobby ones. I am just curious about those complaining. I am assuming they don't think it is by choice or consequence-free

 

[Ogoma]

I don't think 45-60 minutes is Unicorn territory. It's the people who claim they can pull all of the above off in 15-20 minutes that I want to throw my laptop at.

I can CoWash and style in 15 minutes, but not wash and detangle.

 

[blueberryd]

60 minutes is toooooo long for me!!! I can do all of that in about 45 minutes but I am frustrated and at my witt's end by the time I'm done! I guess it depends on each individual's level of patience. And yes I would assume everything will take longer as our hair gets longer.

 

[PeaceFlow]

I'm 4a/b mostly.

Wash day used to take at least 4 hours all together.

Now I started washing in big *** twists it can be cut down to 60-90 mins.

My shrinkage is around 80% if I let it do what it wants. That's my biggest hurdle as it affects every part of the process. Keeping it mildly stretched is key for easier wash day/de tangling I have discovered.

 

[sharifeh]

Ogoma
Do you have a high density?

My sister is natural and I am relaxed but it's not that our hair is hard to do its that we have so much of it so it takes so long we have extremely dense hair

Sent from my iPhone using LHCF

 

[JulietWhiskey]

My 4a, BSL hair is MAD easy, yo!

If I was all about that 10 minute DC life, then my co-wash, DC, detangle, twist and seal would probably be at 60 minutes.

But because I like a good, long DC session under the dryer, let my hair cool then proceed with everything else, that adds an a extra 60 minutes

Re-twisting my hair at night in big a** twists takes 5 minutes with no product and 10 with product. I still get a super-defined twist out everytime.

My hair is doing awesomely under autopilot which is why I rarely post in the Hair forum anymore...

 

[greight]

I am 4a/b with a variety of strand sizes and textures.

Anytime I read those comments, I always wonder what their hair regimen is like. I am sure it is all good and important stuff, but I just can't think what it could be

Does your hair tangle or knot easily?

It's torture to do my hair because of all of the SSK, tangles, etc. I have fine hair so low manipulation is key. I'm APL/BSB, 4B.

When I was APL and did co-washing (like a fool ), it didn't take long to do my hair, but it had a lot of split ends, SSKs, etc.

 

[InsertCleverNameHere]

As a woman who does not have thick hair and who also never gets breakage, it maybe takes 3 minutes to do my hair. I slap on some condish and call it a day.

Super thick dense tangly heads have it hardest work wise, but they get that lush fullness with the "wow" factor that I will never have.

 

[MissMusic]

I have dense hair, so most wash days take about an hour to an hour 1/2, that includes simple styling. Once a month I DC with heat and that adds another 20 minutes, 30 minutes of the total time is finger separating before washing (Chicoro method). If I use a wide tooth comb instead, I can cut that time in 1/2, however I find that my ends are better if I do my initial hair separation with my fingers. I used to do the most way back when, but I find I have more patience with styling if I do not take forever to wash my hair, and taking forever doesn't change the results, so I cut out the extra.

For my hair, that's simple and if I do extra, its cause I want to. I find the people that complain expect their hair to do miraculous things, trying tons of techniques and products at once, instead of working simply and efficiently to find what works for their hair.

 

[KinkyGenius]

My shrinkage is around 80% if I let it do what it wants. That's my biggest hurdle as it affects every part of the process. Keeping it mildly stretched is key for easier wash day/de tangling I have discovered.

I'm 4a/b combo (I think)

This is what can make or break my wash sessions right here. I have crazy shrinkage and if I don't keep it stretched my hair tangles right back up instantly.

 

[BraunSugar]

I think anyone that can wash, detangle, and style natural hair in less than an hour is definitely a unicorn. My hair isn't a struggle to deal with, but it does take me longer than an hour for me to have it look and behave the way I feel it should.

 

[ckisland]

^ Raises hand

I'm not about that 1+ hour wash+style life. I just braid soooooo slowly. Plus I hate braiding or twisting my hair anyway. I tend to time how long wash day takes because I'm always trying to get in that gold 30 min from start to finish .

It takes me 15 mins to cleanse, condition, and detangle. If I use Aphogee 2 min that'll add another 3-5 mins to my wash. Styling (sealing included) can take 10-45 mins, and that's why I hate styling my hair so much.
conditioner only wash n'go = 20 mins from start to finish
single braid = 20-25 mins start to finish
wash n'go w/ gel = 30-45 mins start to finish depending on how thorough I'm being
big twists (16) or big braids (8-10) = 45-1hr start to finish .

I'm BSL, almost MBL, with thickish hair that shrinks to my chin .

OP, thanks for this thread because it is nice to hear that others have long hair without long wash days .

 

[Victoria44]

Lol I try to be as fast as possible and with no breaks I'm at ~6 hours to do my hair. I don't take long for fun.

I can't use combs, my hair is too tangly and ends are still recovering damage so I finger detangle which usually takes 3 hours

Washing -30 minute shower

Deep conditioning- 1 hour

Washing out dc, applying leave in and braiding up my hair- 1 hour

And usually it's a lot longer because I don't have attention span to stay on task :/

I don't think it ever took me an hour that's amazing. Definitely unicorn status

 

[Ogoma]

Ogoma Do you have a high density? My sister is natural and I am relaxed but it's not that our hair is hard to do its that we have so much of it so it takes so long we have extremely dense hair Sent from my iPhone using LHCF

I will say I am somewhere in the range from medium to high.

 

[Ogoma]

Does your hair tangle or knot easily? It's torture to do my hair because of all of the SSK, tangles, etc. I have fine hair so low manipulation is key. I'm APL/BSB, 4B. When I was APL and did co-washing (like a fool ), it didn't take long to do my hair, but it had a lot of split ends, SSKs, etc.

It doesn't really. When the ends start tangling a lot, I know it is time for a trim. I don't really look for SSKs so it is hard to gauge if I have them.

 

[chrisanddonniesmommy]

Hi! My hair is a lot easier now than it was when I relaxed or transitioned. Detangling, while not a breeze, isn't difficult. As for the other aspects of being natural, like washing or styling, I keep it simple. Hair and any difficulties do not match with me at all.

I'm MBL when pressed; but, a little past-shoulder length when shrinkage takes over (and boy does it!).

ETA:

It takes me an hour and a half when I wet my hair at anytime (washing, cowashing, deep conditioning) because that includes detangling time. My hair is long and it's a lot. But, it's not difficult.

 

[SelahOco]

If I don't let my hair tangle, I can wash and bun in about 45 mins, but if I let my hair tangle at all its an hour plus. I am also tender headed.

4b I think

 

[MystiqueBabe]

I feel the same way. My hair is APL and has been longer in the past. It takes me all of 10 minutes to detangle my hair. Washing takes 3-5 mins. It only takes 15 mins to do my hair. Even when my hair was longer it never took over 30mins to wash and comb it.

I guess other people may be doing something wrong or haven't find the right products.

 

[faithVA]

I can't do anything with my hair in an hour no matter how simple I try to keep it I could probably cowash my hair and then do a puff in 1 hour. That's end

I am hoping as my hair gets longer that I at least have the option of cutting my styling time.

So if I exclude the treatments I do for my scalp, protein treatments, etc
1. Detangling from flat twist or 2 strand twists :min 30 minutes
2. Water rinse hair and scalp (5 to 10 minutes) : low porosity hair
3. Shampoo and rinse (5 to 10 minutes)
4. Apply DC (at least 15 minutes)
5. DC (30 minutes to 1 hour)
6. Rinse (5 minutes)
7. Baggy (low porosity hair): 15 minutes
8. Apply leave-in, moisturizer: 15 minutes
9. Flat twist (2 hours); 2 strand twists (3 hours)

That's all day and there is nothing extra going on in there

I will never be a member of the one hour club.

 

[DoDo]

I am a 4b/c waist length natural who normally does not use a tool (I finger detangle). I also have very dense hair and medium course strands. I could have a shorter wash day if I was not so interested in length retention.

At this point though, I chalk up the long wash detangle and dc session to 1st world problems . If my hair wasn't so thick, dense and long or if I had no interest in keeping it that way- it would not take that long to pamper it.

 

[LivingInPeace]

The only thing I hate about my natural hair is detangling, which takes about 25-30 minutes on wash day. After I wash and deep condition, I put in 8-16 twists which takes about 35 minutes because I'm doing the moisturize and seal thing.

 

[yuhlovevybz]

45-60 minutes tho? I couldn't do it. I'm natural and I do my hair in the shower. I don't need to detangle unless I plan to straighten. Otherwise I just finger comb it. I do find my hair difficuly mainly because I do not like shrinkage and I like to wear my hair 'out'. It looks better straight imo, however the ease of hopping in the shower, washing my hair, hopping out and leaving the house is too great to give up.

I don't understand why people take an hour to wash n go. That is NOT wash n going!! Wash your hair, put it in a pony tail or leave it out, and then go. Do not braid, do not shingle, do not apply gel to each strand of hair seperately, do not pass go and collect $200, just GO!



But short answer no you're not a unicorn but with some threads it can feel like it!

 

[kupenda]

Meh. Wash days for me (4ish natural, SL) tend to vary on my laziness levels. Shampoo and rinse is 5 minutes. DC under the dryer for 20 min u tes and ket cool another 20, rinse. Detangling and twisting is easily 2 hours because im also moisturizing and sealing each relatively large twist (about 15 to 25 twists). Please believe that when my hair is longer, im throwing no more than 10 twists in there and keeping it moving.