Any Natural 4b's Hair Look Straight?

[MizzBrit]

i just noticed my roots can have the tendency to look straight/relax-ish when stretched(via plaits and shea butter). any other 4bs hair look like this? is it a characteristic of 4b hair?there are pics attached to show you what i am talking about.

 

[jetbeauty09]

Yep! Its annoying to be b/c when I BC'd a few days ago I couldn't tell what was relaxed and was natural! Ugghhh!!!! I haven't straightened in over a year so I know it has nothing to do with heat. I don't wish I had curls, I wish it was more clumpier!!! Oh well, guess its just our texture of zig zags!

 

[ryanshope]

Yeah, it is a gift and a curse---makes it VERY easy to straighten 4b but we have to work harder to get "true" coil/curl definition---our twists have to be smaller..which means more work for curly hair...But I can damn near use the tension method and have straight hair.

 

[Rocky91]

yep, this definitely happens to me. I think i'm actually a 4a/b mix, but who knows or even cares?
this is hair stretched by banding and placed in a donut bun. all i did was smooth my edges down with some Herbal Essences LTR and they got pretty darn smooth.

 

[Pooks]

Sometimes after washing and airdrying in bantu knots I'm surprised at how smooth my hair lays... Some other times it just chooses to appear straighter than others when loose. There's no rhyme or reason to it from what I can see.

 

[Crissi]

Yes noticeably the back (I think my hair is a mix of 4a/b and mybe c but the back is 4a). I don't even try and type that part its like 4a the straight version. And i have not used heat in 4 years and started with a fade. It's just always been that way *shrugs*

 

[ToyToy]

Yes, my hair looks exactly like yours when I tie it back!!

 

[Cali*Rocks]

Yes noticeably the back (I think my hair is a mix of 4a/b and mybe c but the back is 4a). I don't even try and type that part its like 4a the straight version. And i have not used heat in 4 years and started with a fade. It's just always been that way *shrugs*

OT.. but Crissi your hair is soooo fly!!!
And yes I have noticed that my hair gets pretty straight as well. Especially with some Shea butter and a scarf

 

[msa]

My little sister's hair is like that...it looks like the kinky straight weave hair that people buy. It also makes her hair really easy to straighten (and really easy to heat damage as well).

 

[AvaSpeaks]

i just noticed my roots can have the tendency to look straight/relax-ish when stretched(via plaits and shea butter). any other 4bs hair look like this? is it a characteristic of 4b hair?there are pics attached to show you what i am talking about.

Honestly, if you hair looks like that, I don't think you are a true 4b. I think you might have a combination going on, maybe some 1a in there or some 3 level, but I don't think that's 4b hair. Just my opinion though.

Despite what people say here, there does tend to be some mistyping of our hair texture on this board. But your hair does look nice

 

[Nonie]

i just noticed my roots can have the tendency to look straight/relax-ish when stretched(via plaits and shea butter). any other 4bs hair look like this? is it a characteristic of 4b hair?there are pics attached to show you what i am talking about.

Yes, that's a characteristic of 4B hair. Manipulation will make 4B hair act that way.

This is 4B hair that has just been stretched into the pony for the first time after being in twists and then washed:

I don't have a photo of when I took out the band holding it back but it was straight.

The cool thing about 4B hair is it holds whatever style you set it in. If you braid it, it will keep that shape after you undo as long as you don't wet it. Like I took out microbraids and braided my hair to keep it from detangling.

You can see the waves from the tiny braids I just removed at the base of the hair:

If I had pulled tight or brushed or combed my hair before braided it, it'd look straight when I undid it. But I didn't. I used fingers to undo my micros and then combined the micro sections into big braids after finger combing to keep my hair tangle-free. Notice how the top part of the previously braided hair appears different from the base when I undid the braid:

Another photo of the base:

If you brush coily hair, the coils open up. If you smooth them out, it's like smoothing out springs. If you then tie it down in that stretched state, it will maintain it...depending on how long you had it tied down. If you had it tied down for long, it will take longer to revert than if you had it stretched just for a short time. That's why banding is a good stretching method for 4B hair. And that is why when we wore African banding hairdos, our hair would appear straight, coz the hair was kept in a stretched state for long.

ETA: BTW, I was trying to figure out what else has changed in my hair regimen that makes it not appear stretched and formless like it used to, and I think it's not using a comb. Because I wear braids/twists all the time and undo with fingers then redo handling my hair like a piece of silk, I think I manipulate it less than I used to when I combed. Combing like brushing helps to stretch the hair and the drier it is when you do it, the more set in that stretched mode it's bound to be.

 

[Hairsofab]

I know kind of what you mean. It is what I call not having a curl pattern because there is no pattern at all. If I look at an individual strand of my hair, within the strand it curls, zig zags, has straight parts, has O's. etc.

 

[MizzBrit]

yep, this definitely happens to me. I think i'm actually a 4a/b mix, but who knows or even cares?
this is hair stretched by banding and placed in a donut bun. all i did was smooth my edges down with some Herbal Essences LTR and they got pretty darn smooth.

wow your hair is straightt!

 

[MizzBrit]

Honestly, if you hair looks like that, I don't think you are a true 4b. I think you might have a combination going on, maybe some 1a in there or some 3 level, but I don't think that's 4b hair. Just my opinion though.

Despite what people say here, there does tend to be some mistyping of our hair texture on this board. But your hair does look nice

thanks and hmm thats something to think about

 

[Neith]

I'm more on the 4a side...

When my hair is dry and I pull it back, it gets pulled straight. When it's wet, it looks a little straight-ish at first, but then waves up a little.

I definitely can get my hair straight-ish with a rollerset without heat though.

 

[MizzBrit]

Yes, that's a characteristic of 4B hair. Manipulation will make 4B hair act that way.

This is 4B hair that has just been stretched into the pony for the first time after being in twists and then washed:

I don't have a photo of when I took out the band holding it back but it was straight.

The cool thing about 4B hair is it holds whatever style you set it in. If you braid it, it will keep that shape after you undo as long as you don't wet it. Like I took out microbraids and braided my hair to keep it from detangling.

You can see the waves from the tiny braids I just removed at the base of the hair:

If I had pulled tight or brushed or combed my hair before braided it, it'd look straight when I undid it. But I didn't. I used fingers to undo my micros and then combined the micro sections into big braids after finger combing to keep my hair tangle-free. Notice how the top part of the previously braided hair appears different from the base when I undid the braid:

Another photo of the base:

If you brush coily hair, the coils open up. If you smooth them out, it's like smoothing out springs. If you then tie it down in that stretched state, it will maintain it...depending on how long you had it tied down. If you had it tied down for long, it will take longer to revert than if you had it stretched just for a short time. That's why banding is a good stretching method for 4B hair. And that is why when we wore African banding hairdos, our hair would appear straight, coz the hair was kept in a stretched state for long.

ETA: BTW, I was trying to figure out what else has changed in my hair regimen that makes it not appear stretched and formless like it used to, and I think it's not using a comb. Because I wear braids/twists all the time and undo with fingers then redo handling my hair like a piece of silk, I think I manipulate it less than I used to when I combed. Combing like brushing helps to stretch the hair and the drier it is when you do it, the more set in that stretched mode it's bound to be.

thanks for the info..
4b hair acts in strange ways..

 

[Nonie]

thanks for the info..
4b hair acts in strange ways..

And it is the strange ways that make me love it so! It can be anything you want it to be. Versatility at its best.

 

[JustKiya]

My little sister's hair is like that...it looks like the kinky straight weave hair that people buy. It also makes her hair really easy to straighten (and really easy to heat damage as well).

Yep!!! That is my hair, exactly. When I pull it straight, it looks - well, straight. Slightly kinky still, but definitely more 'straight' than curly.

That is my hair, fresh out of two flat twists - and it's mostly straight. Not 'swanging' straight, because there is enough kink in it to still let the strands 'catch' on each other - but straighter than my hair 'really' is.

It's one of the reasons I'm very reluctant to use heat, as well - I figure if my hair can get straight from simple mechanical pressure, it's fragile enough that adding heat to make it perfectly straight would not be good for the overall health of my hair.

Probably would look fly as all get out, though.

 

[Oasis]

Nope, not at all for me. My roots stay puffy.

 

[MizzBrit]

so since alot of you ladies hair are similar to mine..what products does your hair likes?
my hair hates alot of products..especially commercial ones..i only use shea butter,herbal oil,cheapie conditioner when co washing,water and eco gel for styling

 

[JustKiya]

so since alot of you ladies hair are similar to mine..what products does your hair likes?

I do, and don't use a lot of products on my hair. About the only thing that I use that you can find in a BSS is Elasta QP Intense Fortifying Conditioner, and I haven't tried their new formula, so I can't wholeheartedly recommend them.

It might be easier to tell you what my hair doesn't like. Silicones, of any type. Mineral Oil, and any of it's by-products, including petroleum jelly. It's not super fond of a lot of protein, because it's fine and dry. Shampoo, because it's drying.

My hair needs deep & regular moisture, and a moist, thick butter based leave-in.

If you check out the latest post in my blog (linked in my siggy), I list out everything I use on my hair.

 

[msa]

It's one of the reasons I'm very reluctant to use heat, as well - I figure if my hair can get straight from simple mechanical pressure, it's fragile enough that adding heat to make it perfectly straight would not be good for the overall health of my hair.

Probably would look fly as all get out, though.

My sister stays in weaves...by that I mean she does not wear her hair out of the house EVER. In the last 3 years she's worn a weave every single day.

Anyway, the hair she leaves out in the front is now pin straight, even after she wets it, because she would flat iron it to match. And it only took a flat iron on low to get it straight in the first place. So be careful with heat!

 

[Nonie]

so since alot of you ladies hair are similar to mine..what products does your hair likes?
my hair hates alot of products..especially commercial ones..i only use shea butter,herbal oil,cheapie conditioner when co washing,water and eco gel for styling

I don't know what my hair likes. I usually don't give it a choice. I can tell you what I like.

(J/K LOL)

I hate products touching my face, neck, ears...and I hate sticky hair or touching hair that is sticky. When wearing my hair in braids or twists, I use no leave-in products. I just shampoo, condition or DC, ACV rinse or CW and ACV rinse and airdry. When wearing my hair out in a style that needs combing like a puff, I use only one product: S Curl. Leaves my hair soft, moist, but never sticky. I cannot sing enough praises about S Curl Activator Spray.

 

[JustKiya]

My sister stays in weaves...by that I mean she does not wear her hair out of the house EVER. In the last 3 years she's worn a weave every single day.

Anyway, the hair she leaves out in the front is now pin straight, even after she wets it, because she would flat iron it to match. And it only took a flat iron on low to get it straight in the first place. So be careful with heat!

Yeah, see. My 'flyaway' hairs are usually completely straight or have a few 'bends' in them. Naturally. All around my hairline. Drives me batty, as I hate having hair touch my face, and if they just kinked up, I wouldn't have to fret, but noooooooo.

So yeah. I suspect I'll use heat at least once, esp. once I get to full BSL/MBL - just to SEE it all - but it won't become a habit, cuz I know I don't like my hair straight - it moves too much.

 

[msa]

Yeah, see. My 'flyaway' hairs are usually completely straight or have a few 'bends' in them. Naturally. All around my hairline. Drives me batty, as I hate having hair touch my face, and if they just kinked up, I wouldn't have to fret, but noooooooo.

So yeah. I suspect I'll use heat at least once, esp. once I get to full BSL/MBL - just to SEE it all - but it won't become a habit, cuz I know I don't like my hair straight - it moves too much.

Yeah, I think with heat protectant and a good flat iron you'll be ok.

I've been trying to get my sister on to good haircare since I found the board. I've told her many times her could be the same exact length of the Indian lady's hair she has in her head. I finally finally got her to use Oyin products. If I can convince her to let me put her weaves in then she'll really be on her way.

 

[BrownieBrie]

I only have a patch of 4b, but all it takes is a little brushing to look straight. The rest of my hair (4a/3c) is a nightmare to straigten.

 

[Rocky91]

wow your hair is straightt!

isn't it, though? trips me out every time!
and, concerning products, my hair pretty much loves Aussie Moist, Herbal Essences LTR, anything Garnier, Ecostyler, and Long Aid. It's not fussy at all-i don't have the money for it to be!

 

[Truth]

Yup ..mines gets uber str8 ...

 

[Rei]

Honestly, if you hair looks like that, I don't think you are a true 4b. I think you might have a combination going on, maybe some 1a in there or some 3 level, but I don't think that's 4b hair. Just my opinion though.

Despite what people say here, there does tend to be some mistyping of our hair texture on this board. But your hair does look nice

there does tend to be mistyping on this board, but in this case the OP probably does have 4B hair. I have 4b hair in the front and 4a in the back, and it would laugh to be called 1a or 3. not even mentioning 1a (lol), 3c has curls and waves. 4b hair just has kinks. If you brush it out it will look straight, almost like that kinky straight weave that you see at the bss (this is what my 4b part looks like if I do braidouts for a while, not perfectly straight, it still sticks straight up and is kinky and catches on each other, but not curly at all) My 4a patch will wave and be curly with repeated braidouts but the 4b section after a while while just become straight, similar to justkiya's picture.

OP thats just how 4b hair is. like others have said, I think this contributes to why its so easy to get 4b hair heatdamaged erplexed

 

[Junebug D]

Yes, mine looks like that when stretched as well, mostly the front, back & sides.