Are There Any Other 4a/3c Fine Hair Noobs Out There?

[Whirledpeas]

I've probably looked at this forum a total of 10 times since I joined in 2011 so apologies in advance if this violates any forum rules.

I've tried to take care of my hair without an expensive salon bill but do so for a month and go back to my regular salon routine. It would just be so hard and I would get frustrated. It's been six months since my last salon visit (yay!) and I would love to connect with other women who are new to figuring out caring for their fine 4a/3c hair. Perhaps we can be accountable to each other and share our triumphs and failures. We could talk about the products we're using, styles we're trying out, etc.

 

[Honey Bee]

Are you natural or relaxed? It was unclear.

 

[HaveSomeWine]

In a fine 3c I believe. I'm a natural and wear buns for work and wash and goes the rest of the time. My hair life is easiest when I keep things simple. As far as products, I recently tried the ORS Shealicious Leave in mist and really like it. I'm thinking about picking up an ORS pack to do a protein treatment with my hair soon.

 

[Coilystep]

4a here but I don't think I have fine hair. I've been natural for almost a year did my BC on August 2, 2014 after a 17 month transition. I have cut my hair salon visits down to about once a month. The only reason I really go still is to get my gray hair dyed. I went yesterday for my dye and did not have them style it. I style my hair better than they do. I wear wash n goes 99.99% of the time.

How do you wear your hair? Are you natural or relaxed?

 

[Lisa]

I have fine 3C/4A hair and I'm 14 months post relaxer (plus I just dyed my hair and put in blond highlights). Needless to say I'm trying to find products that work. I'm looking for products that will moisturize my dry hair.

 

[Whirledpeas]

Are you natural or relaxed? It was unclear.

Apologies! Natural.

 

[Whirledpeas]

4a here but I don't think I have fine hair. I've been natural for almost a year did my BC on August 2, 2014 after a 17 month transition. I have cut my hair salon visits down to about once a month. The only reason I really go still is to get my gray hair dyed. I went yesterday for my dye and did not have them style it. I style my hair better than they do. I wear wash n goes 99.99% of the time.

How do you wear your hair? Are you natural or relaxed?

Thanks for replying! I've been natural since 1997 but I would get my hair pressed and flat ironed twice a month (and would sometimes flat iron my hair in between salon visits). I would also permanently color my hair once or twice a year. This lead to a lot of heat and color damage and a loss of my curl pattern. It's been six months since I've last put any heat on my hair and over a year since I last colored my hair.

I usually wear my hair up with a sort of milkmaid twist with the ends pinned up for work. I work out during my lunch hour and it makes things easier if I keep my hair up. I do wash and gos or twist outs for the weekends.

ETA: I've started including protein on wash days. The older parts of my hair can get extremely dry (especially the colored parts) and I hope that the protein will help.

 

[Whirledpeas]

I have fine 3C/4A hair and I'm 14 months post relaxer (plus I just dyed my hair and put in blond highlights). Needless to say I'm trying to find products that work. I'm looking for products that will moisturize my dry hair.

What have you been trying so far?

 

[Honey Bee]

Apologies! Natural.

Oh, ok, I'm 4a/b. My favorite new regimen add-on' is clay, in a rinse or a mask.

 

[Coilystep]

For my hair I prefer runny gels and custards. Creams and heavy gels just sit in my hair. My favorite gels are as I am curling jelly, Camille rose curl maker and mop top curling custard (this flakes on me on like day 2 so I haven't really used it a lot). Cantu curl custard (this will flake if you're heavy handed) and creme of
Nature twirling custard also work. I usually only style once a week and wet every morning and shake. I workout several times a week where I sweat a lot and I still only have to style one time.

 

[Lisa]

What have you been trying so far?

OMG! I'm wondering if I've given stuff enough time to work. But if you really want to know.....LOL! Since January of this year I've used:

Yes, to Carrots Nourishing Shampoo, Mix Chicks Deep Conditioner, Ouidad Curl Recovery Melt-Down Extreme Repair Mask (or Aphogee Curlific texture treatment), ApHogee Keratin and Green Tea Restructurizer, & Chi Deep Brilliance Reflect (and then I rollerset).

I dropped those ^^^^ products when I started doing the maximum hydration method (but I was still roller setting). My hair LOVED the baking soda and Kinky curly knot today (KCKT) for awhile! I had to stop the KCKT because the back of my head started itching like CRAZY when I used it. Since then I've been on the search for my moisturizing leave in.

I was using Devacurl No Poo, Devacurl heaven in hair, Devacurl One Conditioner and I roller set with Devacurl Set it Free for a couple of months but the One Conditioner started to itch a little!!!

Living Proof Curl Travel Kit ( Curl Conditioning Wash, Curl Detangling Rinse, & Curl Defining Style Cream), Restore Mask Treatment, and the No Frizz Live-in Conditioner (this was the worst thing I could have bought for my hair!! It was not moisturizing at all!! It made my hair feel rough and it was very tangled!! I don't know what I was thinking!!!!) HATED IT!!!!!!

I used the Shea Moisture Jamaican Strengthen and Restore Shampoo, Shea Moisture Strengthen, Grow, & Restore Treatment Masque, Jamaican Black Castor Oil, Shea Moisture Jamaican Black Castor Oil Strengthen Grow & Restore Leave-in Conditioner, and the Shea Moisture Jamaican Black Castor Oil Grow and Renew Styling Lotion and I rollerset (I didn't think this was moisturizing). (this was part of my May 2015 Curlkit)

Olive Oil ORS Creamy Aloe Shampoo, Pure Silk Protein (after I colored my hair) KeraCare Humecto Creme Conditioner, Keracare Natural Textures Leave in Conditioner, and ApHogee Keratin Green Tea Restructurizer & Chi Deep Brilliance Reflect (and then I rollerset). I only did this a couple of times because my Etae came

Etae Carmel Deep Reconstructing Treatment, Etae Carmelux Deep Penetrating Treatment Shampoo, Etae Silk Protein Conditioner, and butter shine hair cream (just tried this last night! It was the first time I've straighten my hair in almost a year but my timing was wrong!!! It is too hot today (high 97 and humid) for straight hair!!!)

Since I was roller setting I needed to do a conditioning wash or at least wet my hair every night (or maybe I didn't need to but I did because it is so hot and my hair was frizzy and sweaty at night). On the nights I just used water I would use the Devacurl Set it Free or Lottabody Coconut and Shea Oil Moisturize me Curl and Style Milk to roller set.

I've tried braid outs and twist outs but they don't work for me. So far I've only used:

Darcy's Botanicals Sweet Cream Daily Leave-in ..................................Used for a braid out (didn't work well for a braid out but my hair felt pretty good)
Darcy's Botanicals Avocado and Honey Twisting Cream...........................Used for a braid out (didn't work well for a braid out but my hair felt pretty good)

Things I've bought but haven't used:
Ouidad Moisture Lock Define and Shine Styling Gel Cream
Ouidad Moisture Lock Leave-in Conditioner
Ouidad Curl Quencher Hydrafusion Intense Curl Cream
Ouidad Tress Effects Styling Gel
Ouidad Climate Control Heat & Humidity Gel
Ouidad Climate Control Defrizzing Conditioner

Olyin Hair Dew

Terressentials Left Coast Lemon Pure Earth Hair Wash

Aussie 3-Minute Miracle Moist

Aubrey Organics GPB Balancing Protein Conditioner

Kanechom Ceramidas Hair Moisturizing Cream

Joico Moisture Recovery Conditioner

Plus I'm a member of the curlkit months service so I have products from there I haven't used.

Things I've order and should receive next week:
Au Rebelle Just Water
Au Rebelle Just Oil
Au Rebelle Murumuru Leave in Conditioner
Au Rebelle Vanilla Cupuacu Hair Lotion

As you can see I've been doing TOO MUCH!!! Thank goodness I talked myself out of buying Soultanicals (well at least until they have a sell)! Can someone tell me am I doing something wrong? Do you see any combinations that I should try?

 

[GGsKin]

That is A LOT of products. At least you are detailed in how well they worked (or didn't) for you- that's great.

It's a shame the the KCKT turned on you, but if it was around the same time you were using BS, then maybe that was the problem? Did you ever clarify and trying again?

Why are these products itching/ irritating?

For the products that do feel good- how long are you using them before switching them out/ why? I think you should try to categorise the products you have (if you haven't already), and simplify the list of products you currently use. If it's a good moisture DC you need, maybe try to experiment with just that for a few months, instead of switching up so many things at once.

OMG! I'm wondering if I've given stuff enough time to work. But if you really want to know.....LOL! Since January of this year I've used:

Yes, to Carrots Nourishing Shampoo, Mix Chicks Deep Conditioner, Ouidad Curl Recovery Melt-Down Extreme Repair Mask (or Aphogee Curlific texture treatment), ApHogee Keratin and Green Tea Restructurizer, & Chi Deep Brilliance Reflect (and then I rollerset).

I dropped those ^^^^ products when I started doing the maximum hydration method (but I was still roller setting). My hair LOVED the baking soda and Kinky curly knot today (KCKT) for awhile! I had to stop the KCKT because the back of my head started itching like CRAZY when I used it. Since then I've been on the search for my moisturizing leave in.

I was using Devacurl No Poo, Devacurl heaven in hair, Devacurl One Conditioner and I roller set with Devacurl Set it Free for a couple of months but the One Conditioner started to itch a little!!!

Living Proof Curl Travel Kit ( Curl Conditioning Wash, Curl Detangling Rinse, & Curl Defining Style Cream), Restore Mask Treatment, and the No Frizz Live-in Conditioner (this was the worst thing I could have bought for my hair!! It was not moisturizing at all!! It made my hair feel rough and it was very tangled!! I don't know what I was thinking!!!!) HATED IT!!!!!!

I used the Shea Moisture Jamaican Strengthen and Restore Shampoo, Shea Moisture Strengthen, Grow, & Restore Treatment Masque, Jamaican Black Castor Oil, Shea Moisture Jamaican Black Castor Oil Strengthen Grow & Restore Leave-in Conditioner, and the Shea Moisture Jamaican Black Castor Oil Grow and Renew Styling Lotion and I rollerset (I didn't think this was moisturizing). (this was part of my May 2015 Curlkit)

Olive Oil ORS Creamy Aloe Shampoo, Pure Silk Protein (after I colored my hair) KeraCare Humecto Creme Conditioner, Keracare Natural Textures Leave in Conditioner, and ApHogee Keratin Green Tea Restructurizer & Chi Deep Brilliance Reflect (and then I rollerset). I only did this a couple of times because my Etae came

Etae Carmel Deep Reconstructing Treatment, Etae Carmelux Deep Penetrating Treatment Shampoo, Etae Silk Protein Conditioner, and butter shine hair cream (just tried this last night! It was the first time I've straighten my hair in almost a year but my timing was wrong!!! It is too hot today (high 97 and humid) for straight hair!!!)

Since I was roller setting I needed to do a conditioning wash or at least wet my hair every night (or maybe I didn't need to but I did because it is so hot and my hair was frizzy and sweaty at night). On the nights I just used water I would use the Devacurl Set it Free or Lottabody Coconut and Shea Oil Moisturize me Curl and Style Milk to roller set.

I've tried braid outs and twist outs but they don't work for me. So far I've only used:

Darcy's Botanicals Sweet Cream Daily Leave-in ..................................Used for a braid out (didn't work well for a braid out but my hair felt pretty good)
Darcy's Botanicals Avocado and Honey Twisting Cream...........................Used for a braid out (didn't work well for a braid out but my hair felt pretty good)

Things I've bought but haven't used:
Ouidad Moisture Lock Define and Shine Styling Gel Cream
Ouidad Moisture Lock Leave-in Conditioner
Ouidad Curl Quencher Hydrafusion Intense Curl Cream
Ouidad Tress Effects Styling Gel
Ouidad Climate Control Heat & Humidity Gel
Ouidad Climate Control Defrizzing Conditioner

Olyin Hair Dew

Terressentials Left Coast Lemon Pure Earth Hair Wash

Aussie 3-Minute Miracle Moist

Aubrey Organics GPB Balancing Protein Conditioner

Kanechom Ceramidas Hair Moisturizing Cream

Joico Moisture Recovery Conditioner

Plus I'm a member of the curlkit months service so I have products from there I haven't used.

Things I've order and should receive next week:
Au Rebelle Just Water
Au Rebelle Just Oil
Au Rebelle Murumuru Leave in Conditioner
Au Rebelle Vanilla Cupuacu Hair Lotion

As you can see I've been doing TOO MUCH!!! Thank goodness I talked myself out of buying Soultanicals (well at least until they have a sell)! Can someone tell me am I doing something wrong? Do you see any combinations that I should try?

 

[almond eyes]

My hair is fine and hi po. I have finally conquered and understood that fact.

Fine hair is very fragile so you have to be very gentle with your manipulation and products.

The key with fine hair if I can leave you with anything is to be consistent with your medium and mild protein treatments. And make you you follow up with a DC (fine gals don't need to DC for longer than one hour or use heat or steam as that can cause over moisturisation). But make sure the DC doesn't contain protein because that can cause protein over load. You can alternate one week protein and DC another week DC only.

Use a leave in that has no protein in it some fine hairs like me don't mind protein treatments to keep your hair strong but can't stand protein leave ins that can make our hair hard.

My leave in is a combo of castor oil grease (yes castor oil grease) and curl prep sweet buttah. I go light on that because our hair doesn't like to be weighed down with too many products.

I wash weekly and only style twice a week. But seal my ends daily with shea butter and the castor oil grease.

Best,
Almond Eyes

 

[Lisa]

My hair is fine and hi po. I have finally conquered and understood that fact.

Fine hair is very fragile so you have to be very gentle with your manipulation and products.

The key with fine hair if I can leave you with anything is to be consistent with your medium and mild protein treatments. And make you you follow up with a DC (fine gals don't need to DC for longer than one hour or use heat or steam as that can cause over moisturisation). But make sure the DC doesn't contain protein because that can cause protein over load. You can alternate one week protein and DC another week DC only.

Use a leave in that has no protein in it some fine hairs like me don't mind protein treatments to keep your hair strong but can't stand protein leave ins that can make our hair hard.

My leave in is a combo of castor oil grease (yes castor oil grease) and curl prep sweet buttah. I go light on that because our hair doesn't like to be weighed down with too many products.

I wash weekly and only style twice a week. But seal my ends daily with shea butter and the castor oil grease.

Best,
Almond Eyes

The product junkie here just looked up the curl prep and it looks GREAT!!!!

 

[mssoconfused]

3c/4a fine hair natural here! To reiterate the other women, I get the best length retention and hair health when I leave my hair alone. I live and die by the wash and go and co-wash or wash w/ a shampoo bar twice a week. I typically deep condition with my own mix and/or henna. I try to use Aphogee protein conditioners at least once a month bc my hair craves protein. I use Soultanicals Afrotastic Curl Elastic as a styler as opposed to a deep conditioner and top it off with a really light gel like Curl Glaze (or use conditioner only but I don't get as many days out of that style).

 

[theRaven]

I'm a fine haired 3c/4a girl checking in. Lately I have been using my mild protein usage from once a week to twice a week with a moisture dc everytime.

After a few setbacks I have come to the conclusion my hair does not agree with constant heat. I put away my beloved flat iron last winter after some heat damage. Next time I flat iron I will be thorough with my moisture deep conditioning and buy a state of the art flat iron.

My hair loves coconut oil but if I overdo it ny hair will literally spazz out on me. Coconut oil has some protein in it, go figure