Hey Prettygrl
Welcome to our "hair home" /images/graemlins/smile.gif.
I'm glad the olive oil treatment is working for you. This is a must for my hair. Now, to answer some of your questions...
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I tried the pony tail method and the ends of my hair ended up wavy and not straight, how can I avoid that? Should I use a setting lotion? I used an Aphogee leave-in.
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Well, I too have not mastered the "correct" ponytail method, so I sort of adjusted it to fit my hair.
1. After applying Motions leave-in & Hot Six Oil, I gather the hair into one ponytail (in crown area), making sure the hair is perfectly straight & laying flat, secured with satin scrunchie
2. I wrap a jumbo (purple) magnetic roller around the tail portion (I ALWAYS USE END PAPERS!)
--- THAT'S IT! ---
In about 36 hrs it's completely dry. The pony tail has a large loose curl at the end, and usually by the end of the day, the loose curl has completely dropped & is straight! I find that when I add the setting lotion prior to the pony tail, my hair holds the loose curl much, much longer. But if I want the straight look quickly, I omit the setting lotion.
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Also, the braid out method. On the end of the braids should I use rollers.
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Yes, if you want a "finished" look, add rollers. Some ladies braid the entire hair then add the roller. I like to leave about 1" of hair "unbraided" then add the roller.
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Does anyone find these methods hard to do when it is almost time for a relaxer?
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A braid out, not at all /images/graemlins/smile.gif. In fact, right now I have about 1.5" of new growth & I will touch up on March 1st. (that will be 5 mths for me. I go anywhere from 4-6 mths). In mth 4, the braid out is my preferred style. It's quick & easy, it provides a nice way to "blend" the new growth & relaxed hair, and most importantly, it serves as a very practical & stylish way to keep the hair very moisturized leading up to the touchup.
Now the ponytail method....well, let's just say, for me at around 2 mths, it's useless /images/graemlins/shocked.gif, only because by this point, my new growth is very noticeable, & from past experiences, (I speaking of 10 yrs of self styling), I've learned to work WITH my hair instead of against it. Meaning, when I have alot of new growth, I don't even try to wear straight styles...the 2 hair different textures are too evident. When the scalp hair is straight, I wear straight styles; when it's wavy from new growth, I wear wavy or curly styles. This way I don't feel like it's a battle; it's a win/win situation then /images/graemlins/smile.gif
ANOTHER ALTERNATIVE TO BLOW DRYING IS TO DO A ROLLER SET. DO A SEARCH ON THIS BOARD FOR THE INSTRUCTIONS, IF NEEDED.
I certainly hope that some of this will help you. By the way, I too am 4b; horizontal b/s length. I'm sorry this is drawn out, but I just wanted to share.
God Bless,
Peachtree