Do You Feel That Your Natural Hair Is A Lot Of Work?

[Britt]

Honestly, I wish I could find a stylist. I loved going to the salon when I was younger - the atmosphere, the conversations, the shampoo experience, all of it! But I’m too afraid now and natural hair salons are so expensive.

I’m glad you could sneak in some time for yourself to try the detox! I know it can’t be easy to find the time with little ones.

Yessss, I love the experience of going to the salon. It's a nice treat.
And ditto to the over priced. That's a whole nother' conversation lol

 

[King of Sorrow]

I thought this was cute and appropriate for this thread

 

[LavenderMint]

I voted “yes but I don’t mind”, but I wish I could say “I don’t mind too much” because I DO mind when I have to schedule my entire life around caring for my hair. Wash day is a 4-8+ hour (or multiple day) ordeal depending on what I want to do with my hair for the week.
My hair is thick, somewhere in the 4s, with very defined curly-coils & aggressive clumps (as in, only a blow out unclumps them), about shoulder length with varying shrinkage, ssk & splits no matter what I do, majority high porosity.

I’ve given up on the natural salon experience not because of cost or distance but because I’ve found the service too variable and -forgive me- but it seems as if the ones I’ve been to (with my loose natural hair) are really only used to dealing with looser curl types. How do you not know how or when to detangle curly hair?? Why are you trying to comb my hair and from the root?! Admittedly, I need to be more assertive with what I’m not liking but I was just shocked. I’m willing to try a salon again because I know I’m not going to want to spend this time in a few months when BabyMint arrives.

It does seem somewhat taboo to say that your natural hair is a lot of work and that you don’t necessarily enjoy it all the time. My hair is a source of mild anxiety for me but mostly because I’m a bit of a control freak problem-solver.

@SAPNK I’m actually grateful for this thread because it’s really driven home that the complex and ever-changing feelings I have about my hair are okay, the good, bad and ugly. My hair is only a problem when I think of it as something to be solved instead of understood & worked with.

 

[Cattypus1]

I thought this was cute and appropriate for this thread

I totally love Fluff-nugget! This video cracked me up! Thank you @King of Sorrow

 

[ItsMeLilLucky]

I voted yes I don't mind.
For me, hair is work period though. That's because I get hair lazy. Random ebbs where I'm all about weekly routines then I'll hit a stretch where I'm like nah and it'll be a month or so before I even think about doing anything to my hair again

Natural/relaxed/etc, there's been no change in that part of me and my routine.
Wash Week™ is very real for me

Are you me?

 

[Alta Angel]

Wash days and detangling are a breeze for my BSL 4a/b hair. Over the past 10 years, I have found what works for my hair and my routine. I rarely do any of the "out" styles that I used to...no braid outs, twist outs, bantu knot outs, etc. I am all about that mini-twist life now because it gives me so much more flexibility in styling- allowing me to mimic some of the hairstyles I wore when relaxed. However, they are a bear to install. It takes me about 6 hours-I am slow. But they last for a month.

 

[rileypak]

Are you me?

 

[LivingInPeace]

Wash days and detangling are a breeze for my BSL 4a/b hair. Over the past 10 years, I have found what works for my hair and my routine. I rarely do any of the "out" styles that I used to...no braid outs, twist outs, bantu knot outs, etc. I am all about that mini-twist life now because it gives me so much more flexibility in styling- allowing me to mimic some of the hairstyles I wore when relaxed. However, they are a bear to install. It takes me about 6 hours-I am slow. But they last for a month.

I’ve been itching to do some mini twists but I haven’t felt like taking the time. It takes me about 5-6 hours too. I even considered trying mini braids. But gurllllll, I tried to do one braid which took me about fifteen minutes! I realized I would be 57 years old by the time I got my whole head done.

 

[LavenderMint]

Wash days and detangling are a breeze for my BSL 4a/b hair. Over the past 10 years, I have found what works for my hair and my routine. I rarely do any of the "out" styles that I used to...no braid outs, twist outs, bantu knot outs, etc. I am all about that mini-twist life now because it gives me so much more flexibility in styling- allowing me to mimic some of the hairstyles I wore when relaxed. However, they are a bear to install. It takes me about 6 hours-I am slow. But they last for a month.

Do you wash in your mini twists? I know some people do. My hair is also 4ab but I’m fairly sure washing with mini twists would lead my hair to loc. I’ve been there, done that, can’t do it again even though I want to.

 

[ItsMeLilLucky]

I’ve been itching to do some mini twists but I haven’t felt like taking the time. It takes me about 5-6 hours too. I even considered trying mini braids. But gurllllll, I tried to do one braid which took me about fifteen minutes! I realized I would be 57 years old by the time I got my whole head done.

Not 57 years old
When I did my mini braids it took me 3 days on blow dried hair.

 

[Miss_Luna]

Do you wash in your mini twists? I know some people do. My hair is also 4ab but I’m fairly sure washing with mini twists would lead my hair to loc. I’ve been there, done that, can’t do it again even though I want to.

My hair is 4a/b and when I washed in mini twists my roots started to loc. I enjoy mini twists, but it takes about 12hrs to do. I have a big head and I feel like I have hair from my eyebrows to the bottom of my neck!!

I have been natural for 11 years now and my hair is about midback length, but shrinks to shoulder-length. Wash day has become easier, not easy, with the length; I can put it in big twists and let it dry overnight, wear a twistout the next day. However, washing, detangling, and twisting still takes 1.5-2hrs. Unfortunately, with going to the gym and just overall commuting, I have to wash my hair twice a week and I'm almost over it. ETA: I also haven't been able to fit my hair into a ponytail or bun unless with blow-dried/straightened.

This is a recent revelation/realization and I am close to relaxing. I don't want to but I'm always too tired when it's wash day and I don't have time to book a hair appointment. I hate saving wash day for Saturday. I want to go out and be cute on Saturday, not deep conditioning. I love my natural hair, but it is very high maintenance. I can't do protective styles, like wigs or weaves and braids take about 12-16hrs every time I get them done. I don't know what to do, maybe I'll start by reading the rest of this thread, though.

 

[water_n_oil]

I’ve been itching to do some mini twists but I haven’t felt like taking the time. It takes me about 5-6 hours too. I even considered trying mini braids. But gurllllll, I tried to do one braid which took me about fifteen minutes! I realized I would be 57 years old by the time I got my whole head done.

Lmao! Too real. Last time I did mini twists was nearly 7 years ago for this exact reason.

 

[oneastrocurlie]

My hair is 4a/b and when I washed in mini twists my roots started to loc. I enjoy mini twists, but it takes about 12hrs to do. I have a big head and I feel like I have hair from my eyebrows to the bottom of my neck!!

I have been natural for 11 years now and my hair is about midback length, but shrinks to shoulder-length. Wash day has become easier, not easy, with the length; I can put it in big twists and let it dry overnight, wear a twistout the next day. However, washing, detangling, and twisting still takes 1.5-2hrs. Unfortunately, with going to the gym and just overall commuting, I have to wash my hair twice a week and I'm almost over it. ETA: I also haven't been able to fit my hair into a ponytail or bun unless with blow-dried/straightened.

This is a recent revelation/realization and I am close to relaxing. I don't want to but I'm always too tired when it's wash day and I don't have time to book a hair appointment. I hate saving wash day for Saturday. I want to go out and be cute on Saturday, not deep conditioning. I love my natural hair, but it is very high maintenance. I can't do protective styles, like wigs or weaves and braids take about 12-16hrs every time I get them done. I don't know what to do, maybe I'll start by reading the rest of this thread, though.

My goal length is shoulder length and I'd probably have to be mid back to get there with shrinkage. I do wonder sometimes if I should even bother continuing to let it grow knowing wash day is going to get longer and longer.

 

[Alta Angel]

I wash when I hit the two week mark. I will french braid my mini twists in about 4 or 5 braids and wash with a diluted sulfate free shampoo. I rinse and use a leave in condish, cream, and oil. I pin all the braids down and then tie a scarf on to let it dry. Otherwise I retwist every two weeks.

Do you wash in your mini twists? I know some people do. My hair is also 4ab but I’m fairly sure washing with mini twists would lead my hair to loc. I’ve been there, done that, can’t do it again even though I want to.

 

[Alta Angel]

YESSSSSSSSS!!!!!

I’ve been itching to do some mini twists but I haven’t felt like taking the time. It takes me about 5-6 hours too. I even considered trying mini braids. But gurllllll, I tried to do one braid which took me about fifteen minutes! I realized I would be 57 years old by the time I got my whole head done.

 

[VictoriousBrownFlower]

once i learned my hairs likes and dislikes my hair's been a breeze to deal with whether relaxed or natural. Natural did take a bit of learning (hence why this is my third and last time going natural) but once u get into the groove there's no stopping ya.

my reggie is super simple (no bells and whistles) I aint got time for all that.
Once a wk- every 2 wks if life gets busy
prepoo and detangle with oil mix.
twist or braid each workable section when done detangle (so it won't retangle)
leave in however long i want (few hrs or overnight)
shampoo (sulfate or non sulfate dep on hairs needs)
dc (apply dc in sections and finger detangle to distribute evenly and smooth cuticle)
put on hot head for half an hr
rinse with water on the cooler end of room temp
apply leave in seal
style

 

[Miss_Luna]

My goal length is shoulder length and I'd probably have to be mid back to get there with shrinkage. I do wonder sometimes if I should even bother continuing to let it grow knowing wash day is going to get longer and longer.

Two years ago, my hair was about WSL or a bit longer. I got a serious haircut because I couldn't handle it. At the time, I was styling my hair on my own and had a ton of splits and single-strand knots, so a haircut was necessary.

It took the stylist 6hrs to wash, detangle, straighten and cut my hair. I will NEVER let my hair get to that point ever again. For now, I get a trim, color, blow dry/flat iron 1-2x a year. I sometimes feel like the current length is too much, but I like the length when it's straight, even if only once or twice a year.

 

[keranikki]

I chose “yes, but I don’t mind”.
I’m a product junkie, which comes with its own set of issues. If I wasn’t a PJ, my hair would be relatively easy to handle. I’ve recently learned that PJism is a setback waiting to happen if you are not careful. My PJism could have cost me length, due to lack of protein. I was just trying products because they were on sale

As for regular care, water must touch my scalp at least once a week. I have fine, soft, medium density, medium-high porosity, color-treated hair with multiple textures. Time consumption is based on the style I’m trying to achieve. Styles such as twists, braids, cornrows, etc do not work for me. My hair is too soft to hold these styles, so I don’t bother. WNG is the easiest and takes me an hour to complete (that’s with detangling and DC). Blow dry and a bun adds another 45 mins.

What gives me the most heartache, is trying to keep my hair neat and orderly in a military (corporate) setting. As soon as I take my cover off, I look crazy sometimes. Yes, I could gel and brush my edges down, but I see too many of my sisters with no edges trying to keep up that sleek look. Now, all they have is sleek skin. I CANNOT!!!

 

[keranikki]

@SAPNK

Thank you for this thread! As I read everyone’s post, to include my own, I realized that maybe it’s time to put a stop to my PJism and see what is in my current stash that really works. I won’t hijack the thread, but I will say last night’s cowash experience was eye-opening for me.

 

[SAPNK]

@SAPNK

Thank you for this thread! As I read everyone’s post, to include my own, I realized that maybe it’s time to put a stop to my PJism and see what is in my current stash that really works. I won’t hijack the thread, but I will say last night’s cowash experience was eye-opening for me.

Hijack away
Any revelation or discovery that could make your natural hair life easier could help another person who has difficulty maintaining their hair.

 

[naijamerican]

This is a timely thread because I'm *this-close* to cutting my hair and rocking a tapered cut. I have done it before. Presently, my hair is about shoulder length to armpit length. The last time I had a tapered cut was two years ago and I've been growing it out. I watched that KimmayTube video upthread and frankly, a tapered cut is my preferred style in terms of the balance between time and lifestyle. I made the decision last year to stop playing myself and simply budget to get my hair done twice a month. By done, I mean shampooed, deep condition with steam treatment, and styled (usually, flat twists). I'm grateful to be able to do this and I know that that won't always be the case.

If I were managing my hair myself, I would shampoo and deep condition at least once a week. However, I'm at a point in my life where time is literally money. I could spend hours doing my hair, or I could earn extra money consulting outside of my regular job. That's how real it is right now. I would rather make the extra money and/or use that invaluable time to spend with my SO or friends or family. I've been natural for 20 years and long gone are my days of PJ-ism, testing out new styles, etc. etc. I just don't have it in me to live like that anymore when I have other things competing for my time.

I have 4A/4B hair. It is a demanding texture and it's important to be real about that. I have to be careful about how I detangle or I'll get breakage. In fact, detangling is what takes the most amount of time, aside from the actual styling process. In addition, I have to monitor my protein/moisture balance. But I love my hair. It is healthy and flourishing, and I love my curls dearly. My love for my natural hair is why I haven't gone ahead and gotten a relaxer, which I am sometimes tempted to do, lol.

 

[keranikki]

Revelation:

A cowash must first be measured by the slip it provides. I found a bottle of Keraveda Hydro Cowash in my stash. I use to swear by this product, but I couldn’t remember why I stopped using it. I decided to also grab Annabelle’s Perfect Blends Cowash as a backup, in case I had a mishap.

The mishap? Keraveda had no slip! What’s the point of letting water hit your hair if the product doesn’t provide slip? Why would I want to fight with my webtastic hair through each stage of the washing process?

 

[keranikki]

Truth:

I am jealous of you 4abcdef-z types, with your thick, gravity defying, can hold any style hair.

I have siblings with this hair type and I love doing their hair when I’m able.

It’s so plush! Like a pillow!

 

[blazingbeauty]

Where have I been?? Washing my hair under the bathtub faucet is so much easier and faster than hopping in and out of the shower. This is essentially what I did as a little kid (my hair would be washed in the sink).

 

[nurseN98]

I thought this was cute and appropriate for this thread

THAT was hilarious! I remember having talks with my fluff nugget like that years ago lol.

To answer the question, having been at this for almost 15 years, NOW I can say that my natural hair is not a lot of work. A big part of this was figuring out what my hair actually likes and not following every trend. The other big part was realizing my own aesthetic. I am simple so as long as I keep everything including haircare simple, I am happy. My hair can be washed, conditioned and detangled in 30 min. I keep my hair wsl (stretched). I use one leave in & my homemade pomade on my ends and edges and do a braid or bun. I wear my hair out only on special occasions. I don't deep condition often at all. Daily I spray usually just water but sometimes aloe & glycerin mixed in. I then rebraid or rebun. Wash every week, give or take a few days.

It took me many years of trial and error and I still try new products from time to time. But once I narrowed down the products that give me more bang for the buck it got much easier.