Double Textured People... HELP (PICS)

[MissMeWithThatIsh]

Sorry this is long... red is the cliff's notes! And please excuse my cluttered bathroom counter... !!!!

Okay... I know the last thing on my mind should be using a chemical on my head... I go back and forth and back and forth. I really want to stay natural... but it seems impossible... yet, it seems impossible to use chemicals.

Here are some pics of my hair the other night. I simply detangled and moisturized and sealed with Vaseline a la Chicoro's method. I was hoping that by doing this I can have a better understanding of my hair, how it looks and the curl pattern.

In a nutshell, I dont know if I want to just keep my hair covered with wigs and ignore it while I keep practicing the art of detangling and natural styling... or if I should just texlax the middle since that's the hardest part to control. I honestly feel no need to use a chemical to maintain my WHOLE head, as it won't work, areas would be too straight while others are just right. I would also like to see if there is a natural method to keeping my hair strands swollen with moisture... as they are when wet... to keep the larger, more defined curls and waves.... no matter what I do.. shrinkage, esp in the crown, is inevitable. I don't see myself really wearing my hair out until it's at least well past APL and I'm just NOW getting my bangs to the bottom of my lip. But I still have to manage my hair while it's protected and growing!

Front: the only way to see the waves is in the new growth. If I brushed it back it would be a straight, fro textured, but smooth mess. When I tex... even the slightest, it becomes textureless and loses any semblance of a curl... so I had to part it like so in order to show the waves. When I texlax, this whole part is stick straight. (When I relax my hair period, it's all stick straight, and I hate it.)
And ignore my shiesty widow's peak, I hate it!

Central: This is the hardest area to control.... if it acted like the front or (even better) the back of my head, I would be okay. When well moisturized or wet, the curls can and will pop, like little ringlets, but this area has the most shrinkage... even with chemicals. The best way to manage this hair, for me, has been to try and cover what I can with conditioner, and not even try to detangle in depth, because it drives me nuts. If I put a chem in too long, I get heavily straightened hair with lots of kinky dents... (like a bad flatiron). I wouldn't be surprised if this classified as 4z hair.

Back: My favorite area of my head. It's the easiest to manage, texturized or not. It can get bone straight when relaxed... BUT when texturized, it loosens up perfectly, and never overprocesses. The curls are considerably bigger than the rest when wet, but I wouldn't say they're really 3c, just a large 4a. I wish all my hair could act like this section, it's more durable to natural life or chemicals... and smooths easily without losing a whole lot of curl. There are several pics, because none REALLY seems to capture it just right... The first is from this morning ( tried the method with a bun and slept).. the second is from yesterday and the last is from today also.

 

[MissMeWithThatIsh]

Is it me, or does it look like I have red and gold hairs (could be the camera) in my puff in the first pic of the back?

I went in my fotki and got pics of the front without chems... I was in transition... so you can tell right where demarcation is.

 

[Akemi]

I know this doesn't exactly answer your question, but I think you're my hair twin!! My hair seems to be the same textures as yours. The middle is the thickest and the back and front are looser. I have crazy shrinkage, too.

But the two textures don't bother me much. Do use ever use gel?

ETA: I use Fantasia IC gel, and it helps smooth out the coils in the middle and stretch them out.

 

[MissMeWithThatIsh]

I know this doesn't exactly answer your question, but I think you're my hair twin!! My hair seems to be the same textures as yours. The middle is the thickest and the back and front are looser. I have crazy shrinkage, too.

But the two textures doesn't bother me, much. Do use ever use gel?

I do, but not often. After Vaseline... my hair will settle with a scarf!

 

[sunshinebeautiful]

I don't have any input, but your natural hair is gorgeous, LaurynDoll!

 

[Miamori]

Is it me, or does it look like I have red and gold hairs (could be the camera) in my puff in the first pic of the back?

It does, but it looks red and gold at the ends / down the shaft in all your pictures to me.

 

[msa]

How do you condition and moisturize the middle of your hair? I ask because the middle of my head was always the least manageable and had the most difficult texture and the outside was much looser.

Then, I read a post on here about meticulously conditioning the middle of your head. I thought about it and I realized the outside parts of my head get conditioned/moisturized first and probably more often. So, I started focusing on the middle of my head, making sure each strand was covered when I conditioned/moisturized. And slowly but surely the texture in the middle has begun to match the rest of my head and loosen up.

I don't think you should or need to texturize the middle of your head. I think when natural hair is the most moisturized it can be, the curl pattern is looser, softer, and easier to deal with. I would focus really conditioning/moisturizing the middle even more than usual for a while and see what happens.

Also, the front of my hair is way looser than everywhere else (almost straight) and that's with no chems. I think it's because I pull it back so much when I wear my hair loose that over time it's begun to loosen. I don't know if there's much you can do about that though.

Hope this helps!

 

[MissMeWithThatIsh]

I don't have any input, but your natural hair is gorgeous, LaurynDoll!

Thank you very much! These pictures showed me how pretty it is... I just need to learn to manage it... and it's so ... difficult...

 

[MissMeWithThatIsh]

How do you condition and moisturize the middle of your hair? I ask because the middle of my head was always the least manageable and had the most difficult texture and the outside was much looser.

Honestly, I think I've been too impatient, because looking at these pics and looking at how my hair is in that area when wet, it's so curly and moisturized... but I've always been the type to just put a big goop on that section and squish... instead of taking the time to detangle and coat strands. It just gets... painful on the arms.

Then, I read a post on here about meticulously conditioning the middle of your head. I thought about it and I realized the outside parts of my head get conditioned/moisturized first and probably more often. So, I started focusing on the middle of my head, making sure each strand was covered when I conditioned/moisturized. And slowly but surely the texture in the middle has begun to match the rest of my head and loosen up.

I don't think you should or need to texturize the middle of your head. I think when natural hair is the most moisturized it can be, the curl pattern is looser, softer, and easier to deal with. I would focus really conditioning/moisturizing the middle even more than usual for a while and see what happens.

Do you know where this thread is? I'll try to search and try to be patient with this. I'm already on a health kick trying to up my vits and diet so that should help too.

Also, the front of my hair is way looser than everywhere else (almost straight) and that's with no chems. I think it's because I pull it back so much when I wear my hair loose that over time it's begun to loosen. I don't know if there's much you can do about that though.

Hope this helps!

Perhaps... I love waves, but if I lose them by pulling the hair back so much, I'lll have to use different parts... also I ripped hair out my hairline with doublesided tape trying to be cute with a lacefront this year. My hair line recovered but I want to baby it some more... Yes this helps a lot THANKS!

 

[msa]

Perhaps... I love waves, but if I lose them by pulling the hair back so much, I'lll have to use different parts... also I ripped hair out my hairline with doublesided tape trying to be cute with a lacefront this year. My hair line recovered but I want to baby it some more... Yes this helps a lot THANKS!

If you take the time now it will definitely pay off in the long run. I started my hair journey in February and I began noticing a difference in the summer. Now, it only takes me 45mins to an hour to moisturize, detangle, and bantu knot (12) my hair.

I don't know where the thread is but if I happen to come on it I will definitely make sure to send you the link. I think the information really came in bits and pieces from observations made in different posts.

About the front of your hair, doing different parts will definitely help. My biggest problem was tight headbands because they would stretch out the first couple inches in the front (and break off some of it too). Now I try to only use bobby pins and not do it too tight.

Oh one more thing that might help. I've heard different things from different people but I think baking soda does have an affect on the curl pattern. I use a baking soda mix with water (palmful of baking soda mixed with about 16oz of water) as my shampoo and in the last few months I've noticed my hair loosening a bit. It may also be due to the fact that my hair is better moisturized, but you may want to try it.

 

[MissMeWithThatIsh]

If you take the time now it will definitely pay off in the long run. I started my hair journey in February and I began noticing a difference in the summer. Now, it only takes me 45mins to an hour to moisturize, detangle, and bantu knot (12) my hair.

I don't know where the thread is but if I happen to come on it I will definitely make sure to send you the link. I think the information really came in bits and pieces from observations made in different posts.

About the front of your hair, doing different parts will definitely help. My biggest problem was tight headbands because they would stretch out the first couple inches in the front (and break off some of it too). Now I try to only use bobby pins and not do it too tight.

Oh one more thing that might help. I've heard different things from different people but I think baking soda does have an affect on the curl pattern. I use a baking soda mix with water (palmful of baking soda mixed with about 16oz of water) as my shampoo and in the last few months I've noticed my hair loosening a bit. It may also be due to the fact that my hair is better moisturized, but you may want to try it.

I will definitely try the baking soda method. I plan on braiding up and putting a wig on it... til at least 2010 again, but we'll see.

 

[titan]

I like the texture of your hair,very nice pics