Hair Type: 5 AA???

[naijamerican]

Hello Everyone!!!

Before I even start, I just want to say that I'm new to the forum and am so excited to have found it!

Okay, now here's the true purpose of this post... For the past few years, I have worn my hair in microbraids. It's been natural for like 6 years and I've never really learned how to deal with it. Well, at the beginning of this year, I decided that enough was enough, that the time had come to release the naps from braid bondage. But I didn't know how else to style it. As the reality of my impending re-entry to school (this fall I'll be in grad school) came upon me and I realized that I wouldn't have time to devote 8 hours to put in the braids and 28 hours to take them out, I became even more eager to learn how to deal with my natural texture.

Well, I've been braid free for the past two weeks, and for the past two months I've been searching the fokti albums of different forums to figure out what products to use in my hair. And as I became more familiar with the hair type thing that Andre Walker developed, I thought oh, I must be 4 A - my hair is coily, it's kinky, there's a pronounced curl - nah mean? But when I actually look at other people's texture shots, I now see that there's no way I could be a 4 A or B. I don't even think that I'm a 4, period! So I think that it's high time to propose another number, and it's what I think I am: very kinky, very curly, ultra shrinkage 5AA. Because there's no way that the current measurement can capture these naps!

Is there anyone out there who hears me? And if you do, what are your favorite products, especially for the conditioner wash? I like Qhemet Biologics myself

Hopefully I can put a picture up soon so that you can see what I mean. Once I do, I'm sure that you'll come to agree with me

5As unite!!!!!!!! (and if you are in the baltimore area, can you let a sista know what natural salons are in the area?)

But again, hooray for this site! I love it! And I love how supportive everyone is of each other and the hair goals. This is the BEST hair forum site I've ever seen!!!!!! Worth every $5 and then some!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Netta1]

Hey there and welcome, neva mind Andre there are still people confused about "his system". Your hair sounds beautiful, it feels good to be free right?!

Anyhow I'm not sure if we have the same texture, but I will tell you that my hair is nappy, coily, thick, spongy and wavey. I got it all, and it depends on how I fix it that will determine which texture (s) will show the most. I have MAJOR shrinkage which can be a good thing -it lets me know that my hair is healthy. I think my hair shrinks up to about half of its actual size once it dries from being wet.

My favorite products are the following:

Water
Herbal conditioner
Jasons or Creme Of Nature shampoo
**********************************
Other Stuff

I also have a new product that I like its called Kids Organics Growth cream ( I think). There are other moisturizers that I use on a rotating basis.

I keep some type of spray/oil in my hair when its braided

I tend to my ends, but I'm not big on trimming. Everynow and again they get dusted for style purposes. I try to keep my ends "buttered up".

I spray surge on my edges when I have braids

I hardly ever use gel

I avoid heat

I keep my routine simple, my hair pretty much stays in some type of protective style.


*Keeping your body healthy is the best routine to get yourself into it will effect your whole being -not just your hair. *

 

[MeccaMedinah]

I agree with Netta. Forget about that typing system.

Your hair sounds great
I conditioner wash a couple times a week with:
V05 Kiwi & Lime followed by Herbal Essence- Replenishing conditioner or ****Fruit Fusions****
I also like V05 Tangerine Tickle

I twist up with shea butter & aloe vera gel mixed
Retwist nightly w/ water

I also like Giovanni's 50:50 remoisturizer conditioner

 

[ximenia]

I looove Qhemet too. I think those products were made for the dry, super kinky stuff. I have major shrinkage as well. I'm still looking for a co-wash, tried elucence and it did nothing for my hair. I rotate between braids and a fro puff.
my routine so far.

Co-wash with suave tropical coconut conditioner
detangle with qhemets olive cream
cornrow
use qhemets amla pomade on my scalp and the balm on my ends to keep them soft
no heat
no excessive combing
it's been gowing well too

For fro puff

detangle with the olive cream
apply balm to keep it soft all day
tie it up at night

This has been my routine for a while, it's pretty simple.

 

[Mestiza]

Welcome to LHCF!

My SO and I got into a discussion the other day about Andre's Hair Typing System when he saw me reading that section of the book. He cares nothing about hair, but, I told him to read it, anyway. LOL! He said that it leaves a lot of people out and gave me some examples using some of his family members. He said that it seems easier for people to just say that they have straight, wavy, curly or kinky hair.

 

[lovechic]

Hi, and Welcome!
I don't get into hair typing like I did when I first joined LHCF a year ago! Pretty hair is pretty hair to me! and Ours is definitely unique, So just continue to take care of your tresses and don't worry so much about "type" as long as it's healthy it's all Good! I agree with what Mestiza's SO said too!

 

[Poohbear]

WELCOME ABOARD!!!!

My favorite products so far are:
Elasta QP Creme Conditioning Shampoo
Motions CPR Anti-Breakage Hair Lotion
Citre Shine Gel
I'm in the process of getting a conditioner (I'm going to check out Herbal Essence)

And about my hair type....All I know is that my hair is NAPPY!!!

Take care and Happy Hair Growing!!!

 

[chocolate01]

I just wanted to say welcome to the board!

 

[Mestiza]

Hi, and Welcome!
I don't get into hair typing like I did when I first joined LHCF a year ago! Pretty hair is pretty hair to me! and Ours is definitely unique, So just continue to take care of your tresses and don't worry so much about "type" as long as it's healthy it's all Good! I agree with what Mestiza's SO said too!

Great point! ;-)

 

[DahomeyAhosi]

Hi,

Just want to welcome you to the forum. I see that you are Nigerian. I am Beninese. Happy hair growing!

DA

 

[sillygurl18]

Not to further confuse you but if you can see curl then you probably are a 3 or 4. But the hair system doesn't matter anyway. Like the above poster said. It leaves a lot of people out.

My favorite products right now are:

Kenra Moisturizing Shampoo Creme of Nature Shampoo
Creme of Nature Conditioner (on trial)
Aussie 3 Minute Miracle
Paul Mitchell the Detangler

I've been doing protective styles for about a month. I'm on a no puff challenge at another board

 

[Enchantmt]

Hello Everyone!!!

Is there anyone out there who hears me? And if you do, what are your favorite products, especially for the conditioner wash? I like Qhemet Biologics myself

Qhemet Rocks!! She is supposed to have a new product tomorrow, a creamy leave in for kinky folx, according to her site. I'm so happy and its pay day too...

 

[Kikootie]

Welcome Naijamerican!!! Don't forget that some of these girls are 4a/b but they have relaxers or texturizers so it may appear different from your hair type. In any case, don't worry about typing your hair, just learn all you can from the posts.

 

[Dolapo]

welcome!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[*Happily Me*]

Hello there! Welcome!

 

[hottopic]

Welcome To Forum...

 

[naijamerican]

You are all so wonderful!!

Thank you so much for your product tips and encouragement. I truly appreciate them! I have to say, I have visited many forums, and what attracts me to this one is that people are so genuine and caring and accepting of different ways of hair styling, whether it's natural or relaxed or texturized. I know we can all think of other forums that are a bit more militant in their stance! I don't know if natural hair works for everyone - or, I should say, if everyone works natural hair the way they should. I definately fall under that category. I wore braids and didn't nourish my hair and only sprayed oil when it felt dry. That may have actually helped it. But the tips that I've gotten from reading the posts have helped me tremendously.

What I've been doing for the past two weeks that my hair has been out is just basically rocking my freedom fro. I have finally gotten it to look the way I want it to. I co-wash every morning. Last week it was with Biolage, but a sister needs to save money! So I'm now using cholesterol. I let it sit in my hair for 5 - 7 minutes, and my hair is really loving it. It's so soft afterwards! Then I put in my Qhemet products. I don't know if this makes me a product junkie, but I basically bought almost everything she sells! AND IT'S TOTALLY WORTH IT! My favorite is the olive cream. Actually, no, that's tied with the olive and honey mix. They make my hair moisturized and soft. Also, I purchased this natural oil pomade (although it's really too light to be called such a thing) called Natural Island. It makes my hair smell so good. I've tried looking it up online; has anyone else seen it before? I live in the Boston area and got it from a salon.

Oh, one other thing. Another reason I appreciate this forum and the feedback I've gotten, especially in light of this Andre Walker typing thing, is that when I took out my braids I actually purchased that Curly Pudding from the Curve Salon. That joint made my hair so dry it was pathetic. I may use it from time to time, but I don't want my hair to turn from kinks to curls at the expense of its health. I truly felt that my hair's quality was compromised when I had that nonsense in my hair, hoping that it would turn it into something it's not.

Sorry for so long a post, but I just had to put that out there!!!

 

[NantanYah]

LOL! I love this thread! I have a patch of "5A" hair in the upper right section of my scalp. I twist it to make it look like the rest of my 4A/B hair. Just keep it moisturized and trimmed with thick moisturizers (I Hollywood Olive cream with a nice homemade leave in that include Suave tropical coconut, olive oil, and distilled water.)