How about a type 3 support thread?

[GoingNatural]

Natural, 3a/b/c??? checking in

Patience, I wore weaves to transition because I had no patience to deal with my hair and I did not want to use heat, did not want to do braidouts, twistouts, etc.--that just always seemed like too much to go through for a lazy person such as me. I chopped at 11 months and wore a weave until i could get a ponytail, and that is now my daily boring style.

 

[Vshanell]

Anyone ever tried Motions CPR or the Oil Moisturizer Moisture Silk Protein conditioner?

I've tried CPR, it's my main protein conditioner.

 

[FineChyna]

i am glad to be a part of this thread. i have 3c hair but the front hair line is 4a/b but my hair shrinks a lot. i have yet to wear my hair in its natural state since going natural

i am just struggling badly with this situation. i am happy my hair is long and healthy but hate i can't wear my hair "as is"

 

[curlilocs]

What product(s) do you use to moisturize, Curlilocs?

I mainly use leave in conditioners for moisture since I wear a was and go mainly. I sometimes add pure unrefined coconut oil either directly to my hair or mix it with my leave in. My favorite leave ins are Giovanni Direct, MOP, Curls Milkshake, Cantu Shea Butter Leave in, Garnier Curl and Shine, and Elucence MBC. I like to rotate!

 

[MissScarlett]

i like leave ins like infusium 23, redken anti snap, tigi bed head and garnier fructris. i mix things up alot but it always always starts with infusium 23 and then I add something else. that has always worked for me. oils just don't work for me

 

[Cichelle]

How many 3s have major detangling issues? My hair knots up too easily and I don't know what to do about it. I really have to detangle nearly every day or I start getting into major trouble. I sometimes find that a shed hair will knot onto another hair making on super long strand. The knot is almost always impossible to undo, therefore I have to cut that strand above the knot. That's one reason I have to remove the shed strands from my hair regularly.

Anyone else have issues like this?


About protein: My hair is protein sensitive so I generally stay away from it. Recently, though, I felt I needed to do a protein treatment and I used Joico K-Pac. It worked nicely.

 

[Ayeshia]

How many 3s have major detangling issues? My hair knots up too easily and I don't know what to do about it. I really have to detangle nearly every day or I start getting into major trouble. I sometimes find that a shed hair will knot onto another hair making on super long strand. The knot is almost always impossible to undo, therefore I have to cut that strand above the knot. That's one reason I have to remove the shed strands from my hair regularly.

Anyone else have issues like this?


About protein: My hair is protein sensitive so I generally stay away from it. Recently, though, I felt I needed to do a protein treatment and I used Joico K-Pac. It worked nicely.

I know you havn't trimmed asince you did the BC and that could be part of the reason why you are getting those tangles. Eventhough the ends arent damaged, they do get older and become more whispy and snarly, hence the tangles. Do you have a denman brush? that removes ALL the shedded hairs your wide tooth or fingers leave behind. I have yet to suffer breakage because I dont use it every day. But I think once you get your final goal and do that trim, I suspect that your tangles will be minimal

 

[Str8~Curly]

I wore locs and bc'd the relaxed ends when the natural hair was about shoulder length, then I picked out the locs.

Ok my 3 sisters,Ive been thinking about transitioning for the following reasons:My hair is super fine/thin and weak (Im a 3b/c) when relaxed,
My hair is fuller when its natural, Blowouts serve the same purpose as a relaxer on my hair( I get the roots done now and it looks like it was just relaxed)I love blowouts but it wreaks havoc on my fine relaxed strands...Those who have transitioned, how did u do it?

 

[Ms Red]

I could have written this post myself! I get frustrated b/c I can't just have 1 texture-- I've got 3c (and I think 3b too) and then I've got 4a mixed in. It's crazy. The curl pattern is just not consistent. I stopped relaxing because my hair was too fine to relax and when I did it never got straight, just frizzy! It took a marcel iron to get it reallllly sleek so what was the point?!

Now I think I have about 10 inches of natural hair now and I'm just waiting for it to grow. The back (3b/3cish) hangs down curly but the crown/front grows OUT (4a) Oh well...

I am SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO in!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I haven't relaxed my hair for a year, and I am trying to decide whether to, so I might be transitioning. My hair is so wavy, it makes me crazy. Like Sar-1, even when it's relaxed I still need heat for it to be straight, so why bother?

I have never worn it down or out in its natural state and I am like, afraid to. I am quite conservative by nature and I want my hair to be straight, smooth and contained. Which would be fine except that ain't the kind of hair I have! I might be trying my first wash n' go with Beyond the Zone Noodle Head this weekend (thanks, Pokahontas!)

 

[Lucia]

Do you all use protein? DC’s, moisturizers, etc. Which ones?

I use Aphogee, every 3-6 months or when I feel my hair needs it, I've also started using henna/indigo again, love it on my hair.

 

[Cichelle]

I know you havn't trimmed asince you did the BC and that could be part of the reason why you are getting those tangles. Eventhough the ends arent damaged, they do get older and become more whispy and snarly, hence the tangles. Do you have a denman brush? that removes ALL the shedded hairs your wide tooth or fingers leave behind. I have yet to suffer breakage because I dont use it every day. But I think once you get your final goal and do that trim, I suspect that your tangles will be minimal

Wow, how timely. After I wrote that post this morning, I washed my hair and noticed a huge reduction in tangles. I realized that it was because yesterday, I used my Aveda paddle brush to brush out any tangles and shed hair. It really helped! I don't have a denman, but I might buy one. I think if I use a brush once a week, it might go a long way in helping me with this problem.

Yeah, you know I am against trimming except for damaged ends. I just recently took over two hours to go through my hair searching for split ends or damage, but my ends are fine. Still, I completely agree about ends getting old and I don't doubt it could be contributing to my tangles. I will probably trim in Decemeber and see a huge difference.

Thanks!

 

[FineChyna]

do any of you 3c ladies have any tips on how to control hair shrinkage? or is that just a lost cause?

 

[curlilocs]

do any of you 3c ladies have any tips on how to control hair shrinkage? or is that just a lost cause?

You could try putting your hair in two loose ponytails at night to help loosen the curl if you don't wet everyday. Also, heavier stylers like Curls Whipped cream, Miss Jessie's Curly Pudding, or Kinky Curly Curling Custard add weight to the hair and encourage it to drop more.

I really don't even try to fight it anymore...shrinkage is a beast!

 

[FineChyna]

You could try putting your hair in two loose ponytails at night to help loosen the curl if you don't wet everyday. Also, heavier stylers like Curls Whipped cream, Miss Jessie's Curly Pudding, or Kinky Curly Curling Custard add weight to the hair and encourage it to drop more.

I really don't even try to fight it anymore...shrinkage is a beast!

i tried using products to weigh my hair down and even tried partial drying but i think part of the problem is where my hair shrinks to doesn't fit my face so unless it is going to stay down nearly shoulders it is almost pointless.

i figured i should let my hair grow some more and try again at the end of the summer. but truth be told i am very tired of draw string ponys and wearing my hair back.

 

[Cichelle]

You could try banding it.

I hear what you are saying though. I have mad shrinkage, too. But it's gotten better as it gets longer.

 

[GoingNatural]

On Sunday I did a Lekair Cholesterol treatment on my hair and sealed it with coconut oil. I kept it in my hair for 12hrs no heat and when i washed it out in the morning my hair felt amazing and still does.

 

[starfish79]

How many 3s have major detangling issues? My hair knots up too easily and I don't know what to do about it. I really have to detangle nearly every day or I start getting into major trouble. I sometimes find that a shed hair will knot onto another hair making on super long strand. The knot is almost always impossible to undo, therefore I have to cut that strand above the knot. That's one reason I have to remove the shed strands from my hair regularly.

Anyone else have issues like this?

YES!!! All the time! I'm cosigning on the Denman brush. I cowash daily and after just a week of using only my fingers and wide tooth comb my hair was a MESS! My eyes watered as I was detangling for my weekly deep condish. I absolutely have to use the Denman because I shed a lot and having loose hairs snag on others and inevitably rip them out is just not my idea of fun!! I gather from the other posts that you don't trim and that really makes a big difference for me. My ends aren't split but they do get rougher as they age and that creats snags and requires a lot more pulling to get properly detangled.

 

[Vshanell]

I know you havn't trimmed asince you did the BC and that could be part of the reason why you are getting those tangles. Eventhough the ends arent damaged, they do get older and become more whispy and snarly, hence the tangles. Do you have a denman brush? that removes ALL the shedded hairs your wide tooth or fingers leave behind. I have yet to suffer breakage because I dont use it every day. But I think once you get your final goal and do that trim, I suspect that your tangles will be minimal

ITA. Trimming makes a big difference. Whenever I have a fresh trim my hair is so much easier to detangle. I usually don't have any big detangling issues. When I discovered Elucence MB that put an end to the tangles.

 

[Vshanell]

do any of you 3c ladies have any tips on how to control hair shrinkage? or is that just a lost cause?

The only thing I've found to give me less shrinkage is Sunsilk De-Frizz 24/7 creme. It's amazing. I had to keep looking at my hair to make sure I wasn't dreaming. Whenever I get around to it I'll take so me pics of my hair with it and compare them to another product.

 

[Blackrican]

I'm in...I need all the support I can get!

 

[balisi]

I am a 3

I agree with the hair being able to take on many different looks - as a child when my mother never used conditioner on my hair it looked more 4a-ish. In my siggy pic it looks more like a 2 something. With no products it's just a regular 3b/c.

I have learned over the years how to make my hair look like anything from stick straight to 4a/b fro-ish. Then I decided what I want my hair to look like and what type of regimen I want (the simplest possible) and took it from there.

My daily hair do is a ponytail or a single braid or twist. It's kinda boring, but I can't wear my hair down every day because of the wear and tear on my ends.

I tried co-washing, but it didn't work for me - it dried my hair out a lot. Also, my hair stays wet for a whole day (sometimes even longer) and I can't walk around with wet hair 24 hours LOL. Especially living as close to the North Pole as I do Can anyone say frozen curls.

My regimen looks something like this:

I wash once or twice a week. Shampoo once and condition afterwards. While I have conditioner in my hair I finger comb and pull out loose hairs. Then I rinse sloppily to keep some conditioner in the hair. I follow with leave in conditioner and jojoba oil or olive oil. Then I just let it air dry hanging loose while I wear a towel around my shoulders.

At night I usually make a loose braid or a loose bun (I just fold my hair over and fasten with a hair comb). It's difficult to find a comfortable way to sleep, but now I've gotten used to throwing the braid the other way when I turn over in my bed, so I don't have to have it in my face etc.

In the morning I put some leave in conditioner on the ends of my hair and sometimes moisturize with water from my hands. I just wet my hands and then squeeze my hair (the ends) a little to make the curls come back to life.

There are several types of 3:s. My best friend and I have the same hair type, but our hairs are very different and react differently to hair products
Her hair is very soft and the individual strands are very thin, but she has plenty of them - in fact I would say she has around two-three times as many hair strands as I have. When she makes 2 braids they are super thick!

My hair is coarser to the touch (compared to hers) and the individual strands are very thick, like Asian hair. And when I make 2 braids they are skinny But because of my thick strands my hair looks just as thick as hers when I wear it down.

Her hair reacts better to moisture - she can wet it and that just makes it shinier and springier when it dries. If I wet my hair without products it just gets frizzy. In fact, she doesn't need leave in conditioners or hair oil, her hair is oilier than mine to begin with. I think it's the soft, thin hairs that make the sebum travel down her hair shafts better.

Her daughter has a mix of 3 and 4. It is exactly like our hair, but just one grade curlier. She is 3 years old and her hair is already down to her little butt So cute! Her hair strands are soft and silky and very thin like her mother's. She also has a ton of hair like her mom. Her hair was curly at birth.

Her son has pure 3 hair that is very sparse. Cut short it lays down and looks straight. When it grows it's huge loose curls/waves. His hair strands are coarser like mine. He is 6 years old and I don't think his hair will grow in thicker. His hair was very sparse and straight at birth.

I wanted to add that my hair has been all kinds of lengths over the years, but mostly long. When my hair is really short (around 2 inches) it's completely straight and sticks up and out like a MonChiChi. Weird! Maybe because it's so wiry. When it grows longer than that it starts to curl. The longer it grows the more it curls. But it's been the same amount of curl since shoulder length I think.

I was born with straight hair that was long enough for the nurses to put a bow in it. It was down to my neck.

Your hair sounds exactly like mine, except I don't know what it would be like if it were only a few inches long. I was born bald and didn't have any hair until sometime around my first birthday.

For the longest time, my relaxed hair was still wavy and I recall one hairstylist in particular asking if I actually had a relaxer. At some point much later on, I was able to achieve straighter relaxed hair. That was after I had children (change in hormones?) and had gone natural a few times.

I transitioned for nine months before I was ready to cut off my relaxed ends. I straighten my hair with heat from time to time, and thankfully, have not suffered any heat damage. My usual style is some sort of w&g, whether I leave it loose, bun or ponytail it. I like the Joico reconstructor as well as the Sebastian Wearable Treatment. My hair is definitely fickle. Some days my curls look perfect and others it's just a frizzy mess -- those are my bun days.

 

[LovelyLionessa]

I'm a relaxed head checking in from the 3 zone. When my new growth comes in, I have a mixture of corkscrew curls and frizz. Since I began self-relaxing almost a year ago, I've had to deal with my natural texture more and more as I don't relax bone straight. I'm absolutely mezmerized by ponytail rollersets now. I just strated doing these and haven't fully dried in one yet, although these do make a huge difference in my hair. They allow my hair to dry straight, reducing shrinkage, and my hair remains nicely detangled. When airdrying loose my ends would kinda fuse together and tangle. Like everyone else I go through TONS of conditioner, that's why I can't bring myself to spend a lot on them as I require large quantities. Africa's Best Liquid Mayo leave-in is my favorite product for keep hair detangled between washes.

 

[Str8~Curly]

Are any of you using or have used Vatika oil with success? What does it do for your hair? I’m wondering if I should try this or just stick to my virgin coconut oil.

 

[la flaca]

Are any of you using or have used Vatika oil with success? What does it do for your hair? I’m wondering if I should try this or just stick to my virgin coconut oil.

I am using Vatika oil and I love it, it makes my hair stronger and thicker.

 

[Str8~Curly]

Thanks la flaca. I ordered the coconut oil already, but I'm sure I can work some Vatika oil in there. BTW, I love your hair.

quote=la flaca]I am using Vatika oil and I love it, it makes my hair stronger and thicker.[/quote]

 

[The Girl]

Are any of you using or have used Vatika oil with success? What does it do for your hair? I’m wondering if I should try this or just stick to my virgin coconut oil.

I am using Vatika oil and I love it, it makes my hair stronger and thicker.

I agree with La Flaca....Vatika oil is amazing to my hair. I apply it and expect it to just sit there but it doesn't...it actually penetrates. I am a 3 something as well.

The density of my crown makes me think its 4a but really probably not. I am considering transitioning as well. I want to texlax to get it to lay a little straighter bc I want BSL by July so bad! But really, it doesn't straighten my hair like that...it helps minimally with the frizzies but I still get poofs in humid weather! I have been having better luck with my new flat iron(won't say it...lol).

My sister is natural 3c (I think) and her hair is been really different since switching to ceramics. I am almost 6 months in so we'll see. Adding her texture pics to fotki in case anyone cares..hopefully will add mine today as well

 

[Empress Yahudah]

:scratchch I realy need to buy some vatika oil

 

[Str8~Curly]

Thanks Steph. I’m happy that you are considering transitioning, but of course, I'm biased.

I agree with La Flaca....Vatika oil is amazing to my hair. I apply it and expect it to just sit there but it doesn't...it actually penetrates. I am a 3 something as well.

The density of my crown makes me think its 4a but really probably not. I am considering transitioning as well. I want to texlax to get it to lay a little straighter bc I want BSL by July so bad! But really, it doesn't straighten my hair like that...it helps minimally with the frizzies but I still get poofs in humid weather! I have been having better luck with my new flat iron(won't say it...lol).

My sister is natural 3c (I think) and her hair is been really different since switching to ceramics. I am almost 6 months in so we'll see. Adding her texture pics to fotki in case anyone cares..hopefully will add mine today as well

 

[Str8~Curly]

So do I. I'm kinda mad that I bought the big ol' 54 oz tub'o'coconut oil. Well, the base of Vatika is coconut oil, from what I understand, so I'm sure I can just use both and get good results, and use the Vatika more sparingly since it's more expensive, since I can't find any where I live now.

:scratchch I realy need to buy some vatika oil

 

[Empress Yahudah]

So do I. I'm kinda mad that I bought the big ol' 54 oz tub'o'coconut oil. Well, the base of Vatika is coconut oil, from what I understand, so I'm sure I can just use both and get good results, and use the Vatika more sparingly since it's more expensive, since I can't find any where I live now.

Thats the issue im having the indian store in my area doesnt sell it imma check around in some surrounding towns first before I order it offline