How Did They Make Their Afros In The 60s,70s?

[beingofserenity]

Did they just pick it out or did the blow it out to get this look? Keeping my hair curly (crunchy) doesn't work for me so I am trying to embrace the old school way. I've read that they picked it out, got curl relaxers...etc. I'm just wondering the proper way to get that super smooth effect.

 

[beingofserenity]

How do you go from this?

to this perfectly rounded thing?

 

[LdyKamz]

I think you should comb it out. Comb out all the curls, let it dry and then pat it round. That's what I've done. I never wore my hair like this but I did try it because I too was fascinated but how to get it like this.

Blow drying wouldn't produce an afro for me. It would be too stretched.

 

[IronButterfly]

They had blowout kits, wigs, comb-outs, etc. Your texture (just like now) dictated the look of your hair. Not all afros were the same. Diana Ross and Pam Grier are wearing wigs in those photos.

 

[lesedi]

On the rare occasions that I wear a fro or a fro puff, I use my denman and afro pik on freshly washed and airdried hair. I brush and comb thoroughly through section by section in the braids that I airdried in and only moisturize with a light oil so it lasts longer

 

[ChristmasCarol]

I made a thread about this years ago, and the consensus was that it just wasn't gonna happen for me, unfortunately. I finally gave up the dream and settled for making a "fake fro". The photos are long gone, but I explained how I made it in this thread:
https://longhaircareforum.com/threads/in-dire-need-of-help-w-afro-on-mbl-wl-hair.672085/

I'll see if I still have those pics somewhere...

 

[LivingInPeace]

What I remember is braiding your hair at night. Unbraiding, picking it out then putting a scarf over your head and patting it down all over.

 

[faithVA]

What I remember is braiding your hair at night. Unbraiding, picking it out then putting a scarf over your head and patting it down all over.

This is what I we going to say. Most across weren't perfect. For pictures with models and stars it's easy to get that perfect for because someone else is shaping if for them.

Everyday people braided it up and took it down. They picked at it all day long to keep that shape.

 

[ChristmasCarol]

@beingofserenity
I did find one picture of my cheat-fro from that thread:



Here's the most recent incarnation:

 

[beingofserenity]

@beingofserenity
I did find one picture of my cheat-fro from that thread:

View attachment 392515

Here's the most recent incarnation:

View attachment 392517

Those look really beautiful

I will try braiding then combing out. F
My hair still has too much texture to get that smooth look after I comb it out

 

[ChristmasCarol]

This is what I we going to say. Most across weren't perfect. For pictures with models and stars it's easy to get that perfect for because someone else is shaping if for them.

Everyday people braided it up and took it down. They picked at it all day long to keep that shape.

Do you know how they avoided a braidout look when they took it down? When I tried it, it was more stretched-out than ever.

 

[ChristmasCarol]

Those look really beautiful

I will try braiding then combing out. F
My hair still has too much texture to get that smooth look after I comb it out

Thank you!
I'm honestly perplexed. I don't understand how a blowout or braids results in a microphone afro.

 

[PJaye]

Since I grew up watching it being done, I can offer a bit of info on the basics of the technique for an afro. First, thoroughly dry the hair as much as possible; water and fros do not mix. Second, do not braid the hair because this causes crimping and bending that cannot be removed. Third, add a light application of product, e.g., a creamy leave-in and a bit of oil/grease in order to keep the hair moisturized and avoid unnecessary breakage. Fourth, and most importantly, continually comb the hair as it fully dries, which will elongate it and remove the curls and kinks creating a nice, soft cloud of fluff. Fifth, once the hair is fully dried and elongated, it is the time to PickNPat - continually comb the hair with an afro pick before immediately patting and shaping it with your hands until it takes on a nice round shape. Keep doing the PickNPat until you reach the desired roundness. Also, do not try to cover, pineapple or otherwise alter the fro before going to bed, just lay down and catch some zzz's with the hair uncovered. In the morning, restyle with a few sprays of Afro Sheen before doing the PickNPat. If the Jermaine Jackson type of afro is desired, the hair must be curled (what is currently called a roller set) with tinier than usual rollers first.

 

[LivingInPeace]

I think hair texture probably determined technique

 

[Thump]

@beingofserenity
I did find one picture of my cheat-fro from that thread:

View attachment 392515

Here's the most recent incarnation:

View attachment 392517

Love love love this.

 

[beingofserenity]

Since I grew up watching it being done, I can offer a bit of info on the basics of the technique for an afro. First, thoroughly dry the hair as much as possible; water and fros do not mix. Second, do not braid the hair because this causes crimping and bending that cannot be removed. Third, add a light application of product, e.g., a creamy leave-in and a bit of oil/grease in order to keep the hair moisturized and avoid unnecessary breakage. Fourth, and most importantly, continually comb the hair as it fully dries, which will elongate it and remove the curls and kinks creating a nice, soft cloud of fluff. Fifth, once the hair is fully dried and elongated, it is the time to PickNPat - continually comb the hair with an afro pick before immediately patting and shaping it with your hands until it takes on a nice round shape. Keep doing the PickNPat until you reach the desired roundness. Also, do not try to cover, pineapple or otherwise alter the fro before going to bed, just lay down and catch some zzz's with the hair uncovered. In the morning, restyle with a few sprays of Afro Sheen before doing the PickNPat. If the Jermaine Jackson type of afro is desired, the hair must be curled (what is currently called a roller set) with tinier than usual rollers first.

Ok, thank you! This sounds right.

 

[Coilystep]

I would like to know how to get an afro. My hair in the is looser and it doesn't stand up like the rest.

 

[PJaye]

I would like to know how to get an afro. My hair in the is looser and it doesn't stand up like the rest.

The only options for looser textures are: (a) tease the hair into submission and an untimely death; (b) buy an afro wig; or (c) fake the funk with an extremely shrunken braid/twist-out. Unfortunately, the latter will only work with APL and above hair. My sister and I have a looser texture than my Mom and older siblings, and we had to watch the afro thing from the sidelines.

 

[LivingInPeace]

I was going by my memories of what my sister(class of '74) did. I texted her and she said she would shampoo, condition, oil her scalp, then twist. When the twists dried she took them down and pick it out. She would twist her hair up at night.

 

[SlimPickinz]

My hair is too loose for an Afro but man I would love to rock my Afro all big and round.

 

[ForestRose]

Since I grew up watching it being done, I can offer a bit of info on the basics of the technique for an afro. First, thoroughly dry the hair as much as possible; water and fros do not mix. Second, do not braid the hair because this causes crimping and bending that cannot be removed. Third, add a light application of product, e.g., a creamy leave-in and a bit of oil/grease in order to keep the hair moisturized and avoid unnecessary breakage. Fourth, and most importantly, continually comb the hair as it fully dries, which will elongate it and remove the curls and kinks creating a nice, soft cloud of fluff. Fifth, once the hair is fully dried and elongated, it is the time to PickNPat - continually comb the hair with an afro pick before immediately patting and shaping it with your hands until it takes on a nice round shape. Keep doing the PickNPat until you reach the desired roundness. Also, do not try to cover, pineapple or otherwise alter the fro before going to bed, just lay down and catch some zzz's with the hair uncovered. In the morning, restyle with a few sprays of Afro Sheen before doing the PickNPat. If the Jermaine Jackson type of afro is desired, the hair must be curled (what is currently called a roller set) with tinier than usual rollers first.

So you have to deal with an angled knotted fro in the morning? Anything to make my hair grow

I love how they got long hair by using the most basic products and methods. We do way too much to our hair nowadays.

 

[Crackers Phinn]

Nobody kept a perfectly round afro all day tho. If you see candid shots of people, lumpy/smushed fros was the norm.

 

[ChristmasCarol]

Thank you!
@beingofserenity
@Thump

 

[PJaye]

So you have to deal with an angled knotted fro in the morning? Anything to make my hair grow

I love how they got long hair by using the most basic products and methods. We do way too much to our hair nowadays.

The hair is only misshapen in the morning, not knotted. Just PatNpick it and go.

 

[faithVA]

Do you know how they avoided a braidout look when they took it down? When I tried it, it was more stretched-out than ever.

As someone else said, the technique varies with texture. Most of the people I know who wore an afro had type 4 hair so when picked it didn't look like a braid out. It was just a fro. And if it stretched out too much when braided up at night, they just added some water and grease it would shrink back down.

I can't say you can't do a fro but it might not be the healthiest thing for your hair because your hair is more curly than kinky. Trying to get it into that state might not be worth it.

 

[LostInAdream]

I achieved an Afro for a 70's party by washing my hair in sections, adding a light moisturizer and oil, allowing to air dry and picked out to shape a bit. It wasn't fluffy but it was rounded.

 

[JerriBlank]

What I remember is braiding your hair at night. Unbraiding, picking it out then putting a scarf over your head and patting it down all over.

Exactly what I came to say. My dad told me this when I first went natural. He said they braided it, then picked out the braid out.

 

[sissimpson]

What I remember is braiding your hair at night. Unbraiding, picking it out then putting a scarf over your head and patting it down all over.

and don't forget the Afro Sheen!

 

[Tefnut]

Platting always helped along with keeping ends neat and trimmed. My mom taught me that. They also had blowout methods like the Afromatic. Oh, yes, and Afro Sheen!

Take it from Frederick Douglass...

 

[Tefnut]