Is it possible to pass BSL with wash n go's?

[Cheinei]

Has anyone here done it already? I'm tired of twists. Buns are stupid.
Will shingling even help with single strand knots?

 

[natural_one]

I have..I'm currently at BSL and all I do is wash n go's...There is a woman that used to be here named Elle something and she exclusively wears wash n go's and he hair is past BSL..She is on youtube as well, let me see if I can find her.

ETA: Found her youtube http://www.youtube.com/user/denimpixie?feature=watch

 

[suns4i6e]

Waist Length chiming in. I do wash n go's 99.999999% of the time. No protective styling, no twists, no braids, no hiding ends, no nothing. PS'ing isn't for me, so I don't even fake the funk.

 

[Cheinei]

I have..I'm currently at BSL and all I do is wash n go's...There is a woman that used to be here named Elle something and she exclusively wears wash n go's and he hair is past BSL..She is on youtube as well, let me see if I can find her.

ETA: Found her youtube http://www.youtube.com/user/denimpixie?feature=watch

Thanks that really helped!

Waist Length chiming in. I do wash n go's 99.999999% of the time. No protective styling, no twists, no braids, no hiding ends, no nothing. PS'ing isn't for me, so I don't even fake the funk.

Do you flat iron your hair? How are your single strand knots looking?

 

[suns4i6e]

I haven't flat ironed in about three years, just haven't had the urge strongly enough to go through the trouble. Yup, I have SSKs. Because my strands are so fine and tangly, it's just par for the course. I try not to worry about them too much and they don't seem to have hindered retention.

 

[ckisland]

I'm MBL and I did wash n'gos for 99% of my first 2 years . Now I do them less frequently, so like 50% of the time. I retained length way better my first 2.5 years. Styling (twisting, braiding, etc) is highly overrated.
Adding a good bit of product does help prevent ssks, and so does DCing and hot oil treatments. And not letting your hair get dry and frizzy, which is the problem I keep having .

suns4i6e , could you share your routine and products? Because I'm trying to get to where you are .

 

[DDTexlaxed]

Is there some way to have less crunch when you wash n go? I am going to end PS until it gets cold again.

 

[DarkJoy]

Thanks for this thread OP!

Hair types? my 4z hair ssks and breaks or it did when I was going hard for the wng. My coils are TIGHT at least 80% shrinkage. It's a nice idea... I hate PSing. HATE it. And I wanna vary up my style routines.

WnG techniques for c-napps would be appreciated.

BTW OP, shingling helped SOME with SSKs as gel weighted it down. Still needed to dust often.

 

[chebaby]

i did it. all i wear is wash and goes cause aint no body got time fo braids and what not. plus my hair is low/medium density and twists and braids dont look good on my hair IMO.
anyway i w&g eveyday, co washing every other day unless i put my hair in a bun.

im WL now and have been natural for 4 years. i have major shrinkage though so thats protective styling in itself.

oh and my hair type is 3c 4a, low to medium density and major shinkage. my hair comes to my shoulders when shrunken.

 

[Ms. Martina]

Yep, that's my style, and I am past bsl now. I have done it my entire natural hair journey.

 

[HairPleezeGrow]

What an interesting thread...looks like you ladies have had great success with the wng. Subbing!

 

[ckisland]

Hair type:

All of my hair is cottony and the bottom half is very very kinky. The top is loose 4a and 3c (I guess), the back is coily 4a, and the area around my ears is 4b. My wash n'gos shrink up to my chin or neck if I'm lucky, and my hair's medium to high density.

 

[marta9227]

I'm waist length and I rock a modified wash and go a few times a month. I say modified because I band my hair for a couple hours.

 

[DDTexlaxed]

It would be cool if those who did this with success could share the products they used and their methods. Thanks in advance.

 

[greenandchic]

This is an interesting thread for sure.

I am trying my best to make WnGs work for sure - I'm sick of buns and whatnot.

Though I have defined curls from 4a - 3b and probably some 4b, I have major shrinkage. My curls are so diverse my hair could look lopsided if I don't style it right.

I know using a lot of product is a faux pas in some hair circles but being modest with products during a WnG leaves my hair completely tangled and dry, dry, dry.

How much product do you use?
What do you use?
Gel or no Gel?
How long do the styles last (how many days?)

 

[whiteoleander91]

I was grazing BSL before I cut my hair (simply because I wanted a blunt cut, my nape hangs a lot). I can't say this enough: ACTIVATOR GEL! lol this combined with styling gel, or used by itself, gives me super soft, moisturized hair. I recommend Long Aid or Worlds of Curls curl activator gel. And when it comes to wash and gos, I say, the more product the better (especially on your ends). If I don't use enough gel my hair gets tangly and my really loose sections will knot up pretty bad. I do have some SSK, but I think that's just a part of having curly hair. I wash and go 99% of the time. I love wash and gos

Also, activator gel helps with shrinkage. I've used styling gel by itself before, and it makes my hair super dry and gives me craaazy shrinkage. Activator gel is my moisturizer and is a staple part of my regimen. When I rinse my hair in the shower the next morning, my hair feels soft and supple, like after conditioning. Seriously. Activator gel. Get sumadat lol

 

[whiteoleander91]

oh and my hair stats: I have mostly medium strands (fine toward the front, coarse at my crown) cottony with some silky-ish sections, and my hair is a mix of type 3 and type 4.

 

[ckisland]

How much product do you use?
I'm just learning to use less product because I used to use globs more than I needed to. Now I use a reasonable amount. . . I don't know how to answer this question.
What do you use?
Aussie Moist conditioner - best styler for tightlycurly method
V05 Condish + EcoStyler Gel (this is the only way I can use it. Otherwise it's too sticky and hard)
Currently:
GF Pure Clean conditioner- leave-in
GF Pure Clean Gel- wonderful and gives great definition without crazy ingredients, but needs to be sealed
Gel or no Gel?
If I want multi-day hair, I use gel.
How long do the styles last (how many days?)
Usually I get at least 3 days, but with EcoStyler and KCCC I've gotten a week.

 

[suns4i6e]

I'm MBL and I did wash n'gos for 99% of my first 2 years . Now I do them less frequently, so like 50% of the time. I retained length way better my first 2.5 years. Styling (twisting, braiding, etc) is highly overrated.
Adding a good bit of product does help prevent ssks, and so does DCing and hot oil treatments. And not letting your hair get dry and frizzy, which is the problem I keep having .

@suns4i6e , could you share your routine and products? Because I'm trying to get to where you are .

ckisland, I apologize in advance for the long reply. Please let me know if you have any questions.

my hair is:
very fine
very cottony
very low porosity
medium density
loves protein
loves to tangle
primarily 3C curl size
some LHCF infractions I commit: I don't seal ever, I don’t PS and I diffuse all year round

I follow a CG routine, although my hair doesn't mind occasional sulfates. Additionally, I stay away from ingredients that are found in many, many natural hair prods. I can't stand shea anything, no polyquats, polymers, copolymers, carbomer, PVP, hyaluronic acid, and oils. All of these make my hair feel dry, uncooperative and awful. It fortunately cuts out over 2/3 of products geared toward natural hair.
Because my hair is so cottony, I like a strong hold gel. Most people don't like crunch, but I seek it out. Due to its low porosity, I layer multiples of product types and let them absorb. These are a few of the products I use for each step


Cowash/Sulfate Free Poo
Trader Joe's Nourish Spa (HG)
Curl Junkie Daily Fix
Keracare Sulfate Free Poo

Clarifying Wash
Kenra Clarifying Chelating Shampoo

Leave In
ShidaNaturals Moisturizing Cream/Detangler (HG)
CoilyHeadChick Ultimate Hair Treat
Camille Rose Almond Jai Twisting Butter
Qhemet Burdock Root Butter Cream
Giovanni Direct Leave in
* I always start with ShidaNaturals Detangler and layer one of the subsequent creams over it


Styler
KCCC - ALWAYS (HG)
Garnier Fructis Pure Clean Gel
Soultanicals Curl Blaze
Spiral Solutions Curl Enhancing Jelly
* I always start with a 'base' gel and layer it with KCCC on top. I like crunch because my hair will naturally scrunch itself out once it sets


Protein Cond
Nexxus Polymedic Emergency Reconstructor - with or without heat (protein DC)
Curl Junkie Repair Me - Light
Curl Junkie Beauticurls Strengthing Hair Cond - Very Light
Spiral Solutions Repairing Protein Treatment - Light
Aubrey Organics GPB - (more balancing than protein)


Moisture Cond
Trader Joe's Nourish Spa mixed with Baking Soda (moisture DC)
Aubrey Organics White Camellia
Curl Junkie Beauticurls Argan & Olive Oil Daily Hair Conditioner

A Caucasian curly once told me something that has remained true. Technique is equally, if not more important than product. To this end, I rake and smooth everything into each section of hair, always. This yields predictable, even results almost all of the time.

I wash/cowash and style 2-3 times a week (followed by diffuser), use some sort of protein often (at least once a week), moisture DC once every 1-2 weeks or when needed. I don't usually need to moisturize between washes, but when I do, I use one of the creams listed above. I don't do S&D for SSKs, but I am prone to snipping off a few inches if I feel the ends need it. I’m basically on auto pilot and listen to my hair’s needs. When all else fails, clarify and start from scratch

 

[BostonMaria]

Has anyone here done it already? I'm tired of twists. Buns are stupid.
Will shingling even help with single strand knots?

My 14 yr old DD wears a wash n' go every day and she has classic length hair. I think it just depends on how well you take care of your hair. I spritz + moisturize her hair every morning plus she only flatirons her hair maybe once or twice a year. If she was dying, flatironing, etc all the time then I'm sure we'd have a problem.

If you're going to do this I would do periodic length checks to make sure you don't get single strand knots, split ends, or lose length.

 

[DarkJoy]

Seems the consensus is primarily type 3 with a 4a or two sprinkled in. I still think this is.difficult for 4s. I hope a few Type 4s who had success speak up.

____________
*.~.*Sent from a distant Galaxy in the Unicorn-verse*.~.*

 

[Embyra]

I have done wash and gos since I became fully natural 4 years ago I think I'm at now

Single strand knots I had tons of them in the beginning!!
I was only using the green Eco styler then which I think is heavier in glycerin
I think this gave me single strand knots that and the formulation is too gloopy for my hair and the high glycerin content attracted dust like crazy which then attracted tangles

I changed Eco strength about 3.5 Years in and haven't seen single strand knot since
Before I could literally feel them all over my hair

My hair is very thick my curls are the diameter of a pencil

Sent from my iPhone using LHCF

 

[Enyo]

I'm a 4a and I think my hair could have grown to WL with WnG, but I don't think the quality of the older part of my hair would be as good. I'm really finicky about the quality of my hair, so I cut often when I wore my hair out all the time. I'd rather have it shorter but healthy from root to tip than long, but with so-so ends. I actually just cut about an inch of my WL hair a few months ago because I let the ends get raggedy. It has since grown back to WL with healthy ends.

 

[HairPleezeGrow]

I have done wash and gos since I became fully natural 4 years ago I think I'm at now

Single strand knots I had tons of them in the beginning!!
I was only using the green Eco styler then which I think is heavier in glycerin
I think this gave me single strand knots that and the formulation is too gloopy for my hair and the high glycerin content attracted dust like crazy which then attracted tangles

I changed Eco strength about 3.5 Years in and haven't seen single strand knot since
Before I could literally feel them all over my hair

My hair is very thick my curls are the diameter of a pencil

Sent from my iPhone using LHCF

Which Eco styler do you use now?

 

[Embyra]

Which Eco styler do you use now?

Now I use the blue or pink

But I'm experimenting with not using heavy gels throughout my hair for wash and gos

Only because I like to use tresemme to detangle and I can't apply that on my hair without having to rinse out the gel first

So I have just started using lets jam custard

Sent from my iPhone using LHCF

 

[Trini_Chutney]

I do mostly WNGs and I'm MBL. My favorite gel right now is Uncle Funky's curly magic.

ETA: My hair is mostly 4A with some 3c in the very front. My hair is also coarse with some silky strands in the nape.

 

[ckisland]

Seems the consensus is primarily type 3 with a 4a or two sprinkled in. I still think this is.difficult for 4s. I hope a few Type 4s who had success speak up.

I think that retaining length with wash n'gos would be difficult for type 4, specifically non-silky type 4, but not impossible. To be honest, the 3c portions of my crown and left front are the longest sections of my hair. My 4b sections are about 5 inches shorter than the rest of my hair because it's so dang fragile and finicky . This section plus the back of my hair are the reason I moved away from wash n'gos, but most of the time I just make it deal because I hate twisting and braiding my hair .

Cynthiarf (on youtube) is the only 4b/4a I've seen have success with wash n'gos, and I was such a fan of hers.

I used to think that about half my hair was 3c and the other half was 4a and 4b. But 3c is not what it was when I was first on hair forums , and I'm not rocking the type of curls ladies have here. So I consider myself type 4 (both loose and tight) with sprinklings of 3c .

 

[Cheinei]

Is there some way to have less crunch when you wash n go? I am going to end PS until it gets cold again.

Queen Helene Cholesterol DC! My hair almost felt like whipped butter.

i did it. all i wear is wash and goes cause aint no body got time fo braids and what not. plus my hair is low/medium density and twists and braids dont look good on my hair IMO.
anyway i w&g eveyday, co washing every other day unless i put my hair in a bun.

im WL now and have been natural for 4 years. i have major shrinkage though so thats protective styling in itself.

oh and my hair type is 3c 4a, low to medium density and major shinkage. my hair comes to my shoulders when shrunken.

You are total inspiration, I have the same hair type. Except mines pretty dense. Good advice yo!

This is an interesting thread for sure.

I am trying my best to make WnGs work for sure - I'm sick of buns and whatnot.

Though I have defined curls from 4a - 3b and probably some 4b, I have major shrinkage. My curls are so diverse my hair could look lopsided if I don't style it right.

I know using a lot of product is a faux pas in some hair circles but being modest with products during a WnG leaves my hair completely tangled and dry, dry, dry.

How much product do you use?
What do you use?
Gel or no Gel?
How long do the styles last (how many days?)

I know how you feel. I hate buns. Its so boring. I use a lot of product on my wet hair.....like until my hair is almost wet looking. Ill take leave in DC and squirt a mini mountain of it in my palm and smack it on my locks. I use a bit of gel. I dont like crunch. If I do wng's, I HAVE to wet my hair every day.

I was grazing BSL before I cut my hair (simply because I wanted a blunt cut, my nape hangs a lot). I can't say this enough: ACTIVATOR GEL! lol this combined with styling gel, or used by itself, gives me super soft, moisturized hair. I recommend Long Aid or Worlds of Curls curl activator gel. And when it comes to wash and gos, I say, the more product the better (especially on your ends). If I don't use enough gel my hair gets tangly and my really loose sections will knot up pretty bad. I do have some SSK, but I think that's just a part of having curly hair. I wash and go 99% of the time. I love wash and gos

Also, activator gel helps with shrinkage. I've used styling gel by itself before, and it makes my hair super dry and gives me craaazy shrinkage. Activator gel is my moisturizer and is a staple part of my regimen. When I rinse my hair in the shower the next morning, my hair feels soft and supple, like after conditioning. Seriously. Activator gel. Get sumadat lol

Do you know any THINK activator gels. The only one I have is S-Curl and it doesnt do anything for my definition...
if you ask me... S-curl has the consistency of.....do I dare say?...Watery Semen. erplexed

 

[whiteoleander91]

Cheinei Long Aid is really thick! Worlds of Curls is a little less thick, but it's my favorite :3 pairing them with styling gel helps to give better definition without sacrificing softness :3

 

[Priss Pot]

I'm BSL with type 3/4 hair. It's low density, and non-silky. My hair shrinks to my neck. Wash n Go's cause too many SSK's and tangles for me. If I didn't have to worry about shrinkage, then I'd probably do more of them. I remember during my 1st year as a natural, I'd use either Paul Mitchell's The Conditioner or Trader Joe's Nourish Spa + Castor Oil, and my curls were always moisturized and defined. I miss the ease of those days, but I can't really risk it now.