natural curl confusion

[mermaid]

I don't understand why when I wear my hair in it's natural curl, it is so much drier and wirey-er (is that a word?) than when I press it straight? I love the curl pattern in my hair- well, the majority of my hair- a portion has a fairly tight frizz- I wish I could just wear it curly, but it's so brittle feeling, even with a mixture of olive oil and emerald bergamont on the ends, it feels in danger when it's natural! Why does this happen, and is there anything that will drench it with enough moisture so it can be curly for a day or two?
I have a mixture of 3b/4a, and it's color processed, but no relaxer.

 

[CaramelKiss]

Hi Mermaid!

Do u have hard water where u live? How often do u use heat? How often do u shampoo? Do u deep conditon once a week? Do u do a weekly hot oil treatment? Do u moisturize at night? I was in the same boat 2 months ago when I decided to transition. My hair was a big mess of frizz because it wasn't getting enough moisture and I was using hair dryers and curling irons almost every day for years! On top of that it was also dyed and relaxed. It took some time, doesn't appen overnight, but once I started moisturizng my hair, it became very soft. I've also come to the realization that if I want to wear my hair natural, I have to use water every day, whether as a conditioner wash or spritzing with distilled water mixed with conditioner or glycerine. I am loving my natural hair that's growing in right now.

There are many good threads on here about moisturizing and many ladies here of posted their routines as well. U just have to do a little bit of searching.

HTH!!

 

[CurlyCrly]

Try spraying your hair with a mixture of water/glycerin or water/glycerin/conditioner. You'll have to play with the proportions to find what works for you.

I use: 6-8 oz water, 1-2 tabelspoons glycerin, 1 tablespoon of Elucence Moisture Balancing Conditioner. Some people use water and glycerin in a 50/50 mixture, but that's too much glycerin for me. My hair will feel sticky,

Also, conditioner washes and infrequent shampooing help my hair with dryness.

 

[sweetcocoa]

When I was natural olive oil made my hair hard. I found moisture with a mixture of an oil(you could use olive oil) mixed with Paul Mitchell Supercharged and Pantene Smooth and Sleek and used this as a leave in. This kept my hair soft all day. Also I gree 100% with the water. Try <font color="red">distilled </font>water. You'll be amazed at the difference it makes in the feel of your hair. You could also use it in a bottle mixed with jojoba oil and spray on that ways. It's hard to imagine...but water can make a major difference.

 

[joyous]

Sweetcocoa, your absolutely right. That's the best tip ever for my hair and thanks a million. Last week I ran out of distilled water and went to Walmart and they had none. I couldn't find any at my local markets either. I decided to wash my hair any way because I didn't want to miss my daily wash. That was a big mistake. My hair was so dry after using tap water. It took two days of conditioner washes and moisturizers to regain the moisture and softness to my hair.

 

[mermaid]

Wow, okay! I never really gave a thought to my water- even after reading about it on this board- but once y'all pointed it out, I started to think that I DO get mineral buildup (very small, but still there) on my shower head.
Normally I like to wash at least once a week, but I work in a stinky, smokey club part time, so I may wash up to 4 times a week, depending on how much the smoke reeks. I deep condition once a week with oil, and oil the ends at night.
THe thing I don't understand is why it feels and looks better when it's pressed straight, I would think the less I did to it the better, but in it's purest state it's not as soft.
I've kept my hair in braids for the most part of 9-10 years, and very rarely have it down, so this is all soo new to me, learning to care for my hair!! Good thing you all are there with all your knowledge.

 

[CaramelKiss]

[ QUOTE ]
Wow, okay! I never really gave a thought to my water- even after reading about it on this board- but once y'all pointed it out, I started to think that I DO get mineral buildup (very small, but still there) on my shower head.
Normally I like to wash at least once a week, but I work in a stinky, smokey club part time, so I may wash up to 4 times a week, depending on how much the smoke reeks. I deep condition once a week with oil, and oil the ends at night.
The thing I don't understand is why it feels and looks better when it's pressed straight, I would think the less I did to it the better, but in it's purest state it's not as soft.
I've kept my hair in braids for the most part of 9-10 years, and very rarely have it down, so this is all soo new to me, learning to care for my hair!! Good thing you all are there with all your knowledge.

[/ QUOTE ]
U know what, that was one of the reasons why I used a lot of heat in the past, because it would "soften" my hair and make it nice and shiny, but the truth is, it is only a temporary affect. It actually dries your hair out and causes breakage. However, once u eliminate it or drastically reduce it, and start moisturizing your hair and using distilled water, your hair gets very soft. Many ladies on the board can testify to this.

Also, I deep condition with every shampoo!! Shampoo is too drying!! U may want to scale down the number of shampoos and just do a conditioning wash instead and then u can spritz your hair with an essential oil mixture that will leave your hair smelling nice as well as keep it moisturized. There are many good recipes on the board or u can add it to your favorite moisturizing/conditioning treatment for a nice smell.

HTH!!