Natural Thinking Of Texturizer...advice

nysister

nysister

Well-Known Member
Ladies! I need some hair advice. I love, love, love my hair and I wear it natural in a twist out, afro puff, or side twists all the time. I'm 4/a, 4/b, with some 3/b in the back.

However my hair growth is not where I want it to be, and while I like the concept of protective styling, I really can't go more than a few days without doing something to my hair, especially in summer when I wash it a couple of times a week.

My issue is knots, single strand, multiple strand, they are really sabotaging me. So I thought that a solution might be a texturizer. However the thought of using chemicals again scares me. My hair reacts poorly to relaxers.

Thanks!

Does anyone have any texturizer alternatives?

Have any of you with a similar hair texture gone from natural to texturizer?

What was your experience? Do you recommend it?

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Hair Details in a nutshell:

My hair is mainly 4a/4b

When stretched my hair is almost bra strap length. It used to be at BSL but obviously I've lost that in the past couple of years.

I'm looking for something to help me retain length and stop knots.

I rarely use heat (blow dryer 4 times a year, flat iron once or twice a year), my hair doesn't get very straight with either of those methods and I don't want to be too harsh with it by having something like a Dominican blowout.

I've ordered S-Curl moisturizer, Care Free Curl Moisturizer, Hawaiian Silky 14-in-1, and Glycerin to see if any of them will help.

I used to use Glycerine in the past and I like it, but it would mess up my clothes so once it ran out I left it alone.

I'm not militant about natural hair. I love it and would like to keep it this way, but my current goal is length and elimination of knots by any means necessary.

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Honey Bee said:
Is it the texturizer you want, or increased manageability?
Click to expand...

It's retention really. My hair is pretty soft, but these knots and I guess my general routine that keep my length stagnate.

I've ordered s-curl moisturizer, Hawaiian Silky 14 in 1 and a couple of other things. I'll try those for a month or two and see if they help before I do anything drastic.
 
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However the thought of using chemicals again scares me. My hair reacts poorly to relaxers.

Here is your answer if your hair reacts poorly to relaxers how will you be able grow it long with a texturizer? A texturizer is a relaxer. Maybe you can do it following practices that other people have found helpful. I personally have no desire to deal with chemicals again. We are bombarded with different chemicals and hazards on a daily basis I'm trying to cut down on the chemicals I'm exposing myself to. I hope you find the answer your looking for.
 
stephanie75miller said:
However the thought of using chemicals again scares me. My hair reacts poorly to relaxers.

Here is your answer if your hair reacts poorly to relaxers how will you be able grow it long with a texturizer? A texturizer is a relaxer. Maybe you can do it following practices that other people have found helpful. I personally have no desire to deal with chemicals again. We are bombarded with different chemicals and hazards on a daily basis I'm trying to cut down on the chemicals I'm exposing myself to. I hope you find the answer your looking for.
Click to expand...

Good points. Part of the reason it reacted poorly was that I would often use mid/ high strength ones and leave it on the mid to max length of time, so I figure that if I use something mild and keep it on 5 or 10 minutes hopefully I won't have an issue.

I agree with the fact that we are being bombarded with many chemicals daily many not in our control, but I live in an area with lots of fresh air, and I live a pretty natural life in general in terms of foods and household items used, so if this will work for me I'm willing to give it a try.
 
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I've got some time now so I'll answer your questions.

I texturized my natural hair sometime in 2007. My texturized hair was shinier and more defined than my dry, coarse natural hair, even though the curl size hadn't changed that much. It looked really good. Unfortunately, I still had issues with dryness and rough feeling (but not looking hair).

I remained texturized for 5 or 6 years. Every once in awhile I'd accidentally over process during a touch up, and I'd then "correct" it by processing my whole head to match. I went from 3c/4a looking curls to loose 3bish. It still looked good and I made it to MBL, but I still had dryness issues. Also, it wasn't as manageable as I'd thought it would be.

Because I had so much texture, I still had natural hair problems like single strand knots and tangling. But I also had relaxed hair weaknesses. My hair was more fragile, more porous, and couldn't handle being treated too roughly. It should be noted that I still used sulfate shampoos, flat irons, and color at this time.

Eventually I got tired of it and started wearing my hair straight all the time, even though I didn't like straight hair as much.

Once I improved my hair practices, I'd already done too much damage and had very long hair with very thin ends. It was too uneven to wear in wash and go's anymore and I was over the touchup process. I decided to go back to natural and stopped using direct heat completely.

After this last big chop, I was shocked at how different my natural hair was compared to what it was when I first went natural. Now that it's in its best condition, it looks like it did when I first texturized, but without the dryness and the dreaded touchups.


If I were to texturize my hair again I could probably avoid some of the issues I had before, but I still think touchups and tangling would be a problem. You've really got to get the timing exactly right every time and be careful not to overlap, if you want consistent results. I think this is the reason why there aren't as many long term texturizers that wear their hair "natural".
 
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@Nightingale Thank you very much for writing that! It's given me personal insight into texturizing which I really appreciate.

The dryness issue leading to would concern me since that doesn't seem to be what I'm encountering now, however if I did just that, used no heat and conditioned regularly perhaps it would be closer to what you now experience.

I've still a lot to think about. I'm thinking of investing in a steamer and seeing if that along with S-Curl moisturizer will help me keep it the way it is when I first wash it. If it would stay that way I think I'd have less tangling issues. Still pondering....

Thanks again!
 
nysister said:
It's retention really. My hair is pretty soft, but these knots and I guess my general routine that keep my length stagnate.

I've ordered s-curl moisturizer, Hawaiian Silky 14 in 1 and a couple of other things. I'll try those for a month or two and see if they help before I do anything drastic.
Click to expand...
Try the Maximum Hydration Method. :yep: Google it, there's an official website, we have a thread here. My experience, through a veeeery long transition, lol, has been lovely. I'm a kinky 4a/b (I have a pic in my media folder thing, click under my avvy) and the only time I get ssk's is when I don't wash regularly. Wng's, twist-outs, they're all the bomb. :yep:
 
After typing all of that above, my advice is to give your natural hair more time. Try getting a hair analysis and maybe tweak your regimen. Manageability can be obtained while remaining natural.

If you decide to texturize/texlax, do it knowing that there are still inherent weaknesses to texturized hair. Not necessarily worse, just different.

nysister said:
@Nightingale Thank you very much for writing that! It's given me personal insight into texturizing which I really appreciate.

The dryness issue leading to would concern me since that doesn't seem to be what I'm encountering now, however if I did just that, used no heat and conditioned regularly perhaps it would be closer to what you now experience.

I've still a lot to think about. I'm thinking of investing in a steamer and seeing if that along with S-Curl moisturizer will help me keep it the way it is when I first wash it. If it would stay that way I think I'd have less tangling issues. Still pondering....

Thanks again!
Click to expand...

Buying a steamer is probably the best investment I've ever made. The improved moisture in my hair is REAL!
 
Honey Bee said:
Try the Maximum Hydration Method. :yep: Google it, there's an official website, we have a thread here. My experience, through a veeeery long transition, lol, has been lovely. I'm a kinky 4a/b (I have a pic in my media folder thing, click under my avvy) and the only time I get ssk's is when I don't wash regularly. Wng's, twist-outs, they're all the bomb. :yep:
Click to expand...

Thanks @Honey Bee ! I'll look into that. That might be the answer I'm looking for!
 
Nightingale said:
After typing all of that above, my advice is to give your natural hair more time. Try getting a hair analysis and maybe tweak your regimen. Manageability can be obtained while remaining natural.

If you decide to texturize/texlax, do it knowing that there are still inherent weaknesses to texturized hair. Not necessarily worse, just different.
Click to expand...

The funny thing is that I've been natural for 6 years LOL, and have loved it, it's only been in the past year or two that it's started to annoy me with these knots. I really can't think of anything that I'm doing differently of late. (Maybe that's the problem) It's manageable especially when I wear twist outs but oy the knots! LOL

I like the idea of a hair analysis. I was thinking about visiting a natural hair salon so perhaps this would be another good place to start.

Thanks again for the advice. I appreciate it.
 
nysister said:
The funny thing is that I've been natural for 6 years LOL, and have loved it, it's only been in the past year or two that it's started to annoy me with these knots.
Click to expand...

!!! I think that I answered my own question. We moved! We now have well water, TBH I think we did before but the filtration system at our condo isn't the same as what we're using now and this water is hard (not overly so) with minerals. THAT is probably what's been causing these knots more than normal!
 
nysister said:
!!! I think that I answered my own question. We moved! We now have well water, TBH I think we did before but the filtration system at our condo isn't the same as what we're using now and this water is hard (not overly so) with minerals. THAT is probably what's been causing these knots more than normal!
Click to expand...


Oh yeah, that would do it.
 
Nightingale said:
Do you need a trim? Split ends tangle more in my experience.
Click to expand...

I trim it every few months and actively managed to get rid of split ends that I used to have. (I'm proud of that accomplishment :D ) but I'm thinking that it is the water. I'm going to do a baking soda rinse and a bit of vinegar to hopefully get a lot of buildup off of it and rinse with bottled water. Hopefully between that, the MHM, and some S-curl I'll have nothing but positive things to say about my coils sooner than later! :)
 
nysister said:
I trim it every few months and actively managed to get rid of split ends that I used to have. (I'm proud of that accomplishment :D ) but I'm thinking that it is the water. I'm going to do a baking soda rinse and a bit of vinegar to hopefully get a lot of buildup off of it and rinse with bottled water. Hopefully between that, the MHM, and some S-curl I'll have nothing but positive things to say about my coils sooner than later! :)
Click to expand...
Ok, so, because I love you, let me get into this.

1. If you do the MHM you can't use S curl.

2. Be careful with baking soda, it can cause damage. I use it once a month or so, if that. I plan for twice, but I never get around to it. :look:

3. Do you know your hair's porosity? (Don't use that cup of water test, that doesn't work. Do products readily absorb into your hair? The answer to that question tells you all you need to know about porosity.)

4. MHM is a whole lot of work up-front, but the benefits are well worth it, imo. I work the reggie into my life and my hair causes no trouble= just what I wanted. :lol:

5. Good on you for getting rid of your split ends! That is quite the accomplishment. :yep:

And lastly, you moved?! :lol: Pm me and tell me all about it!
 
@honeybee Thank you! :bighug:

I believe that my hair is low porosity. Things really seem to stay closer to the surface than soak in. It's always been like that.

Yes, I will PM you!
 
deediamante said:
LOL! I was thinking the same. My jaw dropped when I saw nysister and texturizer in the same sentence. I know nothing about natural hair but like the recommendations posted. Good luck friend!! :kiss:
Click to expand...

Thank you ! LOL I know, it's so not me, but I was desperate I tell ya' desperate! HoneyBee has given me a method that I'm definitely going to try. I'm studying up now, that's why my fitbit steps are so low...but I'm moving tonight you know me, I'm like...:roadrunner: by 10pm. ROFL
 
nysister said:
@honeybee Thank you! :bighug:

I believe that my hair is low porosity. Things really seem to stay closer to the surface than soak in. It's always been like that.
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Ok, so you'll probably want to do the Cherry Lola treatment once [ETA: or twice] a month, but I wouldn't suggest using baking soda regularly as your first step. People have had damage from long term over-use because it has such a high ph.

For people with low porosity, the purpose of the first step is to clarify and open the cuticle a bit. (Hi po hair doesn't need to be 'opened', that's why ACV with its low porosity is recommended for hi po heads.) If I were you, I'd stick to the spirit of the recommendation, but not the letter. Meaning, clarify with whatever you feel comfortable, as long as it clarifies and opens to cuticles a bit. For this purpose, I use shampoo and conditioner at once, because most shampoos have a slightly higher ph than hair (hair, at rest, should be 4-5 while water is approx 7). I use ACV only when I feel like doing alladat. :lol: So here's my MHM regimen.

1. Prepoo with conditioner, apply shampoo right on top. Massage scalp, let it sit for, like, 3 minutes. Rinse. (so, just one shampoo)
2. DC
3. Clay
4. Leave in
5. Gel

So, really, the way I do it, the only difference between this and a 'regular' regimen is the clay. I might not be getting to max hydration as quickly as I possibly could, but slow and steady wins the race and, if I had to do all that every few days, I probably wouldn't stick to it anyway. :look:

Hth!
 
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@Honey Bee Thank you for those details! That breakdown is helpful and straightforward. I was up until 3 last night looking at those videos and deciding on products. I have some of the items for the Cherry Lola and will get the rest and I ordered the Clay & Kinky Curly Conditioner. I will pick up an approved Shampoo.

I'm ready to rock and roll! I will post my journey here, hopefully it'll stop the knots and help fully moisturize!

Thank you!
 
nysister said:
@Honey Bee Thank you for those details! That breakdown is helpful and straightforward. I was up until 3 last night looking at those videos and deciding on products. I have some of the items for the Cherry Lola and will get the rest and I ordered the Clay & Kinky Curly Conditioner. I will pick up an approved Shampoo.

I'm ready to rock and roll! I will post my journey here, hopefully it'll stop the knots and help fully moisturize!

Thank you!
Click to expand...
There is no approved shampoo. Just pick one that's as natural as you can find. I'm actually thinking about making one with African black soap, maybe some aloe vera, etc. My mother just gave me a bottle of some sort of 'clay shampoo', like, a real shampoo that suds and stuff, but I haven't used it yet. Thus far, I'm using whatever I have around cuz I'm trynna use up my (considerable :look: ) pre-natural stash.
 
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