Naturally Flexible Support Thread

So after a serious workout this morning, I bit the bullet & washed away my blow out. I washed in sections as instructed by my stylist. It seemed tedious but detangling went so smoothly that it was worth it.

One thing that I noticed though are that some tips of my strands are straight, no reversion. Of course, I didn't like that but it wasn't all over. Only spots on the right side of my head. So, it's about an inch that needs trimmed in those spots but I doubt I do it anytime soon, I just HAD a trim.

Secondly, I noticed that the texture of the rest of my hair has loosened a bit but that I like. I still have a good amount of reversion, just not so much.

Third and lastly, I have a huge, bouncy Afro, lol! Another thing I was happy about. When I got my blow out, I loved the way that I could run a brush through my hair with such ease BUT, I didn't like how thin my hair looked. I was concerned that I had major hair loss during the salon detangling, but as it turns out, my hair in its natural state is just as big and full as ever.

As much as I loved my Afro, it reminded me of Joan's hair from Girlfriends. Not the curls, but the shape and the way that I had it styled with a center part, but I digress. I am currently bagging my hair and have a phony pony over it. Oh, and my own puff pony is so huge, love it! Okay, enough gushing over my hair. I'm just happy with for now. It's not as long as I'd like it to be at the moment, but it certainly is full and healthy. :)

My only gripe right now is that my pony is too tight. It took me so long just getting all this hair into one that I don't want to deal.
 
I have mastered "traditional" roller sets so now I want to grow on and work on the following 5 setting styles:

1) A Silk roller wrap: I will have to flat iron my roots though to get them straight enough to wrap first. I may also have to use larger rollers than I currently use to result in less curl.

2) Flexi rod set

3) Perfect my at home flat iron. (Roller setting first of course. *****Currently working on this one once a month unless I get my monthly press at the salon...started the learning session last month. lol)

4) Curlformer set

5) Wet braid out. I know I would need to sit under a dryer cause I hate air drying and will roll my ends to keep them smooth.

Once I master one, I'll move on to the next....should keep my hair journey/ roller setting life interesting for the next few years! Just want to spice things up a little but *whispers* "I'm still a traditional roller setter FO LIFE!!!" It took me about 10 years to master traditional sets! Let's bow our heads and pray I can master each style in 1 years time each. That's my goal.
 
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I finally washed out my flat iron and deep conditioned my hair yesterday with silk aminos, hairveda moisture pro and peppermint oil.

Now that my straight hair is gone, I can get back to my workouts. LOL

I didn't miss my curls at all and I am already planning my next flat iron for end of the month or early February. However, when I wet my hair and all my little coils came springing through it was like seeing my son when I pick him up from daycare....I love him soooooo much but I do not mind dropping his little tinky butt off at school one bit BUT when I pick him up and see his little face, I am the happiest person in the world!

That's how I felt about my curls yesterday. It was GOOD MISS! Ya heard me? But when those curls came popping back and peeped at me through the steam fog in the shower....I was like " oh Hi BABIES!!!! MOMMA MISSED U!!!!"

;)
 
Washed my hair today after having it straight and I am so happy that I dont have any heat damage.
 
I too have just washed my hair after having it straight for 2 weeks. I did not have any heat damaged either. However I am now conflicted about going back to my natural curls. I enjoyed being able to run my fingers through my hair without having it meet with curl blockage. I hardly had any shed hairs and no SSKs. I am scared to do this too often but I think that I would like to be a straight haired natural for the winter months and a no heat natural during the rest of the year. Is this possible?
 
Question: I read online somewhere that if you just press your hair (natural or new growth) weekly or biweekly, that after a few months that hair will be heat trained. Even if you don't do multiple passes.

How accurate is this?
 
JazzyOleBabe said:
I too have just washed my hair after having it straight for 2 weeks. I did not have any heat damaged either. However I am now conflicted about going back to my natural curls. I enjoyed being able to run my fingers through my hair without having it meet with curl blockage. I hardly had any shed hairs and no SSKs. I am scared to do this too often but I think that I would like to be a straight haired natural for the winter months and a no heat natural during the rest of the year. Is this possible?
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I think it's possible. Just make sure you use a temp that's safe for your hair and step up your deep conditioning to protect from potential heat abuse.
 
naija24 said:
Question: I read online somewhere that if you just press your hair (natural or new growth) weekly or biweekly, that after a few months that hair will be heat trained. Even if you don't do multiple passes.

How accurate is this?
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I never heard of this. Possibly the hair will be easier to straighten...but I don't know about "heat trained".

My mom pressed my roots all the time when I was a girl and it didn't change my hair's curl pattern.
 
Product combo success:


After cowashing and oil rinse (my hair was dry and tangly all week), I gelled my hair a bit with Eco styler pink and then apply Miss Jessie's Pillow soft curls and Hairveda Heavy Whip to my ends only and let it air dry.

Moisture problem solved. And my curls weren't frizzy like they usually are.... ! Yay! ;)


STILL searching after two years and a half for a WNG option that isn't ramen noodles or just not cute.....the search continues. Meanwhile I'm in a bun or ponytail. Still
 
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EnExitStageLeft said:
naija24 Why do you want to heat train?
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Well I'm trying to transition right now. I think it's first a process of getting over ones need to relax which I feel that I'm finally okay with. I'd love to be natural and just straighten my hair regularly. But I see other women who do that and have type 4 hair see their strands convert quickly afterwards.

I figure if I heat train that is less likely to happen.
 
naija24 said:
Well I'm trying to transition right now. I think it's first a process of getting over ones need to relax which I feel that I'm finally okay with. I'd love to be natural and just straighten my hair regularly. But I see other women who do that and have type 4 hair see their strands convert quickly afterwards. I figure if I heat train that is less likely to happen.
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naija24 You can still use heat, just decide how frequently you want to use it and how much heat your hair can take without losing the integrity of your hair. Additional advice: From reading your posts, I would focus more on developing a wash and style routine. The key in transitioning and dealing with natural hair is finding a healthy balance between the two. Too much focus on washing will short change you in the styling area. I see so many people cleansing/deep conditioning frequently but have no clue what to do with their hair after...leading to being frustrated and ending their transition because they "don't know what to do with their hair". Or they are already natural and return to relaxers. Too much focus on styling will short change you in the washing/cleansing process. You tend to become more focused on preserving the style and prolonging your wash days causing your hair to become dry. No matter how much you moisturize in between...the best moisture comes from washing/conditioning your hair. Early on, I knew that I liked heat and I liked roller sets. Heat in itself is hard on your hair and roller setting is a lot of manipulation on wash day. Both styles last a long time though so they are justified in my book. I settled into a wash/style routine and everything from there was smooth sailing. Wash routine: I cleanse and steam weekly

So in a months time, my routine looks like: Week 1: Roller set, flat iron
ETA: I can no longer get away with flat ironing monthly. My natural hair has taken over so I can only really flat iron in the cooler months. (if I want it to last) No biggie...not gonna fight it, I will adjust and embrace the change.

Week 2: Rest week--2 Goddess braids Week 3: Roller set Week 4: Rest week--2 Goddess braids I too am transitioning and have 0 desire to end it. I have between 6-7 inches of relaxed ends and they will only be cut by trimming an inch a year. My goal is to grow my natural hair to hip length and maintain there...so that's when I'll finally get rid of them.
 
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Flexi-Natural here lol. I was relaxed from the age of 12 to 41. My relaxed hair stayed between apl/mbl for the most part. After I had my last ds in '99, I went Toni Braxton short and rocked short hair for a few years. Then one day it all came crashing down with one too many over processed relaxers. That was 5/6 years ago and my scalp still has not fully recovered especially in my crown and I have tried it all ya'll. I used to obsess about it but not anymore I left that in 2013 lol. I have an album on here with my curly pics. I only straighten in the cooler months. My siggy is current.
 
I trimmed my ends today. And I think I'm going to trim them again....y'all stop me.

I can't stop cutting my hair. I am seeking the perfect hemline. I never thought i would be scissor happy.
 
havilland said:
I trimmed my ends today. And I think I'm going to trim them again....y'all stop me.

I can't stop cutting my hair. I am seeking the perfect hemline. I never thought i would be scissor happy.
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havilland

Honey...no!

I have seen people go natural for seven years, then go back to relaxed and then go back to natural all with little to no growth-why? Being scissor happy. Don't let it happen to you!
 
DoDo said:
havilland

Honey...no!

I have seen people go natural for seven years, then go back to relaxed and then go back to natural all with little to no growth-why? Being scissor happy. Don't let it happen to you!
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I'm def not going back to relaxers. Lol! ;)

I just trim all the time. Transitioning long term started it. Now I can't stop!
 
I WISH I COULD GET MY CURLS TO MOVE When they dry....instead of being like a cotton ball! I want strings or yarn, not puffs

Rant over
 
Prettymetty said:
What are you using on your curls? Maybe its too heavy and weighing your hair down.
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I use kinky curly knot today or miss Jessie's pillow soft curls. My hair doesn't feel weighed down but I don't know....maybe they are. My hair feels puffy and poofy and cottony. It actually feels light.

Products that weigh my hair down actually give me more curl definition but then it looks stringy.
 
Have u ever worn naked curls? I cant, because I w9uld have a birds nest/brillo pad but maybe your hair is softer than mine
 
Prettymetty said:
Have u ever worn naked curls? I cant, because I w9uld have a birds nest/brillo pad but maybe your hair is softer than mine
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Lol...ummm no. That would result in a hot chia-pet-like mess.

I am on team experiment this week. Im gonna crack the wash n go code if it kills me.

Yesterday I braided air dried hair into two plaits and applied moisturizer and MJ Pillowsoft curls. When I took my hair down this morning one side was lovely and could almost b worn outside. The other side was flat and frizzy. I don't know what I did that made one side turn out TOTALLY diff than the other. Same prods. Same braids. Same scarf.

Ugh!!!!
 
Today I blow dried and trimmed my hair for the first time since my chop on June 19. I am surprised to see my hair is just about the length it was before I got it cut. It feels a little weird now to see my hair all stretched out. I've been doing twist, braid, and Bantu knot outs on unstretched hair since June. Now I don't know what to do with it. Now that it is blow dried I don't really want a flat iron or curling iron in it because I don't think I remember how to style straightened hair. I'd hate to use a heat tool and it look just OK. :spinning:


before a trim of about 1/2-1 inch
 
So wash n go experiment is on!


So far I've used:

Kinky curly knot today with curling custard ---- good at first but frizzy as day went on

Kinky curly knot today with miss Jessie's pillow soft curls ---- white residue that didn't go away

Miss Jessie's pillow soft curls alone --- curly frizz

Eco styler pink alone --- good hold but hair was dry and tangly the next day

Shea moisture detangler with Eco styler pink ---- verdict not in yet (that's today's project)

Miss Jessie's with Eco styler pink and brown -- good result but hair felt dry the next day

Soooooo No final verdict yet...... But y'all see I'm trying!!!
 
havilland said:
So wash n go experiment is on! So far I've used: Kinky curly knot today with curling custard ---- good at first but frizzy as day went on Kinky curly knot today with miss Jessie's pillow soft curls ---- white residue that didn't go away Miss Jessie's pillow soft curls alone --- curly frizz Eco styler pink alone --- good hold but hair was dry and tangly the next day Shea moisture detangler with Eco styler pink ---- verdict not in yet (that's today's project) Miss Jessie's with Eco styler pink and brown -- good result but hair felt dry the next day Soooooo No final verdict yet...... But y'all see I'm trying!!!
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havilland Have you tried Deva Curl products? Last summer I used their products for my wash and go curly buns in between braid installs and my curls were popping! Even after a week in a bun..my curls were still defined and had a soft touchable hold. Excited to see how they work this summer since I have even more natural hair to play with. Good luck in your experimenting!
 
lulu97 said:
havilland Have you tried Deva Curl products? Last summer I used their products for my wash and go curly buns in between braid installs and my curls were popping! Even after a week in a bun..my curls were still defined and had a soft touchable hold. Excited to see how they work this summer since I have even more natural hair to play with. Good luck in your experimenting!
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I have only used their "lo poo" cleanser years ago when I was texlaxed. I will possibly revisit during this experiment. Thanks for the suggestion!

Which prods did u use?
 
Flashback time! Share pics of your relaxed or transitioning hair and your newly or "NOW"ly natural hair. ;)

Here's mine-----

Below is my hair in a ponytail one year into my transition from texlaxed.

The second pic is my natural ponytail at the Same length!
 

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havilland said:
I have only used their "lo poo" cleanser years ago when I was texlaxed. I will possibly revisit during this experiment. Thanks for the suggestion! Which prods did u use?
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I used:

Deva Curl No Poo/ Deva Curl One cond
Deva Care No Poo/Deva Care One Cond
Angel Gel (I think that's the name)

I liked them all. I preferred the smell of the Deva Curl and the moisture of the Deva Care. Both sets work well paired with just a tiny amount of the gel.
 
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