Naturals: WORST mistakes you ever made as a natural?

[Wildchild453]

Heat damage was my major mistake. I went to two different stylists within two weeks of each other and they used those Marcel irons. Needless to say whole sections wouldn't revert and I ended up going to a barber a few months later and having him shave my head

 

[Southernbella.]

I haven't made any major mistakes since I've been on LHCF for so long, but I do think I could be using better products. All of my stuff probably has cones. My relaxed hair loved cones, but my natural hair may not. I'm in "wait and see" mode right now.

 

[zzirvingj]

-Constantly combing my hair while dry with a small-tooth comb before twisting it

-Sleeping on my hair without a scarf

-When my old stylist went on maternite leave I was just DYING to color my hair and couldn't (wouldn't....DIDN'T...) wait for her to come back to do it so I went to someone I had NEVER gone to before and he JACKED UP MY HAIR! I looked like a spotted leopard--black hair with rusty-brownish-orange lookin SPOTS ALL UP IN MY HEAD!! Then I went home and dyed it black an hour later it looked SO BAD

 

[fivetimestwo]

-trying every product raved about on a hair board
-trying every new product geared towards curly hair
-highlighting with permanent color and then wearing my hair pulled (and I do mean pulled) into a ponytail or puff EVERYDAY. The amount of damage was ridiculous.
-Not trimming because I didn't use heat at the time. I thought only naturals who use heat had damage
-detangling with the wrong tools. I went from a denman to a wide tooth plastic comb (complete with seams). I now use a wooden widetooth comb and my hair has never been happier.

 

[DivaD04]

I've made a few starting with:

1) Mistaking my co-rinsing for co-washing and then wondering why I have so much build up on my scalp....ewww.
2) Thinking that because I co-washing (really rinsing) daily, and didn't need a dc at all.
3) Not respecting the moisture/protein balance thing. My hair needs both too much of either is a no - no for me.
4) During my transition I had braids and I didn't detangle before I washed (I really didn't know any better) and I ended up losing handfuls of hair. I cried every time I took them down.

what is co-rinsng?

 

[lovinmylocs]

what is co-rinsng?

Co-rinsing is where you slather conditioner on your head and rinse it out. I didn't do any manipulation to the scalp, no massaging, nada. It's ok and I still do it, but I also shampoo now.

Even when I was using all natural products I still had the worst build up on my scalp and my ish would itch like I had lice. It wasn't cute at all....

 

[LongHairDreams]

bumping..... for useful info.

 

[Energist]

When I was natural I made plenty of mistakes. I bleached and dyed my hair blonde, and then red, and then black.

 

[clever]

not sealing in the moisure with oil
not using oil period

 

[michaela]

Combing and trying to Detangle my hair while Dry!!
Not Detangling My hair Enough!
Trying to Flat iron my hair!!!(Never Again)

 

[TwistNMx]

About 8 months after being natural, I let a regular salon do a press and curl on me. They 'said' they were experts with natural hair. This chick pulled so much hair out blowdrying, and she used a marcel iron. I smelled hair burning. Well, long story short...she gave me an uneven cut and some of my hair did not revert. I cut those pieces out because I was still at the twa stage and wanted to wear my twa.

The lesson: Don't let just anyone do your hair. No one will care for your hair like you.

And that's the truth. I won't let anyone even "touch" my hair though.
I went through the same thing years ago.

 

[PhiLee]

Two words: metallic dye.
Two more: denman brush.

The dyes completely straightened parts of my hair. I saw some grays just after my last birthday and freaked out. I should've henna'd or something.

The denman pulled out so much hair that I gave it away.

 

[Mortons]

Not enough moisture
Not enough DC's

 

[SVT]

Not shampooing often enough.

I loved me some CO washes.

 

[CenteredGirl]

Flat ironing near-dry hair. Can you say shizzle my fizzle?

 

[bellydancer]

1) Letting a hairdresser do my hair. I've had 5 inches chopped off and called a "trim." Balls of hair ripped out. Went in for a twist set/straw set and came out with an afro the exact same way as i went in. I'd be bald if I went to hairdressers.

2) Not combing my hair. I did a couple CO washes without combing my hair!!! I finger combed it and after two weeks my hair was so tangled. I'll stick to a wide tooth comb.

3) Using small rubber bands. Tangled so badly. So I have to use scrunchies. Small black scrunchies.

4) Washing/drying without sectioning it off and braiding. Hairdressers have just washed my hair and threw me under a dryer with just my afro out and it shriveled up into this little tight afro and they had to rip hair out to comb through it.

5) I could go on and on, but I don't use grease, black gel or any heavy heavy hair product. My hair is super thick and it takes forever to get it out. I stick to creamy lighter products. I may Vaseline my ends, but that is it.

 

[Dubois007]

At first I did not know how to take care of my fro so I used to flat iron every week, men textulaxer until I found this forum and learned

 

[nicey]

Not moisturizing enough. Letting my hair go days on end without moisture.
Using small tooth combs for my thick hair. Why?
Using harsh shampoos. Can you say, Kinky shrinky dinky.
Using flat iron almost daily. My ends were fried, died, and laid to the side.
Discovered that my hair hates olive oil. I know, right???
Using grease. Tried to copy the good ol days. Not happenin' anymore.
Manipulating the hair all the time. Trying to style and profile everyday when truthfully, my hair needed rest and relaxation in order to grow.

 

[InnerSoul]

This is the most helpful thread for natural heads and even ladies who are transitioning!! I have learned what not to do as a natural head just reading through some of these posts!

This is a great thread!!

 

[LongHairDreams]

This is the most helpful thread for natural heads and even ladies who are transitioning!! I have learned what not to do as a natural head just reading through some of these posts!

This is a great thread!!

ditto.....

 

[mrsjohnson75]

This is the most helpful thread for natural heads and even ladies who are transitioning!! I have learned what not to do as a natural head just reading through some of these posts!

This is a great thread!!

I agree. I'm not natural or transitioning but I have 2 daughters that are naturals..thanks for all the tips ladies

 

[purity28]

So I'm still learning...a lot of you said combing your hair when dry is bad...agreed...explains a lot with my hair....

so how do you comb your hair and what do you use a detangler/spray?? Also what's in it? Distilled water,etc... And is this used everytime you comb your hair..

I'm learning...love this thread...I hope I"m making sense...

 

[phyl73]

Hmmmm. Let's see. Where do I begin?

Top ten reasons, in no particular order, why I've been natural for a couple of years, but have never really retained length...Was it because...

1.) I braided my own hair into teeny-tiny braids (not twists) and kept them in there for MONTHS without shampooing or conditioning? DRY! DRY! DRY HAIR!! ....FUNKY hair with an itchy, flaky scalp. Now, I'm the deep conditioning, co-washing queen. Thanks Suave Humectant, Aubrey Organics Honey Suckle Rose, Yogurt, Honey, Suave Tropical Coconut, Extra Virgin Olive Oil and/or ORS Hair Packs mixtures. Hurray for plastic heating caps. Excellent for deep, deep conditioning.

2.) When I did shampoo I used a shampoo full of sulfates or with a ph WAY, WAY too high for hair to be safe? DRY! DRY HAIR! DRY = BREAKAGE! BREAKAGE MEANS I GET NO LENGTH!! ARGGGHH!! ...I feel myself getting frustrated at the memory and I'm only on reason #2. Now, I mostly use baking soda and water (does this trick) or , if I do shampoo, which I'm slowly moving away from, I use natural shampoos/shampoo bars (aubrey organics, jasons, etc.)

3.) Took the teeny-tiny braids out...DRY! DRY! DRY! with a small-toothed, rat tailed comb? I was a walking endorsement for Rice Krispy Treats. Can anyone say, "Snap, Crackle, Pop"?

4.) In the early days, I hard pressed my hair (sizzzle, sizzle, snap, snap, Is that burnt hair smell coming from me?) with a nasty wax that gave my hair shine, but didn't allow any moisture to penetrate? HEAT = DAMAGE for me.

5.) Didn't moisturize daily? No S-Curl, no distilled water mixed w/ rosemary and lavendor oil (nice) , No Kids Organic Shea Butter Detangling Moisturizer, No Qhemet Biologics, (one of my favorites) no growafrohairlong leave-in conditioner (love it!)

6.) Wore my hair in teeny-tiny braids, which, over time, dissolved my edges like acid? Still recovering, thanks to scalp massages, Boundless Tresses, hair stimulator oils such as a mixture of peppermint, castor, tea tree, lavender, and coconut oil, and low manipulation (loose, loose braids, not tight, hair follicle-killing braids *sigh*)

7.) Didn't use a detangler or sleep in a satin night cap? Rat's nest anyone? Good grief, what was I thinking????

8.) Didn't have patience with my hair? See #2 and break out a bowl, a spoon, and a slice of toast

9.) Didn't take the time to actually find out what works and what does not work for my hair? Be it conditioners, moisturizers, etc.

10.) Expected my natural hair to do things that my relaxed hair did rather than workin' my thing and learning to love my hair as it is for what it is? My hair's not going to lie flat, but when deep conditioned, moisturized, detangled and loved on will blossom into a glorious, wild, soft, beautiful mass that my fingers just keep wanting to reach out and touch and that attracts strangers and family members alike.

I wish I had found LHCF A LOT sooner. But, better late than never.

I'm in here screaming! I thought I was the only one who pulled that type of foolishness. Even after a night of partying, I still manage to find that satin bonnet and put it on my head!

 

[discodumpling]

So I'm still learning...a lot of you said combing your hair when dry is bad...agreed...explains a lot with my hair....

so how do you comb your hair and what do you use a detangler/spray?? Also what's in it? Distilled water,etc... And is this used everytime you comb your hair..

I'm learning...love this thread...I hope I"m making sense...

For the most part my hair is combed in the shower but If dry combing can't be avoided I spritz with water or whatever i've mixed up for the week before running a comb through.
My current mix is:
Water 70%
Castor Oil
Glycerine
Coconut Oil

I TRY to stick to 4 or less ingredients and this is all in a 4oz spray bottle that I refirgerate nightly and carry in my purse

 

[LongHairDreams]

For the most part my hair is combed in the shower but If dry combing can't be avoided I spritz with water or whatever i've mixed up for the week before running a comb through.
My current mix is:
Water 70%
Castor Oil
Glycerine
Coconut Oil

I TRY to stick to 4 or less ingredients and this is all in a 4oz spray bottle that I refirgerate nightly and carry in my purse

that sounds like a good mix!!

 

[AsTheCurlzTurns]

I sure appreciate all of you stepping in to help us naturals out, this is just tremendous info and it's great for naturals and transitioners. Anyone got any updated info needing to be added? Then bring it on!

 

[FineChyna]

*not detangling my hair under water with conditioner.
*trying to force my hair to use products it doesn't like for the sake of not wasting money
*using too many products on my hair at 1 time after a washing thinking i am preventing the shrinkage. if anything i made my hair drier and more brittle since certain things don't work well together.
*being impatient
*letting this hairdresser press my hair and give me a trim-she CUT off my hair it was SL when she was done when it was close to APL and she pressed my hair too hard.

 

[baddison]

One of the best threads! Lets keep 'em coming naturals! Enquiring minds want to know....and I NEED to know

 

[spacetygrss]

Hmmm. Good thread.

(1) Not combing from the ends up when detangling.
(2) Not covering my hair with a satin scarf at night.
(3) Using shampoo with every wash.
(4) Thinking that my hair would look like or act like another natural's hair just because we APPEARED to share similar textures or lengths.

Thankfully, I figured out my issues quickly. The past 7 years have been awesome.

 

[MysteryMe]

I had no clue how to care for my natural hair. So there were lots of mistakes. I greased my scalp, rarely conditioned, rarely detangled, and I didn't moisturize properly. My hair didn't do to bad, but I always wonder how my hair would have turned out had I known how to properly care for it.