No Shine At All

[Ipanema]

Is it possible for someone's hair to always look dull & dry, but still be healthy? I've always associated no shine with damaged hair, but my hair constantly looks this way, and I don't abuse it like in the past. Any thoughts on this? I've added a photo to my album of my hair semi-straight & it looks like straw. I trimmed three weeks ago. I'm beginning to think that I'll have to live with dull hair for the rest of my life.

 

[DahomeyAhosi]

Your hair looks natural. I had no shine when I was natural unless I add hair products like curl activator and moisturizer but my hair was healthy (i.e. growing quickly, no breakage, minimal shedding, full of elasticity). I don't believe natural hair needs to have shine to be healthy.

 

[Irresistible]

[ QUOTE ]
Ipanema said:
Is it possible for someone's hair to always look dull & dry, but still be healthy? I've always associated no shine with damaged hair, but my hair constantly looks this way, and I don't abuse it like in the past. Any thoughts on this? I've added a photo to my album of my hair semi-straight & it looks like straw. I trimmed three weeks ago. I'm beginning to think that I'll have to live with dull hair for the rest of my life.

[/ QUOTE ]

if you would have gotten it straighter and added a little oil or gloss it would have some shine...but for the state your hair was still in (not all the way straightened) in the pic its normal to not see high shine

 

[atlantatiffany]

have u thought about adding a clear colourshine by sebastian. they give get shine.

 

[Babygurl]

I think sometimes people want very high shine as opposed to sheen which looks healthy but not with a loud GLOW to it.

 

[nutella]

My hair doesn't shine, necessarily, but it has a healthy sheen to it, because it is properly moisturized and protected.
Remember that natural Afro hair, by definition, has a coily or zig-zaggy shape. This shape does not pick up and reflect light the way that straight hair does. Think about a flat roof (which would fully reflect sunlight) vs. a corrugated roof (which would not).
I could slather my hair with silicones and other shellac-y type products, but all I'd get is an unnatural, gloopy shine, not a healthy sheen.
This less-shine feature is a normal characteristic of textured hair. It does not mean that the hair is unhealthy.

 

[pookeylou]

I looked at your pics...gorgeous lush hair by the way.

Now I did notice a shine to it...what did you use for your twist in the puff picture?

I agree with the other ladies that our natural hair tends to have a sheen...not neccesarily a shine...

I use shea butter...which makes my hair sparkle.

You might also try rinsing with cool water right before you finish washing your hair...the cool water closes the cuticle...but also causes the hair to shine as well.

 

[Ipanema]

Thanks for the feedback everyone. Even though I've been natural for a year, I'm still trying to figure out what "healthy" is supposed to look like. I think it's more difficult to see damage on natural hair.

 

[Ipanema]

[ QUOTE ]
atlantatiffany said:
have u thought about adding a clear colourshine by sebastian. they give get shine.

[/ QUOTE ]

No, but I've tried neutral Hennalucent a few times, which was supposed to condition & add shine. I might try a product like that sometime before summer to see if that makes a difference.

 

[Ipanema]

[ QUOTE ]
pookeylou said:
You might also try rinsing with cool water right before you finish washing your hair...the cool water closes the cuticle...but also causes the hair to shine as well.

[/ QUOTE ]

I do my whole washes with cool water.

BTW, I did my puff with cocoa butter. Maybe shea butter is better.

 

[Armyqt]

What gives great shine to my daughter's natural hair is first coconut oil and then shea butter. I have found these two things to add a lot of natural shine to her hair especially when added to wet hair. It seems to infuse moisture into the strands therefore leaving it looking shiny and healthy.

 

[miss_brown]

[ QUOTE ]
nutella said:
My hair doesn't shine, necessarily, but it has a healthy sheen to it, because it is properly moisturized and protected.
Remember that natural Afro hair, by definition, has a coily or zig-zaggy shape. This shape does not pick up and reflect light the way that straight hair does. Think about a flat roof (which would fully reflect sunlight) vs. a corrugated roof (which would not).
I could slather my hair with silicones and other shellac-y type products, but all I'd get is an unnatural, gloopy shine, not a healthy sheen.
This less-shine feature is a normal characteristic of textured hair. It does not mean that the hair is unhealthy.

[/ QUOTE ]

Ditto. Good explanation, nutella.