Now Forming an Army of SUPER-LONG HAIR 4B (or mostly 4b) NATURALS!! Come on in!

[almond eyes]

4b army recruit reporting for duty. I was recently inspired by @almond eyes post about the grade of hair not being the root of my problems growing/keeping my hair beyond APL. In fact I have a patch of my crown that is barely SL and has been for YEARS.

I think her post was an epiphany for me. She suggested daily wetting of hair in the shower. I started 3 days ago and have vowed to keep at it for at least 2 years. I am excited about the journey ahead. Our hair is so beautiful when it is cared for correctly. I wish all of you the best of hair. Glad to be part of the army.

Thanks so much CenteredGirl. It became my ah ha moment too and I don't understand why I didn't get it all along. I had friends who were high porosity back in the 90s and they used to conditioner wash on a regular basis but they were too ashamed to admit it because of the stigma tied to black women washing their hair often but they had long natural hair (always kept in protective styles unless blown out) and not curly hair either. And when I started washing my hair regularly on my other transitions trying to copy their method, I realised I was using harsh shampoos and detangling my hair dry and using leave ins on my dry hair that were making my hair crispy and I would get frustrated and blame my hair type which is frizzy and curly. And without product my hair is kinky and dry looking when it is short.

I began to really do my research look at the youtubers who started with shorter hair like mine and also read the LHCF posts obsessively. Things began to click and from that time, since I shaved my head in May, my hair is on a different track now with my daily co wash and shampoo occasionally (I use Dr. Bonner's mild unscented shampoo or Trader Joe's, I like clear shampoos to get out the residue). It took awhile to get it all together but it has worked. So simple and I wish I had understood all of this many transitions ago that water works especially for high porosity heads.

Good luck. I cannot wait until I am able to actually get my hair into protective styles (like big braids without extensions) in the next two years. I hope to also give feedback of my progress. I think retention again is the key!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sorry I wrote so much but I am passionate about Afro hair and trying to find solutions to help it retain length. Our hair will always be dry but it can grow and doesn't have to keep snapping off.

Hair care is evolving. And I hope it keeps evolving for us as Afro haired women as we learn more and learn to love our hair and pass on the info to future generations.

Best,
Almond Eyes

 

[DoDo]

Some hair pics



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Sent from my Snow White Frost Galaxy S4 using LHCF

Froreal3

You and your hair are beautiful .

 

[Froreal3]

Thank you DoDo!

 

[almond eyes]

I saw a woman today with natural BSL hair stretched but actually waist length. Her hair had no curl pattern but it was a fine texture. She told me it took her four years and I told her she had beautiful hair.

Best,
Almond Eyes

 

[Prettymetty]

I am getting my hair done in a few days. I'm trying to decide if I should buy some coconut oil for prepoos. If not I will use evoo mixed with argan oil.

 

[CenteredGirl]

4b army recruit reporting for duty. I was recently inspired by almond eyes post about the grade of hair not being the root of my problems growing/keeping my hair beyond APL. In fact I have a patch of my crown that is barely SL and has been for YEARS.

I think her post was an epiphany for me. She suggested daily wetting of hair in the shower. I started 3 days ago and have vowed to keep at it for at least 2 years. I am excited about the journey ahead. Our hair is so beautiful when it is cared for correctly. I wish all of you the best of hair. Glad to be part of the army.

First full week of daily wetting and I LOVE IT. Hair is a tad softer, still a bit rough after overnight pin up. I am DEDICATED to this and am in it to win it.

 

[faithVA]

CenteredGirl[/USER];20804999]First full week of daily wetting and I LOVE IT. Hair is a tad softer, still a bit rough after overnight pin up. I am DEDICATED to this and am in it to win it.

How are you styling your hair after wetting?

 

[AyannaDivine]

First full week of daily wetting and I LOVE IT. Hair is a tad softer, still a bit rough after overnight pin up. I am DEDICATED to this and am in it to win it.

Are you saturating your hair? I twist mine each night and then untwist before my shower. The humidity definitely makes my hair much softer and manageable.

 

[CenteredGirl]

Are you saturating your hair? I twist mine each night and then untwist before my shower. The humidity definitely makes my hair much softer and manageable.

AyannaDivine,

Yes ma'am, I saturate it in untwisted sections. Then I let the sections drip dry for about 5 minutes, apply my little oil concoction,then stretch the sections across my head making sure the ends are clipped flat. I let my hair air dry as much as possible before bed time, then I put my scarf on.

Note:

on 2 of the days, I only saturated the ends, because my roots were as soft as a baby's but. I plan on "listening" to my hair, but definitely at least saturating the ends (about 2-3 inches) every night.

 

[almond eyes]

First full week of daily wetting and I LOVE IT. Hair is a tad softer, still a bit rough after overnight pin up. I am DEDICATED to this and am in it to win it.

Great to hear.

Now there are several ways to wet the hair and also to maintain the moisture:

But if you have high porosity hair and are in the 4 category mostly, you cannot go more than a week without wetting your hair I even venture to say that we need daily wetting. I think low porosity women can go longer without wetting.

Ways of Wetting but always start off with saturating the hair first with water in the shower before shampooing or conditioning routine:

1. Daily co wash and no shampoo (I think a plastic cap works best but conditioner should not be placed onto the scalp and it important to do occasional shampoo washes followed by conditioner depending on how your hair feels to get build up out and to cleanse the scalp)
2. Shampoo and co wash daily (gentle or diluted shampoo and conditioner afterwards)
3. Weekly or twice a week shampoo and deep conditioner (meaning heat with conditioner or plastic cap with conditioner for at least 30 minutes)
4. Spritzing with a water spray bottle daily (which I think doesn't given enough saturation for drier hair types or shorter hairs trying to get out of the awkward stage) and then adding a leave in and then shampooing and conditioning when you have the chance especially as your hair gets longer.
5. Rising hair in the shower with warm to very warm water only no products (applying leave ins afterwards) and then saving the shampoo and conditioner for weekly or bi weekly or monthly. I have lately been experimenting with this and it's interesting my hair loves water and as long as I replace it with my leave ins, my hair is still nice and soft.

The point is high porosity hair loves water and cannot get enough of it and once it starts to get used to it once you get your hair into the shower your hair starts to melt and soak up the water very well.

Now after the hair has been soaked in enough water in the shower and you don't need to get paranoid and think that your hair needs to over drink water all it needs is enough to saturate it and you can feel it, it usually takes me about five minutes to 8 minutes before I know that my hair has been fully immersed and I either get to my conditioner or just put a plastic cap on to hold the moisture while I bathe.

Next step retaining that moisture:

This is where is gets tricky.

Now, better to use your leave ins on wet hair and try to use a t shirt and not a cotton towel. I don't actually use any towels on my hair.

Leave ins:

High porosity hair needs lots of leave ins (heavy handed but not overly and getting through each area of your hair gently saturating all areas) especially if the hair cannot be protectively styled or will be worn in a wash and go because as you get out into the air the air will dry your hair out and shrink the hair even more if you don't mind.

Protective styles to me mean low manipulation styles like big braids (non extensions) and buns. I find that twists and extensions are too hard on fine hair. I like the wash and go for my short hair at the moment.

Some people need to pile on at least two to three leave ins (usually a cream leave in (could be your conditioner but make sure it is not a protein conditioner to use as a leave in) and a spray leave in (could be s curl) (water should always be the first ingredients in these products). You have to choose the combo that works best for you. You can usually tell about your winning combo is how your hair feels after several hours and if your hair has a white residue or not. Sometimes the residue means too much product and sometimes it means your product has proteins you can combat this by experimenting with the products or using light oils to remove the white residue.

Remember be wary of leave ins with proteins that may not interact the best on high porosity hairs like some gels but if you can combat this with a good moisturising leave in and then put that aloe vera product on top so the crunch factor is not that evident or you can use an oil. You have to experiment because it really all depends on the condition of your hair. Healthier hair and well moisturised hair can accept products better and retains length better.

I wouldn't be quick to toss products because you can always save them and use them in conjunction with other products (the layering affect).

Best,
Almond Eyes

 

[GGsKin]

I'm new to LHCF and I've read the whole thread. You ladies have beautiful hair and I'd love to join you on a journey to healthy longer hair, if you'll have me.
I've never really set a goal length for myself before. I used to be at the hairdressers every 6 weeks to keep my short relaxed undercut fresh as can be. After a bad stint with some clip ins, I had my last relaxer in August '12. I transitioned for what felt like ages (until I had enough hair I could catch in a braid for PS).
Any who I cut of my relaxed ends this year and I've recently begun MHM as my regimen; I co-wash with KCKT, regular bentonite clay rinses and I've recently installed a shower filter. Currently I'm not styling my hair. I plat into 4 canerows and baggy under a wig as my PS.
I'd say my hair is 4c/4b in some places

 

[Prettymetty]

:welcome3: AbsyBlvd!

 

[snoop]

Leave ins:

High porosity hair needs lots of leave ins (heavy handed but not overly and getting through each area of your hair gently saturating all areas) especially if the hair cannot be protectively styled or will be worn in a wash and go because as you get out into the air the air will dry your hair out and shrink the hair even more if you don't mind.

Protective styles to me mean low manipulation styles like big braids (non extensions) and buns. I find that twists and extensions are too hard on fine hair. I like the wash and go for my short hair at the moment.

Some people need to pile on at least two to three leave ins (usually a cream leave in (could be your conditioner but make sure it is not a protein conditioner to use as a leave in) and a spray leave in (could be s curl) (water should always be the first ingredients in these products). You have to choose the combo that works best for you. You can usually tell about your winning combo is how your hair feels after several hours and if your hair has a white residue or not. Sometimes the residue means too much product and sometimes it means your product has proteins you can combat this by experimenting with the products or using light oils to remove the white residue.

Remember be wary of leave ins with proteins that may not interact the best on high porosity hairs like some gels but if you can combat this with a good moisturising leave in and then put that aloe vera product on top so the crunch factor is not that evident or you can use an oil. You have to experiment because it really all depends on the condition of your hair. Healthier hair and well moisturised hair can accept products better and retains length better.

I wouldn't be quick to toss products because you can always save them and use them in conjunction with other products (the layering affect).

Best,
Almond Eyes

Thanks so much for the tips. I was wondering, I've been using a leave-in that has silk peptide in it @ 2%. I think that it's helped to strengthen my hair (i.e. eliminate keyhole splits and split ends). It also doesn't leave any white residue. Do you think that it would be ok to continue use with this method?

I should mention that I'm not sure about my porosity -- I'm sure I border on normal but not sure on what end high/normal or low/normal. I want to try more frequent washing as I figure that it will help and not hinder.

 

[almond eyes]

Thanks so much for the tips. I was wondering, I've been using a leave-in that has silk peptide in it @ 2%. I think that it's helped to strengthen my hair (i.e. eliminate keyhole splits and split ends). It also doesn't leave any white residue. Do you think that it would be ok to continue use with this method?

I should mention that I'm not sure about my porosity -- I'm sure I border on normal but not sure on what end high/normal or low/normal. I want to try more frequent washing as I figure that it will help and not hinder.

Hello Snoop! Most welcome.

Everyone's hair responds differently to products so if the product is working for you keep on using it. Just remember though if your hair is high porosity which means it is prone to dryness just be wary of products that may create more dryness like leave ins with proteins unless you follow up with other products that have moisture. I tend to like to use products on very wet, damp or spritz hair.

For me a good way to tell if you are high porosity is when you wash your hair and put no product on it at all. If your hair looks like it will be almost completely dried within three hours then your hair is high porosity, if your hair would take at least 6 hours or more to dry or even a day then it is low porosity. Normal porosity means your hair can hold products well and doesn't take all day to dry and at the same time doesn't dry up immediately without product.

Best,
Almond Eyes

 

[snoop]

Hello Snoop! Most welcome.

Everyone's hair responds differently to products so if the product is working for you keep on using it. Just remember though if your hair is high porosity which means it is prone to dryness just be wary of products that may create more dryness like leave ins with proteins unless you follow up with other products that have moisture. I tend to like to use products on very wet, damp or spritz hair.

For me a good way to tell if you are high porosity is when you wash your hair and put no product on it at all. If your hair looks like it will be almost completely dried within three hours then your hair is high porosity, if your hair would take at least 6 hours or more to dry or even a day then it is low porosity. Normal porosity means your hair can hold products well and doesn't take all day to dry and at the same time doesn't dry up immediately without product.

Best,
Almond Eyes

Thanks Almond Eyes. I've pretty much cut out the proteins except for the silk. My hair hates coconut, shea, and aloe vera. I've just recently found a conditioner that didn't have aloe vera and I think that helped as well.

I'll have to check on drying times because I find it depends on how I'm styling my hair. For example, I usually do twists and that could dry my hair faster on account of more parts and therefore more air circulation. When I tried MHM the first time my hair took over 24 hours to dry with a wash and go -- my hair never takes that long to dry. I think normally though if I just leave my hair and wait a bit before doing twists it would take closer to 2-4 hours. Definitely, not 6+ hours.

 

[almond eyes]

Thanks Almond Eyes. I've pretty much cut out the proteins except for the silk. My hair hates coconut, shea, and aloe vera. I've just recently found a conditioner that didn't have aloe vera and I think that helped as well.

I'll have to check on drying times because I find it depends on how I'm styling my hair. For example, I usually do twists and that could dry my hair faster on account of more parts and therefore more air circulation. When I tried MHM the first time my hair took over 24 hours to dry with a wash and go -- my hair never takes that long to dry. I think normally though if I just leave my hair and wait a bit before doing twists it would take closer to 2-4 hours. Definitely, not 6+ hours.

It is important to note that it is not necessarily about cutting out proteins. Natural hair is more balanced with proteins than relaxed hair. But if you note that your hair seems crispy or shedding then note that about your product. If without product it takes 2 to 4 hours for your hair to dry then you could be between high to normal porosity. If it takes 2 hours then high porosity if it takes 4-6 I would say that is normal porosity.

Best,
Almond Eyes

 

[DarkJoy]

2 hours for hi po to dry? Shoot I must ultra high po cuz mines is dry in about an hour or less

 

[almond eyes]

2 hours for hi po to dry? Shoot I must ultra high po cuz mines is dry in about an hour or less

Mine is also ultra hi po. It dries like this 2 hours and under but now that I wet my hair everyday, my hair likes water a lot and I replace it with product immediately so my hair stays well hydrated so I no longer think about it. I am very porous. Not like a jheri curl soft but I can tell that my hair isn't that snapping dry like it used to be in the past and I am not losing any hairs and my hair feels nice.

Best,
Almond Eyes

 

[coolsista-paris]

First full week of daily wetting and I LOVE IT. Hair is a tad softer, still a bit rough after overnight pin up. I am DEDICATED to this and am in it to win it.

my aunt does this. wets her hair daily or every 2 days... she is no product junkie at all...
she is a natural 4b fine hair at waist length

 

[DarkJoy]

my aunt does this. wets her hair daily or every 2 days... she is no product junkie at all...
she is a natural 4b fine hair at waist length

Really? 4b Waist length and fine? Does she seal with anything? just curious

 

[snoop]

So I washed today and after putting my water-based moisturizer in it took my hair 2+ hours to dry. I put my hair in two-strand twists during this time, so I think that it sped up the drying process. I'm going to try either water washing or co-washing on Tuesday.

 

[coolsista-paris]

Really? 4b Waist length and fine? Does she seal with anything? just curious

she usually just picks into her sistres stuff. if its blue magic, she will grand some and put a little on hair ( i remember she used to put on scalp before....)
ive seen her already add a light oil.
ive also already seen her step out the shower and not put anything .

she never wears her hair down.... maybe once every year....
she has VERY VERY VERYYYY LOW manipulation ( always on her braids- without extensions).

 

[DarkJoy]

she usually just picks into her sistres stuff. if its blue magic, she will grand some and put a little on hair ( i remember she used to put on scalp before....)
ive seen her already add a light oil.
ive also already seen her step out the shower and not put anything .

she never wears her hair down.... maybe once every year....
she has VERY VERY VERYYYY LOW manipulation ( always on her braids- without extensions).

Thanks for sharing. I had a feeling it was grease of some sort. Heavy sealing seems to be the way for many fine (and may be porous) ladies to retain. Plus the low manipulation too.

 

[AyannaDivine]

I just ordered a few 'grease' products from the Hattaché Black Friday sale... My Honey Child Old Fashioned Hair Grease, Hair Veda Almond Glaze and Brown Butter Beauty Herbal Rich Hair and Scalp butter.

 

[CenteredGirl]

First full week of daily wetting and I LOVE IT. Hair is a tad softer, still a bit rough after overnight pin up. I am DEDICATED to this and am in it to win it.

2 weeks and 3 days in. Ladies, wetting hair is the BOMBASTICALISTIC! My hair is SUPER soft and SUPER manageable. Thanks almond eyes

Because I find that only the last 3 inches of my hair are super crunchy, I changed up my regiment.

So instead of wetting ALL of my hair, here's what's working for me:

• I put it into a low ponytail, staturate with silicone free condish,

• jump in the shower, do my body cleansing

• then take a wide tooth shower comb, and comb the poney under warm water
• Get out of shower, stretch pony up towards the front of my head and clamp it with a duck clamp
• cover with a tee shirt tied in a turban for about 10 minutes
• Take the t-shirt off and leave uncovered about an hour
• Separate hair into 4 sections and stretch each section across head
• Cover with cap and go the bed

Man, oh man, each day I do this, my ends are getting softer and softer. Weeeeeee!!!! Sisters, I think I'm gonna grow me some SUPER LONG Hair.

 

[CenteredGirl]

Adding nightly preening and head massage to the routine. Find that I don't need as much condish on my ends when I do this. Getting better and better! God is good

2 weeks and 3 days in. Ladies, wetting hair is the BOMBASTICALISTIC! My hair is SUPER soft and SUPER manageable. Thanks almond eyes

Because I find that only the last 3 inches of my hair are super crunchy, I changed up my regiment.

So instead of wetting ALL of my hair, here's what's working for me:

• I put it into a low ponytail, staturate with silicone free condish,

• jump in the shower, do my body cleansing

• then take a wide tooth shower comb, and comb the poney under warm water
• Get out of shower, stretch pony up towards the front of my head and clamp it with a duck clamp
• cover with a tee shirt tied in a turban for about 10 minutes
• Take the t-shirt off and leave uncovered about an hour
• Separate hair into 4 sections and stretch each section across head
• Cover with cap and go the bed

Man, oh man, each day I do this, my ends are getting softer and softer. Weeeeeee!!!! Sisters, I think I'm gonna grow me some SUPER LONG Hair.

 

[AyannaDivine]

Brown Butter Beauty's Herbal Rich Butter is really good if anyone wants an all natural grease. I've been using it since Sunday and my scalp is no longer itching or flaky.

 

[almond eyes]

Adding nightly preening and head massage to the routine. Find that I don't need as much condish on my ends when I do this. Getting better and better! God is good

Hello.

I started to also preen in the shower. I didn't quite get the whole thing behind preening but I think I understand. It just really allows for the sebum to distribute more downwards and also trains your hair downwards so that your curls, clumps and coils stay organised.

I've actually changed a few things in my routine. I do warm water rinses everyday and massage and preen in the shower and I also use a plastic cap. Then on Saturdays, I shampoo and condition and still do the preening and all.

Let us see what 2015 brings on.

Best,
Almond Eyes

 

[Coilystep]

AlmondEyes what is preening?

 

[almond eyes]

AlmondEyes what is preening?

Preening is the process by which you gently smooth your hair down from your scalp to your ends. The process is to activate the sebum. I don't do it hard but you can check out how the youtube from water rinsing only does it. She has longer hair though and my hair is about three inches. I do not follow her instructions to the core because I still shampoo and conditioner wash weekly (I started going back to this again) but I daily rinse my hair with water in the shower since I am high porosity. But I do think that preening is useful.

But there is something about the process of preening on a daily basis that helps. Some women preen on dry hair. I preen in the shower after my water rinse. I suppose for women who are low porosity preening can be done on dry hair just do not tug violently or pull your hair down too rough.

A good diet is also important to activating the sebum glands. Many Asian women eat lots of kelp and green leafy vegetables. Sebum producing veggies. I also think that eating lots of beans, legumes and veggies are key to better sebum because when I lived in Rwanda, that was the main diet and I didn't see many of the women there with dry hair. And they washed their hair more often.

Sebum will not make your hair curlier or change it's texture unless your hair was dry from not treating it well but it will allow your oil glands to give better moisture to your hair which is key to retention and better styling options.

Best,
Almond Eyes