Why is it such a learning curve with hair?
I am natural again for the second time and realizing the first go around I didn't know as much about my hair as I thought I did.
Anyway, I went to the store and the cashier had the cutest little tapered twa. It was so shiny and defined and I asked her what she used and she told me she loves cantu curling cream or was it cantu curl activator. It looks like a gel was used but she said she doesn't really like the hold from gel. I truly don't think we all need a bunch of stuff to work for our hair but it's finding that right combo of products and really knowing what agrees with your hair that is the key. I'd love to find an on the ground/easy accessible set of products.
Unfortunately it is trial and error - I've been natural for 8 years, and this is the first year I've actually BEEN NATURAL - not constantly straightening my hair and actually figuring out what my natural hair looks like (that's my own fault with being so insecure about my hair).
YouTube and unfortunately a lot of hair blogs make it seem harder than it is for the new natural. You need a leave in, a gel, a cowash, an overnight prepoo, a post-poo, a post-post-pre-post-no-poo etc, and put at least 18 products in your hair and spend 2 years to define one strand at a time for your 'wash and go'... etc. I advise new naturals to start with clarifying and get through the grace period. It's like having your hair in braids - what do you do when you first take out your braids? (Hopefully) you clarify and wait for your hair to bounce back to its regular condition, because it'll act different for awhile. Well, being natural is the same, but you don't know what your hair's regular condition even is.
I could not even figure out what my hair texture was until I stopped straightening, clarified, minimized cones and stopped using grease - this released layers and layers of build up I never knew I had until I could finally see my curl pattern that I thought was non-existent. After that, it became a lot more simple. I started with the most simple cheapies I could find (Suave Natural, Mane and Tail and some Etsy buys) and now that I know what my hairs likes, it's easier to buy products and stop wasting money on snake oil. I think if people start their regimen with product minimization, only trying a small amount of products with very simple ingredient sets, they won't get frustrated and end up with cabinets bursting with stuff their hair doesn't even like.
Long story short, I completely agree with you. It takes a bit of patience, but you really only need five basics and the rest is just for fun or styling: Shampoo, Conditioner, DC, Leave in, and Oil. I also include henna to cover greys, but you get the point, it doesn't have to be hard but the beginning phase requires a loooot of patience, and most importantly not wanting your hair to do what someone else's hair does.
Thank goodness!! No more letting my hair shrink freely. As a sidenote, I completely understand this above post^^ I'm boutta try a wig too. In my case, I'm tired of this awkward stage length where I really have no options. I wont let anyone install a protective style for me and trying myself always fails, and I cant style my hair for the life of me any other way (I've tried so many ways sooo many different times). I'm just gonna keep it moisturized and detangled and hide it for a while till I can achieve shoulder length mini twists on wet hair.
I need a change, for real. I'm gonna make one out of marley hair. No human hair for me, no ma'am, no sir! The cost combined with the suspicious, voodoo origins???
