Really Thick 4a/ 4b Naturals

[czyfaith77]

What are you using for your styles to maintain moisture, curl definition, and shine. Products? Methods? I am finally wearing my natural hair out and am in search how to properly care for it. I prefer twist out but still trying to find the right products. My hair always seem thirsty especially at the end of the day.
Any suggestions?

 

[faithVA]

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[MissMariee]

I have thick 4a/4b hair, I used tresemme naturals as a leave in for a while, but it seemed to stop working. I recently sucked it up and picked up some Kinky Curly Knot Today at target and that stuff was like magic. It's an OK moisturizer, but did a great job defining my curls.

 

[NappyNelle]

What is your regimen? What products have you been using? Do you use heat?

 

[Saga]

recently I just keep it real simple. Wash with Garnier Fructis, DC with Aussie 3 min miracle, use suave almond & shea mixed with water as a leave in, and then softee herbal gro to seal the length of my hair. My hair stays moisturized for days due to the product I use to seal with. I have tried lotions, oils, creams, but it seems that grease is the only thing that keeps my parched hair satisfied.

 

[HeChangedMyName]

I'm trying to figure that out now. I have the GVP version of Paul Mitchen The Conditioner and it seems to keep my hair moisturized and soft. I feel like I'm going to have to add some oil soon though as the weather changes

 

[allmundjoi]

I have been wearing a curly puff.

I cowashing with Trader Joe's Nourish Spa. Rinse it all out. Wrap a scrub shirt around my head to soak up excess water. Put a little TJNS back in and layer over with Shea Moisture Gel and put hair in a high curly pony. Curls stay formed, no real poofiness. Shine isn't there so I add a lil coconut oil. Still playing with the mix.

 

[czyfaith77]

What is your regimen? What products have you been using? Do you use heat?

Actually, neither do I have a regimen nor do I have any products that I am particularly partial to. This is my second go at being natural. I do favor my natural hair over my flat ironed or relaxed hair. It is also my very first time actually wearing it out. it grows in layers with the longest being arm pit which for me is about 12-13 inches long and the shortest layer being about 10-12 inches long. i call it cotton hair as it is very very thick and have lots of shrinkage. I may flat iron maybe 2-3 a year and that is only during cool months as my hair reverts instantaneously during our warm months. I do like one of the Shea Moisture shampoos , the pink label. Shea butter works sorta kinda. Other than that, I keep having to try products. Next week, I am having highlights ( just a little not much) put in. The stylist is also to twist my hair. I am curious as to what she will use. I am interested in Qhemet Biologics but would really either like to try it before I actually buy it or figure something out as I am tired of buying things that turn out to be a no go for my hair. Thank you ladies.. I am still reading.

Oh, prior to this I have worn sew in so that is why I do not have a regimen for actually wearing my hair out. I am actually looking forward to wearing my hair as I will not actually have a lot of time braiding and sewing as we are expecting our first baby in the spring. So this is great and welcomed transition as I am preparing for a different lifestyle to include motherhood.

 

[czyfaith77]

The pic up top does not even begin to tell the story as far as thickness and the length.... Cotton hair. That sucks up everything. It like its that plant from " Little Shop of Horror" saying "Feed Me!".

 

[czyfaith77]

I have been wearing a curly puff.

I cowashing with Trader Joe's Nourish Spa. Rinse it all out. Wrap a scrub shirt around my head to soak up excess water. Put a little TJNS back in and layer over with Shea Moisture Gel and put hair in a high curly pony. Curls stay formed, no real poofiness. Shine isn't there so I add a lil coconut oil. Still playing with the mix.

You mentioned two things I have considered: the Shea Moisture gel and coconut oil.

 

[czyfaith77]

There are pics in my profile. The curly hair in my random folder are sew ins that I installed. The short ones are old but is a wig. The ones with dark hair is my flat iron hair from som months ago.

 

[carameldimples]

I wish I had thick hair. I am 4ab with high density soeveryone thinks its thick, but my strands are so fine . Not very resilient at all.

 

[NappyNelle]

Thanks for answering my questions. I really think you need to start building a regimen that centers around deeeeeeep conditioning weekly! Here is something I wrote about regimen building: http://afroboheme.tumblr.com/post/21618108979/kinky-coily-curly-hair-guide-building-your-regimen

I really like to use Aubrey Organics Honeysuckle Rose, and the Rosa Mosquete is very popular. I also like Giovanni Cosmetics Smooth as Silk Deeper Moisture Conditioner. It is lighter than the Aubrey products, but works very well to penetrate the strands. I condition with each of these products for at least 30 minutes on dry hair before I shampoo. You can purchase small samples of the conditioners on iherb.com, vitacost.com, and vitaglo.com.

Qhemet Biologics also sells samples of their moisturizers; Amla & Olive Heavy Cream is touted for thick hair. While my strands are very fine, I love the AOHC! It is oil based, so it works best on damp, freshly washed hair. QB sells samples on their website. I'm also a big fan of Oyin Handmade's Whipped Pudding; they sell samples on their website, too. In order to 'set' your twist out, you can apply a gel product after moisturizing, and allow your hair to dry completely.

I suggest that you don't get highlights until your hair is in better condition. Using color on your hair now, without some sort of regimen that works for you, can cause a really bad setback of increased dryness, and breakage.

I hope that helps! My hair is fine, but it acts like it's thick and full. It's a wannabe. I'm happy you are starting to wear your hair out and be more confident with it. Keep us updated with how everything goes.

 

[czyfaith77]

Thanks for answering my questions. I really think you need to start building a regimen that centers around deeeeeeep conditioning weekly! Here is something I wrote about regimen building: http://afroboheme.tumblr.com/post/21618108979/kinky-coily-curly-hair-guide-building-your-regimen

I really like to use Aubrey Organics Honeysuckle Rose, and the Rosa Mosquete is very popular. I also like Giovanni Cosmetics Smooth as Silk Deeper Moisture Conditioner. It is lighter than the Aubrey products, but works very well to penetrate the strands. I condition with each of these products for at least 30 minutes on dry hair before I shampoo. You can purchase small samples of the conditioners on iherb.com, vitacost.com, and vitaglo.com.

Qhemet Biologics also sells samples of their moisturizers; Amla & Olive Heavy Cream is touted for thick hair. While my strands are very fine, I love the AOHC! It is oil based, so it works best on damp, freshly washed hair. QB sells samples on their website. I'm also a big fan of Oyin Handmade's Whipped Pudding; they sell samples on their website, too. In order to 'set' your twist out, you can apply a gel product after moisturizing, and allow your hair to dry completely.

I suggest that you don't get highlights until your hair is in better condition. Using color on your hair now, without some sort of regimen that works for you, can cause a really bad setback of increased dryness, and breakage.

I hope that helps! My hair is fine, but it acts like it's thick and full. It's a wannabe. I'm happy you are starting to wear your hair out and be more confident with it. Keep us updated with how everything goes.

My appointment is not until next week so I am still contemplating the highlights. I really do not want setbacks. I may just do. Deep conditioning and the twists. Actually, the twists are for a twist out. That is my favorite style at the moment.

 

[Fine 4s]

I'm also rebuilding my hair from heat damage. Got blowdry and heat happy by doing it it every month from May to August. Didn't think I was doing a bad thing but clearly there's a difference in my twists and twist outs. I'm out the heat game until 2014 at least.

I'm still looking for a leave-in moisturizer for my 4b, wirey, cottony and dry.
Shea butter is too heavy for me these days and doesn't apply well and doesn't smell good. Amla oil didn't spread as easily as I'd like either. Rusk Sensories was a bit too watery (i'm looking for a cream). I liked BB Butter me up! I'd like to try Oyin but unsure...

 

[SherylsTresses]

At times, I use a deep conditioner (Giovanni 50:50) mixed with EVOO as a leave-in.

 

[Love718]

Hiii i have 4b dry hair if i dont style it within 30 minutes after cowashing or shampooing it is impossible to comb through

I usually put a cheapie conditioner in my hair for hours to dc but im wondering what other products i should use

 

[czyfaith77]

What are you using for your styles to maintain moisture, curl definition, and shine. Products? Methods? I am finally wearing my natural hair out and am in search how to properly care for it. I prefer twist out but still trying to find the right products. My hair always seem thirsty especially at the end of the day.
Any suggestions?

Follow up....I somewhat got moisture but I have not learned how to maintain curl definition. Shine is so-so. This week I did a protein treatment. It was not long but it did do my hair some justice. I also clipped off the ends while in twists which helped some as well as I don't trim but maybe once a year really. It is rather soft now but what I am dealing with most now is frizz. My twist outs start out nice but then they loose definition and frizz. It is still soft and I get compliments all the time but I would still like to keep the definition that I have earlier in the day all day. Any suggestions....and yes I also use a little gel.

 

[brittle_hair]

I wonder if using a curl activator helps with the definition - i'm considering using sof n free olive oil moisturiser spray for my next braid-out - used carrot oil cream yesterday, but didnt get much definition, i also did 17 braids in total, but i want larger curls so think i might go for about 10 tonight

I'm also considering wearing my own hair out now that I'm 2 years natural - will see how i feel at the end of this coming week..!

 

[moore.1506]

Hi OP,

My hair is really thick (by thick I mean dense but it requires me to treat it as if the individual strands were thick)

My reggie:
- Put my hair in 6 to 12 twists
- Pre poo with mixture of yogurt, coconut milk, coconut oil and any natural conditioner put a plastic cap on for 30 min to 1 hour
- Wash with any shampoo one twist at a time
- Put any deep conditioner on one twist at a time
- Come out the shower and let conditioner sit about 1 hour, during this hour I comb through each twist and re-twist them
- Give them a final rinse and get all conditioner out
- Then I take 1 twist lose and put on my leave in (kink curly) seal with whatever oil I feel like (coconut, jojoba, EVOO, castor oil, etc) sometimes add gel or/and shea butter and twist into about 4 or 5 twist

If I want to keep it twisted for a couple of days I just spritz water at night and just use a bit of oil then put on a bonnet
If I wear my hair out I put in a couple of big twists or braids then again spritz with water and add oil.

I hope this helps i'm about APL or a little longer my nightly moisture routine is very rarely done cause im lazy but when im trying to be serious about my moisture level that's what I do and it makes a big difference.