Retaining length for fine hair ladies

[Imani]

@greenandchic - my hair looks almost like yours when loose and i amazed at the length you have achieved because i feel like every little fine, porous spiral is waiting to break on me.

Here is a pic taken about 2 months ago - semi dry and no product...although i think yours is a lttle looser.

Hey, your hair kind of looks like mine! lol. Which is odd bc I'm 4b

 

[Imani]

How often is everyone trimming?

Lately since I've been protective styling, I've only been getting professional trims maybe once every like 6 months and try to do a dusting on my own in between. I wonder if I should be getting them more often, maybe bump it up to every 4 months?

My hair is funny bc it is fragile so it needs some sort of protein but its so dry and porous that protein will dry it out very easily. So what I do is use mainly moisturizing conditioners and products but that have a little protein in them as well (ie My Bee Mine Luscious moisturizer has wheat protein near the end of the ingredients list; Giovannni SAS condish has soy protein; Aubrey's Island naturals condish has almond protein). And I also use a protein conditioner every once in a while. The two I've used that I like so far are Aubrey GPB (light protein) and Aubrey's Blue Green Algae (medium protein).

I've been doing my current reggie for about 11 months now and it seems to be working. If my progress on my length check this month is good then I'll feel confident that I'm on the right path.

 

[Bublin]

Hey, your hair kind of looks like mine! lol. Which is odd bc I'm 4b

Yes, it is odd that we categorise our hair differently. To be honest i care not for categories my hair is what it is .

My hair looks so shiny, just like yours, when i flat iron but in it's natural state it looks like a bird's nest .

 

[Bublin]

@Imani - your hair sounds indentical to mine. What is your reggie?

Also, i have never used the Aphogee deep treatment before and i plan on doing it this weekend. I think my hair is in desperate need of a large protein boost. There after i will use my Mane and Tail conditioner/AO GBH/Aphogee 2 min as maintainence along with a moisturising conditioner.

I also have the Bee Mine Balancing cream but i find it too watery - i went through the sample pot in a week. I think i need something thicker which has no protein. I have heard that the Soft n Free moisturiser (white and green bottle) contains no protein.

 

[Imani]

Yes, it is odd that we categorise our hair differently. To be honest i care not for categories my hair is what it is .

My hair looks so shiny, just like yours, when i flat iron but in it's natural state it looks like a bird's nest .

Bublin
Thats exactly how mine is. If its flat ironed its blinged out (and people are always shocked bc some folks assume my texture isn't capable of being that shiny). It can also shine pretty good in twists/braids. But loose and natural it just looks dry and ratty, yep just like a birds nest

My BeeMine Luscious isn't watery at all, maybe u got a bad batch?? Its my staple moisturizer, but I do always follow behind it with oil to seal.

My reggie right now- for the past yr been wearing plaits under a halfwig and shampooing every two weeks. I only comb/manipulate my hair on wash day. Unless my hair is straight I only use natural products, no cones, mineral oil, sulfates, petrolatum, etc.

-Wet hair while still in plaits. Soak in EVOO. Sit with that under a conditioner cap for a couple hrs
-Take down plaits and carefully/thoroughly detangle rewetting as needed w/spray bottle. Remove shed hairs with fingers first, then a wide tooth comb, then D31 brush (has wider teeth than regular denman), and maybe pass thru the section with the regular denman lastly.
-Shampoo in sections with Bee Mine Botanical Shampoo
-I mix up a bunch of different moisturizing DCs (BeeMine Bee-u-ti-ful, Curl Junkie Banana Hibiscus, Giovanii SAS, AO Island Naturals) and sit under steamer with hair twisted up and clipped in sections so it won't retangle
-Rinse out condish. Apply kimmaytube leave in and moisturizer and plait it up for the next two weeks.
-During the week, every few days, spray with water and apply moisturizer and oil.

And every maybe 3 months I'll add the protein conditioners I mentioned in my other post.

 

[Tif392002]

Bublin , the 2 weeks was from a a response last year, now i only detangle and take down every four weeks.... i co wash in between but i dont take the braids down.... HAIR one has a conditioning cleanser, i use that to clean my hair in between time...

 

[Honey Bee]

I don't think I've posted in this thread yet, but I thought somebody might benefit from a new discovery I made last wash-day. My hair is fine, texlaxed, and tangle-prone, fyi. Anyway, I've been sitting on this jar of Emergencia for a while and I finally decided to use it. I put it on, slapped on a shower cap, and started cleaning up. Next thing I know, it's a half hour later. (I think the instructions say to leave it on less than 5 min) So, I rush to rinse it out, thinking my hair is gonna be a tangled mess, but alas, it was not! My fingers slid through the tangles like butter. I'm thinking it must have been the collagen because the rest of the ingredients are crap, just tbh, lol. So... I'm off to buy three more jars.

HHG!

eta: I forgot to add, I haven't had any breakage since. That's a huge deal for me bc it seems like I can never stop it. Hopefully, I can get through this winter without losing 2" (as usual ).

 

[Rocky91]

i find that trimming about every 10 weeks works for me. whenever I try to push the limit and go beyond that, my ends start to look very ratty and the splits travel up, causing me to lose more hair.
can't seem to prevent splits completely no matter what i do, so prevention is the best cure.

plus I'm all about the aesthetics of my hair, and I like to keep up my blunt ends cause they look purty.

 

[Bublin]

Wooohoo. I tried the Aphogee Two Step Treatment first the first time today. My hair feels strong in the first time that i can remember and after it airdried it feels really really soft (usually i have a slight crunchiness).

To think, for the past 6 months i had thought my hair was sensitive to protein....it's exactly what it needed.

 

[temfash]

Wooohoo. I tried the Aphogee Two Step Treatment first the first time today. My hair feels strong in the first time that i can remember and after it airdried it feels really really soft (usually i have a slight crunchiness).

To think, for the past 6 months i had thought my hair was sensitive to protein....it's exactly what it needed.

It feels good when something finally clicks. I made the aphogee 2 step discovery last year and my hair has done a 360 degree turnaround.

 

[yorkpatties]

I enjoy this thread. I'd love to hear more comments.

 

[greight]

Aphogee 2-Step did wonders for me this weekend. Minimized breakage, for real. I did a serious trim about 2 - 3 weeks ago too. I think I might do this every 4 weeks (HATE the application process)... But I'll probably do a light protein in the mean time.

My next big step is finding a protective style that works.

 

[greight]

Also, tried KCKT. Eh. It was great when my hair was wet... Not so great when my hair dried.

I used Taliah Waajid's Protective Bodifier Mist on top of that. LOVE this! I bought 33oz

Doing a braid out (never tried one... always done stuff with twists). I hope it looks okay since my hair tends to look so puny! Fine strands can be so frustrating

 

[Bublin]

Also, tried KCKT. Eh. It was great when my hair was wet... Not so great when my hair dried.

I used Taliah Waajid's Protective Bodifier Mist on top of that. LOVE this! I bought 33oz

Doing a braid out (never tried one... always done stuff with twists). I hope it looks okay since my hair tends to look so puny! Fine strands can be so frustrating

nagawa Try putting those satin pillow rollers (or any roller, but satin is the kindest to your hair) on the end of your braids. When you undo them for the braidout your hair will look fuller.

 

[Iluvsmuhgrass]

How often is everyone trimming?

I try to trim as needed (which is usually every 4-6 months.) But I'm considering dusting every two months instead. My retention is ok I guess. I would be alot farther along if I stayed away from scissors.

 

[Bublin]

Question

Am in the only one who's hair thinks gel is water? I have tried them all and my hair reacts like i put water in it. It frizzes and poofs. Tying down with a scarf makes no difference.

The only products that come close to laying my frizz down are those hard gel types like Edge Control or Elasta QP Glaze. That is all well and good for my edges but when i'm doing a bun i can't put that paste throught my hair -especially as i'm trying to go cone free to try and strech out my wash days.

Sigh and shrug.

 

[greight]

Question

Am in the only one who's hair thinks gel is water? I have tried them all and my hair reacts like i put water in it. It frizzes and poofs. Tying down with a scarf makes no difference.

The only products that come close to laying my frizz down are those hard gel types like Edge Control or Elasta QP Glaze. That is all well and good for my edges but when i'm doing a bun i can't put that paste throught my hair -especially as i'm trying to go cone free to try and strech out my wash days.

Sigh and shrug.

YEP! Today's braidout was a fail! See below...

nagawa Try putting those satin pillow rollers (or any roller, but satin is the kindest to your hair) on the end of your braids. When you undo them for the braidout your hair will look fuller.

Thanks for the tip! I'm going to purchase satin rollers next time. My hair ended up being full anyway... It became a 'fro

I feel like the products I used were not good at all in terms of keeping the style. Not sure if it was the bodifier mist, not sure if it was the gel. However, it's like the gel basically turned into glycerin... I don't know what happened. Maybe when I put the Bodifier mist then Eco Styler on top, it had a reaction?

My hair is softer than a mutha, tho

 

[LaidBak]

So the fake bun I've wearing, thinking it would help me retain, has broken off my hair in the back. Apparently the way I attach it was doing more harm than good. I caught it before it got too bad. I guess now I'll have to find another protective style. :-(

 

[NappyNelle]

laidback How were you attaching the bun?

 

[TheCoilWhisperer]

I'm a fine hair, medium density and high porous natural. I've been natural for a little over a year now and here's what I've found:

My hair likes a mild weekly protein i.e hydrolized silk which can be found in Oyin's Honey hemp cond. I use this as a DC or leave-in.

Braids work out much better than twists because my hair is stretched whereas the twist can cause my hair to love on (tangle) each other.

Ceramides(sp) seem to be going on well. I use hemp seed and rice bran oils which keeps my hair soft.

Lastly, Denman classic (D3) is the devil! It detangles too well which at times has cause my hair to break or it just pulls out too many strands. Thinking of purchasing the D31 or D1431.

 

[LaidBak]

@laidback How were you attaching the bun?

I had bulk hair braided and attached to a small claw clip. I was just gathering my hair (its short) into the claw clip and wrapping the bulk hair around like a bun. Its super convenient. Right where the clip sits my hair is broken and uneven. I think its the particular clip I used. I've been wearing this bun off and on for years and in the past it helped me retain.

 

[FtrDrO]

BUMP!!! I'm interested in more responses. What do you guys think of using a protein leave in like Chi Keratin Mist, Aphogee green tea, etc. once or a few times a week?

 

[coyacoy]

ditto on that!! i am begrudingly learning that netiher twists nor braids are my friends !

I have fine hair (natural) with medium density. Its a lot of it. I am currently wearing my hair in weekly rollersets. I am currently shoulder length but I'm about to cut in a month or two. Throughout my journey, I've learned that braids aren't for everyone who has fine hair. Especially those micros and even sew ins. The best braid style for me is cornrows most definitely under a wig. I too detangle before washing. I find that my hair behaves better when its not in a ponytail or given the option to tangle.

I use to wear my natural hair in braidouts but not anymore. My hair loves to have relations with each other in its natural state. After washing, most times, I blow dry my hair straight without flat ironing because my Sedu gets it pretty straight. Just to keep it 100, when I realized that my hair flourishes with this regimen, my hair starting retaining more. Braidouts work for some people but not me. I have to do what's best for my hair.

The beauty of having fine hair is that it maintains great shine and when you rollerset, it look like you have a head full of baby hair. People always want to touch it.

 

[LaidBak]

BUMP!!! I'm interested in more responses. What do you guys think of using a protein leave in like Chi Keratin Mist, Aphogee green tea, etc. once or a few times a week?

I have both of those. I use them after I've moisture DC'd, if I felt my hair turned out too mushy.

 

[Seamonster]

Protein is my fine hairs friend. Make sure you follow it with a deep moisturing conditioner.

WhipEffectz1 coyacoy my fine hair does best in big ole plaits with a daily low poo, and regular protein. Micros are no no's. Small twist equal big knots. Flat twist or cornrow are good.

 

[Imani]

^^I just did my first twist set and they were kind of small and I had a little more knotting than usual. I think any size twists are going to give me more tangles and knots than plaits/braids (which is what Im usually in under a half wig).

I do want to wear twists periodically tho, but just not all the time.

 

[chosen1]

I need to update my siggy. Im almost bsl, anywhoo... Protein is the key for me. I have fine hair and protein is my key. I wash and condition every 4 days and I rotate between protein and moisture conditioners. So Im probably using protein once a week.
Aubrey Org GPB(Protein)
Aubrey Org White Camellia(Moisture)
Basically bunning and using wigs as protective style

 

[yodie]

I learned the hard way that twist outs were not my friend. I'm recovering from that right now. I'm beginning to think my strands need a light protein a little more often. I do use heat when I get my hair done. So, I think I'm going to start using AO GPB on dirty hair for 10 mins, shampoo and then DC with Joico moisture recovery treatment balm. Hair felt great with this method.

I eliminated the pressing comb. Now I blowdry and flat iron with steam or just flat iron. All of my heat appliances are tourmaline.

I'm sure this has been asked already, but just wondering how many of you use protein every week. I'll go back and read the thread.

 

[LaidBak]

yodie. I don't condition by calendar, I just go by how my hair feels...but I can honestly say that I dont think a week goes by that I dont use protein. Except maybe the week following a cassia treatment. I try to feed my hair as much protein as it will take. I have just learned to manage my protein better. I always follow it with moisture.

 

[MzSwift]

In the winter I use a light protein with every weekly wash. For me, Motion CPR (in the bottle, not the jar), ORS Replinishing Pack or mixing in an egg or full fat yogurt into my moisturizing DC work very well. I used to do henna once per month but I've added it to my cowashing conditioner and it's been working nicely that way. HTH!