Simplicity: 4a/4b naturals

[jennboo]

Are there any 4a/4b naturals who don't put lots of product on their hair? I have noticed that if i put minimal product on (like a watery leave-in only or no leave in at all after i wash), my hair feels smoother, softer, and lighter. When i used to throw on a watery leave-in, shea butter, oils, the whole nine... my hair would get crunchy. Has anyone else experienced this?

 

[PerplexingComplex]

My hair gets crunchy with oils if I leave them in my hair. I only put shea butter on it as a leave in now, since it's winter. In the warmer months I use water, glycerin & some conditioner.

 

[Poohbear]

I don't put a lot of products in my hair.

When I wear it straightened, I just have grease in my hair. I don't apply it everyday.

When I wear it shrunken, I use conditioner or curl activator in my hair.

Less products = softer movable hair

 

[GabbanaGirl]

I have definitely noticed this...I have also noticed in the last few days that just a mix of plain carrier oils keeps my hair softer, and more manageable. I mixed Jojoba, Camellia, Wheat Germ, Castor, some Ayurvedic oils, and a few other light carrier oils in a bottle just testing them out, and it works great...it almost has the consistency of a polisher, but helps with frizzies, and that crunchy feeling my hair would normally have if I let it airdry with no product.

 

[Nonie]

Me me me

When I am wearing my hair braided or twisted, I don't put any leave-in products in my hair. I just wash and condition and ACV rinse while in the braids or twists and call it a day. I do baggy nightly to prevent my hair from drying.

When wearing my hair out in say an afro puff, I use S Curl and I only apply it on washday. After that, I just braid my hair at night and baggy and then in the AM undo and comb it out without reapplying the product. With plaiting and baggying nightly, I find my hair stays moist and soft and detangled without me needing to apply S Curl again till washday.

 

[CenteredGirl]

I tend to "water down" products. For example, my hair needs oils and leave ins. I mix the two together so it's not as harsh. When I do twists, I mix a bit of oil and gel, that way my hair isn't crunchy. Happy Holidays Ya'll.

 

[JustKiya]

This week is actually the first time I've tried going product free - and it's been, interesting. I just washed my hair, as I usually do, braided it up to dry, and I've left it almost entirely naked. I did use a LIL leave-in on the ends when I was styling it, but otherwise, I've let it be.

I dunno. It feels kinda 'sharp' to me - not dry, really, and not hard, but not as - flexible, as it feels when I have product in my hair. I used to call my hair piano wire (fine, and flexible, but could be used as a garrote in desperate times), and with product, it doesn't feel that way - but without? Yeah.

I don't know if I like it, honestly. If I had sealed with castor oil, and stopped there, that might have worked, better. I might try that tonight.

 

[Barbara]

No I keep it simple. I just use an oil blend.

 

[ShaniKeys]

I have 4a/b natural hair and I always say that my hair only needs two things: water and natural oils. My first year as a natural I used less products than now (and my hair grew faster!), but I've noticed that it hasn't affected my hair in a negative way though.

 

[Leeda.the.Paladin]

Sometimes. I'm a big product junkie, don't get me wrong, but sometimes, if it's humid enough and I'm not trying to inhibit any frizz, I will just use a good leave in. And a lot of the time I will just use shea butter on my twists.

 

[kenkaikim]

My daughter is 4a (or b) and I washed her hair yesterday. I applied castor oil while it was still damp and twisted it for the night. This morning I applied S-curl and a little castor oil. I reapply the S-curl and castor oil as needed, which is usually every other day.

 

[amara11]

I love to K.I.S.S

I love to try new products, and I'm still cementing my "staples", but I generally just do my cleanser, conditioner and a moisturizer.

Certain oils are okay, but my hair isn't a huge fan of oils at all- it likes water much better.

 

[kenkaikim]

I love to K.I.S.S

I love to try new products, and I'm still cementing my "staples", but I generally just do my cleanser, conditioner and a moisturizer.

Certain oils are okay, but my hair isn't a huge fan of oils at all- it likes water much better.

When I was natural, I did not use ANY oil. No matter which oil I used, my hair ended up feeling crunchy. I only washed, conditioned and applied S-curl. Nothing more, nothing less. I miss my natural hair.

 

[fletches]

My hair needs some kind of product with moisture in it. It's just dry if I don't keep it moisturized, and I live in a dry climate with little to no humidity so that doesn't help. It definitely feels crunchy if I don't use ANY product.

 

[Faith]

Are there any 4a/4b naturals who don't put lots of product on their hair? I have noticed that if i put minimal product on (like a watery leave-in only or no leave in at all after i wash), my hair feels smoother, softer, and lighter. When i used to throw on a watery leave-in, shea butter, oils, the whole nine... my hair would get crunchy. Has anyone else experienced this?

I have had this experience. I used lacio lacio as a leave in and then daily just oil (one) and AVON dry end serum and my hair was really soft.

 

[that_1_grrrl]

Yeah, I get that crunchy feeling too sometimes. Right now, I just try to make sure I use Vatika or Coconut oil on my hair. My hair doesn't need much more than that. The leave-in I used use made my hair feel sticky and hard. I used the last of it with honey the other day - BIG MISTAKE. My $0.99 conditioner works better with honey did that $16 leave-in. Pfft.

ETA: I just realized I went on a whole other tangent there. More to the point: yes, I keep it pretty simple. I just use Indian powders to wash, giovanni to DC, cheapie conditioner to CW and sometimes as a leave in, and Coconut/Vatika oils as moisturizers/sealers.

 

[glamazon386]

I don't. I usually just add a leave in. If I wearing a wash and go or a bun I'll add some gel but that's it.

 

[cutiebe2]

I find that since I DC twice a week I don't really need any leave-in products. I just use oils to seal and may use some moisturizing products when styling

 

[Creatividual]

I'm newly natural and don't use a lot of products on my hair. I moisturize daily with water or my moisturizing spritz and seal with coconut oil. I airdry with my moisturizing spritz and castor oil. That's it! The less products I use, the better. My hair is in great shape so far.

 

[Evolving78]

i use two products on my hair daily.
i use gel and a moisturizer to twist
i use a moisturizer and gel to do a wash and go or puff
i use one shampoo and conditioner.
this seems to be really working for me.

 

[suburbanbushbabe]

My hair loves product probably because it is fine, very lightweight and somewhat cottony/porous. I thought it needed protein until I became protein sensitive. It loves butters, layers of conditioner, and soft gels. Anything with too much glycerin will kill it. It usually get overloaded/dirty after 4 days and I co-wash or shampoo with Chagrin Valley.

 

[Napp]

i use a gel and leave in and my hair looks and feels great. i can't go productless though.

 

[temfash]

Simplicity for me is a leave-in and oil thats it, productless hair for me is suicidal LOL.