tHE 2011 "4A pLATooN"....... 4A soLDieRs-oF-hAiR, wHeRe Ya'LL at?

[tHENATuRALhAiRpRoJEcT]

how are you type four ladies doing?

i'm noticing my old pattern of shorter crown, sides, front ....much longer back is still the issue

i use to think that my hair "grew" in this manner.... but I know realize its the different textures and more knots, ssk's, breakage, tangles in the front 1/2 of my hair causing me to cut

gotta fix this

 

[tHENATuRALhAiRpRoJEcT]

i will say this... I've always been aware of the some actually very valid arguments (on various forums) about texture/type not being necessarily being a factor in retention.... but ummmmmm I've been watching very closely for about 1 year now my contrasting textures on big arse head.....

i have seen the clear difference in my existing front (crown + sides) texture fighting my retention efforts while receiving the exact same level of care as the rest of my head (if not better)... for instance as a relaxed head my mom called this area my skunk area... it did its own thing/ never straightened like the rest (super tight coily/curly), broke off 10x as fast, appears thicker & more dense than all other parts of my hair, but again always shorter over the last 15 yrs

the back of my hair (now that my mom is natural -- noticed her hair is the exact same) is a totally different texture... as well as a different curl pattern
however, this area almost has never ever experienced a dauuuum tangle, ssk, or knots in general since I've transitioned back to natural.... again with the exact same care administered, it's breakage is fairly non-existent (in general), so the length is always (almost) twice as long

I need to get a camera so I can truly compare (someone else will have to do this for me) my textures & curl patterns b/c I am not gonna let this hair win (roflmao) #notwinning

my hair wants to grow in dauuum mullet and to the best of my knowledge the only differing factors is the texture & curl pattern

 

[CurlsBazillion]

tHENATuRALhAiRpRoJEcT I have a natural mullet too!! My hair in the front does have a tighter coil also. I always assumed all my hair was the same length and it just appeared to be shorter at my crown and forward because it was higher on my head. As far as retention, personally I'm starting to believe the hype that hair type doesn't matter, technique does.

 

[tHENATuRALhAiRpRoJEcT]

lol girl this mullet is a mess...

however, I only believe my own hype and that of science
but... for this little science project, the "technique" is applied equally at the same time, intervals, frequency, etc

yielding different results, so DayDreamist help ur girl out with another conclusion/explanation?

 

[CurlsBazillion]

tHENATuRALhAiRpRoJEcT now u know I ain't a pro. I'm green on here and all I knew about hair was the wrong things to do lol. I wanna ask u tho...have u tried whole head bagging???

 

[tHENATuRALhAiRpRoJEcT]

DayDreamist[/USER] ;13426889]@tHENATuRALhAiRpRoJEcT now u know I ain't a pro. I'm green on here and all I knew about hair was the wrong things to do lol. I wanna ask u tho...have u tried whole head bagging???

yeah lady, I baggy alot... however, that wouldn't explain the difference in retention (b/c i baggy & steam the whole head)

get them wheels turning.. I'm waiting, I know you can solve this riddle then I'll throw it in a book and sell it

 

[CurlsBazillion]

tHENATuRALhAiRpRoJEcT

...........ummmmmmmmmm...........hmmmmmmmmmmm......but if you....no that wouldn't work.....Well I've come to a conclusion. You baggy and detangle gently, you use ceramides, you do errrthing right....I say bring the mullet back into style that way it wont be an issue nah but for real if i had the answer I wouldn't have a mullet too!! when my hair is mbl it will just be naturally layered, until then call me day "the mullet girl" dreamist

 

[faithVA]

I don't know how I missed this thread. I will be back to peruse a little later. I just finished shampooing my hair. Let's see if I can get any decent "naked" shots.

 

[tHENATuRALhAiRpRoJEcT]

@tHENATuRALhAiRpRoJEcT

...........ummmmmmmmmm...........hmmmmmmmmmmm......but if you....no that wouldn't work.....Well I've come to a conclusion. You baggy and detangle gently, you use ceramides, you do errrthing right....I say bring the mullet back into style that way it wont be an issue nah but for real if i had the answer I wouldn't have a mullet too!! when my hair is mbl it will just be naturally layered, until then call me day "the mullet girl" dreamist

i think you're right
gonna rock these mullet t-shirts this summer

for real, it's the incessant knots in this area only that i find as problematic

so i have to forever keep it separate but equal from the rest

toodle-loo... off to pick out my mullet

 

[tHENATuRALhAiRpRoJEcT]

Ok. Here is my contribution.

absolutely gorgeous puff

 

[tHENATuRALhAiRpRoJEcT]

@tHENATuRALhAiRpRoJEcT

...........ummmmmmmmmm...........hmmmmmmmmmmm......but if you....no that wouldn't work.....Well I've come to a conclusion. You baggy and detangle gently, you use ceramides, you do errrthing right....I say bring the mullet back into style that way it wont be an issue nah but for real if i had the answer I wouldn't have a mullet too!! when my hair is mbl it will just be naturally layered, until then call me day "the mullet girl" dreamist

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ndlsPAFkbuQ

guess it ain't just me
AF has a section that's just goin bananas on her as well (and she mentions the coarser texture/tighter coil)... i'll learn to embrace it
and grow it

 

[dafnie]

Now that I'm finally natural (yeyyy) I can contribute!

I am 15.5 months post relaxer, I BC'd last month at 14 months post. I consider myself 4a with dense, tightly coiled, springy hair.

Here's a pic of my wet hair with NO PRODUCT.

(don't mind the little straight end strand, no idea where it came from lol)

I cowash every other day with either V05 or Aussie Moist. I usually do a shake and go using my own version of the kimmaytube leave-in and a little bit of ViaNaturals Moisturizing Gel. My hair seems to be doing pretty well. I'm still getting used to shrinkage but all in all I love my hair. I started off washing once a week but now it's every other week with SheaMoisture Shampoo.

I've measured many strands my head and I have a range of growth from .5 to 1 inch on my head after 1.5 months. I have strands ranging from lengths of 6 to 7.5 inches on my head right now. So I have been retaining length but of course... it's only been a little over a month lol.

 

[LoveCraze]

Ok so I consider myself a true 4A with a dash of 3C at the nape. Because of the looser texture back there, this causes me to also have the mullet-syndrome. But I refuse to cut it and will just work with making it all blend in. I keep my reggie real simple.
*Wash/cowash once a week or so.
*DC every wash day as long as time permits.
*Use henna as needed for grey hair which is about every 2~3 months.
*Protein between henna maybe every 2 weeks or when it appears I have more hair shed than usual.
*I will cut you over my curl activators and ecostyler. These help me maintain moisture and sets my hair.
I haven't done any wet shots in a while, (maybe next wash day). But I do have a texture shot from March and another hair shot just because.


This is a pretty good shot showing the different textures (mullet producing).

 

[tHENATuRALhAiRpRoJEcT]

Ok so I consider myself a true 4A with a dash of 3C at the nape. Because of the looser texture back there, this causes me to also have the mullet-syndrome. But I refuse to cut it and will just work with making it all blend in. I keep my reggie real simple.
*Wash/cowash once a week or so.
*DC every wash day as long as time permits.
*Use henna as needed for grey hair which is about every 2~3 months.
*Protein between henna maybe every 2 weeks or when it appears I have more hair shed than usual.
*I will cut you over my curl activators and ecostyler. These help me maintain moisture and sets my hair.
I haven't done any wet shots in a while, (maybe next wash day). But I do have a texture shot from March and another hair shot just because.


This is a pretty good shot showing the different textures (mullet producing).

you definitely are a gorgeous 4a... and a great example of the true 4a creed!

represent!!!!!

 

[tHENATuRALhAiRpRoJEcT]

considering i've never washed my hair (at least in the last 6 mnths) without twists.... i have no idea what my "unmanipulated" hair looks like

b/c how-n-the-helll could i wash this fro and allow it to dread into one big knot (as my hair attempts to do each and every wash w/ any twists that unravel) :-/

 

[tHENATuRALhAiRpRoJEcT]

Now that I'm finally natural (yeyyy) I can contribute!

I am 15.5 months post relaxer, I BC'd last month at 14 months post. I consider myself 4a with dense, tightly coiled, springy hair.

Here's a pic of my wet hair with NO PRODUCT.

(don't mind the little straight end strand, no idea where it came from lol)

I cowash every other day with either V05 or Aussie Moist. I usually do a shake and go using my own version of the kimmaytube leave-in and a little bit of ViaNaturals Moisturizing Gel. My hair seems to be doing pretty well. I'm still getting used to shrinkage but all in all I love my hair. I started off washing once a week but now it's every other week with SheaMoisture Shampoo.

I've measured many strands my head and I have a range of growth from .5 to 1 inch on my head after 1.5 months. I have strands ranging from lengths of 6 to 7.5 inches on my head right now. So I have been retaining length but of course... it's only been a little over a month lol.

your curls look just like mine wet... but i realize b/c i always have chunky twists during washes (then don't know what my real pattern looks like)

 

[lamaria211]

will somebody look at this head and tell me if im 4a or b or z????tia

 

[dafnie]

Regimen: Prepoo with extra virgin olive oil & shampoo twice a month with Shea Moisture Moisture Retention Shampoo. Deep Condition with a combination of Shea Moisture conditioner, Aussie Moist conditioner and various Herbal Essence conditioners. Detangle with Jilbere comb. Apply kimmay tube inspired leave-in (mixture of Giovanni Leave-In, Aloe Vera Juice, Castor oil & Jojoba oil)

I've been cowashing like every three days and if I don't cowash I refresh curls with water and headbanging. I sleep with a bonnet at night.

I have seen a couple SSK's but not really...

Products that work: Olive Oil, Kimmay Tube inspired leave in, Vianaturals Moisturizing Gel, Shea Butter, Aloe Vera Gel, Aloe Vera Juice, Castor Oil, Argan Oil, Aussie Moist, V05, Herbal Essences, Ecostyler Pink Gel (slicking edges)

products that don't: Coconut oil as a sealer... it used to be my relaxed hair staple , green ecostyler gel (crunchy), WaveNouveau leave-in (ewww), SheaMoisture Deep Conditioner (double eww), modified denman brush (too much pulling work and hair pulling),

questions: It's really hard for me to find easy 'protective' styles that I like with my hair length... think my hair should grow fine if I spend the rest of the summer doing wash and gos?

struggles: I am deathly afraid of dry hair. Sometimes it's annoying to cowash my hair so much but I seriously feel like my hair needs to be moisturized with water 24/7. I have done little protein treatments here and there so I can keep my hair at a balance.

needs: low maintenance. keep it simple. keep it moisturized. keep it detangled.

Fully dried wash, shake & go hair with just leave-in:

 

[dafnie]

your curls look just like mine wet... but i realize b/c i always have chunky twists during washes (then don't know what my real pattern looks like)

Yey another hair twin! I never do the chunky twists though, I feel like it's so much work (yes I know shame on me).

 

[tHENATuRALhAiRpRoJEcT]

Yey another hair twin! I never do the chunky twists though, I feel like it's so much work (yes I know shame on me).

so... you wash your hair and it doesn't tangle up ??? wow.. not my hair twin at all
i definitely get more knots than curls

 

[LayneJ]

Regimen: Wash & condition bi-weekly. Moisturize as needed during the week. The end.
Issues: Not really an issue, but...tangles with WnGs. I wear them anyway because IMO, tangles come with the territory.
Products that work: S-Curl, castor oil, coconut oil, V05 conditioners, Denman brush, wide tooth comb.
Products that don't work: Tangle Tweezer.
Questions: N/A (at the moment)
Struggles: None, to be honest.
Needs: Moisture and low manipulation.

Pictures: (1 & 2) close-ups of curl size; (3) '08 texture shot - semi-dry state; (4) '10 texture shot - semi-dry state; (5) '09 texture shot - 100% dry state

 

[tHENATuRALhAiRpRoJEcT]

^^^ just beautiful! how is the color going? any breakage? it looks yummy

 

[LayneJ]

^^^ just beautiful! how is the color going? any breakage? it looks yummy

Thank you!

The color is fine. I've had breakage but it's unrelated to the color; that has more to do with the tangle tweezer (whole 'nother thread).

 

[Shay72]

LayneJ
Beautiful hair . So it is true that with length it stretches out the coils. I'm fussing and cussing mine all of the time but I may make my hair goal SL curly bc I want to keep my coils. Of course when I detangle later on today I will be fussing & cussing again .

 

[tHENATuRALhAiRpRoJEcT]

LayneJ
Beautiful hair . So it is true that with length it stretches out the coils. I'm fussing and cussing mine all of the time but I may make my hair goal SL curly bc I want to keep my coils. Of course when I detangle later on today I will be fussing & cussing again .

my hair is so light... my strands being so darn thin... not true for me
my hair will stay fro'd out for a will... well see when i hit ceiling length tho'

 

[Shay72]

my hair is so light... my strands being so darn thin... not true for me
my hair will stay fro'd out for a will... well see when i hit ceiling length tho'

Nearly 11 months into being natural my hair is still growing out and not down yet so I have a long time before I can even think about getting to SL curly anyway .

 

[prettynatural]

Hello 4a ladies. I am late ! Anyways. My hair is strange. It is cottony with a lot of sheen. It is easy to straighten when pulled back. It grows in a natural v. I believe I have normal density with normal to fine strands. My problem areas are my crown(thining issues) and my back area. I have issues with split ends due to hard water and dryness. I have finally found a routine that works for me.

Sent from my SCH-I400 using SCH-I400

 

[Evolving78]

how long is it going to take for me to wear a ponytail? my shrink is something fierce and my hair acts like it is thick. i can't pull my hair back into one to save my life! i know i will have to be BSL to be able to have a nice one.

 

[dafnie]

so... you wash your hair and it doesn't tangle up ??? wow.. not my hair twin at all
i definitely get more knots than curls

Lol idk maybe we're more like hair cousins lol?
Oh no it doesn't tangle up at all. I just wet it with water, apply conditioner and detangle with a jilbere comb and I might lose up to like 10 strands of hair at the most.

 

[NikkiQ]

4a in the house!!! (except some of my crown and my edges )

Regimen: Co-wash 3-4x weekly. Shampoo 1x weekly. DC 1x weekly; Protein treatment once every 6-8 weeks. Moisturize daily.

Issues: Hair tends to dry out during the day no matter what style I'm wearing erplexed

Products that work:
Silk Elements Mega Moisture DC
Silk Elements Leave In Conditioner
Cantu Shea Butter products
Suave Almond and Shea Butter conditioner for cowashes
Suave Humectant conditioner for cowashes
NTM Leave In Foam
AO HSR
AO GPB
KCCC and KCKT

Products that don't:

Mane and Tail products ugh!
Tresemme Heat Protectant

Struggles:

Styling hands down. I can't cornrow or flat twist to save my life, but I'm learning how to twist and braid better for my outs. I think once my hair gets a bit longer, I'll be able to do even more with my hair.

Needs:

A moisturizer that lasts ALL DAY!!!