This isn't working...

[CheerBear]

This isn\'t working...

My hair is nappy nappy nappy and looks like sh!t!!!! I'm 4b and 5 weeks post-relaxer and my hair is dry and kinky and will no respond to anything, not mango butter, not stay so soft, not water and oil, clarifying, deep conditioner, con washes....nothing!!!!!! It's upsetting me because Im not gonna be able to relax it for 3 more months due to my swimming cass and i just look ugly right now with my stupid non behaving hair!!!!!!!! Before anyone asks me my regimen...i posted it already...my hair is just dumb!

 

[fine_beauty]

Re: This isn\'t working...

Try other products and acv rinses. I'm testimony that 4b naps aint bad. It just has a mind of its own at times. Some products raved about do nothing for me. I've never used mango butter, I clarify with acv, deep conditioner still requires more experimentation but I'm sticking w/lekair cholesterol for now, I don't have the time for daily con washes and the less the manipulation for my hair the better.
Be positive (trust me no matter how bad things look, it helps)! Ok?

 

[DatJerseyDyme]

Re: This isn\'t working...

[ QUOTE ]
myhairsos said:
Be positive (trust me no matter how bad things look, it helps)! Ok?

[/ QUOTE ]

D I T T O

 

[sassygirl125]

Re: This isn\'t working...

I checked out your regimen. Here's my $0.02:

I noticed you use a lot of drugstore products. LOSE the Pantene shampoo! It's just too drying for most hair. Salon Selectives Completely Drenched, Breakthru and Optimum are decent drugstore shampoos. You may still want to dilute them with water.

Some of the moisturizers you mentioned (Just for Me, Pantene R&N, AB Olive Oil Cream) went on my hair nice and smooth. But within an hour my hair was hard and matted. It looked like shag carpeting!

Mineral oil tends to make my hair look and feel drier than it is noramlly. Look for less oily moisturizers. That's gonna be hard at a drugstore...

Try the yellow Kids Organics moisturizer in the bottle (the name escapes me right now), Empress Moisturizing Retainer (it has petro in it--don't glob it on), Daily Doctor, BB Castor Oil Lotion or All Ways Oil Moisturizer.

Finding the right products is a very time consuming and costly endeavor.

 

[pookeylou]

Re: This isn\'t working...

I did three things during my transition...condition washed, spritzed with rosemary oil, glycerin and water, and used SHEA BUTTER for my twist. My hair was super soft...and it stayed moisterized.

Maybe your hair is frustrating because you are manipulating it...would braids work for you for the next 3 months? Then you would not have to fool with it.

 

[Isis]

Re: This isn\'t working...

[ QUOTE ]
DatJerseyDyme said:
[ QUOTE ]
myhairsos said:
Be positive (trust me no matter how bad things look, it helps)! Ok?

[/ QUOTE ]

D I T T O

[/ QUOTE ]

A positive attitude really works wonders.

 

[soslychic]

Re: This isn\'t working...

[ QUOTE ]
would braids work for you for the next 3 months? Then you would not have to fool with it.

[/ QUOTE ]

This is what I was gonna suggest. It sounds like a good idea to me.

 

[Laela]

Re: This isn\'t working...

CheerBear, what a cute name...

sorry your combatting dryness; I sometimes get that. You mention swimming.. it could be chlorine in the water drying up your hair. Do you protect your hair when you're in swimming class?

 

[Blacktresses]

Re: This isn\'t working...

[ QUOTE ]
CheerBear said:
My hair is nappy nappy nappy and looks like sh!t!!!! I'm 4b and 5 weeks post-relaxer and my hair is dry and kinky and will no respond to anything, not mango butter, not stay so soft, not water and oil, clarifying, deep conditioner, con washes....nothing!!!!!! It's upsetting me because Im not gonna be able to relax it for 3 more months due to my swimming cass and i just look ugly right now with my stupid non behaving hair!!!!!!!! Before anyone asks me my regimen...i posted it already...my hair is just dumb!

[/ QUOTE ]

Did you use the products daily or weekly

It took my hair 2 months before it start to respond to the products ( that you listed above )

I had to experiment to find the products that responded to my hair. I had hard water and lost 4 inches of hair from most of the crown to the nape of my neck

I was devastated!!! But I took it in stride as I cryed. I didn't use oil to seal the moisture into the hair. Now I have seen slow growth ( and I have not trimmed any hair at all). Where I was balding Surge has shown tremendous growth. Where I had thinning hair and split ends carrier and essential oils has thicken. Where I had triple dry hair olive oil and essential oil heat treatments twice a week added moisture. Eventhough the growth is slow...I'm

happy to see that the hair has not only grown back but is healthier, much thicker and much more moisturized.

Please... don't give up.....we are here to help you find solutions.....
I really hope this helps.

 

[BrownBetty]

Re: This isn\'t working...

You should also wash your hair with neutralizer after you each swim, then follow your regime. I also think you might want to try wild growth oil, did wonders for my hair. And Giovanni direct leave in.

 

[keylargo]

Re: This isn\'t working...

[ QUOTE ]
sassygirl125 said:
I checked out your regimen. Here's my $0.02:

I noticed you use a lot of drugstore products. LOSE the Pantene shampoo! It's just too drying for most hair. Salon Selectives Completely Drenched, Breakthru and Optimum are decent drugstore shampoos. You may still want to dilute them with water.

Some of the moisturizers you mentioned (Just for Me, Pantene R&N, AB Olive Oil Cream) went on my hair nice and smooth. But within an hour my hair was hard and matted. It looked like shag carpeting!

Mineral oil tends to make my hair look and feel drier than it is noramlly. Look for less oily moisturizers. That's gonna be hard at a drugstore...

Try the yellow Kids Organics moisturizer in the bottle (the name escapes me right now), Empress Moisturizing Retainer (it has petro in it--don't glob it on), Daily Doctor, BB Castor Oil Lotion or All Ways Oil Moisturizer.

Finding the right products is a very time consuming and costly endeavor.

[/ QUOTE ]

I completely agree. I have 4a/b relaxed hair that's on the thin side. I was able to go 9 weeks post relaxer this time. I'm aiming to go longer this time. Pantene makes my hair dry too. Some conditioners to try, Keracare Humecto,Deep Brilliance Reconstruct. If you don't want to spend $10 on conditioner, try Jason's Sea Kelp or Aubrey Aloe and Jojoba oil conditioner. I think they are between $5-$10. If you want really inexpensive, try Suave Tropical Coconut or LeKair's Cholestoral with Aloe.

I also like the Giovanni Direct leave-in. Stay Sof Fro or Carefree Curl moisturizers are good. I love Carefree curl Gold Oil free activator. It leaves hair nice and moist. Of course, you can only wear protective styles when you use these moisturizers. I wear a fake ponytail most of the time with a baggie covering my ends.

 

[jainygirl]

Re: This isn\'t working...

i'm 4a/b and went 13.5 weeks post relaxer and i do think it's possible for you to go thru it without going wacko

i used Sta Sof Fro to soften my new growth and i washed my hair once every 8-10 days which works fine for me. one thing you will have to realize is that we do have 4a/b hair and it comes out coily anyway so after so much time post relaxer you just are not going to be able to sport super straight non nappy looking styles without applying LOTS of heat and possibly causing damage and ruining all the progress that you have made. i know for me i dont care if people see my naps. as long as my hair is clean, pulled back into a nice bun and not all over the place--people should expect to see naps growing out of my head since that is how my hair grows in naturally. you have to just set goals. you can try to have both, you can try to keep your hair looking super sleek and hope you are able to also retain length, or you can sacrifice and look like a regular nice girl-sporting your bun or whatever low maintanence style you choose, and watch the growth just ROLL on in

I noticed that it actually got easier for me to maintain my newgrowth as i got more of it

remember that your newgrowth and relaxed hair are 2 different textures and just treat them each accordingly. i would take time out for my newgrowth and spray it with it's own products and stuff just like i would for my ends and it's products. HTH---jainygirl

 

[Erica78]

Re: This isn\'t working...

[ QUOTE ]
sassygirl125 said:
LOSE the Pantene shampoo! It's just too drying for most hair.

[/ QUOTE ]

Good Advice Sassy. I used Pantene about 2 weeks ago and it dried my scalp out!

I Only used it twice too!

 

[sassygirl125]

Re: This isn\'t working...

You said conditioner washes didn't work for you. Try using a different conditioner.

The neutralizing after swimming sounds like a good idea, too.

 

[A_Christian]

Re: This isn\'t working...

Hey Cheerbear

. I have mostly 4a, relaxed hair. Kera Care works wonders for me. You can get many of the products from Dillard's salon in Kenwood Towne Center and the JC Penney Salon in Tri-County Mall. (I'm from Cinci). Have you considered getting braids? The stylist I go to when I'm there can do all types of hair and she is excellent at what she does. If you want her information I can send you a pm later, just let me know. I'm sure with all of the great advice you get here, your hair will start doing better in no time.

 

[CheerBear]

Re: This isn\'t working...

Thanks for all the advice guys..I think I am going to give up on the drugstore products..my old stylist prescribed the KeraCare line to me anyhow. I do manipulate my hair waaaaay too much, and unnessecarily at that...braids are an options, but would micros or singles work if theyre gonna be wet everyday?? Cornrows and me dont get along well not to mention they're not flattering to my round face

 

[KathyMay]

Re: This isn\'t working...

Skip the micros braids they tend to thin the hair out