----- TWA: BOOT CAMP Edition! ----

[robot.]

I LOVE your hair! It looks so soft and pretty! Your eyebrows are nice too.

I'm a big eyebrow person since mine are so weird.

 

[theeREALmccoy]

OP, you read my mind! I lurk in some of these challenges but I'm glad somebody started one for us!

I have about 4 inches on my head...Transitioned for about 7 months & just couldn't take it anymore lol...

This was my hair at the BC (with lots of relaxed ends still smh):

Hair now:

Crappy pics, i know! Will upload some more later!

 

[Charz]

Good Luck everyone! I miss my TWA

 

[robot.]

welcome, theerealmccoy! your hair looks really pretty!

and thanks, Charz!

 

[theeREALmccoy]

welcome, theerealmccoy! your hair looks really pretty!

and thanks, Charz!

Thanks! The second pic is my first ever twistout. Here's a close up of day 2:

Here's my hair b4 the big chop:

I've never had hair longer than that in LIFE so my goal is to grow my hair long and healthy!

My struggle right now is trying to find out what works on my hair. I've been trying a WIDE variety of products (due to my PJism smh) but i've neither got really good or really bad vibes from the products...my hair always kind of feels the same. erplexed Maybe I need to start paying better attention so that i can know what my hair likes/dislikes. My immediate goal is to find my staple deep conditioner & moisturizer. What i'm doing right now is working but i'm still searching for the products that are going to make me go WOW!

Regimen so far:

-Co-wash daily/every other day
-I still wear wash & go's mostly even tho its getting cold outside.... I love the way fresh hair looks! I use Nexxus humectress as a leave in, some EVOO, & a curl activator gel (can't remember the brand at the moment). The oil keeps my hair super soft.
-Did my first twist out & used whipped shea butter...loved it but i've just been too lazy to repeat..
-Shampoo once a week or once every two weeks depending on how my hair feels
-Deep condition once a week...maybe more depending on my free time.
-Just started baggying...we'll see if it makes a difference!


What do yall think of this regimen? Anything i'm lacking?

 

[theeREALmccoy]

Bumping!


.

 

[robot.]

your twistout looks great! and i love the color! is it dye? that's the color i would like to go for!

i know how you feel about cowashing... but i only do it often during the summer. now that it's cold, i only wash once a week (twice, if i reeeeally need it). freshly washed hair looks the best, but it is hard to maintain, even at the twa stage. i can only imagine once it gets longer!

but if your hair is thriving, then keep the regimen that you've got.

what are the ingredients to your curl activator? i know a lot of them have glycerin, which can dry your hair out during the colder months. i think baggying with it would be alright, since you'll be generating heat and keeping your hair covered, but i know too much moisturizing can lead to mushy hair.

i don't think a lot of naturals have the mushy-hair problem, though, since it needs so much moisture.

 

[theeREALmccoy]

your twistout looks great! and i love the color! is it dye? that's the color i would like to go for!

i know how you feel about cowashing... but i only do it often during the summer. now that it's cold, i only wash once a week (twice, if i reeeeally need it). freshly washed hair looks the best, but it is hard to maintain, even at the twa stage. i can only imagine once it gets longer!

but if your hair is thriving, then keep the regimen that you've got.

what are the ingredients to your curl activator? i know a lot of them have glycerin, which can dry your hair out during the colder months. i think baggying with it would be alright, since you'll be generating heat and keeping your hair covered, but i know too much moisturizing can lead to mushy hair.

i don't think a lot of naturals have the mushy-hair problem, though, since it needs so much moisture.

Thanks! Its my natural hair color. I REALLY want to put some color in my hair though. mostly because I will be able to see growth better lol...but due to a horrible experience with color in the past, i'm super cautious.

& i realllyyyyy need to stop leaving the house with wet hair everyday. I don't get sick, its just irritating having the drippies in class

My curl activator has glycerin in it...and i use humectant and humectress as cowash conditioners...I heard that you weren't supposed to use glycerin products in the winter time, but I haven't seen any bad results from it. Maybe this is something my hair likes? IDK!

I baggied the other day & i think my hair loved it! I think my hair has a tendency to be dry bc i've never experienced the "mushy" over moisturized feeling lol

 

[AHeadOfCoils]

I need protective style.. Co-Washing and styling is too much for me because it's cold and I don't have the time anymore. I need a half inch or so more before I can get braids.

 

[CherryCherryBoomBoom]

OK, I don't have a TWA myself, but I just wanted to say OP that you're really pretty

 

[LaFemmeNaturelle]

Actually I do on my blog fabandbroke.com and my Twitter account.

And Sunshine has a similar cut to mine. Cute

I admit, I have been lazy with deep conditioning and protein trmts but I keep it moisturized and cowash weekly. I am actually about to start making my own natural hair products soon.

OT but fab and broke definitely sounds like something I need to be reading lol thanks for sharing your blog and I'll be sure to check it out when I get to a comp.

 

[itsjusthair88]

Hey...I'm all late! (LOL) Anywhoo, I don't have a hair blog (I have a blog...but not a hair blog, although I was thinking of making my weight loss blog my everything blog...sorry, rambling) but here is my hair (well a few pics of my hair now):

Besides the fact that my hair is growing stupid slow nono my hair is a little brat that doesn't like anything I mean anything, and moisture is a serious problem here during the dry Northern Cali winter. But heeeeey ladies! LOL.
You all have such pretty hair and pretty faces!

 

[robot.]

Thanks! Its my natural hair color. I REALLY want to put some color in my hair though. mostly because I will be able to see growth better lol...but due to a horrible experience with color in the past, i'm super cautious.

& i realllyyyyy need to stop leaving the house with wet hair everyday. I don't get sick, its just irritating having the drippies in class

My curl activator has glycerin in it...and i use humectant and humectress as cowash conditioners...I heard that you weren't supposed to use glycerin products in the winter time, but I haven't seen any bad results from it. Maybe this is something my hair likes? IDK!

I baggied the other day & i think my hair loved it! I think my hair has a tendency to be dry bc i've never experienced the "mushy" over moisturized feeling lol

Well its a beautiful color!

And I hate those dang drippies with a passion! Hate them! I'm only willing to deal with them during the summer, and even then, I don't like them.

As far as the glycerin goes, so long as your hair is thriving, go for it! Its important to pay close attention to how your hair reacts, so if things are going good, then great!

I need protective style.. Co-Washing and styling is too much for me because it's cold and I don't have the time anymore. I need a half inch or so more before I can get braids.

You could do finger coils. Those last about a week (longer if you take care of them) and they're easy to moisturize too.

Check out rimblu4 on youtube - she had a twa and did a lot of styles. I really like her channel.

OK, I don't have a TWA myself, but I just wanted to say OP that you're really pretty

Thanks so much!

 

[robot.]

OT but fab and broke definitely sounds like something I need to be reading lol thanks for sharing your blog and I'll be sure to check it out when I get to a comp.

your hair is so thick in your siggy!

Hey...I'm all late! (LOL) Anywhoo, I don't have a hair blog (I have a blog...but not a hair blog, although I was thinking of making my weight loss blog my everything blog...sorry, rambling) but here is my hair (well a few pics of my hair now):

Besides the fact that my hair is growing stupid slow nono my hair is a little brat that doesn't like anything I mean anything, and moisture is a serious problem here during the dry Northern Cali winter. But heeeeey ladies! LOL.
You all have such pretty hair and pretty faces!

welcome lady! your hair looks so soft and shiny! and you're so pretty, sis! what's your blog?

what's your regimen? maybe we can help you with the dryness!

 

[lovepeacesoul]

I would like to join! Finally a thread for US... this is right on time too. LOVE your hair OP!

I chopped on 8/13/10 and I've been blogging about it since then (A Pinch of Honey). I have a long winter ahead of me and I'm starting to grow tired of the same protective styles. Actually, I find that a lot of naturals in the TWA stage don't even bother with protective styles. But it's snowing where I am so I def cannot wash-n-go.

I've developed a 5 product regi that helps me keeps things simple and I really like it. I'm learning that less is more when it comes to my hair and products. I'm excited to see this thread grow, just like our hair! Here's a pic of my bantu knots from last week:

And a comparison pic too:

 

[robot.]

Pilar!

I follow your blog! I love it - you are so cute! I didn't remember how I found your blog, so it's such a nice surprise to see you post in here! Welcome!

Your bantu knots look great! I wish my hair was all one length so that I could so a style. My hair has grown out from a fade, and I kept my ears tapered and neck faded, so my hair is a bunch of different lengths. I will talk with my stylist about maybe getting a new shape, or I suppose I could just leave it as is. I'll have to take a long hard look at my head and see what I should do.

 

[theeREALmccoy]

Starting tonight, for the next week or so I'm gonna stop using my products with glycerin in them to see if I notice a difference. & This weekend, I'm gonna stop being lazy & do some twists!

BTW, robot. & lovepeacesoul I follow both of your blogs!

 

[robot.]

i wonder how your hair will react. i can't wait to see your twists. you look nice in your siggy!

 

[AHeadOfCoils]

Well its a beautiful color!

And I hate those dang drippies with a passion! Hate them! I'm only willing to deal with them during the summer, and even then, I don't like them.

As far as the glycerin goes, so long as your hair is thriving, go for it! Its important to pay close attention to how your hair reacts, so if things are going good, then great!


You could do finger coils. Those last about a week (longer if you take care of them) and they're easy to moisturize too.

Check out rimblu4 on youtube - she had a twa and did a lot of styles. I really like her channel.


Thanks so much!

I'm going to check her channel out right now. I am sooo over wash and goes... Well I think I am. lol



It took forever for this ish to dry today. I was not too thrilled

 

[theeREALmccoy]

i wonder how your hair will react. i can't wait to see your twists. you look nice in your siggy!

Thanks, hun!

Question: How do you ladies use shea butter and manage to keep definition? I just washed & tried to use some shea butter but at the moment I have maximum frizz.

Here's my naked hair ..clarified with garnier shampoo (very stripping, but that was my goal so I could start fresh.)

btw I have three textures in my head...loose 3cish curls at the crown, mostly 4a everywhere else..except for the random 4b teeny tiny curls at my temples

 

[theeREALmccoy]

I'm going to check her channel out right now. I am sooo over wash and goes... Well I think I am. lol

It took forever for this ish to dry today. I was not too thrilled

My hair takes forever to dry too....but your WnG is pretty!!

 

[robot.]

I'm with you SkysMommy, even a twa takes forever to dry! Now, when I have no patience, I do a quick blast from a hair dryer. I've heard great things about conair's yellowbird, so I'll probably purchase one soon.

But your WNG is so pretty!

And TRM, I've never gotten definition from shea butter or heard of people using it to give them definition just by running it through their hair. It may give you a bit of hold if you use it to twist your hair, since it is so heavy. I've never tried, so I'm no expert, but it wouldn't hurt to try!

 

[theeREALmccoy]

bahhh i figured that lol..i just wanted to see if anybody was able to keep definition & use it w/o twisting. My hair is very soft right now even though its frizzy!

 

[robot.]

maybe you could layer a gel over it? a friend of mine got great results with this.

 

[AHeadOfCoils]

Thanks, hun!

Question: How do you ladies use shea butter and manage to keep definition? I just washed & tried to use some shea butter but at the moment I have maximum frizz.

Here's my naked hair ..clarified with garnier shampoo (very stripping, but that was my goal so I could start fresh.)

btw I have three textures in my head...loose 3cish curls at the crown, mostly 4a everywhere else..except for the random 4b teeny tiny curls at my temples

Raw shea butter gives me absolutely no definition. I read somewhere that shea butter is not be used as a primary moisturizer or to be used as a styling agent. It's best if it is mixed with water based products or as a sealant.

 

[itsjusthair88]

what's your regimen? maybe we can help you with the dryness!

Thanks (about the pretty part...you are so pretty too and I love your hair!)

On to business...What regimen ?

LOL...I am veeeery low key and that is for a few reasons: I'm still on the fence about what type of hair I have and I don't want to try and battle 4B dryness with 3C products and I'm really afraid to do something to screw up my hair even more; also I just don't have the money to try every product that's out there until I find my"Holy Grail" products it just seems like the stuff everybody raves about is way overpriced (I pay for school on my own, I can't swing all of that), and finally I am just a little lazy and busy (a lethal combination) and I need some quick fixes.

I usually just co-wash with Trader Joe's Tea Tree Tingle, and then use a little of that as a leave-in and I used to spray a mix of filtered water/glycerin/conditioner on it, but now that I understand how glycerin works (low dew-point is no bueno...so no glycerin until Summer) I don't so I use some gel (maybe EcoStyler) and I go. I towel-dry, which I wish I didn't because I know it's bad for my hair. I deep condition with a mix of things once a week or so and I try to always sleep with satin/silk of my head.

Okay...rambling. Anyways, I think I need to find some good moisturizing products to wear this winter and I need them to be at a low price point; I really would rather buy some natural products and try to make some yummy concoctions...but I don't even know where to start!!!!

 

[robot.]

Thanks (about the pretty part...you are so pretty too and I love your hair!)
Thanks!

On to business...What regimen ?
A regimen is just the process that you do to your hair. Some people have very specific regimens, some don't have regimens at all (they just kinda do whatever).

LOL...I am veeeery low key and that is for a few reasons: I'm still on the fence about what type of hair I have and I don't want to try and battle 4B dryness with 3C products and I'm really afraid to do something to screw up my hair even more; also I just don't have the money to try every product that's out there until I find my"Holy Grail" products it just seems like the stuff everybody raves about is way overpriced (I pay for school on my own, I can't swing all of that), and finally I am just a little lazy and busy (a lethal combination) and I need some quick fixes.
There are so products that are for any specific hair type! Don't be scared to try something that someone else likes just because you have different hair types. Just learn what your hair likes, that's all that matters. Look up product review, browse blogs, study other people's regimens for suggestions but do what you feel is best for your hair!

I usually just co-wash with Trader Joe's Tea Tree Tingle, and then use a little of that as a leave-in and I used to spray a mix of filtered water/glycerin/conditioner on it, but now that I understand how glycerin works (low dew-point is no bueno...so no glycerin until Summer) I don't so I use some gel (maybe EcoStyler) and I go. I towel-dry, which I wish I didn't because I know it's bad for my hair. I deep condition with a mix of things once a week or so and I try to always sleep with satin/silk of my head.
How do you like this combination? I know that I can't leave in regular conditioners because they coat my hair and make it look dull.

I would sometimes dry my hair with a cotton tee-shirt. I know a lot of women do this if they don't have a microfiber towel. This will help you cut down the frizz that a towel can create.
What products do you have on hand?

Okay...rambling. Anyways, I think I need to find some good moisturizing products to wear this winter and I need them to be at a low price point; I really would rather buy some natural products and try to make some yummy concoctions...but I don't even know where to start!!!!
I am looking around for some moisturizers too! It is a process! But don't give up. What have you tried so far? If you're open to ordering online, I can recommend some products for you! I haven't really tried any moisturizers from the drugstore or bss (beauty supply store).

my answers are in purple.

 

[theeREALmccoy]

Thanks for the tips & info! I'm gonna try to use it with a leave in maybe....Be back with an update soon!

 

[robot.]

good luck sis!

 

[robot.]

bumping.