Afro textured hair has the appearance of volume but there are still variations in density. Hair density is determined by the number of strands per square meter. There is thick, normal and fine hair. This is usually determined by genetics and a person may take after a relative such as a parent. Hair density may affect the way certain hairstyles work with your hair. For example, cornrows with fine hair may result in too much exposure of the scalp, where the hair is parted. Certain styles may cause women with this hair type to feel self-conscious about their hair density. There are different options for styling and products that can help you to achieve the most from your hair. There are also different methods of maintaining and utilising hair density.
Going natural
If you have decided to go natural, you have already made a great decision for the health of your hair. Simply having your natural kinks, coils or curls will give the appearance of thicker hair. The absence of chemicals found in relaxers will also greatly improve the health of your hair. Fine hair is affected more by the use of chemicals and any damage that occurs will be more obvious. So don’t give up on your natural hair journey.
Styling
There are also many styling options with natural hair. Check out the series:The Versatility of Natural Hair. You will be free to try different styles and figure out the ones that work best for you. We all have styles that work better than others no matter what our hair type is. Afro textured hair appears bigger when it is worn out. So try twist outs and braid outs. As a general rule, the more you separate the more volume you create. There will be a greater risk of frizz but a little bit of frizz can be good, especially as it creates more volume. Try doing three or four large twists to create big waves. This will help to maintained volume but still allow you to enjoy twist outs. Wearing an Afro or a blow out style may also be a good option, instead of manipulating your hair into curls. This will utilized your hair texture and present it in its most volumous form.
Another option is loose two strand twists instead of the traditional ones. As the hair is twisted loosely it unravels slightly and creates more volume. This is a great protective style for those of you who are struggling to find a suitable protective style for fine hair. Check out Alicia James’ tutorial on this.
Finally, puffs, buns and ponytails are great go to styles for fine hair, especially as the hair may be easier to manipulate. You can use a donut to shape your buns.
Products
Light products are better for fine hair, as heavier products weigh the hair down. A water based leave in conditioner may be more suitable than a heavy butter. It is also advisable to concentrate on the ends of the hair when applying a leave in conditioner. If applied from the roots it is more likely to weigh the hair down. The scalp naturally produces oil that travels down the hair strands. So applying moisture to the ends may be all that is necessary. A little goes a long way with fine hair, so save your money and only use what is necessary.
A lightweight and water based conditioner.
Protein treatments are important for fine hair. The protein binds to the hair cuticles and temporarily gives the hair a thicker appearance. Choose volumising conditioners that are specifically designed for fine hair. However, ensure that you don’t over do it with the protein. Moisturizing conditioners are just as important to maintain the correct protein/moisture balance. Always do a moisturizing conditioning treatment after a protein treatment, to restore lost moisture.
Beer rinses are also believed to be effective. According to author Brenner, the yeast content in beer helps to plump up the hair shaft, resulting in a thicker appearance. Black Castor oil is thick in consistency compared to other oils. It is believed to work by sticking to the hair and creating an illusion of thickness. Although some claim that it actually thickens the hair itself, no official studies have been done to prove this.
Detangling
According to author Davis-Sivasothy, hair that is finger detangled tends to be thicker and longer than hair that is detangled with a comb. So adopt the best method for your hair and try to keep the use of a comb to a minimum. Although finger detangling may take longer, you are likely to see the long-term benefits of being patient with your hair. When using a comb opt for a large tooth comb instead of a traditional comb or brush.
Health
Head massage has proven to help restore hair that had thinned over time. Massage stimulates blood circulation which feeds the hair follicle and can encourage it to produce hair again. Exercise also does this, so make sure you are staying active. Drink plenty of water to avoid dehydration, which affects your hair. Eating a balanced diet with plenty of fruit and vegetables obviously helps our bodies receive key nutrients. If we lack important nutrients this may result in hair loss. For example biotin (B7) deficiency has been linked to hair loss. A lack of Iron which carries oxygen around our body can lead to dry, brittle and dull hair. Taking a multivitamin will help you maintain the vitamins and minerals your body needs, especially for those occasions where your diet falls short. Unfortunately, due to the way food is produced today many foods have lower levels of their naturally derived nutrients, making the use of multivitamins essential.
Most importantly learn to love your hair for both its strengths and weaknesses, which every hair type has. You have to work with what you have and appreciate your natural beauty . Avoid any products or gimmicks that claim to give you thicker hair. We are born with our hair follicles and throughout our life time, the number of hair follicles on our head remains the same. This is genetic; you cannot create more hair follicles to produce more strands. All you can do is look after the ones you already have.
Do you have fine hair? What advice would you give? Share your styling or hair care tips below.
Here I discuss this misconception and review some of the major mistakes I made when my hair was relaxed? Perhaps this explains why my hair never grew past a certain point.
A certain reality TV star was quoted as saying that natural hair isn’t for everyone. This was puzzling to me and many others in the natural hair blogosphere. How could a person’s natural hair not suit them? Was he claiming that for some women the only option was to alter their hair texture permanently or to be constantly reliant on weaves? This is fine if it is a choice but it’s unfortunate when women believe they have no choice but to rely on relaxers. This implies that there is something inherently ‘wrong’ with their natural hair.
It’s very rare that you hear people of other races make such comments. This idea simply isn’t true and is a major misconception. After making these comments he later ‘clarified’ on Twitter that he wasn’t being critical, he was simply pointing out that not everyone knows how to ‘manage’ their hair in its natural state, so thus it isn’t for everyone. Really? I use to think like this, ask many women with relaxed hair or those that tried to go natural and have since returned to relaxer. Some will say the same thing.
However, is relaxed hair really that much easier to manage? All I know is when my hair was relaxed it didn’t grow past a certain point. Now this may not be the case for everyone but many of us can relate to this. During my time with relaxed hair I also had to deal with occasions where my hair was over processed, which led to breakage and regular setbacks. Looking back now, I simply wasn’t aware of good hair care practice. The principles that I have learned since going natural are also important for women with relaxed hair. They don’t just apply to natural hair but are integral for promoting healthy hair in general. For example both relaxed and natural hair benefit from protective styling. If I had incorporated this principle when my hair was relaxed I may have seen better results.
Check out vlogger KinkyCoilyCurlyMe’s story below
Unfortunately, I believe many of us are still unaware of the effects of relaxers to the strength and overall health of our hair. This may be the reason why black women are considered to have the shortest hair lengths or hair that ‘doesn’t grow’. Relaxers may be one of the main reasons for this. Although there has been an increase in the percentage of women with natural hair in recent years, the majority still opt for relaxers. After reading The Science of Black Hair, by Audrey Davis-Sivasothy, I became more aware of what chemical relaxers do to the hair. I realized where I was going wrong when my hair was relaxed. I wasn’t incorporating the practices needed to combat the negative effects of chemical relaxers. I believe many women with relaxed hair are still not aware of how to manage their hair. I’m not simply referring to styling, which is usually put before health.
Relaxers weaken afro textured hair because they strip the hair of its elasticity. With little elasticity hair is more susceptible to breakage. Afro textured hair is naturally fragile as every kink and curl presents a potential breaking point. The American Academy of Dermatology found that relaxers make curly hair even more fragile and may therefore be the reason why the hair doesn’t grow beyond a certain point. Afro textured hair certainly grows, that’s why we have to get a re-touch every 6 to 8 weeks. So the logical explanation is that the hair is breaking off from the ends and doesn’t reach a certain length as a result.
Good practices for relaxed hair
So what are the good hair care practices that would have helped me to manage my relaxed hair better?
Avoid bone straight hair
Hair care experts suggest that you should not relax your hair to the point where it is bone straight. Generally it should not be more than 80% straight; this leaves some elasticity in the hair. I certainly didn’t know this when I relaxed my hair and my hair stylists didn’t follow this rule either. Instead they would wait until my scalp started to burn before they would even consider washing the relaxer out, this is not good hair care practice. Most of us believed that the straighter the hair the better. If our hair wasn’t bone straight after a relaxer session it would have been considered a failure. This doesn’t mean that such hair care experts are condoning the use of heat either in order to get the hair bone straight. In fact using heat on relaxed hair is not recommended, as this can cause dryness and breakage on hair that is already lacking in elasticity.
Wavy Relaxed Hair
Relax the hair less frequently
Hair care experts also recommend that you relax your hair every 10 to 12 weeks rather than the popular 6 to 8 weeks. This is simply because of the harsh effects of the chemicals in relaxers and the risk of over processing. The more time that passes between relaxers the better, as this would reduce your overall use of chemicals. How many of us followed this rule when we had relaxed hair? I relaxed my hair every six weeks without fail because I couldn’t handle the re-growth. I didn’t like the very appearance of it. If you were going to follow this rule, you would have to learn to blend the two hair textures. Again, the use of heat to do this isn’t encouraged and it is stressed that such usage should be minimized. Using heat on the new growth is futile because any slight moisture on the scalp will result in the hair reverting. That’s why many of us fell into the trap of using heat too frequently, in between relaxers. Some of us used it daily! It would be beneficial to try braid-outs and twist-outs in between relaxers as this will blend the two textures well.
Don’t relax damaged hair
Dealing with two hair textures in between relaxers sounds like hard work to me and indicates that relaxed hair is not as easy to manage as people would love to have you believe. From personal experience the longer I waited in between relaxers the more shedding I experienced. This gave me the false idea that my hair was breaking without the relaxer and so I needed to relax it as soon as possible. The cause of heavy shedding between relaxers is still unknown and this topic has been debated. It is suggested that you should wait for this period of shedding to subside before getting another relaxer. Relaxing the hair is such a harsh process and should be done when the hair is in the best possible condition.
Respect the mark of demarcation
This is the point where the new growth reaches the straight, relaxed hair. Hair care experts stress that when you relax your hair, you should not apply any of the mixture to the hair that is already straightened. You must only apply the relaxer to the new growth as this can lead to over processing. Well, I know from experience that this is almost impossible to do in reality. Audrey Davis-Sivasothy suggests that you cover the relaxed hair with a thick cream or oil to form a protective barrier between the new growth and the relaxed hair. This may be the best way of preventing over processing. In practice, I know many of us did not take this rule seriously and I have seen hair stylists applying the mixture to about half of the hair. They certainly didn’t take care to ensure that they only applied the relaxer to the new growth. Hence, this is why many of us endured over processing as a regular occurrence.
Protein and moisturizing treatments
How many of us knew the difference between protein and moisturizing treatments when our hair was relaxed? And the importance of balancing moisture and protein with our treatments and products? I can now concoct my own homemade protein and moisturizing treatments and I’m aware of the benefits. I don’t do protein treatments very often because I don’t have to, but with relaxed hair frequent protein treatments are a must. Getting the protein/moisture balance right takes time and practice. Protein treatments combat the weakening effects of the chemicals in relaxers. Regular moisturizing treatments are also important in between relaxers. Relaxed hair is even more prone to dryness due to the chemicals in relaxers, despite clever marketing to convince you otherwise.
I only had treatments at the salon once in a while and the treatments I bought from the shops were mainly moisturizing treatments. I probably should have been having more protein treatments but I was unaware of the difference. According to expert advice, protein treatments should be done every two to three weeks and moisturizing treatments should be done weekly with relaxed hair.
SimplYounique’s natural hair growth
After truly researching the effects of relaxers, I do not consider relaxed hair easier to manage. It also takes time and effort to maintain the health of relaxed hair. Dealing with the effects of chemical relaxers can be more of a headache, literally and figuratively speaking. I think it was a miracle I made it through my relaxed years with hair still on my head, because I broke so many hair care rules. Besides, you can still have straight hair when it is natural without the use of chemicals. If you are happy with your hair relaxed that’s great! You may still believe it is easier to manage. We are all allowed our own opinions and our individual experiences differ. However, I would suggest doing your research and adopting good hair care practices whatever your hair texture.
Click to check out hair Chime Edwards on YouTube
Whether relaxed or natural we should all learn to manage our hair correctly and no longer be stereotyped as the race that has the hair that doesn’t grow. Or that women with long hair in the black community must be bi-racial. I know there are black women with healthy, long relaxed hair too. But when I was growing up they were always the exception, not the norm. For me personally, it was not a healthy period for my hair or for my self-esteem. Now my hair is longer than it has ever been. It is a wonderful experience to no longer be reliant on weaves or extensions for length and thickness. It takes time to learn how to manage your natural hair but it is worth it!
What do you think? Whether you have relaxed or natural hair, share your thoughts below.
Sources
·The Science of Black Hair, Audrey Davis-Sivasothy; Saja Publishing Company 2011
What is it like to live in a country that doesn’t have an endless supply of black hair care products and numerous salons that cater to black hair?
The City of Adelaide
So I arrived in Adelaide, Australia last month and will be here for the foreseeable future. Adelaide is the capital city of South Australia and the fifth largest city in the country. It isn’t huge but still has all of benefits of a big city, yet maintains a level of calm about it. I did arrive during the festival period which was a lot of fun. There was an African festival across the road from my hotel which had some excellent live performances of traditional African music. One of the first things I observed when I arrived in Australia was how diverse the people are.
In Adelaide there is a wide choice of restaurants, from Asian restaurants in China Town, to Sudanese restaurants in the outskirts of the city. Quite clearly Adelaide has a growing African community which consists of those from countries in East and South Africa. Over the last two decades, Africans have come to Australia either as migrants through Australia‘s skilled and family reunion programs, and as refugees through Australia‘s humanitarian program. Other communities that live in Australia include those from the Polynesian islands such as Samoa, economic migrants and refugees from countries in Asia, and of course the indigenous aboriginal community. Australia is a nation of immigrants, other than the indigenous aboriginal community everyone there is likely to have connections to other parts of the world.
Rymill Park, Adelaide
Somerton Beach, Glenelg
Adelaide Zoo
Natural hair community?
It is a wonderful country that I cannot wait to explore. I couldn’t wait to interview some of the African women about life in Australia and to find out whether or not they have heard about the natural hair community, that is prevalent on YouTube and on internet blogs or forums. Of course it has taken off in the U.S.A in a big way and continues to grow in the UK as well. One thing I also noticed is that black beauty products are not readily available like they are in the United States; it reminded me of the UK ten years ago. Growing up in London, I had to go to specialist afro hair and beauty shops to purchase beauty products that catered to my hair and skin tone. In the United States they sell these products in regular stores such a Wal-Mart or Target. The availability of products has improved greatly in the UK but in Australia this simply doesn’t exist. For instance they have Target in Australia but when I browsed through the makeup section I noticed that the darkest color available was caramel. There certainly wasn’t any black hair care products either. I didn’t see any black hair care shops like Paks Cosmetics in the UK. Fortunately, in America you could go to a regular beauty supply like Sally’s and pick up products that cater to afro hair and those specifically for natural hair.
So I was curious to find out where I could go to get my hair done. Fortunately, since going natural and even before, I have learned to do my own hair and I no longer rely on going to the salon. My hair also thrives with basic products such as Shea butter, coconut oil and plain water. I have learned good hair care practices, so the health of my hair is not dependant on product brands. Therefore I wasn’t panicking because I had moved to a country where I couldn’t pick up any Shea Moisture products or any other popular brands that are freely available in the U.S. However, I still wanted to know where the African women in Adelaide go to buy hair products and if there were black hair salons.
Looking around I saw that many of them wore weaves and braid extensions. The first girl I interviewed said that she mainly relied on a family member to do her hair and she visited the salon occasionally. She told me about the areas where the African shops were and reassured me that there were black hair care shops and salons, you just have to know where to go. Surprisingly, she had never heard of the natural hair community on YouTube. She wore weaves a lot and her hair was relaxed, although she didn’t relax it very frequently. There was also a beautiful young lady from Kenya that I interviewed with immaculate braids, again she had never heard of the natural hair community. Only one person I spoke to was aware of it and she had considered going natural but said she loves her weaves. . I explained to her that she could still be natural and wear weaves.
I did see a couple of girls with natural hair though. Two had cute TWAs (teeny weenie afros) and another had two-strand twists. So there are women there that wear their hair natural and I’m sure there is some knowledge about natural hair but it is yet to grow in Australia. It doesn’t appear to have taken off here and I couldn’t find any Australian natural hair, YouTube vloggers. I am use to seeing blogs and vlogs from women in the UK, Nigeria and the US. If you know of any or have natural hair and live in Australia, please drop by on this blog and let us know about your experience so far.
Click to check out Miranda’s story on BGLH
Good hair care practice
If you have recently gone natural, focus on good hair care practice as opposed to products brands. It is good hair care practice that will promote the health of your hair, not necessarily the products you use. You never know when you may no longer have access to your favorite products or may need to save your money at that particular time. Besides, I find that my twists outs come out beautiful by simply using water and Shea butter. In fact some of the products I’ve tried made my hair too frizzy and were not suitable for twist-outs.
Here is a website I found where you can purchase products from America if you live in Australia. The shipping costs may be quite costly though. I hope this helps: http://www.blackhaircareaustralia.com/
Do you live in a country that doesn’t provide much choice for black hair care and beauty products? How have you adapted to this? Share your experiences below.
It’s amazing that so many women who are discovering their natural hair for the first time have also begun to consider their overall health. Many have now embarked on a health and fitness journey. If we are going to take the time to research what makes our hair healthy and what to avoid to prevent damage to our hair, how much more should we do this for our bodies? Hair and nails are the last to receive vital nutrients from foods. Our bodies are so amazing that they are designed to prioritize the vital organs. If we take the time to learn how to look after the least important part of our bodies; hair, then it’s only a matter of time before we desire to do the same for our overall health.
What goes on inside our bodies is reflected on the outside anyway. Having the best hair care products, the best regimen and the most creative hairstyles, will not get us very far if we are not healthy from the inside. If our bodies are not hydrated for instance, our hair and skin will suffer from dryness to reflect this on the outside. If we are lacking key vitamins and nutrients, it doesn’t matter if our shampoos or conditioners are ‘enriched with vitamins’, our hair and overall health will still suffer.
I am glad to see so many newly naturals not only embark on a natural hair journey, but also considering the effects of diet, exercise and a healthy lifestyle on their bodies as a whole. I often hear many not only discussing good hair care practices, but fitness and workout regiments, weight loss and avoiding processed foods or drinks. Not only are they avoiding chemicals in their hair products, they are also doing the same with their skin products and food. Quite clearly it has become about much more than hair, and I for one believe it is a step in the right direction.
I’m tired of reports suggesting that certain health problems are more prevalent within the black community and with black women in particular. Regardless of whether you believe such statistics are accurate, it should be a priority for us to break any negative trends and set a better example for our children. Many health problems such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease and cancer can be prevented by having a healthy diet and exercising regularly. Such diseases can also be cured or managed simply by improving your diet and adopting a healthier lifestyle. For example according to the America Diabetes Association, weight loss of just 10 to 15 pounds can make a huge improvement to the health of those with type 2 diabetes. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services found that overweight and obese women were at a higher risk of uterine fibroids. A diet high in fruits and vegetables and thus high in fibre was found to be crucial for the prevention and treatment of fibroids.
More and more women in the natural hair community, and beyond are realizing the importance of healthy eating, exercise and the avoidance of harmful chemicals. We understand that we no longer have to be reconciled to a lifetime of taking numerous medications. Instead, through education and basic research we can learn to look after our bodies as well as our hair.
Did going natural lead to a health journey for you or have you always been conscious of these issues? Maybe you are yet to embark upon a health journey. Share your thoughts below.
My top six tips for caring for 4b hair and retaining length.
1. Moisturize regularly
Afro textured hair has a tendency to be dry. With all the kinks and curls it is difficult for moisture to penetrate every strand thoroughly. Therefore we constantly have to keep our hair moisturized. Moisturizing in advance is better than waiting for your hair to dry out before adding moisture. This will also minimize the breakage that occurs as a result of dryness. A moisturizing deep conditioner applied after shampooing will give your hair a well needed moisture boost. How often you do this is up to you. I try to do mine once a week but if my hair is in a protective style like mini twist I find it easier to do a hot oil treatment instead.
Washing your hair doesn’t just clean it; it adds moisture that you can seal in for days or even the whole week, depending on how well your hair absorbs and retains moisture. After shampooing and conditioning, use a good sealant to lock in the moisture. A natural oil such as extra virgin olive oil, coconut oil or Shea butter will work well for sealing in moisture. Then check your hair during the week to ensure that it isn’t getting dry. A spray bottle with water can be used to top up the moisture of your hair or you can use a leave in conditioner of your choice. Make sure any leave in conditioner you use is water based. Water should be first on the list of ingredients. Some people prefer to use a leave in conditioner especially if they have their hair in a twist out or braid out style. Spraying your hair with water can cause frizz and not allow your style to last as long. I usually just lightly mist my hair and then rub some oil into my hands and pat my hair lightly. It depends on what style my hair is in. If your hair is in twists, you can spray or moisturized more easily. You have to do what works best for you. I think the main rule is to take action if you notice that your hair is getting dry, don’t simply ignore it.
Plastic caps are also good for locking in moisture after lightly misting your hair. You could wear one around the house during the day or to bed at night. You will notice that the moisture has remained in your hair overnight and your hair should feel soft and moist in the morning. Cover your head with a silk or satin scarf or use a satin pillow case. Cotton pillow cases absorb moisture and dry your hair out. Most importantly be aware that moisture comes from within, so don’t forget to drink plenty of water throughout the day.
2. Handle your hair with care
Once your natural hair gets longer you will find that your level of patience must also increase. Afro-textured hair is usually more delicate than Asian or European hair because the strands are finer in diameter, especially around the bends and twists of the strands. Therefore our hair is more prone to breakage with heavy manipulation and rough handling. 4b hair in particular is tightly coiled and every kink, curl and bend presents a potential breaking point. Growing up, I always believed I had ‘tough’ hair because my hair has a thick density. However, I know now that my individual strands are quite fine. According to The Science of Black Hair by Audrey Davis-Sivasothy; medium-sized strands are the same size as a strand of frayed thread. If your strands are thinner than this they are considered to be fine. If your strands are larger than this, then they are thick. I must be extra careful when handling my hair. It’s just isn’t wise to do my hair when I’m in a rush because there will be little broken hairs on my shoulders or on the floor! Be careful when styling your hair and use your fingers as much as possible to detangle, before using a wide tooth comb. Hair should also be handled when damp as it is more pliable in this state. Finally split your hair into sections before styling. This makes it less daunting and allows you to concentrate on one section at a time. This will minimize the damage and breakage from styling and manipulating.
3. Low manipulation and protective styling
Almost every time we style and manipulate our hair there is always the potential for breakage or damage. The aim is to keep this breakage to a minimum. If you have 4b hair, separating your strands through combing, detangling and styling is always risky business. Therefore the less manipulation your hair goes through the less breakage it will experience. Keeping your hair in protective styles or low manipulation styles like buns, twists, braids or updos, will give it days, weeks or months of little to no manipulation. This will give you a break from managing your hair and protect the ends of the hair from damage. It will also help you to retain length, maintain the volume of your hair and reduce tangles and knots. Be aware that leaving your hair in a protective style for too long may cause the shed hair to tangle with the existing hair strands and create more knotting. Also, failing to moisturize your hair while in a protective style, can counteract the benefits of that protective style.
4. Keep your hair stretched
The first time I tried a wash and go I literally washed my hair, raked some gel through it and went to dinner. My hair was completely shrunken, it looked like a TWA. I was happy to have tried a new style but I suffered the next day. My hair was so tangled I thought I would never get it back to normal. Although I tried to remove the knots and tangles with my fingers as carefully as possible, I couldn’t avoid the breakage and damage that occurred as a result. So I realized the importance of keeping my hair stretched. Other hair types may thrive with wash and goes but it is not always the best choice for us 4b girls, considering how tightly coiled our hair is in its most shrunken state. Others hair types may not shrink as much and thus avoid the tangles that result the next day.
Hair can be stretched without using heat simply by putting it in large twists, braids, bantu knots or through banding. Twist-outs, braid–outs and roller sets are also great styles that allow your hair to remain stretched throughout the week. When your hair starts to shrink in between washes, it may be time to take action. Spray it lightly with water (or use your leave in conditioner) and put it in some twists or braids before going to bed, to refresh your style. Even when I wear my hair in a puff I like to put the ends in twists at night so that it is stretched out in the morning before styling my hair again. Otherwise I find that the puff gets flatter and smaller throughout the week as my hair gradually shrinks. This creates more knots and tangles and makes detangling more difficult.
I have since found a better technique of doing wash and gos (see below) but the experience taught me a valuable lesson.
Naptural85 Winter Wash and go technique
Maintaining a Wash and Go
Banding technique for stretching natural hair
5. Trim when needed
It’s simply a myth that trimming your hair helps it to grow, as hair grows from the roots. However, if your ends are split, they will break off eventually anyway. Therefore it is better to remove them yourself as a preventative measure. If you are looking after your ends by keeping them well moisturized and tucked away through protective styling, you will not have to deal with damaged ends as often. Therefore you do not have to trim religiously, regardless of whether it is needed or not. This will simply result in you cutting off perfectly healthy ends and reducing your length for no reason. However, when your ends are damaged, trying to hold on to them can cause more harm than good. This can result in more tangles and knotting and your ends will look see-through and frayed. Hair in this condition does not look very healthy. So in order to avoid more knotting and tangles, difficulty in styling (as your ends are unlikely to hold well) and breaking hair, trim when needed.
6. Limit the use of heat
When I first went natural in my naivety I thought the only way to stretch my hair was to blow dry it. I blow dried it once a week after washing but I wasn’t deep conditioning to prepare it for blow-drying and I certainly wasn’t moisturizing it enough to replace the moisture lost in the process. This affected my length retention and I didn’t achieve the length that I could have. Since refraining from heat, I have retained much more length and noticed the benefits. Blow drying and flat ironing strips your hair of moisture and there is always the risk of heat damage, which is irreversible. I’m not against using heat but it should be limited if you have certain goals for growth and length retention. Try not to rely on heat but use it more as a treat or for when you feel like a change. Learn about the alternative methods of stretching your hair and experiment with them.
Feel free to add any more tips for caring for 4b hair and afro-textured hair in general. You may do things differently for your hair. Share below.
I was recently watching a YouTube video by a vlogger who decided to go back to relaxed hair. Her main reason was that it is her hair and therefore her choice. I couldn’t agree more and I am not against women relaxing their hair. However, one point she made that I didn’t agree with was that she had the ‘real African hair’ and that therefore her hair was somehow harder to manage as a result. Although she may have meant it as a joke, I do believe there is this misconception within the natural hair community that some hair types are harder to manage. Also, instead of saying good and bad hair we now say 3b or 4b hair. I get the impression that some see the 4s as inferior to the 3s and out of the 4s, 4b hair is seen as the ‘bad hair’ type, by some people. I do not necessarily subscribe to hair typing but for the purpose of this article I will say that my hair type is 4b.
4b hair is kinky and tightly coiled. It has a zigzag curl pattern instead of spirals. Hence, 4b hair types usually have a more fluffy appearance and a less obvious curl pattern. This is NOT to say that 4b hair doesn’t have a curl pattern. Afro textured hair is ‘textured’ by nature and therefore has some sort of curl pattern (I’m aware that some black people may have naturally straight hair though).
Styling
I have only tried a wash and go once and I did not get the same results as women with different hair types. My wash and go did not result in loose or tight spiral curls because that isn’t my natural curl pattern. I will try it again using a different technique but I know that no product is going to make my hair do anything it doesn’t already do naturally. This certainly doesn’t make 4b hair inferior to others. All hair types have perceived strengths and weaknesses. Even if my hair doesn’t curl up as much as a 4a or type 3, it doesn’t mean that I cannot wear my hair in a super curly style using perm rod sets, bantu knot outs or twist outs. 4b hair is still very versatile and easy to manipulate. It holds styles well and is a lot of fun in my experience.
As for managing my hair, the more I learn, the easier it becomes to manage. As I always say; it is never our hair that is the problem, it is simply our lack of knowledge. Learning more efficient techniques of managing your hair and even learning from your mistakes, is all part of the fun of natural hair. One of the greatest challenges with my 4b hair was shrinkage. However, after learning different techniques to stretch out my hair (without heat), shrinkage doesn’t even bother me now. In fact, if my hair didn’t shrink, this would indicate that there was something wrong with it. So in my opinion 4b hair isn’t any harder to manage than other hair types it simply needs to be managed differently. I subscribe to YouTube channels of women with different hair types and I have seen the beauty of them all, but they all have their challenges. For example very curly hair could be more difficult to manipulate as the natural curl pattern could interfere. If I had 4a hair I would have to learn how to deal with this, it wouldn’t make my hair harder or easier to manage, just different.
Negative comments
I have heard negative comments about natural hair looking ‘more African’ and 4b in particular being referred to in this way. Black hair reflects African heritage. So to say someone’s hair looks more African (in a negative context) just because it’s natural or 4b, is plain ignorance. Why is something inferior simply because it looks ‘more African’ anyway? That’s implying that hair which reflects European or Asian heritage is more beautiful. That shouldn’t make it more beautiful, it should just make it beautiful in a different way. It’s a shame that these phrases are used and a lot of the negativity is coming from within the black community itself. African hair is extremely diverse; no two hair textures are the same. Many women find that their hair is made up of more than one hair type anyway. Their hair may be 4a in the front and 3b towards the back for example. Again, this is the beauty of natural hair and these differences should be embraced, not used to create competition within the natural hair community.
Time consuming?
You learn more about your hair as time goes by. It used to take me four hours to detangle my hair, now I have learned to do it in less than one hour. This was simply by trying out different techniques. Saying that you don’t have time to be natural is again something that I do not think is a valid excuse. My profession required me to take a lot of work home with me in the evenings and it was a high pressured work environment. I simply had to learn to adapt my hair care regiment accordingly. I wore my hair in protective styles more often, which allowed me to leave my hair alone and gave me a break from dealing with it. Plus, since going natural I no longer spend my Saturdays travelling to and from the salon and waiting around for hours. I have always styled and managed my own natural hair. So I may spend more time detangling but I spend less time and money going to the salon to get my hair relaxed, treated or weaved.
So whatever your hair type, embrace it because that’s what your hair is like naturally and no product or styling technique is going to change that. Don’t buy into the ranking of different hair types. The hair typing system is supposed to be used as a guideline not as a ranking system of ‘good hair’ verses ‘bad hair’. Don’t go back to relaxer just because you have 4b hair, 4b hair is just as beautiful as the other hair types and has its advantages just like the others. Whatever your hair type, you are going to have to learn how to manage it and deal with challenges. If you love your hair other people will, if you see it as inferior then that is the message you give to others. There’s enough prejudice out there, surely we can do without the kind that comes from within our own community.
I am not writing this to bash ‘product junkies’. I like trying out new things and for some people that could be hair care products. However, I am noticing a lot more emphasis being placed on products, in the natural hair community. On forums, blogs, YouTube and social networking sites, I am seeing different women post questions about what products to use to address certain hair ‘problems’. For example: what product can I use to stretch out my hair? What product can I use to soften my hair? What product can I use to make my hair grow? I am thinking about going natural, what products should I be using?
I can’t help but believe that we are reverting back to the old mindset, that we simply need a magical product to make our hair perfect! This is opposed to simply learning how to manage our hair properly. Isn’t that how relaxers were presented to the black community, for decades? Relaxers, perms and texturizers were supposed to be magical products that would ‘fix’ our hair and take away all our hair problems.
This quick fix mindset is based on an unwillingness to do research and educate ourselves about our hair. It is quite concerning to see some women obsessing about products before they have even gone natural. This makes going natural a lot harder than it needs to be and I can imagine why some women find the concept quite daunting. When I first went natural I was living in the UK and most of the products mentioned on the internet were only available in the US. So I didn’t have access to a great number of products. To be honest the last thing I was thinking about was products because 99% of products in my local beauty supply contained harmful ingredients. I had learned about them through doing my research. I came to realize that most of the products I used when my hair was relaxed had sulphates, petroleum, silicones, alcohol, harsh perfumes parabens and other chemicals that I couldn’t even pronounce. It’s funny to see that those same black hair companies are now jumping on the natural bandwagon and releasing natural product ranges, to cater to the natural hair community. It’s good to see that they are taking notice and shows that we have a powerful voice.
However, due to the lack of quality hair care products at the time, I was only concerned about the benefits of natural ingredients. I learned about Shea butter, the benefits of plain water, extra virgin olive oil, coconut oil and aloe vera juice. This made my life a lot simpler and I wasn’t bombarded with the many products that are on the market today. I was able to focus on learning to manage my hair, and to this day I personally haven’t found a product that holds my twist outs as well as pure Shea butter does. I haven’t found a product that moisturizes my hair as well as water does and I stretch my hair out by simply braiding or twisting it. A product by itself will not make your hair grow any faster or longer. Protective styling, moisturizing and being gentle with your hair will help you to retain length.
Of course I enjoy trying out new products from time to time and learning about different products can be part of your natural hair journey. However, when all else fails, I go back to my simple usage of water for moisturizing, oil for sealing in the moisture and my Shea butter for styling. I’m not against products and I’m happy to see many black owned companies becoming successful. However, there is no product out there that will magically ‘fix’ your hair. You simply need to learn how to manage it properly. Some of us need to learn how to manage our hair with simple ‘juices and berries’ instead of looking for a magical product that simply doesn’t exist. We also need to consider being healthy overall; diet, exercise and water consumption can also affect our hair. Products can only enhance your hair, not make it into something it is not. ALL hair textures are beautiful, with or without the use of different products. Keep it simple when going natural and learn the important basics that will benefit you well into the future.
What do you think? Is there an obsession with products? Share your thoughts and ideas below.
Every time I travel, I always consider going to a country in Southeast Asia. When I was a school teacher I would travel during my six weeks vacation. Thailand was the first country I visited, where I went alone. I intended to go to Vietnam and Laos on that trip but ran out of money. Also, I thought as I was travelling by myself it was probably best to stick to Thailand, Laos seemed a lot more hardcore to me back then. Well four years later, when my husband and are I were deciding where to go, we both agreed that we should go to Laos and Cambodia. Neither of us had been to those countries before. We went in October to November 2012.
We started off in Thailand and spent only two nights in Bangkok. We didn’t get off to a great start as my husband left his bank card in the cash machine at the airport! We realized when we got back to the hotel. Thankfully someone was kind enough to hand it in at the bank. Whoever you are, thank you! After that rocky start, we made our way to Laos and planned to do a lot of outdoor activities. Our first night was in Luang Prabang. This was a nice city that has a night market and a lot of good restaurants. We particularly liked the stews in Laos; the Mekong Fish Stew was our favorite.
We planned a three day trekking trip with Tiger Trails, our guide was a very nice man and we met some cool people along the way. We stayed at two villages and visited three in total. We slept in a bamboo hut just like the other villagers. There was a mat on the floor with a blanket and a mosquito net. There were also outside toilets (the traditional Laos toilets) and a cold water shower. There was electricity for the outside lights that went off at 10pm; the electricity was generated by a tractor. Throughout the three day trip we did: biking, hiking, kayaking and elephant riding. It was pretty intensive but if you were reasonably fit, it was not a problem. I thoroughly enjoyed this experience but my only disappointment was that there was not much interaction with the villagers. To be honest they didn’t seem that interested in our presence and I was always cautious about intruding on their privacy or disturbing them. In total there were 7 tourists there. However, our guide told us that during peak season there could be up to 40 tourists. It seemed funny to me that even visiting the village (that many people do to experience the remote regions of Laos and interact with the true locals), could be ‘very touristy’.
Beautiful Mountains
The village
We decided to go to Vang Vieng for our next trip. We were horrified at the stories people told us. About how at least one tourist every month died as a result of drug or alcohol related accidents or overdoses. We had no idea Vang Vieng was known as; ‘the party capital of Southeast Asia’. I guess we were kind of out of the loop, to say the least. We heard that the bars along the river and the ‘partying’ activities had completely shut down due to the frequent deaths. We really wanted to try the outdoors activities that were available there so we decided to go. We were never interested in the party scene so it didn’t bother us that everything was shut down. We had a great time; we cycled to the Blue Lagoon (which was a very bumpy ride and quite uncomfortable) and saw the cave there and went swimming. We also climbed to the top of mount Pha Ngeun. It was only a 45 minute climb but it was uphill all the way. The Lonely Planet book talks about children coming to greet you, which did not happen with us. We also did Rock climbing for the first time, with Green Discovery. This was excellent, we were fortunate to be the first ones there and had nearly finished, when about 4 other group of climbers came and the place was packed. If we had come later I would not have enjoyed it as much because the area became very crowded and people would watch you climb. We also did the infamous tubing down the river, no drunken people in sight and you could see all the empty bars along the way that had been shut down. Only one or two were open. It was a very relaxing experience. Just watch out for the kids at the end that offer to guide your tube to the shore and expect a tip for it. They are very insistent. It was quite funny though.
Rock Climbing
Laos was very touristy, much more than we expected. Quite frankly I believe many Westerners are flocking there because it is extremely inexpensive. The two of us were able to eat out for under five dollars. Alcohol is also very cheap there, so you can imagine the scene. Laos appears to attract many young people who are on a break from college or are probably on their first trip abroad since graduating from University. I’m sure we could have found more remote parts that were less touristy but we simply didn’t have the time as we were also going to Cambodia.
What can I say about Cambodia? It was an experience like no other, and for all the wrong reasons! This was our own fault though. We went to the super touristy parts and I’m sure if we had visited the countryside, it would have been a different story. Angkor Wat didn’t disappoint in terms of seeing the excellent craftsmanship of all the different temples. If you are into buildings, religious and historical sites you will be impressed. It was all very Indiana Jones. However, the vendors around the different temples kind of ruin the experience with their constant harassing you to buy their ‘cold drinks’, random books, scarves or whatever else they are selling. We can laugh about it now but at the time it became very tiresome.
Then we went to Sihanoukville’s Serendipity Beach. This was a nightmare from the onset. Trying to lay down and sunbathe is impossible, as you will soon be surrounded by sellers, many of whom include young children. I made the mistake of nodding when one seller told me that I should come to him if I wanted a bracelet. Not exactly a promise, just a nod in my frantic attempt to get him to go away. Then I made the mistake of buying a bracelet from another seller (again in an effort to get her to go away). Well, when the guy I nodded at saw me wearing a bracelet, he proceeded to tell me off for buying a bracelet from someone else. Well this was the final straw; we decided we had to get out of that place. We only went to the beach because we were exhausted from all the outdoor activities and wanted the last part of our trip to be more relaxing. It was anything but relaxing! Even when sitting down to have breakfast at our beach hut restaurant, there would be waiters and waitresses coming up to you, trying to sell you an Island hopping boat trip. These were people that worked at our guesthouse, so there was no escaping them.
We were told about a quieter beach called Otres Beach and stayed at the Mushrooms Point. The food there was brilliant and the owners are super nice! The staff was also very friendly. This beach was quieter and there were fewer sellers there. Fortunately they were also much less aggressive in their approach. They would usually leave on the third ‘no thank you’. Whereas the others on Serendipity beach just didn’t give up! The only thing I would say about this beach is the surrounding areas were pretty dirty. When you are driving up to the beach it is quite concerning seeing it. Anyway, we were able to do some relaxing for the last couple of days and we met some really cool people.
A successful fishing trip in Cambodia
It is unlikely that we will return to Cambodia and if we do, we will make every effort to travel to the remote countryside.
Next time we travel to Southeast Asia, we will do things differently. This is what we learned from our trip:
If you are travelling for a couple of weeks (we had three weeks in total) do not try to cram in three different countries. I would advise you to stick to one. If we had just concentrated on Laos, we could have explored it further and visited more villages. We had planned to go to the North-West regions but we didn’t have enough time. If we had simply concentrated on Cambodia, we probably would have visited the countryside and more remote areas and would not have left with such a bad impression.
Thailand
Southeast Asia is touristy but I still believe that you can always find the non touristy parts. For example when I went to Thailand I was there during the peak season but I avoided the Full Moon Party in Koh Phangan (not my thing) and went to the Bottled Beach, which I found to be super quiet and serene. It was much further out than the other beaches and you had to take an extra boat or two to get there but it was worth it. The North of Thailand is also beautiful; places like Pye are worth visiting.
Cambodia
When in the touristy parts of Cambodia, do not think that the sellers are genuinely interested in you. They only care about your money, so do not engage in any form of conversation with them or they will not leave you alone. Just keep saying, no thank you. Whatever they say to you respond with no thank you. If they say they will come back later, just say ‘no thank you,’ or they will take it as a ‘promise’ to buy something from them later. Bear in mind that any children selling should be in school. Education is free up to high school in Cambodia. So buying from child sellers will just encourage them to stay on the beach all day, instead of going to school.
I would advise you not eat at the stalls set up around Angkor Wat. These outdoor ‘restaurants ‘have no nearby bathrooms or running water to wash your hands. So the people serving you food do not have access to soap and water either. We noticed, as we were eating that the people preparing the food would go into the nearby forest to pee. Needless to say we didn’t finish our food and politely left. ‘Cringe!’
Laos
In Laos we found that the locals are quite reserved so in order to interact with them, you would have to make an extra effort. They really appreciate this and we found that they are super nice when you initiate a conversation with them.
In our opinion Laos had the most beautiful scenery, especially if you like mountains. It would have been better to spend more time there to explore it throughly.
Guidebooks
Lonely Planet’s; Southeast Asia on a Shoestring is only suitable as a general outline of Southeast Asia. It highlights the main touristy areas of every country featured in the book. If you want to find out about less obvious remote regions, then purchase the individual guidebook for that country. Also, do your own research on the internet; do not rely on the guidebook alone.
What do you think about Southeast Asia? My favorite part is still the Philippines! But I am yet to visit many other countries. Share your experiences and top tips below.
When contemplating going natural it is good to take advice from those who have already taken that step. You can learn from their experiences and the mistakes they made. Ultimately, it is up to you to take that information and decide what is best for you. You can either decide to do the big chop, which simply means to cut all your relaxed/permed hair off, down to your new growth. Or you can transition. This means to grow out your new growth to the point where you are comfortable with its length, before cutting your relaxed ends off completely. Transitioning involves managing two different hair textures for months and even years. Before I went natural I only knew one friend who was natural. She transitioned for over a year and gradually cut her relaxed hair off. She wore braids and weaves constantly so I didn’t even know she had gone natural until she told me. For her, it was not a big declaration to go natural, she simply was tired of the negative impact relaxers were having on her hair and knew it was in her best interest to avoid them.
So when I was considering going natural I did some research on the internet and realized that I would have to learn to manage my hair in a completely different way and I had to avoid products that exposed my hair to harmful ingredients and chemicals. I also came across a few ‘natural hair journey’ videos, showing women cutting their hair, down to their new growth. This had never occurred to me before and I never believed short hair suited my round face shape. So I thought transitioning would be best for me. To be honest, this did not last long. I didn’t have the time and money to be constantly putting my hair in braids or weaves and quite frankly I was unable to manage the two hair textures. Even with very little new growth, my relaxed hair would began to shed like crazy and it would feel dry. I became more and more interested in the big chop after a very short period of time. I enjoyed doing my braid outs because that gave my hair volume and blended in the two textures well. However, even with that style I still hated having different textures. Also, I was simply eager to be natural. I was so over my damaged, relaxed hair.
I decided to cut my straight hair off and once I made up my mind, that was it. I found that the short style suited me and it was so convenient. I literally could wash and go. I would spray my hair with water and glycerin and my curls popped! I was definitely experiencing the honeymoon stage of my natural hair journey. It was great seeing my natural curl pattern and I received many compliments. Of course I would get a few comments along the lines of ‘what happened’? Some people couldn’t understand why I would deliberately cut my hair. I also did braids once, just to feel some length again but I was surprised at how versatile my hair was despite it being so short. It also seemed to grow back quickly. I think learning how to care for my hair properly and avoiding products with harmful ingredients helped to maintain my hair and I saw more length retention.
What to consider before deciding to transition or big chop
1. Are you someone who has to relax/perm their hair six to eight weeks on the dot without fail, or are you able to go a while without retouching. If you do not relax your hair as frequently as others you already have some experience at blending the two textures.
2. How would you feel about having very short hair? Do you care what other people think? You don’t exactly have to shave your head bald! You can wait until you have a good amount of new growth, so that you at least have a TWA (teeny-weeny afro) before doing the big chop.
3. Have you researched both options? There is a lot of information on the internet now, in the form of blogs, YouTube videos and even books on the subject.
4. Do you know friends or family members who have big chopped or transitioned? How can you learn from their experience?
5. Would you wear weaves and wigs while transitioning? Is this financially feasible?
6. Do you know some good hairstyles for transitioning (e.g. braid outs or roller sets)? Have you researched how to do these?
7. If considering the big chop, who would cut your hair? Or would you prefer to cut it yourself?
Nothing is full proof, if you don’t like transitioning you can cut your hair or trim more regularly to go natural sooner. If you big chop and you hate having short hair, you could simply put your hair in braids. Pick and drop is a great style for people with short hair because you can’t do it once you have medium to long afro-textured hair (as it will not blend). You could also experiment with wigs and weaves. However, it is important to remember the reasons you want to go natural. One of the reasons may be to learn how to manage your hair in its natural texture. Weaves and braids do not allow you to learn this whereas having your hair out forces you to learn, and gives you valuable experience.
Pick n Drop Extensions
I personally found it quite liberating to have my TWA, it proved to me that I was not defined by the length of my hair. It was also super convenient. However, it is not for everyone and that’s alright. Read about my decision to go natural in the post: Why did I decide to chop my hair off?
A hairstyle for transitioners.
A big chop inspiration.
MahoganyCurls did the big chop.
What did you do? The big chop or transition? How did you find the experience? Share your thoughts below.
. I explained to her that she could still be natural and wear weaves.
