I'm currently growing out a perm & my new growth is coming in super thick. I haven't really combed through it too much because even with a wide-toothed comb it's hard to get through & I don't want half of my hair in the comb. Is my hair giving me a hard time because it's currently two completely different textures? & What hair products can I use to soften it & make it more manageable?
You're right about it giving you a hard time because it's two different textures. My advice would be to find a leave-in conditioner or moisturizer that you would use purposely for your new growth to soften it. It might help to find out your. natural hair type from looking at your new growth. You might have to experiment with a few products to see what works. Join this site called hairlista.com. It's free and wonderful! It's for naturals, relaxed, transitioners, texlaxed and more. LOTS of information! Check it out, I love it! Hope this helps
I found it easier to do my hair when I put warm olive oil in it before shampooing for a half hour. It worked wonders. Also you can find Shea Moisture products at Target that work well and Carols Daughter has a transitioning kit and have great hair products.
First things first, when transitioning you have to have patience. You're hair is not used to being in it's natural state. When combing through your hair you want to always remember not to comb it dry. Your hair is at it's weakest because you have this new growth and at the ends is your chemically treated hair. You want to make sure where your natural hair meets the chemical hair is always moisturized. Also as far as your hair type, unless your new growth is a couple of inches, you're not going to really know your hair type. When I transition, I thought I was a 4a/b hair from my roots. When I cut my hair off I realized that I had 4abc (mainly C) hair. I agree with Laporsha, you'll have to try different products to see what works for your hair. You stated your hair is super thick, I'll suggest anything that has shea butter in it. To detangle your hair, I heard that Sauve is great. It's going to take a while for your hair to get to that "soft feel". My favorite oils are Coconut, Extra Virgin Olive and Peppermint. A moisturizing product that I really like with my thick hair is Elasta QP Olive Oil and Mango Butter moisturizer. I hope this helps. Once you cut those perm ends your hair is going to grow like crazy.
I've been using it for only a month but I love it. I have a protective style right now so I use it only on my roots with my spritz mixture and coconut oil. It's thick enough for my 4C hair.
@Brittany you want to try a co-wash (conditioner only) most of the time. Use a shampoo maybe once a month. If you must shampoo your hair, try pre-pooing before you shampoo your hair.
Welcome!!! :D
@Shannon W Coconut oil is my go to oil. I have a really dry scalp that flakes and Coconut oil is the only thing that helps. Its a must in my hair routine!
The coconut oil by organic root stimulator is amazing!!! Only thing is, when it reaches below a certain temperature it hardens. But run the bottle under warm water and problem solved
Pre-pooing is a prep to your hair when you're going to use a sulfate shampoo. It's supposed to increase moisture and strength to your hair. I use coconut oil, olive oil, jamaican castor oil and any conditioner.
I would pick up some marshmallow root powder if I were you. I'm not a transitioning, but I do long relaxer stretches. I found that adding marshmallow root powder to my homemade detangling spray has aided me in detangling my 4b/4c hair. Always start from the bottom up when detangling. I also suggest detangling on hair that has been moisturized thoroughly to not only help prevent breakage, but to help any knots slip out without breaking your hair off in the process. Transitioning will be a learning process. As Pamela suggested, find products that your hair loves; it will make transitioning a lot easier for you. Try different styles that blend your two textures and that helps the line of demarcation not be so harsh. That is where a lot of breakage tends to happen when either stretching relaxers or transitioning.
I transitioned the first time in '93 and again in '97. When stretched out, my hair length is to my bra line. You'll have to cut your permed hair off soon or risk damaging your virgin hair. Your virgin hair may require different products than your permed hair; one of which is water. Virgin hair is curly and curly hair needs moisture.
Many people will throw product suggestions at you, but the fun part is finding out what works best for your hair and your budget. Start paying close attention to the ingredients list in all your products because there are some that may be drying out your hair, leading to breakage. You may know this already, but I would first suggest throwing out all of the products that contain mineral oil/petroleum and sulfates. Mineral oil is a cheap ingredient found in many products geared toward black hair, but it secretly dries the hair out. It prevents moisture from getting to your hair, drying it out and causing breakage. Sulfates is a detergent found in shampoos that strips too much moisture from your hair. Stick to sulfate free shampoo. I work out a lot, so I only shampoo my scalp and co-wash the rest. Start with cheap, water conditioners (Suave, Vo5). My hair loves Trader Joe's and Yes to Cucumbers conditioner. I have a ton of hair and have to keep it twisted. I clean my hair while it's twisted to cut down on detangling, try sectioning off your hair while cleansing. You can also saturate your hair with conditioner, then detangle.
You'll need some kind of conditioner/cream/oil for styling. Make sure it has good 'slip' so it will help detangle your hair without breakage. Since I have a lot of hair, it's easier and cheaper for me to make my own conditioning cream. Find a good Leave-in conditioner or a 100% natural conditioner because you can use it as a Leave-in as well.
Your hair will also need some oil to lock-in the moisture and keep it soft. Some good ones are raw shea butter (East Coast African shea is softer and easier to use than West Coast, but pricier), raw coconut oil, castor oil (I love Jamaican castor oil), almond, jojoba, raw mango butter, olive oil. Of course some oils are heavier than others, if your hair has a fine texture, it won't like the heavier oils. My hair hates olive and coconut oil and jojoba oil is too thin, but it loves castor and shea.
Find a good spritzer bottle for water. Don't try to detangle your hair while dry.
You won't get to know your real hair until you cut off your perm. A great site for curly hair (forum) is naturallycurlydotcom. You'll get great info on there too. Good luck.
Try detangling your hair while it's wet with conditioner in it. This works best for me when I'm in the shower! Try sectioning your hair and combing from the ends to the root. Product wise, it's all about trying to find something that works for you. Some people choose not to use sulfates, but they don't bother my hair.
@ andrea c a hot oil treatment definitely sounds like what i should do. Is Shea Moisture expensive?
@Pamela W i was definitely trying to comb it dry smh i don't know why i didn't think to try it while saturated with conditioner. Also, my hair is soft but thick at the same time. It's complicated & i don't understand it! lol but seriously, that was some really great advice & info. thank u!
@Pamela W i figured i should probably do exactly what u said with co-washing most of the time & shampooing once a month. Thanks for confirming that, because at first i wasn't sure if that was what i was supposed to do :)
@Shannon W thank u, I'm gonna check that out!
@Alisha M. thanks! where did u purchase it? It sounds great!
@Latia C thank u for that info. where can u find marshmallow root powder??
@Nichole M i think I'm about ready for the big chop! I'm getting sick of having 2 completely different textures that hate each other. I think I'll feel so much more free when I get it over with. That makes so much sense! Also, i will make absolute sure i watch out 4 mineral oil. That's crazy because it actually sounds like something that helps retain moisture smh. & NO sulfates in my shampoo . Got it! Great info, love!
@Tirane H i am definitely adding that to my hair care routine. Thanks alot :)
& to anyone who can answer this question, if u big chopped, did u get it done professionally or do it yourself? What was the process like? Thank you beauties ♥
I swear by co-washing. I love it! And coconut oil is amazing as a sealer, but not as a moisturizer, so a leave in conditioner or some kind of butter and then an oil of your choice. Also! Deep conditioning! The best treatment for stubborn hair, I promise.
I did my big chop at home, but my friend who is a stylist did it. As long as you're ready, and your sure that its what you want, it's not so traumatic. I did mine a little early and I rocked a twa for a while. It's fairly easy. We did it while my hair was wet, detangled the curls, and snipped out what was straight.
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Jan 10, 2013
Brittany B.
I'm currently growing out a perm & my new growth is coming in super thick. I haven't really combed through it too much because even with a wide-toothed comb it's hard to get through & I don't want half of my hair in the comb. Is my hair giving me a hard time because it's currently two completely different textures? & What hair products can I use to soften it & make it more manageable?
Jan 10, 2013
Emily A.
Maybe try a de tangler
Jan 10, 2013
LaPorsha B.
You're right about it giving you a hard time because it's two different textures. My advice would be to find a leave-in conditioner or moisturizer that you would use purposely for your new growth to soften it. It might help to find out your. natural hair type from looking at your new growth. You might have to experiment with a few products to see what works. Join this site called hairlista.com. It's free and wonderful! It's for naturals, relaxed, transitioners, texlaxed and more. LOTS of information! Check it out, I love it! Hope this helps
Jan 10, 2013
Brittany B.
@Emily thanks! :)
@ LaPorsha that helped a lot & I'll make sure i join that site. thank youuuu. ^_^
Jan 10, 2013
Jorie C.
Also you can join curly nikki it gives great advice about hair care, hair types, and many.different hairstyles.
Jan 10, 2013
Andrea C.
I found it easier to do my hair when I put warm olive oil in it before shampooing for a half hour. It worked wonders. Also you can find Shea Moisture products at Target that work well and Carols Daughter has a transitioning kit and have great hair products.
Jan 10, 2013
Pamela W.
This is my hair from July to December
Jan 10, 2013
LaPorsha B.
@pamela, I've been wanting to try the elasta qp mango butter. How long have u been using it and how often do u moisturize with it?
Jan 10, 2013
Pamela W.
I've been using it for only a month but I love it. I have a protective style right now so I use it only on my roots with my spritz mixture and coconut oil. It's thick enough for my 4C hair.
Jan 10, 2013
Pamela W.
@Brittany you want to try a co-wash (conditioner only) most of the time. Use a shampoo maybe once a month. If you must shampoo your hair, try pre-pooing before you shampoo your hair.
Jan 10, 2013
LaPorsha B.
Okay thanks Pamela!!
Jan 10, 2013
Shannon W.
I have a salon and one of my African-American co workers swears by coconut oil. I'm even hooked now.
Jan 10, 2013
Pamela W.
Welcome!!! :D
@Shannon W Coconut oil is my go to oil. I have a really dry scalp that flakes and Coconut oil is the only thing that helps. Its a must in my hair routine!
Jan 10, 2013
Alisha M.
The coconut oil by organic root stimulator is amazing!!! Only thing is, when it reaches below a certain temperature it hardens. But run the bottle under warm water and problem solved
Jan 10, 2013
Andrea C.
@Pamela, what is pre-pooing and how do you pre-poo your hair?
Jan 10, 2013
Pamela W.
Pre-pooing is a prep to your hair when you're going to use a sulfate shampoo. It's supposed to increase moisture and strength to your hair. I use coconut oil, olive oil, jamaican castor oil and any conditioner.
Jan 11, 2013
Latia C.
I would pick up some marshmallow root powder if I were you. I'm not a transitioning, but I do long relaxer stretches. I found that adding marshmallow root powder to my homemade detangling spray has aided me in detangling my 4b/4c hair. Always start from the bottom up when detangling. I also suggest detangling on hair that has been moisturized thoroughly to not only help prevent breakage, but to help any knots slip out without breaking your hair off in the process. Transitioning will be a learning process. As Pamela suggested, find products that your hair loves; it will make transitioning a lot easier for you. Try different styles that blend your two textures and that helps the line of demarcation not be so harsh. That is where a lot of breakage tends to happen when either stretching relaxers or transitioning.
Jan 11, 2013
Nichole H.
I transitioned the first time in '93 and again in '97. When stretched out, my hair length is to my bra line. You'll have to cut your permed hair off soon or risk damaging your virgin hair. Your virgin hair may require different products than your permed hair; one of which is water. Virgin hair is curly and curly hair needs moisture.
Many people will throw product suggestions at you, but the fun part is finding out what works best for your hair and your budget. Start paying close attention to the ingredients list in all your products because there are some that may be drying out your hair, leading to breakage. You may know this already, but I would first suggest throwing out all of the products that contain mineral oil/petroleum and sulfates. Mineral oil is a cheap ingredient found in many products geared toward black hair, but it secretly dries the hair out. It prevents moisture from getting to your hair, drying it out and causing breakage. Sulfates is a detergent found in shampoos that strips too much moisture from your hair. Stick to sulfate free shampoo. I work out a lot, so I only shampoo my scalp and co-wash the rest. Start with cheap, water conditioners (Suave, Vo5). My hair loves Trader Joe's and Yes to Cucumbers conditioner. I have a ton of hair and have to keep it twisted. I clean my hair while it's twisted to cut down on detangling, try sectioning off your hair while cleansing. You can also saturate your hair with conditioner, then detangle.
You'll need some kind of conditioner/cream/oil for styling. Make sure it has good 'slip' so it will help detangle your hair without breakage. Since I have a lot of hair, it's easier and cheaper for me to make my own conditioning cream. Find a good Leave-in conditioner or a 100% natural conditioner because you can use it as a Leave-in as well.
Your hair will also need some oil to lock-in the moisture and keep it soft. Some good ones are raw shea butter (East Coast African shea is softer and easier to use than West Coast, but pricier), raw coconut oil, castor oil (I love Jamaican castor oil), almond, jojoba, raw mango butter, olive oil. Of course some oils are heavier than others, if your hair has a fine texture, it won't like the heavier oils. My hair hates olive and coconut oil and jojoba oil is too thin, but it loves castor and shea.
Find a good spritzer bottle for water. Don't try to detangle your hair while dry.
You won't get to know your real hair until you cut off your perm. A great site for curly hair (forum) is naturallycurlydotcom. You'll get great info on there too. Good luck.
Jan 11, 2013
Tirane H.
Try detangling your hair while it's wet with conditioner in it. This works best for me when I'm in the shower! Try sectioning your hair and combing from the ends to the root. Product wise, it's all about trying to find something that works for you. Some people choose not to use sulfates, but they don't bother my hair.
Jan 11, 2013
Brittany B.
@jorie c I'll definitely check that out. thank u.
@ andrea c a hot oil treatment definitely sounds like what i should do. Is Shea Moisture expensive?
@Pamela W i was definitely trying to comb it dry smh i don't know why i didn't think to try it while saturated with conditioner. Also, my hair is soft but thick at the same time. It's complicated & i don't understand it! lol but seriously, that was some really great advice & info. thank u!
Jan 11, 2013
Brittany B.
@Pamela W i figured i should probably do exactly what u said with co-washing most of the time & shampooing once a month. Thanks for confirming that, because at first i wasn't sure if that was what i was supposed to do :)
@Shannon W thank u, I'm gonna check that out!
@Alisha M. thanks! where did u purchase it? It sounds great!
@Latia C thank u for that info. where can u find marshmallow root powder??
@Nichole M i think I'm about ready for the big chop! I'm getting sick of having 2 completely different textures that hate each other. I think I'll feel so much more free when I get it over with. That makes so much sense! Also, i will make absolute sure i watch out 4 mineral oil. That's crazy because it actually sounds like something that helps retain moisture smh. & NO sulfates in my shampoo . Got it! Great info, love!
@Tirane H i am definitely adding that to my hair care routine. Thanks alot :)
Jan 11, 2013
Brittany B.
& to anyone who can answer this question, if u big chopped, did u get it done professionally or do it yourself? What was the process like? Thank you beauties ♥
Jan 11, 2013
Keli B.
I swear by co-washing. I love it! And coconut oil is amazing as a sealer, but not as a moisturizer, so a leave in conditioner or some kind of butter and then an oil of your choice. Also! Deep conditioning! The best treatment for stubborn hair, I promise.
Jan 11, 2013
Keli B.
I did my big chop at home, but my friend who is a stylist did it. As long as you're ready, and your sure that its what you want, it's not so traumatic. I did mine a little early and I rocked a twa for a while. It's fairly easy. We did it while my hair was wet, detangled the curls, and snipped out what was straight.
Jan 11, 2013
Sevetria M.
I had my big chop done by a pro. I eventually opted for locks. As far as products its trial & error. Your hair will let u know what it likes