I have been natural all of my life, but there are some things that I dread doing to pamper my hair:
1. Ordering products online when the shipping costs half, almost the same price, or even more than the product (Ahhh! That irks me, which leads to me not purchasing what I want, and then going back into my pouting mode. But thank goodness for Target!)
2. This kind of goes back to number 1, but…Trying to find henna in a store where I can talk to someone directly about it. I can’t seem to find henna anywhere but online. (This is my excuse for not attempting to henna yet.)
3. Trying a new style. I just don’t want to waste a lot of product or time on a Saturday style and then use all of my Sunday after church doing one of my staple styles because the Saturday style was a whomp whomp. I am slowly walking my way out of this mindset.
4. Giving up a date weekend with hubby because it’s style weekend. So, I’m kind of learning how to get around this one. I deep condition Friday night, sleep on it, wake up early Saturday morning and style. Then, we have our Saturday! But then when I think about it, ladies are in the salon all day regardless if you are natural or not. Guess that’s just life.
Through it all, I definitely love my hair.
Lol…thanks everyone for the suggestions, especially regarding henna. I'll be walking in an Indian store soon! Anonymous- March 28 @ 12:02pm…I agree! I work out a lot, so I don't want my styles to give out quickly. I wear two-strand twists (pinned-up as in my avatar) for a week and then wear a pinned-up twist-out for almost 4 days, then, wash and twist all over again! Of course with frequent moisturizing sessions througout those days.
Doing a lovely twist and curl only to feel as though I cannot exercise for a few days because I will ruin the hairdo completely due to heavy sweating. I find that although I achieve lovely wash n goes, I have to use a lot of product whereas with the twist and curl I use far less product. This saves money but disrupts my regular work-out schedule 🙁 Twists and dry set styles and buns aint happening either; cut my hair in a bob recently…looks best out.
I agree with the last anonymous poster as well. Haircare should not include "sacrifices", IMHO.
I agree with the last anonymous post.
I am finally happy with my hair regimen because my hair is finally long enough for me to wash, dc, and seal in sections and put in 6 plaits until it dries. If anything, I can just roll the ends and wear a braid out if I'm feeling lazy or pin them up some kind of way.
It might take an hour to do my hair, 5 if I am doing a henna treatment.
This post leads me to think that people are doing way too much to their hair and as a result wasting time and money. If you have a list of "sacrifices" that you have to make for your hair, you need to rethink what you are doing. It really should not and does not have to be so complicated.
I'm so surprised no one said that they dread doing their henna treatments! I love the results henna gives me. But, I have to really think it out and advance (to mix so that it can sit 12 hours) and it takes forever between the pre-poo, shower to wash and detangle, henna: 4 hours (2 under the dryer) or overnight, rinse, indigo 1+ hours (because I have a lot of grey in the back of my head and look like Patchy Calico McAdams if I don't), rinse, deep condition (1+ hours under dryer), rinse, TnC, dryer for at least an hour because my hair NEVER dries overnight no matter how much I let it dry before doing the TnC. I only do this process once a month now and plan on incorporating henna glosses in the interim (bi-weekly) as they will take a lot less time and my grey roots won't be long enough to look too bad with a little red=). It really is just a long, long process and I have to work it into my schedule around other plans and priorities. But, the results are so worth it and last.
Shelli
#4 why don't you just start doing simple styles.
Read the reviews on the Lush henna's website first. I purchased the "CacaNoir Mama" for my 4b/cnapps – epic fail. Tres disappointed. I even verified that the product wasn't expired.
"Caveat Emptor"
#2, go to your local Lush store, they sell henna as well
#4, I think it may be time to find rolling hair styles. Like put your hair in braids one week. Deep condition + wash + whatever you like when your hair needs moisture. Let them down later on for a braid out. I think that the only styles worth learning are the ones you can turn into 3 or 4 other styles.
I love doing my hair, but it does take up along time to do it. I just started doing the twist and curl inspired by curly nikki… But target and sally's have really good products and there is no need to wait or order online.
Go to Amazon.com ladies and you will find that a lot of the products will ship for free if you spend $25 (and that includes anything on the site that is a part of the free super shipping saver). For example, Carol's Daughter products ship for free on Amazon while you may have to spend at least $40 on products if you order directly from that website. In addition, even if there are shipping cost by a vendor selling via Amazon it is often cheaper then what is offered on their own website. I also ordered a henna pack of BAQ henna and indigo from Amazon instead of the actual website (www.hennahut.com) because the shipping was free on Amazon.
1. I recently purchased "Hick's edges" which was a "whomp-whomp" that cost me $7+ in shipping! It's another "ringing gel" that dries instead of looking greasy. My 4c kinks refused to be assimilated…
2. The young lady at an Indian-owned Wilmington, DE, convenience store (yes – a Cumberland Farm type generic c-store!) pointed to a motherlode of Dabur, Hesh and Godrej hair products on the shelf behind the cash register – I was too surprised! She showed what she used and suggested how to apply it. BTW, her hair was lovely.
3. I wash and twist out Sunday and Wednesday evenings. Any failure gets the headband treatment. Problem solved.
4. Saturdays are fun-days. Again, slap on a headband and whip it back and forth…
It's a sign of my advanced age that I no longer dread anything having to do with my hair because I simply refuse to do anything to it that will cause dread. That includes any kind of style that takes longer than 10 minutes to do. If my 'fro grows to the point where tangles and knots become a hassle, the scissors will come out.
Occasionally I think how 'easy' straight hair was, then I remember all the tired buns, ponies and slick-backs I wore to avoid flat-ironing, curling and creams.
-Applying shealoe – the GREASE!
+Solution – 100ct vinyl gloves from Duane Reade
-Applying glycerin mix (VGM), homemade leave-ins
+A mister
-Tea infusion – stays in fridge (re:COLD)
+Leave on my stove a few hours before wash time
-Styling – Love it! Except the shedding 🙁
+Every 2-3 days apply Avocado oil to penetrate, protect and condition, then VGM to moisturize, soften and keep detangled. I avoid dehydrated, over-moisturized, weak, shedding strands
-Detangling – shedding/breakage
+All the above on wet hair w/shealoe
-Twisting/braiding – time/shedding
+Styling/detangling solution, plus (unfortunately Lol!) practice, patience and tears
Detangling was #1 until the Tangle Teezer came along. I have to agree about s&h smh, and the cost alone of certain products ($58 for Miss Jessies at my local Tarjay??!? Nuh-uh!)
I dread detangling!! I guess cause I lose soo much hair and that bothers me inspite of the 'o your supposed to lose x amount of hairs a day'..
I'm definitely in it with #1. I'm not cheap; but, the products online aren't a problem for me. As you've mentioned, it's the shipping that kills me. But, I give in every now and then. It just has to be a product that I really want to try.
Definitely agree with the comment about ordering products on line!! U r sooooo right…many times shipping cost half of what the product cost and then it may be 2-3 weeks before you get it…why I stopped ordering 1 brand because it would take too long to get it even though I loved the product. Some of the products on the ground just don't work for me as well as some of the products you have to order. I have been natural almost 4 yrs and have tried a TON of products that have to be ordered….this is my biggest thing I dread but I think I have finally come to a couple of things that I MUST have that requires ordering. Other than that the only other thing I used to dread was detangling but now I section my hair in 4 areas and have found 1 condish that works wonders for detangling and moisturizing…(Avalon Organics Olive Oil/Grape Seed Oil Condish)…my detangling sessions are faster and I may only lose 1-2 strands when I am done…PLUS I can get this on the ground!!
If you have a Lush store in your area you can purchase henna from there.
I don't order products online! Luckily, I've been able to find products around me that my hair likes. I know that there are products I could order online that my hair would like ALOT more but it's just not necessary to me IDK.
Anon 2:55
What kind of henna was being sold at CVS? That's interesting.
Now that I'm natural and have been so for 11 yrs, there is nothing that I dislike about styling my hair. The relaxers stank (literally). The flatiron and pressing combs has been pretty much collecting cobwebs. Never featured weaves, wigs or fake hair of any kind, so can't eevn comment on that stuff. I don't feel limited by man, gym, weather or water. LOL
I am just loving myself and my hair.
I love mini-twists but I hate how long it takes to put them in. I have a lot of hair, so it takes HOURS. And it doesn't last more than 1 week, despite wrapping them every night.
I dread sectioning my hair and applying product. My hair is so thick and short, that I have to use lots of small sections. I just wanna smoosh my products all over my head and call it a day but alas—that method will not work LOL.
of=or
I dred postponing wash days because I'm busy with school of work. I need to step my time managment game up ASAP…
I just saw henna at CVS today!
i dread doing 2 strand twists in my hair and no matter how hard i try, they only look good for 1 week.
I feel you so much on #3! Saturday is my sleep in day but now it's my prepoo-dc-detangle-twist day.
If I don't get up early than my whole day is wasted…
I'm looking for shortcuts as I type!
Mrs. Crystal. Go to an Indian grocery store to get henna. I don't use it but they use it for their hair and of course for the henna tattos for weddings. I'm sure you could get some feedback if you bought it from them.
i feel you girl! my twa is growing out and i would LOVE to try twists. but my hair day is saturday and i already have to get up at the crack of dawn to pre-poo/dc/wash/condition/style(only wngs) so that i can hang out with my family. i can't imagine adding a 2-3 hour styling session. plus, i have church the next day, so i would hate if my hair turned out ugly! so, i just haven't even attempted those twists… but one day i will!
i'm a victim of #1 as well. it took me almost a year before i finally tried KBB Hair Milk because i just did not want to order online. i STILL haven't tried Qhemet products either. i just love getting products on ground.
but i don't get #3 or 4. i don't do style days since i just wash and go and can't see myself devoting anything past 3 hours solely to my hair, unless the weather is bad outside and i wasn't going to go anywhere anyways. imma live my life.
The only thing I sometimes dread is how time consuming it can me creating a style. Then I remind myself, it is only that one time. The rest of the time I can keep the style for weeks at a time. Which is not bad at all.
I think I dread wash day more than anything. Its starting to take longer and longer. Starting from the pre-poo stage and ending with rinsing out the deep conditioner after sitting under the dryer for 30 to 45 minutes. And I do all this just to put it a wet bun. *Sigh* But the results when I do style are boss!
Wow! Mrs. Crystal, you are in my head! I love instant gratification way too much to purchase online. I'd also like to physically go to a store and pick up some henna and get tips directly from the seller. My attitude would be way too stank if I spent 3-4 hours on a style that didn't turn out as expected, which is why I stick to my trusty wNg.