Wendy writes;
I need help with the best way to style my mixed curl pattern hair! Like many other curlyheads, my hair is a hodge podge of different curl patterns, however mine is starkly contrasted right down the middle of my head…on the right side I have tighter curls like Rachel True, but on the left side I have much looser “S”-waves like Jurnee Smollett.
When my hair is straight, it’s perfectly even but when I wear it naturally curly, the different curl patterns look SO ODD since with shrinkage, my “Rachel True” side gets short and curly, but my “Jurnee Smollett” side stays long and wavy. I usually end up pulling my hair back into a ponytail but I really would love to wear it all out. What’s a girl to do?
Can you relate? Help her out!
I have the same problem and like most of the post, I have to do braidouts to get a consistent curl pattern. Twist-out don't work for me… I have super curly coils from middle to back of the head… Waves in different patches on the top of my head and bone straight in other patches. I've tried WNG, not happening!! My hair looks like a jheri curls that needs to a touch up!! Very frustrating, but I'm sticking with the natural hair. The braid outs are somtimes hit and miss, but I can also flat iron if I want that straight look. No more perms…
same issue but i have all 3c hair but my hairline to a 3/4 inch in is 4b. my entire head is curly but the very FRONT of it does NADA. i have been experimenting with one thin twist on each side and one along the front and so far that's working. twists and braid outs do NOT work for me. my hair is thin (yet VERY dense) it will come out a disaster, just realized not everyone's texture responds the same. i just gave up that i cannot do twists all over. trial and error unfortunately, very glad to have just one part driving me nuts and not an entire SIDE of my head. even tho my rogue area is directly in the front making me appear to have either a process or style gone wrong lol
Did I just write this post?? I was searching for advice about this same issue. I need help!
I loved reading this post because I was really starting to hate my hair and wonder if going natural is worth the expansive time and energy I put into my hair daily! I have beautiful tight coils in the back, which look great WNG or twist out. Oh if I had a head full of those! Alas, my front is loose frizzy waives and my crown is frizzy coils. Using the henna helped but on my front the curls loosened so much that it barely curls. I have to force it by twisting. Thanks ladies for making me feel like I am not alone and that there is hope.
I got a texturizer that made the one side that was a little longer (b/c the curls r looser) even worse!!! but i find adding extra moisterizer to the thicker side and pulling down on that side, while finger curling and scruntching the other side 🙂
sets are good. you can also go the willow smiths way and cornrow half of ur hair.(you can chose the half you want to leave free)
I know you probably didn't intend this, but reading this post makes me feel better that my own texture differences can be (relatively) easily solved with the right haircut. (Shrinkier top and front is kept longer; looser sides and back are kept shorter)
I can't imagine what it must be like to literally have an entire left side do one thing and the entire right side do something else. But I agree that, outside of straightening, sets are probably your best bet. Good luck…
sounds like you want to "wash and go", but unfortunately if you want your hair to look good you need to do a set (twist and curly, rollers, etc) of some sort.
i find that very few people regardless of hair type look great in a wash and go. (my opinion)
oh goodness…. i have the same problem…
i usually do a wash and go and put it in a puff.. because the front (bang area) is like damn near bone straight…
I have tried the twist out but my hair is thin so it looks crazy… help!!
The wider the variety of textures on your head, the harder it will be to achieve a decent looking WnG style. It just may not be possible- unless you have a TWA.
Setting it or twist/braid outs after stretching (up in a pony for a day or two mya be the best option for a down and out style with uniformity which looks good.
Always start with a good cut. I don't think you can get a sustained style which will look decent without one.
Good luck!! Wish we could see a pic of what your hair looks like. It would be easier to comment on and allow for more effective recommendations.
I don't think that picture is of the person who wrote this in, and the two pictures inside the post are what supposed to give us a pictorial understanding of her hair.
I agree with what many of yall have already said, to do sets. I think people who have looser curl pattern in areas of their hair due to heat damage do sets a lot as it gives a more uniform curl pattern (many people = me).
But if you do want to do a WNG, I would say take gel to finger set the looser sides, making little coils. And for the tighter side, wait until almost dry then apply product so you can stretch the hair more.
*trial and error
I can soooo relate!!! I LOVE wash and go's but for me it's like a wng then style lol. My hair is super loose in the front, barely a curl pattern at all, the middle is S like Jurnee and the back is my favorite amazing corkscrews like rachel true. If I could choose I'd love the back to be my full head texture but after years of being natural I've just come to accept that it will never be lol. So when I wash and go I usually wear some type of twists or clips in the front to pull it back off of my face. The middle is looser than the back but with the way my hair is layered the two textures look fine together that way. Besides the random side-eyes an unsolicited comments from hair nazi's who assume the texture difference is the result of heat damage (which it's not since I never ever straighten or even blow dry) it's all good. When I want to wear all of my hair down, I do braid outs. BNC's don't work for me at ALL. Twist outs used to be my staple but for some reason now that my hair has grown out my layers make them look crazy now. I'm thinking about cutting it, because when my hair was shoulder and even apl I could ALWAYS count on my twistouts to give me the perfect Tracee Ellis Ross curls all over and honestly her curls are what inspired me to go natural in the first place. There is definitely hope for our multi-textured curlies- you just have to trail and error it until you find what works.
LOL I also dont think that is a pic of the poster, i kept trying to figure out what pic ppl were looking at and saying they dont see the two textures
@Anon 2:03 and 2:09
I don't think that is a photo of the writer. That picture is from Le Coil.
I'm curious as to how to above posters "don't see the two different textures" ….when we can only see one side of her head! lol.
I agree with the trimming suggestion. My hair is mostly coily except for the very top of my head and front left forth. I'm able to do wash and goes by combining 3/4 ic fantasia pink gel (encourages curls) and 1/4 eco styler gel (gets rid of frizz in problem area mentioned earlier). Diffusing it and also helps with the shape (kind of helps scrunch it). I've also started to detangle only with my fingers when I cowash everyday and use a denman in the shower only once a week or so. On a really bad day I just wear a headband and pat down the left side 🙂
What are 4a hairstyles vs. 3c hairstyles?
It is difficult to see the textures you mentioned. I agree that your hair looks 4a, especially around the hairline and the ends. Try finger coiling as mentioned.
I feel you on this one!!
I wanted to WnG soooo badly, but my hair has varying textures at locations which wont allow for a decent WnG look- even with great product use.
Rollersets, twist outs, braid outs have helped somewhat, but sometimes it still doesn't look like I would want it to.
Also, make sure your ends are trimmed up well. Splits or irregular ends can enhance the irregular appearance of varied textured hair.
I don't see the two different textures. The hair looks like 4a. Try styles for 4a and not 3c. Do you henna that should help out with the tighter curl pattern. Your hair looks awesome by the way I couldn't tell the two textures.
Maybe try finger coiling the looser curl side.
I don't often wash n go, but I have some patches of looser curls, especially around my hair line & the nape of my neck. I finger coil any less curly hairs to "encourage" them to match their neighboring curls.
oh YES i can relate 🙁
WNG are a no go for me. I got one good one but ended up having to pin the wavy/loose side back.
I just stick with the twist-outs/braid-outs/roller-set. It's frustrating because about 90% are curls that i love. the other 10% sits front and center on the right side of my head looking just weak. lol
Ha! I have the exact same hair. I have tighter coils on the left side and loose curls on the right. I had to let go of the wash and gos because they just accentuated the whopsided-ness 🙂 of my hair. I agree with mango; sets are our best bets. Because they stretch out your hair and let you create the pattern you want. I also found that my hair requires different products. The left tighter side needs a lot more moisturizing with heavier products like butters whereas my right side can be moisturized with water based creams and leave ins.
Do sets (twist outs, braid outs, bantu knot outs, roller sets, etc.) to get a more uniform pattern.
Also, you can set the ends of the twist/braids in the looser sections on rods to even out the profile of your hair. You can also use smaller roller on the looser sections or a similar technique to even out the textures.
Using a gel on the looser textures helps as well.