MichelleNW

I wanted to share my story because my transition was an accident. I never really thought about going natural it just happened. I've had chemicals in my hair since I can remember (think it started with my jheri curl around 8 years old). The last relaxer I had I believe was around August 2008. I used to keep my hair short and spiky!

I then decided to do micro braids. I loved them and got used to them, I kept them in until June 2009. My hair grew drastically. I know some people don't do well with micro's, my hair did very well with them, my butt didn't do to well with having to sit through it
I didn't know what to do with my hair when I first took them out, it was the first time I felt my own hair since I was a kid!

I thought I could let it do whatever it wanted, boy was I mistaken! Even though I've been natural for awhile I'm just really learning a lot about products and how to really control and take care of my hair. People stop me all the time and ask me about it and I get told it looks healthy. It to me is in the best shape it's ever been in. My biggest gripe is product! I hate the way a lot of stuff makes my my hair feel. So I'm starting the great search on what works for my hair!
I have no plans to ever relax my hair again. My hairdresser (who's been doing my hair for years) 100% agrees with me!!




I haven't twisted my hair in ages, I think I may tonight and we'll see how that goes! I'm hoping to pick up a lot of tips and ideas here

welcome welcome!
your hair is so beautiful and so long when was your bc?

Thanks! That 2nd picture, in June 2009, because my hair was so short when I started getting braids (maybe even shorter than the first picture) when I took them out it was mostly my natural hair so my transition was easy.
I have to thank the genes too! My mothers side of the family has thick hair. My dad looks at me all the time and says "You didn't get that from me!"

LOL @ "You didnt get that from me!"

Welcome to the challenge!! Your hair is beautiful!!

Welcome to the challenge! Your hair is so thick and beautiful!! What products are you currently experimenting with?

love the story and definitely the hair!! welcome!

WELCOME AND HAVE FUN HERE!!
LOVE THE HAIR

Thanks everyone!
I started out using Dax grease! I didn't know better and I went for the first thing that was familiar to me! That was not working! I was using Dax vegetable oil shampoo, which I liked I just felt like I flew through it.
I would wash (a lot because I hated the grease feel), I would use Queen Helene cholesterol with ginseng conditioner in the shower because it was great at getting tangle out, then grease on my scalp. Not realizing that I was actually ignoring my hair.
For shampoo now I switch between Dr. Bronner's peppermint castile soap and Miss Jessie's super slip sudsy shampoo, I actually like both (I'm wondering if I should just stick to one). And I've been using Miss Jessie's curly pudding on my hair, it's okay I'm just not in love with it (my hair feels kinda crunchy!)
I feel like I'm going to turn into a product junkie lol! I picked up Pantene's relaxed and natural daily oil cream moisturizer today to see how that works. I've seen a lot of people around here get products and use it until it's gone, I think I need to put that into play. My hair however sucks up a lot of stuff so that shouldn't take long
I just learned of plopping today, that's something I want to try. And I'm going to try a twist tonight and see how that turns out. Don't want to get too crazy all at once but I'll share and any input would help!

Hello and welcome ...

Hello MichelleNW

Your hair is beautiful!! You are going to love it here. There are sooo many products to try trust me I know.

Enjoy!!!

Beautiful hair!! Love the story..welcome!!

Welcome to the board!!! You have beautiful hair. Get ready because there is a lot of knowledge to be gained here.

What are you gonna use to twist your hair?

Welcome, you are going to love it here. The ladies are WONDERFUL!

WOW! I LOVE YOUR HAIR! I love seeing long and thick type 4 hair. That's one heck of a fro you got there. I can't wait to read about your journey.

I meant to post this earlier and lost track of time! So I did my first attempt of twists and I based it off of watching Nikki's video on twist. I need to work on it a bit
Did this last night before I went to bed. I washed my hair (I wash my hair a lot, I think I wash it every day or so, I don't know why I just do) with Miss Jessie's super slip sudsy shampoo. Just dried it a bit with a towel. Parted into four sections, held each in place with a clip. I mixed Miss Jessie's Curly pudding and Pantene natural & relaxed intense moisturizing conditioner. I put it in each section as I went along, so I did my twist and used my curlers at the end (I think I'd skip the curlers the next attempt around).

Took the curlers out, my hair was dry. It was gross and rainy out and I didn't go out so I didn't really mess with it at first and I thought they were going to stay this way:

but by the end of the day this was my result (this is after I separated the actual twists)


So I want to try this again maybe try some other things. I am learning a ton from looking around here!! I could spend the whole day telling everyone how much I love their hair!! Seeing so many different types of styles!

Welcome!!

Today was a pretty simple hair day, I didn't do much to it. I washed it, I put conditioner in it and pulled the front back and let it air dry. I did however get some products, I got tea tree oil and Pantene relaxed and natural deep conditioning mask. Haven't done a deep condition in about a week (been trying to figure out what to use!) hoping it works well.
Also I didn't use the MJs curly pudding which I think what was causing the crunchiness in my hair!!

Juices-n-Berries wrote:WOW! I LOVE YOUR HAIR! I love seeing long and thick type 4 hair. That's one heck of a fro you got there. I can't wait to read about your journey.

You should see it when it's picked out I really can't wait for it to get long enough to pull off some puffs!!

Another easy day. I did a deep condition last night so my hair was soft this morning. Just wet it this morning (realized from reading around that I was my hair WAY too much!!) Put some conditioner and tea tree oil in it, pulled one side up, put some flowers in it and called it a day!!
I've also added a water bottle to my regimen.
Going to try a co-poo tomorrow and see how that goes!

MichelleNW wrote:Another easy day. I did a deep condition last night so my hair was soft this morning. Just wet it this morning (realized from reading around that I was my hair WAY too much!!) Put some conditioner and tea tree oil in it, pulled one side up, put some flowers in it and called it a day!!
I've also added a water bottle to my regimen.
Going to try a co-poo tomorrow and see how that goes!

Hi MichelleNW

I washed a lot at first, but after a while it became a lot of work and I cut it back to once a week. I'm sure your hair was too cute with the flower today.

KNH

Oh I so said co poo, I knew that sounded funny!! Co wash!!! My hair ate the flowers lol! They were small and I only wore a couple, the black ones blended right in lol!!

I was going to look that term up and see if I had miss something in the natural dictionary!!

Just wanted to stop by and say hi!!

Hope you are enjoying your Easter and your hair!!!

KNH

I so fell off this week!! My wi-fi wasn't working on Monday and it's been so gorgeous out I haven't been in the house! Hope everyone had a Happy Easter.
Spent my weekend in NYC with friends. Can't remember exactly what steps I did with my hair but I did rock a fro hawk It came out great (wish I took pictures)!!
Monday when I got home I washed and conditioned my hair (went 4 days without an actual shampoo wash!!) using Herbal Essence Hello Hydration. Learned of the product from reading here, and the conditioner I like a lot!! I didn't go out so I just put some tea tree oil and Pantene R&N daily moisturizer and let it air dry. When I went to bed I just put a silk scarf on.
Tuesday I got up, co-washed, tea tree oil and Pantene, and let my hair air dry.
I did go out to the hair store. I needed a diffuser, best part of the trip is when I asked the girl that worked there if they had any she looked at me like I was crazy and said "What's that?!" really!!! You work at a beauty supply store and don't know what a diffuser is. I explained and she tries to give me a hair dryer comb finally I got one!
Tried plopping today, I don't think I did it right!! My hair was really wet when I took the tee off. But it's really hot here right now, I was bored and just braided up the one side of my hair. Wish I was a better braider! It looks okay, I think I'll keep it in for a few days.

My hair worked out very well today!! I hope I can get it to stay like this!! Braided up the sides last night. Got up this morning, wet it, added a little oil and moisturizer. Then I added a little bit of gel and let it air dry!! I just pulled the curls forward in the front while it was still wet! My curls were really curly today!! I loved it!!


Oh and I get to spend most of my day with my little cousin! She's 2 years old and has some bad assed puffs!!