I wish I had a picture to show you.
Last week, I created a somewhat intricate style for myself. Well, it’s not that intricate, but it did take more time than normal. I have flat twists around my head and then twists that I corkscrew in the middle. Picture it, folks! It was really cute… until today.
On Saturday, when I went to a birthday party, a number of the ladies there commented on how nice my hair looked. That’s why I got greedy and said that I would stretch the style out until this week. I rocked my little updo on Sunday to a Black History Month kickoff event and I was WORKING it!
But I know my hair. It will be all happy-go-lucky until it decides that it wants something else then BAM! Hair starts looking like a hot mess.
The BAM! happened this morning. The hair is starting to look frizzy and a little limp. It’s really soft and the twists are opening up. Now, I shouldn’t complain too bitterly. My scalp is relatively happy and my hair is moisturized — these are big things especially in late January. I pinned it up as best I could and slapped on a gold chain band around it to jazz up the style. I don’ t know if I jazzed it up or if I’m just drawing attention to the sad condition of my hair.
Sigh.
I’m struggling, folks! I have no energy today to wash and style — I’d fall asleep part way through the twists — and I don’t want to wear my wig. I need help! I was thinking of wearing it as a twistout, but I have NO clue what it will look like, and that, my readers, would add even more trouble to my hair problems.
Any ideas on what I should do?
The Accidental Natural 
You just set me back from doing the big chop 🙂 When I read your above entry, the first thought that crossed my mind was “you see why its a great idea to grow your hair out, so that you can get it in a ponytail on those days when you don’t know what to do with your hair…trust me there will be many of those days for me.
Why don’t you comb it out in an afro and put a headband on. Is that too much for work?
Question : Do you have any idea how we came about “grading” our natural hair? Like what’s 4a, 3c, 4b, 3a all about?
I’ve had some bad hair days — I admit it, but the good hair days FAR outweigh the bad. My hair was looking good for almost a week. It’s just this updo thing that is starting to wear on me. Do it! Wait until spring, but do it! You have nothing to lose 🙂
I’m frightened to untwist it — I’m not quite sure what I’m gonna get. But I have to do something. This style can’t last another day.
I don’t know too much about grading — I did do a post on it and I tried to self-grade my own hair. Who knows if I’m right or wrong. Here’s the link (there are links within and go to other sites that have more information about it): https://theaccidentalnatural.wordpress.com/2009/10/08/finding-your-hair-type-its-not-an-exact-science/
Here’s a video: http://glamazini.typepad.com/blog/2010/01/glamazini-121-my-hair-type.html
I was ready to have hubby’s sister do it on the weekend but she wasn’t sure that I do it now and of course her saying that just made me say okay I’ll wait. I’m at the point where I can’t comb out my hair unless its wet so I’m always wetting it. Sister in law checked and said I’ve no breakage so I guess that’s good. I trimmed 2 inches permed hair again off so I’m getting there
From what I see (youtube) the flat twist and the twist looks good when taken out. Won’t it look like what you had over at your Holiday Party? I’m just guessing…guess I’ll learn soon enough.
I’m not really into the grading business, kinda just see it as another form of black people’s bondage. Just wanted to know more on where the idea of grading originated from. I guess I can understand why it maybe helpful, but I’m not going to be talking about 3c’s and 4b’s in my home anytime soon.
Take your time — you don’t have to chop it off all at once. Try styles that will last a week at a time. That way, you don’t have to wet your hair all the time.
I’m not sure… I’m scared! When I flat twisted it for the party, I knew what look I was ultimately going for. The twists were uniform. With this? Who knows? I may just wet it and two strand twist it tonight. I’ll just have to find the energy.
I agree with you with the hair grading thing. The only reason I think it’s beneficial is for products. If you and I have similar textured hair, your advice on products may be more useful than someone who has really wavy, silky hair or someone who has hair that’s coarser than mine. Aside from that, I don’t take it on. Whatever grows out of your head is good.
I know I should be doing that I’m just lazy and because I’m at home and not going to work right now, there’s nothing there to push me to do those styles.
I think it will look fine. Good luck tonight…do it when American Idol is on so you can get some joke while you’re doing it. It starts at 8 tonight.
Yes, that’s the only reason I can see the benefit of grading is for the products. Hopefully we all use it for that reason. I’m starting to think about products now because I don’t know if the products I used on perm hair are any good for my natural hair texture. I guess some if not most of it will be trial and error. There’s way too many products out there.
Learn from my mistakes: start off minimal and work your way up. What I mean is: water, olive oil and some conditioner — maybe a good hair gel. Don’t do like me and buy up all the shops and then realize, “oh. I don’t need all of this stuff…”
What I can’t live without right now: water, olive oil and castor oil, shea butter, Tresemmé conditioner, Country Rose Soap Co. shampoo and my Ampro Clear gel. All of it probably costs $20. Oh, my Denman brush and a wide tooth comb.
Everything else, I’m experimenting with to see if it’ll work any better than those items.
Was just on the “The Black Snob”…. great response to the post about Reggie Bush being on the cover of Essence. If its not you then we have another Urban Sista out there. I think its you though 🙂
LOL…that’s what I have been using. I bought a big bottle of olive oil at Cosco, Sister in law gave me Ramoni leave in conditioner which I like so far but can’t really know for sure until the perm ends are gone and was introduced to “world of curl” curl activator gel by a naturalista I met at the beauty supply store. Sister in law co signed and said that she uses that gel and its good.
Are the castor oil, the shea butter and the Denman brush at the beauty supply store? What do you like about the Country Rose Shampoo? I’m fiquring I need to get a shampoo.
That was me! Hee hee hee! There is only one Urban Sista. We were going on about Kim K and Reggie Bush last night.
Once you cut off the relaxed ends, you’ll have a better idea of what will work in your hair. But I’m confident in saying that you don’t have to spend a lot on products to have great hair. I don’t have great hair yet, but I’ve cut down significantly the amount of money that I spend on products.
As for products, I haven’t looked for castor oil at my local beauty supply, but I know that shea butter is available from them. I got my Denman brush from Trade Secrets for about $15. I like Country Rose Soap shampoo because it’s castor oil and olive oil based — no coconut products. I can’t deal with any coconut products.
I’m off to deal with this head. Wish me luck 😉
Where did you buy the castor oil? Can I get it at the the supermarket? As for the Shea butter, am I looking for the word natural in it. Should it’s look be hard and yellow in color? I’m guessing that’s how it looks in the original form.
I ordered my castor oil online, but I’m trying to find it locally. I found a small bottle at Shoppers Drug Mart in the laxative section. I’m going to check Rexall and see if they sell it in a larger bottle. A Black kair store may have it as well.
Shea butter is either white or yellow and it’s firm. At my local hair store, it’s about $5 for a pretty big block. In the summer, you can get it at Harbourfront — they have a number of vendors selling shea butter and black soap.
Can u pretty pretty please do a tut on Youtube showing how to do the corkscrew flat twist on ur natural hair. I’ve been trying to find one for weeks but having no luck.