What I know now and I wish I knew then...

bellavie · 10-19-2012, 04:26 PM

I've been transitioning for a year and I finally feel like I've got a good handle on my hair and the curly process. I wanted to share what I've learned and hope it will be helpful to some of you.

Curl Patterns Change
I had no idea at the beginning that as I took better care of my hair my curl pattern would change. It was almost entirely straight and puffy at the beginning. I need to do alot of scrunching to get any pattern at all. I needed to add alot of gel keep the curls defined and frizz free. Now after deep conditioning and co-washing, my curls are more defined on their own and I use different products which brings me to another point.

Products that don't work today may work in the future
I am a product junkie and proud of it. I need to try things a few times to get the hang of it. Try different combinations to see what works. It's a process and a bit of a science. So it takes time. I hated KCCC at the beginning of my journey...it just made my hair straighter but that was not because of the product, that was because I needed to deep condition more and restore my curl pattern. When I got that in check it worked for me and provided the hold I needed.

Combing and brushing can be good
I tried the curly girl method at the beginning of my journey and never combed my hair. It left my hair so puffy and can't believe I left the house! At some point I said I need to comb my hair. So I got a denman brush and brushed out the tangles when my hair was full of conditioner. All of a sudden I got curls and I got clumping and It was magic. So I started combing or brushing in the shower and now I rake product in my hair with my fingers out of the shower. Combing and brushing smooth my curls so I get ringlets and not just a puffy mess.

Co-Washing with a Condiment Bottle
I was using wayyy too much conditioner in the shower because I could not get the conditioner to my scalp easily. I started adding conditioner to an empty bottle used to dispense sauces ( I got it at a restaurant supply shop) Part water, part conditioner, sometimes I add a little oil. This allows me to get conditioner to my scalp so I can co-wash my hair easier.

Fizz is about dryness
I read some place on this forum that Frizz is a sign the hair needs moisture. I think of it as my hair telling me it needs water. If I notice frizzy areas after my hair is dry. I make a mental note and the next time I deep condition my hair I pay special attention to that area. I'll add a bit of extra oil there. I'll work product in more. It has helped tame my frizz.

Protective Styling is not cheating
So I've never seen anyone mention this but I have to confess...I used to think that If I couldn't get my hair to look cute in a wash-n-go, I really wasn't natural. For that reason I was totally against twist-outs of any kind. I wanted to embrace my curl pattern in its natural state. My natural state was 3-4 different curl patterns all over my head doing their own thing. (There were many pony puff days.)

Then I saw a MahoganyCurls video on YouTube..I had an "ahh...haa" moment. Maybe a twist out could help my hair remember its curl pattern so I could get a cute WNG! I started doing twist outs weekly and my curl pattern returned completely.

curlypearl · 10-19-2012, 08:00 PM

I think that's a very good post, bellavie. - I think it would be helpful to many people. Lots of good tips in there.

bellavie · 10-19-2012, 09:07 PM

Curly Pearl,
Thanks I glad to pass on some of my own discoveries.

~ Julie