Growing it Healthy - Old School

[PassionFruit]

if your ears werent ever scabby from a hot comb "oops", you aint ever lived

 

[Creatividual]

Yep this took me back too!! Once I started doing my hair thats when it went downhill!!! I guess we had more of a "leave it be" mentality back then... of course with lots of grease added in!!!

Couldn't agree more with everybody here! My hair used to be pretty long natural and relaxed. It wasn't until I started doing my own hair at 13 that it went down hill!

 

[DivaD04]

if your ears werent ever scabby from a hot comb "oops", you aint ever lived

PassionFruit say it again, say it again!!!

 

[CenteredGirl]

I can attest to this (braids or flat twists=low mani and hair grease). This is my 8 year old. She's natural, APL, unstretched (in the back). I haven't straightened her hair in about a year so I have no idea how long it really is.

http://public.fotki.com/brownbabydoll25/my-baby-girl/

ETA: I still grease her scalp with yellow "hair food". It ain't broke, ain't I'm not gonna fix it!

Daphae,

Your daughter's hair is gawgous. *sigh*

 

[CenteredGirl]

I loved reading your posts. Walk down memory lane. The neck/ear burns, the petroleum ladden grease (my mom used Bergamont), the flinching during the press. This was TORTURE for me. I did not look forward to press day.

But it begs the question -- why did it work for most of us? Low manipulation despite the GREASE? It really scares me to think that those products were so greasy they were WATER REPELLENT.

 

[LongHairDreams]

Today I was riding the train to work and a sista with a couple of little girls boarded. They were cute as buttons, about 5 and 7 years old and they wore their shiny, healthy long hair is well manicured pigtails. It took me back to my childhood and I realized my hair was pretty long back then. When I got to high school, I started doing it myself and it started to break off and get dry.

I thought I'd share this thread because there is a lot to learn from the way our mommas/aunties took care of our hair. These methods were inexpensive and *gasp* they worked. Feel free to add to the list:

1. Exclusively protective styles during the day. Pony tails in number from 2 to infinity were the doo of the day. Each adorned with pretty bows or baubbles.
2. Hair washed every week, combed out into little bantu knots to dry overnight.
3. Hair pressed a day after wash day, with lots of grease (Hey remember petroleum based pressing grease? it worked back then *gasp*)
4. At night, hair put up in a protective style and a scarf tightly wrapped around our little heads. No scarf on the pillow in the morning!
5. God forbid we had the opportunity to really show hair length. I never remember wearing my hair down!

We have gotten so sophisticated since then. Glancing around the products we use today (quite a few are really pricey), the fancy spendy equipment (PIBBS, Sedus, Chi's), we have moved hair care to another level. For the most part, it's a good thing -- I don't think any of us have a hankering for greasy straight hair that does not move!

On the other hand, there is a lot to learn from old school methods. Just trying to keep things in perspective.

I totally agree with everything you just said. My hair broke off when I starting care for it myself also.

 

[anewday]

yes i do remember the old days.My mom staple was water and luv and dare I say it washed my sister and I hair once a month,twice a month summer months.My hair was below bs length ( close to waist) and little sister hair to her booty.She washed "as needed LOL" she did good but I think I will wash my girls hair every week

 

[PassionFruit]

I loved reading your posts. Walk down memory lane. The neck/ear burns, the petroleum ladden grease (my mom used Bergamont), the flinching during the press. This was TORTURE for me. I did not look forward to press day.

But it begs the question -- why did it work for most of us? Low manipulation despite the GREASE? It really scares me to think that those products were so greasy they were WATER REPELLENT.

now that I think about it, my mom used to brush down my edges with a wwet brush and then put Dax or Bergamont on to keep it layed down... so in a way, that was sealing and IMO a better choice than the alcohol ( drying) laden gels most use nowadays

 

[PassionFruit]

I was the kid everyone laughed at... I literally looked like Kizzy the Slave until the "California Curl" came out... my mother didnt know how to braid/cornrow... so I had these big 1872 plaits with big bows on em

cept on special occasions when I went to the beauty parlor where this 90 yr old lady managed to make a 8 yr old look like Rosa Parks and dared me to mess it up

 

[AsTheCurlzTurns]

You know some of ya'lls posts also reminded of something..........

Did ya'll, who got pressed, ever sit on top of a BIG OLE Cooking pot on a chair??? Ohhhh I did, cuz I was too darn short.

 

[tricie]

Oh yes this definitely brings it all back for me. I was the same way with the washings and pressings too. My mom would press my hair with that grease in the small blue or red container with a silver tin top. Can't remember the name of it though. All I know it's petroleum My hair was pretty long then too, but I can't say that if I was to do the same things now as my mom has done, if it would get back down my back. But never know!

Ah, the memories! The grease you speak of, Curlz, is Royal Crown!! We used it religiously and yes, I got my ears burnt too. I never had long hair as a child, either, as someone else posted, but it has always been thick and shiny. Funny how that old school stuff/methods worked...

 

[charmtreese]

I was the kid everyone laughed at... I literally looked like Kizzy the Slave until the "California Curl" came out... my mother didnt know how to braid/cornrow... so I had these big 1872 plaits with big bows on em

cept on special occasions when I went to the beauty parlor where this 90 yr old lady managed to make a 8 yr old look like Rosa Parks and dared me to mess it up

Now this entire post is funny as he11!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[janiebaby]

I'm using a light grease for my scalp and I also use it as a moisturizer and so far I've been pleased.

 

[MizAvalon]

I totally agree with everything you just said. My hair broke off when I starting care for it myself also. I've said this before in other threads and i'll say it again here: My mother thought i was standing over her shoulder when i was sitting on the floor in front of her at the same time. She said she thought I knew how to do it. NOT.

My Mom did this to me as well and to this day I don't understand why this continues to happen. Countless times black women say that their was nice *until* they started doing it themselves. Why don't mothers teach girls how to properly care for their hair? Most teenaged black girls have hair that looks a HAM.

I used to actually be blamed when my hair looked bad. Even then I would think to myself "Um, maybe if you TAUGHT me how to care for it the right way it wouldn't look like this? I'm only 13, sheesh."

 

[MizAvalon]

You know some of ya'lls posts also reminded of something..........

Did ya'll, who got pressed, ever sit on top of a BIG OLE Cooking pot on a chair??? Ohhhh I did, cuz I was too darn short.

I sat on phone books.

 

[pinkchocolatedaisy]

Couldn't agree more with everybody here! My hair used to be pretty long natural and relaxed. It wasn't until I started doing my own hair at 13 that it went down hill!

Same here! My hair was mid back when I was like 5-6. THen I got relaxers at 10, it was SL from there. I was good in HS and when I got out of high school and thought I was grown and starting dyeing my hair and what not, it has never been as long since.

 

[LadyKaypnyc]

Girl you read my mind! I was just talking to my sister about this! I completely agree. I always had my hair braided as a kid. my mom only pressed my hair for special occasions, like Easter or for graduations

Today I was riding the train to work and a sista with a couple of little girls boarded. They were cute as buttons, about 5 and 7 years old and they wore their shiny, healthy long hair is well manicured pigtails. It took me back to my childhood and I realized my hair was pretty long back then. When I got to high school, I started doing it myself and it started to break off and get dry.

I thought I'd share this thread because there is a lot to learn from the way our mommas/aunties took care of our hair. These methods were inexpensive and *gasp* they worked. Feel free to add to the list:

1. Exclusively protective styles during the day. Pony tails in number from 2 to infinity were the doo of the day. Each adorned with pretty bows or baubbles.
2. Hair washed every week, combed out into little bantu knots to dry overnight.
3. Hair pressed a day after wash day, with lots of grease (Hey remember petroleum based pressing grease? it worked back then *gasp*)
4. At night, hair put up in a protective style and a scarf tightly wrapped around our little heads. No scarf on the pillow in the morning!
5. God forbid we had the opportunity to really show hair length. I never remember wearing my hair down!

We have gotten so sophisticated since then. Glancing around the products we use today (quite a few are really pricey), the fancy spendy equipment (PIBBS, Sedus, Chi's), we have moved hair care to another level. For the most part, it's a good thing -- I don't think any of us have a hankering for greasy straight hair that does not move!

On the other hand, there is a lot to learn from old school methods. Just trying to keep things in perspective.

 

[carib_n_curly]

i remember when my mum use to grease up my hair so much it would drip down to my forehead and i would be blinging for real my hair was past BSL until i was 14 ish until i started to take care of it i wish i knew better back then.
my mum never used heat on me and she washed my hair a few times a week but that's because she don't like grems.

 

[Guapa1]

Oh my days! I remember the days. My mum could cornrow, so heat wasn't really used on my head often. I remember Dax and that damn black comb she used to rip my hair out with It was called matador.

Not all my mums practices were very healthy, but I've been encorporating some into my own routine, (well the cornrow and leave it for a couple weeks part) and it's working very well.

I might even start oiling my scalp again

 

[LivingDoll]

Apex Pressing Oil.

I don't care what the naysayers say 'bout grease and oil...I love this stuff!!

YES!!! That's it! But how bout....she still uses it? LOL! She's set in her ways and I can't tell her nothin'.

 

[LivingDoll]

Daphae,

Your daughter's hair is gawgous. *sigh*

Thanks girl. People say, what do you do to her hair? My response? Nothing.

 

[SimpleKomplexity]

Dang sometimes I wish I were a kid again!! Yeah, it does make me wonder...what's so wrong with grease if my mom used to do it everyweek and my hair was looooooooong (well in my eyes lol) It was prolly APL But I know that Sulfur stuff STINK I wouldn't go back for NOTHINGerplexed

 

[TrendySocialite]

My hair was APL length when I was little. Then when stacks came out I cut it to shoulder length and it pretty much stayed that way in high school. Looking back on my pics, it was a lot drier than when I was a little girl and my mom was doing it.

And I was probably one of few who had a relaxer at age 5 and never had a curl.

I wore pig tails mostly (2 or 3 at the most). The only time I could really wear my hair out was on Sundays.

 

[bgsix]

OMG! OP you just brought back some memories. I used to sit on phone books. My hair was soo think and apl growing up.

I do the same thing with my DD except I do not press it,she would scream bloody murder. She is 6. Her hair get washed every other week and put in plaits. I freshen up her hair midweek and leave it alone.

What is key here ladies is the low manipulation.

 

[LivingDoll]

OMG! OP you just brought back some memories. I used to sit on phone books. My hair was soo think and apl growing up.

I do the same thing with my DD except I do not press it,she would scream bloody murder. She is 6. Her hair get washed every other week and put in plaits. I freshen up her hair midweek and leave it alone.

What is key here ladies is the low manipulation.

ITA!

 

[CenteredGirl]

[/b]

ITA!

Exactly my own conclusion. Leave it alone and it will grow, with GREASE even!

Thanks for indulging my walk down memory lane ladies. You are such good sports.

 

[Duchesse]

I was the kid everyone laughed at... I literally looked like Kizzy the Slave until the "California Curl" came out... my mother didnt know how to braid/cornrow... so I had these big 1872 plaits with big bows on em

cept on special occasions when I went to the beauty parlor where this 90 yr old lady managed to make a 8 yr old look like Rosa Parks and dared me to mess it up

That is hee-larious!!

I was just queen of the 6inch bang that never layed flat with the plastic roller crease. My momma must have been trying to cover up my forehead because my bang would begin from behind my ears.

With the remaining two inches of head would be a bootleg bun of sorts secured by a scrunchy...preferably neon colored or Kente cloth inspired My hair was around APL tho..momma must have known something.

 

[SNyeema]

I was the kid everyone laughed at... I literally looked like Kizzy the Slave until the "California Curl" came out... my mother didnt know how to braid/cornrow... so I had these big 1872 plaits with big bows on em

cept on special occasions when I went to the beauty parlor where this 90 yr old lady managed to make a 8 yr old look like Rosa Parks and dared me to mess it up

Okay.....I almost got fired from my job laughing at this!! You poor soul. But, you managed to live through it and tell your story today (still laughing).

 

[LABETT]

I can remember my mother greasing my scalp 3x a week with Stinky Sulfer 8 grease and putting it in three ponytails.
Hair was long and thick but Stinky.

 

[Prettyeyes]

My mom washed my hair in four big plaits (sound familiar). She also greased my scalp once a week and my hair was BSL. I also slept in a satin bonnet. They say Momma knows best.It took me this long to get it back!