Loose Naturals: How Do You Minimize Manipulation?

[Rastafarai]

Any ideas on how to minimize daily manipulation (like combing) without requiring the need for braids/twists??

With my current regimen I comb my hair on a daily basis with my Jilbere comb to remove dead hair, detangle and prep for the following day. I usually do most of my combing at night, braid into two plaits, tie with a silk scarf and slightly comb to put into a protected bun or flat twist my hair the morning of a work day.

Is this routine considered excessive manipulation for a loose natural? If so, what are my other options?

I don't twists because they don't last for more than 4 days and neither does braiding. Also, braiding/twisting is not as widely acceptable in my work environment. Flat twists/buns are seen as less...Afrocentric. I've tried the braid/twist thing before and though unspoken, I got that "look".

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

 

[-PYT]

bumping this for you. This seems like a good topic, and I would think most naturals avoid manipulation with twists like you said, but I think your routine might be fine, save for the daily combing. Moisturizing and plaits sound good to me

Why is it that we cannot wear our hair in its natural glory without hearing about it in the workplace!?

 

[testimony777]

Buns work the best for me. I only comb my hair twice a week when I wash/co- wash. On the days I don't comb I just pull my hair back into the bun. I sleep with my hair in a braid and covered with a satin bonnet so in the morning frizz is not too big of problem. I may brush my edges to smooth them. HTH

 

[JustKiya]

I bun, and leave the bun in all week unless it starts looking rough, which it usually doesn't. Same with flat twists - I tie them up tight at night to 'squish' back down any shrinkage, and roll on for an entire week.
I don't have time to do my hair every day.

 

[almond eyes]

My hair gets tangled very quickly so I can't go more than a day without combing and moisturising. I have fine hair too. I hardly lose any hair in my comb if any at all. I do my combing and moisturising daily in order to put in my big twists.

Best,
Almond Eyes

 

[tailormade84]

i wish i had suggestions but my hair is the type that likes to hug itself and if i didn't wear twists i would have a knotted, tangled mess come wash day

good luck

 

[Rastafarai]

Buns work the best for me. I only comb my hair twice a week when I wash/co- wash. On the days I don't comb I just pull my hair back into the bun. I sleep with my hair in a braid and covered with a satin bonnet so in the morning frizz is not too big of problem. I may brush my edges to smooth them. HTH

Thanks for sharing your routine.

When you take your hair out of the bun to braid at night and unbraid to place into a bun the next morning, how do you maintain your hair? Do you finger comb? What about the dead ends that need removing? We shed everyday.

 

[MekyakaKinkerbelle]

To be honest, this doesn't seem like a lot of manipulation for a loose natural. You comb before plaiting at night, then release the braids/bun or whatever in the morning. I see nothing wrong with it!

Less Manipulation for me comes from any style that gives me multi-day hair that will "look better with age". Whether that's a slicked back bun that I accessorize with headbands to camouflage any frizz, or twist out from twists worn all weekend which usually give me about 4 days of low manipulation hair. Just just make sure to tie it down with a scarf or put in a high bun at night.

The only reason I don't do something more along the lines of what you do is the headache associated with combing my hair. I HATE DOING IT.

 

[Rastafarai]

My hair gets tangled very quickly so I can't go more than a day without combing and moisturising. I have fine hair too. I hardly lose any hair in my comb if any at all. I do my combing and moisturising daily in order to put in my big twists.

Best,
Almond Eyes

Thanks Almond Eyes.

I've always heard daily combing is not adviseable for us naturals if we wish to retain length and minimize splits but I just can't figure out how to not comb my hair. If I don't comb I'll start to get the itchies and my hair would look a hot mess.

 

[testimony777]

Thanks for sharing your routine.

When you take your hair out of the bun to braid at night and unbraid to place into a bun the next morning, how do you maintain your hair? Do you finger comb? What about the dead ends that need removing? We shed everyday.

In the morning when I take down my braid I moisturize and seal with coconut oil. I then lightly finger comb and then put it in a bun. At night when I take my bun down I moisturize (I don't seal at night) and lightly finger comb again before putting it in the braid.

The finger combing removes some of the shed hair but not much. The shed hairs don't get removed until I wash. It doesn't pose a problem thought because I don't do any heavy styling between washes. Using the coconut oil in between washes helps the detangling proces when I do wash. It takes me less than five minutes to detangle and that includes the time it takes to apply conditioner and allow it to sit for a minute or two .

 

[-PYT]

well maybe just ensuring that you use a wide-tooth comb when wet (or dry when you plait at night) and just being gentle will make for an easy time combing and no damage...? I don't comb my TWA, but I know one day I may need to detangle!

 

[yardyspice]

How do you leave your bun in all week? I would love to know because that would mean less manipulation for me.

I bun, and leave the bun in all week unless it starts looking rough, which it usually doesn't. Same with flat twists - I tie them up tight at night to 'squish' back down any shrinkage, and roll on for an entire week.
I don't have time to do my hair every day.

 

[testimony777]

Thanks Almond Eyes.

I've always heard daily combing is not adviseable for us naturals if we wish to retain length and minimize splits but I just can't figure out how to not comb my hair. If I don't comb I'll start to get the itchies and my hair would look a hot mess.

I just wanted to say that MekyakaKinkerbelle is right. Combing everyday may not be good for some, but if you are not experiencing any damage I would not worry to much about it.

I remember years back when I was first learning about caring for my hair I tried not using a comb at all. I would just finger comb my hair once a week on wash day. I QUICKLY learned that was NOT a good idea. I shed way too much to not use a comb. Now there are lots of naturals who can pull this off but many others who can't. It is all about figuring out what level of manipulation is best for YOUR hair .

 

[JustKiya]

How do you leave your bun in all week? I would love to know because that would mean less manipulation for me.

Um, I just never take it down? It's usually a two parter - the front with be flat twisted or two strand twisted into bangs, and the back is pulled up and the bun incorporates the end of the front twists and the loose hair in the back.

This is the best picture I have of this style done on totally loose hair (fresh twistout that went POOF!)

Front:

Back:

These were taken over a year ago - I can do the same style but without the comb, now - my hair is long enough to 'tuck' without it shrinking out.

I wore this for like four days - at night I just took out the comb and tied my head tight, and in the morning, I just took off the scarf and stuck the comb back in.

As far as sheds, I only worry about them once a week when I'm detangling. I find that if I don't meddle with my hair over the week, the sheds tend to 'behave'. The more dry meddling I do during the week, the more I struggle with tangles on the weekend.

 

[Rastafarai]

I just wanted to say that MekyakaKinkerbelle is right. Combing everyday may not be good for some, but if you are not experiencing any damage I would not worry to much about it.

I remember years back when I was first learning about caring for my hair I tried not using a comb at all. I would just finger comb my hair once a week on wash day. I QUICKLY learned that was NOT a good idea. I shed way too much to not use a comb. Now there are lots of naturals who can pull this off but many others who can't. It is all about figuring out what level of manipulation is best for YOUR hair .

Thanks so much for this reassurance. I do get the occasional splits but its not excessive. I get a professional trim twice a year and mostly swear by a mix of wash-n-gos and flat twists throughout the year. I don't use heat unless doing a deep condition/protein treatment.

I guess I'm worried that the splits I do see are a result of my daily combing and they can be significantly minimized if I stopped combing so often.

 

[Rastafarai]

Um, I just never take it down? It's usually a two parter - the front with be flat twisted or two strand twisted into bangs, and the back is pulled up and the bun incorporates the end of the front twists and the loose hair in the back.

This is the best picture I have of this style done on totally loose hair (fresh twistout that went POOF!)

Front:

Back:

These were taken over a year ago - I can do the same style but without the comb, now - my hair is long enough to 'tuck' without it shrinking out.

I wore this for like four days - at night I just took out the comb and tied my head tight, and in the morning, I just took off the scarf and stuck the comb back in.

As far as sheds, I only worry about them once a week when I'm detangling. I find that if I don't meddle with my hair over the week, the sheds tend to 'behave'. The more dry meddling I do during the week, the more I struggle with tangles on the weekend.

I love it!! Sometimes I wish I had more tightly coiled hair like your own so I won't have to bother worrying about it for days. It's a blessing, especially on the mornings of a weekday.

 

[JustKiya]

I love it!! Sometimes I wish I had more tightly coiled hair like your own so I won't have to bother worrying about it for days. It's a blessing, especially on the mornings of a weekday.

That is one of the blessing of tightly coiled hair - usually, when I put it someplace, it STAYS there. And the longer it gets, the more shrinkage works to my benefit.

 

[melissa-bee]

Bump.......

 

[MizzBrit]

when i wear my hair out..i wear it in a puff..at night i moisturize and plait up..wake up..moisturize.take loose the plaits and put it in a puff..no brush or comb only hands and a pick to fluff out the puff(i only pick out the roots not all the way thru)..idk if thats considered low mani though but it is for me

 

[honeisos]

I wear my hair out (loose) 95% of the time .. I dont like to do my hair .. a pufff or headband is as fancy as I get, but most of the time my hair is out .... I put my hair up in a claw clip if I have on a coat or jacket to avoid tangles in my nape.. I dont comb unless it is wash day , wear a bonnet at night with my hair in a pinapple of plaits .. in the morning refresh with water and a bit of conditioner .. thats it .. very low manipulation

 

[biancaelyse]

I am 3B/3C and only comb my hair when it's wet and full of conditioner. I always air dry and o not use direct heat. I usually wear my hair in a loose ponytail or bun.

I sleep on a satin pillowcase each night and put my hair in a bun while I sleep.

 

[Nonie]

Forgive me if this has been posted but I love this girl's regimen. You can FF to see her styling w/o manipulation from 4:40 in the second clip (Part 2), but from start to finish she handles her hair so gently and it seems it never gets matted or knotted so detangling is a breeze.

Part 1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RrsBfmxh630&feature=channel

Part 2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Du_5CFYkoc&feature=channel

Thanks to the OP who brought the above vids to my attention. I'm sorry I forget whom it was.

 

[PatTodd]

When I was relaxed, I combed my hair through every day, at least twice a day. I am now a natural 3c and I have only combed my hair once a week, for the last 3 1/2 years, ever since a bout with post-partum, post-medication shedding. My hair is very very curly and delicate so I try not to comb through it dry at all. I only comb it wet in the shower, arrange it however I plan to wear it, then dry it under a hooded dryer for a relatively short period of time and finish by air drying. I may wear it loose the first few days after washing, leaving it down and covered with a silk scarf at night and smoothing with a bit of water in the morning. After a few days, I may gently "rake" the front smooth and put it into a ponytail or pinned-under bun. So although I don't comb it, I do groom it every day, even if most of my grooming consists of arranging damp hair and letting it dry under a silk scarf.

 

[jada1111]

Any ideas on how to minimize daily manipulation (like combing) without requiring the need for braids/twists??

With my current regimen I comb my hair on a daily basis with my Jilbere comb to remove dead hair, detangle and prep for the following day. I usually do most of my combing at night, braid into two plaits, tie with a silk scarf and slightly comb to put into a protected bun or flat twist my hair the morning of a work day.

Is this routine considered excessive manipulation for a loose natural?

For me it would be. I only comb my hair when I wash it with a ton of conditioner, usually once or twice a week.

If so, what are my other options?

Here's my routine:

1) Wash with a sulfate shampoo. I don't mind the "stripping". I use butters, hairsprays and gels, so conditioner alone will not get it clean. The only time I will do a conditioner wash is if I wash my hair today, use a light styling product that doesn't take much to get out, then use CLARIFYING conditioner by either Suave or V05. If I try to conditioner wash only a third day my hair looks frizzy meaning it's not clean and I need to wash it with real shampoo.

2) Soak my hair with a good moisturizing conditioner (current faves are Herbal Essences Hello Hydration in the blue bottle and Jane Carter Nutrient Replenishing Conditioner) for detangling purposes. Let it soak for a few while I wash up then use my detangling comb to remove tangles. My rule of thumb on a good conditioner is that I should NOT be struggling with my hair or pulling on my scalp when the ordeal is over. This means the conditioner is garbage. Detangling should only take a couple of minutes max on each section I do. Always begin at the bottom then work up to scalp.

3) Once I'm done detangling I rinse out most of the conditioner. Sometimes, depending on the type of gel I'm going to use I'll leave some in, but most of the time I rinse most of it out. I prefer Devacare's One Condition as an excellent leave-in for strong holding gels. OneC's detangling capabilities for MY hair leaves little to be desired, but it's a great leave-in. Can't go wrong with it.

4) I put my hair in four sections (have pics in my fotki) and apply styling product (either Curls Gel-les'C (no leave-in) or Abba Pure Volume Gel (with leave-in/sometimes without) to WET HAIR. The good thing about Curls Gel-les'C compared to other gels is that my hair doesn't have to real wet in order for it to work or spread well. It has a very unusual gel/serum consistency that works great. I used to COMB it through when my hair was shorter now I RAKE IT AND SMOOTH IT through with my fingers. The coils fall better and I like it this way.

5) Once I'm done applying the styling product, I use a diffuser attachment secured to my blowdryer to get rid of the excess drippies and dry it up some. I let airdry the rest of the day and fluff for bigness once it dries.

At night, I'll create several big twists (for stretchage the next day) using Miss Jessies Curly Buttercreme, but I don't seal the ends. I leave a little hair untwisted, because it looks better when I release them the next day. I DO NOT COMB MY HAIR TO DO THESE TWISTS. I just grab a section of hair, apply the creme (concentrating on the ends) and twist. That's it. I still want to keep the coil pattern the gel left. I don't wrap my hair in a scarf, but I do sleep on a satin pillowcase. In the morning I untwist and fluff my hair all over the place for the look that I want. If need be, I'll use bobby pins to create bigness where it tends to be floppy.

For the next two or three days, I may retwist with no product or just tie it up in a high pony puff with my scarf before going to bed. I fluff it out in the morning add more buttercreme or CD Tui hair oil (for sheen), fluff some more then leave. I will also use hairspray to retain lift if it's not acting the way I want.

After three days (maybe four), I do it all over again. I don't do buns or low pony puffs. When my hair is acting a mess I usually put it in a high puff.

Wow, I haven't done this in awhile didn't realize how long it was! Sorry about that.

I guess I said all this to say that you don't have to comb your hair every night if you don't want to. LOL!

 

[jada1111]

Forgive me if this has been posted but I love this girl's regimen. You can FF to see her styling w/o manipulation from 4:40 in the second clip (Part 2), but from start to finish she handles her hair so gently and it seems it never gets matted or knotted so detangling is a breeze.

Part 1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RrsBfmxh630&feature=channel

Part 2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Du_5CFYkoc&feature=channel

Thanks to the OP who brought the above vids to my attention. I'm sorry I forget whom it was.

Kimmay is sooooo pretty. I forgot about her vids, thanks for reposting.

I like her Tuck and Go one:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T8kq26aCBQA&feature=channel

I can most definitely do this one now that my hair is longer.

I have so many videos tucked away in folders that I really need to check again. I hope they're still up. I do love wearing my hair out, but there's nothing wrong with a change up every now and then.

 

[Lyoness]

I'm lazy.. I wash once or twice a week. I only comb my hair in the shower with a shower comb and conditioner in my hair and the water running through my hair at the same time. I set my hair up for the week by moisturising my hair while my hair is wet and sealing with a serum.

I find that shed hairs fall without a comb just through moisturising often throughout the week. I use a water based moisturiser for that purpose and that my hair clumps better, this makes styling alot easier full stop.. I almost thought about throwing my combs away since I don't use them anymore. I tend to Amla regularly so maybe thats why my shedding isn't excessive?