TWA Support Thread

[Mz.MoMo5235]

I didnt wait o_o

I cut twice. Here's the first (hand and qtip for comparison)


View attachment 271123



View attachment 271121

2nd cut

View attachment 271119

I'll show pics of my hair tomorrow. Taking my insomniac butt to bed

 

[beauti]

How'd your hair feel at the end of the day?

it was just okay I think I will just keep cowashing frequently for the moisture until I get those products you recommended. I cowashed yesterday and left the conditioner in (tresseme naturals), sealed with oil, then added little eco styler to stretch for a bun

 

[lookingforkeona]

How big does youe fro have to be to be out of the twa phase?

 

[Mz.MoMo5235]

LOOK WHAT I DID!

 

[KaramelKutie803]

Forgot about my monthaversy of my BC. July 4th made my third month of being natural since my BC. At first I felt like I wasn't seeing the growth cause my twist outs and puffs pretty much looks the same size which was a little discouraging. Wasn't until I decided to do a LC that I saw that my lil fro is actually making some progress. I guess I just have really bad shrinkage to the point where I'm gone have to have significant growth before I see a difference in how my twist outs and puffs look. The last two collages are pretty much the same as the first except they include shots of my growth in the back of my hair. That's my area that always seems to grow in the slowest. I'm excited to see what it's gone look like by my 6th month mark.
Edited to say sorry the pics may be small. I don't know how to make them bigger from this Note 3

 

[Cattypus1]

Forgot about my monthaversy of my BC. July 4th made my third month of being natural since my BC. At first I felt like I wasn't seeing the growth cause my twist outs and puffs pretty much looks the same size which was a little discouraging. Wasn't until I decided to do a LC that I saw that my lil fro is actually making some progress. I guess I just have really bad shrinkage to the point where I'm gone have to have significant growth before I see a difference in how my twist outs and puffs look. The last two collages are pretty much the same as the first except they include shots of my growth in the back of my hair. That's my area that always seems to grow in the slowest. I'm excited to see what it's gone look like by my 6th month mark. Edited to say sorry the pics may be small. I don't know how to make them bigger from this Note 3

I'm right there with ya on the shrinkage. I BC-ed on May 11. I've been taking pics each month on the 11th so that I can hopefully see a change, Lawd knows I'm not going to notice it daily because I'm getting about 80% shrinkage. Whats your regi?

 

[KaramelKutie803]

I'm right there with ya on the shrinkage. I BC-ed on May 11. I've been taking pics each month on the 11th so that I can hopefully see a change, Lawd knows I'm not going to notice it daily because I'm getting about 80% shrinkage. Whats your regi?

I must be getting about 80% shrinkage as well. My regi is pretty simple. I protective style a lot in braids or sew-ins which I don't leave in too long cause I have fine thin hair. Out of protective styles I shampoo once a week or I don't shampoo I'll use a Co wash either As I Am Coconut Co wash or Cantu's Co wash. I deep condition with every wash with a plastic cap. Moisturize and seal daily and primarily wear twist outs/puffs. I just started incorporating aloe vera juice in my regimen by mixing equal parts with water in my spray bottle. I spray my hair with this prior to applying my moisturizer and so far my hair is liking it, nice and soft.

 

[Cattypus1]

I must be getting about 80% shrinkage as well. My regi is pretty simple. I protective style a lot in braids or sew-ins which I don't leave in too long cause I have fine thin hair. Out of protective styles I shampoo once a week or I don't shampoo I'll use a Co wash either As I Am Coconut Co wash or Cantu's Co wash. I deep condition with every wash with a plastic cap. Moisturize and seal daily and primarily wear twist outs/puffs. I just started incorporating aloe vera juice in my regimen by mixing equal parts with water in my spray bottle. I spray my hair with this prior to applying my moisturizer and so far my hair is liking it, nice and soft.

I don't have a real regi yet...I've tried all sorts of stuff but I really don't like my hair in a Twistout yet. I'm gonna have to try the AVJ/water combo. I've been struggling to get soft dry hair. It feels wonderful while it's wet or damp but I'm still not satisfied with the way it feels after it's completely dry. I have to co-wash daily or I look a mess.

 

[KaramelKutie803]

I don't have a real regi yet...I've tried all sorts of stuff but I really don't like my hair in a Twistout yet. I'm gonna have to try the AVJ/water combo. I've been struggling to get soft dry hair. It feels wonderful while it's wet or damp but I'm still not satisfied with the way it feels after it's completely dry. I have to co-wash daily or I look a mess.

That's how I was the first time I went natural. I couldn't for the life of me get my hair to feel moisturized and soft after drying. It always felt rough and dry. What helped me solve that this time around is wetting my hair before moisturizing. Not soaking wet but misting the water/AVJ first or just plain water and making sure I seal with a sealant heavy enough for my hair. If you have real thick hair you may need to seal with something heavier like a butter or heavier oil like castor oil instead of something light like grapeseed and coconut. What are you currently doing to your hair?

 

[Cattypus1]

That's how I was the first time I went natural. I couldn't for the life of me get my hair to feel moisturized and soft after drying. It always felt rough and dry. What helped me solve that this time around is wetting my hair before moisturizing. Not soaking wet but misting the water/AVJ first or just plain water and making sure I seal with a sealant heavy enough for my hair. If you have real thick hair you may need to seal with something heavier like a butter or heavier oil like castor oil instead of something light like grapeseed and coconut. What are you currently doing to your hair?

Daily co-wash using Wen or Carol's Daughter, add a little bit of the conditioner as a leave-in and add either Eco Olive oil, KCCC or my fav KCS and finish with some Jane Carter Nourish & Shine. I sleep in a satin bonnet but I never get 2nd day hair.

 

[almond eyes]

During my last transition my hair used to be very dry. This transition around I realised that my hair needed to be watered (shampooed/conditioned or water rinsed) everyday or every other day. I believe that it takes time for the hair to get used to the moisture from the water. Some women say washing makes their hair dry but I think that the hair needs to get used to the water.

It's like my Mum's large plant in the living room. Mum went on a vacation for three weeks and my Dad didn't water it and the soil was mad dry. When she came back she was so upset. She began watering it lightly everyday and the first two weeks the soil was still very dry and it seemed like nothing was picking up but then eventually the soil began to get moist and began to sprout new plants and the old leaves began to look better. I think this is why I decided to shave my hair this time around I felt that my new hair would better respond to my washing it everyday and it wouldn't take much time for my hair to adapt.

My cousin who is natural and only washes every week, her hair is mad dry. And products over the course of the week is not enough.

Best,
Almond Eyes

 

[lookingforkeona]

My twa is looking really full right now!

ETA bigger pic:

[/URL]

 

[Coilystep]

I got my permed ends cut off yesterday. This is what it looks like today.

 

[Mz.MoMo5235]

I'm chopping the rest of my hair off

 

[Mz.MoMo5235]

So I cut a whole heap of hair. Much more than I actually intended... So I'm basically starting over again lol

 

[KaramelKutie803]

Daily co-wash using Wen or Carol's Daughter, add a little bit of the conditioner as a leave-in and add either Eco Olive oil, KCCC or my fav KCS and finish with some Jane Carter Nourish & Shine. I sleep in a satin bonnet but I never get 2nd day hair.

Are the conditioners you're leaving meant go be used as rinse out conditioners?

 

[Mz.MoMo5235]

Are the conditioners you're leaving meant go be used as rinse out conditioners?

That's how I do it. I use Aussie moist rinse out cond as a leave in diluted with a bit of water

 

[Cattypus1]

Are the conditioners you're leaving meant go be used as rinse out conditioners?

Yes...I was trying to do a modified version of the Dickey method without the drippy hair. I just use a bit of the same co-wash.

 

[Mz.MoMo5235]

Here's my new look. Feeling like big perm up in this piece lol. I went WAY shorter than I planned. But oh wells yeah lol

 

[Cattypus1]

Here's my new look. Feeling like big perm up in this piece lol. I went WAY shorter than I planned. But oh wells yeah lol

You so crazy! Lol. I love it!

 

[KaramelKutie803]

Yes...I was trying to do a modified version of the Dickey method without the drippy hair. I just use a bit of the same co-wash.

That could be an issue. Some people's hairs doesn't react well to leaving in rinse out conditioners. I tried it once and my hair would always dry hard and I had a bad case of itchy scalp. Could've been the conditioner I was using but I never tried again with a different one

 

[nisemac]

Mz.MoMo5235 i'm beginning to think some of us are must meant to stay twas.

i'd say 80% of the time, i'm content with my hair short. its that other 20% of the time that gets me feenin' to let it grow, and then gets impatient with the growing time...and the shrinkage.

my shrinkage is no joke. i swear my hair doesn't shrink, it goes back into my scalp.

 

[MzRhonda]

Mz.MoMo5235 i'm beginning to think some of us are must meant to stay twas.

i'd say 80% of the time, i'm content with my hair short. its that other 20% of the time that gets me feenin' to let it grow, and then gets impatient with the growing time...and the shrinkage.

my shrinkage is no joke. i swear my hair doesn't shrink, it goes back into my scalp.

LOL!

I love short hair but I wear my hair straight....I am transitioning.

The other night before washing I played around with gels, leave in etc for a curly short fro.......my back is almost fully natural so that curled nicely but my sides and top still have relaxed ends........my poor DH who does not understand "shrinkage" asked "Did you cut your hair?" when I said "No" he kept saying "yes you did, yes you did" he is so used to either my relaxed straight and curled/styled hair or my transitioning hair the same way that he does not know nor understand my hair in its "natural" state.

How do you deal with that, get your dh or SO or others to understand and accept your hair not being "straight"?

 

[Mz.MoMo5235]

Mz.MoMo5235 i'm beginning to think some of us are must meant to stay twas.

i'd say 80% of the time, i'm content with my hair short. its that other 20% of the time that gets me feenin' to let it grow, and then gets impatient with the growing time...and the shrinkage.

my shrinkage is no joke. i swear my hair doesn't shrink, it goes back into my scalp.

YASSSS! I am not alone! I swear mine is 10%! I had been feenin for short hair since last oct lol. My hair thinning was the perfect excuse for me to cut lol.

But that 10% has a scrong (yes SCRONG!) pimp hand so I dont know what to do lol

 

[Mz.MoMo5235]

How do you deal with that, get your dh or SO or others to understand and accept your hair not being "straight"?

I found that most men are way more accepting of our natural hair than we give them credit for. Most times they feed off our own reaction to it. So if you're wishy washy about it he will be too. If you're confident and own it, they love it.

And when I say they love it I really mean it. As naturals we open up a whole new relationship with our hair for them. It looks, feels, and smells different. And men find that very attractive. In addition as naturals we tend to let our SO play in our hair more, something that black men often learn early on is a no no. So they become more intimate with our hair.

 

[KaramelKutie803]

I found that most men are way more accepting of our natural hair than we give them credit for. Most times they feed off our own reaction to it. So if you're wishy washy about it he will be too. If you're confident and own it, they love it.

And when I say they love it I really mean it. As naturals we open up a whole new relationship with our hair for them. It looks, feels, and smells different. And men find that very attractive. In addition as naturals we tend to let our SO play in our hair more, something that black men often learn early on is a no no. So they become more intimate with our hair.

I can't agree with what you said more. I work at Amazon and it's over 2000 people there daily. I've been working back there for about 4 months now but my birthday has been in protective styles since I've been there. Started in March BCed in April and been on a sew-in and then jumbo Senegalese twists right after. I wore my hair out for the first time these past two weeks and I was expecting less attention. There's a few guys that casually flirt at work and was expecting this to stop with the stigma of black men not liking natural hair which is kind of true to an extent. But to my surprise I got a lot of positive feed back from my hair from men my age and older/younger guys. I feel like it's just what you said. If you're confident and rock your hair with confidence then men will be more open to it. My daughter's father hated that I cut my hair the first time I went natural but once it started to grow he grew to love it. The guy that I'm currently dating was the same. When he first saw me with my natural hair he cracked his 'nappy' jokes etc but later that night we were chilling watching a movie and he started to play in it out of curiosity and when I tell ya the man sat there the whole movie with his hands in my hair lol. It just takes them some getting used to.

 

[KaramelKutie803]

Did my first ever wash and go today. I was nervous about doing it because I didn't know how it would turn out. I used As I Am Coconut CoWash, their leave in conditioner and their coil and curling jelly. After cowashing I applied the stylers while still in the shower on soaking wet hair and then shook my hair to help define the curls. My hair is still really short so I pulled it up into a puff to dry instead of leaving it loose. I must say I loved the results I achieved with these products. It didn't dry very hard, crunchy or stiff and still had lots of movement if I shook my head. The 1st pic is my hair still wet before I pulled it into a puff. All photos after are my hair dry and pulled up.

 

[Cattypus1]

Did my first ever wash and go today. I was nervous about doing it because I didn't know how it would turn out. I used As I Am Coconut CoWash, their leave in conditioner and their coil and curling jelly. After cowashing I applied the stylers while still in the shower on soaking wet hair and then shook my hair to help define the curls. My hair is still really short so I pulled it up into a puff to dry instead of leaving it loose. I must say I loved the results I achieved with these products. It didn't dry very hard, crunchy or stiff and still had lots of movement if I shook my head. The 1st pic is my hair still wet before I pulled it into a puff. All photos after are my hair dry and pulled up.

I love your results, too! I can't seem to get my hair into a puff like that to save my soul. I guess my hair is still too short.

 

[KaramelKutie803]

I love your results, too! I can't seem to get my hair into a puff like that to save my soul. I guess my hair is still too short.

You probably can. I use a knee high to make my puffs. I just cut the ends off them, place it on my forehead right below my hair line and cross the ends in the back and pull the two ends to tighten it or until it gets into a nice size puff. Once I get it how I like it I tie it and tuck the loose ends.

 

[Cattypus1]

You probably can. I use a knee high to make my puffs. I just cut the ends off them, place it on my forehead right below my hair line and cross the ends in the back and pull the two ends to tighten it or until it gets into a nice size puff. Once I get it how I like it I tie it and tuck the loose ends.

Okay, then, my head must not be shaped right because it slips right off after I tie it! LOL...I have a stack of cute headbands too but no luck with them either.