Having a Daughter with 4C hair (Daughter's Story)

I have to think back to how this hair journey began. I'm thinking about to my childhood until now. My hair has always been on a journey, I just didn't know it until 2013.

I remember being a kid and my Mother would wash my hair with Johnson and Johnson baby Shampoo and Conditioner up until 1st Grade possibly second. I remember having major shrinkage because when I was twelve my hair got pressed and curled for the first time and it was down my back. I whipped the hell out my hair that day.

Back to 1st Grade. My Mom would braid my hair constantly. Her routine for my hair was as follow:


1. Wash hair three times
2. Condition for five minutes
3. Comb out and oil scalp
4. Brush hair
5. Braid hair in style


As time went on my Mom was sick and tired of doing my thick hair but knew the harm of me having a perm my hair may not be the same. I however was sick of braids all day everyday. I mean think about it. You see my hair routine, as I grew older my Mom started to add hair and make indivials (box braids) in my hair all the time. My hair would breathe for one maybe two days and before school started back my hair would be done.

I had to beg her to get it pressed. Then when I turned 13 I convinced her to get it permed. I was happy because I was tired of having braids. I got my perm and I was happy I liked how I look.I finally looked like everyone else. My dreams were shattered when my Mother refused to get a touch up saying, I enjoyed the perm and now my hair needs to go back to braids. She could've got a kit at the store for $8 because that's what she use to use on her hair, but she didn't. My perm grew out, my ends were cut and I remember her paying $80 for wrap braids after that.

Freshman year of High School I started doing my own hair. I didn't know what to do with my hair and overtime my Mom actually stopped using conditioner on my hair. So all I knew wash my hair, oil my scalp and braid my hair. I guess other women can relate when getting a perm, that is all they know.

I remember being in college being interrogated on why is my hair so dry? Why don't you condition your hair? You don't wash your hair every week? Why you always braiding your hair? I mean DAMN! I didn't know the importance of hair and how to take care of my own hair. I find it funny now how people can question you about your hair care but can't make any suggestions on how to take care of it and teach you what to do but talk about you behind your back.....Hater anyone?

It didn't hit me until 2012 and I was hearing about Big Chops, Natural Oils and Moisturizing your hair. I started doing research and was in shock of how many black girls were cutting their hair and just rocking the chop or their long natural hair. And get this there are other women with 4C hair like me! Now that was hella shocking. I was amazed, inspired, and excited at the same damn time. There is a hair movement going on and I have to be apart of it.

Still I was sick of braiding my hair but it became a habit overtime. One day the strangest thing happend when I was taking out my braids and wondering what should I do with my natural hair.

My hair started talking.....so I listened.

It said.
I'm only going to say this once, do not braid me, press me, perm me, blow dry us with heat, put on another hot ass wig or put me in a bun. Let me be free.

I said
Are you sure?

My hair said
YES!

Since that day I have not braided, pressed, permed, blow dryed, bunned or wigged my hair.

So I started washing my hair with a ton of different shampoos and started conditioning the hell out my hair which made it softer. I started pre-pooping and didn't know that's what I was doing. I oiled my hair with real oils and not greese and invested in Jamacian Black Castor Oil, which is amazing and over time I see the results. It takes time but it really works. The only problem now is, I haven't had a trim in four years. I saw my hair growing longer but breaking in the process. Not one fairy knot but three in a row. I was so devastated. My natural dreams are becoming nightmares.

March 2013
My hair said.
Just cut it all off.

I said
WHAT?

My hair said
We are dying, you have to do it

I said
Are you sure?

My hair said
YES!

I got my big chop and my hair has been happy every since. I purchased oils for my hair and threw away any jar of hair greese I had. I recently stopped using combs since my hair told me not too. Yes I may sound a little crazy but its true. If you listen to your hair you will know exactly what it wants.

I spent years damaging my hair with no knowledge of how to take care of it, now I have an actual curl pattern. My breakage has completly stopped and I haven't seen a fairy knot in a long time since my protein treatments. My hair is short but soft, healthy, and very happy.

It's hard work to take care of hair period. I really encourage Mom's with daughters of 4C hair to either DO THEIR DAMN HAIR or TAKE THEM TO A HAIR SHOP. Braiding is a protective style yes but it shouldn't be a 365 days style, as much as it helps it can also damage your hair. I will be writing a blog about braids I have so much to say about that. Also perming I do not support the creamy crack. At the end of the day I will admit the ten times I've gotten a perm did damage my natural curl pattern, my scalp and my poor edges. I have never gotten a texturizer but if I can't wash it out then I don't want it.

Me and my hair are very happy now. I wouldn't change this journey for anything

After all it's just beginning.....

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Tie up that hair!

It's getting late and I have no plans on going out. Tieing up your hair is the most important thing to do when trying to 1. Grow your hair 2. Prevent split ends 3. Prevent tangled hair. If your a newbie at being natural then this would be considered step two after the chop or going natural period. God bless those that can wake up and go. Imagine tieing up your head at night only to find it on the edge of the bed in the morning looking like WTF. There are other scarfs that say on sercure that you can purchase in the beauty store. I wouldn't mind going out in a scarf every once in a while, it can also be very fashionable.  I  need to find some youtube natural sistas that can tie a scarf like nobody's business.  Walk into the party with Eyrkah Badu realness. Yasssss.

Product Switch Up Results

Today. I deep conditioned with ORS Replenishing Conditioner and my own oil mix which includes; JBCO Joba Oil Almond Oil Aloe Oil and My Wild Grown Oil.I let my hair sit with a scarf and shower cap for three hours. I removed the cap n scarf and washed my hair.  Rinsed everything out, shampooed twice with Neutrogena Triple repair, followed by the Triple Repair Conditioner and Triple Repair Leave in treatment. Right now my hair is soft.  I can feel my curls n waves. Tomorrow I will get my trim, shampoo and condition only. By Friday I will continue to use the Neutrogena Triple Moisture Silky Cream and buy more bottles. I feel like I finally found my hair routine. Hopefully I will stick with this every week and see nice results.

Product Switch Up

I love Shea Moisture I will now only use the Shea Moisture Curl & Style Milk and Curl Enhancing Smoothie oh and that lovely hair mask in the green jar on my hair. The Shampoo and Conditioner I love how clean my hair feels but softness is not happening.The new product I like to call the Greenline is made for my hair, but its not providing enough mositure that I need.

So I ditched it for Aphogee Mositurizing Shampoo that leaves my hair soft for a moment. The Aphogee Pro Vitamin Leave-In Conditioner is cool but its not enough, I do like the Aphogee Keratin& Green Tea Restructurizer spray. It smells good and I would use it throughout the day to add that little boost to my style. I will use these products as a touch up but not a leave in for the entire day like I was doing that made my hair dry. I want a product I can leave in and go but with this hair, that's damn near impossible. If you have breakage, thin hair, or your hair is not strong I would say spend the money on this product. My crown, my edges and my nape have become stronger since using this product. I have not tried the Protein treatment yet, I'm waiting for more length before I do. I did use Aphogee Keratin 2 Minute Reconstructor Yasssss I would recommend it to your Mama!

So one day I picked up a product I bought a while back. Its called Neutrogena Triple Moisture Silky Leave In Cream. Its beautiful for my 4c Hair. Perfect for wash and go if you have TWA hair. My hair is so soft. My curls and kinks are happy. I just purchased the Triple Repair Line. I suffer from breakage and split ends so I'm hoping this will be a start to saving my ends.I'm getting my hair trimmed tomorrow and I will use the shampoo after.

Today I am deep conditioning following up with a wash. I'm using ORS Olive Oil Replenishing Conditioner and it feels great and smells like lemon. I like it already. I'm also buying more of the Neutrogena Triple Moisture Hair Mask and Shampoo and Conditioner.

Aphgoee is great if you want to strengthen your hair and add protein. The shampoo leaves my hair dry, I would prefer my hair being left soft, clean and moisturized. This is tough to get on 4C hair. I swear I have tried lots and lots of products that provide one thing but not another. Aphgoee I would recommend to a friend, every product I use is recommended to try. Since I am a product junkie with a problem I will admit this will not be the last product I try.

Hair Journey Begins

I've been meaning to start this blog for a long time. Now I'm at a place in my life where I can make the time to invest in my blog and hopefully help alot of young ladies and grown women with their hair. So thank you for coming to my page and reading my blog. My journey began one day when I was driving. I looked in the mirror and noticed my edges were bald! I mean my finger can touch my cold dry scalp. I took the time to really look at and examine my hair. I couldn't believe how much damage and stress I put on my hair. I always had this mindset that "Oh I have so much hair it doesn't matter" as thick and juicy as my hair is its not Super Hair! This hair has to be cared for. I searched the internet not even knowing what I was looking for, I guess more girls like me with thick crazy ass hair. I found some great pages like Black Girl With Longhair, Curly Nikki, and lots of youtube videos. I was amazed with how many black girls had hair just like mines only longer, healthier, and thicker. So in Novemeber of 2012 I took out my braids for the last time and decided to never put them back in. I know braids are used for protective styling but on my 4C hair I believe I should only braid my hair once a year. I'll get into braids for 4C hair in another blog. Not only did I take out my braids I stopped using hair grease; Blue Magic, Dr.Mircles, Clear all of it. I started using only natural oils and I switched shampoos and added conditioner in my life. The last time I conditioned my hair I had to be when I was ten years old unless I went to the Beauty Shop. I started mixing my oils and applying them to my hair hoping it would grow. Every page and you tube view raved about Jamacian Black Castor Oil, so I bought a big ass bottle and added it to other oils like Vitamin E oil, Joba Oil, Olive Oil and other oils I love and started a hair regiem that I'm still adding too until this day. One day I used the wrong oil and my end began to split. I believe three things caused it, my hair already had split ends since I never trimmed them, the oil I used did not mix well with my other oils, and I wasn't tieing up my hair every night like I should have. My breakage was horrible. Imagine seeing your hair actually growing past your shoulders with double spilts in your hair. I was depressed. Then I researched Big Chop. Big Chops are used for when you want to get rid of the permed hair you chop off the dead ends of your hair. Deep down I always wanted to cut off all my hair I mean what 4C girl doesn't. I was scared, so many things running through my mind. Would I look like a man? Will people look and act differently towards me? Will I wanna lay in the bed and watch Buffy and Love n Hip Hop reruns until my hair grows back? As many fears I had in the back of my mind I heard two things. "Your hair will grow back. If you take care of it it will grow long and healthy". On March 21 2013 I went to a hair school paid 7 dollars n chopped off all my hair. I get the most compliments with my hair cut than with braids weaves perms or wigs. I feel so much more confident with my 4c hair. I actually love my hair. Taking care of it. Is a different story. I love certain products but my hair doesn't, the crown of my hair is extremly sensitive and I have to give extra care to. I have breakage dude to not tieing up and trimming my hair like I'm suppose to. I also discoved with my hair as much as I need moisture I also need protein. I have to accept there are things I can and cannot do to this hair. I have to actually take care of my hair everyday for it to be healthy. My hair needs water on a regualr, Wash and condition once every week, deep condition once a month, oil every week and sometimes daily,trim ends every 4 weeks, tie up hair, don't touch hair, no combs or brushes, and protein treatments is a must every six weeks, the list goes on and on and can grow as my hair grows. This is what I do for my hair, I would recommend finding what works for you and your hair just because it looks alike doesn't mean it acts alike. From March until May 1st of this year I've learned what I can and can't do to my hair. I started to grow it out I wanna say January and I got breakage my in between stage and I learned that I don't have to comb and brush my hair like little black girls like me grew up taught to do with our hair. I believe with the combs and brushing on a regular basis I have damaged my natural curl pattern. On May 1 2014 I got my second big chop and have started my second hair journey. There is no way in hell I'm big chopping a second time. The hair I get will the be the hair I will live with. I'm very comfortable in my own hair so me getting a second big chop is no as gasping as the first one. This chop is for two reasons, restore the curls in my natural hair and to look cute for the summer. Something about a natural hair woman is just sexy and I feel extra sexy this year. My next series of blogs will give tips on how to take care and manage your hair. If your looking for styles you will have to come back in three years when I have hair, but if you want to learn how to take care of your hair, you have come to the right place. We will talk about greasing the scalp VS natural oils, Comb and Brush myth and the products you should use on your hair. This will be a journey we will take together.