Extreme Coils: The 4c Challenge

I really do not have an issue with my natural hair breaking. My relaxed hair broke at times, but my natural hair is pretty strong. The only time it snaps is if tangled in a brush or comb. I do still have an issue with single strand knots, however. Sigh.

Anyway, there are some options: try using a protein spray daily. Aphogee makes one, CHI makes one, and there are lots of others on the market.
Or... Do a weekly light protein deep condition to build strength, then you can ease up on it as your hair gets stronger. There are lots of them on the market, I really like Joico K-Pak under heat. It strengthens, yet my hair doesn't feel hard from the protein.

Of course there is Aphogee 2 min which is great! Also moisturizing, yet strengthening.
And if you want hardcore strength, there is the Aphogee 2 Step treatment. I haven't used it much since going natural, but I loved it as a relaxed head.


darlinnic
Your hair looks so thick and nice. I don't like to blow dry my hair because it seems to suck all of the moisture out. I air dry soaking wet hair, detangled and moisturized in twists or plaits. When dry, I'll undo the twists or plaits and then style if I want. If I'm wearing my hair out, I'll prep my style as my hair is soaking wet, and let it set that way. So when I wear twist outs and braid outs, I do them on sopping wet hair.

Highly textured 4C hair tend to not shine unless stretched. My twists shine, my braids shine, but my fro doesn't really shine because it is too textured to reflect light in one direction. It used to bother me, but I'm a year and a half into my natural journey and I have fully accepted my hair. I don't force it to do things that are not in it's nature to do. If I want my hair to look shiny and still be textured, I know I'll have to do a twist out or braid out. 

Just my two cents.


I really want to post pics of my hair but I'm trying to keep them in these plaits and wig cap all winter. Sigh.
On the weekend I shall post pics of my treatment.


Edited by Derri - Feb 12 2013 at 2:30pm

Derri, have you tried using Care Free Curl Gold spray as your daily moisturizer? It works really well for me. It says it's a scalp spray as well so I spray it on my scalp. The winter has my scalp sooo dry and flaky and this never happened to me before Maybe I should drink more water.
And the wig protective styling sounds like a good idea. My hair has been out for way too long, and I don't care for it nearly enough lol.
I never wear my twistouts completely out. I pull my hair back into a "puff" of sorts (but I don't pick it out).

darlinicc, My hair is surprisingly shiny, and not just "sheen." Like Derri said, you can see the shine in twistouts but not a fro. I'm not sure if that's just its nature or if it's one of the products I use. Your hair (rollerset) looks shiny to me.

neverjaded, for strengthening, I do an Aphogee once in a while. It seems to work when my hair feels mushy and weak.

I can't remember the exact thread I was reading about 4c WNGs. I think it was this one:http://www.curlynikkiforums.com/styling-natural-hair/22190-4c-hair-type-wngs-post382793.html#post382793

Crimsonpeach writes, "I don't typically do wash and go's anymore because of the shrinkage results in detangling hell.

Shingling doesn't work but shaking does. I wash and condition (Aussie Moist). Add curl activator and a gel on soaking wet hair. Go back in the shower and shake my head until my head hurts lol."
It looks like it's possible to achieve, but not worth the headache, pun intended.




Edited by teendiva - Feb 13 2013 at 2:40pm

I think I'ma 4c. But my hair is do short right now that I have no lenght only very tight curls on my fade. I have fume hair with low density idk..... we'll see as I grow it out

^^^ thanks!  i use a leave in right now, but will be trying the leaving in rinse out conditioner approach for the next month to see how it works out.

You don't have a lot of hair yet, but you don't look like a 4C to me.
You have a defined curl pattern.



Edited by Derri - Feb 26 2013 at 7:25pm