Moisture: Nappy Hair’s Best Friend
While mineral oil and petroleum-based products can be nappy hair’s worst enemy, you’ll find that water is nappy hair’s best friend. You see, nappy hair has raised cuticles, that’s the outer layer of the hair that you can liken to shingles on a roof. On naturally straight hair, those “shingles” can lay flat. But on nappy hair that twists, turns, bends and zigzags, it’s nearly impossible for our cuticles to lay flat. So that makes our hair porous, meaning it sucks up moisture like a sponge, but it also has a hard time trapping and retaining moisture too. Kinda like a door that’s been left open…let’s everything in and everything out.
So, as a nappy, your number one mission with regards to your hair is to keep it moisturized. You need to be seeking out products that promote the attraction and retention of moisture. Most likely moisture based products with some type of humectant. A humectant is a substance that attracts moisture. Glycerin, honey, propylene glycol are a few common humectants. Now if have grease in your hair, it most likely contains either a mineral oil or a petroleum base, both of which coat your hair shaft and doesn’t allow it to take in moisture. And that will only compound the issue of dryness.
In fact, take note, many nappy’s find that their hair doesn’t tolerate any oil. I don’t use oil at all. If you experiment with such, make sure it’s an essential oil because they are permeable and will not block moisture out.
Also, one final thing, don’t let the advertising confuse you. Oil is NOT moisture. Moisture equals water. The most prevelant ingredient in any product is placed at the top of the list. The further down the list, the less prevelant an ingredient is in the product. So if your label says the product contains aqua/water, glycerine and propylene glycol those are your primary ingredients.
So now as soon as you get a chance, wash that stuff out of your hair and get it some proper moisture!
Nappturology 101 
I’ve been wearing my hair in a fro (puff) for a year now. I don’t know what else to do with it. It is pretty big (I have very thick hair) and people often ask me “is that your real hair?” I do love my fro, but twisitng it at night and pulling it apart in the morning is getting old. Is there a product I can put on it while it’s wet, some type of moisturizer or gel? I’m not looking to change the texture, but I don’t always have time to blow it out after I wash it.
Thank you so much.
Shani in Florida
Hi my name is Jubilee, and I have very curly/wavy hair. I notice how nice my hair feel when its wet, but once the water leaves my hair (which can take 2 days at times) my hair looks and feels awful, and my curls aren’t as defined. I also get split ends very easily. How should I properly maintain my hair?
Hi there!
I’m am so not an expert on curl definition since I don’t have any curls to define. My hair loops, bends, zigs then zags and occasionally coils. And quite often you can find all of this going on all one each individual strand. So I’ve never even been curious about trying to get definition.
I really suggest you hop on over to a site like curlynikki.com (I think that’s right). I think you’ll find lots of ladies over there that can give you recommendations about defining your curls.
Good luck!
Hi Shani,
If I understand you correctly, you twist your hair up at night so that you’ll have a more stretched out fro in the morning. Is that right?
Well…if that’s what you’re trying to accomplish, then twisting it is still probably the best method to achieve a more voluminous fro or a puff. If you use a moisturizer on or gel on it in the morning, you’re just going to cause shrinkage, and that would obviously be counterproductive to what you’re trying to achieve.
You say you’ve been wearing your hair in a fro or a puff for over a year because you don’t know what to do with it. Have you taken a look around my site. I have tons of pictures that could perhaps give you some ideas on how to style your hair. I’ve pics of my hair in twists, two-strand twists and twistouts.
Of course there are a lot of other ways to wear your hair too. Are you a member of Nappturality.com? If not, pop over to the board and take a look around. It’s an online community full of sistas just like yourself who wear their hair naturally and proudly. With over 50,000 members, many of who maintain photo journals or blogs that document their natural journey. Through NP, as the site is affectionately know, you’d be able to access member journals to get all kinds of ideas for your hair.
Oh…and about using a blow dryer to achieve to stretch your hair. I know you didn’t ask about it, but I’m always compelled to impart a word of caution. Blow drying your hair can be extremely damaging. It saps your hair of moisture, and that can lead to brittle hair that is prone to breakage. If your goal is to have healthy nappy hair with good elasticity, ditch the heat. I’d much rather see you twist it up at night, every night than risk the health of your hair.
Good luck Shani and thank you for visiting Nappturology 101. I hope you make it a resource for your natural hair care. If you have any additional questions, feel free to post on the site or email me at NappymeHappyme@aol.com.
Hello,
I don’t know who I’m addressing this comment to, but it was suggested to me to check out your website. I like what I see and feel like a nitwit for using so much heat in my hair to get it to act right. My hair is fine, soft, and thin. I wore a TWA during the summer months for the last six years but because I wanted more volume because I thought my face was too fat for a shorter look, I’ve been straightening it with a flat comb every week. My hair is usually limp on most days with no curl whatsoever, nad weighted down with the “grease” that you mention on your site. I am so happy to have found this site. I’m still contemplating on what to do to look younger than my mature age of 51. lol Losing weight would definitely help. Do you have any info for someone with fine, thin hair. I just don’t feel that I can proudly wear a TWA again and look like it’s “me”. I’ve never had braids, nbut I could consider it if I find someone reasonable in my area that cou;d do them for me. Thanks for the treasure trove of good info !! I’ll check out MotownGirl’s site also.
these two comments from karyn sound like the person who made this site just to advertise the site by giving more ideas. please nobody talks like that. i’m onto u.
Hi Karyn,
You’re addressing Nappyme, I’m the owner of this website Nappturology 101. Thank you so much for dropping by. See you found the article on heat and what kind of damage it can inflict on nappy hair. Hopefully, you haven’t damaged it too badly with the flat ironing and after reading my article “Heat: Nappy Hair’s Worse Enemy” I hope you decided to stop using heat althogether.
You say your hair is fine and thin and you’re tired of wearing a twa. Well it sounds like you’re going to have to be patient until your hair gets a little longer. If you take really good care of it, you could gain up to .5 inches a month and perhaps even up to six inches in one year. But learning how to take care your your hair in order to retain your length is going to be crucial to helping you get out of that twa stage.
I’m not sure how long your hair is at the moment, but you could certainly try varying your look by wearing twists, twistouts, head bands, scarves, box braids, braid outs and flat twists to spice up that twa. It’s all about experiementing. Don’t be afraid to do it. You can’t figure out what looks good on you until you try.
If you’re not already a member, you need to hop on over to Nappturality.com. You’ll find women from all over the world on this site who are in various stages of their natural journey. I’ve got an albums for you to check out. This nappy has thin fine hair and is awesome when it comes to styling her naps. Maybe you’ll be able to get some ideas from her.
Check it out when you get a chance.
*Natitwists
If I run across any more nappies with thin fine hair, I’ll post their album links here.
Good luck and let me know if you have any more questions.
i have short thin hair combed to the front im tring to grow a little fro so right now i have a headband around my hair to grow it back can some1 tell me if that will work
Hi Terry,
I’m going to respond to you via email…I need a little more information…
Finally! I’ve found someone who’s hair does not tolerate oil. Do you use only water to moisturize your hair?
Hi Lyenes,
I use Pro Line Comb Thru Moisturizer. It contains a little lanonlin which my hair seems to tolerate. I’ve actually started mixing jojoba oil (an essential oil that has a composition similar to our natural sebum) into my store bought moisturizer because my Pro Line pretty much stopped being effective on its own once the weather turned cooler. I was a little skeptical but it seems to be working. I’ll continue to do this through the winter months and then go back to my minimalistic oil routine (save the little bit of lanolin that’s in my product) when summer comes.
Hi there, Nappyme!
I’m glad I found you. I am almost 2 weeks into my new-natural-do (a TWA) and I’m finding it quite difficult to keep any moisture in my head. The only thing that has worked has been the leave in conditioner I made (3 parts water, 1 part conditioner, 1 part glycerin).
In addition, I’ve been using Extra Virgin Olive Oil mixed with some Essential Oils (Peppermint, Tea Tree and Bergamot), raw Shea Butter and Coconut Oil to try to maintain some sheen.
However, I still feel brillo-pad-ish by the time I get home from a 15 hour day.
How do I know if my hair is not responding to the oils?
Could this be a result of leaving the house with it still wet in this sub-zero weather (I’m in Cleveland)?
What are my alternatives?
Any assistance you can provide will be great.
Usually during the winter months hair becomes dryer thus needing more moisture. I would not recommend wetting your hair and then going outside during the winter months. How often do you deep condition and/or do hot oil treatments?
great info! This is very helpful! I truly thought that oil was moisture, but now I know that moisture is water and that’s what my hair needs most. Thanx.
I am a newbie nappy. What are some products that are good moisturizers with the essential ingredients listed above.
Hi Shorty!
Welcome to NPP101, and also welcome to the nappy side. To answer your question, curl products like Carefree Curl Moisturizer and Wave Nuveau are two good water/glycerine based products. I also like Pro Line Comb Thru Lite Creme Moisturizer. I recently picked up a tube of Scurl Lite Wave Jel Activator. As you can see, I have practically no brand loyalty — when it comes to these two ingredients, I’m finding practically any product will do what I need it to do. And that is to keep my hair suffienciently moisturized.
Give them a try.
Good luck and thanks for stopping by!
hi Nappyme
I am an African woman( from Zimbabwe) but i live in Queensland, Australia.
i really love your website!! it has a lot of very relevent info on it. i particularly like the scientific feel of your explainations about the nature and structure of hair. it really helps to clarify a lot of issues for me, being from a scientific background. one question; when you say that your hair doesn’t “tolerate” oil, what exactly do you mean by this?
Hi Chiwa…wow is that your real name or just your screen name. Either way, it’s very beautiful.
I’m so glad you like my site. I really do strive to give factual information about why things work the way the do in order to help women have a better understanding about how to care for nappy hair.
Since I first wrote this, I’ll amend what I said about my hair not tolerating oils just a tad bit. My hair obviously does not like oils such as mineral oil and petroleum based products. They left my hair feeling dry all the time. It wasn’t until I switched to water based moisturizing products that my hair really began to thrive.
When it comes to essential oils, this is where I’ll amend my statement a little bit. My hair might react just fine to essential oils, but my whole thing is that I personally just don’t like oily hair. I don’t care how much someone swears something won’t leave your hair feeling oily, I can’t stand the feel of it in my hair. I grudgingly put jojoba oil in my moisturizers in the winter time to help combat keep my hair feeling soft and supple. And although it helped a little, it was not as soft and supple as it was with just plain moisturizer that I use during the summer months. But soon as we get back into warmer more humid weather, I ditch the jojoba oil and my hair does just fine without it.
If I could find something else to use instead of jojoba oil…some other ingredient besides oil, believe you me, I’d use it in a heart beat.
Hope this answers your question. Thanks for stopping by!
Hi nappyme
I`m glad I found this site! I’m ive been natural for about 2 months and i’ve found that any product that is not clear seems to sit on top of my hair. My hair doesnt like oil either. It’s not dry, but the only thing I can use in it is gel. What other products do you suggest?
Hi Yvonne,
Welcome to NPP101. You can try clear gel (jheri) curl activating products, they are water and glycerin based moisturizing products. I picked up a tube on accident and it worked just fine. Unfortunately, I can’t think of the name of the product that I used cause I’ve used it all up and no longer have the container. And, I can’t think of any of the others that I’ve seen from time to time either. Sorry about that. But if you go to any store that carries ethnic products you should have no problem finding an clear gel activating products; I’ve seen them in large flat clear plastic jars ans well as tubes.
Good luck with your hair and come back again!
hey i neeed to know do you use a leave in conditoner at night or morning? when do you apply it?
Either time…after you wash. Probably better at night so it has a chance to saturate better.
this website was SUCH a good idea! really. thank you. it’s an amazing resource.
i’m particularly interested in what you’ve been sharing about the importance of moisturising because my hair is sooooo dry… i’m at my wits end as to what to do about it. i realise now that it’s probably all the blow-drying i’ve been doing these past several months – i just got lazy to twist it and let it airdry! but anyway, i’ll be sure to take extra caution to avoid any heat from now on.
still, i need some kind of emergency resuscitation measures. i cut off about 2 inches thinking maybe the messed-up ends were behind all the breakage and dryness, and i’ve been doing regular hair mayonnaise treatments. i havent blow-dried it in a while either, and yet there are still see no observable improvements.
are there any particular products you would recommend? thing is though that i’m in rwanda so half of these essential oils i see on your website, i have absolutely no access too. they just arent available on the local market. but i was thinking i could maybe mix glycerine, water and extra virgin olive oil and use that as my moisturiser – d’you think the combination would be any good?
thanks:)
Many nappies swear by olive oil as a good way to help seal in moisture. Remember that glycerine is a humectant that will pull moisture out of the air. If you live in an dry environment then humectants aren’t going to do anything for you. But if you live in a really humid place your hair will thrive on glycerin/and water based moisturizers. So, if this is the case, sounds like a glycerin/water/olive oil moisturizer might just do the trick… You’ll just have to try it and see.
However, just know that if you’ve really damaged your hair with heat, you’ve likely done so to the entire hair shaft so you’re going to always have to jump through hoops to keep their hair moisturized.
At some point, you’ll probably want to continue cutting that heat damaged hair out (which you can do gradually) until you have ONLY virgin heat free hair on your head.
Good luck and thanks for visiting NPP101!
I spoke with a friend who is also Nappy. However she says that water is not her friend. She told me to stay away from products who main ingredient is water. Based on this information that is not true. Comments?
Hi Shorty,
Don’t know what to tell ya. Most folks with highly textured really nappy hair, especially of the 4B (cNapp) variety like have serious moisture retention issues. Without more info about why she has experienced the opposite of this, I haven’t a clue.
Also, you have to realize that everyone’s hair is different and there is always someone who will say their hair does not follow the “norm.” That siad, I would say as far as your hair is concerned, if you’re nappy, you’re more likely than not to have moisture retention issues. So you need to determine for yourself what’s best for your hair. If you keep reading articles on NPP101 and elsewhere on the Internet about caring for nappy hair, you’ll find that keeping nappy hair moisturized is probably the #1 issue that nappy-headed folks have.
Again, experiment and do what’s best for you.
Good luck!
Hi,
I just found your site and it is great! My question is that I have very challenging hair and I don’t know how to take care of it. I like to wear it natural, but it tends to be very dry as a result. And I have an issue of it not growing in certain spots. Some of it is curly, some of itis wavy, I need help! Any suggestions?
Hi Nappyme!!!!
I came upon your site by accident!!! I was actually looking for a pressing oil, to hot comb my hair, and then one of your articles came up about heat damaged!!! After i read it, I changed my mind from hot combing my natural hair!!!!I’m so happy I found this site!!! I have one question though. I’ve noticed that the ends on the left side of my hair is always dry. Is there anything I could use to stop the dryness?
Hi Paula and Ali, if you read through some of the responses above you’ll see that I use a variety of water/glycerin based products. Currently I use Proline Lite Combthru Moisturizer. You might also try any curl moisturizing product as well. Sta Sof Fro is raved on by a lot of nappies as well.
Good Luck!
Hello Nappyme,
Now I finally understand why my nappy hair has been feeling so dry lately and even when i moisturized. It’s because all this time i’ve been using only OIL on my hair The only time my head really comes in contact with water is when i wash it. I feel a little stupid thinking that using only essential oils would benefit my hair.
After reading Quich your thirsty naps i went right in my kitchen in did just that. My hair feels so much better now but unfornately it my excitement was short lived since the water was absorbed in about 2 minutes. Wow i guess my naps was really thirsty!
I now know that my hair needs water to survive. Thanks for filling clueless people like me in on that one.
You’re so welcome. I’m no expert on making spritzes for my hair, but I know a lot of nappies will make their own moisturizers using water and their favorite essential oils. Check out Mowtowngirl.com for some good ideas in this area and good luck!
2nd part
The second problem of my hair is loss of moisture after washing, shrinkage, and tangles. I have, healthy tightly coiled, and thin hair (between a 4 A or B), but so dense that it looks thick and feel think too, really sensible and oily scalp prone to dandruff: If I do not wash my hair twice a week, I know my scalp will be in trouble, but I use a very gentle shampoo.
I have resorted to wash my hair when they are on loose braids that I detangled with a mixture of regular conditioner and water, the night before. When I wash my hair like this I don’t lose lots of hair, just a normal range. Before this method, my hair is so dense that the shampoo could not even reach the scalp. After shampooing I use a deep conditioner every time, leave it on for 20 minutes with or without heat, then I detangled, put them back on braids, rinse and give a final rinse of water and apple vinegar. Then I am good to go for hairstyling, my hair is soft enough to finger comb it. I do this twice a week,
So, my hair gets moisture twice a week, I do not use any leave-in conditioner often between washes and this might be a problem.
Here’s the hard part. When I have to comb my hair, I use a leave-in conditioner, and I have to comb it as fast as possible because when it gets dry, the hair shrinks and tangles, so breakage gets involved. That is one of the reason I do not like to experiment with hairstyles. Another problem with moisture, is that two days after the washing and conditioning, My hair look unkept and dull, it’s dry not like before but the ends are dry, frizzy and I don’t know what to do. If I use a leave in conditioner on top of the braids is ok, but afterwards it’s dry again.
Hi Valerie,
Welcome to NPP101,
Congrats on being nappy, and I’m sorry to hear about all of your hair woes. Nappy hair can be a challenge when you don’t know what to do or where to turn.
Seems like you just found my blog, and I’m glad you love my site, so rather than try to answer all of your questions (from Part I and Part II) of your very lengthy (and multiple posts… EIGHT to be exact) I’m going to suggest that you take some time and look around my site. I’m positive that nearly every question you’ve asked, you can probably find answers for if you just look around.
Then, take a deep breath, and try some things out. Then if you have some questions, please feel free to ask. And we’ll try to stick to one topic at a time cause, if I were to try to answer your questions here I’d basically be rewriting my entire blog.
Good luck!
i cant brush my hair while wet. it breaks when i try to detangle/pull it back in a bun. i guess it’s too much pressure. I like the wet ponytail look. strength suggestions?
Stinky, try using a wide tooth comb then. That will work to detangle. Then let it air dry. Before it gets all the way dry, if you need to then use a brush to finish getting the tangles and shed hair out.
You can also try detangling with a wide tooth comb under running water with conditioner in your hair as well. Make sure you have a good quality comb that won’t snag your hair.
Good luck!
Good Day, Everyone,
This is my 1st time on this site and I’m glad I found it.
I just bought some Vigorol because I want to stop using “Botannicals” on my hair. Since the last time I used it (10/05/07) I haven’t been able to stop the breakage. I didn’t have much of a problem with it before this last application.
Now, it seems that, no matter what I do, it continues to thin out.
I have always had nice, thick hair and I was never really comfortable with my hair being very straight, anyhow. So, I started looking for a product to “ease” my hair from straight to natural, thinkg that would be the best way to transition back to natural.
But, after looking up Vigorol online and finding this site, I know what I am going to do. My older sister used to wet my hair, then put oil (olive oil, I think, or Royal Crown Pomade) on it when I was younger. I used to love the way my hair looked and felt, when she finished doing it.
Plus, I was then and still am very tender-headed and I don’t like pain. So, my memory of what she used to do has been resurrected and I think I will take the Vigorol back and exchange it for one of the curl activitor product you’ve been writing about.
I’m around very few Sisters who are Natural, and being Muslim, my hair is covered when in the public. So, it’s not affected too much by weather conditions.
I’m 55 and have heard all of the horror stories about losing hair after 50. But, so far, I still have some to work with (smile). I’ll be coming back and have bookmarked this site. I was feeling so alone, when it comes to the pride of wearing my hair natural, so it’s good to find friends like you-all out here in Cyberspace.
We ought to have a Nappy Convention some day with a Nappy Hair Fashion Show where we show off all of the different ways to style (and care for) Nappy Hair! WOW! What a thought!
I love this site and will recommend it to all of my Sisters, whether they want to hear it or not. It’s one of the best sites for us, to regain our black pride in our “crowning glory”. Another way of “coming back home”.
God bless you-all, and especially you, Nappyme!
Najmah (Star)
Hi Najmah,
Welcome to NPP101!
I’m sorry to hear about all of your breakage but believe me when I say, there’s nothing in the world like having a healthy head of natural nappy hair on your head. For us, it’s beauty personified.
That said, it’s also times like this that I’m soooo happy my blog exists. I’ve been where you are and I’ve tried exhaustively to get my hair to thrive under the use of chemicals to no avail. I’m incredibly pleased that you found me and the information on that dreaded Vigorol, which I believe is truely the debil along side of the rest of all the chemical relaxers. If you want to finish doing your hair in, using Vigorol will surely do that for you.
So good for you with your decision to stop living the lie. God bless you too and keep me posted on your new, natural journey!
Take care,
~Nappyme
Nappyme, I looked at the pictures of you doing the banding – your hair is so beautiful! I love it! That’s how mine used to be and will be again real soon.
Yesterday, I decided to check everything I’d been putting on my hair (and skin) because of the information you give on mineral oil and petrolatum. “They” use that stuff as much, or more than, we (should) use water! WOW! No wonder we have dry hair, dry skin, dry lips, etc. We keep using that which makes us dry all over.
Well, thanks to you, those days are over for me.
Anyway, I have been using apple cider vinegar on may hair, off and on, for a while now. I got a little squirt bottle and keep it full of acv and leave it in the bathroom. Well, yesterday, I decided to put some on my hair, full strength, and leave it on. And, this morning, I didn’t do anything but brush and comb it and, thank God! Hardly any hair came out in either! Not only that, my head hasn’t itched “like crazy” since then.
It’d been itching so bad, that by the time I finish scratching it, over time, I’d rub my hair out in places. Then, I’d buy the “anti-itch” stuff, again with mineral oil and petrol in them, and the beat went on…
I felt that getting MY good, natural hair back can happen really fast, after reading all of the stories here, but I am really encouraged that I can have my beautiful hair back in no time. I keep seeing your pretty hair and imagining that it’s my head I’m seeing.
I was told by a very wise friend of mine that the human “imagination is the biggest and most powerful nation in the world”. And, I believe it…
Y’ll take care and have a blessed Day. I’ll definitely keep you posted on my journey back to me and my good (God-given) hair days – soon! Again, I LOVE this site! Nappyme, you are indeed a God-send…So, as we always say, “You Go, Girl!!!”
Hello Nappyme,
This is a great site and I sincerely appreciate your ‘nappy’ enlightenment. I recently made life changing decisions (on my 43rd birthday), which included daily exercise, a healthy diet, good reads for my mind, body and spirit, the big chop, after 31 years of relaxers. No more chemicals for me! I desparately want to rock a TWA, and ulimately see how my hair will progress from there. When I did the big chop a month ago, it appears there are random bald spots in my scalp. I realize the thinning could be hereditary or from years of damage – perhaps both. I am currently using Carol’s Daughter Rosemary Mint Herbal Shampoo w/ Sea Moss, and I alternate Pink Shortlookds Gel’N and Motions Weightless Clear Hairdressing. All of the above seems to work great for me. However, what type of conditioners would you recommend to improve the texture and density of my hair? I am patient, so I welcome, with joy, a day at a time concerning my hair progression.
Any suggestions you can give me will be greatly appreciate. Best of wishes and many blessings to you! I look forward to your response. Happy Holidays!
Chele
Hi Chele,
I don’t have a specific recommendation for conditioners other than to say you want something most likely that’s specifically forumated for dry hair. Go for ones that have all natural ingredients. Aubrey and Jason brands come to mind though they’re certainly not the only ones to consider.
Just remember that nappy hair is inherently very dry so anything that you can do to quinch your thirsty naps will certainly serve them well.
Can I use unuse
Olive Oil from the kitchen to oil my scalp?
Hi Andrea! I’m personally not a big fan of ANY type of oil but the olive oil folks buy and use comes straight from the grocery store. So yeah, if you’ve got some in your kitchen have at it and good luck!
I need your advise my hair is very dry dull and lifeless.I have tried different products nothing to type about . I would like my hair to have moisture and shine. I wear my hair in two strand twists when I wear a twist out it is a hot mess .I am embracing my crown and glory.My hair is a mess for the momemt,but I am working on it.One thing for sure I will not be relaxing my nappy hair.Thanks for taking time out your busy schedule to get my nappy head on the right track
Hi Nappyme, I was referred to this site from some one on nappturality i’m a new member there but i somewhat find the site a little confusing or maybe i should say overwhelming. There is so much info and who can read it all?This is my dilemma i want to go natural/organic.
Right now my hair has over processed split ends and beautiful curly new growth. Part of me just wants to chop off all those relaxed ends and work with “my” hair. What’s stopping me? I don’t think the look will suit me. I’m slim and i have always thought the short look looks better on a full face. I am sporting a weave ponytail when it’s time to step out in the public eye. As a beginner what steps should i take to start growing my hair out. I read what you said about moisture and i’m on my way to the kitchen to start drinking water. Now about going organic. What products are really organic. I broke down and bought an “organic perm” but when i read, “always wear glove this product contains, Calcium hydroxide” followed by a long list of other stuff i just pushed the box away. Any help at all will be appreciated. Also my hair is a light brown. Does mean i need even more moisture.
My hair is dull .I drink over eight glasses of water everyday.I have visited different web site gathering information on how to take care of my nappy.I even spray my hair with water hoping to gain the shine and mositure.I am looking for but no such luck.I am not giving up just willing to try different things,I do not want to become a product junkie.I want to have shiny healthy hair.Thanks for all of your advice .Keep the comments coming.
Andrea, depending on your texture, you may NOT have they type of hair that shines. For instance, my hair is thick, very tightly coiled and very coarse. My cuticles, the outer layer of hair, are raised…not flat. Therefore, they don’t reflect light very well, like light bouncing off a hard wood floor. Instead, raised cuticles and coily hair cause hair to absorp light and as a result, hair that isn’t properly moisturized can look dull, dry and lifeless.
However, if you find the right moisturizer for your hair, it will look more like a low sheen.
Now some really curly hair does have the ability to shine, but that typically isn’t the case with textures like mine. So what you have to determine is whether or not shine is an attribute that’s attainable for your hair type. If not, you’ll need to be OK with that or you’ll be forever trying to make your hair do something it doesn’t want to do.
Hi nappyme: I just wanted to say, thank goodness my nappy hair bounced back. i think my prayer was answered after using that dryer one last time;) but @ 56 and being nappy two year’s I can’t afford to make many mistakes! I just wanted to tell other’s my age and younger. It is never to late to capture your naps back. Just believe and nurture them as vigorously as those perms. And you won’t regret this decision. I personally think less product I use is the better. The coils seem to thrive much better then when I load it with products. After saying this, water misted seems to moisturize then grapeseed oil on the ends. I hope this information helps somebody…
Hi S Dean,
I had to refresh my memory with regard to your original post. Sorry I let a reply slip through the cracks. But I’m glad your hair bounced back! I can certainly relate to the feeling that you may have just messed up your hair. It’s why I won’t take a chance with most things that people will experiment with like heat and coloring. As badly as I’d like to cover up my gray I just don’t want to chance that I’d do something to destroy my lovely naps!
Girl you take care!
~Nappyme
Is ylang ylang okay to use on the hair? Also i saw some J/A/S/O/N shampoo and conditioners in a natural health food store. Is this the brand you are speaking about? Also do you know wether Ms. Jessies products are chemical free? It appears as if they have to be applied like a perm.
Hi Nappyme,
I’m so glad that I came across your site! It’s very informative and overwhelming at the same time, there’s so much info I love it. lol!!! I have so many questions and at times I feel that my problem is specific to me, but reading the many posts and articles I find that I’m not alone!!! Thank God! Saying that, I have been natural for about 2 years now and I have very wiry hair that is seriously dry, brittle and lacks moisture. After reading your advice I see that water=moisture and I have noticed that my hair is more manageable(after removing the knots)when it’s wet. I also use olive oil, coconut oil or jojoba oil, whatever I have on hand at the time, but when my hair dries it’s as if I didn’t put anything in it at all. I wear my hair in 2 strand twists, if I try to wear a twist out oh my god my hair looks a hot mess…very dry and nappy looking. I was thinking of using a “naturalaxer”hoping that it will give me more manageability, stretch, and for some reason I believe it will help me with my moisture problem. I just want my hair to look and feel like cotton and not a brillo pad. I really LOVE my natural coif, I just need to get thru it better especially when it’s dry. I will try the glycerin/water mixture as well to see if that helps with my lack of moisture. I don’t want to bore you or hit on too many different topics because I can go on all day. lol I hope I didn’t complicate things… Please help!
Hi Mimi!
Some things to consider. Stop using sulfate shampoos. They’re very drying. Opt for all natural brands specifically forumlated for dry hair. Jason and Aubrey Organics are two such brands. You can find them at places like Whole Foods or go online and order them directly off their sites.
Also consider that you might need a couple of round of moisturizing after you shampoo to get your hair feeling good. A really good, quick fix moisturizer is Sta Sof Fro, or any of the ole skool curl spray on moisturizers work too. That’s what I first started using and they worked like a charm. My mom is nappy, nappy with hair that stretches to her mid back and she’s been using Carefree moisturizer for years and it works just fine.
Try these things and get back to me and let me know how they work.
Take care,
~Nappyme
Hi Nappyme!
First off, I just want to congratulate you on this marvelous blog. What would we nappies do with out you?
My problem is with style maintenance . Currently my hair is in comb coils (which I did myself, I’m so proud!) I use a leave in conditioning spray that I created. It’s composed of water, glycerin, Infusium 23 leave in conditioner, castor oil and rosemary oil. The problem is that when I lightly mist my coils, they immediately begin to frizz and puff up. I’ve cut back on using it every day; I now use it every other day, but I still get the same outcome. I’m on a low manipulation routine so I’m trying to keep my coils in for 2- 3 weeks, but when I try to moisturize my hair it starts to look frizzy and unkept. How can I keep my comb coils moisturized, but still maintain the freshness of my style?
Hi Nappyme,
Thanks for the excellent advice! However, I don’t have natural hair, it is relaxed. My last relaxer was 6 weeks ago. It broke off a little in some places so I want to give my hair a rest from relaxing and hopfully grow it out quickly. I’m trying to stretch it out to every 3 or 4 months. I take hair vitamins along with treating it as if I had natural hair. I wash, deep condition and braid it every week. I use a leave in conditioner as my moisturizer two times a day (Aphogee Leave In Conditioner + 3 drops of gylcerin), and essential oils (olive oil or castor oil) every other day. I’ve been doing this for about 6 weeks now. My hair feels really soft and I don’t comb out hair! I’m confused though about the glycerin. You mentioned that glycerin can pull moisture out of your hair. But you also mentioned that you added it to your moisturizing mixture as well. How do I mix it so that it doesn’t pull moisture out of my hair but hold moisture in? Is it okay to use the leave in conditioner as a moisturizer? Is there anything else I can do or use to promote healthy hair and hair growth? I love this site!
Hi Linda, welcome!
About glycerin pulling moisture out of your hair… Whatcho talkin’ bout Willis? I never said that. If you are thinking you read that in my article about glycerin, you’ll need to read that again. I say glycerine pulls water from the air…not hair! But it can only do this when the air is saturated at about 60% humidity.
Also, where did I say I added glycerin to my moisturizing mixture. Am I losing it here? I use commercial-based products that are water and glycerin based. The only thing I’ve added to a couple of my products have been jojoba oil in the winter to give my products a heavier, more substantial feel on my hair…hoping that it will make my hair softer and help it retain moisture while the air is soooo incredibly dry. I don’t know that it worked all that well this past winter. I became somewhat of a product junky this winter as I kept purchasing stuff trying to find something…anything that would make my hair be not so dry.
I eventually turned back to my Proline Lite Comb Thru Moisturizer. I don’t know if that was ultimately the solution or if my hair was able to respond better to it since the temperate was no longer in the single digits. Seems like once the temps rose to at least freezing and above, my hair began to act a lot better.
Not getting on to mixing glycerin. I do remember a sales clerk trying to sale me some straight glycerin once. I put a little on my finger and I didn’t like the feel of it. If I did purchase some though, I’d most like have made it into a water/glycerin spritz. That’s something you can try if you’re so inclined. But I don’t have any specific recommendations about how much water to use and how much glycerin to use etc, so I think you’ll have to experiment a little to see what works best for you.
As far as what you can do to promote healthy hair growth and retain length, make sure you visit all the articles on my site about the Top Tips for Nappy Hair. That should give you good place to start.
Good luck!
~Nappyme
Hi Nappyme!
Four months i went through the BC and…I’m loving my natural doo! I’m wearing two strand twists and loving the look and feel of it, my friends are loving and petting my hair more now, which is something they never did when i wore weaves or extentions! I’ve been experimenting with homemade products, doing my best to not become a product junkie or to spend lots of money on products that i don’t feel like i necessarily need. I made my own homemade leave-in conditioner mix with Burt’s Bees conditioner, olive oil, glycerin, and water. I’m not sure how leave-in conditioners are supposed to work, in terms of how often one should spritz some in their hair after washing and/or rinsing…at first, I absolutely loved how the leave-in felt good in my hair, but then it started to make my hair sticky once i used it almost everyday…should i be only using leave-in conditioners sparingly? is it needed at all if i use a vegetable glycerin/water/olive oil spritz that does the job just fine? and i was wondering, since im wearing my two strand twists and dont want to wash the style out, is it okay if i just rinse it (say with an ACV) instead of having to shampoo or condition it (i do a deep conditioner once every two weeks though)? I know i’m asking you so many questions at once, but here’s one more…my hair dresser, who seems to care more about my hair as much as i do, feels like my hair isnt growing as fast as she liked…is that a bad thing, or just her personal opinion (pretty much showcasing how much she DOES care)?
Hello,
This is my second time going natural, the first time I did a big chop and had locks for 4 years (down past the bra strap). Then I cut it again and transitioned out of the perm with braids and now I am rocking a 4-5 inch little fro. I use alot of Edens Body works hair products which work really well for my hair and my daughter’s. I started using them on my 4 year old because her natural hair is always dry. We use the peppermint shampoo, conditioner and the hair milk. The hair milk is a leave in conditioner that keeps my hair hydrated really well. I also use carrot moisture hairdress creme at night before I wrap it up. I used the Eden’s temple balm to help my hairline recover from excessive pulling from my braids. Try it it’s a great hairline, all natural from a teenage entrepeneur. I normally order online, but they are now selling the products in Walmart stores.
Wonderful website you have here & so many topics that many naturals can relate to & need help in. Thanks for taking the time to create such a detailed website [gives me some inspiration to someday do so with my album site, I just need to find the patience to ;)]
Hi, I like your website. It is so informative! Im a teenager that was never allowed a relaxer when I was younger and I’m glad I wasnt! but I have a few questions about how the hair is formed. I read on a website that our hair (4a/b) has the most cutile layers but I read here it has the least, which is right?
What are they made of? Is it protein and is it just to strengthen the hair?
Is it bad if the cortex gets softer, does that cause it to break our hair? and is the cortex what determines the shape? or is it the cuticles? Im so confused! Where does the moisture go, to the cortex or somewhere else?
Thanks for your help!
Hi Slinky,
Welcome! To answer some of your questions, every source that I’ve ever come across says that African hair has fewer cuticle layers than caucasoid or asian hair types.
For more answers, check out this link: https://nappyme.wordpress.com/hair-facts/
Enjoy!
i have not so good hair and my mom tells me that she wants me to go natural like some of the beautiful girls on this website. but whoever made this sites i want yall to know that i need help deciding on whether or not i should go natural. im really scared because i never had to make this very important choice. i dont want to have bad hair i want my hair to be healthy and shiny. but i dont want my mom to cut it. when i was a child my mom put a relaxer in my hair and now she wants me to go natural just like her. my mom is natrual and her hair is very beautiful. SO I REALLY NEED YOUR HELP A.S.A.P!! P.S WRITE BACK
Hi Nappyme 🙂
What a great resource for sisters everywhere who need advice on how to take care of high-maintenance hair! However, I question your advice of using products with propylene glycol in them, or a hgh amount of it in them. Propylene glycol is a petroleum byproduct and cause similar problems that mineral oil and its counterparts such as vaseline can when used regularly. Just wanted to give you a heads up!
Hi Mila…
I’m aware of the controversy surrounding propylene glycol. However, its use as a synthetic humetectant and I don’t have a problem with it being derived from biodiesel nor have I had any problem with it. When I went natural and started learning what my hair wanted and needed, I didn’t run from commercial products which we all know has all kinds of stuff in them that some people might find objectionable. I, however, and I dare say many others as well have never had a problem with this ingredient and my hair has thrived so I’m not likely to run from this ingredient any time soon.
But thanks for good looking out…much appreciated!
Hello NappyMe,
Thank heavens for this site!!! I’ve been wearing my hair natural for 18months and it’s grown to a point where I can’t wear a fro anymore. I would love to style it but I have issues with keeping the hair clear enough to style, so i wear an afo puff all the time. After i wash my hair and spend over 30min. clearing out the tangles, because of my tight kinks, ten minutes later I can barely make a part or pass a comb through it. All that work for nothing. What can I do to keep my hair tangle free and still keep it natural? Pleeeease help!!!
~Soul
Hi Soul,
Welcome to NPP101!
Hon, hmmm…pst…I got something to share with ya… Ready?
Nappy hair tangles…that’s what it does. If you wear it loose, you’ll have a head full of naps with tangles in it. When you wear a fro or a puff, that’s the price you pay and for the most part there’s no getting around it.
Now, you can try detangling and as you do so, make some really fat twists, over night to stretch your hair a minimize tangles. But other than keeping your hair in protective styles all the time (e.g., twists, braids, etc.) you are going to have tangles.
Now if you’re style challenged, and you’re so inclined to learn how to style your hair in something other than a puff or a fro, my site has some wonderful tutorials on it that can help you out. Learning to style nappy hair can be challenging but it’s obviously NOT impossible.
Here’s a link to some Hair videos for your convenience: https://nappyme.wordpress.com/instructional-videos/
Just know that you’re not alone in learning how to style your hair. If you’re like most of us, we didn’t grow up knowing how do take care of and style nappy hair. Shoot seems like er’body knows something about taking care of a perm but not their natural hair. So it’s definitely a learning process.
Please take the time to look at these videos. Be proactive and join some hair sites like my hair board cNappymeNow.com.
Also, be patient with your efforts cause it may take some time to get the hang of the various techniques.
Hope this helps.
Good luck and Godbless,
~Nappyme
Basicly ived tryed everything my hair is about 2inches and its growing veryyyyy slow I tryed hair formula 37 and I got no results.please help me
Hi Matt,
Are you telling me that your hair is growing slowly or that you aren’t retaining length. These are two different issues. Hair grows. Period. Unless you have some medical problem that is preventing your hair from actually growing in the follicle, then your hair is growing. Now how fast or how slowly it grows is purely genetic. Most people’s hair grows on average of two to six inches per year. This is merely an average though. And if you understand averages, then you know some peoples hair will grow slower or faster than this. If you tell me that you’ve been growing your hair for a year and you’ve only got about two inches of hair to show for it, then you’re telling me that you hair is growing at an incredibly slow rate. If you’ve grown your hair out for four months from something like a fade and you’ve got two inches of hair, then that amounts to 1/2 inch per month which would give you six inches of hair in a year…and that’s the high end of the average. If that’s the case, then your hair is growing at a fairly normal clip.
No on the other hand, if you’re telling me that you’re not retaining length then you need to be wearing styles that protect your ends. I’m looking at your name, Matt Carter and I have to assume that you’re a guy. If you’re constantly picking and manipulating your hair, then you’re popping your ends off and that’s why you’re losing length. If you can, you could simply wear some cornrows and that would protect your ends too. That seems to be what a lot of the guys are doing these days and I’m seeing longer hair on the fellas a lot of times than I’m seeing on girls and women.
With regards to using topical hair dressing to make your hair grow faster…forget it. That’s genetic and nothing is going to make your hair grow faster. But if youwant to retain length, keep your hair properly moisturized and your ends protected and you should start seeing some progress fairly soon.
Hope this helps.
Take care, God bless.
~Nappyme
Hi, I have gradution coming up and my hair is short and nappy. My front of my hair is the longest. I want to know if there is a way for my hair to look longer and shiner (without an afro). I want my hair to be dropped down.
Please help, i want a natural look for graduation and i am not allowed to perm my hair.
Hi Nella!
Hon how short is short. If it’s really short, you’re not going to have much hang time to speak of. If it’s long enough to hang, then two strand twists might be your best bet. You could try some flat twists in the front and some two-strands in the back since your front is so short. I’m a little at a loss as to really suggest some hair styles since I don’t really know how much length you do have.
You might google short nappy hair styles and see what comes up or join a hairboard and ask people to point you in the right direction.
Congrats on your graduation and good luck with your hair.
Hey I’ve been natural (no chemicals) for 3 years now, and i’ve been wearing braids but for the last 2 months i’ve been wearing my natural hair and have had a hard time keeping it moisturized i tried using various oils on my hair but it absorbs it so quickly, my shrinkage is ridiculous, my hair was about 5-6 inches and it shrinks down to like an inch and a half, ive cut off my ends because i didnt like the way they felt so now my hair is about 3 inches long please tell me how i can keep my fro moisturized, i do twists sometimes but i dont want my hair to be so dry.
Hi Jen,
Try proline lite creme moisturizer to see if that helps it not be so dry. You can also try any of the curl moisturizers or the Stay Sof Fro moisturizing products. Not all hair responds well to oils, mine doesn’t for sure. So between all of these products, you should find something that you like and works.
Good luck!
~Nappyme
when i had my braids in it seemed as if my hair was growing out soo fast, but now that i’ve been wearing my natural hair it doesnt seem like there is any growth at all and i havent changed my hair care routine, i just love being natural because my whole life people said either braids or a perm is the way to go, anyway any advice is welcome
Hi Nappyme!
I have read the blog posts and hopefully no one asked this question already. But I am in the transition phase, 7 weeks out from my last relaxer (thanks to my sister’s encouragement) and I would like to know if there is any such product that I can use to care for my relaxed strands as well as my nappy ones.
Hi there!
I’m not an expert on transitioning cause I didn’t wear my own hair out, I did it under microbraids and trust me when I say I didn’t take very good care of my hair. I’m going to refer you to Nappturality.com’s transitioners forum. You’re certain to get some good answers there.
Good luck and congrats on going natural!
~Nappyme
Hi Nappyme,
Thanks so much for all the wonderful information. My husband and I adopted our beautiful daughter Savannah, who’s now 3, and I’ve been really struggling with her hair. It’s very course and has a very tight curl pattern…which means it’s also dry. I haven’t found that “product” yet that moisturizes enough. I’m excited to try some of the homemade recipes and am encouraged by the fact that I am doing things correctly. Thanks too for the awesome step by step directions for different hair styles. I’m going to try some new looks.
Thanks again,
Kristi
You’re so incredibly welcome. I’m so glad that you’re not discouraged and are willing to try different things on your daughter’s hair. You’ll find something. I remember my sister going through the same thing with her own daughter. Then one day she picked up a product she’d never tried before (can’t remember what it was) and “bam” it’s exactly what her child’s hair had been craving. So don’t give up cause there’s something out there that will mos def do what you need it to do. And I’m so glad you are enjoying the step-by-step instructions. Please stop back by and let me know how they work out if you decide to try them.
Take care and God bless,
~Nappyme
Hello!!
I am so glad I found your site. I have been natural for at least 2 years and I am STILL searching for the right product to moisterize my hair which still leaving it light. I have very think and coarse hair. Wish I have a more curly texture 😦
Anyway, I really don’t like oil on my hair either. I have used organic root olive oil hair lotion and it really didn’t do anything for me. I just started using silk elements Revive and Restore Anti-Breakage Hair Repair Creme which works pretty well but starts to leave a residue after about 5 days which I don’t like.
I just bought some curl activator gel and put it on my hair last night before I braided it. I undid it this morning and it seems to be doing pretty good I guess. Lol.
But really two years plus is a long time to me to still be looking for products. I thought about trying Miss Jessies products. I really don’t know…Maybe I should make my own stuff…?
Most of the natural people that I know have really curly hair or locks. So that really doesn’t help. 😦
I know I sound a mess. Lol. But I really want to get to where I love the feel and texture of my hair. Any suggestions?
Thank you much!!
Hi. I’ve been natural for about two years now. When I decided to try the natural thing I had no idea what I was getting myself into. I just knew that I had to turn away from relaxers. They really damaged and thinned my hair.
However, nowadays even though my hair is thicker and harsh chemicals free (sulfates, parabens, petrolatum, mineral oil, etc) it is VERY DAMAGED!!! I know that this is because I had no idea of how to take care of this hair that it started breaking, falling out, and just wouldnt retain any moisture.
Now that I’ve learned a little about nappy hair care (Thanks to your site!) I would like to know if combining glycerin/water and rosemary oil would help my situation? Im thinking that combing would be easier if my hair was moisturized correctly and not dry and brittle.
Hi Ashley,
Congrats on being natural for two years. That’s great and I’m glad you’re learning how to take care of your hair. One thing you need to know about combing highly textured hair, is that you never want to comb it dry. That is asking for disaster. Never, never, never comb your hair dry. Back when I was still using combs and brushes on my hair, I only did so while I was washing my hair under running water either totally saturated with shampoo and conditioner. Even if you’re not washing it, always saturate it your moisturizer before you comb and style your hair. Make sure you are using a wide tooth comb that doesn’t have seams or other jagged parts that can snag your hair. Use denman style brushes that don’t have balls on the tips of the bristles.
As far as the water and glycerine and rosemary, you’ll just have to try it and see if your hair likes it. It’s all about trial and error. When you get a chance, check out motowngirl’s site at some of the homemade receipees and see if you wanna try anything.
Hope some of this helps. Take care,
~Nappyme
hi , my bigest problem is i have just stop creaming my daughter hair 8 months ago .
my problem is when i wash her hair after washing it turns hard and stiff nothing works on it for long , i tried the viniger but i find it leaves her hair very dry. right now i use organic olive oil grease , and a product call caantu with seems to be working for now , please help here in grand cayman it’s very hot and she sweats in her hair alot. hopefully to be natural all the way soon she has about a fot of natural hair.
Hi Naduri,
You may need to get away from grease and mineral based products. Also make sure you’re using nonsulfate shampoos. Look for ingredients on the label as SLS and LS and if they’re listed, then they contain sulfates, which are really harsh cleansers that strip the hair of natural oils. Once you stop using sulfate shampoos, you can eliminate conditioners from your routine and head straight for the moisturizer. I use a product called Proline Lite Creme moisturizer right after shampooing and that works out just fine. Keeps my hair soft and moisturized. Reapply when the hair starts to look dry — not feel dry.
Try this and see what happens.
Take care and good luck
~Nappyme
LOVE your Site!
Thank God above I found you! I have been wearing my hair natural for eight months now. I had always relaxed (and dare I admit colored) my hair and I can tell you I had no retained hair growth. Everytime I relaxed my hair I had substaintial thick new growth and yet my hair never seemed to get any longer. My hair just broke off as quick as it grew. My hair now that it is natural finally has retained length BUT…My hair is crazy dry. Thanks to your advice, I now know why, but…
Question:
My scalp is very itchy, especially in the top and crown of my hair. I have tried everything. It itched so bad that it is sore and tender. I do not see any dandruff. I have tried several medicaded shampoos and sprays designed to stop itchy scalp nothing works. What can I do to stop this horrible itch.
Thanks
Thank you. I went through the same thing as well as horrible bouts of breakage through the years. Going natural and then then learning how to care for and style my hair has been the best thing I could have done. Being natural totally rocks!
As for as your itchies, you might try a peppermint shampoo. It’s very soothing and has a tingly feeling that feels like a bunch of little comb teeth lightly scratching your scalp. Make sure it has all natural ingredients and absolutely NO SULFATES. Aubrey Organics is a good line as is JASON. You can google their websites to check out their product listings and ingredients. Also, hop over to motowngirl.com and check out the list of essential oils and how to use them. Quite a few have properties that can soothe a dry itchie scalp. Then if all else fails, I think you need to go see a dermatologist and let them prescribe something to alleviate the itchies.
Hope that helps. Take care,
~Nappyme
Thank you for your weblog, Nappyme. Lots of great stuff. I’m wondering if you have recommendations for folks with extremely dry hair. Oils don’t work; so I’ve given them up. (Shea butter works, but it’s too gummy, and oils make my perimenopausal skin erupt in painful pimples.)
Glycerin didn’t work–unless I used it incorrectly. (I guessed at how to use it.) It’s tough finding leave-in moisturizers without oil or protein. I’m using a mix of aloe, Cream of Nature leave-in conditioner and a bit of instant moisturizing conditioner. Works ok, but doesn’t last all day. I’ve trolled a few beauty supply store, but strangely, I can’t find many leave-in moisturizing conditioners. I welcome your suggestions.
And for Ebonie–my lifelong dandruff and horribly itching scalp vanished unexpectedly a week or so after I stopped using shampoos with sulfates and started conditioner washing instead.
Thank you again for all your help, Nappyme.
Syrel
Hi Syrel,
Thank you very much. Glad you like my blog. Also good to know that your itchie scalp cleared up.
With regard to moisturizing, did you try your own glycerin mixture or a product that has a water/glycerin mix? I recommend the latter. There are many good, inexpensive products out there. My staple is Pro Line Lite Creme Moisturizer. Also try any clear gel curl activator. They’re lite and won’t flake and moisturize well. Be very generous in your initial application; your hair will dry, but not feel dry. It should feel very soft supple and pliable. In the heat of the summer you should only have remoisturize maybe once every three days or so.
Hope that helps and good luck!
Didn’t her a lot of talk about aloe vera containing moisture..
OK????????
Hello,
I would like to know is Pro-line comb thru lite creme moisturizer the same as the Pro-line comb thru softener for instant style? I see both at Walgreens, Pro-line creme moisturizer is in a 4 oz. tube and thePro-line softener for instant style is in an 8 oz. bottle. Which would be better to use on natural hair? By, the way, I love your site. Thanks!
Hi Poochie,
If it weren’t for the fact that the Softener smells like baby lotion, I’d use it in a heart beat. It is instant softness no matter how rough, dry and hard your hair feels.
However, I have an aversion to going around smelling like baby lotion. It’s just not a grown up smell…ya know, and that makes me wonder why it’s primarily found with men’s products cause it’s mos def not a masculine smell. So instead, I opt for the comb thru moisturizer in the tube. In my opinion is does not work as well as the softner.
This is going to be a personal preference. You might purchase both and compare.
Good luck.
~Nappyme
Hi Nappyme,
Do you use organic jojoba oil? Where is a good place to purchase jojoba oil and is it expensive? Oh…by the way, I really like the pro-line lite creme moisturizer. It has done wonders on my fro, it is really soft. I am really glad that I cam across your site. Have a Healthy and happy New Year!
Hi Poochie,
I have some jojoba oil that I use every blue moon by mixing with my moisturizer. I got it from whole foods. Not sure if it’s organic or not.
Yeah, proline is the bomb! Hope you have a healthy and wonderful new year too!
Hi Nappyme,
I purchased some 100% pure jojoba oil today. I think I am going to wait a while before coloring my hair. I want to really focus on keeping it condition and moisturized before coloring it. The condition that I am using now is organic root stimulator hair mayonaisse. Do you think this is a good moisturizer conditioner, or can you recommend a good moisturizer conditioner. I have discovered that my hair grows faster when it is moisurize. My hair has grown a lot since I have been using the pro line lite creme moisturizer. I am now looking for a really good conditioner, what would you recommend? Thanks!
Poochie I’m a little hard pressed to recommend a conditioner as I’ve never thought they did ANYTHING for my hair. I stopped using conditioner A LOOOOOOONG time ago. I simply wash and go straight to the moisturizer. You might give that a try. Think about it. If conditioner was ALL THAT then we wouldn’t need moisturizer. I eliminated that step, saved myself some time and money and my hair is doing just fine.
Hi NappyMe!
My hair is pretty nice other than the fact that it seems it refuses to absorb moisture. My hair is chemically straightened and I can get it to pull out a pretty damn nice shine sometimes. Other times it just looks dull and coarse. When I use my straightener, it seems to give it more life and flexibility. I’ve got medium-long hair, which is probably as long as 3.5 inches in the longest parts. Anyways…. My hair feels glorious in the shower as if it was never nappy. It continues to feel amazing for around the next 10 minutes that I’m out of the shower and my hair is drying. Then quickly starts drying out and becomes coarse, dry and terrible looking. It really doesn’t retain a lot of water. But if I put some products in (Moroccan Oil, Garnier sleek & shine anti-humidity smoothing milk and garnier leave-in conditioning cream), my hair gains quite a bit of life. Though, I feel I could do better to help my hair lay flat and shine better. I really just need a way to help my hair retain water, because it’s having a terrible time doing so on it’s own. Any product (or ingredients in products) reccomendations would be greatly appreciated!
Hi, Nappy glad your there…for body and NO! split ends take two (2) tablespoons of Grapeseed Oil… Everyday, Brand Name-SPECTRUM…to REPAIR DAMAGED HAIR…Shea Butter. MUST be EAST shea butter…let stay on for six (6) hours. then wash-out…I use Ghassoul Clay mix with Honey. I WISH Madame C.J. Walker products were still ORIGINAL!
I’m so confused? When you say take…do you mean ingest two tablespoons of grapeseed oil? What is spectrum? Am I eating this or putting it on my hair? And what about this shea butter, it just a bunch of grease as far as I’m concerned so how is this supposed to repair split ends? Why six hours? How often?
Ok… I’m just shaking my head. This is way to ambiguous…you may want to come back and explain your routine and rationale a little better cause I’m not sure how anyone can derive any benefit from what you’ve just response and how does this related at all to this article which talks about moisture being your hair’s best friend?
Hi,
I just ran across your web site and must say…DUDE!!!!! you are a god send thank you for this site. I have a question about my 4b hair. I have no problem keeping my hair moisturized during the summer months but i have a devil of a time in the winter. my skin hair love shea butter but it seems to be too heavy for my hair. do you have any suggestions for me.
thanks
clarification…shea butter is really heavy on my hear during the winter months. it solidifies and is not absorbed into the hair strand.
Hi Marie and welcom to NPP101! As far as moisture is concerned, shea BUTTER is not moisture…it’s oil so it’s not moisturizing your hair anyway. As far as keeping it moisturized during the winter, I struggle with that problem as well. For more information on how I try to combat this, I gave a very detailed answer to Linda that may help. Please go scroll up and read that response and good luck!
Try Hamidi’s Shea Spray and/or Miss Jessie’s butter cream for moisture and there is always a little Extra virgin olive oil, avocado oil and castor oil, which I mix together and add a few drops to my twists each morning. My hair is shiny and moisturized.
I have been reading on your site, Napp, and others for awhile. Your hair is nice, healthy, and I love your styles. My problem is that I don’t know what to do with my hair. I am normally a DIYer. I have 4in of Cnapp hair. Been natural since 5/09. I initially wore it out for about 3 weeks, then it went into twist extentions. I have read everything, but don’t feel like I have any style options. My plan is to let my hair out this Spring. But I really hate depending on someone to do it. Then I thought about locing it, but suffer from anxiety at the thought of doing that. I feel like a dependent hot mess with short nappy hair. I won’t go back to relaxing, took me too long to get to this point. But I don’t want to be stuck wearing fake hair either. Help!!!
Hi Vera,
Congrats on your decision to be natural. I truely know what it’s like to not know what to do with four inches of natural hair. But I was totally unaware of the online resources back then that showcased how to take care of style and learn to love nappy hair.
That said, you’re very lucky to know that these sites exist. Now you just gotta find some style alternatives that are right for you. At your length you can do puffs, twists, twist outs, stretched fros. Believe it or not, I’ve seen some gorgeous box braids on folks with really short hair. You can do bantu knots at night and then unleash them in the morning and wear a curly fro. So you really do have lots of options. You need to experiment on your own hair sans extensions and see what you come up with. As long as you’re hiding under fake hair, how are you ever gonna get comfortable with wearing your own hair.
And the good thing is, you’re only going to have four inches TODAY. On average, hair grows 1/2 inch per month. So in two months you’ll have five inches of hair and in four months you’ll have 6 inches of hair. If you can’t style four inches…how you gonna style 5, 6, 7 or 8 inches?
With regards to locs, I would never advise anyone to loc their hair for the reasons you’re thinking about doing so. You’ve never given you loose hair a chance and you’ll never know how awesome it can be until you’ve worn it for awhile.
So stop thinking you don’t have options and give SOMETHING…anything a try. When I first started wearing my own hair, I was sooooo self conscious. My twists were actually hideous but I wore them anyway cause I was desperate to wear my own hair and I figured I get better with styling my hair as time went on. I also wore them like they were the cutest things on this earth eventhough I really didn’t think so. If anyone didn’t like them, my attitude exuded confidence and so I never had ONE negative remark. In fact, my friends were very supportive. My family, if not supportive, were at least silent and that worked for me. I soon discovered that it was not so much my natural hair but sometimes the styles they didn’t like. But that’s ok, cause my permed up sister often wears styles that I don’t like. So there.
Here’s a site that might help. She has chronicled her journey from big chop on. Here’s her hair at your length. Perhaps it will give you some ideas. http://www.cbpublish.com/lengthjourney_files/4inch.htm
Good luck!
Hi I have been on so many sites trying to find some sound advice on how to care for my hair.I have been trying to stay away from mineral oils and others that are harmful to our hair.
I have tried shea butter, jojoba oil, coconut oil creams, the list is endless. I cant seem to keep my hair moisturized, my hair is like cotton wool, very soft but thick and it absorbs water like a sponge.
I had my hair in twists for 2 weeks, and it started to lock. I normally have it in micro braids but that seems to making my hair thin out. I just don’t know what to do with it any more. Even if i wanted to i cant relax it as it will break with in a month as my hair is toooooo soft to hold the perm and my hair hates being straight.
PLEASE can you help this desperate English girl get hair hair in order?
Hi Michelle,
Sorry you’re having problems but nappy hair care really doesn’t have to be frustrating or challenging. I think though people tend to have unrealistic expectations about how to care for their hair.
If you don’t comb your hair… yes it will loc. Many people start locs with twists because it’s an excellent way to do so. That’s why it drives me crazy when I see people go for months on end wearing and washing twists and then be frustrated and surprised that they had to spend days and days detangling their hair. In my opinion twists worn as a style can be LOW maintenance but they most definitely aren’t NO maintenence. That’s why when I wear them I will do spot touch ups to check for knots and tangles. It also helps keep my hair looking relatively fresh until I’m ready to wash my hair again and start all over again.
So go get yourself some water based moisturizer like care free curl, or wave nuveau or some clear gel activator and give your twists another chance. Read the articles on my site. Join a hair board. If you think have hair similiar to mine, we’d love to have you on cNappymeNow.com. Come on over and take a look and ask some questions and get some good advice.
Hope this helps.
~Nappyme
I had did my hair in twist last week without any beeswax and it stayed neat for about a week. But after a that it became messy. I wanted to keep the twists but wasn’t too sure how to do “touch ups.” so i ended up taken out the twists, washing my hair, and then puting another set in…is there a specific way to achieve a touch up without having to take out the twists?
(I have a minituare afro)
Hi Ikechuku,
Ewe…beeswax. That’s so thick, heavy, and greasy isn’t it? Have you thought about a water-base moisurizer like Proline Lite Creme Moisturizer? Clear gel activators work well too.
Anyhoo, you can touch up your twists throughout the week by just picking a section to redo. So like when I touch up my twists, I might do a fresh set on Sunday. Redo some of the front on Wednesday and on saturday redo some of the back. Just touch up whatever looks like it needs to be redone. And that also help prevent matting and tangling at your roots and keeps your ends from becoming tangled fuzz balls.
That’s what works for me.
Good luck!
I have been natural for about three plus years but I’ve been mainly wearing it braided or wigs because eventhough my hair looks thick it is fine and my hair is thin around the hairline and I have a slick spot in the center of my crown and I truly need to know what to put on my hair to get it to grow in those areas I would like to style and wear my natural hair proudly please help me
Congrats on deciding to be natural. But I’m not a doctor so I’m going to refer you to a dermatologist. Just from the little information you’ve provided me with, it sounds like you need a doctor to look at you and diagnois your thinning and balding spots.
Take care and good luck,
~Nappyme
Hi Nappyme.
I really hope that you will give me an answer because Im really desperat.
I have really really dry hair and it’s been that way for 5 years. When I was a kid I had very beautiful long hair, but when I cut my hair back then it started to dry very much to the point where it started to frizz. Many people says that oil helps so I have every oil that anyone can think of, I have tried almond oil, olive oil, jojoba oil, butter and it doesn’t help at all. And now I know that they are just a coat to the hair.
I have also tried many conditioners and hair cure products. But nothing gives any results
My question is how do I find a good moisture?? Since I live in Denmark we don’t have the same moisture products as America. I hope you can help me with this problem.
Maria
Hi Maria and welcome to NPP101!
Sorry I haven’t replied sooner but I’ve been sick as a D O G. At the moment, I’m feeling a little better so I’ll quickly answer your question. Sounds to me like you may need to become a kitchen beautician and whip up some home made hair products. You can try joining some hair boards and checking out their home made products section. You can try cNappymenNow.com, Nappturality.com, Longhaircareforum.com, naturallycurly.com and see what you can find.
That’s my best recommendation. You’re going to have to try some trial and error to find what will work best for you.
But if you do a little research, I’m positive you’ll find something. So have at it and good luck!
~Nappyme
Hi. My name is Samantha I live in Canada, I’m Spanish(Nicaraguan) and Jamaican. My hair is nice, curly and silky when i have my hair wet but when it gets dry, it gets all nappy and looks dull and is very dry. I use lots of conditioner and i wash my hair every day. I don’t use put anything in my hair like oils and stuff, Ive permed it 3 times but that was about two years ago. My hair never grows, its up to my shoulders right now. I would like to know how do i make my hair grow longer and look nice and luscious AND EASY TO COMB OUT! which reminds me i comb my hair in the shower but when my hair dries it gets nappy again. so i don’t really comb it that much, and when i do alot of my hair falls out 😦
Hi Samantha,
It sounds like you have lovely hair. But honestly, I’m not going to be much help cause your goal is to de-napp your hair and all I know about is nappy hair.
You need to get hold to some resources that can help you defrizz your hair and most likely define your curls, or your naps whatever the case may be. I think a site called Naturallycurlly.com would be a good starting point for you.
Please go over and take a look at the forum. I’m pretty sure someone will be able to help you out there.
Take care and good luck,
~Nappyme
Hi, my name is Alana. I’m 16 years old. My hair is moderately thin, shiny, and soft but at the same time it’s somewhat dry. I go to the beauty shop once a month. I want my hair to be longer than it is which is shoulder length. I think the problem may be my scalp because it gets dry within 2 to 3 days after I return from the beauty shop. I currently use Dr. Miracle’s Anti-Breakage Strengthening Cream. I apply it at night, but in the morning, it feels extremely itchy. I also stroke my hair with a brush 100 times before I go to bed. What should I do to relieve my itchiness and lengthen my hair? Would you say that I could get a cellophane?
Hi Nappyme!
Thanks for sharing your info; much appreciated!
I’m having a moisture dilemma! I’ve been natural my whole life, no perms or anything, but to be honest I never really bothered much about my hair until recently. Now, i’ve been focussing on keeping my hair moisturised but nothing I do seems to last at all. I’ve tried water+glycerin; sealed with coconut oil, giovanni leave-in; sealed with coconut oil/shea butter, giovanni leave-in on its own, cantu; sealed with coconut oil, cantu+aloe juice+caster oil+jojoba oil on its own, and nothing! I always end up with a crunchy feeling in the morning (i apply these at night then wrap a satin cap). Cantu seems to be least detrimental product but i’m not entirely sure it’s doing its job.
Any suggestions from you would be more than welcome.
Thanks,
Nkeon
Hello there! First off the site is wonderful! Ok now let me get to my question. I have been natural for about a year and a half. I was pregnant had to stop processing my hair and I gave birth decided to not to return to the “creamy crack”. I had been straitening it until about 2 months ago when I decided to wear it in it’s natural state. I love the way my hair looks after I co-wash but by the end of the day it looks and feels horrible and also shrinks. Is there away to keep that wet look to my hair all day? I think I have 4B/C hair and I would also like to know if you know of a good brand for my daughter. Her hair gets extremely dry and frizzy by the end of the day. She is only 9 months old….
Hey there,
So im 17 years old, and my hair has been the same size ever since my aunt ruined it with a relaxer about 4 years ago. And my hair isn’t long at all, also the ends are thin, splitted, and striaght due to applying so much heat on it. The front goes pass my eyes and some of it stops at my nose. The middle stops an inch after my hairline. The sides stop at the bottom of my earlobe, but part of it is begining to get really short and is breaking off alot now. and the back looks like a regular short hair cut. Basically my whole hair does. The front grows a little faster than the back, its really been the back that hasn’t been growing hardly at all. and ever since she ruined it I’ve chemical alopecia,( i think i had alopeia before, but my hair was about to my shoulders and wasn’t as bad as now) and i have 2 really thin spots going on 3 or 4 in my hair, but they are unnoticable, except one which is on the lower left side (unless i move some of my hair out the way). My mother doesn’t want me to cut it just yet, because were praying on it. I also have medicated oil which ive been using ever since it was damaged, and its working, but im now deciding to jus stop flat ironing it because im just contributing to the damage. And i know when i go see my caucausion dermatologist tomorrow he’ll suggest that i stop anyway. So with that said, since flat ironing will b unacceptable and extensions will just pull it out, i just want a curly style for now, but i don’t know which natural curl activator i should use, if i should use any…
Thanks
Can someone else answer some the questions besides this website person. She is not the only one with nappy hair and knows how to care for it. Please! OMG>>>
Ok… are you off your rocker or something? This is MY blog, it’s not a message board like Nappturality.com or NaturallyCurly.com or BlackHairMedia.com where someone posts a question, and you get a lot of responses from different members. Since I’m the sole OWNER of this blog, the questions are directed to ME. While I would certainly welcome responses from other readers, it’s not anyone’s responsiblitly to answer questions on MY blog but ME.
Now if you’re looking for message board type interaction, I suggest you keep it moving and find another, more suitable site that fits your needs.
Mercy.
does what you eat make your hair grow
if so what foods should i eat.
Hi Jazimine,
There’s no magic food, potion, hair product out there that specifically targets hair growth. Unless you’re sick, are on certain medications or have damage to your follicals, (the little holes deep in your scalp where the hair grows from) there no reason your hair shouldn’t grow. How fast or how slow and how long your hair grows is totally genetic. There’s nothing you can do to change that. Beyond that, however, you can do things that protect your hair and specifically your ends to promote length-retention and realize longer lengths. See the following articles on my blog for more information:
Good luck!
im a nigerian with short frizzy hair( natural) that is up to my neck
and my hair is not growing or growing longer i dont know if it has anything
to do with what you eat and ive checked lots of websites on how to grow african hair
but i couldnt really find anything but products to buy can you help
how did you grow your hair so long? my hair is very short and it is not growing long
Hi Nappy Me,
How are you? I had my first chop in march of 2010, and my hair is still not all grown, i only use coconut shampoo and moisturizer, and then i use raw shea butter for my hair dress and moisturizer too. Please can u help me with a very Good hair products to use to keep my hair healthy, moistured and make it grow? I think my hair texture is 4a/b, i have a very thick and full hair. thanks for the good work.
I have been using Shielo’s “Hydrate Refresh Mist” for the past 3 years – This is one of those products I use at least 6 times a week. First, I shampoo and then I use this deep conditioner to lock in moisture. I keep a wide comb or brush in the shower to brush out my hair I rinse my conditioner with cool water. Then when my hair is dry and I am combing, I use the Mist. And throughout the day as well. My hair is left soft and silky. I also notice a healthy shine to my hair after it drys.
Im very interesting of a natural product or homemade for thick/ coarse hair. I have tried Carol Daughter, it didnt work out for me.
Hi Felecia,
I can’t really answer your question because you don’t say what kind of a product you’re looking for such as a conditioner, moisturizer, something for hold or whatever. When you say you’ve used Carol’s Daughter, that’s brand and then there are specific products within that brand.
Also, other than being thick and coarse you don’t really give any indication what your texture is like so at this point you’ve not given any specifics that help me answer your question.
Dear nappyme,
i got to a school where there are alot of Caucasian kids with “silky and long” hair and of course i dont. so i am constantly getting teased about my nappy hair. i was looking through some blogs online and they all said these thing over and over again:
1.Use olive oil
2.use egg yolk
3.Stay away from heat
I tried all of these things but they only made my hair grow 16th of an inch long and not help me nappy problem.
I was wondering do you know some hair products i can use.And if they are harmless on tender-headed people thank you
Kathryn,12
Hey Nappy Me,
My hair is very confusing. From when I was a baby until about the seventh grade, my hair was straight. In 8th I began damaging my hair (unaware of this) and by 9th grade it was nappy, frizzy, and thin (not necessarily curly). I buzzed it off hoping it would grow back smoother (its about 3-4 inches right now), and it has been doing better since, but is still very thin and nappy. I shower and condition my hair every day, but I only use shampoo once a week. After getting out of the shower, I comb my hair back and put a beanie over it to keep it down. I sometimes put a shine solution in it because it looks dull, and it barely seems to work.
The perfect word to describe my hair is hay. Its super super dry, thin, but not curly. It’s not in locks, it seems like they’re all individually sticking out and I’m sick of it.
Do you have any tips, like a certain shampoo, conditioner, leave in conditioner, to get rid of my hay like hair?
Much appreciation,
Anton
Nappy me,
ive been moisturizing my hair w/ a water based moisturizer (BB cator oils and aloe)and ive been using mane n’ tail shampoo and conditioner and sealing my hair with olive oil,for my scalp ive been using MTG oil for about a week and ive seen growth.but i would like my hair to grow a little more faster.castor oil has made my new growth thicker.i use mayo&egg&olive oil deep conditioner. no heat,and always protective styling all of this since march 26 but only about an inch& a half has grown.i sleep with a satin scarf. i have 3b hair. i would like my hair to be growing faster&my hair wasnt severly damaged before but had alot of split ends which i cut all off (: my hair does feel softer and thicker
Nardos,
Sorry to dissapoint you but how fast your hair grows is totally determined by genetics. Please do not waste your money buy stuff that is marketed to make your hair grow faster. Hair grows about 1/2 inch a month. That’s an average. That means that some will have hair that grows faster than that and some will have hair that grows slower than that. But there’s absolutely NOTHING you can do to speed up your growth.
Also, leave it in the store if it says it will make your hair grow longer. It’s a crock. Hair grows. That’s what it does. Length is dependent on two things which includes genetics and your ability to retain your ends. If you want longer hair, learn to incorporate practices into your hair care routine that promotes retention. Protective styling (e.g., braid, twists etc.), gentle combing and detangling, minimize manipulation and learning how to keep your hair well moisturized. Things like that.
If you’re truely interested in learning how to take care of your hair, please do your research on my site to learn more about growth and retention. You’ll be glad you did.
Good luck!
nappy me i just wanna take a second and tell you i truely love this website! ive learned of things and i always thought that mineral oil was good. but now i know what ive been doing wrong. i could realte to alot of these girls and have gone through the same thing. again thank you (:
Your’s so welcome!
Hi Nappyme,
Great job on the site! I know you don’t like oils but what are your feeling on carrot oil and coconut oil, are these oils used for a particular purspose or can they be used just the same as jojoba or olive oil?
Hi Lica,
I know of no particular benefit to using carrot oil, other than the obvious. My guess is most likely it could be used as a lubricant, a sealant and an emolient. Other than that, I’m unfamiliar with it’s feel and consistency. Is it smoothe, or tacky feeling. Should it be mixed with something to get good results. If you’re interested in using it these are some things to take into consideration. Most oils are “bad” for your hair per se, I’m just personally not a fan of having greasy/oily hair. That said, give it a try if you’re curious; it’s the only way to know for sure if you like how it performs on your hair.
Good luck.
In the reply above I wrote:
Most oils ARE “bad” for your hair per se, I’m just personally not a fan of having greasy/oily hair.
I meant to say this:
Most oils ARE NOT “bad” for your hair per se, I’m just personally not a fan of having greasy/oily hair.
Sorry for the confusion!
Hi, I have been natural for two years. I did not do the big chop but grew out my perm. And since then I have noticed my curl pattern after washing my hair and even when it’s been flat ironed after a few days I feel this slight waved pattern at my roots. During and after washing I also notice that may hair will bunch up and dry fast and the curl will disappear and before long I will have a fro unless I section and braid it. My question is, how can I keep my curls intact while my hair air drys? So far setting lotion, wavy cremes, moose nor spritz holds it in and I plat my hair to give it the curly affect untill I find an easier method.
Thanks in advance.
Hi Champagne,
I have to say I have absolutely no idea how to retain curl/wave definition. My hair has NONE so it’s nothing I’ve ever had to be concerned with. Your best bet is to ask someone who does have curls they want to define and hold. You could try joining Nappturality.com and asking that question on their general hair forum.
Good luck!
Ok thank you, I will.
HELP!!!!!! lol im a 4c natural kinky girl who has been natural for almost a year now…problem is i still don’t know what to do to my hair to create moisture and shine that won’t break the bank. i also have some weak spots on my sides im trying to grow back any suggestions on products i can use to help with my moisture (or lack there of problem) i’ve been shedding alot and it hurts to comb my hair 😦 im getting so fustrated i want to hang in there but it’s alot of work i love my curly kinky mess of hair but it can be a pain to manage
I was experiencing the same moisture problems for 3 months after my big chop, i bought about 10 different conditioner that didnt work, then i changed my routine: on wsh day i cowashed with coconut conditioner, put some giovanni direct leave-in on, coconut hair milk, then i mixed carefree curl activator with aloe vera gel n it gave my hair moisture the entire day, so i decided to stop cowashing daily since these product moisturize my hair, so now i cowash every 4 days, and when i cleanse i cowash n clarify with acv,and in between cowashing, i mix shea butter, oils, aloe vera juice n gel as my daily moisterizer and this works perfectly for my hair,i never new you could put aloe vera in your hair but it is a excellent moisturizer, also i dont believe that afros should be cowashed too often if your hair is very dry like mine, also my hair likes water but doesent need it everyday with this method. I hope this can be helpful to someone.
Dear Anita Neal,
Thank you very much for the feedback. While I have been natural for a number of years I hadn’t really taken the time to find out different ways to truly take care of my hair. I use to condition my hair every time I washed it, hardly used shampoo because it dried my hair a lot, and occasionally used deep conditioners and tiny amounts of oil. It was only when I started to go online to “curly hair” sites and forums that I was able to learn ALOT more! I am very grateful for the feedback on what has worked for you. I am the sort of person that likes to experiment a little (as long as it doesn’t harm) my hair so I shall look into trying your method. While I feel “stupid” for saying this but a few days ago was the first time I tried to twist my hair and it worked quite well to stretch my hair once I took them out. So there are still a number of ways that I can still learn I just need me research glasses :D.
Thanks again
i have a gigantic lovely shiny jet black Fijian afro. i absolutely love MY HAIR. the KEY TO SUPERIOR HAIR GROWTH IS COCONUT OIL. USE IT NIGHTLY AND SPRAY YOUR HAIR WITH A COMBINATION OF FLOWER WATER AND SMALL DROPS OF COCO OIL.
AFRO HAIR IS MEANT TO BE LEFT ALONE /NO FLAT IRONS ,BLOW DRYERS, PRESS COMBS.
DO THIS ( THE MOISTURIZING) METHOD DAILY AND YOU WILL NOTICE THE THICKNESS AND BEAUTY OF TRUE AFRICAN HAIR.
DONT SMOKE DONT DRINK AND ALSO TAKE CARE OF YOURSELVES. REMEMBER, YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT AND DRINK
ITS GOOD TO BRAID YOUR HAIR TOO.
Hi im just wondering how often should you brush nappy hair ? when you need to ? or have to everday ?
Hi Shilo,
I’m not a fan of brushing nappy hair at all. I used to rave about the denman, but that was all that was out there at the time. Now I use a wide-tooth comb and a tangle teaser and my hair is always very well detangled and good to go!
Hi Nappyme,
What is your opinion of using rinse out conditioners containing dimethicone?
Hi Patricia,
Gosh, I haven’t used a conditioner on my hair in years. When I did, I used a natural line called JASON. No cones. But truthfully, I never thought conditioners with or without cones EVER did anything for my hair. Several years ago, I embarked on a water rinse only routine (no shampoo and no conditioner). Since I only used water soluable moisturizer, it rinsed out thoroughly under running water. It never left scalp residue either. Since the whole purpose of conditioners are to put back in what shampoo strips out, my thought process told me that I was no longer stripping my hair with a water rinse only routine. So I started skipping conditioner and going straight to the moisturizer. Although I now occasionally use shampoo, I still don’t use conditioner and my hair is doing just fine. As far as I’m concern conditioner is just a useless extra step in everyone’s hair care routine.
I dont know if this is where/how I should ask this, but I had asked a question about why when wearing my new natural hair after over thirty years of wearing a perm, why does my scalp itch so much? It never did before I wash it once a week & use conditioners on it & I spray a mixture of detangler & olive iol on it. I had my question deleted that I asked on Sept 19th. If I need to do something else (in regards to being able to leave a question) please let me know. Sorry but this is my first response or exchange with a Blog ever in my life.
Hi Stacey,
Sorry to hear you’re having such a time with an itchy scalp. I have to say that I cannot give you a definitive answer on why that’s happening but I can toss out some possible reasons which include:
*Dry scalp (maybe washing once a week is too much)
*Product reaction. Perhaps your scalp no longer likes the products you’re using. Even if you’ve been using something for a really long time, you scalp, just like your skin can develop a sensativity to something that you’ve been using for a long time. I believe that’s called contact dermatitis. You may have to go through some trial and error to find out if a certain product or combinations of products are the culprit.
*Stress. If you’re stressed about something, symptoms can manifest themselves in a variety of ways. When I’m overly stressed, I itch…in places no one should ever have to scratch. LOL! So it wouldn’t surprise me if you were experiencing an itchy scalp due to stress
If you cannot get to the bottom of why you’re itching yourself, you may consider seeing a dermatologist. I hope some of this helps and you find some relief soon.
In the meantime, take care and good luck,
~Nappyme
Thank You For Your Help,,,,,, Nappyme ,,,,I did find out that while I stopped using hair grease/oil’s 20 years ago, that the once a week deep conditioning and once a month hot oil treatment that worked with perm’ed hair, “Did Not Cut It” with Natural hair LOL.
You were So right “Natural Hair DRINKS Moisture”. I started experimenting with oils mixed with conditioner and it helped Right Away. Thanks Again Ms Napturology!
You’re so welcome. Again good luck!
Hi nappyme,
I recently cut all of my hair off and now have an afro completely natural. It is super thick and I can’t seem to find the right stuff to moistuize it. Please help. I’ve been wearing it in a fro for about a month before i was braiding it and having it kinky twisted.
Hello,
Okay I’m a guy (obviously lol) and I have waves, and my scalp seems to always be dry I don’t use wave grease because its so heavy and will prevent moisture from getting to my scalp. My normal nightly regiment is spraying my hair with a water/leave in conditioner mix, applying a moisturizing lotion, spray oil sheen on top of that to lock in the moisture, and then put on a durag. When I wake up my hair looks nice but when I brush it I get flakes, I wash my hair once or twice a week so I don’t get product build up with a dandruff shampoo. But I always have flakes!!! what do u think I should do?
Thanks!!
Stop using that product? The product is either flaking or it’s causing irritation to you scalp (contact dermatitus) and causing it to flake. Or shoot, it could be a little bit of both. It also could be a combination of the three products. Whatever the case, for me it’s usually a product issue. You’ll have to do a process of elimination to see exactly what’s going on.
Good luck!
Hey Nappyme,
My hair is at its best when it is wet, still I cant get it to stay laid down. After I apply Dudley’s Easy Curling & Waving grease to my hair I brush it and then tie-down my du-rag. This keeps my hair down for about 30 minutes tops and then my waves break-up and dry up. My hair becomes dry and sticks up. Is there any product that you can recommend to help me with my problem? Thanks in advance.
Hahahahaha. Ok I’m laughing with you not at you cause you sound like you have hair just like mine. I stopped trying to make my hair lay down YEARS ago. It’s too coarse and I have yet to find ANY product that keeps my hair down around my edges. There are some edge control products out there that you might want to give a try. I usually just create hair styles that involve twisting my edges so that I don’t have to worry about how my edges look.
Sorry I couldn’t be more help. Good luck!
My hair is nappy& it’s falling out, will micros help it grow back& is there anyway to change the texture of my hair to a more curly type than this nappy stuff!?
The real question is WHY is your hair falling out? Whatever you’re doing to it is most likely causing your problems. Your texture is NOT the culprit. Eliminate the source of stress to your hair and you’ll be on the right track. Things that can cause breakage include too tight hair styles, not enough moisture or protein, harsh combing/grooming etc.,)
Underlying health issues can also make your hair weak. So can certain medications. So if you can rule out external forces, you may want to take a trip to the dermatologist to see if you have any underlying health issues that could be causing problems.
As far as changing your hair texture, I think you really know the answer to this. Whatever you’re born with is what you get. The only thing that can permanently change the structure of your hair until it grows out are chemicals like relaxers and jheri curls (ooohhh Nappyme shudders at the thought) which I definitely do not endorse.
Anyhoo, take a good look at your hair care practices and see what you can change. I only hesitate to tell endorse micros is because in some circumstances they can do more harm than good if you don’t take care to ensure that they’re not too tight and are not left in too long. If you take all that into consideration and act accordingly to take care of your hair then micros can be a great way to eliminate the stress you’re putting your hair though and get it healthy again.
I hope some of this this helps. Take care and good luck,
Nappyme
I have Curly Nappy Hair and people always tell me is that your real hair? im tired of it so is there any way i can make my hair long and straight ?
Ok, wow. Post number 2 and you’ve shared a little more about how you feel about your hair and why. Not sure how old you are but you sound like you’re letting people really influence you on something that was given to you by God. He don’t make no mistakes. Millions of African decendent folks have kinky hair and are quite proud to wear it nappy thank you very much. You should be too. Stop letting the ideas that straight/curly/non nappy hair is the epitome of beauty and attractiveness for black women and men. Our hair is beautiful too. Go get yourself a nice hair cut at a black barber and see how you feel about it then. If you absolutely can’t deal with the naps, then cut it short close to the scalp.
And no, sorry no can do about recommendations on how to make it straight.
Good luck!
I have really bad curly nappy hair and lm sick of it. is there any way i can make it straight
Hey Brandon. You are soooooo on the wrong site to be hating on nappy hair. Sorry can’t help you dude.
Hey I’m trying to grow an afro as fast as possible . Any tips on hair growth ? Oh and i just started using pro-line comb-thru lite creme moisturizer and people say my hair looks fake and it’s soft so is that helping with hair growth or is it just keeping it moisturized ?
Hi Aaron. Hair growth has EVERTHING to do with genetics. So no there’s nothing you can do genetically to speed up how fast your hair grows. But on average human hair grows about six inches a year. The key word here is AVERAGE. So that simply means that some people will have hair that grows slower than average and some people will have hair that grows faster than average. As a result, it depends where you shake out in all of this.
Another thing to consider is retention. Afro textured hair is notoriously fragile with all the twists and turns that it takes as it grows. Therefore it can be difficult to retain length as it grows if you’re doing things to abuse it and pop off your ends. So the best thing you could do is leave it alone. If you’re not opposed to cornrows, this could be your solution to length retention. When you decide to wear it out in a fro, don’t pick it out harshly. Use a pick to gently lift and then pat to shape. If you want to wear it out all the time just know that constantly picking and tearing at your hair can cause breakage that will thwart your best efforts to retain length and get that big ole afro that you so desire.
Good luck!
yea i was wondering why is one side of my head is wavy and the other side of my head is very nappy!!! the other side is all curly,twisted and it doesnt align with my waves on the other side of my head. is there any product out there to help me with my problem?
Hi lawrence,
From one head to the next, it’s not uncommon for folks to have more than one texture of hair. Unfortunately, if your hair on one side is starkly different from the hair on the other side, I really am not sure what to tell you especially since you’re a guy. I mean, don’t most guys just get some type of a hair cut (a short one) and just call it a day. Or is there some way that you’re specifically trying to wear your hair that makes styling difficult. Are you trying to wear a fro where your two textures would really make a big difference? If so I’d say consult a stylist or a barber and see what they recommend.
Good luck!
My hair is natural, and I tryed using many different products to help fight the humidity and keep my hair straight when I flat iron it, (I use a wet/straight). Could you recommend some products to help with the humidity?
And I am proud of my napps 🙂 I just like to switch it up every now and then.
Sorry darlin’ I really don’t get into straight hair enough to know what products do what. You might try one of the forums where ladies really discuss flat ironing and such. I’m sure they’ll have some recommendations.
Good luck!