One Family Four Different Types of Hair
When I was a little girl, my hair was constantly compared to the hair of other women in my family, and to hear other people talk I was born with the least desirable grade of hair. Back story: My grandmother was born with straight hair; not even a wave graced her hair. This made my grandmother and her sisters' lives easier than the lives of other women with varying grades of hair.
My grandmother and her sisters pin-curled their straight hair and went about their days, three sisters with beautiful and easy to work with hair. My Grandmother's daughters would not be so lucky. They were born with mixed grades of hair. My mother had the easiest hair to deal with because it was mostly wavy. Noticed I said mostly. My mother was born with three grades of hair. She has mainly waves, but she has also large curls mixed with extremely kinky, frizzy hair. My mother's hair can look wavy and curly, but it takes a little more care and a lot of moisture. Still, my mother's hair is a breeze compared to mine. Her hair uses very little product. My mother's hair just needs a little love, but because it doesn't take that much effort she really doesn't do anything. Let me say this: neglecting your hair can destroy even the best hair.
My Grandmother and Mother May 5, 2013
My sisters and I have curly-kinky hair. Faith has the perfect spirals when her hair is well cared for, but she also has 3 different grades of hair. Joy is lucky; her hair is very strong and she has only one curl pattern. Her curls are small but perfect. I, like my mother and my younger sister, Faith, happen to have 3 different grades of hair, but that is the only thing that is similar. I have a lot of hair, and every strand is very thin. Even when I take great care with my hair it can snap easily.
My sister's Joy and Faith.
The Solutions
Okay, so this blog is about making sure that my family and I become the best we can be. Hair is one of those image things that matter. It is easy to point out what is going wrong with your hair but hard to find solutions. I don't know what solutions will work for you, but I can tell you there are a ton of vlogs (video blogs) that you can use to find what is best for you. Best advice I can offer is for you to watch videos on how to use all products. I know you think you know how to use conditioner and gel and hair oil, but really you may not be "doing it" right. Doing your hair is like having sex. Yes, you can have sex by having basic intercourse, but I can tell you awesome sex comes only with knowledge and passion. In other words great hair and great sex may require a video or two.
The following is a list of products I found work for me and the rest of my tribe. My choices I tried off and on for years, but my results were mixed because I never really watched a video on the best way to apply theses products. Now, the way I apply my products are unique to me, but other people's suggestions helped me develop my own technique.
Note: This list is really just to help me. We tend to get overwhelmed by which hair products to use for our natural hair (curly hair, kinky hair and wavy hair) and I want to remember what has worked for me and my family. Below I have listed what hair products work for each of us. These hair products are good for 2b/2c hair types, 3a/3b/3c hair types and yes all the 4 hair types too. So we are four different women with four different types of hair and we each have our own list of natural hair products. You may have your own hair products but this is what works for us.
My Hair Solutions
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| Natural Hair 3B, 3C, and 4A mix |
My Hair is a mix of 3b, 3c and 4a
Okay, this pic is not my worst hair day and it is not my best hair day. There is no real curl definition, but the shrinkage is being managed, so... it is not a bad hair day. I would show you a bad hair day, but my family will kill me. I would show you a good hair day, but good hair days have not accompanied good body days. Plus my curls have yet to read well in a photo. Healthy hair, strong hair, is good hair. My hair requires a lot of moisture. Guess what? Oil is not moisture. Oil is a way to seal moisture, but it does not give your hair moisture and can seal out moisture if it is add first. I never shampoo my hair. I co-wash or use Wen or Rinse with apple cider vinegar. Okay, time for my list of products.
Feb 12 2017 note: There is a lot of controversy about WEN. At the bottom of this page I include a video addressing it. I still stand by co-washing and the WEN product and I am not paid by WEN at all.
Wen Six Thirteen
It is my cleanser, my hair conditioner, my leave in all in one. I get the 32 oz from QVC.
Kinky-Curly Knot Today
This is my leave in and styling product. If I need to look good and care free this is my product.
Kinky-Curly Curling Custard
I must look good. I must be perfect. I wash with the Wen, leave-in Knot Today and lock in my curl with the Curling Custard.
I seal my hair with vitamin E oil or almond/coconut/olive oil or Aloe gel from Trader Joe's. I dry my hair with a T-shirt. I hate twist outs on my hair but may change my opinion when my hair gets longer.
My Baby Sister Faith's Solution
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| Natural/Curly Hair 3A, 3B, and 3C |
Her Hair is a mix of 3A 3B and 3C
Faith uses the exact same Wen I use Six Thirteen
Rituals It's A Wrap
Faith loves the product. Wishes she could use it everyday.
ELLiN Lavar PenetratingBalm
This is Faith's perfect finisher but it is always out of stock. So...we need to test some other balms. But the two above products give her the look she wants.
My Mother's Solution
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| Natural/Curly/Wavy Hair 2A, 2B, and 3B mix |
Mom has 2A 2B 3B
It is hard to get a good hair and body pic cause my mom doesn't do anything to her hair. When she does her hair for pictures many times she has a roller set or blow out. This pic is one of the few with her hair down and curly.
Mom can use any Wen original or Six Thirteen. She uses Sweet Almond Mint because it is slightly cheaper than the Six Thirteen and does exactly what she needs. For styling mom is a Carol's Daughter girl. It is the first styling product she really loves.
Carols Daughter Hair Milk Original Leave-in Moisturizer
She loves this and needs very little to get results. When she uses it she looks perfect.
Carols Daughter Hair Milk Pudding Style
This allows mom to get through the day with a finished look. Her products last longer than most women with natural hair because her hair responds quickly to this product so she uses less of it. It is exactly what her hair needs.
Joy is the Middle Sister
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| Born with perfect 3C Hair |
She has 3C only and her hair is strong
Joy can do anything to her hair and does. WEN keeps her hair in good condition.
She also uses Aveda. Joy's hair can take just about anything, so she plays with it a lot and rarely suffers consequences. The truth is I am not confidant that Joy is a 3C because her hair is super hair and completely bulletproof.
Family Event
At a family event last Saturday I realized more than 60% of the family has gone natural. We compared notes and there was one product that stuck out, Kiss My Face. Now I love Kiss My Face body wash but I have never tried their product in my hair. I must give it a try.
Focus
I feel that we all would have better hair days if we could remember and focus on what works. I know that my follow through could and should be improved in all areas of my life. If I can make my hair life easier I might have an easier time at other things. Image, talent, health and wealth are not easy to come by, but like momma always says,"How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time." Hair is image and my first bite.
Wen vs Ren; Wen vs Balding; Co-Washing vs Clarifying Shampoo
