Ya know, I have been natural for about ten years, and like I stated in a recent post, I JUST found out that my hair is low porosity. What, you ask, does this mean? Well, for starters, it means that:
*When I did the porosity test (placing a clean strand of hair in a clear glass of water)- My hair stayed on the surface of the water. OVERNIGHT.
*When I tried to use the LOC (liquid oil cream) method with water, oil mix, and shea butter, my hair turned every surface into an oil slick. *le sigh*
* It takes forever for Claudette (my hairs given name) to dry. Like, I dry her with a t-shirt, think she's d dry, then put her in a puff. Only to feel water sliding down my neck hours later. In public.
*Having leave in treatments form white balls on my hair, or not getting my shampoo to rinse out completely, so I have random foamy spots.
So I would often finish up a wash session with my face lookin like this:
 |
| Grrrrr.......! |
* I like butters. My hair doesn't need them, because they are too heavy. They sit on top of my hair.
*When I'm done washing, my hair is filled with water, so it WILL NOT absorb any product. I have to get it about 70% dry so that I can cram a leave in in there.
* My new LOC method consists of:
- Cantu Shea butter leave in for my liquid
- olive/jojoba/avocado oil for the oil
- That is all, I don't need a cream, so I guess I just have a LO method. Ha!
Soooo, my new regimen is this:
- Co-washand detangle weekly with TreSemme Luxurious Moisture Conditioner, and once a month with either Aussie Moist shampoo, or my Queen Helene mint julep shampoo
- Dry with a t-shirt until damp
- Do the ol' LO method
- Twist or band to stretch
- Deep condition as needed
Ciao!
How has your regimen changed?
Like you I have actually been natural for my whole life, I have 3a/b hair and it's a very fine texture because my mom has straight hair, she is white. My dad's curl pattern is a lot like yours. It's mysterious that my hair grows like nobody's business, but it is dryer than a desert, and my split end count has always been high. I never could figure out why my hair got so many split ends, to where I would cut it off to my shoulders and then it would come back. One important thing I am learning is that you cannot eliminate shampoo from your routine! Our hair is notorious for build up which can in turn block fresh moisture from penetrating our hair! It's no wonder my hair never got thru the transition phase of the curly girl method and I got bumps from co-washing. I am just starting to follow the advice for low po hair and my hair, if I make one mistake, I will be cutting off split ends. I just made a mistake yesterday by thinking I could only lightly towel dry with a microfiber towel and then apply product. No, especially when doing light products, my hair has to be practically dry! I am going to be blogging and blogging more and more about all my discoveries on my healthy hair journey, because like you, I am on a healthy hair journey as well. Growth is not a problem for me for whatever reason, my hair grows fast and very long, but keeping my hair healthy was impossible with all these methods and advice that work for so many ppl.
ReplyDeleteI know how you feel, it seems like my regimen is constantly changing. I have 4C, low porosity hair and it's getting longer (making it more work when washing). I'm only 7 months into my natural hair journey and I had to experiment to see what works for my low porosity hair. I think I'm getting close but the way Eva's (my hair's given name) acting it may take a year!
ReplyDeleteI can relate! I have been natural for 12 years but I am just learning about porosity. I have not found something that works yet but I am trying to figure out a low maintenance way of keeping my strands happy. I think I have been walking blindly for 12 years but I can now see and I have hope, now with all these resources on low porosity hair, to find a great regimen that my hair will be happy with.
ReplyDeleteI have 4c low porositiy hair. Heat is my best friend and I dont mean flat iron or using hair drying. After deep conditioner I rinse my hair with warm water to keep my cuticles open for leave in conditioner. I dont use oil alot only twice a week. My regimen I warm my leave in conditioner if I use oil its a very light oil. I only moisturize my hair twice a week and keep it in bantu knots and it let out sometimes. My hair is soft but not greasy.
ReplyDeleteJust a suggestion rinse with warm water only opens the cuticle and not only lets moisture in but it can come out as well. Rinsing with cool water promotes shine and keeping the moisture in your hair shaft. The leave in and oil try to help with keeping moisture in when doing that. Like on. Youtube cassandre beccai, and keishanista88, and greenbeautychannel and have Good regimens greenbeautychannel explains and scienceofblackhair explains all on YouTube
Deletethis is all new to me but will to do more to see my hair achieve max hydration which I feel will be health for my hair.
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