How'd You Fix Your Ends?

[Soude]

I'm natural and my ends are just... anger.

When dry, they're... dry and tangled
When wet, they're just tangled and start tangling right after detangling.

I've got that layer thing going on and no one will give me a haircut (plus I'm scared to get one I've just been able to get a bunnytail)

Side note: I'm going back to NYC for the winter if anyone wants to recommend a stylist.

But my main reason for writing this post is that I can understand the importance of taking care of ends (for growth, for touchability) but I still can't comprehend HOW! How exactly do you take care of your ends? Has anyone taken dry, gross, crunchy ends to soft, supple, touchable ends? Should I apply olive oil every night? Should I cowash all the time? How do I protect my ends when I can hardly pull my hair into one much less make a bun? AND DAMN THE SSKs!

Oh and product recs for moisturizers, etc?

 

[wild curls raquelle]

Fret not it can be done. I have done it.
First you need to moisturize your hair, you can do that by applying a leave-in treatment/ conditioner etc. Then you need to seal. The second is most important it helps to lock in the moisture. At first you may need to seal daily but later you may have to do probably every other day or every few days. You can seal with butters like cocoa, shea, oatmeal, avocado, mango (and the list goes on). You would want to get the unrefined versions of these butters not the drug store brands. You can get these at health food stores and online. Also many all natural brands Karen's Body Beautiful, Qhemet etc make their own butters. This will be your friend for beautiful healthy ends. Keep your ends happy you retain length and it grows. If you do not want to use butter you can use oil. The best oils for sealing are heavy oils like castor oil. If you use castor only get Jamaican black castor oil or Palm Christi castor oil. You can also seal with Extra Virgin Coconut or Olive oils.

As for styles.... Well stalk some fotkis.. SERIOUSLY.
A lot of people do roller/ rod sets, twist, braids, bantu-knots and many many more styles. I would suggest. Inventing some as well. You be surprised what you can come up with.

Recommendations: (Just to name a few)
I could give you an entire list but here's what I have used:
Giovanni Direct Leave-In
Lustrasilk Shea Butter Mango Conditoner
TJ Nourish
Garnier Fructis Sleek & Shine
Karen's Body Beautiful Hair Milk & Nectar
i hth

 

[Foufie]

I am natural as well and have been wearing 8 cornrolls underneath a wig for the past week. I noticed my ends were sort of dry so I have been putting castor oil on the ends of the braids morning and night. It seems to be helping. However once the braids are out and I am wearing my twist outs again, how would I do it? I do twist outs on wet hair and applying castor oil to wet hair seems to pull.

@Soude - Will no one give you a hair cut because it is natural? Why would a stylist not want to cut it?

 

[Jetblackhair]

Cutting out the cone filled products has really helped my ends. They are more supple now when I wear my twist outs.

When setting my twists I use a leave in, Giovanni Direct or conditioner & water for my moisturizer. I add a little gel and seal with coconut oil, olive oil or sometimes castor oil.

 

[Eritreladiee]

I've been doing oil treatments to combat dry, crunchy ends from colouring

What I do is mix one cup oil (I do 1/2 coconut, 1/2 olive) with about 7 teaspoons of Brahmi powder. Heat on low, long enough to get warm, but not long enough to burn the Brahmi. Then let it cool and sieve. This makes 2 treatments for me.

After I wash my hair (and sometimes deep condition) I saturate my ends with a leave-in, I use Rene Furterer Control Emulsion Anti-frizz. Then when it's dry I add some coconut oil, and keep reapplying it morning OR nights- basically whenever it's needed.

It's been working for me.

 

[Supervixen]

Two words:

POROSITY CONTROL.

 

[scotchbonnet]

I know exactly what you are talking about. I was beginning to doubt being able to put up with natural loose hair (had locs before for 9 years) until YESTERDAY!!!!!

Since the time I have been on LHCF - I have learnt a lot - one of the main things I learnt was about porosity. My hair is thick, coarse and moisture seriously fight to get inside my strands. I would suggest first finding out your hair porosity condition.

I found out I had low porosity. So instead of doing what most people do, since I am natural I have to open my cuticles first THEN do a Deep condition with heat - I use MASTEX heating cap.

I have no idea which part of my routine worked yesterday but I am not straying too far from this at all. Anyhooo......(bearing in my mind this was MY experience - all things won't work for everyone).
I washed and opened my cuticles with a MILD baking soda rinse, then I deep conditioned using my heat cap with AO Honey Suckle (I WILL NEVER be caught dead again without any AO conditioners) and Vatika Oil for about 35 mins. I rinsed it out leaving just a tad bit in and gently towel dried.
Next I moisturied using Eqyss Premier Rehydrant Spray and sealed with some avocado oil.

SERIOUSLY - when I felt my hair after I was close to tears! The hair even stretched out- it is soft as cotton - I still can't believe it - it is not mushy it is soft and shiny, looks thick and healthy! The ends are no longer dry - they are CLEARLY moisturised. This morning I sprayed with my EPRS again and sealed with oil and it is STILL feeling moisturised. For my hair - this is a serious breakthrough!

I would recommend a good deep conditioning routine with a rich conditioner such as AO, then moisturise and seal with oil.
I have a TWA and the FEEL of the hair is like night and day between yesterday and the day before I did the above steps.

Two words:

POROSITY CONTROL.

I've ordered the porosity control and I am REALLY eager to see what will happen when I add it as the final step to my above - can it make my hair feel any better?!!

 

[Whimsy]

For NY Stylists - O'Karim Odoms in BK or Mike @ Mo'Hair Salon in NYC I've posted about both in the Salon section here, or you can PM me for contact info

 

[BlondeByDesire]

I need to come to NY just for a haircut - Whimsy your hair is gorgeous - was just on your blog. Very pretty.

 

[Whimsy]

I need to come to NY just for a haircut - Whimsy your hair is gorgeous - was just on your blog. Very pretty.

Thanks.
I suggest Mike @ MoHair Salon on E13th st for cuts. The man is magic with scissors. You can go to him for a free consult.