Naturals: When did you learn how to style your hair?

[shellzfoshizzle]

I am getting so frustrated. I bought some Lock and Twist Gel stuff and applied it to wet, thin sections to twist my hair for a twist out. It turned out looking like crap. Thank God I only did half of my head. The twists would NOT stay ravelled. Somebody on this board (cant remember who) said it was because my relaxed ends are thin and scrawny and aren't going to stay twisted. I tried putting a clip on the end of the twists to hold them in place but they STILL weren't twisted. I'm so frustrated.

Rollersets are starting to look a hot mess with the thickness. I'm thinking I should just stay in braids until I am ready to BC. I really really really want to know how to do twists and braids but my hair doesn't cooperate.

To all the naturals, when did you learn how to style your hair? I'm thinking I should just screw it until I am 100% natural, then I can figure out what to do then.

 

[Cheleigh]

I'm not natural, but I will say that I see folks on here and other sites that did twists and twistouts during their transition, but not me. My relaxed hair is too thin, and my natural hair needs the ends to be curly to sucessfully stay twisted, even with the relaxed ends curled with rods. I still have 9" of relaxed hair, and it was relaxed bone straight.

Braidouts, however, look good in my transitioning hair. My avatar is an example of a braidout I did recently.

I'm not planning on trying wash-n-gos, curly afros, puffs, or twists until after my BC--the relaxed texture on my hair just won't cooperate at this point.

 

[camellia]

I've been natural for over 9 years and I still don't really do any styles to my hair. I wish I knew how to do twists and other cool styles. I wear a bun or a braid just about every day.

 

[IrisDaVirus]

I've been natural for a few years now and my hairstyling abilities totally suck . I keep my styling routine pretty basic - puffs, wash and gos, buns, etc.

 

[hopeg80]

Your twist may hold better once you get rid of the relaxed ends. While transitioning I tried twisting my hair and it looked terrible. Now, though they look great and hold up to 2-3 weeks. Trust me it will get better.

I have been natural for a year now and all I can do is twist and twist outs. (sad huh?)

 

[balisi]

Shells, it's just going to be difficult to get decent results with the relaxed ends hanging on. I didn't really learn how to style my natural hair until it actually became natural. In fact, it's been over a year and I'm still learning.

For example, I discovered just yesterday that my hair holds 2-strand twists much better when they're done very small. I'm talking micro-twists, okay? Since putting them in was SO time-consuming, I really want to keep them for at least two weeks, so I will experiment with ways to rinse them or lightly shampoo my scalp without having them unravel.

So it'll be trial and error for a while, but it gets better, I promise.

 

[shellzfoshizzle]

Shells, it's just going to be difficult to get decent results with the relaxed ends hanging on. I didn't really learn how to style my natural hair until it actually became natural. In fact, it's been over a year and I'm still learning.

For example, I discovered just yesterday that my hair holds 2-strand twists much better when they're done very small. I'm talking micro-twists, okay? Since putting them in was SO time-consuming, I really want to keep them for at least two weeks, so I will experiment with ways to rinse them or lightly shampoo my scalp without having them unravel.

So it'll be trial and error for a while, but it gets better, I promise.

Thanks...I hope it gets better.

 

[phynestone]

When I was natural, I just wore it in a puff or in cornrows when I didn't have much money. It was easier for me to transition with braids b/c I never worried about having to do my hair but I understand you want to learn how to style your natural hair. When your hair is in the in-between stage, sometimes using accessories can help. Check out motowngirl.com for more info.

 

[ThickHair]

After I did the BC, I just practiced and got better has my hair grew longer. I had enough confidence to just accept the mistakes and keep on going. I am not defined by my hair.

 

[tropicexotic]

After I did the BC, I just practiced and got better has my hair grew longer. I had enough confidence to just accept the mistakes and keep on going. I am not defined by my hair.

Yup, my story is similar. I just went to different albums all throughout my transition and once I was fully natural it was trial and error until things started looking right. It was alot of fun, if all else failed I would just wet my hair and do a wash and go. You have will have alot of options, don't worry--some skills take practice. As far as transitioning styles, try bantu knot outs instead of twist outs, they really stretch your roots and blend your hair....I used to love just clipping my relaxed ends randomly since I knew they were all gonna go anyway, so if yours are really thin just get a trim and maybe a straw set or another style that blends easily and can be worn weeks at a time. Cornrows are another good transitioning style if you know someone who can do them, and if not flat twistouts done with a little bit of gel can give a good twist out for the two textures too.

 

[beyondcute]

LOCK AND TWIST GEL?! Not the one with the purple lid... if so... You bought dredlock gel... and youre using the wrong products. It takes a lot of playing and tampering to find stuff that works well. I know twists look a hot mess on my head because of the relaxed ends. It takes a while to get use to stylign yoru hair. Just as long as it took you to learn how to style your relaxed hair, it may take just as long to learn you natural hair. Be patient and give yourself time to experiment. It took me awhile to find good transition styles. Just have aptience

 

[sweetascocoa]

i just do bantu knots, wash and go and ponytails.

 

[DDTexlaxed]

I am glad someone asked this question. Right now my hair is too short for me to try any other styles. I will be practicing daily as soon as my hair grows out.

 

[lovelymissyoli]

You can do any style you put your mind to! It doesn’t take a hair stylist to do styles just simple practice --- trial and error. I’m only 2 months natural but that hasn’t stopped me from trying out new styles, and neither did it while I was transitioning. You’re only limited to puffs and wash and gos if you don’t experiment with anything else. When I chopped I immediately put a twist in my hair, and once I saw that I could wear them, I proceeded to do my whole head once I took down my cornrows. I admit that my first try wasn’t the greatest but I kept practicing. Now I’m moving onto twisties, and I’m slowly learning how to flat twist and cornrow so that I can do everything on my own! I rely on others for cornrows, but that will stop once I get the technique down. HTH.

 

[Super_Hero_Girl]

When I was transitioning, I did roller sets most of the time and kept it simple. I didn't transition for long because I couldn't wait to be all natural. When I finally became natural the only problem that I really had was becoming a product junkie. I tried almost everything that was raved about. With time, I learned that less, certainly is more and I don't experiment or use nearly as many products as I used too. Just as with products, styling my hair was trial and error, but it wasn't difficult. Styling wasn't a problem because I literally lived in natural hair albums and on nappturality.com. I learned so much through both of those internet tools, I'm very grateful for them. Good luck to all of the transitioners that are learning; just have patienc and keep practicing.

 

[Sascha]

When I was transitioning what I would do to twist my hair is twist a section and then put a small flexi roller on the end. I would do my whole head and let it dry (sometimes i would sit under the dryer). When I took down the rollers my twists would stay because the relaxed ends of my hair were curled.

Hope this helps.

 

[mscounselor]

I tried the twists and it didn't work for me either. I tried doing cornrows and now that I like them, I plan to do them more often. I also will not try to do anything that will only work on natural hair until I am there. Until then, bantu knots are a good idea as well.

 

[Kha]

I've been natural for quite awhile, but I just started doing "natural" styles about two years ago. It's truly trial and error and sometimes it takes time to perfect certain techniques and styles. Check out other natural hair albums for tips and styling ideas, don't give up! Try doing twists and set with rods, that may help with the straight ends until you're fully natural.

 

[Deniece]

Straight up trial and error. I can't cornrow....but I taught myself how to flat twist...which I like better than cornrows and is less manipulating to my hair and has also brought my edges back.

You might want to try braid outs till you are natural. I find that I love twist outs better than braid outs on my hair.

 

[Country gal]

I got my twists done professionally at first while transitioning. I decided I could do it too. I just bought my Barry Fletcher Twist like this and went to work. I got compliments which gave me the confidence to keep doing it. Now I am a pro at it. Two strand twists are so easy. I can't do many other styles. I can do a mean twist and wash & go. Stay tuned for pics since I am coming up on my anniversary.

 

[Sweetyb]

Within the 1st year of being natural.