Can I ask a DUMB question

afrofaithful said:
What's considered thick, normal and thin hair? Pics please!! Thanks!!
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I don't have pics but Hair Boutique has a good description:

Hair Texture/Hair Type Recommendations

Fine Hair Texture

Fine hair can be so soft and silky that it can actually feel like feathers. Depending on the type of hair, treatment can vary. Fine hair can range from very thin to very thick. It can be straight, wavy, curly or wiry.

Some experts believe that a perm will help blow out the cuticle on fine hair, giving it great body and movement. Others believe that the chemicals may damage the hair.

Fine hair is often so slippery that it may have a difficult time holding a curl or set. If you lust after a head of bouncy curls, consider using a light mousse on damp strands and using Velcro curlers to create curls.

If your hair does not hold a curl at all, try doing a wet set to lock in more tendrils. Shampoo and towel dry hair, apply a light mousse and then wrap in curlers. Sit under a hood dryer until hair is dry. Carefully remove curlers and then replace with hot rollers. Leave the rollers in until completely cool. Remove curlers and carefully arrange curls with your fingers. Spray with a good holding hairspray to retain the curls.

Fine Hair - Thin Density

Remedies for fine thin hair should start with a great volume-enhancing cut. The hair should then be maintained with volume building hair care shampoos, products and styling tools.

The right hair care products can be utilized to give hair a thicker appearance, especially for straight strands or hair that is thinner at the root area and fuller near the ends.

The rule of thumb for fine, thin hair should be that a little goes a long way. Avoid regular or heavy hot oil and deep conditioning treatments which can flatten the cuticle resulting in limp, lanky locks. Instead, when warranted, use a light protein pack or hair mask followed by a clarifying shampoo.

Treat according to your hair's needs. If you ends are dry, apply a conditioner only to the ends of your strands.

Perms, straighteners and color applied to fine thin locks may help to swell the hair shaft. The down side to chemical treatments is that fine thin hair tends to be more fragile than other textures and types. Any form of chemical treatments should be considered on an individualized basis and keyed to your hair texture, type and overall condition
Fine Hair - Medium Density

Depending on the growth pattern of fine, medium hair, volume enhancing products may or may not be appropriate. A lot will depend on the condition of your hair and whether it is straight, curly or wavy. Straight hair that grows fuller at the ends but thinner at the roots can benefit from a combination of volume shampoo on the roots and a light moisturizing shampoo formula on the middle and ends of the hair. Follow with a light moisturizing rinse or a detangling spray with moderate conditioning properties.

Use a deep conditioning treatment on dry or damaged ends or middles once a month, or more often as needed. Be careful not to apply hot oils or deep packs close to the roots or you may cause them to become lank or over conditioned. Use a clarifying shampoo once a month if you acquire a lot of styling product building.

Fine Hair - Thick Density

Although fine hair is still very soft, if it is thick, it would not benefit from a volume enhancing hair care system. Instead, use a moisturizing shampoo and conditioning rinse. A light leave-in conditioner like Phyto's #7 would be appropriate, especially for dry middle or end sections.

If the hair is thick or wavy, it will require more moisturizing treatments include bi-monthly deep conditioning treatments. Remember to concentrate any conditioner only on the ends and middles eliminating contact with the root area.

Fine thick hair is often better able to handle chemical treatments than fine thin hair. Explore options for altering your natural texture with your professional hair consultant if desired.

Medium Hair Texture

Medium hair is the most common type of texture. It also has the most styling flexibility of the three types. Depending on the overall condition of your hair you may be able to use a shampoo for normal hair followed by a light conditioning rinse or a product that is combined with a detangling spray.

While a deeper conditioning treatment may be advantageous, evaluate your hair's condition and act accordingly. If hair is chemically damaged or dry, treat with a moisturizing hair care regime followed by weekly deep conditioning masks or hot oil treatments.

Medium Hair - Thick Density

Medium hair that is thick can require some special expertise is achieving the proper balance and style because of the potential for excess bulkiness.

Although medium textured thick hair is ideal for almost all type of chemical treatments, it is important to keep hair well shaped and conditioned to minimize thickness. Longer hair will help compress some of the mass while gentle relaxing treatments will add bend and movement.

To maintain this hair texture and type in optimal condition use a regular moisturizing shampoo, conditioning rinse and leave-in conditioner. Utilize hot oil and deep conditioning masks on a monthly basis, or as needed to keep hair soft and to help it lay flatter.

If oiliness at the roots and dryness near the ends is a problem, use a combination of products to address each challenge. Use a clarifying shampoo on the roots only. Apply moisturizing shampoo on the middle and ends. This will provide a balanced cleansing treatment. Remember to only condition the sections of hair that will benefit directly from moisturizing.

Achieve increased resilience and shape-holding power from setting lotions, mousses and hair sprays. Medium textured hair hold sets well although the thicker the hair, the higher the risk that the weight of the hair will pull the curls or waves out.

When medium hair is in good, undamaged condition, it also benefits from flat and curling irons and hot curling tools. When used with a heat protectant product, medium thick hair can also better withstand regular blow drying than other hair textures and types.

It should however be noted that the use of hot tools can have a drying effect on any type including medium thick hair if used too frequently or without a leave-in conditioning or heat protection product.

Coarse/Wiry Hair Texture

Coarse hair can feel heavy and rough as a result of the way that the cuticle scales lie flat against the hair shaft. Coarse or wiry hair can also be coarse, medium or fine.

Depending on the coarseness of the hair and whether it is dry or damaged, use a moisturizing shampoo adjusted to the current condition of the hair. Moisturizing shampoo can range from a light formula to very heavy. Different shampoos and conditioners can perform different functions. Moisturizing properties will vary by manufacturer and ingredients.

Coarse and wiry hair textures are not always the best candidates for chemical treatments. A lot depends on the shape of the cuticle and whether hair is curly, wavy or kinky. The overall condition of the hair plays a key role in the success of chemical applications.

Summary

Whether you have fine, medium, coarse or wiry textured hair that is thin, medium or thick, it can also be normal, oily, dry or damaged. Remember as you customize a hair care program that provides maximum benefit for your own hair profile, be willing to adjust according to each of the variables that define your hair. Since everyone's hair is uniquely their own, the hair care systems that they select must also be individualized and personalized.
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Relentless said:
How do you "seal" with oil? What is the process?
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First make sure you moisturize your hair (either with water or a water base moisturizer), then apply oil on top of your hair, which will hold in the moisture as your hair dries, and will decrease the moisture entering/leaving your hair due to humectants.
 
I've been natural since Sept 2008, but my hair is only around SL. No cuts, 1 bad salon press/hotcomb "frying" incident, and lack of constant conditions until mid-2010. Even at the average growth rate, shouldn't my hair be much longer. I've been depressed about my hair lately and am wondering what am I doing wrong.

OK, well, I guess my questions is: What constitutes a slow grower?
 
Incognitus said:
I've been natural since Sept 2008, but my hair is only around SL. No cuts, 1 bad salon press/hotcomb "frying" incident, and lack of constant conditions until mid-2010. Even at the average growth rate, shouldn't my hair be much longer. I've been depressed about my hair lately and am wondering what am I doing wrong.

OK, well, I guess my questions is: What constitutes a slow grower?
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Is it not growing or are you not retaining? I would say a slow grower is anything less than average.
 
Porosity

My hair dries abnormally fast. By reading many posts I've come to the conclusion that I have a porosity issue. But which is it: Do I lack porosity or is my hair too porous?
 
Incognitus said:
At this point, I don't even know anymore :perplexed. I never BC'd. I think all of my relaxed ends are gone...
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So you've been using heat while transitioning? Are you seeing a lot of broken hairs or just shed hairs?

Regarding porosity...do you feel like products sit on top of your hair or absorb quickly? How fast your hair dries isn't the only characteristic of porosity.
 
EllePixie said:
So you've been using heat while transitioning? Are you seeing a lot of broken hairs or just shed hairs?

Regarding porosity...do you feel like products sit on top of your hair or absorb quickly? How fast your hair dries isn't the only characteristic of porosity.
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No, I've only used heat 4 times (2 blow drys & 2 salon flatiron). The hairs the come out are not like the little snapped ends that used to come out when I was relaxed. They're much longer strands and kinky, so I can't tell if it's shedding or broken hairs.

Actually I noticed that some of the products I use have trouble absorbing. Then again, this is mostly with the Giovanni products (which some on LHCF say happens). Well, come to think about it, this also happened a when I applied the SheaMoisture Deep Conditioning Mask.

Pardon me if I sound utterly ignorant regarding my own hair. I'm a work in progress. I know about the chemicals, ingredients and vitamins. But when it comes to my actual hair, I'm a little slow. Until I began transitioning, I never dealt with my hair at all (salons, sister, & friends did my hair.) :spinning:
 
Incognitus said:
No, I've only used heat 4 times (2 blow drys & 2 salon flatiron). The hairs the come out are not like the little snapped ends that used to come out when I was relaxed. They're much longer strands and kinky, so I can't tell if it's shedding or broken hairs.

Actually I noticed that some of the products I use have trouble absorbing. Then again, this is mostly with the Giovanni products (which some on LHCF say happens). Well, come to think about it, this also happened a when I applied the SheaMoisture Deep Conditioning Mask.

Pardon me if I sound utterly ignorant regarding my own hair. I'm a work in progress. I know about the chemicals, ingredients and vitamins. But when it comes to my actual hair, I'm a little slow. Until I began transitioning, I never dealt with my hair at all (salons, sister, & friends did my hair.) :spinning:
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Is there a white bulb at the end of the strand? It's okay, no worries! It sounds like they are shed hairs to me.
 
Incognitus said:
No, I've only used heat 4 times (2 blow drys & 2 salon flatiron). The hairs the come out are not like the little snapped ends that used to come out when I was relaxed. They're much longer strands and kinky, so I can't tell if it's shedding or broken hairs.

Actually I noticed that some of the products I use have trouble absorbing. Then again, this is mostly with the Giovanni products (which some on LHCF say happens). Well, come to think about it, this also happened a when I applied the SheaMoisture Deep Conditioning Mask.

Pardon me if I sound utterly ignorant regarding my own hair. I'm a work in progress. I know about the chemicals, ingredients and vitamins. But when it comes to my actual hair, I'm a little slow. Until I began transitioning, I never dealt with my hair at all (salons, sister, & friends did my hair.) :spinning:
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ITA with EllePixie. Regarding the bolded, when is the last time or how often do you clarify to remove buildup? There is some way to test porosity by placing a strand of hair in water. Ok, found a link maybe this will help. Hair Porosity Test

Some more information...

"A good way to tell if you need protein is to do a strand test.

You take a strand of hair, wet, hold it at each end and stretch. If it snaps immediately or stretches very little, you need moisture. If it stretches 20%-30%, you probably have a good moisture/protein balance. If it stretches much more than about 30% and doesn't shorten up again (strand stays all limp and strectched out) you may need protein. I usually do a few hairs just to get an average.

Another way is that if you see your curls getting limp and dragged out (and you can't blame it on a low dewpoint) you may need a shot of protein.

If you are protein sensitve, your hair will feel like dead grass or straw when you use protein. In extremes, the hair can snap. It will feel dry and brittle, and adding more of a protein conditioner will just make it worse. Now, this won't mean that you are sensitive to all proteins. Wheat is a commonly seen as an offender, but some can use it. So, you may be unable to use wheat protein, but be OK with silk or soy or keratin.

The frequency of a protein treatment all depends on your hair. I had been using one once a week, but it's down to bi-weekly now. It all depends. That is something you'll have to learn on your own. The strand test can be helpful in figuring this out.

As far as ingredients to look for, I'd look for ingredients that you already like in your regular conditioner, but with protein higher up. Or, you can look for products marked as "reconstructors" (at least they are sold that way in the US) to find a high protein conditioner. If you are strict cg, do check other ingredients to see if it works for you."

 
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I know this question has probably been asked in this thread, but I'm currently on a VERY fickle computer and can't look up stuff like I want. So with that said....

How do you set up the number of replies you can see on one page at a time from a thread? I vaguely remember somebody suggesting to someone else to adjust the setting on how many replies they could see per page so instead of having 20-30 pages to go through, they would only have 5-10 pages. Does that make sense?
 
cia_garces said:
I know this question has probably been asked in this thread, but I'm currently on a VERY fickle computer and can't look up stuff like I want. So with that said....

How do you set up the number of replies you can see on one page at a time from a thread? I vaguely remember somebody suggesting to someone else to adjust the setting on how many replies they could see per page so instead of having 20-30 pages to go through, they would only have 5-10 pages. Does that make sense?
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It's in the User CP > Edit Options under Thread Display Options. :)
 
Incognitus said:
Porosity

My hair dries abnormally fast. By reading many posts I've come to the conclusion that I have a porosity issue. But which is it: Do I lack porosity or is my hair too porous?
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You have too much porosity aka your hair is too porous. Have you tried Roux PC?
 
frizzy said:
What is the easiest, non-messy, complete coverage way to apply Aphogee 2-Step (hardcore)to the hair. I can't seem to do any of the three things. How do you do it?

How are you ladies applying the stinky stuff, how are you getting it from bottle to head without a lot of dripping, mess and waste. How do you ensure that every strand is covered. Do you just pour from the original bottle onto your hair, do you put it in an applicator bottle, or do you buy the small size (2oz.) and use the whole bottle for one application?

The longer the length of hair, it seems the more crucial and careful the application should be.
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I only buy the big bottle now. They changed the pkg on me, but it's still the same ole stuff.
I bought a bottle from the bss, like this:
hennaapplicatorbottle5.jpg

I pour some aphogee into it, I pretty much know how many oz that I will need, and just fill up the bottle. With my gloves and cheap spray bottle, I lightly spritz my hair with filtered water
( after washing/clarifying and lightly towel drying to get any initial drippies ) the water is only to make it a little moist.

I apply it like you would do a color application, then smooth it down the hair shaft. I do this in sections with a towel over my shoulders. This is the only way that I have found the aphogee not to be a complete mess everywhere. Then I proceed to blow dry as the instructions say. This has worked well for me. I only do aphogee 4 times a year, and this makes it less burdensome. HTH
HairBella08 said:
dumb question...how do you get your braids to soften up after getting box braids with kankelon hair. mine are stiff, not tight, but stiff and i'd like them to feel more natural/softer. how long should i wait to wash them?
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As a braider for many years myself, this starts with PRE-TREATING THE HAIR PRIOR TO INSTALLING IT. Soaking the hair in a mix of 1/4 cup acv ( apple cider vinegar ) to 2 quarts of VERY warm water with 1 tsp of clarifying or chelating shampoo, which ever you have on hand will work. Soak the hair till the water becomes luke warm, then rinse. Now soak the hair in 2 qts warm water, with your conditioner of choice, also let the water cool down to tepid prior to removing. Once the pre-soak is done, then rinse the hair w/ water, and hang it over the shower to air dry. This is how I prep all Kanekalon hair that I use, and it's soft like human hair!

Now I KNOW the hair is already in your head. Just wash it with a diluted mix of 2 Tbls. acv mixed with 1 gal water with 2 tbls shampoo. You should notice a difference with the first wash. Don't forget to condition, and use a leave-in afterward. Gotta take care of your hair under those extensions.

alundra said:
What I want to know is how on earth people detangle without braids? I end up losing clumps of hair every time I wash! The only time I haven't is when I used silicon mix, but mine is back in the US. :(
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I pre-detangle with my fingers. As a natural, I will remove my twists. 1st spritzing with water, then adding cheapie conditioner with a little olive or warmed coconut oil for slippage. THEN I begin to finger detangle. Once finger detangled, then I section the hair, and wash the twists in sections. I will wash the scalp first, then untwist a detangled section of hair, shampoo it, then twist it back up. I use the Chicoro "smoothing" method for this, which will keep my pre-detangled hair, detangled throughout the wash, condition, leave-in process, so I only have to detangle once or twice, and it stays that way.

SoulElegance said:
How do you do a hot oil overnight treatment to rid hair of split ends WITHOUT cutting. Cutting is not a option considering I have locs.
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Can't get rid of splits without cutting. Sorry......
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what you can do, it protein tx, to fill in the gaps to help in strengthing the hair that you have prior to doing mini trims to rid yourself of the splits. Keep in mind that splits can travel. Cut those suckers out, they can be like a cancer.............and your hair WILL grow back. Don't keep those sick stragglers
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for the sake of length.....

me-T said:
got another one...
since coconut oil gets hard in the cold, if you put some on your hair before goin out in the winter, would it protect the hair any?
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Well I don't do coconut oil on wet hair and go out into the winter weather. That's a
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. I prep my hair with my leave-in and seal with coconut oil, and put my hair in large twists or braids to airdry. Once dry, there's no need to add more coconut oil, as it's sealed in the moisture from the water/water spritz/water based product that I used underneath it the night before. This for me = soft, sheeny hair that feels just as juicy as it looks :D

sevetlana said:
Hey cookie I this helps

At the top of the page look for
USER CP click that.
then on the left side of the page look for SETTINGS AND OPTIONS
then click on EDIT OPTIONS
In the center of the page look for THREAD DISPLAY OPTIONS
proceed to un-check the relevant boxes.

HTH.
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THANK-YOU! This is just what I needed to know. You know how ppl stare at you all weird like, "wtf" are you lookin at when you are on this site at work :D
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NOW I know how to fix this, cause explaining it is TERRIBLE.......many don't understand our "fixation"
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and then treat you like
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staring like
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btw, this is a great thread! I can't believe that I have missed it!
 

Hello nancy, this is Gillermo! How's Estaban, Silas and Shane? LOL! I see you are a fan too!

Ok, carry on! :lachen:
 
ajargon02 said:
Why is the "one who shall not be named" named that?

What did she do?
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Cause every time she is named it starts a ruckus...and what did she do..not sure..I know most people think she is a fraud...she looks like she has really long hair..but it looks like a bad wig to me..
 
Qtee said:
Cause every time she is named it starts a ruckus...and what did she do..not sure..I know most people think she is a fraud...she looks like she has really long hair..but it looks like a bad wig to me..
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now i want to know her name so i can go look :lachen:
 
ajargon02 said:
Why is the "one who shall not be named" named that?

What did she do?
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@ajargon02 the one who shall not be named is shima.....:look:


her crimes are using member profiles, fake testimonials, and LHCF pics without permission to sell her oils.

her hair is her tho.... dont we all wish we could have fairytale mythical bootylength hairlength hair :lachen: (insider check her yt for some good lulz)
 
For those of you who use the Kimmaytube leave in conditioner concoction or similar, do you also seal with more oils after applying it?
 
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