She doesn't clip her ends. She doesn't advocate trims as a necessary component for hair growth that's why her hair may look stringy once flat ironed. She says trims are more about aesthetic.
I use UBH. I've tried lots of other products. When I've used UBH consistently my hair improves and retains growth. I need to KISS and stop BCing.
ETA:
vtoodler The major improvements I experienced over the years with consistent use of her methods were better retention and improved hair condition (stronger shiner hair, less fizz & splits). She doesn't advocate for the necessity of protective styling. My hair grew and I wore it out everyday.
My history with her products are on relaxed hair. The ten times I've bc'ed (don't judge me). I never came up with a consistent natural hair regimen. I'm just learning. Every time I returned to relaxing, I would incorporate her products and methods. Any hair mishaps were due to me neglecting my hair or bad self-relaxing experience.
Why I LIKE Cathy and always return to UBH: ( I've tried to find less expensive/ easily accessible alternatives... although nowadays her prices are reasonable)
- I believe she was one of the first Black hair gurus to recommend to not over-process and to stretch relaxers to 10-12 weeks. This is was life changing for me when I was relaxed because I was kinkorexic. I relaxed my hair every 4 weeks from root to tip, which explained why it would break off and shed horribly. I'm surprised I had any hair lol.
- She recommends using indirect heat (rollersets and hooded dryers).
- She was one of the first to hone in on that our ahir needs moisture ( advocating washing hair with a ph balance moisturizing shampoo every 3 days to at most weekly).I see over the past year, she now added a shampoo to her product line.
- She also speaks about the importance of protein for relaxed hair, oils to lubricate, and stimulation for growth. She created her own deep conditioner. My relaxed hair felt so strong after. I started using it this month on my natural hair and my hair is less frizzy and feels stronger too. ( not mushy from too much moisture).
- She also was a big proponent of daily moisturizing. She created her light mist Dew spray and years later her creme moisturizer ( at the time the ones on the market that she at first recommended, like Always and Motions, had lots of mineral oil). My relaxed hair loved these leave-ins. My natural hair not so much. The creme doesn't seem to absorb as well, but I could probably try to use it differently- maybe for styling twist. When I put it on a damp fro to wear out, as a leave in, it looks "ashy".
Recently, I tried to put it on flat ironed hair (my experiment on my 3 inch TWA). My hair coiled at the ends. I bought the huge 32oz tubs a year ago, so I have alot of it since I don't use it on my natural hair, sigh.
I don't agree with everything she advocates. I like even hair, but I don't trims are necessary for growth or retention with proper maintenance. I've grown hair cuts without any problems using her methods.
We can see here on the board that protective styling (i.e. bunning) can take you to longer lengths. Before she transitioned, many attributed her hair not growing past BSL (her hair may have been a bit longer- 1-2 inches past BSL) was due to her wearing her hair out and too much direct/indirect heat.
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