by
Black Girl With Long Hair
Do you only follow the advice of women whose texture is similar to yours? Or do you simply follow the advice of women whose hair you admire?
Do you think that texture matters when it comes to copying/references other people’s regimens? If so, in what ways?
Also, do you think there are other factors (like density, coarseness, fineness, etc) that we don’t consider when assessing the similarity of hair types?
I’m going to use these responses in an upcoming post I’m working on, so please be detailed 🙂
42 Responses
Do you only follow the advice of women whose texture is similar to yours? Or do you simply follow the advice of women whose hair you admire?
I follow hair advise from women that have similar hair texture to mine. In my opinion it makes no sense to be getting hair advise from women like GWYNETH PALTROW STRAIGHT HAIR! they dont struggle with dryness like me. At the same token it wont hurt to take some tips on how manage my 4c fine hair. SOME OF the i got from from a 4a TEXTURE. it all depends on ur hair.
Do you think that texture matters when it comes to copying/references other people’s regimens? If so, in what ways?
Yes and NO depending on the tips u are giving that person. Example making shore ALL ur products DON’T ALL contain protein because they might cause excessive breakage. That is universal tip can used by any natural! However as far as u going out and buying the exact hair products as someone with loser hair texture that can be an issue! what works for her might not work for u.
so, do you think there are other factors (like density, coarseness, fineness, etc) that we don’t consider when assessing the similarity of hair types?
I never knew i had FINE hair till i started doing some research. sINCE FINDINg out i been searching for women with FINE 4C HAIR and seeing what they all have in common as far as what products they use.
SIDE note! YOU TUBE is small community compared to the billions of black women trying to grow long hair. Just like how another person in another BLOG said what might work on YOU TUBE might not work for the vast majority of black women out here! something we ALL TEND TO FORGET WHEN GIVING HAIR ADVISE
I see that this discussion is probably mostly over with but I had to add my two cents, however late it may be.
1st off, the vast majority of responses were along the same wavelength: you can pick and choose whose advice to take using common sense and considering the likelihood of that advice working for your particular head of hair and lifestyle. I personally do this and also allow other folks’ success (or failure) to be an INSPIRATION for what may work for me, not Gospel.
But what I HAD to comment on is the notion that different hair typing and product usage is what’s responsible for the end results. In other words, everyone here seemed to overlook a fundamental principal : skill and/or creativity!! Maybe some vloggers can wrangle their hair into 4 sections because they have learned HOW to. Maybe some styles work better on different heads for shear ABILITY. I have worked in a number of salons. While all the stylists are licensed some are simply better at certain styles than others. A girl with the craziest combinations of curl pattern and hair type can rock styles better than one with more uniform hair sometimes just because she’s more adept at finding what works best for HER hair and also cause she is simply more skilled and/or creative.
I get people doubting how I categorize my hair all the time cause of my final result or because I’ve got parts of my regime to near perfection. (For instance, I can do a full head of pencil sized two strand twists in an hour flat. Not because my hair isn’t dense, not cause it’s not 15 inches long or cause its a fine 4c type, but because I PRACTICE. So when I see my 3a/2c coarse, coily, curly, kinky, whatever acquaintances struggle to put their hair in a ponytail let alone two strand twists, in double or triple the time it takes me, I know that at least part of the rarely considered reason is plain old experience.
That’s not to discount what anyone else has said but I find it incredible that no one really touched on skill or creativity when it comes to hair manipulation or styling. A few mentioned that watching what works for some is not necessarily an indication of how it will work for you. But I didn’t see a connection to skill or creativity.
I also HAD to say that my hair is dense, longish, and fine. 4 section division is my holy Grail cause fewer would be unmanageable and more would be annoying and more time consuming. I can do 4 sections easy. And not that I’m in the habit of letting others play in my hair, but out of all the stylists I’ve been to and the many female relatives who have done my hair, NOBODY has yet (out of maybe 30 people) been able to do a 4 section on my hair, irrespective of products and length. They see my curly mop, watch it soak up water like a sponge and shrink back warily. For them, its an unmanageable cottony lump, a giant cotton ball with labyrinthine twists and turns on top of the overlapping spirals and curls. For me, I part it like the red sea and it purrs like a kitten. Lol
So let’s not overlook an individual’s experience and abilities when dealing with their hair. If it took them 4 years to find the perfect wash and go for THEIR hair, how can you overlook the fact that you BC a year ago and are just starting to understand your hair? Doesn’t mean their method wouldn’t work on your hair, just means you don’t have the skills to implement it yet.
There’s also a school of thought that you can learn good hair practices from anyone, no matter the texture. What do you believe?
–I believe that you can but–in my experience–mostly when it’s about handling hair (e.g. how to comb it, heat usage, etc.).
Do you only follow the advice of women whose texture is similar to yours? Or do you simply follow the advice of women whose hair you admire?
–I try now to follow the advice of women whose textures are similar to mine and not just those with nice hair. Before I heard of hair typing, I used to subscribe to YT vloggers with type 3-4a hair because I wanted to define my 4c kinks into curls, . But, many products and wasted dollars later, I had to learn that my hair is different than these women so my hair WILL NOT respond the ways theirs do to products and styles. My hair is also THICK so 4 sections = 8-10 sections. For instance, I remember watching a video about defining my curls and smoothing my edges (something I’m sure we all can relate to) and now I have a bunch of products (Murray’s beeswax, Murray’s pomade, Curl Activator, a tub of IC Gel w/Olive Oil, etc.) that are just sitting in my bathroom and taking up space because they were ineffective in achieving the desired results. (side note: this is probably why I get irritated with comments on YT that say hair typing is not a necessity. I almost find it offensive because it’s almost like saying, “my hair is too good for that.” Btw, I find that this comment is mostly made by those with well-defined curls.)
Do you think that texture matters when it comes to copying/references other people’s regimens? If so, in what ways?
–YES!!! Hair type (kinks vs curls), density (fine vs thick), and length play a major role in determining product usage, time styling or maintenance, and outcomes. I also should mention that even though my hair is mostly 4c, I do have random areas with different looser textures but not necessarily more defined. When I chose someone to reference, I chose someone that has hair that is similar to my “problem areas”, my 4c areas. Moisture, detangling, and length retention are not problems that I find in my crown (some kind of a wavy concoction) and the weird patch in the back (idk what type that is) but they’re problems everywhere else.
Also, do you think there are other factors (like density, coarseness, fineness, etc) that we don’t consider when assessing the similarity of hair types?
–I’m sure there are; there is only so much that you can assess/observe from the PC monitor. This part requires some trial-and-error and knowledge about your own hair.
I used to only follow the regimens of people who had hair that looked like mine… until I got advice about retaining moisture from a “3a” curly. I’m a 4a/b. I have coils and fuzzy kinks all over my head. She told me that she uses coconut oil as a moisturizer and seals with olive oil. Well Since I’ve been doing that, I’ve rarely had a problem with retaining moisture. Everyone else told me that they seal with coconut oil after using another moisturizer. That didn’t work for me. She also taught me the art of using just plain water and glycerin. I learned about using green tea rinses instead of aphogee to reduce breakage from someone who classifed themselves as a 3b. Aphogee was causing me breakage but my green tea rinses were very helpful. Since then, I got over the whole Hair type thing.
I agree with the others that we have to take
more than the type of hair consideration,
other factors like density, strand size, porosity levels etc
should be taken into consideration.
I follow one lady on youtube and all she ever needed was a
leave in conditioner and her hair would stay moisturized. I think we have similar hair types 4a/b.
I tried her regimen and my hair was beyond parched! I think her hair strands are more fine and my are thick and coarse. Butters do well
for moisture in my hair.
I pay very close attention to the hair texture and thickness of the person who’s giving hair advice. I remember one time a girl on youtube gave instructions on how to do a wash and go. I completely ignored the fact that she had 3a hair and that my hair is 3b, lol. I soon realized that not everybody can pull off a wash and go. I was expecting loose and springy spirals as a result of my wash and go but was disappointed to see what resembled a skull cap with random coils sticking out. *sigh* Natural hair is a journey indeed.
I don’t necessarily listen to anyone about products or regimens. First being that if its some seriously dedicated regime (like I deep condition every week) I just don’t have the time to be faithful to something like that and if that is what made your hair look fabulous… then guess I’m about to have to go about it a different way. Second in respect to products, it is true everyone’s hair because of textures, thickness, porosity, etc. responds differently. I’m always down to try a new product but if it doesn’t work immediately I normally don’t wait around for results.
Everyones hair is uniquely them, and though someones texture might be close to yours… there is still something about it that makes it different. I like to think of hair as a fingerprint is just that different. With respect to regimens, if your looking for one for you; I would be willing try anything from anyone because you never know what might actually work for you.
i think good hair practice is good hair practice in terms of the need to hydrate and ensure that the hair is well moisturized and scalp is clean as well as low manipulation however; i believe that is where the generalizations end and thus i dont follow any one person’s regimen nor do i try products recommended by people whose texture/pattern is significantly different from mine. If i see a woman whose hair i admire i will ask about their products/how they achieved the style but ive also gotten into the habit of saying “what’s your hair like when its wet?”…helps me get an idea as to whether our texture is really similar or just looks like it when styled and stretched out as well as if the product may work for me :)….texture/type is def important when developing a regimen, for example i can’t do wash and goes without my hair sustaining tangles thus I always do some form of twist or braid out…density, coarseness and fineness are important to consider when choosing products or attempting to adapt someone’s practices into your own as well because it will likely determine how much product you need
In My Humble Opinion
It depends on what I’m seeking help with, which people I will and won’t take advice from. Hair has many characteristics, and we only need one common characteristic for some stuff to work for both of us. I’m not going to go just by looking at a photo because they can be misleading for a whole slew of reasons: shrinkage, camera flash/lighting, styling, etc. I need to engage with the person I’m taking cues from about their hair’s characteristics.
For styling, I’m only listening to those who, like me, have average-low strand density and a similar length. Those with many strands can rock some twists, while we look scalpy and have to fall back on twisting out. We are sometimes trying to build volume and they need no help with that. I’m also studying folk who have fuzzy, not slippery hair, because their hair will hold shapes like mine. None of these is married to curl size.
For styling product: I’m using this only to fight frizz and any curl type can be high frizz. If your hair is high frizz, I’m going to be interested in what works for you.
For moisture: This is where I’m going to get all up in yo hair’s business. Need to know whether your strands are fine, medium, or coarse. I’m going want to know how shiny/sheeny your hair naturally is. I want to know how porous your hair is. I’m paying most attention to those who have ultra-dry hair like mine because curl size doesn’t tell me that. Fellow tightly curled heads can use a dollops, while I’m on the Teri LaFlesh palm-fulls train.
For protein containing products and how often folk use them, I’m only interested in those with predominantly fine and/or medium strand size, like myself. Coarse strand ladies run from protein and following them is a bad look for me.
For detangling products and techniques: I’m most interested in the techniques of those with hair thicker and curlier than mine because if it works for them, then it should REALLY work for me.
Humidity fighting: I only want to know what you do if we have similar porosity. Everyone else can’t help me.
I usually look for those who have a similar texture to mine, particularly those with a combonation of textures. This is why I decided to use mixed-chicks as it was designed for those with multi-racial hair. I find that these products work well for me , yet I would still take advice from someone with a different hair texture. Altough I mostly look for those whose hair texture is similar to mine :very curly and wavy.
I know I’ve written about this before on this site, but 3b/3c/4a/4b, curly vs kinky doesn’t matter as much as texture, which to me describes strand diameter.
For example, my cousin and I both have below bra-strap length 3c/3b hair. Everyone in my family calls us hair twins, but we really aren’t. She has fine-textured hair and mine is coarse. The end result of our wash and goes might look the same, but the products used to achieve them are very different. I use a water-based leave-in, followed by a creamy moisturizer, followed by an oil or butter to twist every night and I get a ton of compliments on my hair all the time. Her hair would be a weighed-down greasy mess.
I’ve been natural for most of my life, so my regimen is pretty much set, but if I’m thinking about trying a product, I’m more interested in the opinion of the coarse-textured 4a regarding moisture or hold than the opinion of the fine-textured 3c.
OMG Perkisha & Sarah,
You’re spot on! And I also agree with b. I originally went natural around the same year as CurlyChronicles (2003/2004). Back then (lol, golly I sound old even though I’m only 24), we only had Nappturality and Motown Girl to go by. So yes, I took hair advice from any natural black woman I could find. IMO, I believe we put way too much emphasis on hair type. Mind you, I don’t have an issue with using hair typing classification, but even now, I still find it strange when I visit forums and a newly natural is asking everyone to determine her hair type.
I may be the odd girl out, but after 6 yrs of being natural I still don’t believe hair types/twins automatically determines what products works best for my hair. I would classify myself as “4b”, and lemme tell ya, I’m learning daily that 4b hair is SOOOO diverse! And guess what? I’m finding that I’m not relating to a lot of them! How could that be when we “appear” to have the same hair texture? For example, my mother’s 4b hair is soft soft soft as cotton (lol, not every 4b’s hair is “dry as a desert” as some call it)! She uses no products…only cowashes. My hair, on the other hand, is only soft after using Qhemet Amla & Olive Heavy Cream, lol.
Moreover, my hair loves shea butter and silicones, my bff’s 4b’s hair can’t take neither shea butter nor silicones. Oddly enough, I find myself liking a lot of the products CN and my 3c cousin use. I can’t speak for CN, but I will say my cousin’s 3c hair is naturally dry so she looks for moisturizing products. We share all of our products. The only difference might be in quantity. I don’t believe I’m the exception to the rule, I just think so many ppl are stuck on curl pattern that they believe that if a hair type is different from their own, they can’t relate.
As I tell all of my newbie friends, you have to figure out what your hair likes. However, focus more on the “feel” of another person’s hair (whether if “feels” thick, dry, fine) bc that might help narrow down products. Lol, that’s just a rudimentary way of me repeating what Sarah & b. stated concerning density and porosity. JMO <3
I will only use advise from people with a similar curl pattern as mine. My hair is probably 4B and I dont think styling tips or even length retention tips from someone with hair of a different pattern will apply. For example, the wash-n-go style doesn’t work for me using the same methods that someone with 3B hair would use.
I also agree with Renegade’s comments. My hair is super thick and I try to take that into consideration more than texture when examining regimens… for example, I like Teri LaFlesh’s methods for conditioning, even though her hair is WAY coilier than mine… on her site, one of the best advice I ever got, which said to read labels but compare the density and length of your own hair to the product. so if you have a shitload of hair, 4 sections and a quarter sized drop of conditioner just isnt going to cut it lol
i agree with b.
it’s not enough to say you have 4a hair. it helps to know how dense, porous, and thick you hair is as well. while i have 3c/4a hair, a lot of advice wouldn’t work for me becuase i also have dense, porous, and thick hair (the trinity). i believe that once you know your entire hair type, then actual curl pattern doesn’t really matter because dry hair is dry hair and thick hair is thick hair no matter how loose or tight the curl pattern is.
I like to learn about how other people care for their hair, regardless of hair type; but that doesn’t mean I change my whole process. I’ve found great products, and I have been able to make slight helpful changes in the regimen (if you can even call it that) because of what someone else has learned.
I don’t believe there’s a difference between kinky and curly hair. Kinky hair is still curly hair- it’s just a tighter curl pattern.
Also, I think when it comes to referring to others’ regimens, it is important to know what hair type they are. This still doesn’t mean that the product/method will work for you: it just increases the likelihood that it will.
Love their hair, btw!
Well I was discussing this elsewhere just this week.
Truthfully, since you cannot touch to compare anyone else’s hair to your own, all the positive reviews in the world will not tell you whether a product will work for your hair. Some people mislabel their hair types, on top of that texture, density, strand size and porosity also play a part. A girl may say she is 4a/4b or 4c or 3c like you but you have not seen her hair in the flesh and she may be a type silky with fine strands while you are a cottony with medium strands. Too many people seem to look at what xy or z is doing.
For myself, I now look at whether the ingredients would do anything for my hair. I know I like castor oil, conditioning agents like cetearyl alc, btms and my hair loves love loves Olive Oil. I will always look out for these things in products.
It is tempting to follow a rave but I am not a PJ and I have a strict budget. This is why I have resisted Kimmaytube’s Leave-in. Not only do I have no experience with Kinky Curly Knot Today but it also requires that you fork out your hard-earned for aloe juice and other things to make it. I don’t see how that is cost effective considering the price of the base product and availability of the ‘right’ aloe vera juice.
I used to think I could learn from other people’s practices or product usage in the beginning of my journey but now I realise I can take the general info on say detangling in sections, fingercombing or sealing and leave the rest.
Trying to follow someone else’s regimen is a common mistake. All of our hair is different. Different texture, length, thickness, color, shedding patterns, protein needs, goals, schedules, budget etc. It is so important that people learn to deal with THEIR hair and what works for them. Its great to seek out advice, information and methods and take bits and pieces to incorporate into your regimen. But at the end of the day you have to formulate your own regimen. I have pretty much mastered my own hair (well I would like to know of a product that dries the hair to look like it does when wet) but anyways when friends ask for suggestions on what to do I’m very hesitant to give advice. Once I told a girl that was transitioning to try co-washing b/c it worked for me but she said it made her hair a frizzy mess. Kimmaytube once gave an excellent point on her channel. It was along the lines of “if you haven’t mastered your own hair, don’t try and convince another girl to go natural or to adopt a certain regimen.”
I believe you can take advice from anyone so long as their hair is healthy. Why would you take advice from someone whose hair is breaking off, edges thinning and just fried died and laid to the side? Me though? I take my advice from anyone who has good advice to give. I see if it makes since for me, try it out maybe once if I want to and if the shoe fits, I incorporate it into my own regimen. I LOVE doing research on methods and regimens of other naturals but just because I’m curious and they may have something to offer.
The only time I really want to know or care about a person’s “hair type” is when I’m shopping around for product reviews. In the beginning of this hair journey I was becoming a product junky. But after spending $60 on products that did absolutely nothing but cause protein overload for my hair, I stopped that and smartened up. Even still, a person’s hair type or texture will not guarantee that the product will work for you. but personally I would rather take advice on products from someone who has hair similar to my own.
Two things I think a lot of people don’t consider: diet and exercise. If you eat crap, your body is gonna be crap and your hair might as well be too.
I do a little bit of both. For styling hair texture doesnt matter much to me, usually if a find a style I like modelled on a person with a different hair texture than mine, I you tube it to see I can find the same style on someone with similar hair texture to mine (4B if I had to define) and how it looks and also what modifications I would have to make regarding my length etc.
@Renegade, I feel you on the 4 section business. You should have seen me in the early days trying to actually do that… A MESS. My type of hair is just too unruly. I think we are becoming friends now though.
I mainly learn from those with a similar texture of hair. Other factors that come into play are length and whether the hair is fine or thick. However, I have also learned a few things from people with hair that was of a different texture. Overall, I think what’s important is how you compile the knowledge and make it work for you.
I focus on what my hair likes. I have taken advice and given advice to and from women of all textures. When it comes to regimens, I focus on the basics of the routine–condition, moisturize, seal, protect. Then I use products that work best on my own head of hair **said the recovering product junkie**.
When it comes to styling, Lord knows I’d love to do a lot of things that people with longer, less course hair can do. But, I know that right now I am limited by length so I do variations based on what my own hair can do. I also know that the density of my hair requires more than a quick shake and little tuck to get a style right, so I work with what I have and go with the things that my hair has taught me.
Texture is crucuial. Many times the hair you admire is nothing like yours and duplicating the regimen/products used will make no difference. Frustration can ensue when you try to copy a style and the results (you vs. the person who posted the style, for example)do not resemble the original.
Kinky is not curly. For me, kinky is more Shingai Shinowa or Wanda Sykes; curly is more Lisa Nicole Carson and Tracee Ellis Ross. I don’t pretend my hair (which is more like Sykes’) is going to give me a thick, luscious fro like Shingai, or long lustrous curls like Ross, even if I do exactly what they do. That’s why I look to persons with my hair texture for inspiration, so I can be almost certain that the results will be the same.
Also, density & coarseness are essential. So although I have hair like Sykes, my TWA never had her density because she’s got more follicles. In all things regarding hair, be realistic!
My advice is listen to your own hair. You can play around with product, techniques or advice but always default to how your hair feels after doing it.
I find that a lot of frustration that people experience is because they believe what they see and read. The truth is every person is an individual and every person has to find their own balance.
The only hard and fast rule I have is treat your hair gently…..I mean gently……really really gently.
Thickness and density of hair matters nearly as much as texture to me. As aiych said, it also depends on what I’m trying to take away from the advice. Detangling and other handling routines are most helpful for me when the person has similar texture and density (# hairs on the head — I have a LOT). Product advice works best when the person has similar thickness (of strands). A combo of the three traits is best when receiving advice, but I at least consider most of the logical things I see. Sometimes the advice comes from someone whose hair is nothing like mine, but I weigh it against what I’ve already tried. Sometimes, I try it anyway and I get lucky! I learned that the person’s hair (or skin color) doesn’t have to look like mine to have great ideas for my personal hair.
First I must state that all of the women in the pic look gorgeous! I love how natural hair looks so soft and touchable. It’s so beautiful. We are such a beautiful crew, us curlies!
I don’t just follow the advice of those with similar textures because I have a variety of textures going on up there. I love it! There is nothing predictable about the curls and kinks. I usually go by whether a person has hair as thick as mine that craves moisture. I am still a baby as far as my natural journey so I’m still learning.
Even though I do listen to the advice of others I listen to my hair the most. It usually tells me if it likes something or not really quickly. Right now I have a regimen that works and until I gain more length I’m sticking with it. But if I feel like treating myself I might pick up a recommended product just for kicks. And if it works I use it for a day of pampering and indulgence. Outside of that I look for curlies with a great regimen on a budget.
I’m not sure if I follow anyone’s regimen at all. I only use natural products that are easily accessible. Every now and then I will try a brand name product, and nothing works like my simple stash. I wash my hair with black soap, or doctor bronner’s soap, which ever I am in the mood to use. I condition with Trader Joe’s Nourish Spa or Trader Joe’s Tea Tree Tingle – this is when I detangle. After mild blotting dry with a t-shirt I apply a GENEROUS amount of shae butter to my hair and style either a twist out or wash and go using homemade flax seed gel. About once or twice a month I give myself a hot oil treatment using a mix of organic grape seed oil and coconut oil. My hair ranges from 3-something waves to 4a kinks. My daughters hair is 3c-4a and the same routine works perfectly for her.
I really had no one to model while growing up in the natural hair world (my hair is 16 months old) I simply could not afford to get my next perm and so i follow no one’s regimen. It wasnt until my mother decided to do the BC that I got a chance to experience different products and styles. At first my mother was disappointed that products that worked on my hair didnt work as well as hers…but as soon as she start experience to see her curl pattern come through. I assumed it just a learning process and learning to do minor things such as co-washing and detangling methods. Once I came back to school from the summer (rocking the curls for a minute) I had my regimens down packed….I recieved lots of compliments and lots of “oh my hair cant do that” my automatic response would be to just try it and just use the same simple methods but they once I began to experiment with other people’s hair, the style would be on point but they would also be disappointed that their hair is not mine. Its a really difficult issue because the reason most of us are walking away from the perm is to get away from the standard wrap….so why want stardard kinks and curls?? I decided to start an organization on campus that will get the girls together once a month to have discussions (such as this one), empower one another, and have actual demonstrations where participants can try multiple products on different sides of their head to help them in their natural hair journey and find their own regimen. We dont need one anothers secret recipe in defining our roots but we can all take from each other’s support along the way in finding our own. I thanks my mother for being the emotional and financialsponsor for my journey!
Do you only follow the advice of women whose texture is similar to yours? Or do you simply follow the advice of women whose hair you admire?
I don’t follow anyone blindly. In general, I follow HAIRCARE advice of women with hair that is 4a/b (mine is 4b). However, I always ask myself if their technique is relevant/sensible for my hair. If I think it’s worth a try I go for it! I will take style tips from ANY hair texture. With styling, it’s moreso options for me to get ideas for inspiration and it challenges me to apply the styles to my hair texture/length.
Do you think that texture matters when it comes to copying/references other people’s regimens? If so, in what ways?
Yes. People with highly textured hair will have different needs than those with looser curled hair. Although, I don’t think the differences are normally so great though that you can just make adjustments when needed. For example, I detangle my hair in 10 sections total due to the coarseness of my hair, someone with looser curls may be able to detangle their hair in 4 sections. However, their general detangling techniques may still have a good basis for you to start from. Another example, where regimens aren’t transferable: I watched a vid of chisellecouture stretching her hair by wrapping it. FABULOUS IDEA, but I knew from the jump that there was NO WAY my hair would do that. Why? My hair doesn’t lay smooth with gel/brushing/anything. Just not for me.
Also, do you think there are other factors (like density, coarseness, fineness, etc) that we don’t consider when assessing the similarity of hair types?
No, only because I don’t believe these factors will truly affect how one approaches a hair regimen if you’re basing it off of the type of coil/curl/non-existent pattern one has.
It’s refreshing to read that I’m not the only one scratching my head at the 4 sections part…lol
I also give the *side eye* to those who can pull their hair back effortlessly. Some almost do it with one hand! LOL And the whole time I’m watching them do that I’m thinking about 1.What am I going to use to hold all of my strands back 2.How I really hope I don’t snap the hair band against my face as I attempt to pull it around my hair and 3.How annoyed I get when after I try to wrap the band around my hair the second time, most of my hair gets tangled in the band….man, it’s a struggle
Ok I’ll stop now cause I could really continue with this but I’m over here making myself laugh and feel like I’ve strayed off the topic…my apologies : )
Soooo mostly, I believe we all may tend to look for someone who’s hair type resembles ours, a “hair twin” in which we can reference in hopes to find products that work so we don’t waste our money on those that don’t and most of all…. styling options.
I think texture matters somewhat, but hair type to me definitely does not indicate texture. I am a 4a who finds that most girls with the same “type” has hair that looks and behaves very different from mine. Therefore, whenI coy regimens from other 4as, while it may be helpful it often doesn’t produce the same results. I find that incorporating products used by 4Bs helps a great deal, but also some 3s use some products that are helpful too. For me, 4a regimens served as a foundation, but I had to look to products from all textures (and some basic trial and error) to create a regimen that worked for me…
I think we all need a basic regimen of moisturizing and sealing. I think the biggest difference is the product that is used. I’ve noticed that some can get away with water mixed a small amount of one or more oils. Others require more than one product. I’ve learned that my hair does best with water, a cream or lotion leave in, butter or moisturizer followed by some straight oil.
Honestly I read it all when it comes to hair care tips; however, when it comes to using certain products I tend to rely on the knowledge of those that have hair similar to mine, especially if the product is kind of costly. When I find similar hair textured folks whose hair looks fabulous, I go back and find out what they were doing up until that point because I have noticed that oftentimes what is needed changes as my hair grows.
Well I tend to focus on hair that is similar to mine, which is 4a/b. I hardly take any advice from women with looser curls. looser curled hair holds moisture better and it detangles easier. And most of the time it does not look the same way that kinky hair does when it is styled.
But I love the look of all types of natural hair
Great photo! I only follow very basic advice (ie how to comb hair, dealing with fairy knots, etc.) and that has come from women with various hair textures. Though I am a type 4, I enjoy reading various hair type routines; I kind of take in good hair care patterns I notice, experiment and follow what my hair says it prefers/needs. LOL at @Renegade Behavior’s comment on the 4 sections! I don’t think I have a lot of hair but I can’t do the 4 sections at all either. Ultimately I agree with VV and Renegade Behavior.
Within the natural hair world there’s a school of thought that you should only follow someone’s regimen if their texture is similar to yours (curly, kinky, coily, wavy). There’s also a school of thought that you can learn good hair practices from anyone, no matter the texture. What do you believe?
— Some things are more texture specific than others. For example, I would probably take detangling advice from someone with similar hair texture as mine. Other things are not as texture specific. For example if someone with a different hair texture has hair-strength issues (like I do), I would take their advice for strengthening my strands regardless of our texture difference. I guess pick and choose…
Do you only follow the advice of women whose texture is similar to yours? Or do you simply follow the advice of women whose hair you admire?
—Both. Some people have hair I really like but maybe they don’t have the same shedding problems I do or maybe their hair doesn’t like oil but mine does. I wouldn’t follow their advice on these particular aspects of hair care just because it’s not reasonable for me. If my hair does well with oil, why stop using it just because somebody has nice hair and can’t stand oil? Other times, mimicking is good. If somebody has a full head of thick healthy hair, maybe they’re doing something right.
Do you think that texture matters when it comes to copying/references other people’s regimens? If so, in what ways?
—-Since there are several aspects of hair care (minimalizing shedding/breakage, retaining length/moisture/elasticity/strength, detangling and scalp maintenance among others) maybe reference someone with a similar hair texture only for certain issues. Maybe I wouldn’t take the moisturizing advice of someone with loose curls and fine hair since my hair is very thick, kinky and oil can’t travel down my hair shaft as easily as it does for them. I might take their advice for reducing shedding though since that’s more of a hair root issue.
Also, do you think there are other factors (like density, coarseness, fineness, etc) that we don’t consider when assessing the similarity of hair types?
—Yep yep. I probably answered already I think…
Hope this helps with your future post, I tried to be detailed lol
I MAINLY follow regimen of women who have hair that looks very similar to mine (like kcurly from newlynatural.com ) because I don’t know that fine haired wavy women will use products that may be heavier for their hair or what not. If I see someone thriving with hair like mine, then I may as well test out their product suggestions first and then tweak to fit mine rather than say well hair is hair and slather on any suggested thing in trial and error only to see that I spent a lot of money for mediocre results. There ARE certainly products that can fit a full spectrum of people, but I tend to, especially with higher priced items, buy things that have gotten tried out by someone with a similar head of hair
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I agree Renegade, I’ve tried to doing certain things in four sections and it’s pretty hard..my hair’s too thick lol
Since I started wearing my hair natural in 2003 I didn’t have that many resources to look to..things weren’t as big as they are on youtube and there were only a few blogs I knew of. It helped to read about what other naturals did but I didn’t truly follow anyone’s regimen..I did have to start from scratch and do a lot of trial and error.
@ Renegade, I hear you on the 4 parts thing! My hair is too thick for that, I got about 10 inches of 4a hair and it laughs at small sections.
love the picture
I mostly focus on people with a similar hair texture but I have gotten good advice from people with other textures.
At first I used to try and style my hair according to those who I felt was more knowledgeable about natural hair. However, as time went on I started to notice that my hair is muuuuch more dense than a lot of “gurus” who’s styling methods that I’d been taking an interest in. For instance, watching someone’s video when they say they section their hair into 4 parts, I’d be looking with a *side eye* like Say What, 4 sections?! Yeah, more like 8. LOL
So now I try to think about how much product I may need as opposed to how much they used and also their hair type as opposed to mine because mine may need more moisture to hold a style.
All in all, I think learning from a variety of people has been helpful on my journey as they have all taught me something that I did not know about before : )
The girls in the picture above have amazing hair!
Personally, I’ve noticed that curls and kinks share a lot of common traits. But what I think is interesting when it comes to texture is that a lot of natural haired women have multi-textured hair. For example, mine varies from 3a to 4c which means that finding a regime isn’t always so straightforward. Ultimately hair care does to a large extent boil down to trial and error- what works for one girl with lets say type 3 hair, won’t neccessarily work for another girl with the same texture. Every head of hair is different (although we share some similarities i.e the need to moisturise, condition etc)