Don’t get me wrong, I love my 4c hair. Absolutely love it. I think it’s one of the most beautiful textures out there. But, I’d be lying if I didn’t tell you that it’s a lot of work.
Having 4c hair comes with a lot of pros, but it’s the cons that will set you crazy.
First of all, keeping my hair moisturised is work with no salary or benefits. No matter how many times I spray it down with water and seal it with almond oil and a cream, it’s always dry a day later.
I’ve tried every oil known to man: coconut oil, olive oil, argan oil, avocado oil, you name it. The only oil I haven’t tried is cooking oil. And if this hair of mine continues to refuse to stay moisturised, I’m heading directly to my kitchen. And that’s real talk.
The crazy part is after moisturising my hair, I start feeling myself. I convince myself that this time will be different. That this time, my hair will stay moisturised and pliable for a week. But, by day three, it’s a dry mess. How is that even possible?
It’s like some moisture-sucking, natural hair demon enters my room at night and sucks all of the hydration out of my strands.
What’s worse is my strands are fine, so they are easily weighed down by the very products that can actually help me.
The last time I relaxed my hair was in the summer of 2013. By January 2014, I had big chopped and haven’t looked back since.
In the beginning, I avoided applying heavy products because they made my hair greasy and ended up getting on my skin, causing acne. So, I went very light-handed. Big mistake.
My hair ended up looking great, but feeling like straw. It also doesn’t help that I have low porosity hair, which means that my hair doesn’t easily absorb moisture. That can be a challenge when trying to keep my hair healthy.
My 4C Hair Is A Contrarian
There’s no doubt that my hair is a contrarian. The minute I find a product that I absolutely love – one that actually keeps my hair moisturised, my hair will fold its arms, pout and decide to stop loving it.
It’s nuts. The very same product that made my hair feel super soft and manageable one day, will make it feel dry and difficult to manage the next.
I’ve spoken to many naturalistas who complain of similar experiences. I find it frustrating, yet incredibly humorous.
I do everything I’m supposed to do on my own to maintain my hair. I wash it every week to remove buildup, I keep it covered with a satin bonnet at night, try low manipulation styles and I moisturise it regularly.
I will admit, I haven’t always been great at getting my trims or treatments on time, so I definitely have to step up in that area. But, other than that, I’m doing the right things. This hair of mine just won’t cooperate.
Who Needs A Haircut When You’ve Got 4C Hair?
Remember earlier when I mentioned that 4c hair has a lot of pros. Well, I find shrinkage to be one of them. A lot of people hate it, but it’s actually a sign that your hair is healthy.
I remember getting my first Dominican blowout several years ago and the heat damage destroyed my hair. My curls, which were so springy, hung lifelessly to my shoulders. It made me miss the shrinkage.
But, with 4c hair your hair can be long at 9am, medium length at noon and a teeny weeny afro by 3pm. This is no joke. The beauty is, you get to experience three styles in a day. The downside is you get that whether you want it or not. It makes styling very unpredictable.
Even though this type of hair is a lot of work, I appreciate it for what it is. It is arguably the most versatile texture.
It looks amazing in an afro or puffs, can be pressed out to give a silky appearance, and is perfect for locs. In fact, it’s much easier to loc 4c hair than any other texture. That’s thanks to the tight curl.
I’m determined to figure out the perfect routine for keeping my hair moisturised. I promise to share the results with all of you.
XOXO,
This Bahamian Gyal
