4C Struggles
lathant
Registered Users Posts: 8
in Hair Type 4
I have been natural for a few years have always struggled with finding a regimen that works for me. I have fine 4c low porosity hair. I wash it once a week with shea moistures raw shea butter moisture retention shampoo and conditioner. For moisturizing, I use Camille Rose's curl maker and Camille Rose's Curl love moisture milk. I love the curl maker because it soften and defines my curls. This leaves my hair feeling very soft but I get a tremendous amount breakage. Also, I deep condition with the conditioner I mentioned above and I use a thermal heat cap so that I can open up my hair cuticle and let the product penetrate as it should. It does wonders. I just don't know why I am getting lots of hair breakage. I don't wear my natural hair. It is always in twists and it stays soft over the corse of each week. Over them, I wear natural hair clip ins. I need help. 
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I'm thinking, given your description of your hair and your routine, that your hair is way overmoisturized and that's why you're getting breakage. Are you ever doing protein treatments? Fine hair usually needs a lot of protein, maybe even more protein than moisture. Try replacing a deep conditioning session with a protein treatment. Curl Junkie sells a popular one, Joico's Kpak is also popular, you can also make one yourself, look up "iagirl gelatin" for the recipe.
I also remember something about fine hair and protective styles, I found a couple of links you may want to look at. Link 1 and link 2.
3a, fine, thin, normal porosity, no dye, greying naturally
Devacurl Weightless Waves Low Poo & Conditioner, B'Leave-in and Ultra Defining Gel
Curl Junkie Spiral Lotion in low humidity
Ouidad Advanced Heat & Humidity Gel mixed with UDG for high humidity
at home gelatin PT
Hask Argan Oil Deep Conditioner
Low porosity hair needs products that work both on the surface of hair and beneath the surface. Oils like olive, sunflower, avocado and sometimes castor are what you want to look for in your conditioners, deep conditioners and leave-ins. Natural humectant ingredients like honey, agave and flaxseed also help our hair absorb water before it dries on the surface. See Sciency Hair blog started by a low po NC member for more tips on low porosity hair.
Products with coating ingredients like shea butter are better in the styling rather than cleansing process, do ditch the Sheamoisture shampoo and clarify your hair with a basic shampoo or bentonite clay +aloe Vera gel/juice for a super deep cleanse. Coconut oil also is not a great choice to leave in type 4 hair or low porosity hair (fine in conditioner) so ditch the Curl Maker.
Add penetrating and softening oils to your shampoo like avocado or olive oil in your palm during the final shampoo and rinse. Your cuticles will be most open while shampooing to receive the benefit of oils.
Incorporate cleansing conditioners to rotate so you are only shampooing every two weeks. They will prevent your hair from drying out with frequent shampooing. Mane Choice 3 in 1 cleanser and Eden Body Works co-wash (protein) clean well without stripping.
Use appropriate products for your hair type and weather. For example, Camille Rose Curl Milk does not provide adequate moisture to type 4 hair and is best as a curl cream or styler. Try instead their Almond Jai twisting butter (has olive oil) as a leave-in under gel or Sheamoisture JBCO leave-in. To refresh your hair, try a spritz of Olive oil + warm water, Almond Jai + warm water, or Sheamoisture JBCO leave-in + warm water.
For conditioner after shampoo try SheaMoisture's JBCO conditioner (not the mask) instead of the moisture retention line, Mielle Organics deep conditioner (protein + moisture) or Mane Choice detangling hydration conditioner. Avoid thick conditioning masks as they leave build up. If you still want to reap the benefits or moisture from thick masks, dilute them in warm water 2:1 before applying to your hair.
Always rinse out your conditioner with cold water before styling to close down your cuticles and prevent the conditioner from stripping your hair. Breakage happens when the cuticles are open and hair is weakened.
For stylers, use curl creams, oils or very emollient leave-ins underneath your gel. Also consider opting out of using gel if the weather is colder and using curl creams instead.
Moisturizing gels friendly to type 4 hair include As I Am, Curling Jelly, Mane Choice gel, Treluxe Hi definition gel (avocado oil) and Kinky-Curly custard.
For curl cream, Andre Walker beautiful kinks curling gelee is one I love and other type 4's have had success with it as well.
Some combinations to try include your staple conditioner diluted with warm water + Andre Walker curl cream or CR Almond Jai as a curl cream; CR Almond Jai as a leave-in + any gel, Sheamoisture JBCO leave-in + As I Am curling Jelly.
Routine: Cleanse Kenra Clarifying, Deep Co with Matrix Biolage Balm + oil (EVOO, avocado, KCPP or Wild Growth oil),:glasses1:Style with Matrix Biolage Balm + KCPP; or Aloe water + KCPP + KCCC; or CR Almond Jai + styler (KCCC, KCPP or Treluxe Hi Def gel); or Treluxe combo (Treluxe UK leave-in, KCPP, Treluxe Hi Def gel); or Eco gel alone (Argan or Olive). Avoiding Buildup with low glycerin, coconut, shea, honey, non-keratin protein.
Routine: Cleanse Kenra Clarifying, Deep Co with Matrix Biolage Balm + oil (EVOO, avocado, KCPP or Wild Growth oil),:glasses1:Style with Matrix Biolage Balm + KCPP; or Aloe water + KCPP + KCCC; or CR Almond Jai + styler (KCCC, KCPP or Treluxe Hi Def gel); or Treluxe combo (Treluxe UK leave-in, KCPP, Treluxe Hi Def gel); or Eco gel alone (Argan or Olive). Avoiding Buildup with low glycerin, coconut, shea, honey, non-keratin protein.
Also I have low porosity and I found the retention and the hibiscus Shea Moisture shampoos to be more like cowashes. They were definitely NOT adequate in getting my low porosity to the level of clean that I need. I easily get buildup and I feel like for my hair most SM products either contribute to or don't get rid of buildup.. I use diluted Trader Joe's Tea Tree Tingle shampoo. I have gone back to shampooing weekly because every time I try to do otherwise my hair and scalp are unhappy. But how often you do deep cleanse depends on your hair. Most naturals I know who like that SM shampoo also use other clarifying shampoos to supplement it. You will need to do a moisture dc after. I don't buy actual dc's too much because taking Tresemme and adding honey and EVOO works well for me.HTH
Blessings
"Don't look back and ask why, look forward and ask why not!?" - Unk.
"Don't look back and ask why, look forward and ask why not!?" - Unk.
Your hair may not like a certain ingredient in those products. For me, aloe makes my hair hard, and also straight coconut oil and certain proteins.
Shea Moisture JBCO is probably the SM line with the most protein of all of them. I was gifted some and gave most of it away. I'm sensitive.
I just want to be able to wash my hair and see something worth looking at. Something that looks beautiful and not like something that looks a like blah.
I just want to be able to wash my hair and see something worth looking at. Something that looks beautiful and not like something that looks a like blah.
When was the last time you straightened your hair?