4c hair gets a bad rep for being dry, hard to manage, and being loads of maintenance. While 4c hair is definitely not a get up and go hair type, it doesn’t have to be a hassle to maintain. In fact, I am positive when you find a way to keep moisture in your hair most if not all of the manageability issues you face will be a thing of the past. Here is what has kept my hair laid and moisturized:
Co-wash or Rinse Only With Water
Of course there are just sometimes where I have to shampoo my hair to get rid of buildup, however now a days I prefer to co-wash or simply rinse my hair only with lukewarm to cool water. I find that afterwards my hair is not so dry and 200% easier to get through and detangle. This is because the oils and nutrients in my hair are not being completely robbed, but I have cleansed my hair just enough so my scalp is being refreshed and buildup from products are not preventing my hair from getting moisture.
I use loads of moisturizer and Eco styler on damp toweled dried hair
In order to prevent the moisture from just dripping off, I wait until my hair is damp and not saturated. I then apply my favorite moisturizers and to create my go to style I use the black Eco Styler Gel for hold.
To stretch my hair I put it in a high ponytail
For some reason braids and twists don’t give me as much stretch and the ponytail method just happens to be easier. It is also my favorite style.
Did I mention I moisturize? I do it everyday.
Being that I am wearing a puff as opposed to a bun, I run out of moisture more rapidly so I need to moisturize everyday. This usually goes by pretty quickly I just add a bit of moisture in the morning smooth out my hair and go.
When I feel like my hair is looking dry even though I have put product in it and it feels sticky it’s time for a wash
When your hair seems like it won’t stay moisturized no matter what you put in it, this may be a sign of product buildup. Cleanse your hair and you will notice a big difference.
This is what has kept my tresses moisturized and looking sleek, without too much work. Aside from wash day, maintaining my hair is pretty simple. For me I had to come to realize that shampooing on a regular basis is just too drying for my hair. Once I found the culprit of my dryness, I have seen a major difference in my hair’s manageability.
UPDATE 9-25-14: My Hair is 4c all the way, this is what my hair looks like without product and without using product. In the picture above, I still have some curls remaining from an old rod set, and my hair is loaded with moisturizer and gel. For more info on my technique check out my latest post: Yes I Have Naps and My Hair Can Still Get Laid.
How do you keep your 4c hair moisturized?
Hi, I would like to go natural but I do not want to do the big chop. Is the big chop a MUST? And how should I treat my hair if I don’t do the big chop? And what products will help my hair when I go natural because I have hair that looks like I never grease or moisturize it no matter how much I grese and moisturize it.
No, the big chop is not a must, you can just be transitioning and cutting your permed ends gradually until you’re comfortable with the length of your natural hair. Hope that helps! 🙂
Just a regular person responding. Speaking from.experience, the big chop really depends.on how well you take.care of your hair during the transition. sometimes it becomes a hassle trying to take care of two different textures . the hair becomes really fragile at that point where the relaxed hair meet the natural hair. And will easily break off. . I tried to transition , at the time I didn’t have the money to spend on protective styles like braids or twist . I eventually got frustrated with dealing with the straight hair and my 4 C hair (the difference in the 2 textures is extreme). so I just went ahead and did a big chop . If your new isn’t as tightly curled, you may be able to transition with ease.
Water is the best way to get moisture. And a good sealing oil.
Looking at her hair in the photo, She DOES NOT have 4C hair !! Look how her hair waves back in the front. Looks more like a 4a mix. Maybe she just has very dry 4a/b hair, but it’s definitely not the cotton candy very kinky 4c hair that makes such great twist outs. I can see curl definition in the puff.
There is a very strong possibility that it is; because I have 4C hair and my hair waves back. I think moisture, moisture, and more moisture and using/finding the correct products that are better suited for your hair type.
4 c doesn’t wave my dear
I was thinking the same thing. I don’t see any 4C in her hair at all; they say 4C has no curl pattern; no curl pattern means no wave pattern either. See how it waves back from her edges? I’ve had students whose pulled back hair looks like that when they wear a high ponytail & the puff is kinky looking but has a definite curl pattern that’s just frizzed out into a puff. It can look very kinky & undefined depending on what products were used & whether the hair is fine,medium, or coarse. Then there’s the porosity issue. When they wore twists their hair would have little waves in it & the ends would curl. I’d say it’s more of a kind of coarse 4a. This is why I don’t put much credence in hair typing beyond the basic types 1,2,3, & 4. We black folks have waaayyy too many variations in hair type & texture !
Agreed. There are so much variations within black hair. My latest post shows what my hair looks like without products in it: http://naturalandproud.com/2014/09/16/yes-i-have-naps-and-my-hair-can-still-get-laid-with-some-waves-yours-can-too/
Also the curls that you see were created using my technique, I don’t have waves or curls naturally.
She insists she has 4c hair…I guess the rest of us have 4z….The important thing though is that she knows what works for her hair and we can all learn from each other.
I totally agree! I have 4C hair and am newly transitioning with braid extensions. My hair is rough, resistant. I have a zig-zag coil so my hair feels hard naturally. I’m about 5 months post relaxer. I have 5C hair actually.,…and what I noticed and knew my hair loses moisture quickly so I can’t be lazy with a moisture regimen. I also strive to soften my hair. I find products that say they soften. I’m not sure if this is the same as moisturizing but softener products work for me.
I find that my hair responds well to JBCO and StaSofro Spray, so in addition to using that to massage my scalp, I combine it with my favorite moisturizer for staying power. I also pay very close attention to my scalp and strands…when my hair starts to itch I feel my scalp to test the condition of it, if it’s tight or rough….when it doesn’t itch I do the same so I’ll know what to keep doing. I often test the condition of my new growth my taking a braid out that can’t be noticed to see what’s going on after a few weeks, is it knotting, is it rough, is it thriving and growing? From there I determine if I need a deep conditioner, hot oil treatment, GHE treatment or all the above. For me, I have to moisture every other day at a min. and everyday if needed.
How can I find out the texture of my hair? I think I’m 3c to a 4a…..it not kinky yet….it curly…..what products is good for me to use?
I truly love the articles and helpful information about natural hair. I have done the big chop and may need to redo it. I obtain so much information from you but I must say that the photo above does not accurately depict true 4c hair. Did I click onto the wrong article or photograph? No harm intended. Just wondering.
That is what my 4c hair looks like saturated in moisturizer and gel. The curl pattern that you see, is from a twist out that I never combed out, I will be doing a post today to further explain.
Not 4c my dear
Please see this post, where I show what my hair looks like without product in it: http://naturalandproud.com/2014/09/16/yes-i-have-naps-and-my-hair-can-still-get-laid-with-some-waves-yours-can-too/
I keep my 4c twa moisturize daily by keeping a spray bottle mixture of water, leave in conditioner and coconut oil mix. Or plain water and a oil to seal. Being that I don’t have enough length to style. My hair is out. So it’s a must I moisture daily.
If she is Type 4C with waves and little ringlets on the back part then I am not a 4C. I have really tight curls…what most would call nappy…teeny tiny round curls when they fall out. Is there a type for my hair? It is very dry and I have to condition and moisturize often. It is very difficult at times and takes a very long time to grow.
Please see my post where I show what my hair looks like without products in it: Please see this post, where I show what my hair looks like without product in it: http://naturalandproud.com/2014/09/16/yes-i-have-naps-and-my-hair-can-still-get-laid-with-some-waves-yours-can-too/
Thank you for this post! I had to leave a comment in two places. LOL. I was really surprised to see the reactions to this post. I think it’s a shame that some of these ladies think that our hair can’t have any kind of definition because it’s 4c hair. I used to think that way, too, until I learned how to work WITH my hair.
I am a low- to no-maintenance hair type of woman. If I can’t twist, band it, or just rock an afro, I don’t even bother. My hair wouldn’t bother either, and was always dry or dull-looking. When I learned how to properly maintain by keeping my hair MOISTURIZED and protecting it at night (sooo important), my hair started to act right. Also, keeping my hair stretched makes a WORLD of a difference. Not magically became wet & wavy, but much more manageable. It just takes the right routine for you.
Ladies, when you keep your hair properly moisturized, your 4c hair will start to surprise you. Believe me, I went natural 10 YEARS ago, and only in the last 2 years is when I started learning what truly works (and doesn’t work) for my hair. I’m still learning, but it’s still all good.
LOL. When I look back on this post, I can see why people were in disbelief. The picture didn’t show my hair its raw state, but rather a manipulated one with products and gel. Moisture goes a long way, without it my hair has an entirely different look. The first half of my journey I really looked a hot mess because my hair was so dry, but through moisturizing properly I really have gained more control.
Okay so what moisturizers work best for your hair? I have been having trouble finding one that doesn’t build up on my hair so quickly
I have decided to start co-washing my hair. I can’t seem to find any shampoos that clean without completely stripping my hair of moisture. The only shampoo I like at all is SheaMoisture’s Coconut and Hibiscus shampoo. I also like their co-wash — so I will start using that for the most part, and only shampoo maybe once every 1.5 months. Gonna see if that will help me to maintain moisture and prevent dryness. After any shampoo, I feel like it take a good week for my hair to start to maintain moisture again, even though I always condition or deep condition with a plastic/cap or steamer after shampooing.
I definitely agree about shampoo, it seems like I get better results co-washing as well. However, after a while I do have to eventually shampoo to remove buildup.
Hey! My daughter and I have two totally different textures and hers looks just like yours without product! I am having a hard time caring for her hair because the products that work on my hair do not work on hers. Please share products (especially deep conditioner and moisturizers) that you use. Thank you!
I have 4c hair and Shea butter and coconut oil are the bomb. apply water to her hair then use the Shea butter, the Shea butter can be hard to get a proper amount so I melt it a bit by leaving it in the sun for a while because I don’t like melting it in the microwave. After applying the Shea butter and styling then go ahead and get some coconut oil in your hands run it through her hair, her hair will be moisturize for days. For a deep conditioner they say cantu works but it makes my hair dry so I use AS I AM conditioner to deep condition or Coconut Milk Conditioner.
If you can pull it into a ponytail, is it really a TWA?
I shampoo my hair every 2 weeks but I shampoo once with a very moisturizing shampoo that lathers. The second thing I do is use a cowash conditioner to get any remaining product out of my hair while I’m conditioning it also. I have ringlets when I come out the shower! I do add extra castor oil to my cowash which helps a ton!!
I cowash my hair every week and use shampoo once a month. I’ve been a twist out and the first day it moist and supple but the next day it’s dry and frizzy in some places. If I spray it the twists loose their definition. My hair tangles so easily and I think I’m a 4b/4c. I use honey, olive pile, rapeseed, almond, castor oil and all kinds of butters and even made a cream using Shea butter. It’s great for a day. I find that my hair stays the most moisturized by doing a wash and go when my hair is weighed down with gels and oil. I don’t know what to do?
I had the same problem. No matter what I put in my hair, it was dry within hours unless loaded down the oils and butters. I have since discovered, however that 4c hair can be prone to protein sensitivity (dramatic reaction to protein) making it dry and brittle. Just about every product marketed for hair has protein from shampoos to cowash as well as conditioners. I researched and use protein free products (there aren’t many) and use protein on purpose every 4-6 months when I feel my hair needs it. Check the proteins in your products.