If I have to think of one word to characterize my hair, more often that not, the first word that comes to mind is “tangled.” I realize that this can come off as a somewhat negative view of my own hair, but the truth is, it’s just an accurate one. My hair tangles. A lot. And easily. I’d significantly improved my hair’s ability to retain moisture, once I stopped being an idiot, and quit using shampoo since it clearly wasn’t working for me. But the tangles, oh, the tangles. They persisted.
My struggles with figuring out how to ease my detangling woes have resulted in a collection of combs (and a couple of brushes), that are sitting in a closet, somewhere in my apartment. As time wore on, my scalp wore out. Detangling sessions were nightmares. Every time I’d comb out my hair, I’d
comb out my hair. I’d have a hairball the size of a large orange, by the time I was done.
I began experimenting with finger detangling pretty early on in my hair growth experiment, here and there. But, I certainly hadn’t ever gotten the hang of it enough to really do the damn thing, and it took FORFUCKINGEVER. Watching girls rake their fingers through their curls and coils on YouTube seemed impossible for my tight, kinky non-clumping-ass strands.
Still, after I’d been on this growth quest for a year or so, I realized I needed to put a real effort into learning how to detangle my hair— at least partially— with my fingers. So, that’s how it began, in earnest. I started incorporating a new first step into my routine where I would feel around for major knots, smoothing my hair, so it was more or less going in the same direction. I’d use a generous amount of oil (coconut or Vatika, natch), and I’d use this time to also section my hair for my wash process. You know,
like this.
Aside from one
semi-traumatizing incident, detangling with only my hands seemed to be working out more and more for me, as time went on. Pretty soon, I was combing out my hair only once a month or so, then only every 6-8 weeks, then even less than that. As the combs became increasingly infrequent players in my routine, I inadvertently figured out better methods to detangle my hair throughout my entire wash process.
I’d do my smoothing/light detangling/sectioning/pre-poo hybrid thing as step 1. If I was doing henna or anything like that, I’d do that next. I’d detangle and smooth even more while conditioner-washing my hair, in the shower. And I’d do the “fuck off this is for real” detangle afterward, with lots of conditioner in my hair. After being shampoo-free for several months, it actually became possible to run my fingers through each section of my hair, once a section was detangled thoroughly (and with the help of a slippery conditioner, God bless ‘em). Still takes forfuckingever, though.
We’re nearing the end of 2012, and I can say that I haven’t used a comb on my hair since January 2012. I haven’t used a shampoo since 2011. I stay away from silicones, mineral oil and petroleum, and have done since 2010. Same thing for heat styling of any kind.
I started giving a shit about my hair in the summer of 2010. And, without realizing, as the months and years have gone by, my hair routine aligned with several of the main tenets of the whole “Curly Girl regimen”— the same regimen
I’d written off as “not applicable” for my hair, early on in this whole pursuit. And, I don’t know if this is due to the finger detangling, avoiding shampoo or both, but apparently, I do have some curls that clump. (Read: SOME.) I guess they were too frizzed out and dried out to reveal themselves before, but I seen ‘em!
So, I guess I stand corrected. Maybe the CG life is for me. In fact, I’m in the process of designing a “CG LIFE” tattoo for my abdomen, in the style of Tupac’s THUG LIFE tatt. I’m an unexpected CG covert.
Oh, except for one thing, though. FUCK a wash and go. Tangles? SSKs?
And gel? NO MA’AM.
The Accidental Curly Girl: Part IThe Accidental Curly Girl: Part II
